Shelter from the Storm - Chapter 3

The next morning Owen struggled to put on a cheerful face, his back aching from a night on an air mattress. He would swear he'd been sleeping on a bit of a hill, and on top of the root system of some tree. Claire owed him big time for all of this.

His only face-to-face interaction with her family before this had been helping to prevent the two kids from dying on Nublar. Sure, it was a definitely an experience that would bond them for life, but it wasn't really an experience that he thought should make him "part of the family." Okay, so he did like to think of Claire as part of his family now (not that he wanted to define anything), but did it have to extend to her family?

However, he wasn't one to break his promises (not that he could really escape, considering Claire had taken their SUV and his only other option would be to drive off in the van). And he had told Scott that he'd talk to Zach, so when Gray suggested that they rent boats (they had fished from the shoreline the previous day) he agreed, knowing it would be a good chance to have that talk. Also, he really did love canoeing and being out on a lake. He wondered if he could talk Claire into getting a canoe.

The first part of the trip was quiet, as the two paddled silently along the perimeter of the lake. Owen had shared a look with Scott when he got into the canoe, subtly suggesting that they head in different directions. Thankfully, Zach hadn't said much when Owen suggested they go left and he hadn't heard any of the discussion from the other boat, but had seen Scott turning it to the right.

Owen was studying Zach, well the back of him, as they paddled, not quite sure how to start a conversation or even what to say. While he knew he was probably right about Zach and Chelsea, Scott's reminder of Zach being his son, and thus Zach's age, made Owen feel a little creepy to even think about it now. He really hoped it wasn't going to come up in conversation. It was easier to think of Gray as a kid, with his boundless enthusiasm. But Zach… Zach was bouncing between sullen and snarky. He supposed that could be a teen thing, but it was definitely not how he remembered his adolescence. Mind you, his parents hadn't been going through a divorce and he hadn't been almost eaten by a hybrid dinosaur.

As they continued to slowly move about the lake, he decided he'd give Zach until halfway around the bay before Owen would say something. It also, conveniently, bought him time to try to figure out how to start a conversation.

They made it just over a third of the way around before Zach paused, resting his paddle across his lap.

"Everything okay?" Owen asked, when Zach didn't say anything at first.

"Yeah," Zach said, before sighing. "No. Well…" Owen waited Zach out. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Owen replied immediately. "What's up?"

"If you don't like authority figures, why'd you choose the Navy?"

That definitely wasn't the question Owen had been expecting. But it was, at least, an easy one to answer. "They paid for college."

"That's it?"

"Yeah," Owen shrugged. "I wish I could say I was pulled by a sense of honour or duty to my country. But… I wanted a way out and my parents didn't have much money for college. It gave me financial freedom from them. I'd known that if they had signed student loans with me, they'd be on my case about what I was studying. It seemed like a better plan than taking on a boat load of debt."

"Was it?" Zach sounded curious.

"That's not an easy question to answer," Owen admitted after a short pause. "I mean, the experience wasn't so black and white. On the other hand, if I hadn't done it, I wouldn't be here now."

"You also wouldn't have been chased by a dinosaur," Zach laughed.

"True," Owen nodded. "But I wouldn't have got the chance to train Blue and her sisters. And I wouldn't have met Claire."

"She makes it worth it?" Zach asked.

Owen almost asked him to clarify which 'she' he was referring to. But, really, the answer was the same for both. "Yep." When Zach didn't say anything else, Owen decided to ask him, "Have you figured out what you want to do next year?"

Zach just shrugged.

"Do you have any ideas?" Owen tried a different tack. "Like, things you're considering?"

"Not really," Zach admitted. "I mean, part of me can't wait to get out of here. To not be at home anymore, but… then there's Gray."

"What about Gray?"

"I told him I'd always be there for him. That we'd always be together," Zach said. "How can I just leave him? Especially with everything going on with our parents. Sure he seems fine now, but who knows how he'll be when our parents finally stop stringing him along."

"They're not stringing him along," Owen quickly disagreed, although he was thinking of his conversation with Scott and Scott's own hesitancy over his marriage. He didn't want to lie to Zach, but he did believe that Scott and Karen were actually trying to reconcile, that it wasn't just a facade. It was starting to seem like maybe everyone was walking around on eggshells in that family, and that it was actually just making things worse.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter."

"It does matter," Owen insisted. Great, he was going to have to talk about a conversation he generally avoided at all costs. "I've… I don't know if you know, but I was married. Years ago now. Divorce isn't an easy decision to start with. But that doesn't mean that staying together is easier. I don't know your parents' relationship. I don't know everything they've gone through. But for them to try… That only happens if both sides want to. It really does mean something that they are."

"Did you know they don't even sleep in the same room?" Zach said bitterly, the words escaping in a harsh hiss. "My dad's always hanging out with Gray. And my mom… it's like she can't slow down. She's constantly doing something."

"Everyone processes trauma differently. There's no right or wrong way to deal."

"Trauma? What trauma did they go through? They weren't there! They shipped us off like the whole thing was supposed to be a big Christmas gift and really, it was just so they could get divorced behind our backs! Merry fucking Christmas to us."

The anguish in Zach's voice caught Owen a little off guard. Owen had thought that Zach, of all of them, was coping best of all. He was starting to feel bad for not having caught on to any of this earlier. For forgetting that often the ones who look like they're dealing the best are the ones who are struggling the most.

"Zach, whatever happens with your parents, whether they manage to make it work, or if they do end up divorcing, it's not a comment on you, you know? And while they weren't chased by a dinosaur, they're responsible for the fact that you were there. They didn't know if you were okay or not. They hopped onto a plane, not knowing if when they landed they would be returning with two sons or two caskets. You're a smart guy, Zach. You've got to understand how that would be traumatic. How, regardless of how they were feeling about each other at the moment, that would remind them of what matters most. That's a pretty damn significant 'stop and smell the roses' reminder."

There was a long pause, and Owen wished, for the first time in the conversation, that he could see Zach's face. "I wish they'd just make up their minds," Zach finally muttered. "I don't want to be strung along any more than I want Gray to be."

"I really honestly don't think they're trying to do that to you," Owen said. "The last thing they'd want to be doing is hurting you. In fact," Owen paused, would it be a violation of Scott's trust if he shared from their conversation? He decided it was more important that Zach knew. "In fact, your dad was telling me last night that one of their biggest struggles is that… well, you."

"Me?"

"They're worried that trying to stay together is pushing you further away. They don't want to lose you. It can be hard to feel like a family when one member doesn't seem to want to be there." Owen took a deep breath, before plunging into another subject area he had hoped to avoid. "Scott mentioned that you've been spending a lot of time with your girlfriend."

"Yeah, Chelsea," Zach nodded. "It's… easier. She doesn't ask me about what happened. It's an escape."

"Been there, done that," Owen admitted. "I'm not going to say don't do that. It's important to have coping mechanisms that work for you. Just… don't shut your family out. I think you'll find you'll need her less if you try to actually connect with your parents. I don't mean you need to be all 'kumbaya' or something sappy like that. Just try to recognize where they're coming from. And enjoy this year with Gray. You've got time to figure out college or a gap year or work or whatever you want to do next."

"Like joining the Army?" Zach joked.

"The military could be a path for you," Owen agreed, "but that's not a decision you need to make now. As former Navy, I'm not too keen on the Army, but at least you didn't suggest the Air Force." He shuddered dramatically, and they shared a laugh before Owen redirected their conversation. "This is your vacation. You should be having fun. Let's go see if we can find your dad and Gray. I bet we can beat them in a race."

x x x

After a day of relaxation, Karen suggested that they check out the nearby casino. Claire was relieved, for once, to get lost in a crowd. The earlier conversation about marriage and Owen's lack of openness was not one she wanted to continue. Their afternoon "diversions" at the spa had kept them occupied and put Claire at ease. She wasn't even bothered by the facialist pushing various products on her. Claire understood marketing but hoped her pores weren't getting as clogged as the number of extractions suggested. Living on the road wasn't doing Claire's skin any favors. The perks of that lifestyle, however, more than made up for it. Her mind drifted toward what had become hers and Owen's typical "relaxation exercises."

As if reading her mind, Karen winked at her when they entered the building. Claire looked away quickly to survey their options. Sighing at the overpriced buffet's cliched Prime Rib Night, she thought longingly of the high end dining options on Jurassic World. It was difficult to admit to herself that she actually missed things about her job, but Winston's and Nobu were no-brainers. Claire turned back toward Karen and pointed to the gaming floor.

Nodding, Karen sighed and said, "I hope crouching over slot machines won't undo all the hard work of my masseur."

"I'm sure the chairs are comfortable," Claire answered distractedly. She was contemplating the seemingly contradictory message of a gambling addiction helpline poster on the wall. "The casino wants you to stay and play as long as possible." Karen stopped walking and dramatically cleared her throat, causing Claire to finally look back in her sister's direction. With knitted brows, she asked "What's up?"

"You missed my joke," Karen smirked. Claire was confused. "My masseur was so hot. Just having his hands all over me was as relaxing as the massage itself. Maybe more so."

"Oh," Claire nodded absently, "I didn't notice."

Karen practically snorted, "Why would you when you have Owen?" One eyebrow went up, impatiently awaiting Claire's response. For her part, Claire was not at all embarrassed. She just didn't want to be seen as bragging about her – more active than ever before – sex life while knowing that Karen was currently in a drought.

"Let's start with poker," Claire suggested hopefully, redirecting the conversation.

Karen rolled her eyes and huffed before responding, "When did you learn to play?"

"Owen taught me."

"O-o-oh." Karen grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "I bet he's taught you lots of things." The innuendo was clear, but Claire still wasn't going to take the bait.

"I can give you a crash course in Texas Hold 'Em, if you need it, Karen."

"C'mon, Claire!" Her sister looked exasperated. The stall tactics were clearly wearing thin, so it was time to play dumb.

"What?" asked Claire innocently.

"Give me some juice!" This declaration finally caused the younger woman to wince.

Claire grimaced, "You really want to talk about this?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Karen. "I want to live vicariously through you."

"But…" Claire's voice trailed off as her sister's mouth contorted into a pout. She'd apparently wrongly assumed that this topic was off limits. That might've been partly a cop-out, too. It wasn't exactly a topic that Claire felt comfortable discussing. Sure, she and Karen used to watch Sex and the City on HBO back in the day, but talking about her personal exploits was different. It was also not as if Karen divulged much in that department. Zach had been born when Claire was in high school, and it wasn't uncommon for Karen to be breastfeeding when they would watch the show together. Claire always felt that they were both living vicariously through the characters' experiences.

Before the awkward silence stretched on for too long, Karen pleaded, "It's good… isn't it?"

"The best," Claire admitted softly. A smile slowly spread across her face as a warm, tingly sensation spread throughout her body.

"Awww, Claire!" Karen was suddenly hugging her sister tightly. Claire returned the embrace, and Karen added in a whisper, "I still want details." They both laughed.

Pulling back, Claire said shrewdly, "I'll start with some advice. Get better sheets."

Karen's eyes widened, "Like the ones at the spa?" At this reminder, they shared the same contented grin.

"I've already asked if they're available for purchase. They're made from bamboo and pretty expensive."

"Worth it," answered Karen emphatically. Claire nodded in agreement, and the two women headed for the slot machines.

When they sat down to play, Karen suggestively ran a hand over the metal ball at the tip of her machine's handle. "So," she began playfully. "Big, right?" Claire just glared at her in response. Karen upped the ante with a shrug, "Well, dick size doesn't really matter."

Claire's mouth moved faster than her brain, "Yeah, right." Karen's jaw dropped. Claire bit her lip as she felt her cheeks and other areas flush, not with embarrassment but with the heat of awareness and memories.

Sniggering, Karen flagged down a circulating cocktail waitress and told her sister, "We need cosmos, then maybe I'll get more information out of you."

x x x

As lunchtime approached, Owen found himself getting antsy. Claire and Karen had phoned that morning to say they were going to grab some extra supplies and that they would pick up lunch, so to expect them around noon.

The rest of Saturday had flown by and the evening had gone similarly to the one before, with Gray being sent to bed first and Zach using that time to call Chelsea. Owen had taken the opportunity to pass along some of the insights he'd gained from Zach to Scott, while trying to toe the line of remaining the teen's confidant. He didn't want Zach to turn around and refuse to talk to him. That wouldn't help anyone.

It hadn't been until Owen had been trying to fall asleep that it hit him that it was the longest he'd gone without seeing Claire since she'd arrived in San Diego. In fact, they hadn't spent a single night apart. He'd lain awake for a long time, trying to sort through his feelings on the issue. He wasn't really sure how he felt, or how he should feel. He had eventually managed to convince himself to stop overthinking it all. That for now, he and Claire were happy as they were, and he didn't need to start putting labels on it.

When he'd got up Sunday morning, however, his back increasingly sore from a second night on the air mattress, he'd decided that he'd had enough. He was done with guy time. He wanted Claire back. He wanted their bed back. And he wanted their alone time back.

Unfortunately, he knew he was only going to manage two of those options today, as there was no way Claire would be okay with taking off tonight when she hadn't had a chance to say more than 'hi' to her nephews so far.

Owen had spent the morning being hounded by Gray, who seemingly had an unlimited supply of questions about animal behaviour. He hadn't actually minded the questions at first, as it was a topic he knew well and it felt good to talk about again. Except, while it had started off with basic questions, Gray had eventually started asking more specifically about the raptors and other dinosaurs. Questions about how Owen would train them and how well pack animals fare when left without a pack. It had sent him down a memory lane he was less than interested in visiting, and he'd found his answers getting shorter and shorter, as he became more and more tense.

"So, I was reading about lions, and they say that a lion's territory can be up to 100 square miles! Jurassic World isn't that big. And the T. rex is much bigger than a lion. How will they all find enough to eat? Can Blue fish? Can she swim?" Gray asked rapid-fire.

"Lions have such a large territory because most of their prey also cover a large area," Owen said distractedly, looking down the road, hoping for the sound and sight of the SUV. "Nublar wasn't designed for the dinosaurs to have access to the same land space as they'd have in the wild. But they'll be okay for a while. The dinosaurs will thin themselves out, as they settle towards an equilibrium that the environment can sustain."

"You mean more of them will die?" Gray's distressed tone brought Owen's attention back to him.

"They're wild animals now, Gray, that's just part of nature," Owen shrugged. "Just like we caught fish the other night. Cycle of life and all that."

"Yeah, I guess I just…"

"I thought you guys saw the Mosasaur show," Owen commented.

"We did," Gray nodded. "And we saw the T. rex being fed. It just feels different now. Do you think we'll ever know if they're okay?"

"The dinosaurs?" Owen confirmed and Gray nodded again. "I doubt the island will be completely abandoned. Even if–" Owen cut himself off when he finally caught a glimpse of the SUV. He tried to suppress his grin and sigh of relief. "Look, your mom and Claire are back. Why don't you go tell your dad and Zach?"

While Gray hurried off to tell them, Owen moved towards the back of their van, knowing that Claire would likely park the SUV there. He waited, a bit impatiently, for them to pull in. He was pulling open Claire's door before she barely managed to put the car into park, and he found he didn't care if he seemed over eager by their return, pulling Claire out of the car and into an immediate kiss, his arms holding her tightly to him.

"Maybe I should go away more often," Claire joked when she pulled back. Owen didn't loosen his arms, keeping her close.

"When can we leave?" Owen whispered to her.

"Was it that bad?" Claire sounded concerned. "We can't leave today, I haven't even seen the boys yet."

"Tomorrow?" Owen asked hopefully, trying to convey with a deep look into her eyes just how much he needed to escape.

"Things go okay?" Karen interrupted them, coming around the vehicle. Owen let Claire finally pull back, although he slid his hand down her arm, grasping her hand in his.

"It was good, yeah," Owen nodded. He shifted and let out a slight groan. "I don't remember air mattresses being so uncomfortable. I must be getting old."

Owen watched, confused, as Karen and Claire exchanged a look at that comment, both of them bursting into giggles. "What am I missing?" he asked, his gaze jumping between them.

"Nothing," Claire smiled up at him, slipping her hand from his, and rubbing it along his back. "I didn't realize you'd be staying in the tents."

"Yeah, well, the boys wanted…" Owen trailed off, shrugging it off.

"Just be glad you only had to do two nights," Karen said. "At least you get to go back to your bed tonight."

"What'd you bring for lunch?" The trio was interrupted by Zach and they turned to see him, Scott and Gray heading towards them.

"What'd you catch?" Karen countered, nodding to the fishing rods and bucket Scott and Zach were carrying.

"Nothing," Scott said, setting down the bucket, which everyone could see was empty. "We should've gone out earlier. We'll try again later. How was your weekend? You two look relaxed."

"It was… informative," replied Karen, sharing a conspiratorial look with Claire, who flushed at the comment.

Owen looked at Scott, who looked over at him, both wondering what had been said. Scott gave a tiny head shake and Owen nodded, not wanting to pursue it either.

"What'd you learn?" Gray asked, oblivious to the underlying meaning.

"Um… We… Claire taught me poker," Karen stumbled, as Claire turned her face into Owen's shoulder, and he could hear her trying to muffle her laughter, and he wrapped his arm around her again, holding her close. Now Owen really didn't want to know what was said. He just hoped he came off looking good.

"You gambled?" Zach butted back in, his voice sounding muffled and Owen realized while they'd been talking that the teen had been looking through the car. Zach had found the bag of Dairy Queen burgers and had liberated one for himself.

"Manners," admonished Karen, rolling her eyes.

"I'm hungry," Zach shrugged.

"Where's mine?" Gray hurried over to his brother's side.

"Bring them all out," Karen implored her sons. "Just because we're camping doesn't mean we can't eat at a table."

Owen took the moment of distraction to turn back to Claire. "I missed you," he said softly, and she pulled back enough to look up at him.

"I missed you, too."

x x x

Owen insisted on leaving almost immediately after breakfast on Monday. Pulling away from the campsite, Claire felt a mixture of guilt and relief at their getaway. They'd intentionally joined the Mitchells at a time when they couldn't reasonably extend their stay. While the family of four did need to pack up and return to Wisconsin before the start of the school year, their guests were still leaving a day earlier than originally planned. Part of Claire wanted to follow-through with this promise. At the same time, she was admittedly anxious to resume her travels with Owen. It was peaceful, both due to their staying away from big cities and because he made no demands of her.

As a sign of goodwill to her family, they preemptively committed to returning to the Midwest for Christmas and New Year's. Everyone had agreed that spending the anniversary of the Jurassic World incident together was a good idea.

When they reached the main road, Claire suggested, "Let's head west."

"Nah," Owen dismissed her lightly. "I've already planned a route in the opposite direction, hugging the southern coast of Lake Superior through Wisconsin and Michigan." He didn't look her way as he turned the van east. Even if he'd seen her face, Claire's expression was blank. She couldn't muster the energy to protest, grimace, or even shrug. She leaned back in her seat, and they fell into a comfortable silence. In all honesty, the quiet was welcome. Being around the Mitchells had been noisy. Except for her time getting spa treatments, Claire had been in a state of sensory overload for the last few days. Part of that was relative to the last few months, but she also knew that Owen was faring worse than she was.

Looking out the window, Claire considered how awkward it must've been for him, especially when she'd left him alone for almost two days. Owen handled it all so gracefully and didn't complain. An even more impressive feat considering that he wasn't exactly a people person in general. That thought caused her to smile and further appreciate everything he'd been doing for her and her family for nearly nine months. It made her feel even better about her gift. Her smile widened as she recalled the activities that had distracted her from giving it to him. As soon as the Mitchells headed for their tents the night before, Owen had been practically shoving Claire back to their van and directly into bed. They hadn't spoken much beyond their words of gratitude over being physically pressed back together. It had been heavenly. Somehow better for their time apart. A re-bonding.

She turned her head and found him smiling back at her. It sent a shiver of delight down her spine. When he resumed looking at the road, Claire bit her lip. She suddenly wanted to "test him." Earlier that morning, Karen had reminded her not to overthink Owen not volunteering the details of his conversations with the four of them. Would he now share if she asked? Was it too soon after an immersive weekend with the Mitchells? Did she really want or need to hear it directly from him?

Her eyes returned to the wilderness rolling by outside the van. Reflecting on her family and the bit of guilt she felt about their hasty departure, Claire began to wonder if there was more to it. If the answer to why she never pried with Owen had nothing to do with him, but if it had everything to do with her. Maybe she'd avoided the topic out of guilt. Guilt for her role in the boys' trauma. Guilt for not being with them for the entirety of that fateful day. Guilt for bringing them to the raptor paddock instead of evacuating them with the rest of the guests. Her reasons for making those choices now seemed like excuses. Her actions undoubtedly put Zach and Gray more in harm's way. Was that why she was fleeing them all now?

Once the snowball started, it was hard to stop. Claire's mind raced, and her thoughts were all over the place. She recalled something else Karen had said, the suggestion that Owen wasn't withholding information but following Claire's lead. To an extent, her "lead" was withholding. She hadn't missed the look of surprise, bordering on shock, that Owen had displayed when she mentioned InGen being dissolved at Lowery's apartment. That had been almost six weeks ago, and he still hadn't confronted her about it. She winced internally at her decision not to share the latest information she'd received from her lawyer over email just last week. Might as well add "hypocrite" to her list of titles after "bad aunt."

She was starting to feel sick to her stomach. Lest he ask questions – or worse, show concern – she didn't dare look in Owen's direction. Keeping her head down, she excused herself to use the toilet. She stared at her reflection in the mirror of the small bathroom and willed herself to get a grip. As she brought her hands up to cover her face, her gaze was drawn to her bracelet. It was another thing Karen had noticed and questioned. Damn her sister for being so observant! Despite its beauty and expense, the birthday gift was decidedly not her. She hadn't protested or refused to wear it for fear of hurting Owen's feelings. For the first time, however, Claire considered ripping it off her wrist.

A closer inspection of the bracelet led her to blanche. Lifting her hand, she could see that it was getting tarnished. Her face fell. Did everything she touch turn black? Why couldn't she be happy about something as small as a piece of jewelry? It was clearly meaningful to Owen. Couldn't she let her walls down, as Karen also suggested, for him? She took a deep breath and pulled herself together. Yes, she needed to at least try. She owed him as much. There was also something she hadn't yet have a chance to give him.

When she returned to the front of the van, her extended absence hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Everything alright?" Owen asked, sincerity evident in his eyes and tone of voice. For a moment, that genuine warmth took her breath away.

She paused before answering, "Oh, I just noticed my bracelet tarnishing." Her brows knitted as she searched his face, hoping he would accept the response. Thankfully, he visibly relaxed and took her hand in his, rubbing the turquoise inlay with his thumb.

"Happens all the time with sterling silver," he reassured. "A little baking soda in water will take that right off. It'll be good as new." Her small smile and nod placated him, so she was able to relax herself.

"I also wanted to say 'thank you,'" Claire added quickly in a soft voice. "You've been so good to my family, and this weekend really meant a lot."

"Well," he answered playfully, his eyes still facing forward. "You know how to thank me."

"Ugh, Owen, not another joke about 'road head.'"

"You keep thinking it's a joke." Her eye muscles were practically sore from rolling at his repeated suggestion. While she'd definitely been more sexually adventurous with him than anyone before, she was never giving in to that.

"My surprise is better anyway," she teased. This finally drew his eyes in her direction.

"Oh yeah?"

"I bought us new sheets at the spa." His eyes widened at Claire's taunting smirk. "I was going to wait to tell you until we reached Wisconsin and I could remake the bed."

"That's not for another 90 minutes!" He sounded exasperated, and she couldn't suppress her mirth.

"It's worth it." Laughing, she pointed to a road sign, "Oh look, 'Ball Bluff.' How fitting."

"Fitting for a rest stop."


Thanks for following along with us, Claire and Owen on this journey. This story, how to fit it into canon yet still make it entertaining and engrossing, has been a source of nearly endless discussion since we started talking to each other. Would any readers out there be interested in listening to our conversations about film canon, fic, and/or JW3 theories? There's enough material, at least, to fill a recurring segment on a podcast or something like that. Please let us know your thoughts on this idea and your reactions to this particular chapter.