Lara was sitting on the back of the boat with her head tilted toward the sky. The sunlight felt like a warm blanket melting away her frost bitten limbs. Her arm was hanging off the boat in an attempt to touch the water. The ocean sprayed her skin, the salt making her cuts and scrapes burn. The water washed some dirt away while getting the rest into her cuts. Despite the burning feeling of small glass shards on her skin, Lara was relieved to see her actual skin color showing. She had almost forgot what her skin looked like without blood or dirt smeared everywhere.

Sam was laying down to Lara's right, mumbling in her sleep. Lara looked over at her sleeping friend.

"Shh..." Lara whispered, rubbing Sam's ankle.

Although Lara wins first prize in who should be comforted most, she was a strong woman and instead tended to everyone else's wounds whether they be mental or physical. This discovery has definitely changed something in Lara, and she did not know if it were a good thing or not.

The silence of her crewmates scared her. She felt as if they left the island without looking back. Part of her had wished that Roth, Alex, and Grim were still on the island alive. Together.

The realization settled into her stomach like spoiled milk.

God only knows how many lives that island took...

Lara's hand clenched around Sam's ankle unknowingly as she thought about her fallen comrades. Sam opened her eyes from the sudden pressure and looked down at a tense Lara.

"Am I in a dream?" Sam murmured.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lara looked over at Sam. Sam's eyes were sleep ridden and her hair was messily falling in front of her face. Her skin was pale as snow, complimenting the white dress she was wearing.

Lara didn't answer Sam. Instead, she put her head down slightly and rubbed Sam's pinky toe lightly with two fingers. Sam blinked slowly, looking at Lara's features carefully. The sun was on her almost like a spotlight, making her skin a creamy gold color. Her arms were well defined, even covered in bruises and cuts. Her hair, splotched with mud and streaks of blood was hanging off her head in many different strands. How could this woman look so beautiful, so perfect even with all she's been through in these couple of days. Surely she could be compared to a queen herself, or Valkyrie.

"What the hell happened to you..." Sam whispered, not intending for Lara to hear. She did not want to imagine what Lara survived through judging by her battle scars.

Lara looked over at Sam once more. Their eyes locked.

Sam found it difficult to hold Lara's gaze. It was different. Everything about Lara was different. It was as if Lara could see through her, see the pain that was screaming to surface.

Sam found herself sitting up to get closer to Lara.

Lara stared as Sam placed a warm hand on her cheek. "Can you even feel that?"...Lara became half lidded, the warmth on her face defeating her tired body. Sam was searching Lara's eyes, for what, she did not know. An answer maybe?

Lara was close, slouching near Sam's left shoulder, her bangs and soft breaths tickling Sam's neck. Sam rubbed Lara's back, giving her a comforting hug.

Lara was silent.

Sam's hands began to roam Lara's body, sliding over her shoulder blades and down her ribcage. Lara was too tired to even care or stop her. It felt good anyhow, Sam had soft hands. Sam moved her hands carefully over Lara's arms, tracing the closed cuts and defined muscle.

"You're my warrior."

The statement caught Lara off guard, and made her blush slightly.

"And you're my queen," Lara snickered softly.

Sam smiled at the thought.

Whether it was beauty, willpower, or strength, Lara had it and she made the perfect hero.