DAY 72

"Endurance Studios," Lara read off the listing at the front of the building. "Suite 1C."

"Ta-Da!"

She gave me a look. "Sam, what is this?"

I grabbed her hand and dragged her into the office building. Truthfully, the word "suite" was a little generous for the space I was renting, but it would do. Most of the work could be done from home anyway, it just seemed more professional to have a separate business address.

She let me shove her into the elevator.

"Honestly, Sam, using the lift to go up one floor is just - ".

Lara didn't even get a chance to finish lecturing me as the doors were barely open when I excitedly swung her around the corner. There was a handwritten post-it stuck to the wall with "Endurance Studios" scribbled on it in black marker.

"Okay, wait. Hang on." She stared at me, holding my wrist so I didn't just barge inside. This was probably the longest she'd ever seen me go without talking, but it was supposed to be exciting. The occasion warranted a little dramatic embellishment. She could at least just pretend to go with it. "Did you seriously just start your own film company?"

Grinning, I opened the door and pulled her in. The tiny space was furnished with a single desk, two office chairs, and a large newly-bearded man crouched over a laptop.

"Jonah!" Lara exclaimed happily, as Jonah scooted over in a chair to hug her tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I've recently gained employment at an up and coming indie film company." He winked over at me. I plopped down in the other chair and soaked in the utter confusion coming off my girlfriend.

Girlfriend. I had never called anyone that before, and I was freaking loving it. It had take us a month of avoiding the label, but a few days ago the barista at a cafe had asked Lara if "her girlfriend" wanted whipped cream on her latte. She had stared at him, startled, then at me. I don't know what she saw on my face other than befuddlement, but somehow she was able to turn right back to that barista and say 'Yes.'

I, of course, said, 'No, oh my God babe, my double-chin!'

And she was all, 'What are you even talking about?'

Anyway, long story short, the barista kind of unknowingly officiated our formal girlfriend relationship and I left him a large tip. I was going ahead with my nefarious plan anyway, obviously I loved Lara more than anything and there was no question she was warm for my form, but the fact that we were officially going steady now just made 'Operation: Pomegranate' all the more special.

"Welcome to the grand opening of Endurance Studios!" I finally exclaimed. I patted on my lap, indicating that she should sit on it, even though I knew she wouldn't in front of Jonah. Lara was never big on PDA, although I would never stop teasing her with it.

She instead leaned back on the desk and rolled her eyes at me in amusement.

"So dramatic. This is a closet with a laptop in it."

"Everyone has to start somewhere," I said, not letting her harsh my vibes. "This was always kind of a dream of mine. With a small independent studio, I can give myself so much freedom! I can distance myself from Nishimura Entertainment and do my own thing, you know?"

Lara sighed. "Sam, you know I one hundred percent support you in everything you do, particularly with your career. This is absolutely the best thing for you, and I'll help you however I can. But why do I have a feeling there's more to this than you're telling me?"

"Because there is?" Jonah ratted me out. I kicked the adjustment bar under his desk chair and he grunted as it sank towards the floor.

"Sam."

I snorted. "All right, all right. I wasn't lying about this being my dream, but it's also to help you out, Lara. I know you've been having trouble securing those permits with the Libyan government."

Her research had led her to smack dab in the middle of the Libyan desert where, theoretically, there was an undiscovered mystery ruin that would blow her whole investigation wide open. Unfortunately, with the all crises and civil war and stuff, those guys just did not want to deal with a rich white girl running around their desert willy-nilly.

Lara frowned. "That's my problem, not yours."

"Well, I did a little research of my own. They won't let you conduct an archaeological expedition to your little ruins there without miles of red tape and hoops to jump through. Unless you're willing to wait months, getting a permit is pretty much a bust."

"I told you, I'll figure it out. I've been looking up a few contacts of my father's."

"Contacts that are, shall we say, a tad unsavory? People of questionable loyalty who would sell us out to the highest bidder. I know you're pretty loaded now, babe, but what happens if you're not the highest bidder?"

She bit her lip. "That's a fair point. Still, though..."

I got up and sat cross-legged on the desk next to her. If that amazing butt of hers wasn't going to make itself comfortable in my lap, I could at least sidle up next to her and get some chin-on-shoulder action.

"Soooo, did you know to get a permit to film a documentary on location in Libya, pretty much all you need is a registered film production company and a signed contract?"

Jonah ceremonially unfolded the document, bearing the official seal of the Department of Arts and Media. Lara gaped at it, him, and me in rapid succession.

"You're welcome," I prompted her, grinning.

"But - but - " she sputtered, taking the letter from Jonah. "But…"

"You were right, Sam." Jonah grinned. "We did break her."

I worked my arms around her waist and waited as she read the letter.

"Pro-tip: Nerds are way easier to negotiate with than warlords and dictators."

"This is brilliant!" she gushed. "I can't believe I didn't think of it!"

I bit her shoulder jokingly. "Hey. I can think of stuff too."

My little nip got her even more flustered. She squirmed a little, but made no effort to distance herself from my grasp. Prim and proper Lady Croft couldn't deny that she loved it.

"I know that. It's just, I've practically been clawing at the walls trying to get into that bloody desert."

"You're welcome," I repeated cheekily.

"Thank you so much," she said finally, blushing. "This changes everything. Sam, I…"

She swallowed. It was on the tip of the poor girl's tongue, but I forgave her for not being able to say it out loud quite yet.

"Thank you both. God only knows how she roped you into this, Jonah."

He shrugged. "Sam's degree is in filmmaking, not starting a company."

Lara raised an eyebrow. "What's that got to do with you?"

"Oh, I have a business degree from Hawaii Pacific University."

"You what? Since when?!" I didn't blame her for being surprised. Jonah didn't exactly strike anyone as the business type. But the two of us had this conversation months ago on the Endurance, during a lull in the excitement.

"Since my discharge from the army!" he explained. "Class of 2009. My grandmother wanted me to get a degree, and I figured a business degree would help with her restaurant. I guess it did, but I haven't really used it much since then."

"So he's the vice president of Endurance Studios!" I clapped him on the back. "Also, assistant cameraman and boom mic operator, since he got so good at it while we were on the ship."

Lara looked uneasy. "Jonah, I'm not sure you fully understand what you'd be getting into."

"Nope," he shrugged. "But I'd like to hear you out and make that call for myself."

I had made a point not to share Lara's story or tell him about her research. Jonah was one of very few people Lara and I trusted in the world, but I wanted her to know that this was still her legend in the making. My job, as dutiful and committed new girlfriend, was to support her.

And, well, if that meant start up a film company for use as a front to sneak into Libya and bring Jonah over from halfway around the world to help me do it, then so be it. Operation: Pomegranate was a go.

Lara glared at me.

"I originally did just want him to help with my start-up," I said sheepishly at her expression. "I didn't tell him anything, I swear, he just kind of knew something was up."

It was true. She and I both knew how creepily intuitive Jonah was.

"Well, that figures." Lara snorted.

"Lara, it's okay if - " Jonah was cut off as his cell phone went off in his pocket. He peered down at the screen. " - this our registration lawyer. I gotta take this."

"I still can't believe you did this," Lara said, as he took the call. Although the smile creeping on her face said that she wasn't going to bite my head off for bringing Jonah in. The fact that she loved the hell out of my plan was probably helping her come to terms with that.

"Of all the things I've pulled on you, this is something you can't believe?" I smirked. "Pulling an entire film studio out of my ass?"

"You didn't have to do this for me."

"Hey, hey, I did it for me too," I insisted. "The world doesn't revolve around you, Croft."

One look from those big brown eyes and the truth was drawn right out of me.

Definitely, undoubtedly, my world absolutely revolved around her. Of course she had something to do with this. I mean, I was going to jumpstart my career at some point or another - I was tired of being in my father's shadow, and I did want to do something for myself. I always had the means, but just always lacked the motive.

Said motive grinned at me knowingly and it was just so damn hot when she knew what she did to me.

"Excuse me," Jonah said into the phone. He muted it and pointed at us. "You two, can I get a minute? I can feel your sexual tension from here and it's really distracting."

I grinned and followed Lara outside. When the door was closed behind us, and she made completely sure the hall was empty, she drew me in by the front of my shirt.

"Thank you," she whispered again, before capturing my lips with hers. I had no idea how long we were there, losing ourselves in that hallway, but it wasn't long enough. Too soon, Lara's hands slowly removed themselves from under my shirt. I nipped at her lip as she pulled away.

"What, that's all I get?" I teased. For a moment there I thought Lara might surprise me, but I practically saw her common sense chase that look out of her eyes. She fumbled a bit before replying.

"Er, yes?"

I laughed. "It's fine."

"Sam, I'm sorry, I know you want to - I mean - "

I took her hand. "I was kidding! I didn't think our first time would be here, jeez."

"I just - I - "

"Lara, you don't need to explain." I hugged her to my chest until I felt her calm down. We had agreed to take things slow, feel out our relationship step by step, and that was absolutely fine with me. "Really, it's okay. And listen, I know I like to tease but if at any point you feel like I'm crossing the line, you stop me."

"Right."

"Promise me."

"Okay."

I tipped her head up by the chin until she was looking directly at me.

"Say it."

"I promise that if you try to take advantage of me I will break your legs and throw you in a river."

"That's what I like to hear." I chortled. "God, I can't even imagine all the weird stuff you must be into."

Lara's eyes darkened and I felt my breath catch in my throat. She was giving me her look. The one that always succeeded in making me groan.

"When you've properly discovered my kinks, you'll be the one to warn me if I'm crossing the line."

I swallowed hard like a fucking cartoon character and her eyes immediately lit up again. She laughed and gently pushed me away like she hadn't basically just told me she was into the freaky stuff.

"Laraaaa…!" I whined.

"What's the matter? Don't like the taste of your own medicine?"

I most certainly did not. But I knew she was all talk. My girl was as innocent as they came, and she had to be the most vanilla person I had ever dated. She wouldn't even sit on my lap in front of Jonah. Plus, I'd shared a flat with her when she was with Alister, and I never heard so much as a peep come out of that bedroom. Granted, they didn't always spend the night at our place.

Still. Lara was just messing with me.

Right.

"Seriously, though. Now that I have a way into the country, I can book a flight as soon as I can!" Lara said excitedly, not quite extinguishing the mood, but definitely moving it in the opposite direction than I wanted.

"We can book flights," I corrected her. Not that she was ever going to shake me away from her again, but now she needed me for her documentary cover. Jonah too, if she really wanted this film crew thing to really be convincing.

"Right, yeah, can't forget my film crew," she acknowledged, though I could see her hesitation. There was still that foolish part of her that wanted to do this all on her own.

"Speaking of a crew…" I'd been giving it some thought and had rehearsed this in my head. I knew Lara would push back hard. "I mean, neither of us are particularly well versed in operating large all-terrain vehicles like the kind we'll need in the desert. And you said yourself that your dad's contacts are shady as hell, so we won't have a lot of options for help down there."

Her eyebrow raised. "I can afford loads of equipment now. GPS and all that. It shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"Electronic equipment," I pointed out. "And neither of us are computer geniuses."

"You're fantastic with that sort of thing."

"Not unless it shoots video, I'm not."

Lara's eyes narrowed. She was starting to see where I was going with this.

"Sam…"

"And Yamatai aside, your field experience in real archaeological expeditions is pretty limited," I continued, before she could shut me down. I could already tell she was preparing to. "We could use someone who spent, say, a year working in an actual desert in Australia."

"No, I am not going to ask Amanda - "

"And who's a bigger nerd about Saharan history than the Professor Of A Thousand Theses - "

Lara backed away from me incredulously. "You did not just suggest I take Alister with me to the desert. Alister. Have you met him!?"

"Oh come on. He's obsessed with that crap, just like how you were obsessed with Japanese mythology."

"He's obsessed with Egyptian mythology."

"Including the Egyptian perspective of Tjehenu, a.k.a. Libya. And let's not forget that back in the day Libya was part of Egypt in the first place." I let that sink in for a second. "Yes, I do occasionally listen to that boy's ramblings."

"No!" she said firmly anyway. "No, Sam! I don't even want to risk you and Jonah coming along. I refuse to bring the rest of our friends. Jesus, why not just invite Reyes. Better yet, little Alisha, let's drag her along for the party as well!"

I put a hand on her shoulder but she grabbed my wrist and pulled it off.

"No."

"Listen, Naya and Zip are both out of a job in two weeks, and they have bills and loans to pay off. Amanda is going fucking insane out of sheer boredom at the university. Even Alister is starting to get restless. This trip - it can help them. It's a thing they could put on their resumes. Most importantly, we have the money to pay them as employees."

"Have you gone completely mental?!" Lara demanded. "You know how dangerous this could be!"

"Not as dangerous if we have people we can trust," I pointed out. "Besides, do you really think we could get away with looking like a documentary crew with just three people?"

Lara bowed her head. "Ugh, this is a bad idea. Do you not remember what happened to our last crew?"

I knew she would respond this way. No amount of therapy would lift the weight of the Endurance off her chest, and she did not want a repeat performance. She'd lost enough friends already.

"Remember what Dr. Cohen said? You didn't cause those storms, they were a surprise to all of us. There was no way you could have predicted - none of that was on you, Lara - "

"Yes, yes, I know, I know. 'It wasn't a navigational suggestion that killed your friends, Lara. It was freak storm and a cult of bad people. Not you'." She mimicked Dr. Cohen perfectly, rolling her eyes.

"Do you, though? Do you know that?"

Lara hesitated. "Even if I did, the fact remains that I haven't got the best luck with keeping people close to me alive. Er, present company excluded. God, this time I even know it's going to be dangerous. Who knows how astronomically bad it's going to be, if I already know it's going to be awful beforehand?"

"So, what, your plan is to do everything on your own? Be a one-woman army?"

"Yes!" she replied. And out of anyone else on the planet, she was the only person who could say such a thing and have it possibly be true. But it was much more likely that it wasn't.

"Your father tried pushing everyone away, too," I said softly. "He shut out Roth. He kept secrets from his wife. From his daughter. Everything he'd discovered, his entire legacy was nearly lost. All he left behind were these cryptic secrets he'd never shared with anyone else, and it took the people closest to him years to get his life's work even just started again."

Lara looked like I'd slapped her. I didn't mean to imply that she was following his footsteps, at least not in a disrespectful way, but I wanted to make it clear to her. Having people around would always have risks, but being alone could be even worse.

"Babe, come on…"

The Crofts were about spreading knowledge and discovery above all else, and the idea that her and her father's work could possibly be lost to the world - unshared and forever in the dark - always bothered her. She wanted people to know her journey, because if for some unspeakable reason she failed, someone else could continue it. Someone else could learn from her legacy and change the world themselves.

What was the Croft family name, after all, without a legacy?

She looked away, biting her lip. "I can't do this to them."

I knew she was probably thinking about all I'd been through. But in the end, I found my true path. I started my own company, I had a goal, I had a girlfriend. My life meant something now.

"This isn't only about your family. You saw how the world nearly shat themselves when you found Yamatai and all those artifacts. Who knows what else you're about to discover? Amanda and Alister are aching to be a part of something like that. Zip and Naya are so disillusioned by post-college life, maybe they need a little hope that there's more out there. It may seem like trouble follows you, but Lara, so does greatness."

Lara sighed. I let her think to herself for a moment and then took her hand.

"This is stupendously dangerous. You're right to be nervous. But maybe, if we make absolutely sure they understand everything at stake, maybe let them make that call for themselves? Just like Jonah will."

She ran her hand through her hair in frustration.

Then, in a hollow voice, "We can invite them over and see what they think."

I brightened. "A dinner party."

"Not a dinner party."

"We'll do cocktail dresses!"

"No."

"I've been dying to have one of those since we moved into the house!"

A ghost of a smile was sneaking back onto her face.

"We will be completely transparent and tell them in full detail the dangers involved, as well as making it clear that I would not blame them if they decided not to come. In fact it would probably be better for my sanity if they didn't, and it would be better for their safety if - "

"We have to get some good wine," I said, taking her hand. "And some cute sandwiches. And then we sit them down and tell them all those things you said, and no matter what, they're still our friends and we still had a good time."

She exhaled loudly. "Okay...okay. We'll...just mention it to them."

I grinned and gave her a peck on the cheek. We re-entered the office, hand-in-hand, quietly waiting for Jonah to finish up the call. Or at least, Lara did. I could hear him talking about contracts and signatures, so I just sprawled on top of the desk, pretending to moan in boredom.

" - yes, thank you. I'll make sure we have copies. Absolutely. You have my email - " he was saying as he tried to push me away. I let my tongue loll out and dramatically held the back of my hand to my forehead. " - yes. Thank you again. We'll talk Monday. Bye."

Jonah hung up and grabbed a folder to whack me with.

"Sam, that was an important call!" He looked at Lara. "How can you deal with this all the time?"

"Sorry, Jonah. Technically, she's our boss."

He huffed. "I'm starting to think I made a bad decision over here."

I winked over at Lara, who grinned nervously.

"Buddy, just you wait!"

Author's Note: Hello again! I know it's been a reaallyyyy long time since I even thought about this fic, but in my defense a lot has changed in my life the past few years. I'll have the summer semester off, though, which means I'll have some spare time to work on the sequel to this and other stuff I've been wanting to write. Crossing my fingers!

Hope you enjoyed the epilogue!