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Disclaimer: Tomb Raider belongs to Nintendo. BtVs belongs to Joss Whedon.
Timeline: This starts in third season of BtVS, Angel has already returned from Hell. Faith isn't in it. Lara Croft starts after the movie.
Rating: PG, most likely. For some minor swearing.
Lara was sitting at the kitchen table, when Bryce brought the mail. He looked tired and angry.
“What is it Bryce?” Lara asked, sorting through her mail.
“Had a bugger of a night,” he said. “Something was howling outside my van.”
“Did I forget to mention that the Hawkins’s got a new dog?” Hillary said, placing some French Toast on the table. “Horrible little mutt. It’s a toy poodle, but has lungs bigger than Lara’s.”
“Are you saying I’m loud?” Lara asked, between bites of toast.
“Not as much as you were when you were young, Lara,” Hilly sat down with his breakfast.
“Are you saying I’m old?” Lara was clearly enjoying teasing Hillary.
“N-No,” Hilly gave her a pained look. “Lara, really, you know exactly what I’m saying.”
“I do,” she nodded. Tossing some letters at Hilly and Bryce, she flipped through the others. “Those are the bills you need to pay,” she said, opening a letter.
Dear Lara Croft, I’m not sure if you’ll remember me, I was a friend of your father’s, before his tragic demise. The last time I saw you was at his funeral, a small girl of seven. You’d be almost 27 now, wouldn’t you? This letter isn’t to rekindle a friendship with a dead man’s daughter. I currently reside in Sunnydale, California. It has just been discovered that some ancient artifacts are hidden around our humble town. Having kept tabs on your whereabouts since you were young, I have a feeling you’ll be interested. Sunnydale is keeping this discovery to themselves worried about the treasure hunters. The artifact that needs to be found is an amulet. Apparently it grants the innermost power to its wearer and is especially dangerous in a town like Sunnydale. Sunnydale is a Hellmouth - a lot of mystical going ons happen in my very town.
If you should be interested, Lara dear, my address is 3/234 Playa Linda Condos, Sunnydale. I work at Sunnydale High School’s Library.
Yours sincerely, Rupert Giles.
Lara sat up. “Hilly, do you know a man called Rupert Giles?” she asked, rereading her letter.
“Why, yes. Mr Giles was a great friend of your father. He is your godfather, Lara, and wanted to apply for custody when your father died,” Hilly took the letter from Lara and read it.
“I do believe we’re off to America,” Lara aid cheerfully, standing up.
Bryce shook his head and yawned. “Bugger.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Lara had to organize two cars, her Norton motor bike, three computers, a crate of guns and ammo and her clothes to be transported to Sunnydale in three days.
“Lara, may I advise you to take a nice dress,” Hilly said, as he folded her clothes into a suitcase. Lara wordlessly threw the offending white dress, shoes and hat at her butler and then handed him another twelve pairs of shorts.
“I wore that dress once, Hilly, and never again,” Lara called, as she tossed hair brush, toothbrush and a first aid kid into her bag. And then followed was five pairs of combat boots, two pairs of sneakers and some hiking boots.
“I’m offended,” Hilly said, zipping up Lara’s bags. “Vincent Wilson is picking up the cars and your bike in half an hour, Lara you need to make sure that they have petrol.”
“Bryce has done that,” Lara said, stacking her bags near the down, and unzipped her backpack. Her two .45, three daggers, ammo, a chemical laser, plastic explosives and Mr Giles’s letter were folded in there. “I need to slip this in the secret compartment of the TVR. Bryce designed it so my precious guns could see America. And the gun permits are in my carry on.”
As Lara bounced away to put her bag in the secret compartment, Hilly shook his head and carried Lara’s bags downstairs.
*~*~*~*~*~* Giles was worried. A week ago he had sent a letter to an old friend’s daughter and there had been no reply or phone call. Having not spoken to anyone who knew Lara Croft at this day and age, Giles was worried the letter hadn’t reached her or she thought he was a man whom desperately wanted to know his goddaughter. But then, did Lara know Giles was her godfather?
Willow, Buffy, Xander, Oz and Cordelia were sitting around the table, talking.
“Giles,” they all nodded as he walked in.
“Giles, in Social Sciences, Ms Harper was looking at the artifact buried in Sunnydale and all the legends surrounding it,” Buffy began. “Demons and really gross things. When am I going to need to locate the necklace thingy?”
Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them on his shirt. “Buffy...”he faltered and turned to the resident hacker. “Willow, could you please locate a file on a British Lady - Croft, Lara.”
Willow smiled. “Sure,” and turned to the computer.
Giles began again. “Buffy...locating this amulet is not a job you will be taking on. I’ve written to a friend of mine, to locate the amulet. This is not a job for a Slayer.”
Everyone looked at him. “Giles! I’m the Slayer! Finding dangerous jewelry is practically my job!” Buffy exploded.
“Actually, that’s Cordelia’s,” Xander joked.
“The person I’ve written to is quite capable,” Giles smiled, thinking of some of Lara’s adventures. “And will do a thorough job.”
Oz shrugged. “So who is this person?”
“I’ll only give you information on a need to know basis,” Giles said, as the bell sounded. *Saved by the bell.* “Go to class.”
“We’re gone,” Willow said, standing up. “Oh, Giles, there’s no one in the database- who is still alive- with the name ‘Croft’.”
Giles felt his heart almost stop. “That’s all, thank you Willow.”
*~*~*~*~*~* Lara stood in the carpark of Los Angeles International airport. “Hilly, Bryce, take the luggage in a car each. I’ll take my Norton,” she pulled the helmet on.
Bryce snorted. “Yes, I can just see Hilly on your Norton, Lara.”
“Your ignorance is still amusing, Bryce,” Lara smirked behind the helmet. “I’ve got a comm link and my mobile phone. I’ll meet you at Sunnydale High in two hours,” Lara started the bike and rode out of the carpark as fast as she could.
Zooming down the highway, Lara was half wondering what Mr Giles looked like.
It was a fairly quick trip on her bike she darted in and out of traffic and annoyed a lot of the drivers. *This is almost fun,* Lara thought, wickedly. *All I need I my guns strapped to my legs and a knife sheathed at my ankle, and this would be a serious adrenaline rush.*
Lara pulled into a service station, to get a drink. Feeling she should probably make an impression on the students of SHS and Mr Giles, she strapped the guns to her leg and a knife on her ankle.
After another half an hour, she was speeding down the road to SHS.
*Perfect,* Lara thought. *Students who can fetch me Mr Giles.”
*~*~*
Xander, Buffy, Willow, Oz and Cordy were sitting on the steps when Lara roared up.
Xander’s eyes widened. Buffy, Willow and Cordelia also stared.
“What are you betting that that’s Giles’s friend?” Oz asked quietly.
“Too girl like,” Willow said.
*~*~* Lara tried to brake, but at the last second realised Bryce hadn’t fixed her brakes.
“Bugger,” she swore, and twisted the bike the opposite direction. Jumping off, she knelt and saw the exposed wires.
“Damnit,” she shook her head and took of the heavy helmet. Heaps of students were gawking at her. Tucking the helmet under her arm, she walked up to the school.
Ignoring the whispering students, she made her way into the building, when a boy with bright red hair stopped her.
“Are you looking for Mr Giles?” he asked, looking pretty blasé.
“Yes,” Lara said, “He wrote me that he worked here.”
“Come on,” the boy said. “I’m Oz,”
Lara nodded and followed him, just as Harmony stopped them.
“Oh. My. God,” she said, looking at Lara. “Leather is so out. So are guns.”
Lara pulled her .45 out of its holster and shrugged. She liked these guns and this girl was so...ditzy.
Oz looked at the guns and his eyes widened. Apparently this was a girl who didn’t take any crap.
“Cool, guns,” was all he managed to say. “Come on.”
