So here I am again with another Clawen fic. I think this has sort of been done but I kind of wanted to put my own spin on it. So here is a clawen moment before Owen goes off with the raptors.
I'm sorry for the bad summary if and if the characters seem a bit out of character. I tried to stay true to them.
Hope you enjoy it.
Claire watches as Owen introduces the boys to the Raptors. She doesn't miss the proud look on Owen's face as he tells them that he is the alpha and she can clearly see the excitedness on Gray's face. Owen spots her behind them and his face instantly softens. Gray turns to see what has caught Owen's attention and immediately smiles at the sight of his Aunt.
'Aunt Claire! Have you meet the raptors before?'
Claire can feel Owen's gaze become more intense as Gray asks the question and she slowly steps forward.
'Um no,' she replies. 'I haven't properly met them.'
'How come?' Zach asks and Claire feels a slight onset of panic, though she doesn't really know why. Thankfully, Owen comes to her rescue.
'Your Aunt manages this whole park. She doesn't get a lot of time to meet all the dinosaurs.' Owen said, bringing Gray's attention back to him. Claire sends him a grateful look but Owen can still see the regret in her eyes. He knew that after seeing the Apatosaurus die in front of her, the animal had quickly become more than just an asset.
'You should come and meet them now!' Gray says, walking over to take hold of her wrist and drag her over. Claire stumbles on the first step but dutifully follows her nephew to the fence.
'Did you know Owen was the alpha?'
Claire nods her head, still feeling Owen's intense gaze on her.
'Introduce her Owen,' Gray urges and Zach does nothing to hide his smile. Claire looks up at Owen and gives a small shrug of her shoulders.
'We've got Echo, Charlie, Delta and Blue,' Owen says, pointing at each Raptor as he introduces her.
'Blue is the beta,' Zach supplies.
Claire presses her lips together and looks around to watche the InGen people continue to set up. She knows by the tense set of Owen's shoulders that he doesn't agree with the plan but at the moment, they are out of options and not in control. The two of them can't go up against the company and come out winning. They either join in or watch from a distance. There is no in between.
Bringing her eyes back to Owen, Claire feels like she wants to, needs to, say something. Whatever is happening between the two of them, its not just happening due to the heat of the moment. Instead it feels like a build up to the moment that Owen had pulled her in for a kiss, something that felt more natural than forced or just a reaction. She opens her mouth to say something but finds that her courage has disappeared. If she were required to run away from a rampaging dinosaur at this moment, she would be able to do it without hesitation. Wanting to say something to Owen, that was a courage that she hadn't ever had to call upon before and now found that she had none.
None of the boys seemed to notice her internal battle as they had gone back to talking about the Raptors.
'Do you think this whole thing will work?' Zach questions, jumping at the sounds of thrashing coming from the containment units.
'There's only one way to find out,' Owen replies, looking behind him.
'What are we going to do?' Gray asks, directing his question to Claire.
'There's a truck around the corner that you'll stay in,' Owen answers.
'We're not coming with you?
'No,' both Claire and Owen answer at the same time. Zach raises his hand in surrender while Gray looks a little crestfallen but accepts.
'Get ready to move out!' Hoskins voice shouts out over the commotion and suddenly everyone spurs into action. Claire and the boys watch as guns are loaded and the cameras are double-checked.
'Come on boys,' Claire says, holding out her arm for Zach and Gray to follow her.
'Good luck Owen,' Gray says and Zach nods his agreement as they turn around. Claire turns her gaze onto Owen and finds him watching her. Without a second thought, her feet carry her closer to the fence. She stops at the railing, close enough that if she reaches her hand out just a fraction, she could touch him.
Not caring that her nephews were watching, or anyone else around them, Claire reaches her hand forward and cups his cheek. Owen's eyes show surprise at the action but he doesn't say anything, only bringing his face closer to hers.
'Please be careful,' Claire whispers, this state of vulnerability new to her. Her voice is slightly shaky and the little courage she had finally managed to muster up makes her heart beat too fast. The way that Owen looks at her, she knows that he can tell. He brings his hand up to grab a hold of hers on his cheeks and brings it to his lips, pressing a chaste kiss to the back of it.
'If you hear anything that sounds like danger, you start the car and drive towards the control room.' He says, his tone booking no room for arguments.
'Okay,' Claire responds as she tilts her head. Owen releases her hand and Claire pulls it back with a blush.
'You'd best get to the truck. They'll be releasing the Raptors soon.'
Claire looks back at Zach and Gray who are watching them with interest.
'Yeah,' Claire says. Before she can talk herself out of it, she reaches up and manages to press a kiss to Owen's cheek through the fence. It's slightly awkward and Claire averts her eyes as she pulls back, missing Owen's smug grin. With a deep breath, Claire backs up a few steps and straightens her shoulders. Owen gives her one last smile when she looks up and starts to walk way before Claire quickly calls his name. He turns around and looks at her expectantly.
'I didn't run around a jungle in heels just for you to get eaten by your raptors,' Claire says and Owen grins.
'I'll keep that in mind,' Owen says. Claire smiles and turns around to lead the boys to the truck.
'Not a word,' Claire says to Zach after seeing him start to open his mouth. Zach snaps his mouth shut but does nothing to cover the huff of a laugh. Together the three of them make their way to the truck and Claire makes the boys get into the back, telling them to hold hands once they all realise there are no seatbelts to be found.
After shrugging off her shirt, Claire climbs into the drivers seat and revels in the chance to sit down without the urge to drive away immediately. She watches the feed on the tablet, unable to stop the swelling of pride within her as she feed shows Owen riding his motorbike right within the midst of the Raptors. His true place as the alpha, she thinks. Dread begins to fill her chest as she watches the dinosaurs communicate and Owen's voice coming through.
'That thing's part Raptor.'
'Oh god,' Claire finds herself whispering as the feed turns to focus on Owen. From that moment, everything that happens is a blur. InGen opens fire and the Raptors move to attack. When a bloody hand smacks against the window, Claire doesn't hesitate to start the truck and press the accelerator down to the floor. She can hear the doors being opened and the immediate screech of the Raptor. The truck lurches forward and Claire drives, knowing that lives are depending on her. When a Raptor crashes its head through the window, Claire lets out a scream and is unable to stop a few tears slipping out from the immediate fear. Eventually the head falls away and Claire tries to get her breathing under control.
Owen hears Claire's screams echo through the night and pushes his bike to move faster. He knows that the Raptor have been attracted to the sound of the truck and have started to give chase. With a fear that he hadn't felt in long time, not even the Indominus had found them in the old garage, Owen raced back towards the road.
He could see the truck in the distance, see the Raptors getting closer to the boys in the back. Despite caring about the Raptors, he applauded the boys using the electric shock to deter the Raptor. He grew slightly worried when the Raptors changed their direction and darted off into the bushes but he couldn't think about that now. He revved the engine and caught up to the truck, hearing Zach and Gray's relieved cry of his name. He pushes the bike more and comes up to the drivers window. He can see the moment Claire see's him, the worry and fear in her eyes fading slightly.
'We need to get indoors,' he says, pushing forward and leading the truck back to the main street.
Once they get through the gates, he shuts off the bike in sync with Claire turning off the engine. Claire is quick to jump down and rushes towards Owen as the boys climb out. Owen isn't expecting Claire to throw her arms around him but she does, breathing out a sigh of relief against his neck.
'You're still alive,' she says as she pulls away.
'I couldn't let you beat me by wearing heels,' he teases and Claire doesn't try and stop the breathy laugh that leaves her lips. Zach and Gray come around the corner and the sweet moment is broken and reality sets in. Owen brings his gun up and Claire starts urging everyone forward.
'Come on, inside,' she says, running up the stairs. Hopefully they'll be safer there.