I'm so sorry it took a while to update, life has been extremely busy lately. I'm really glad you all have enjoyed the story so far and I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 8: Long Night

Claire was standing outside the raptor enclosure with the boys watching Owen run through the normal lunch time training exercises; when all of a sudden loud footsteps began to echo from the woods. Thudthudthud the footsteps grew louder and louder until she saw the Indominus burst through the trees surrounding the enclosure and let out an earsplitting roar.

"Run! Claire, get them out of here!" she head Owen yelling to her from the catwalk.

She just stood there, her limbs refusing to move as she watched the raptors leap up and try to snap at the catwalk. Suddenly, she was being pulled away by Gray and Zach as she heard the hybrid monster let out another defining roar as it knocked the catwalk down into the paddock below.

Claire gasped as she jerked awake covered in a sheen of sweat. she sat up drawing in a few deep calming breaths as she tried to slow her heart rate. She reached over to Owen's side of the bed to wake him, before noticing he wasn't in bed.

Claire felt her eyes well up with tears as the horrible realization hit her, it wasn't a dream; he was really gone. She tried to keep her sobbing as quiet as she could before deciding it would take something stronger to calm her down, she slid out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. After half an hour of throwing back shots she decided she needed something even stronger, so she settled for scotch. A small shuffling noise caused Claire to glance up from the amber liquid in the glass, to find Zach standing in the doorway.

"Claire are you alright? I…I didn't think you drank that often," Zach said as he observed her shaking hands and her tear stained face.

"I'm fine, I just…couldn't sleep, so I thought this would help," Claire replied as she took another gulp of her drink.

"Alright, I guess. Oh by the way Owen asked me to tell you Barry called and needed help up at the raptor paddock, so he left to give him a hand; but he said he didn't think it would take that long. In fact, it's only been forty-five minutes since he left," Zach said.

"Wait, he's ok?" Claire asked, completely bewildered by what she just heard.

"Yeah, he carried you to bed like two hours ago, wait did you have a nightmare?" Zach asked as realized why she was so shaken up.

"Yeah," Claire replied as she stared at her hands.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Zach asked again, moving to stand next to her at the kitchen island.

"Zach, it was awful, that thing came back and it attacked us and…and you and Gray…you had to pull me away and Owen…he…he," Claire broke down and put her head in her hands.

"Hey, Claire it's ok. None of it was real alright, were all ok, we all made it out," Zach said, trying to calm her down as he rubbed her back.

"Zach, I," Claire stammered as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Shhhhhh," it's ok," Zach whispered as he pulled her into a hug and continued to rub her back. The turning of a key in the lock broke the silence in the room. A second later Owen walked through the doorway.

"Owen!" Claire gasped as she released Zach from her hug and sprinted across the kitchen to him.

"Hey, Whoah!" Owen exclaimed as he caught her in his arms and nearly stumbled back out into the garage.

"I thought, I…I…" she sobbed into his chest as she tightened her arms around his neck.

"Shhhh, Claire it's alright, what happened?" Owen asked her as stroked the back of her hair and kissed the top of her head still trying to calm her.

"You were gone and…and I was alone…you left me… it… it took you from me!" Claire stammered as a new wave of sobs wracked her body. Owen looked up to meet Zach's gaze and watched as he mouthed the word "nightmare" and he suddenly understood why Claire was so shaken up.

"Claire look at me," Owen whispered as he pulled her chin up to meet his gaze.

"Whatever you dreamed about wasn't real, I'm alright and I'm never leaving you. I love you," he whispered to her while wiping away a few stray tears.

"Show me," she whispered back.

"Show you?" he looked at her confused by her request.

"Love me, please Owen; I need you," Claire pleaded as he stretched up and ran her lips along the bottom of his jaw line.

"Your wish is my command sweetheart," Owen smirked as he lifted Claire and carried her bridal style back to their room.

Again, I'm so sorry the update took longer then expected! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and as always, thanks for all the kind reviews, favs, and follows! New update should be up a bit late!