The following morning Robert stood in front of the sink shaving.

In just just kaki shorts, he stood there barefoot with a washcloth thrown over one shoulder. Carefully he used his straight edge razor to carefully run down the sides of his face while occasionally dipping it in the marble sink below him that had the plug in it, trapping the mint smelling suds of shaving cream and water that floated around. Wendy was in the shower. Glancing over he saw her naked outline behind the frosted shower glass doors. Smiling, he glanced down at his watch and knew as much as he wanted to join her he had to get to the main cage to try and figure out what they were going to do since just a few days ago yet another raptor had been eaten. That strange sense of unease still lurked in his stomach and he knew as much as he tried to talk to Hammond his words would simply be forgotten.

"Hey love."

"Huh?!"

He heard her call over the running water before the door partly slid back as she poked her head out. Her hair was slicked back, and she reminded Robert of a gorgeous mermaid. Smiling he strolled over as he wiped his face with the washcloth.

"I gotta be heading out. You staying here?"

Wendy bit her bottom lip.

"I still need to swing by the medical bay later, they want to give me the once over to okay me. Then maybe head down to the pen."

Robert's brow wrinkled.

"If you get heat stoke you usually should be on bed rest at least a week tops. It's humid as hell out there. You outta rest."

"I love you babe, but you gotta quit worrying. If the doc says I need to stay inside I'll stay inside. If not I'll swing by later on and how about I bring you lunch?"

Robert leaned over, smelling the strong scent of shampoo and soap. Leaning over, he kissed her before looking her straight in the eye.

"Only if you feel okay, promise."

"I promise…" She said smiling as she kissed him again. Standing back she shooed him away with her hand.

"Go before I get you soaked."

Robert smirked as he eyed her naked body, half revealed from the glass door. Winking at her, he turned and went on his way never feeling happier than he ever did before.

One year ago…

"Is this seat taken?

"Hum?"

Robert snapped out of his thoughts. They were currently on the main land at a beach side pub. The bar sat on the doors, over looking the ocean. The sunset had been beyond amazing despite the fact Robert felt he was the only one sober enough to fully enjoy it. He was sitting at the bar, nursing a gin and tonic and listening to the chatter among the crowd as drinks were poured the the exotic music became louder. Arnold had been sitting with him for a while before getting up to mingle. Both drinking their drinks and discussing how truly amazing this whole thing was. Arnold was a good enough fellow, and shared the same sense of unease as Robert did from the very beginning. They had been hired since they were the best of the best. Just a week ago as he toured the grounds as construction had begun, Hammond took him into the lab to watch one of the very first raptors be born. This hasn't been anything like the wild life parks he had worked at over seas for Hammond before. They were playing God, and just by starring down at this little creature he knew they were creating monsters. Turning, broken from his thoughts he turned and saw her. Her bright red hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she stood there wearing jeans and a black T-shirt.

She had sparking golden eyes, and the moment she smiled at him he felt the strangest flutter spree inside his stomach.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Is this seat taken?"

She motioned to the stool beside him, holding her drink. Smiling, Robert pulled it out for her.

"Not at all, be my guest."

"Thanks…"

Sitting, she turned partly, holding the chilled glass in her hand before offering her free one. "Wendy Harlan." Robert smiled and shook her hand, surprised by how firm her shake was and how soft her hands felt against his.

"Robert Muldoon."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Hammond told me all about you. I'm the new trailer from Florida. it's a pleasure to meet you."

After several drinks, Robert began to loosen up, The two sat side by side on their stools, drinking their drinks and laughing as they slowly got to know each other. Unknown to both of them Hammond sat across the way, at a table drinking scotch surrounded by his trusted workers, watching from afar and knowing that it was good to see Robert relax for once. Maybe somebody like Wendy was exact what he needed...

Present

Wendy walked out of the medic station never feeling happier before in her life. Her check in had taken longer than expected, but with how she felt at this exact moment, she knew she couldn't even put into words how excited she felt. She had dressed in shorts and a white T-shirt. Her boots hurrying herself down the stone steps, she slid her mirrored sunglasses on before getting into her jeep. As she slid behind the wheel, she stared at the sparking engagement ring and smiled.

One Week Ago

Robert was kneeling behind Wendy, thrusting away and feeling himself come close. Wendt laid on her hands and knees across the bed, her body slightly bouncing with each moment he made. Gritting his teeth, he grasped onto her hips as sweat rolled down his face. Moaning, he released strongly before collapsing against her. Breathless, both rolled over as he took her into his arms. Laughing gently, he kissed her before laying her head against his chest.

"Well, I'm bloody spent…"

Lifting her hand, Wendy admired her engagement ring and smiled. Robert noticed and smiled.

"Is it a keeper?"

Smiling, Wendy stretched in his arms before slowly rubbing his chest.

"I think it's safe to say so."

"So my darling, any ideas on when you want to make it official?"

Sighing, Wendy thought for a second before shrugging.

"Anytime is good for me. Hell, tomorrow could even work."

Laughing gently, Robert stroked her hair.

"Well now, you can't be more exact than that."

"You know me. I like simple things. I don't want a big wedding. Hell, my mother is always flying out to Vegas to live with whatever boyfriend she has each week. I just want it to be the two of us. That's all."

Smiling, Robert kissed her head before laying back.

"i guess that's why I'm so madly in love with you…"

Present

Robert gazed at the huge pen being constructed. Within the year the walls would be higher and that's where they would transfer the first batch. Holding his rifle, he paced along, watching the workers and seeing the vegetation get planted. He knew there was no way fooling these creatures, no matter what they would know they were trapped. And whenever something dangerous is trapped…it's wired to explode. That's when he heard the sound of an approaching engine. Turning he saw Wendy begin to ride up the path. Smirking, he knew nothing would feel better than kissing her in the shade. Adjusting his hat, he held onto his gun as he made his way down the staircase. Waving, he watched as she kept driving onward.

Reaching the bottom, he began walking out as the jeep parked. Wendy killed the engine and slid her body upward, waving at him with her sunglasses still on. "Boy do I have news for you!" She shouted. Laughing, he continued walking forward.

"Don't tell me, you're healthy as a horse heat stroke or no heat stroke?"

"Better!"

Robbert chuckled to himself as he kept walking. Wendy still stood, leaning over the bar of the jeep as she smiled.

"Guess what, you're…"

That's when he heard shouts and one of the cement trucks came crashing forward, hitting the side of Wendy's jeep going at least forty. Robert jumped backwards as it all happened in a matter of seconds. The sound of breaking glass and twisted metal filled the air as the jeep was pushed forward T-boned as it plowed over to the side. Robert stared with disbelief with wide stunned blue eyes. Instantly workers came running from all directions as the emergency horn was sounded. Robert had dropped his gun and looked over. At least thirty or fifty feet away, turned over was the cement truck. It was smoking, and the head cab was crushed in. Running, he ignored all the shouts as he ran forward, nearly skidding to the side as he saw what remained of Wendy's jeep.

It was nearly destroyed. The jeep was turned over on it's side as well. All of the windows shattered. The side was completely crushed in and totaled. Feeling completely numb, his frantic eyes searched forward before he took off running. He didn't realize he was screaming her name, half expecting to see her stand up, brush her shorts off and laugh. Instead, his heart pounded in his chest as he ran and stopped where the jeep, or what was left of it was. The driver of the cement truck had crawled out of his cab, his head was badly bleeding, and workers were all ready trying to get to him. He was screaming in pain and kept shouting over and over…

"The breaks! The breaks went out! I didn't see her! I swear I didn't see her!"

Robert looked down and saw her body. It was half under what might have been part of the grill. Heaving the pieces of heavy metal away, he felt his hands shake as he reached her. She was laying half in and half out of what was left of the jeep. Her sunglasses still on her face, but smashed and cracked. The side of her head was slightly crushed in, causing a steady pulse of blood to sweep into the mud. "Oh Christ!" He said, his voice cracking as he knelt down and picked her up. She felt limp and lifeless in his arms. Dragging her, he pulled her away from the wreckage and saw that her legs were badly bent and broken. Laying her down in the grass, he heard the sirens of the emergency jeeps coming that Hammond had. Two workers ran over and attempted to kneel down next to him. "DON'T TOUCH HER!" He shouted, before looking her over. Her head was bad, in fact it was awful. He didn't see any skull or brain matter, but the way she was bleeding her entire T-shirt was all ready soaked with an ugly brownish purple color. Wiping his blood slick hands on his shorts, he looked her over before resting his ear against her chest. Just by feeling it, he knew her ribs were broken. She wasn't breathing. Ignoring all the chaos from the accident, he laced his hands together over her chest and began to pump down counting to himself to three. Feeling more of her ribs break, he mentally counted before leaning down, pinching her nose shut and tilting her bloody mouth open. Breathing deeply, he did it twice before going back to lacing his hands and continuing CPR.

"DAMNIT DON'T YOU BLOODY LEAVE ME!"

He swore as he went back to breathing for her. Finally, he felt strong hands grasp his shoulder and gently push him away. It was the island doctor with two paramedics. They began working on her as John helplessly watched. Later… It was an accident. Plain and simple, just an accident. The worker, a new man had been driving the cement truck across to portal nine where the breaks failed. He had a broken arm, and was pretty banged up but overall he was going to be okay. The wreckage has been terrible, and now John found himself in blood stained clothes sitting outside one of the main general hospitals on the mainland. The island doctor had been able to get Wendy's heart going and she had been air lifted out. Now nearly eight hours later she had been in surgery and he hadn't heard anything. Sitting there, holding his hat he knew if the doctors came out and said she was dead he would take his trustily straight edge razor and slit his wrists. Over and over the accident played over in his mind. He hated how helpless he felt, and how happy she had looked before it happened.

It was his fault. Why couldn't he have gotten to the jeep sooner? Why hadn't he insisted she stay at their place until he got back? He was mentally and physically exhausted. Finally Hammond, one of his lawyers, and the head surgeon still in scrubs stepped out. Robert stood up, feeling as if he wasn't even in control of his own body. Looking at them, he gulped.

"She's…dead isn't she?"

The surgeon shook his head.

"No, but she's in a coma. There was major internal injuries, mostly dealing with her head. She's stable, but I need to be perfectly honest with you. She may never wake up. We have machines breathing for her."

"So…she's brain dead?"

"Not exactly. In time she might be able to breath without them, but I've seen cases like this before. People never wake back up, or they eventually die."

Robert grasped the brim of his hat and closed his eyes. This was all too much to take in. Wendy was perfectly fine just a few hours ago. Now she was in a coma? People didn't go into comas? No, she was alive. If anybody could wake her up it would be him. He would just go to her, hold her hand and she would finally open those golden eyes of her, sit up and ask what happened?

"The good thing is she isn't dead. I'm paying for all of her medical care. Her mother is flying out now, we've contacted her. This was a terrible tragedy, but I'm taking full responsibility. These doctors are the finest in the country and no matter what it takes, or how long it is I'm making sure she's taken care of. She was one of my finest workers Robert, and I'm not forgetting that."

Robert knew what Hammond was saying. It was his stupid worker and truck that caused this accident so he wanted to simply brush it under the rug. He would pay for Wendy's care, even if she stayed in this coma the rest of her life. He didn't want to loose Muldoon, or his trust.

"Can I…see her?"

"Of course…" Ignoring Hammond, he walked by his eyes direct and dead.

Later…

"Oh how could this have happened?"

Shirley, Wendy's mother said stroking her daughter's hand which was connected with and tubes. Wendy laid in the hospital bed hooked up to several wires and tubes. A tube was down her throat causing her to breath. Her eyes bruised and shut, and a bandage around her now shaved head. Machines were all around her clicking and beeping as she laid there lifeless like a doll. Robert hadn't left her side in hours, he stayed on her other side stroking her hand listening to Shirley cry and complain about how terrible she felt. He knew Wendy hadn't been close with her mother, but she still had a good heart. He had only met her twice, but knew that all this lost time was catching up with her. Sitting across the way, he listened to her sobs while he stared down at his beautiful fiancé' with bloodshot exhausted eyes. Shirley didn't know exactly what they were doing for jobs, only that a new animal park was opening by Billionaire John Hammond off the coast on a private island. They had signed contracts not to speak of what Hammond was doing, and as far as Shirley knew her only daughter and fiancé' were simply trainers and game keepers for wild animals. Looking across at her face, he wanted more to scream.

"Wake up darling, please…" He said inside his mind as he stroked her other hand.

"Please…"

Three weeks later

Still no change.

Muldoon hadn't left her side since. Hammond kept flying in to visit, and was paying for Shirley to stay at a hotel close by. Each day was the same, the doctors would come in, look Wendy over, change her tubes, look her over, and and go about their business. She had a feeding tube, and the nurses came in every half an hour. Robert all knew them, friendly kind women who all tried to keep him hopeful. He had been allowed to stay by Hammond's wishes. He was growing a beard, and got broken close, barley eating at all. He stayed by her side, holding her hand and waiting.

Now there had been news from the doctor on the island. It did indeed seem as if Wendy was going to tell him something important the day of the accident. They had run bloodworm, and found that Wendy was six weeks pregnant. After doing an ultrasound, they found that shocking enough she hadn't lost the baby from the accident or surgeries. In fact the fetus had a strong heartbeat. Robert kept thinking back at how happy she looked standing up in the jeep knowing how she was going to end that sentence. "You're going to be a father!" Both hadn't talked children yet, but knew someday they both wanted them. Wendy had been on birth control but the doctor explained every once in a while this could happen. Now the news has been announced. The doctors had been frank with both Shirley and him, letting them no that Wendy would most likely never wake up. There hadn't been any change, and she more than likely could carry this baby full term before they delivered it C-section. Shirley was for it, but Muldoon on the other hand wasn't so sure. What if the baby did something to her? What if it hurt her? How could they use her like some sort of incubator. What if Wendy did wake up someday only to find out she had a child? But he was just her fiancé', it was Shirley who had the legal say and she claimed this was a blessing. That if this Hammond fellow was indeed paying for her medical care, she wanted her daughter taken care, and her grandchild. Robert tried to reason with her and Shirley wouldn't hear any of it.

"I'll raise the baby, I know you have important work Robert. But Wendy would have wanted it this way. Do you think she could ever forgive you if she found out you had the baby terminated?"

"How could she?"

"You're the one holding out on hope that she'll wake up someday but you and me both know that isn't going to happen. Let this horrible accident have one good thing come out of it. I'll perfectly understand if you don't want to be a father. I'll take full responsibility. Please, this child might be all we have left of her."

"She isn't dead dammit!"

"Robert, she might as well be. Now I'm sighing that she keeps it. I'm sorry." As she left, Robert was left watching Wendy lay in the hospital bed. Staring down, he looked at her flat stomach and hated himself. What should have been the happiness day of his life, was turning into a complete and utter nightmare.