The worst of it was that she remembered it all, yet she felt disconnected from
it, as if someone else had borrowed her body and ridden her like a horse,
making her do things she would never.  No,
that wasnt true.  There WAS darkness in
her, anger and a lust for revenge, but she had managed to suppress it until
something happened and she could no longer keep the menace at bay.  Her personality had been split in two,
forcefully ripped apart, and forced to play against each other.

Good god, what had happened to her?  She
paced the room some more, her dark red hair a tangled mess.  Her blue eyes wild as she tried to understand.  Then a knock at the door.

Who is it?  She called out, no answer.

Great, what, a Jehovahs Witness at this hour? She went to slam the door but Susan put a
hand out, stopping it.  Her eyes, darker
than normal, bore into Lara and for some reason,
Lara let her stop the door.

Leave.  Lara
ordered and Susan studied the cobblestone of the
front stoop. 

In a minute.

  Get it over with, Im just going to
tell you that IM NOT YOURS!  She
yelled, feeling the old venom in her voice, not sure, if it was a good thing,
or a bad thing.

I know.  Susan
said and Lara had an argument on her lips, but
it died there.

Huh?  Susan
smiled, a true smile and Lara stepped back.  Oh, this wasnt over.  Susan fucking
Birch had just smiled; good lord she was beautiful when she did that.  She felt a momentary resurgence of that
longing, and tried to tamp it down.

I said I know.  I came..  I came.. 
I came to tell you that youre free, goddamn it.  I simply dont want you any more.  She said with a light air, her jaw set,
wearing the expression of an accomplished liar covering up the truth that she
wanted Lara more than ever.

Right.  Lara
said, then decided to save her some face. 
Thank you.  This doesnt mean.  Lara began,
but Susan

Let it go, Lara.  Let it go. 
Susan turned on her heels, walking away
and hoping that the damage that had been done, wasnt irreversible.  No matter how badly she still wanted her, she
could not risk feeding that darkness in Laras
soul, not ever again.

Lara watched her go, wondering why she suddenly
felt so empty inside when she should have felt triumphant.