Running through the undergrowth as fast as she could, Sarah Harding swatted back a branch that was threatening her. She approached the trailer in a short space of time, but hesitated when she reached out for the door handle, twisting it slowly. When she pulled the trailer door open, she came face to face with Ian, who did not look happy at all.
"What did I say Sarah?" he asked grimly and she looked at him, suddenly lost.
"About what?" she asked, sliding past him so she could get inside the vehicle.
"About t-rex' nests." He simply told her and she sighed; someone must have told him.
"I don't know what you're-" she began but he cut her off.
"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." He told her, angrily slamming the trailer door so they were alone and undisturbed. "I told you that I would stay here with you provided you go nowhere near any carnivore's nests."
"Well they did talk me into it, I did protest." She trailed off.
"Not by the sounds of what I've been told." He looked down, too angry to look at her.
"How am I supposed to study the neutering habits of the T-rex if you've got a permanent harness on me?" Her attitude almost completely changed.
"I just want you to be safe! You've never been here; you don't know what it's like! I do." He exclaimed and she sighed.
"Oh yeah, macho man." She rolled her eyes. "What is it you're trying to prove Ian?" She tilted her head.
"I'm not trying to prove anything." He lowered the tone of his voice and raised a hand to rub his neck.
"Could've fooled me." She muttered as she turned to face the map, obviously hurt.
"Well if you wanna risk your life just so you can get some conclusive evidence, go ahead, just don't drag me with you." He snapped before turning on his heel to leave the trailer via the door. She followed him.
"Hey!" she yelled and he turned only briefly to look at her.
"What?" he called, anger once again boiling up inside of him.
"What was that supposed to mean?" She asked, confused and frustrated.
"It means, I've tried to protect you, keep you safe, but you just wanna live on the dangerous side, but I'm not prepared to get myself killed for someone who doesn't even want me help." He explained in a rather harsh tone.
"Fine, if that's the way you want it, have it, and just don't expect me to be home when we get back." She swallowed hard, trying to stop her voice from shaking.
This statement shocked Ian, and the remaining team members from both teams that were listening, into silence.
"Sarah..." Ian began but she shook her head.
"No, if you can't accept that I want to do things as well, then I don't think this is gonna work out." She tried to tell him strongly, but even he could hear the unsteady shaking in her voice.
He didn't say anything; instead he began to walk away, leaving her and her ultimatum alone to hang in the air. Ok, she had hoped he would say he would allow her to be around the carnivores, but this was not something she expected. Dieter watched her from his little spot in the bushes, afraid to move for he had already been attacked once. But when he saw her turn to look at him, he got up, moving in excessive speed towards her.
"Hey Dr Harding." He slimily greeted and she looked at him, disgust crossing her face.
"Hello Dieter." She grumbled and was unaware of his intentions.
"I heard your little 'tiff' with Dr Malcolm, I wanted to make sure you were ok." Dieter told her, his voice sluggish and slurred.
"I'm perfectly fine thank you." She told him in a harsh but polite tone.
"but if you're single now then maybe-" He began but she held up a hand.
"I don't think so, I'm sorry." She told him, taking this as her cue and began to walk away, unnerved by everyone's sudden screaming.
