Both Eyes Open - Daryl Dixon (under editing)

I Don't Like Playing God.

( Please excuse the vulgar language, This Chapter is sort of a long one! And don't forget to comment and vote <3 )

Lara slumped back in her seat, disregarding the squeak of the old wood as she fell heavily onto the back of the chair. Running her tongue around her mouth she turned to the right and spat out a mouthful of blood, along with one of her back teeth, thankful that it wasn't one of her front teeth.

"Are you gonna talk yet, Lara Croft?" Gareth sneered, pacing before her, his old boots scuffing the floor loudly, his breath filling the gaps of silence.

Lara rolled her eyes and looked back up at him, gripping the sides of the chair and pushing herself upright for what must have been the fifth time in the last hour.

She glared up at his through her eyelashes and sighed heavily, not saying a word.

"I told you! You just gotta tell me what's going to happen to your people." He said in a falsely optimistic tune, raising his arms out as he spoke, wincing as the wound in his shoulder stretched. Lara squirmed with the pain in her arm, and glanced down at her hands, covered in both Gareth's blood as well as her own.

"You could save one of your people, Lara. You could save the archer." He said, lowering himself on his legs and looking up at her a small distance away so that she couldn't hit him. After the knife incident, the two men with weapons stayed in the room, guns aimed at her at Gareth's command. Even if they had a crappy shot, they could probably nail her between the eyes from their position if they wanted to.

"Or maybe it's not even him that you would save..." He mused thoughtfully, his voice soft and airy, his wide eyes searched hers as she glared at him irritatedly. He tilted his head and squinted his eyes before he went on,

"Maybe it's the Ringleader that you like..." He paused, as pond waited though she didn't move.

"Love?"

"Piss off." She spat, and Gareth leapt to his feet throwing his hands in the air in a celebratory manner.

"She talks!" He shouted in delight, then dropping his hands to his hips he turned to face her, shaking his head.

"You know, trying to get you to talk there was more painful than any beating I ever took in high school!"

"Bet you were the bullies favourite punch bag..." Lara quipped with a smirk, watching the grimace form briefly on Gareth's face as he glared at her.

"Can't wait till your mine." She whispered harshly, which earned her another blow to the stomach from Gareth's fist.

Lara coughed and gasped for air through her coarse, dry throat before sitting back in the chair, upright, smiling despite the small trickle of blood sliding out of the corner of her mouth.

"Definitely the redneck..." He panted as he stood up straight. "Well I'll make sure your sweet little eyes are never set on your lover boy again. At least not alive..."

Gareth took a few steps away from her, facing the door.

"Let them all go." Lara shouted frantically.

"Let them go and... you can keep me. Dip me in marinara sauce for all I care. Let them go." Lara demanded, urgency in her voice. This wasn't a threat. This was an offering. But she could see immediately he was going to refuse. He rubbed his head, chuckling before turning back to her saying,