Epilogue Lara:
"Wake up!" I continued to shout desperately. My hands pressed down on her chest repeatedly. "Damn it I won't let you die!" There was no preventing it as I pressed my mouth around hers forcing air into her lungs.
Lara shot up coughing as specks of water flew from her mouth.
"Thank God!" I tightened my embrace around her. Her body cold and shivering but mine warm.
"Who-," she looked around confused. It took a moment but she realised where she was. On the sand banks of the river at the park not far from where we lived. Her clothes were soaked and her body tired. Her eyes met mine wide and confused.
"Lara are you okay?" I asked as I pulled away from her. The way she was looking at me was like I shouldn't exist. It wasn't just surprise but disbelief. "Lara? Say something or do I need to take you to a hospital?"
"How?" she looked at me dumbly.
"How!?" I huffed and folded my arms. "You disappeared and all of sudden you were in the water. So much about knowing how to swim. If I spotted you a moment later you might have drowned. Also what happened to your hair?"
"My hair?" Lara looked down. Long strands of white hung to her shoulder and chest.
"I'm about 99% sure a dip in the river shouldn't bleach your hair."
"No it's-," she held up her hand, "wait, first who are you?"
I tilted my head, "Did you hit your head as well? It's me Jane."
For a moment Lara stared at me. Her eyes glowed and without warning her hands plastered against my face. Before I could even complain she began to inspect me as if I was some kind of miracle to her. Finally a smile broke her lips and in a sudden rush she pushed herself onto me forcing me to the ground.
"Hey, what are you do-," I began to complain but was silenced as her lips pressed against mine. My heart beat strangely. It wasn't a thank you for saving my life kiss but something a bit too passionate.
She pulled away from me continuing to smile, "You don't know how happy I am."
"It's still sexual assault even if you're happy," I stared at her confused, a slight blush on my cheeks.
Lara rested her head on my chest, as if content to simply hear the thud beneath, "Hey Jane, you know where I went don't you? Stop playing dumb."
"I-," I faltered. Her sudden disappearance, the change in her hair colour. There was no denying what happened. The fact that she had appeared again, I hoped I was wrong but that was clearly not the case. "So you did go there… how did you come back? No, more importantly, how much do you know?"
"More than you," she giggled at how absurd this all was. "I'm going to take you being here as my reward." Slowly she pushed her body up, still straddling me.
"You have a lot to explain miss," I frowned at her.
"Yeah, I do… but one thing first." She lowered herself back down and pressed her forehead against mine. Her breathing paused, as the tension between us reached its peak. I was almost afraid to hear what she was going to say. "Jane, I love you… and more than just friends."
"Say what now?" the surprise on my face was apparent.
"I know that you don't feel that way but…," she smirked, "I'll make you eventually." I could feel her heart hammering through her chest as mine sped up considerably as well. "I lost my chance before and I won't again."
"I'm incredibly confused right now," I squirmed beneath her, trying to hide my own embarrassment. "Care to get off me so we can go somewhere warmer?"
"Eventually, but right now I just want to enjoy this." Like that the two of us laid together. Lara content and me, well I gave in. Although winter the sun shone on us brightly, the rays of light warmed our skin but not as much as our pressed bodies. It was not a small bit embarrassing and I could only take solace that no one else was around. Still with how wet we both were, I was beginning to feel that the chance of us both catching colds was not going to be low. At least that way we had plenty of time to talk. Though I should make a trip to the store before the symptoms set in. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I had made the right decision.