First of all, I do not own the characters or any part of the Jurassic Park story.
This fanfic is starting right after the events of the first film and it should end after the end of the second one – it is my view on what happened with Claire and Owen. Don't' expect much of a plot outside of the evolution of them. There will be smut (hence the rating), lots of it. I have a clear idea of how this story will play out but feed-back is always welcome and if otherwise inspired, I might change it. Clawen all the way. I update when I can, I have a crazy busy life and really no time for this but it has been rolling around in my head for so long I have to get it out and share. Reviews are always appreciated.
"I need to go to my place and get something, you take the first boat out and let me know where I can find you."
Claire's eyes narrow.
"Come with me."
"I won't be long, just a short trip over there and I'll be back to you in no time, I promise."
"I'll come with you."
"Claire, you are tired and emotionally drained, go rest for a bit and I'll join you."
"There is another woman, isn't there?"
He started laughing and motioned to touch her cheek but she gestured him not to.
"Yes, and she is just waiting for me there in spite of the sirens, the dinosaurs and the overall madness of the past sixteen hours. I should have guessed you are the jealous type."
"I am not jealous. I simply do not want to be made a fool of. And in all your smart-ass exposition you did not deny it so…"
He was trying to keep a straight face but was terrible at it.
"There is no other woman. Now is the verbal statement enough or you need me to give it to you in writing?"
Claire crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.
"Why don't you want me to come with you, then?"
"Because I'm trying to spare you effort and not drag you back with me into the jungle after what you have been through."
"And why won't you tell me what you have to get from there?"
"That's due to the fact that up to this point you haven't asked me."
"Well?"
"My research. I haven't sent the reports in some time because I knew Hoskins was up to something. I have it all on some memory sticks that are very important right now. "
"Oh… I'm sorry." She was looking away. Owen took her chin and made her look at him.
"I forgive you."
Again she averted her eyes and started lightly tapping the ground with her right foot.
"You still want to go with me." He said and she nodded.
"Ok. I'm not sure if I ought to be flattered you want to spend more time in a car with me smelling like a herd of filthy animals or offended that you might not trust me to do what I said I will. Either way, come on." He extended his hand to her and instinctively she checked her surroundings for something she would have to climb or jump over. Then it dawned on her that he wanted to take her hand and smiling like a schoolgirl she took it and followed him to the SUV he had somehow obtained the keys to. Once in the passenger seat she started to somewhat regret not to have boarded that boat. She could have checked into the hotel the Masrani Corporation had leased for its surviving employees, taken a bath, combed her hair and maybe even procure some food for Owen so they would be all set when he arrived. Her feet were really aching and she was trying to alleviate some of the pain by stretching her legs.
"Take those damn shoes off, you don't even need to exit the car when we get there, I'll be in and out in under a minute.
"If I remove them I will probably not fit into them again and I do need to get on and off the boat."
"I'll carry you."
"As romantic as that may sound, no."
"You'd rather be in pain."
"Yes."
"All right sweetheart."
She frowned and though he was driving he noticed.
"No good? Honey? Babe? Sweety pie?"
"What's wrong with Claire?"
"It's not a term of endearment".
"Term of endearment" she laughed.
"I'm old fashioned that way."
"I suppose it is the only way you are old fashioned."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You were very modern on our date."
"I was trying to get you to loosen up a little. "
"By trying to get me drunk and contradicting me on everything that came out of my mouth?"
"I was not trying to get you drunk, just relaxed. And the contradiction was genuine, I really did not agree to your high and mighty corporate crap."
She wanted to say something back but she knew what he was talking about and it was pretty much what had caused the recent tragedy.
"So why did you still try to invite me back to your place?"
"I didn't try, I actually invited you. We were getting along so badly that I thought you might have agreed to a date with me because you really needed to get laid and even though you didn't care much for my personality, my physique was good enough for you."
Claire took in a big breath.
"I can't believe you thought that about me. And that you just said it to me so … casually."
"Come on, I though you needed a good roll in the hay not that you murdered little furry pets in the basement. "
"I went out with you because I made a list of pros and cons and the first ones were more numerous."
"Figures. May I ask what they were?"
"You are American so we share the same culture, you work with dinosaurs like I do, you live on the island and you did not seem to care at all about my position in the park."
" I asked you out because you are hot."
"That's it?"
"I am not much of a list maker, one reason is good enough for me. We're here. I'll be right back."
Even though he was true to his word, spent only a couple of minutes in his bungalow to gather his notebooks and take the duffle bag he was used to keep packed since his army days by the time he got back to the car he found Claire sleeping. He drove to the docks without waking her.
On the boat
"I'm sorry I fell asleep."
"No need to feel like that. But you should have listened to me when I told you to leave before me."
"I did not want to be alone."
"There are very many people on these ships."
"Fine. I didn't want to be without you."
He smiled.
"All right so … one room or two when we get to the hotel?"
They were sitting next to each other and she turned to look at him.
"What are you asking me?"
"You said you didn't want to be without me. We'll be soon arriving at the hotel so do you just want to be with me in the car or also in your room?"
"What do you want?"
"Why, so you can say the exact opposite?"
"I'm not like that." Claire argued. "I simply won't have you to do something you don't really want to."
"I'm not that compliant, not even for you. I would rather stay with you but if it makes you uncomfortable I am perfectly happy getting my own room."
"I would rather you stayed with me too."
"All right then."
Claire looked away so he took her hand and said in a very soft voice:
"Relax, you only agreed to my staying with you not sleeping with you."
She gave him a stern look.
"Why would I not be relaxed? And why do you assume I don't want that?"
"Oh, I assume that you do want it. Acting on that desire is a whole different story with you. Just sayin', it's up to you. No pressure."
"Putting pressure is exactly what you did with this conversation."
"Only because your impulse is to prove me wrong by acting all ready and casual about it."
"Excuse me! I'm not acting, I am completely aware of what I want and behave accordingly."
"All right. So what do you want now?"
He was both infuriating and attractive with his compulsion to say everything that he felt like saying. To some extent he was right both in assuming she was apprehensive about being intimate with him and in suspecting she would pretend not to be. Except that her nervousness faded every time he took her hand, caressed her cheek or looked at her the way he was doing at that moment. If he kissed her she knew any doubt or worry would altogether subside. As if he could read her mind, he pulled her closer and placed his lips on hers. She hesitated at first, thinking of all the people surrounding them but then decided to give in and actually respond this time. Soft at first, the kiss got hungrier and in that moment Claire knew that she desperately wanted to go to bed with him. He had never held any false illusions of the situation being any different.
