I couldn't resist writing another story for the characters I developed in The Mark, especially with the recent Fallen Kingdom teasers and football tie-ins. This sequel fic is mostly for fun & fluff, but I love angst & smut, too. It won't be more than four chapters. I hope readers enjoy it.

"Holy shit - Terrance Williams again?" Lowery exclaimed from the easy chair.

"Unbelievable!" responded Owen excitedly. He'd been perched on the edge of the loveseat next to Claire for the last five minutes, a bundle of nerves for his team. The Cowboys had mounted a comeback in the waning minutes of the Wild Card playoff game and were now leading. Claire was supportive but clearly missing his arms around her - as they usually watched football - while he was wringing his hands and stomping his feet. Owen stood to give a high five to Lowery and then sunk back into the cushions to kiss her quickly.

"I see where I rate," she teased and pouted as he pulled his lips away from the brief contact.

Owen groaned and leaned in close to whisper, "Not in front of Lowery. You know there will be a lot more later." He tickled around her belly button through her t-shirt, and she giggled. It was one of his favorite sounds in the world, second only to her saying his name in bed.

"Don't hold back on my account," Lowery joked with raised eyebrows. "I won't flag you two for excessive celebration. I'll just get out of here if it's too much for me to handle."

"You'd love to skip out on dishes, wouldn't you?" Claire said with a hearty laugh.

"That would be a perk." Lowery smiled at them warmly. "I'm responsible for this," he continued while motioning toward them, "so I'm proud and shouldn't complain."

"Technically," Claire corrected him in a light tone, "the Indominus is responsible for getting us back together."

"I'm referring to the boning, Claire, and I take FULL responsibility for that." Owen laughed while Claire blushed furiously. "Don't think I couldn't tell the next day at work after I stormed out of your office." Claire couldn't help laughing herself and hid her face in Owen's chest.

"He wanted to slam the door," Owen chuckled.

"You've always been such a drama queen, Lowery," teased Claire, throwing a sofa pillow at him. Owen mouthed, "Thank you," to Lowery as he enjoyed this carefree moment. It made him forget about their current predicament and the horrors they'd witnessed only a week ago.

In the aftermath of the Indominus escape, Masrani Global found temporary lodgings for the three of them in San Diego. It was very early in the "discovery phase" of the legal investigations that the company was currently conducting. Due to their prominent roles in the "incident," from start to finish, they had been retained in the local area for questioning. They were still getting paid but not allowed to leave. Owen and Claire were forced to disclose their relationship at the beginning of the process and were openly sharing one apartment - saving the company money, Claire had reminded the interim CEO.

Owen and Claire were having a lot of sex, making up for lost time and because there was literally nothing better for them to do. Neither one was complaining, and it was just as good - if not better, after facing down death and saving each other's lives - as the first time in Owen's bungalow. The sex was extra special because it was the first time Owen didn't wear condoms. When Claire revealed that she got an IUD while they were dating on the island, it felt like Christmas morning to him. He was surprised about how wild and spontaneous she could be, too - like having sex in a Nordstrom fitting room as she was looking irresistible in new outfits.

Owen had never been more content in their relationship or any relationship. They had talked about the bet, and he said everything he felt he needed to say about it. Neither one wanted it hanging over them, and Claire pointed out how things happen for a reason. If not for his ruminating on the bet, they probably wouldn't have met in the billiards room, and there were no other obvious subsequent occasions for their paths to have crossed. Owen could tell, however, that the circumstances of their meeting still made her a little melancholy. She winced every time he qualified something as occurring "the first time" they were dating. It was similar to his reaction whenever she used the term "asset." Claire reassured him that she just needed time - it had been only eight days since she learned the truth. She told him that she trusted him completely, and he returned the sentiment. He just wished she felt comfortable enough to say, "I love you," out loud. Although he'd first felt it from her months ago and continued to feel it many more times since then, it would be nice to hear.

Owen did admit to still feeling guilty about sullying Claire's contentment in the early days of their relationship. She'd shared her insecurities about Sophie, but she was otherwise very happy with him before their mainland date. He figured this was why she wasn't able to verbalize her feelings for him yet. For the time being, Owen settled for her openness physically and their unmatched bedroom chemistry. He did not hesitate to verbalize his feelings for her during sex or in any other setting. In fact, he sometimes worried that he said it too much and that it would lose its meaning. It was his turn to feel truly lucky, and he didn't want her to feel insecure about him again.

When the game ended, Owen was exuberant from the Cowboys' victory. Lowery gave him a knowing look, and Owen shushed him silently. Claire's cell phone rang almost immediately after the final whistle blew. Owen saw Zach's name and photo on her screen. Claire froze and looked up nervously before excusing herself to their bedroom. Owen and Lowery started cleaning up.

"Are you gonna take her?" Lowery asked quietly.

"I don't know if Masrani will even allow it," answered Owen with a frown. "We may be stuck here and have to watch it on TV."

Lowery groaned, "No, man, you have to do it. This win is a sign." Owen rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't give me that. Like you were JUST hoping the Cowboys would win because they're your team. You want the romantic comedy moment, too." Owen blushed. Just then, Claire appeared in the kitchen and startled them. They looked like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Owen smiled at her lovingly even though she still looked a little nervous.

"Everything okay?" Owen asked.

"Yeah," Claire said, "Perfect." She linked arms with him.

As soon as Lowery was gone, Owen attacked Claire with his mouth and hands. He was so revved up by the game and frustrated from not being able to ravish her earlier. Just as he was about to pick her up and carry her to their bed, Claire pulled out of their kiss. He whined loudly.

"There's something we need to talk about," she said seriously. Owen suddenly started to sweat and had irrational thoughts. Was she pregnant? Was she leaving San Diego? Was she going to prison? She smiled and kissed him gently. "Don't freak out. It's not bad." They sat down on the loveseat, and she was holding his hands in hers. She took a deep breath, "Will you go with me to the Divisional Round playoff game in Green Bay?" Owen's eyes practically bugged out of his head. She stole his thunder.

"Can we?" he asked with childlike wonder.

"Yes. I got permission from Masrani Global yesterday, and I just solidified plans with Zach. He'd be going with us." Owen looked confused. Claire cleared her throat, "He and I have my dad's three season tickets. I mean...they're ours...bequeathed to us."

"No shit." Owen was practically giddy with excitement, but Claire remained tentative.

She stammered, "I haven't been to a game there since before he died, seven years ago. And..." Her voice trailed off.

"What is it?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

"It's just gonna be hard for me...to go back. I need you with me...to make new memories there."

"Of course, Claire. And, I understand, about your dad."

"It's not just that. I...um...used to go a lot with exes. I mean, not a lot of exes...two exes. My dad's last game at Lambeau - a HUGE sore spot for Zach - was with me and my boyfriend at the time, Evan. Zach was close to my dad, too, and blamed me for taking that away from him."

"He won't mind me there?"

"On the contrary! I think he wants you there more than he wants me. He was rooting for the Cowboys today." Claire looked down, and Owen cupped her chin with his hand to pull her head back up. "We weren't sure you'd want to go if they didn't win."

"Are you kidding? I would go to any game with you." He kissed her fiercely and picked her up. "I'm ecstatic, however, that our teams are facing each other."

She snuggled into his neck and purred, "It was meant to be." No doubt about that to Owen.

The intervening week was a lot easier to bear knowing their weekend plans. Owen and Claire sat through separate inquisitions with lawyers. Claire used her Disney and Wharton ties to retain personal legal counsel to be present with them. Owen's lawyer, Xavier, had experience representing animal wranglers and zookeepers. Claire's lawyer, Emily, used to work for Disneyland and represented Lowery, too. Fortunately, Derek Fernandez recused himself from being involved with their testimony on account of his personal relationships with them. Owen also threatened to beat Derek senseless when they saw each other outside the Masrani Global building one afternoon. Derek had run into Claire the day before and suggested they all go out for drinks to "let bygones be bygones."

Despite Claire's reassurances that it was a source of significant shame and an overall terrible experience for her, it still bothered Owen that she slept with Derek. He begrudgingly empathized with Rachel on Friends when she struggled with Ross's infamous infidelity while they were "on a break." Owen knew it was a different scenario, the sting had lessened with time, and - truth be told - he was more upset with himself than Claire. Like the bet itself, focusing on past mistakes was no way to forge a future with her, especially considering all the inherent uncertainty of their current situation.

Owen had other past mistakes to face with the lawyers. It was helpful to have Xavier there to provide feedback, but the process reminded Owen of Naval inquiries after operations with less than desirable outcomes. There was a tendency to "circle the wagons" and identify a scapegoat. The Masrani lawyers appeared to harshly judge Owen's decision to enter the Indominus enclosure. Xavier astutely commented on their hindsight bias and the fact that two Paddock 11 staff members also entered the enclosure. He pointed out that Owen or another behaviorist should have been consulted much earlier in the life of the animal. Owen highlighted that none of the park staff could've possibly have predicted the Indominus' capabilities due to InGen's keeping her genetic composition classified. He was indirectly defending Claire as he worried about her own interrogation that same day.

Exhausted from the day's experience and his internal struggles, Owen was zoned out over dinner on Tuesday night. Claire seemed less affected but obviously concerned for him.

"Talk to me," she said softly while taking his hand. "You've been extra quiet tonight." There had already been several nights of very little talking since they left the island. Similar to when they first made love, they didn't always need words. Owen and Claire maintained being on a very similar wavelength in spite of their time apart. It made him fall in love with her all over again when they reconnected during the incident.

"I should never have gone into the enclosure," he sighed. "I shouldn't have allowed ANYONE to go in there until you verified her coordinates. I jumped the gun."

"We both did, Owen. I called ACU to report an asset out of containment even before I called Lowery."

"I feel responsible for the deaths of the two paddock staff members." That's what this was really about. Claire squeezed his hand.

"No," she said calmly. "They entered the enclosure of their own accord. You didn't coerce them. None of us knew what we were up against. We were all flailing to an extent." Claire wasn't detached or deflated but seemingly at peace with it. He was in awe of her.

"You're truly amazing," he said and kissed her hand. "I was really concerned about you today, being put under the microscope and having similar guilt. All for nothing, I guess."

"Well," she blushed, "not for nothing. It wasn't easy, but it's not my first rodeo. I've been through many root cause analyses before, both real world and exercises. Disney lawyers can be vampires." She laughed, and it made Owen feel lighter. "Emily is fantastic. She was an immeasurable help to Lowery and I. Lowery was hit hard today with guilt." Owen wasn't expecting to hear this. Lowery hadn't talked to him about the incident at all.

"What did HE do?" he asked with mild alarm.

"He disobeyed a direct order from Simon."

"When?"

"When you were in the enclosure." Claire paused and started to choke up. "After the paddock supervisor opened the door to escape, Simon stood over Lowery and told him to close the door. Lowery saw it was you on the monitors. He refused to close it with you in there. He felt paralyzed watching you running toward the door. Simon reached around Lowery to press the button to close it himself."

"Lowery thinks he's responsible for the escape because he tried to save me." It was sobering to say aloud. Claire nodded. Owen felt a sudden urge to call Lowery and thank him. It was therapeutic to hear others' perspectives, especially the way Claire explained it. She was a very good operations manager. As she spoke, he felt himself relaxing and loosened his grip on her hand.

"Emily was a JAG before she worked for Disney," Claire continued. "She told Lowery that it was misplaced, like survivor's guilt after combat. The vast majority of the time, no one person's actions are that powerful. Errors - military, medical, or theme park - are usually multi-factorial. When I was at Disney, our general counsel compared it to Swiss cheese: lots of holes, missteps create a disaster. You can almost never rest the blame on a single person or even a few. Add into the mix that everything was happening so quickly and human memory is fallible. That's why we rely so much on forensic analysis, and no one's going back to the island to collect THAT kind of data...yet." Owen perked up at this comment.

"You know they'll send a team back?" he asked with borderline excitement. He was thinking about Blue. Claire's face fell. She was probably reading his mind. They were both getting better at telepathy when it came to each other.

"You want to go," she stated matter-of-fact.

"So do you," he smirked. With this, Claire pursed her lips and sighed. She stood and walked behind his chair.

She put her arms around him and whispered, "Not so soon." He rubbed her arms. "Worry about me tomorrow. That's when I have to talk about decisions I made in the control room." Owen knew what she meant. He and Xavier already prepped for that discussion. Owen didn't have any guilt about leaving the control room when Claire told him to. She reached a hand inside the front of his shirt and nipped his earlobe with her teeth. "I'm sorry for not listening to you." She trailed her hand across his back and down his arm before taking his hand and tugging him out of the chair.

Owen needed no encouragement to follow her into their bedroom. The comfort of sharing an apartment, a bed, and their bodies with each other was beyond compare. It made life worth living and made him feel capable of surviving whatever came their way. Claire clearly wanted it slow tonight. Her kisses were gentle, and she took her time getting them undressed. When he was naked, she was still in her bra and panties. She stopped him from unhooking her bra and pushed him into a seated position on the edge of the bed.

Owen hadn't "allowed" Claire to go down on him since they got back together. He didn't encourage her to do it, and he redirected her if she tried. He was haunted by her words outside his bungalow, now almost two months ago. Her fear of being used by him for blow jobs. He still didn't fully understand how or why she came to that conclusion, but he didn't want to explore it with her. He was trying to focus on making her happy in the now and dispelling any lingering doubts that she had. As she positioned herself between his legs, Owen didn't fight it. Enough time had passed, and he knew she liked doing it. She was so damn good at it, too.

When Claire took his length into her mouth, he almost fell backward. He propped himself up with his arms for support. God, he missed her doing this. It was dumb to deny them both. Owen closed his eyes and remembered the last time. It was in her shower after he'd gone down on her. He missed that glorious shower, too. He couldn't help rocking his hips in time with her sucking. Claire had wrapped her arms around his thighs from below and kneaded with her fingers near his groin. She used her hands to steady his pulsing as he came. He choked out a hoarse, "I love you," as his orgasm played out.

Owen was breathless and fell back onto the mattress after she swallowed and pulled away from him. Claire climbed on top of him and rested her head on his chest. "Thank you," she whispered. He wasn't exactly sure what for but was too sated to ruminate on it. He reflexively said, "You're welcome," and put his arms around her. They laid there for a few minutes. Owen slowly realized that she'd divested herself of her undergarments and was getting hard again.

"Your turn," he finally said.

"I had plenty of turns," she replied. He could feel her smiling. "You've been quite generous." He had gone down on her a lot in the last ten days. It was still such a turn on to be the only one who had. Owen wouldn't mind skipping it now though. He rolled them onto their sides to kiss her. He could kiss her until their lips were bruised. Claire wrapped one leg around him to position his dick at her entrance - she wasn't satisfied with just his mouth. She moaned his name and tightened her leg around him as he pushed inside her.

Owen played with her nipples and felt her getting even more wet around him. She had completely ruined him for condoms. The sensations were so much more intense "bareback." He could tell when she was close and locked eyes with her. It gave him additional pleasure to see her own. He loved her with every fiber of his being. She had also ruined him for other women. When they climaxed together, he never felt so close to heaven.

He let go of her very briefly to pull the covers over their bodies. Claire hungrily pulled him back into their embrace. It gave him immense joy.

"I want to stay lost in your arms forever, Owen."

"Me, too" was all he could say. There were not adequate words in existence to articulate how he felt in that moment.

Owen had a much shorter day on Wednesday compared to Claire. He used the extra time to make another visit to his storage unit. He needed his winter clothes for the weekend in Wisconsin. He knew she wouldn't mind if he went there without her. When she accompanied him the first time, Claire was clearly jealous that he had his own clothes to wear. Their shopping trip for her was more fun for him, even if they both enjoyed the romp in the fitting room. As Owen sifted through boxes in their bedroom, he almost felt like everything within them belonged to someone else. These were items he didn't know if he'd ever use again, and it felt like a lifetime ago that he'd packed them away.

He heard Claire walk in the front door and called out that he was in the bedroom. His ears were attune to the distinctive sound of her unscrewing their bottle of gin and pouring herself a glass. Owen knew it must have been a bad day. He waited for her to come to him.

"Flannel pajama bottoms?" she asked playfully from the doorway. "I'm putting those on right now." Claire passed him her glass as she unzipped her skirt and threw it and her pumps across the room. Owen enjoyed watching her put on his pants and then swap out her blouse for one of his t-shirts. "Thank you," she said as she kissed him on the cheek and took back her glass for another drink. "I hope you don't mind." She looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Never," he replied while wrapping his arms around her. "My clothes look better on you anyway."

"They feel like home to me." She was putting up a good front, but Owen could tell she was sad.

"Your turn...to talk."

She smirked, "It was tough reliving things today...being second-guessed by people other than you. It was easier getting criticized by you, even if I didn't want to hear or agree with it at the time, because I knew you cared about me. Those people today, they just want to blame someone. They don't care about you or me." She hugged him tightly. "When you came into the control room, I was so happy you were alive. I held back from showing it because I was supposed to be strong for my team and Simon."

"I was glad you weren't there...at the enclosure," said Owen, stroking her hair. "Thankful you got away and didn't see me afraid." She pulled away to look at him, and he caressed her cheek. "To put it mildly, that was a humbling experience. When I showed up at control, I was in Alpha Mode and out to prove that I was tough...and fearless. I was still very afraid, for me, for you, for Lowery, for everyone."

"I shouldn't have talked to you the way I did."

"Ditto."

She smiled at him. "I don't want to discuss that anymore today." He nodded. "We DO need to talk about your pack rat tendencies." She was being sarcastic, but he appreciated that kernel of truth in her statement. Claire looked pointedly at the things he'd laid out on the bed and peeked into the boxes. "You seriously held onto this Navy parka?"

"It's really warm, and I spent a lot of money on it. Officers don't get clothing allowances."

She snorted a little then sighed, "You still have all the matching accessories, too." Claire ran her fingers over the fleece gloves and hat. Owen recognized her morose look from their shopping trip for her. She'd have to go shopping again in preparation for Wisconsin.

"Don't you have stuff somewhere?" he asked sympathetically. "A storage unit in Florida? Someone's basement?"

"No," she answered with agitation in her voice. "I don't hold onto things I don't need. I move on. I...close the book." Claire's eyes teared up. Owen flashed back to the canvas bag she packed with items from their relationship. She read his mind. "I made an exception for you when I kept Goldeneye." She was breaking down. He rushed over to hold her. She started to sob. "My whole life is back there on that island. Everything that's important to me."

"Just things, Claire, and past tense." He pulled up her chin to gaze into her eyes. "I'm here with you. Present tense."

"New memories," she sniffed. He nodded. She needed him now like she'd needed him on the night Karen first called about her divorce. It made him feel awesome, like always.

"I made so many exceptions for you," he whispered as he pulled her close. "You've always been worth it."

"Lucky," she said under her breath as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Please let me know what you think!