**Disclaimer – Unfortunately, I do not own Jurassic World, Universal Studios, Chris Pratt, etc. I lay claim only to original characters and the plot line. Reviews are always welcome! Enjoy! Much love 3

Chapter 1 - Owen

We were going back. Part of me was excited, but the majority of my emotional reaction was "no way in hell". It had been two weeks since the Incident. That's what the Masrani Corporations had dubbed the massacre the Indominus Rex had orchestrated at Jurassic World. The Board of Directors was trying to keep information as quiet as possible, but with today's technology and the right to information laws, quiet wasn't happening. It had been one press conference after another, and Claire was stuck in the middle of all of it.

I meant what I said when I told her we should stick together. I don't doubt that she was looking at life differently since everyone got back to the mainland. A few nights early on we spent clinging to each other until the sun rose, skin on skin, but she seemed to be putting more and more distance between us as the days passed.

Just this morning she told me, "I need to get the park figured out before I can be entirely focused on us, Owen. I care about you…"

"Just not as much as your job," I replied, unable to contain my annoyance. I didn't give her the chance to deny it.

And now I was sitting across from her in the military helicopter on the way back to Isla Nublar, along with a few other choice survivors.

"I don't see why I had to come," Lowery was complaining. "I was perfectly good at the Red Cross."

"Lowery, I told you. You are the only one I trust in the command center while we are putting this park back together," Claire explained for the umpteenth time.

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts, Lowery." I didn't need to look up to see everyone was shocked. It was the first time I had spoken in hours. "You stayed when everyone else scattered in the evacuation. We need you in there while we work out here," I said gesturing out the window at the passing landscape.

The helicopter landed at the beach where army hummers would transport them to the command center. It was the best possible hope of a secure location. The trip took longer than expected as the drivers kept stopping to check for anything with teeth. I couldn't blame them, but I wanted to get this operation over with. The Navy had trained me well. Wasting time was not something I cared to do.

"We're here!" the commander called over our headsets.

I hopped out with the rest of the military, gun already butted against my shoulder. I wasn't taking any chances. Claire was on right behind me, no gun. Despite her success against the Pteranodons, no one really trusted her with fire power. The General in charge had argued about her going at all when she showed up in another skirt and jacket. However, her responsibility of the park overrode the General's complaints.

The other vehicles pulled up, parking in a half-circle around the compound door. A quick sweep of the building revealed no safety issues, animal or human. The teams dispersed, some to information back up, some to perimeter detail, and others accompanied Lowery to the control room to begin assessing the damage. I hung back, watching Claire was give orders, something she was very comfortable with.

I saw movement on one of the computer screens. The petting area was a bloodbath, the baby dinosaurs unable to flee from the larger predators. I wondered briefly what had happened to Blue, but shut that train of thought down fast. I couldn't afford to be off my game. I watched the screen for a few moments more, surprised when I caught sight of someone in the paddock, running fast.

Instinct kicked in and I was out the door.

I ignored the destruction of the shopping area, some of which was entirely my fault. I reached the area the camera was sweeping and jumped the fence, landing on top of a pissed off Pachycephalosaurus. My weight brought the animal to the ground, but it wasn't giving up the fight. I managed to get my gun out and was about to find a shot when someone yelled., distracting me.

I took Pachy's tail to the gut as it whipped around, and it completely knocked the wind out of me. Before I could regain my balance and get the shot off, the Pachy stopped, looked around for a moment before collapsing.

"What the hell where you thinking?" someone was screaming at me. I was pretty sure it was the same person as before, and boy were they in for an ass kicking. I glanced up and saw a man, young with a deep voice, and very pissed off. A boot snaked out and kicked my gun out of reach. "Either you're an idiot or suicidal! That Pachy had no idea what was going on. He could have killed you!"

Breathing without pain was still my first priority, so I didn't answer, but someone else did. "He's an idiot, that's for sure."

I turned my head, shielding my eyes from the sun, praying I wasn't right. That voice was too familiar, and while she would be the obvious choice for back up, I was hoping that I was just delusional. Dear God, anybody but her…

"Hello Owen. "

I dropped his hand down. "Well, shit."

She laughed. "That about sums it up."

She hadn't changed much, and I should know. The image of her was burned into my brain. At five and a half feet tall, I all but towered over the curly haired brunette, but only one woman in the world could intimidate me and she was standing directly in front of me. She dressed in what I could only assume was her jungle gear: khacki button down shirt and cargo pants, a wide belt, old but still sturdy boots, and a pair of aviator sunglasses. She wasn't what most people would call a beauty. She was too stocky for that, but she was curvy in the right places and I knew she had a pretty face when she wasn't scowling at him. She had a pistol in a holder on her hip, a rifle across her back, and a large tranquilizer dart gun in hand.

I wanted to enjoy the view, but looked over her shoulder and sighed instead. Claire was practically blowing smoke out of her ears as she stalked towards us.

"I don't know who you are," Claire spat out, "but you need to get off my island, Miss…"

The woman in front of me didn't even flinch at the tone as she turned to face her adversary. "Actually, It's Doctor. Doctor Shawn Muldoon."

It didn't escape my notice that Claire had a sharp intake of breath. "I expected…"

"A man?" Shawn interrupted with a sarcastic chuckle. "Most people do. Shawn is a family name. I'm going to assume that you are the so-called person in charge."

"Yes, I'm Claire Dearing."

"Well then that explains it all, Miss Dearing."

I wanted to stop her from stressing the unmarried title. I knew this could get upgle. What I was witnessing was a territorial display, and while I was used to it with my raptors, two human females were much scarier.

"Lucas," Shawn called to who I could only assume was her assistant. The younger man who was still holding my gun. "Check that the Pachy didn't hurt himself in the fall. Then get him loaded in the back of my Jeep for transport." Shawn didn't do anything without purpose. She got the firearm from Lucas and handed it back to me as she moved to her vehicle.

"Now wait just one damn minute, Mrs. Mal-whatever!" Claire demanded, struggling to keep up with the shorter woman. "You can't just barge onto my island and start giving orders about my assets, let alone move them without my permission!"

Shawn whirled around, fury plain on her face. I laughed and leaned against the passenger side door of the jeep, arms folded. I knew all too well what hell was about to break loose.

"First of all, it's Doctor. Doctor Mull-doon." Her voice was low and quiet, her words clipped. "Secondly, they are not assets. They are animals, living breathing creatures. I would have expected you to get that by now, but obviously I gave you way too much credit. All you seem to understand is how to hold a fucking press conference."

"And third, I don't need your permission to do anything because I don't answer to you," she said, slinging the gun strap over her shoulder.

"Like hell you don't! I'm responsible for getting this island back to working order!" The redhead was almost comical in her business suit as she struggled to keep up, thinking she could make the other woman do anything. Lord knows I learned that lesson the hard way.

Shawn opened the vehicle door and swung up into the driver's seat. "Sweetheart, I was hired by the Masrani Corporation Board of Directors. The head of INGEN sought me out. I answer directly to them. That means that I have full authoritative right to be here, and you," she said, jabbing a finger in Claire's direction, "are not my boss."

She slammed her door shut and turned to me. I hadn't moved and wasn't planning to. "Do you get it? People died here. The Board wanted to terminate all living dinosaurs as a way to appease the survivors."

This was bad, worse than I ever could have imagined. I went into panic mode, but Shawn managed to pull me back.

"Owen…" Her voice was soft, but her blazing green eyes were a lethal combination of fiery passion and ice cold. "I talked them out of it."

Relief poured over me. Whatever problems Shawn and I had or those I'm sure we were going to face, right at that moment I would have done anything for her. "So what do we do?"

Claire glared at me as she punched away at her phone, either trying to get answers or find a way to get rid of Shawn. "We? What we, Owen? You don't follow her! You answer to me!"

Shawn ignored her, inspiring me to do the same. "They pulled me in to get as many of these dinosaurs back into their enclosures as possible, relocate them to the other facilities if necessary… and destroy any that might be traumatized beyond repair. That's my job. That's what I need to do. And if I can't trust you to pull the Goddamn trigger when I need you to… then get the fuck off my Jeep and out of my way."