Disclaimer: I do not own the Jurassic Park franchise or any of it's characters; I only own the characters and plots of my own mind.
9. A Familiar Face
Gwyn shifted around in her seat, which was upholstered with soft white leather, or some faux version of said material. Claire's office was beautiful. One wall was composed entirely of glass, the others were painted a spotless white, and her desktop was frosted blue-green glass. It was bright and airy and on the upmost floor of the visitor's center. Through the window wall she could the volcano on the north portion of the island and the view overlooked the thick jungle foliage in the distance. Gwyn drummed her fingers against the side of her chair, waiting patiently for Claire to arrive; to be fair, Gwyn was the one who had shown up early. The last time––which had also been the first time––they met she had been a minute or two late, and she'd been told on numerous occasions by her co-workers that Claire loved to keep to precise scheduling. Gwyn self-consciously leaned forward to make sure her boots weren't spattered in dry mud, which would have sullied the white, plush carpeting. Much to the paleontologist's relief, her boots were clean if not a bit scuffed up. The office was one of those places that she felt highly apprehensive in, mostly because she feared she'd sully anything she touched; as someone who worked in dirt and dust as part of their profession, it was a legitimate fear to hold.
"Ah, Dr. Grant!" Claire exclaimed in surprise, having entered the room. She glanced at her delicate wrist watch, her brows arching upwards. "You're early."
"I didn't want to keep you waiting like last time," Gwyn explained with a friendly smile. Claire returned the smile whilst shutting the door and striding to sit at her place behind the fancy desk.
"That's very considerate of you. It's not every day that you meet someone who's so… willing to uphold the importance of scheduled events." There was a tone in Claire's voice that made Gwyn think that, perhaps, she had a specific person in mind when making the comment. Claire pushed her neatly kept red hair behind her ears and set her tablet down on the desktop, tapping at the screen a few times before she pushed it to the side and clasped her hands atop where it once sat. She smiled at her employee. "How has your time at Jurassic World been thus far, Dr. Grant?"
"It's been surprisingly pleasant, actually. Everyone here is very kind and understanding and helpful. I've also been very impressed with the security measures that have been taken, Masrani wasn't lying when he said you guys had beefed it up since the original," Gwyn said truthfully. "Though, I still have my worries about what plans that may be in place in case an outbreak occurs."
"Should an asset somehow manage to break out of containment, we would bring all of the park visitors back to the resort and close down the attractions. Our first priority is to keep the patrons safe and calm while we deal with the asset," Claire explained in a voice that clearly said she'd given that explanation before. Probably to investors. Gwyn pursed her lips. That didn't exactly inspire confidence; what were the contingency plans? What if the asset got too close to the resort or into the resort? There were boundless questions that needed to be asked, and Gwyn thought she might have to start writing them and sending in a formal email to have them all answered.
"Do you ever run drills?" Gwyn asked, their topic of conversation diverging from the check-in that Claire had initially wanted to do. Claire cleared her throat and pressed both her palms flat against the desktop. Her glossed lips parted as though she might say something, but then she paused as she rethought wording or conversational direction.
"Formal drills are given to our security staff members before they officially join the ranks here. It's a long process, it takes months of hard work. Only those who complete it are allowed to join the task force."
"But… you don't ever do them here? Like, do you ever do what they do at the beginning of a cruise? They tell you where to go if the ship is sinking, where to get life preservers, all that stuff?"
"It would cause panic in our patrons if––"
"Or maybe they'd feel safer. I highly doubt that everyone who passes through the park gates is completely at ease with being surrounded by living, breathing dinosaurs." Gwyn gesticulated as she spoke, waving a hand in the resort's general direction. She noticed Claire clench her jaw and Gwyn forced herself to bite her tongue. "Sorry. That's not what we're here to talk about."
"No, your concern is… admirable, Dr. Grant. I'll… see what we can do about maybe working in a practice drill or two," Claire said in a placating tone, sliding her tablet closer again. She typed a couple of things before clasping her hands a second time, smiling gently at the woman across the desk. "I believe that you've just finished your initial research…?"
"Yes, I have, and that is actually something that I'd like to speak with you about." Gwyn shifted forward in her seat, crossing her legs so she could lean her arms atop her right knee. "I find myself… interested… in pursuing further research in regards to the velociraptors." Claire stared at her wide eyed, blinking her full lashes a couple times in honest surprised. Her mouth fell open wordlessly and, after a moment, she finally found the words to say.
"You… want to spend more time with the velociraptors?"
"And Mr. Grady. They have a very… peculiar relationship that I'd like to look into. It's not every day you see a man that's able to practically command blood-thirsty creatures to do what he wants. He is acting as their alpha." Claire snorted at the word. "I believe we might be able to gain further insight on raptors and the way they operate as a pack if I'm allowed to dedicate more of my time to that paddock. I'll still, of course, do my rounds as I'm supposed to, but I there's a lot to be discovered in Paddock Thirteen."
Claire shifted things around on her desk––moving the cup of pens an inch to the right, making sure the tablet was flush with the edge of the table––and seemed to consider her words carefully. Gwyn waited patiently, but found that she was tracing indiscernible patterns on her kneecap. Claire finally cleared her throat, brushed hair out of her eyes with a graceful pointer finger, and looked Gwyn square in the eye.
"I see no problem with you returning to Paddock Thirteen for further research. I trust that you'll make some great discoveries and that it will help further our knowledge on the velociraptors. But… I feel I should warn you about Mr. Grady," Claire said carefully. Gwyn's head cocked to the side and her brows scrunched themselves together. Well, she hadn't been expecting that. The paleontologist shook her head and let a smile flicker onto her face.
"I'm afraid I don't follow," Gwyn admitted. Claire sighed through her nose and looked up towards the ceiling as though the answer was floating above their heads.
"Mr. Grady… he's a very stubborn man. He's stuck in his ways and has a tendency to want to stick with what he knows. His lifestyle, apparently, holds little consideration for the ways that others live," Claire explained. The tone of her voice offered enough hints for Gwyn to guess that the two had some history or some beef with one another. "Just…" it appeared Claire wanted to say one thing, but settled on another, "be wary."
Gwyn nodded and rose to her feet, which sank into the plush carpeting. They shook hands and then Gwyn was off to deliver her newest set of notes to the lab downstairs. She typed her code into one of the access panels, which unlocked the office door, and allowed her inside. Gwyn extracted the folder of notes from her bag; she placed it on the desktop and paused to stare at the chunk of illuminated amber that sat at the head of the glass table. Every piece of amber she saw on the island––real or fake––reminded her of John Hammond, the kindly older man who had dreamed up the island she stood on. He'd truly had the best intentions… if only it all hadn't ended so horribly.
"I had always wondered if a Grant would come back to the island," someone behind Gwyn said. She looked over her shoulder to find that Dr. Wu had stepped in from the lab. He was wearing a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and his hands were primly clasped behind his back. She'd done her best to avoid talking to the man since she'd arrived. There were a handful of people Gwyn blamed for the disaster at the first park. Wu's name was on that list. Mostly for the fact he hadn't done the proper work to realize that the frog genes he was using had allowed the dinosaurs to change their sex and allow them to breed. Because he'd been so enthusiastic about the raptors. He'd also just rubbed her the wrong way. She smiled at him tightly and turned around, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Dr. Wu," she said with a nod. His smile twitched a bit.
"I had always figured it would probably be you. Your father is probably quite adamant on never setting foot here again."
"Couldn't have said it better myself."
"You've been doing some very good research," Wu complimented, crossing to his desk in order to sit down and pick up the file she'd just dropped off. "I'm quite impressed."
"Thanks."
Wu opened the file and skimmed through the reports there, eyes flickering over the names of each dinosaur she'd gotten to in the last week or so. "It must've been hard for you to come back."
"I could say the same about you, but you seem pretty comfy," Gwyn deadpanned, making a show of looking around his lavish, high-tech, modernist office space. "InGen must pay well, even after it practically fell into ruin after the last handful of incidents." Wu chuckled and shook his head as he continued to flip through her notes. The noise made Gwyn's jaw clench up. It had been at least twenty years since she'd last seen this man; one could say that she didn't have reason or grounds to assume he was still the same. Yet, she found she didn't care. She would assume he was still the pompous sounding scientist who had told her she was 'far too young to be in the lab.'
"You sound like your father, Miss Grant."
"Dr. Grant."
"Right, of course. Forgive me." Wu's brows arched upwards when he made it to the last report. He set the file down and extracted the note packet from the back. "The velociraptors? I'm surprised that you agreed to observe them. Weren't you…?"
"Yes."
"Again, I commend you."
Gwyn hummed and shifted her weight. He was dealing out compliments that made her want to gag. There was a forced friendliness in his voice, she could hear it. She gestured towards the door with a hand and put on a smile for her own benefit. "I've got work to do, so I think I'll take my leave. I hope you have a pleasant day, Dr. Wu." Gwyn turned on her heel, fixed the strap of her bag, and tugged the door open.
"A lot has changed since you were last here, Dr. Grant. I hope that you, too, have changed," Wu called after her. Gwyn froze. The door handle slipped from between her fingers and the door swung shut as she turned with a slow, almost predatory step.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked in a carefully regulated tone. Wu looked up from her notes with a hummed 'hm,' as though he hadn't heard what he said. Then, he smiled and shrugged, leaning back in his desk chair.
"Oh, nothing. It's just… the last time you were here, you were a child. Prone to mischief. Getting into what you shouldn't get into," Wu elaborated. Gwyn arched an eyebrow and glanced over her shoulder and into the laboratory. Scientists reviewed notes on clipboards and worked over test tubes or newly hatched dinosaurs. Turning back to face the scientist behind the desk, Gwyn felt something well up in her throat. Concern. Horror. Something like that.
"Is there anything I shouldn't be getting myself into?" Gwyn asked carefully. Wu smiled at her, clasped his hands and shook his head dismissively.
"Of course not. I hope you have a lovely day, Dr. Grant."
OOOO
Owen's brows scrunched together when he spotted Gwyn's jeep parked beside her bungalow. She had said she'd be at the paddock around noon, but when she didn't show up after an hour, Owen had decided he'd go see what was up. Worst case scenario, her car had broken down on the side of the road. But there her jeep was, parked beside her little house. Owen slipped out of his own jeep and made for the bungalow, the outside of which was decorated with a small smattering of potted plants. A couple of them looked like they were being prepared to be transplanted and actually put in the ground, but the job only seemed half done. The windows were thrown open, allowing the frothy white curtains to billow in the gentle breeze, and the front door was cracked open a handful of inches. Owen slowly climbed the porch steps, listening to the sounds of someone shifting around inside. Reaching out a tentative hand, he pushed the door open and poked his head inside.
"Gwyn?" he called out. There was a clatter from the far end of the bungalow, as though someone had been surprised into dropping or running into something.
"Owen?" Gwyn called back in surprise. Owen turned his head to the left and watched as she appeared out of a room at the end of the hall. Her hair was brushed out around her shoulders, a style in which Owen hadn't seen her wear it. "What are you doing here?"
"You're a, uh, hour late. Barry and I were getting worried you blew us off, or something," Owen told her with a chuckle and half a smile. Gwyn's head lolled back and she groaned in a near comical manner, unable to believe that time had gotten away from her.
"Shit––an hour? I'm so sorry, Owen, I was just… ambushed by Claire on my way out of the Samsung Building––found out Masrani wants me to give a–a talk on paleontology or something like that. I've been trying to find my notes and I think I might have left them at home––and god, I'm sorry, I'm rambling. Just… just hang tight for a second! Come in, make yourself at home, I'll be ready to leave in… just a second." Gwyn's head disappeared around the corner and Owen let himself inside, looking around the small living room. "There's seltzer in the fridge if you want any!"
Owen spotted a couple of picture frames set up on one of the vacant bookshelves on the opposite side of the room. He moved across the room to get a good glimpse at the photos inside, taking a good look around the room as he went. A throw blanket was thrown over one of the arms of the loveseat and her laptop was open on the coffee table. There seemed to be dust caked in around the edges of the screen, impervious to any cleaning attempts Gwyn might have made. A small pile of movies were stacked up beside the small television and an empty beer bottle was placed atop said DVD stack. He chuckled a bit under his breath and twirled it round to read the label, taking note of what was likely her prefered brand. A small pile of notebooks sat haphazardly tossed next to her laptop, along with a well-loved book. It was all quite neat––though, he supposed he could call it organized chaos––and Owen wondered if that was only because she hadn't been there for long.
When he reached the bookshelf, he reached out and gently took hold of one of the picture frames. Inside was a picture of Gwyn and two other people––a man and a woman. The man, who had his arm looped around Gwyn's waist, was giving a naturally mild smile at the camera, the corners of his mouth quirking up in a familiar manner. He could only assume that this man was her father, Dr. Alan Grant. The woman in the photograph was blond haired and beaming, the side of her head gently touching Gwyn's. They were stood in someone's garden, which was flowering beautifully, so it must have been some time in spring. Gwyn was smiling brightly, and her cheeks were the rosy pink of a dying sunburn. With a soft smile, Owen set the picture down and turned his attention to the next. It was an older photograph, probably taken years and years ago; Gwyn looked to be in her teens, dressed in dust covered dig attire. She was looming over her father––who looked to be the primary subject of the photograph––pulling a funny face with her arms drawn in towards her chest. Her back was hunched and her head was ducked, teeth bared through lips that were drawn into a slight smile. Her fingers were curled like claws and and one of her knees was drawn upwards, likely in imitation of a dinosaur of some sort. Her father was utterly unaware of the antics behind him, though, since he was leaned over a half-unearthed skeleton.
The next photograph gave Owen a slight bit of pause. He took the picture frame and held it up to eye-level, brows pinching together. The photograph was old, judging by the slight fade the colors had gained. Gwyn, only eleven or so, was seated in an army-green recliner with a blanket tucked around her legs and waist. Alan was seated next to her with one of her hands tightly clasped in his, a fatherly, but vaguely sad smile visible from his profile. Gwyn had a large white bandage bound horizontally across her torso, wrapping around her shoulder and chest. It was a picture that must have been taken not too shortly after the first incident, he realized. The bandage was covering up the wound that had produced her scar, which meant the photograph had to have been taken about nineteen or twenty years ago.
"My birthday," Gwyn said from behind him. Owen glanced over his shoulder to see she was shoving one of her notebooks into her bag. She nodded to the picture in his hand pointedly. "It was my birthday about two weeks after we went to Jurassic Park. It was a tough one, but we made the best of it." Owen looked back to the photograph and realized that there were a number of cards standing on the side table to young Gwyn's left, along with a box wrapped with a bow.
"That must've blown," Owen commented, setting the frame back into its proper place. Gwyn chuckled and began to braid her hair, offering a little shrug in response. The raptor trainer pointed to the first photograph, lightly tapping at the glass. "Who's the, uh, blond lady? She your mom?"
Gwyn smiled and shook her head, stepping over to the bookshelf to pick up the picture he'd gestured to. Her smile was soft and loving as she stared down at the photograph. "She's not, no. She's Dr. Ellie Sattler––paleobotanist and my dad's former girlfriend. Though, she is like a mother to me… always has been." She sighed gently and set the frame back down. "I never knew my mother. She died shortly after I was born, but my dad tells me she was a lovely woman."
"If she was anything like you, I'm sure she was," Owen told her with a friendly smile. Gwyn laughed quietly and ducked her head to hide the blush that had risen to her sun-pinkened cheeks. It wasn't often she––or anyone, she supposed––got a compliment like that. It created a warmth inside her chest and a smile to twitch at the corners of her mouth. Gwyn raised her head to find Owen smiling at her crookedly, his hands shoved into his pockets.
"Thank you," Gwyn responded gently, pulling the strap of her bag to sit more comfortably across her chest. Owen nodded to her with a slight air of militarism in the movement.
"Anytime. Now why don't we get a move on and get to some raptor acclimatization?" Owen asked, heading for the door. Gwyn snorted and followed him, tugging the door shut once she'd stepped through.
"Sounds like fun," she deadpanned. Owen chuckled as he trotted down the porch steps and made for his jeep. As they slowly got to know one another better, they began to pick up on their little quirks and habits. Like how Gwyn's sense of humor was decidedly dry and how she typically switched into a deadpan whenever she was being sarcastic. Or the way Owen walked when he was tense, falling back on a calculated military stride. They both admitted they drank their alcohol a bit too fast sometimes; and, more often than not, Gwyn ate faster than she drank. She attributed that to the fact her lunch breaks were short whenever she was on a dig.
"You'll have a friend in the girls faster than you think," Owen assured. Gwyn chuckled under her breath and began to fish her keys out of her bag, already making a beeline for her own vehicle. "Just catch a ride with me, it'll be easier."
"You sure?" Gwyn asked. Owen nodded his confirmation and popped the driver's side door open. "Looks like I owe you a couple rides, then, don't I?"
"Three, to be precise."
"Right then. I owe you three, Mr. Grady."
"Don't think too much of it, Dr. Grant."
Afterword: Not much happened in this chapter, but I wanted to get this up because I haven't posted in awhile. My wifi is absolutely HORRENDOUS at school, so I'm often unable to write and/or post. But, luckily, I have friends with good wifi and they let me steal it, so god bless them. I also caught swept up in watching and reading Black Butler (may or may not have become a new obsession).
Review Replies!
NicoleR85: In the next chapter we see the bonding process begin. It's gonna be tough, but it's gonna happen. There'll probably be a lot of tears, a good few trips to the bar, and lots of heart-felt encouragement. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
katy 1986: Alan and Owen will meet face-to-face eventually, I have that bit all planned out. It's gonna be interesting, I'll tell you that. Someone else from the original park may show up––I'm debating who, though. I figured that they'd all have enough emotional baggage to never want to go back, but they would also have some sort motivation to return, should necessity call for it (such as Alan [and Ellie] wanting to drag Gwyn back home…). I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Manic x: I'm glad that you've been enjoying the story even though you thought you wouldn't like Jurassic Park fics! :-) I'm highly flattered to hear that the story is rad! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
lilnightmare17: Here's some more! I hope you enjoyed it!
The girl with no life: I'm glad that it seems realistic what with Gwyn not having been interacting with the girls––we'll have the start of her attempting to be around them in the next chapter, but the likelihood of it going down smoothly is not likely. It's also not likely that the girls won't be very happy she's there because, let's face it, they don't really seem to like anyone except Owen. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
RJNorth: The interactions between Gwyn and Owen are always fun to write, and more of them will be coming soon. Barry and Gwyn will definitely become closer as time passes, especially now that she's going to be spending more time at the paddock. They'd probably tease Owen a lot. Because, let's face it, that's the dynamic that both of them would have with one another. Her relationship with the girls will certainly be interesting, especially the one between her and Echo. They'll likely get close (eventually), even if Gwyn doesn't notice it. And I have to get back on board the prequel train so I can write the full scene of her getting the scar… I just don't have access to the original movie right now, ahaha! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-697: I'm glad you loved it! I hope you enjoyed the newest installment!
myharlequinromance321: You're very welcome for writing this :-) I'm glad that the backstory is working well and adds new dimensions to the characters and story and what not. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Guest: I figured that after she freaked out it would be best to explain why her reaction was so violent. It was pretty intense. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Guest: I'm glad that you've enjoyed the story thus far! Thanks again!
Guest: I need to find a way to access the first movie where I currently am–-I don't have a DVD and my wifi isn't reliable enough to find a website. I may buy it on iTunes, so I'll be updating it soon. But I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! Thanks again!
Knighthawk993: I'm glad that you find Gwyn an interesting character; and I'm also glad that her getting the scar makes sense––I tried to think of the most logical way for her to get scarred. She definitely wouldn't have wanted Tim close to the raptor and would have prevented it any way possible. Echo is definitely interested in Gwyn… we'll have to see where that goes. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Pluv143000: Gwyn and Blue will definitely have beef with one another––whether it'll end up being resolved is yet to be seen/decided, but she and Echo will probably end up being more on the friendlier side. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
NexyVsBlacky: I certainly know I wouldn't have been able to do what Gwyn had done back in the kitchen. Hence is the reason she's been so against the raptors, and it'll be a sharp learning curve to try and bond with them. Especially since Owen may be pushing her out of her comfort zone. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
kitsunelover300: Don't feel bad about not reviewing the story, it's totally fine :-) But I am very flattered to know it's one of your favorite Jurassic World stories! I'm glad that Owen and Gwyn's relationship progression works out well––I'm still planning out the map of how they end up together, but I've got some cutesy moments planned out. They'll definitely have a good friendship before it progresses into anything romantic. I definitely think that Gwyn's kept in contact with Tim and Lex, even if it's only a phone chat here and there. I had thought that, maybe, Tim might call. Or even show up––between him and Lex, I think he'd be more liable to return and, as you mentioned, approach his fears the way Gwyn has been doing. I'd also thought that the next person most likely to show up on the island is Ian. But I know that a lot of them will pop up some how––be it over the phone, email, skype, etc. … some may even show up once the incident at the park is over. The girls definitely have an interest in Gwyn, especially since she's been operating so close with Owen. I'm glad that you enjoyed the Raptor Squad scene! Echo definitely is the most interested in Gwyn, but, as you said, not in the way Delta was with Hoskins. Ohhh, when Gwyn meets Hoskins… the world may very well explode. She'll probably hit him with that Grant Sarcasm and be dryly snarky in a way that would make her father proud. She'll hate him just as much as Wu. She'll get a chance to observe Rexy again––and I have plans for that scene. I also have plans for Gwyn and the I-Rex… they're all written up and I'm excited to post them. I'm very glad you've enjoyed the story thus far! Thanks again, lovely!
GnomesyPokemon: I'm so happy that you've been enjoying it so far! I'm very glad that the backstory is working well and that it's reading as well thought out, since I've been tirelessly trying to make sure everything is realistic. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
JustMe: I'm glad that you've enjoyed the story thus far, and that Gwyn reads as a realistic character to you! Thanks again!
Lift the Wings: I'm excited that you're enjoying the story and Gwyn as a character! I LOVE writing shy!Owen. It's so, so, so much fun. Gwyn's gonna start calling him out on those moments soon… and it's gonna be great––Owen's also gonna start calling her out on her little habits as well. She and Lowery will have more interactions, and maybe a movie night or two… one of which Owen might crash. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Songorita: I hope that you enjoyed the new chapter; thanks again!
Daughter of Ironman06: I hope you enjoyed the update as much as the previous ones! Thanks again!
xxyangxx2006: As stubborn as Gwyn is, I don't think that she'd outwardly reject help when offered. She's been through enough to understand that help given is a blessing. She and Owen working together may just end up being Claire's biggest nightmare, what with them both having impossibly strong personalities. And Alan will probably flip a shit when he hears the I-Rex is loose; he'll probably get on the first plane to Costa Rica the moment he hears. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Guest: The girls and Gwyn will definitely have an interesting relationship; some of them may take a liking to her, some of them may have a tougher time doing so. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
And thank you to those who have added this story to their follow/favorites; it means a lot to me!
Next time around we see Owen start to help Gwyn with facing her fears… and Gwyn will have to start preparing for that talk she's supposed to give. And continue to decipher that little jab Wu sent her way… I hope to update soon, but finals for me are next week. Then I'm going home so that means QUALITY WIFI. FINALLY. And that means more updates! Huzzah! Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for taking the time to read!
~Mary
