Jurassic Island

Chapter 1 – Journey To The Island

The boat skimmed along the water, lifting and falling with the swell of the waves. It made for a bumpy ride, and the passengers had to grip the side railing securely, least they tumble overboard. The smell of salt water filling the air was powerful. Water sprayed into the air and wafted over the group standing—or, for some, hunched over, retching up their last meal—on the top deck of the ferry. The white hull was emblazed with a bright neon logo depicting a setting sun behind a silhouetted cluster of tropical trees.

"Isn't this exciting!" her husband enthused, leaning over the side railing like a dog sticking his head out the window of a moving car.

She chuckled, gazing at him with unsuppressed affection. His smile was infectious and she couldn't help but smile back. "Yes, it is," she agreed. "It's been a long time coming."

He gazed back at her, his blue eyes sparkling as his lips spread into a gleeful grin. "They have a luxury hotel with a gourmet restaurant, did you know that? Top class—they spared no expense!" he inquired, waggling his eyebrows in that way he does that she finds both utterly adorable and ridiculous.
"Yes, Castle… I know," Kate pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "I read the brochure too."

Castle flashed her one of his innocent looks. "What would you say if I told you that I booked us one of the trailers up on the ridge, the ones that the brochure said overlooked the lake?"

"I… I'd say I was surprised," she answered, cocking her head slightly and giving him an astonished look. She rested her hands on the railing and leaned forward, mirroring him. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be willing to rough it."

"Normally that would be true, yes," Castle concurred with a nod. "But I couldn't pass on the opportunity that staying in a trailer provided. Granted, it's not like some camper, it's high end, with electricity, plumbing, and Wi-Fi connection, but it's private. And we'd get our very own unobstructed view of the lake throughout our entire stay."

Kate smiled at his child-like glee. She couldn't blame him; even she could feel the excitement rise up from within. It was like the wonder of childhood returning, something that she would probably never had experienced again if it hadn't been for her husband. Castle had a way of looking at things that would always amaze her. He had returned to her that joy of living that had been missing in her life for a long time. Too long.

Despite the many ups and downs in their relationship over the years, Kate couldn't be happier with where they were now; sharing a life and love with Castle, and being his wife… it was almost more than she could have hoped for.

She watched him, always in awe of his capacity for joy. Despite all the horrors and evil he had witnessed and experienced, Richard Castle was still optimistic. He would not allow the darkness in the world to overshadow the many joys life offered. It was an admirable quality, one that she found particularly attractive. He would always be her rock, the anchor that tethered her from spiraling into the dark places in the world.

Castle caught her gazing at him, and he leaned forward, cupping her jaw in his warm palm as he moved in closer, nuzzling his nose against hers. It was only a moment before he was then kissing her. She closed her eyes, humming approval as he flicked his tongue across her bottom lip, seeking to deepen the kiss. She complied readily. Parting her lips for his talented tongue, and moaned, looping her arms around his neck and keening into him.

Things had been different this past couple of months, what with Castle getting kicked out of the precinct. They had struggled for a while to find their new normal. It wasn't easy not having him at the precinct with her, always at the ready with a theory and a cup of coffee. Truth was, she missed working with him. And though he'd acquired a private investigator's license for himself, things just weren't the same.

So when Castle mentioned his—extreme—interest in visiting this resort, Kate had jumped at the opportunity, knowing that it would provide them with some quality time away from everyone else. Plus, he did owe her a tropical island getaway. She had even managed to finagle more vacation days out of a surprisingly sympathetic Captain Gates.

The squawk of the ferry's intercom disrupted their moment, and they reluctantly parted slowly, though Kate kept her arms draped around his neck. She bit her lower lip and blushed slightly as she remembered they were on the crowded top deck of the ferry. Fortunately, it appeared that none of the other travelers had been paying them any attention. Almost everyone seemed to be gawking towards the starboard side.

A musical fanfare began to pulse out from the ship's intercom, and Castle wrapped his arms around her waist as they turned as one, following the gaze of their fellow passengers. A head of them was a magnificent view of Isla Nublar. Kate had read in the brochure that originally visitors to the island were to have been flown in via a helicopters, but once the resort expanded, they made the switch to a ferry service that made the trek back and forth between the island and Costa Rica on a regular basis. Of course, VIPs still flew in via helicopters, which they could have afforded with Castle's income, but there was something to be said about the group experience of entering such a spectacular resort.

The ferry was approaching an inlet that served as the main visitor entrance to the resort. Lichen smattered rocks jutted up from the shallow water around the opening of the bay, like the teeth of some long ago vanquished monster. The ferry curved around the rocks and entered the bay, turning towards the coast, and the mouth of a river, which was flaked on both sides by decorative rock pillars, chiseled to look as if they were from the Stone Age. The riverbanks were densely packed with tropical foliage, which swayed gently in the soft breeze.

Kate nuzzled closer to Castle, his arms squeezing around her waist as they both took in the sights before them while the ferry entered the mouth of the river. Just past the rock pillars, spanning the width of the river—bank to bank—was an enormous safari-styled gate, with burning torches on either side as extra embellishment. A sign curved across the top, proclaiming the resort's name in bold jungle font. The entire thing was monolithic. Iconic.

Besides her, Castle practically vibrated with excitement. "Oh my god, this is so cool!" he enthused, and she bit her lower lip, suppress the urge to join him in expressing her thrilled anticipation.

The rest of the passenger 'oohed' and 'awed' appropriately at the marvelous sight. The fanfare blaring out of the speakers reached a crescendo, and—perfectly timed—the large gate doors blocking their way swung open, and the recorded voice of Mr. John Hammond greeted them as the ferry sailed across the threshold.

"Welcome… to Jurassic Park."