Lara woke slowly, her head pounding. She rubbed her forehead, hoping to release some of the tension. She became suddenly aware of someone else in her bed. 'Shit, please tell me I didn't shag some guy from the pub last night.' Lara sat up to get a better look at the person next to her. It took a second, but she realized who it was—Sam. Lara's eyes went wide with panic. 'Oh, god!' Her heart raced, the hammering in her head worsened. 'No, no, no, no, no. Please don't let me have slept with my best friend last night. I am never drinking again.' The panic reached her muscles and she jumped out of bed, pacing frantically around the room.

The commotion roused Sam. "Lara?"

Lara froze. Every muscle itched, ready for…something. She didn't know what.

Sam rolled onto her back and propped up on her elbows. "Lara, are you okay?"

Lara's mouth went dry. She choked out a raspy, "Yes." Swallowing, she clenched her jaw to drown out the throbbing behind her ears. "Did we, uh… Did you and I…" She gestured awkwardly toward herself and Sam.

Sam smiled. Maybe awkward Lara was cute. Maybe seeing her without that ever-present air of confidence was appealing. But she was definitely going to keep those thoughts to herself. "Did we sleep together? Is that what you're asking?" All Lara could do was nod. "Only in the most literal sense. You wouldn't let me leave last night."

"Oh, thank god." Her shoulders slumped down as she sighed in relief. "I'm sorry, Sam. For yesterday. And for last night."

Sam shrugged. "It's okay. Lord knows you've been there for me plenty of times when I drank too much."

Lara finally felt calm enough to slow down. She sat on the foot of the bed and a comfortable silence fell around them. Sam let her relax before asking, "How's your head?"

"Bloody killing me."

Lara buried herself in work again. It was her response to personal problems: focus everything on puzzles she could solve and the rest would just…go away. It had been weeks since she'd spoken to Sam, spoken to anyone. It hadn't been conscious, time just got away from her. Sam had texted and called. But Lara's responses had thinned and the time between them lengthened, until she missed the calls and ignored the texts completely. She'd ignored everyone. She had to get ahead of Trinity.

Lara read over an old journal of her father's, trying to decipher his research in order to plan her next step. Trinity wouldn't rest, and neither would she. They might have all the money in the world at their disposal, but she had her father's entire life's work. The television played in the background, filling the empty room with white noise. She read a passage and paused to think. The TV filtered through her busy brain, her ears catching onto a phrase, "you had something you wanted to tell me?" her mind flashed back to the night of the press conference that had ruined her own reputation. Several pints in, her steps faltering and words slurring. She saw Sam in her mind, lying in bed next to her. Sam asked after Lara's secret again. Lara plead with the memory, begging as if it would somehow change the past. The memory kept playing as she felt the words leave her mouth. "I love you."

The book fell from Lara's hand. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." She circled the room with increasing speed as the panic set in. Her fight or flight response crying to use her muscles. The memory looped in her head. "What have I done? Shit." She reached for her phone to call Sam. "What are you going to say to her? 'I told you I love you months ago and you haven't said a word about it, but do you have feelings for me?' You're daft."

She stopped pacing. "Put it together, Lara." She took a deep breath and let her mind click into motion. "You told her you love her, but you were hammered. She knew you were hammered. You asked her to stay with you and she did. She didn't say a word about what you told her. Has her behavior changed?" Lara thought over the last few months. Sam had treated her the same. No change. "Okay. No change is good. She knows how you feel, but isn't bothered. She accepts it. You haven't brought it up while sober, so she pretends it never happened because she knows I never meant to tell her."

Lara stood still for a moment. "I have to tell her." Lara dialed Sam.

"Hey, Lara."

"Sam, come over. There's something we need to talk about."

"Okay. You want me to come over now?" Sam was concerned, what could have Lara so upset?

She could hear the worry in Sam's voice, even though she tried to hide it. "Yes. If you can." Lara's tone was insistent.

"Sure." Sam kept her voice relaxed and casual.

"See you soon." Lara hung up and immediately went to the fridge for a beer. "No. Not this time." She set the kettle on to boil instead.

Sam agonized over what Lara could want to talk about. It had to be some breakthrough in her research, and a big one at that. She'd been focused on nothing else for months. Since the tabloids had run her name through the mud like they had her father, she'd drawn into herself and shut out everything but her work. She'd never say so, but she was still so desperate to prove them all wrong. And the only way she could see to do it was to raid enough tombs to find hard evidence, something that couldn't be disputed no matter how hard they tried.

But what would have her so stressed? Lara had always been a woman of few words, opting for a direct approach over diplomacy, but she had been curt even for her on the phone. After no contact for weeks. Sam missed her friend. She missed spending time with her, missed joking with her, making her smile. She missed the way Lara laughed at even the dumbest of her jokes; missed the way her brown eyes lit up when she'd solved a puzzle. The way she looked at Sam when she thought no one was watching. She missed the way Lara's heart raced during the suspenseful parts of movies and the way she'd squeeze Sam's shoulders without realizing it. Sam missed the way Lara smelled…

"Oh, shit."

A knock at the door roused Lara from her study. She squared her shoulders and steeled her nerve before opening the door. Sam rushed forward, wrapped one arm tight around Lara's waist, and pulled her in for a kiss with a hand behind her head. Lara went stiff at first, but softened as Sam held her. She pulled Sam against her, kissing her deeply. Lara kicked the door closed and pinned Sam against it. Sam dug her fingers into Lara's hair.

Sam pulled back, out of breath. "I realized on the way here that I'm in love with you, Lara."

Lara laughed. "That makes what I wanted to talk about a hell of a lot easier."

Sam stroked her fingers up and down the back of Lara's neck. "What was that?"

Lara looked her in the eyes. "I remembered what I said that night, and I wanted to tell you, while sober, that I love you."

Sam smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. Lara ran her hands down to Sam's thighs and lifted her legs up around her waist, pressing Sam against the door with her hips. Sam squeezed tight around her. Lara's hips pressed harder into Sam as the tightness between her thighs worsened. With Sam's arms around her neck and her legs around her waist, Lara grabbed her by the thighs and carried her to the bedroom. Sam's stomach dropped.

Lara sat Sam down on the bed and climbed on top of her. Sam fumbled at Lara's belt, finally pulling it free with several jerks. Lara straddled Sam's thighs; straightening up, she pulled her tank over her head. Sam ran her hands over Lara's torso. Her olive skin was soft, but the muscle beneath was like steel. She brushed her thumb over a large scar on Lara's side. 'She got that saving me.'

Lara pulled her up to sit so Sam could slip out of her jacket. Lara stripped her shirt off and pressed Sam back onto the mattress with the weight of her body. She kissed Sam desperately, drowning in her. Lara's hands wandered over her hips as their bare skin burned against each other. Lara moved a hand up to Sam's bra, her hand shaking with anticipation. She squeezed gently, indulging in the softness she found there, making Sam groan and arch into the touch. Lara slid her other hand under and undid the hooks. Pulling Sam's bra away, she stopped for a moment, hesitant; there could be no turning back after this.

Sam traced her fingertips up Lara's arm, brushing against a scar she had earned on the island. How many more would she find on her over the years? She curled her fingers behind Lara's neck and pulled her down. Lara exhaled an unsteady breath before pressing her lips to Sam's nipple, sucking softly. Sam cried out and pressed Lara closer. Emboldened, Lara flicked her tongue against the skin between her lips.

"Shit, Lara, that feels so good." Sam pulled at the hooks of Lara's bra. Lara slid her arms free of the straps and let the clothing fall from her body. Sam ran her hand along Lara's ribs and cupped her breast without trepidation. A shudder flowed through Lara's body. Sam teased her nipple with her fingers while Lara sucked at her own, playing her tongue in strokes and flicks.

Lara kissed down her stomach, undoing Sam's belt and fly. Sam kicked off her boots as Lara tugged her jeans down. Lara stood to take her own pants off. Sam sat up, "No, let me." Sam popped the button and slowly slid down the zipper. She grabbed Lara's hips and kissed her stomach. The breath against her skin made Lara's muscles tense. Sam kissed down to the waistband of her underwear. Lara shuddered, gasping audibly. Sam smiled and slid her hands down Lara's legs as she pushed her pants down. Lara bent down and yanked at her boots, kicking them out of the way.

Lara stood between Sam's legs in nothing but a pair of dark blue panties. Sam gripped at Lara's thighs, feeling the heat between them. She nipped at Lara's stomach, indulging in the way the muscles contracted beneath her skin. Sam placed a long, gentle kiss against the scar Lara now had above her hip. "I know where this came from. This is for me."

"Sam." Lara brushed Sam's cheek. "My scars are not your responsibility."

Sam shrugged. "But maybe I can help them heal a little better." She pressed her lips against Lara's underwear, and Lara bucked against her. Sam pulled the last bit of Lara's clothing off before wrapping her arms around Lara's body, nibbling at the curve of her hip. "Your body is amazing."

Lara pushed Sam down into the bed, climbing on top of her. She ran her hand up Sam's thigh, over her hip, and up her stomach. "What do you think I've been trying not to think about the past few months?"

"Um…" Sam mumbled.

Lara kissed the edge of Sam's jaw. "How beautiful you are. How much I wanted to touch you, to kiss you." Lara relaxed her body weight onto Sam, her lips close to her ear. "How much I wanted to be inside you."

Sam shuddered bodily. "Fuck."

"I mean it." Lara traced her fingers along the inside of the red ribbing edging Sam's black boy shorts. "You were all I could think about. Wondering how you'd feel coming down from climax at my touch." Lara groaned, her own thoughts getting the better of her. "I never thought I'd get the chance." She kissed Sam's collarbone, her fingers slipping inside her underwear.

Sam grabbed Lara's face and kissed her deeply. She lifted her hips for Lara to strip her underwear. Lara ran her hand up the inside of Sam's thigh, nudging her legs wider. She teased her fingers against Sam, enjoying the twitching of her hips and fluttering of her breath. She braced her thighs against the back of Sam's legs and slid inside her. They both let out a cry of pleasure, breath shaking at the feeling. Lara moved her fingers slowly at first, working them in and out. Sam was so warm and soft, so wet. Sam held Lara tight, brushing her hands along the muscles of her back, tracing her spine with her nails. Lara kissed her passionately as she picked up speed, pressing her pelvis behind her hand. Sam moaned and put a hand on Lara's hip, pulling her deeper into her.

Lara swung her hips, driving her fingers deeper and harder. Sam's cries grew more desperate, clutching at Lara. Sam was usually more for riding the men she slept with, but there was nothing she wanted more than Lara on top of her, fucking her, holding her down with that strong, soft body. Lara bit at Sam's lip as she pulled away from her kiss. Her lips strayed down Sam's throat and chest. She lapped her tongue across Sam's nipple while she thrust into her. "Yes, Lara."

Lara sucked and licked and bit her nipple; Sam buried her fingers in Lara's hair, holding her against her breast. Lara shifted her wrist as she settled against Sam's body. "Oh fuck. Right there." Lara thrust into her faster. "Oh yes, please Lara. Make me come for you. God, I want to come for you." Sam danced her hips with Lara's rhythm, an urgent tension rising in her body. Lara felt her tighten around her fingers, could feel the sounds growing in her throat. Finally, she arched her back, gripping her nails into Lara's skin. She screamed Lara's name and collapsed against the mattress, weak and out of breath.

Lara waited until Sam had stopped spasming around her fingers before pulling out. She laid down next to Sam, resting her head to listen to Sam's racing heart. All the times she'd thought about it couldn't compare to how it felt to finally be with her. Lara replayed everything in her mind, slowing down to focus on how Sam felt around her. Amplifying every utterance, every catch in her throat. Feeling the scratches up her back as she threw her hips against her hand, driving her fingers deep inside Sam's wetness. Lara lost herself in thought as Sam recovered.

Sam lay still, her limbs numb and heavy. She had every reason to believe that Lara was good, but she hadn't expected that. Lara twitched her hips beside Sam. Strength returned to her body, and there was only one thing Sam wanted. She knew none of the men Lara had been with had ever gone down on her. Sam was going to show her a hell of a good time.

Sam put a hand on Lara's shoulder and pushed her over onto her back. She smirked down at her. "My turn." A wave of red rushed across Lara's cheeks. "I know you're plenty warmed up, but there's just so much I want to explore first." Sam kissed Lara's throat, teething the soft skin.

Lara answered in an uncharacteristically tremulous voice. "You know that my first love has always been exploration."

Sam chuckled as she swept kisses across Lara's breasts. "First, I'm going to explore this ridge here, with its gentle slopes and beautiful peaks." Softly, she teased the tip of her tongue against Lara's hard nipple, rocking her head back and forth as she traced her tongue against it. She dragged her nails up Lara's thighs, taking a firm grasp of her hips. Lara shivered. Sam slid down against Lara's stomach. "Then I'm going to take a leisurely stroll down this pleasant meadow." Her lips and tongue and teeth worked their way along the curves of Lara's abs, until she settled into the crevice of her hip. "Oh no, I've gotten caught in a crevasse. I guess I'll have to climb out." Sam bit down against Lara's flesh, taking successive bites along the edge of her pelvis. Lara twitched and moaned, the sensation a tantalizing tickle. "Mmm, what's this? I seem to have found a patch of grass next to a deliciously warm spring." Sam slid her arms under Lara's thighs and lifted them onto her shoulders. "I'll have to take a dip." Sam grinned up at Lara before pressing into her.

Lara was already shivering, but when Sam's tongue brushed her clit for the first time, she felt a fire spread through every muscle. "Fuck, Sam." Sam chuckled again; Lara choked. She buried her fingers in Sam's silky hair, pleading for her to be closer. Lara wanted to buck her hips, and Sam had to hold tight to her thighs to keep her body still. She played her tongue all around Lara's clit, listening and feeling her muscles move, finding just the right ways to touch her. Circles, side to side, long flat strokes, quick flutters of the tip of her tongue: Sam tried them all on her. Lara moaned and cried and pulled Sam harder against her. She'd never felt anything like that. Her voice sharpened and Sam knew she needed to come. She sucked Lara's clit sharply and felt her entire body convulse. Sam moaned against the salty, wet skin between her lips. It was circles Lara seemed to favor the most, and so Sam set her tongue about her clit. Working slow, wide circles into tighter and faster ones. Building Lara until she could barely take the feeling any more. Sam carried her right up to the edge and then fluttered the tip of her tongue softly against Lara.

Lara came screaming and pulling Sam's hair, pushing her hard against herself. Sam waited for her grip to loosen before pulling away. Lara's body buzzed all over, humming with exhausted pleasure. Sam licked her lips and crashed down on the bed next to Lara. Lara smiled weakly at her. "Back from your expedition so soon?"

Sam smiled. "I nearly got rained out. Then there was an earthquake." Her eyes sparkled. "But I already have plans to return once the region recovers." Lara smiled weakly through her panting.