Disclaimer: I do not own the Jurassic Park/World franchise or any of it's characters; I only own the characters and plots of my own mind.
17. Gwyn Grant, You've Been Dictated
"Hey––hey! Echo! Eyes on me!" Owen called, leaned over the rail slightly with a hand thrown out. The other hovered loosely clenched by his head, a clicker poised to be pressed by his thumb.
Below the catwalk, in the paddock, the girls were struggling to keep formation. On a good day, the four velociraptors would take up some vague v-formation with Blue at the head of it; on an even better day, they would all follow him as he shifted along the catwalks. This, of course, often dissolved fairly quickly, but they followed for a little longer each time. But this was not a good day, nor was it a better day––those had been few and far between as of late. It was a decidedly bad day, which saw Echo nipping at Blue and jostling her sisters with impatience. Blue was starting to retaliate, snapping her jaws and crying out in annoyance. No matter how much Owen yelled or clicked or offered incentive, Echo simply wouldn't calm down. If anything, she got more rowdy and more impatient. And all of that was starting to infect the other three.
"Echo!" Owen tried again, frustration leaking into his voice. His hand clenched a little tighter around the clicker; he pressed it a couple of times to try and get her attention. "Hey! Stop attacking your sister!"
Echo seemed to catch ear of Owen's voice, but instead of stopping, she merely screeched up at him, jaws wide. Her head then whipped around to butt against Blue's; the beta retaliated by throwing her weight into Echo. Charlie had started to trot off and Delta growled as Echo's tail whipped her in the leg. When it was clear that this trial had gone to hell and that it was not coming back, Owen clucked his tongue disapprovingly. He swept his hand downwards and to the side, dismissing the girls from their held position––not that any of the girls seemed to notice, but it was good for continuity. The clicker was shoved into his vest pocket, the object of little use with the girls acting up. Owen grasped the railing with both hand and dropped his head to hang between his shoulders, a frustrated grunt rumbling in his chest.
The catwalk shook a little as Barry walked the length of it, approaching the defeated looking handler. Owen felt a heavy but reassuring hand clap against his back a few times, which prompted him to raise his head.
"It's just an off day, Owen, they'll get back into the swing of things soon enough," Barry comforted. Owen snorted tiredly and let his hands slide from the sun heated railing. He fixed his friend with a look, apprehensive doubt painted across his features.
"And how many 'off days' have we had, Barry?" Owen asked, tone light but flat. Barry sighed through his nose and, after a moment, shrugged his shoulders. There had been too many to write off as it just being 'off days,' and Barry knew that. Everyone at the paddock knew that.
Owen scrubbed a hand over his face and he started to tromp across the catwalk, the sound of Echo and Blue's fighting stinging his ears. He wasn't worried that they would hurt each other––not too badly, at least––as the girls got into scraps often enough. There might be a scratch here or a bruise there, but their skin was thick and they were too loyal to mortally wound each other. But he always kept an ear and an eye out just in case. Behind him, Barry followed, jogging a few steps so he could keep pace with the frustrated navy man.
"And when did these bad days start?" Barry prompted. Owen's brows knit together at the inquiry, counting back the days––weeks––to when things had started to go awry.
"Month ago."
"And what happened a month ago?"
Owen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his friend's suddenly cryptic nature causing a headache to start to form behind his eyes. "I dunno, Barry, a lot of things happened a month ago."
"Gwyn was put on suspension from the paddock," Barry pointed out. The statement halted Owen in his tracks. "Echo started to act up almost a week after she left. The longer she's been gone, the worse Echo has gotten. You said yourself that she seemed to take an interest in Dr. Grant! Perhaps she has formed some sort of… bond with Gwyn, and perhaps her she misses our paleo-behaviorist just as much as you do."
Ignoring Barry's final comment, Owen looked over the catwalk to see Echo growl at Blue, but watched her slink away with her head ducked in reluctant submission. He had noticed that Echo had, indeed, taken an interest in Gwyn. That interest had shown itself in intense, pointed stares, curious glances, and the way she always seemed to perk up at the sound of the paleontologist's voice. Owen had supposed it could have been the passing interest of a new face at the paddock; but, perhaps, there was something more to the interest.
Owen hummed thoughtfully. Below, Echo disappeared into the thicket of jungle foliage, the ferns trembling as she moved through them. "Maybe… We'll have to see if things start to settle down once Gwyn comes back."
"Any idea when that might be?"
"Her suspension of special research is up tomorrow." Owen decided to leave out the fact that this information had been sent to him via text message that morning; and that it had been the best early morning text that he'd gotten in a month.
There was a groan of relief from Barry, his head lolling back while his hands rose into a prayer gesture. "Thank god––maybe you'll get out of your funk, then."
Owen looked to his friend and pulled a face at his exhaled comment.
"What do you mean 'funk'? I haven't been in a funk," he contested defensively. Barry grinned at him toothily and chuckled with brotherly amusement. He again clapped Owen on the back, this time leaving his hand on the other man's shoulder in order to steer him along the catwalk. A finger was waggled at the raptor handler teasingly.
"You have been more irritable in recent days; it is almost as though you and Echo are sharing a mindset. Gwyn disappears for a few weeks and suddenly you can't focus. To be quite frank, you've started to look a little lost, and it feels like you've fallen into the deadly trap of a strict routine," Barry pointed out. "That is what I mean by funk. Gwyn Grant returning to the paddock will be a very good thing. We all miss her. Her blunt sense of humor surprisingly lightens the atmosphere around here, no? But I don't think any of us miss her as much as you." He pat Owen on the shoulder before he peeled off to go his own way, chuckling to himself.
Owen threw his arms out wide and scoffed a breathy, defensive sound. "I do not miss her that much!" he called out, voice echoing over the velociraptor complex. This caused a couple of the other workers to start to chuckle, the sound echoing across the paddock. Owen's hands migrated to his hips, and he arched his brows as Jim and Francis passed him by, snickering under their breath. "Oh, is this a joke across the complex? Glad I was in the loop, guys. Ha-ha… It's… very funny."
"It is! It is not every day that one gets to see Owen Grady acting like a love-sick idiot!" Barry teased lightheartedly. He had grinned at Owen knowingly, a look accompanied by a slight shake of the head. Owen scoffed gently and shook his head. He cast his gaze to his dusty boots and the metal grating beneath them.
"I'm not love-sick," he muttered to himself.
He quietly repeated the phrase like a mantra in his head. It was like he was trying to convince himself of the validity of the words. Owen's brows pinched together upon realizing that if the statement were true, there would be no need to repeat it, no need to convince himself of the truth of it. Yet he told himself, one last time, that he was not, in fact, love-sick, he just missed having her around the paddock; but upon thinking that through, some part of him scoffed. Between the two statements, the one that claimed that he 'just missed her' seemed the most ludicrous to his inner being.
It was ludicrous because he more than 'just missed' Gwyn's presence at the paddock. He more than 'just missed' the fact that he didn't get to see her everyday. He wanted to hear her deadpan something at one of the guys and then listen to the both of them laugh over it. He wanted to walk into his office on a particularly hot day to find her lounging in the chair opposite his desk, dirty boots propped up on the corner, waving her father's hat in front of her face to cool off. He wanted for them to make plans to go out for dinner and drinks with the rest of the paddock, only for it to inevitably end up just being the two of them on the rooftop seating area of Margaritaville. And, above all else, Owen just wanted to be in Gwyn's presence. He wanted to be on the receiving end of a deadpan look, catch the way she smiled a little when he enthused about the girls, wanted to make her laugh, wanted to catch the scent of lavender and sunscreen that always accompanied her wherever she went, and he wanted to wrap an arm around her as they sat on the dock and watched the sun set over the lake.
With a shake of his head, Owen blew out a breath and trotted down the catwalk stairs. Half way down, he laughed throatily at himself, a roguish smirk pulling across his face.
"Love-sick…" Owen laughed. "Yeah… maybe."
OOOO
Indominus Rex
Base genome: tyrannosaurus-rex
Other dinosaurs that make up this frankensaur: ?
Teeth: 74
Suspected growth size: 13-20 ft.
Suspected run speed: 30 ft.
Carnivorous
Side Note: What the hell were they thinking?
Gwyn stared down at her tablet, chin dropped into the cradle of her palm. Her finger tapped the question mark button twice more to emphasize her last point, knowing full-well that Wu would be reading her notes later. It had been a week into her observation of the Indominus Rex, and her nerves were constantly on edge. Every day was a mystery. There was no telling what the Indominus would do next, but Gwyn knew that she would be there for every twist and turn of the journey. She would experience every gory detail first hand. She would watch every terrifying new development from the observation room of the paddock, tablet in hand and conscience screaming. With a sigh, Gwyn started to tap out another note; the muffled tapping of her finger against the screen was joined by the tapping of heels against the concrete floor.
"It's bad, you know," Gwyn murmured.
"What is?" asked Claire, who came to a stop beside the chair the paleontologist had sat herself in. Gwyn looked up and then darted her eyes at the glass wall; through that glass she could watch the jungle foliage sway in the tropical breeze. But somewhere in that foliage the Indominus Rexes were hiding, hidden nearly perfectly.
"The fact that they've been put into their paddock already––they're only a week old, they should still be in the facility. Having tests run, being closely observed in a controlled environment, have their handler interacting with them…" she listed off, slouching back into her chair.
Claire started to tap at a console situated neatly in front of the observation windows. She nodded to signal that she had heard and acknowledged Gwyn's concerns. Her sleek red hair was starting to a curl a little at the ends, which spoke of the disgusting humidity that had wracked the island that day. Even the air conditioning provided little reprieve from the heat and the fact it felt like you were breathing water the minute you stepped outside.
"We suspect that they will be growing fast, so keeping them in the lab facility wouldn't be prudent. As for observing them in a controlled environment, I think that you'll find that this paddock is particularly advanced, which will allow us to monitor the Indominuses very closely," Claire informed, voice laced with the utmost professionalism. Gwyn crossed her legs and balanced her tablet on her thigh; it teetered a little, but she stabilized it with her fingertips.
"Advanced doesn't always mean controlled, though," she pointed out. This drew Claire's attention. She looked at the paleontologist with an almost curious burrow to her brows. "I mean… Jurassic Park was advanced when it opened back in the nineties––and clearly 'control' took a back seat. Control is an amenity here, it isn't easy to come by, and it's even harder to uphold. I just…" She watched Claire purse her lips and square her shoulders a little defensively. Gwyn siged tiredly and braced a hand over her brow bone, eyes fluttering shut. "You're doing your best and you have done… very well, Claire."
Claire laughed quietly, gently. "With the near constant criticism I wouldn't have thought you'd think so," she admitted. It was the first time that Gwyn had heard her sound playfully wry. Upon dropping her hand, she saw that Claire was smirking a little, a twinkle of mirth in her eyes. And despite the fact that her bangs obscured her eyebrows most of the time, she could tell that one of them was quirked. The paleontologist laughed a little sheepishly, rubbing at the back of her neck.
"Yeah… I'm… sorry for the near constant cynical attitude, but… I think this place needs a cynic if it's gonna keep running. If everyone is always so confident in everything that's happening, you're gonna slip up; if someone keeps pointing out flaws, potential or present, you're more likely to catch something. I just… I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I went through. And despite our differing ideas on what constitutes safe science practices, I am impressed that you've managed to keep this place running," Gwyn admitted. She flashed a smile and turned her attention back to the swaying foliage and the sweltering sunlight. If she hadn't looked away she might have spotted the surprised––and almost flattered––expression that had flooded Claire's face.
"Well, um… thank you, Dr. Grant," Claire said, a quietly surprised tone coloring her voice. Gwyn glanced back over at her and nodded her head in a silent 'you're welcome.'
Both women lapsed into silence for a while. Claire continued to tap at the console, which was essentially a tablet on a modernist looking stand that was bolted to the floor. Gwyn continued to stare through the glass, mind wandering aimlessly. God, she was tired; and she had been consistently so all week. It had reached the point that not even coffee helped. Lowery would wince and tell her how awful she looked when they ran into each other at the end of shifts. She would laugh, he would offer to get her a coffee, she would insist she buy, and then he'd wave her off with a dramatic flap of his hands. The sentiment was lovely, but Gwyn didn't have the heart to tell him that caffeine was not helping any lately. There were a number of times that she'd nearly fallen asleep at the Indominus paddock, in her observation chair, waiting for something to happen. The guard had taken to chuckling at her; she'd taken to rolling her eyes at him.
"... Dr. Grant?"
Gwyn jumped a little and snapped her attention back to Claire, who was staring at her intently. "Hmm?"
"I asked how has work been treating you?"
"Meaning the work I've done on this project?"
"Yes."
"I… am so completely drained," Gwyn admitted. Normally she wouldn't have actually complained to Claire, but she was the only person that she could complain to. If she talked to anyone else, she would be booted from the island faster than she could blink––and Wu would be delivering that swift kick with a smug smirk on his face. "I feel like I've been set up to lose. Nothing that I suggest is taken into account, and when my concerns are considered, they are then brushed aside. Half the answers to my questions are 'it's classified.' Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to hear those words a thousand times a day?" Claire snorted a breathy, quiet sound, one that set Gwyn rocking back in her seat. "Oh, my god––do you not know what this thing is? Will the lab not tell you?"
"Sometimes things have to remain… compartmentalized," Claire said, forcing her voice to be nonchalant. It was accompanied by a shrug of her shoulders and she rebusied herself with the console. "I know what I have to to get investors on board to support the park."
Claire Dearing, Manager of Park Operations, was just in the dark as Gwyn was. Exhaustedly, Gwyn pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes and rubbed. The secrecy that came with working directly alongside Wu was taking its toll, and taking it quickly. Gwyn wasn't sure how long she was going to survive it––or if she could survive it at all.
"So," Claire continued, voice still light, "your suspension is up tomorrow."
"I know," Gwyn sighed gently. And she was excited about that. It was strange to her that she was excited, because she was excited to go back to the velociraptor paddock. But she was oddly looking forward to walk across the cross-shaped catwalks, kick her feet up on Owen's desk, and stand in the blistering sun and heat.
"And since it will be up tomorrow… I think that it would be best to tell you the changes that are going to be made to your contract."
Gwyn shook her head, as though that might fix what she had just heard. After a beat she turned sideways in her seat and eyed Claire with a critical look. Gwyn cleared her throat. "What changes? I wasn't aware that my offense was so severe there were going to be changes made to my contract."
"These changes were not made by me, and they have nothing to do with the disciplinary actions exercised. They were made as a revision upon looking at the work that you have done in the five months that you've been here at Jurassic World," Claire explained.
Gwyn narrowed her eyes a little and sat a little straighter, putting on an air of professionalism.
"And… what are the changes?"
"When you were initially hired, Masrani wished for you to make weekly check-ins on all current paddocks. See that the dinosaurs were happy, provide a baseline that our handlers and scientists can refer to. And you have done just that. Your work is… remarkably detailed, incredibly insightful, and has already helped us advance our research."
Gwyn cocked her head to the side, brows furrowing upon being praised for the work she'd done. "And if that is all satisfactory, then why are changes being made?"
Claire cleared her throat delicately and started to tap at the screen of her tablet, which had been pressed flush to her thigh. She started to drag her fingers across the screen, scrolling through something––an email, likely, or a brief regarding the subject at hand. She looked the epitome of professionalism, which was something that Gwyn could admire; it had always taken a lot for her to keep her sarcasm and wry sense of humor out of professional situations. So the fact that Claire could keep so professional day in and day out was impressive. And Gwyn wondered how exhausted it must make her. After a moment, she looked up and clasped the tablet to her stomach, eyes meeting the paleontologist's.
"It was brought to our attention that the most detailed, impressive work that you were doing is that regarding the velociraptors in Paddock Ten. The changes being made to your contract will see that you spend half your time here, with the Indominus Rexes, and the other half at Paddock Ten. If you need to be consulted by handlers, we will still send them to you. We just want to… focus your research a little more," Claire explained, voice light and easy.
Silence followed her explanation. Gwyn was almost violently massaging the back of her neck with the tips of her fingers, the gesture more painful than meant to relieve stress. She ran her tongue along her teeth, the gears in her head turning faster and faster with each contemplative moment. Eventually her eyes, which had fallen to the shiny floor, snapped up to Claire's face.
"Who spearheaded the campaign for my contract to be changed?" she asked, voice dangerously calm.
"Dr. Wu suggested to Mr. Masrani that your research be focused, and Mr. Masrani sanctioned the changes."
"Right…" Gwyn exhaled flatly. She then checked the time on her tablet screen and rose to her feet. She lifted the electronic device in order to display it. "I best be getting this thing back to the lab on time before Wu sets it to self-destruct. And I'm guessing there'll be a new contract for me to sign tomorrow, so I'll show up to give it a read. Have a nice day, Ms. Dearing."
OOOO
There was a sharp smack when Gwyn dropped her tablet onto Wu's desk; the sound of the impact caused him to flinch. He looked up at her from under his brow bone with a deadpan expression. "If you break it, you pay for its repairs."
"You are my superior in the lab, you do not dictate my day-to-day work," Gwyn stated firmly. Wu sat back in his chair, hands moving to fold over his stomach with infuriating casualness. Gwyn's hands found a home on her hips and her legs were braced apart like she was standing on the deck of a ship. Anyone else might have found her stance and displeased expression unsettling; Wu did not.
"I take it that you have been informed of your contractual change. Miss Grant, I'm not trying to dictate anything. I wouldn't dream of it. I merely stated to Masrani that I believed your work could teal with some focus. The less that your time is divided between the eleven paddocks, the more detail you can put into our two most… ambitious projects. More detail would benefit the researchers; it will help us make the park safer. Is that not what you wish for?" Wu inquired, head cocked to the side.
Gwyn grit her teeth. As pissed as she was with Wu being all high-and-mighty with her––all of the time––she hated to admit that he was right. It would be more beneficial to everyone if her research was more focused. The velociraptors and the Indominus Rexes, alongside Rexy, were the most dangerous creatures on the island. The more time she could spend focusing on them meant she could keep an eye out for warning signs. But Gwyn wasn't about to admit to Wu, to his face, that he was right. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at his smirking face.
"You ever try and dictate my work outside the lab again, I'll have words with Masrani," she informed him. And in not fighting back against his words, she recognized that he was right––and that caused him to grin.
"Oh, I'm sure you will. But I am glad that you recognize that this contractual shift will benefit everyone in the long run."
Gwyn's brows furrowed at the emphasis he'd put on 'everyone.' Her grimace shifted into a frown and she crossed her arms almost petulantly over her chest. God, he really brought out the worst in her. At least with Hoskins she felt like she could get a bit of an upper-hand; but with Wu, it felt like they were two stags with their antlers locked, pushing and butting to get the other to lose ground. Neither of them ever really won an argument––they always just settled on a settling comment before turning away with expressions of contempt.
"Yeah, well… Your Frankensaurs are doing well, by the way. Growing steadily, showing predatory traits already––I'd have your handlers keep a close eye on them, they might start fighting each other. I would suggest separating them, but…" Gwyn shrugged, knowing that the suggestion would go unheeded. "Have a good evening, Mr. Wu."
"And the same to you, Miss Grant."
OOOO
The warm, golden glow of mid-morning sun bathed the raptor paddock in a strangely beautiful manner. It looked inviting, as though it was welcoming Gwyn back with open arms. She supposed that distance made the heart grow fonder, because as she put her car into park a small twinge of excitement started to buzz through her system. She had been anticipating returning to the familiarity of the paddock and it was some of that anticipation that had made it hard to sleep. So, with a thermos full of iced coffee, Gwyn popped her door open and slipped out of the car. She donned Alan's hat and took in a deep breath; the air smelled dewy, like fresh rain on foliage and freshly up-turned dirt. It was a lovely smell to be surrounded by in the morning in comparison to the sterile smells of the lab and new paddock. It was already warm, but it wasn't unpleasant––not yet, at least. The island's daily forecast predicted temperatures in the nineties by noon. The humidity had already set in, however, though Gwyn was almost excited she would finally be spending a day outside again, no matter the temperature.
A smile pulled across her face when she spotted a familiar face striding away from the office unit. "Morning, Barry!"
The man's head swiveled around towards the sound of her voice, a grin splitting across his face upon laying eyes on her. He laughed throatily and changed his course of direction. He threw out his arms in a welcoming gesture, an invitation that Gwyn grinned at.
"Welcome back, Gwyn!" enthused Barry with a bright grin. She accepted the embrace with a happy chuckle, her chin propped on the man's shoulder.
"Honestly? It's good to be back," she admitted as they drew apart. Barry gave both of her shoulders a squeeze, an earnest look crossing his features.
"You have been missed here."
Gwyn blew out a breath and lifted her thermos to her lips, smirking in wry self-deprecation. She cocked a brow, which arched over the top of her sunglasses elegantly.
"Nah, I'm sure that you guys got a lot more work done with me gone. I ask too many questions, get in the way of feeding times, all that jazz." She took a sip of chilled, sweet coffee and Barry shook his head. He chuckled under his breath and waggled a finger at her with playful sternness. She could tell it was playful because of the barely held-back smirk that twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"On the contrary, you actually fit quite well into the dynamic here. It was… strange to have you missing," Barry told her with a sly smile. The statement was so sudden and genuinely unexpected that it was all Gwyn could do to blink at him as tears threatened to sting at her eyes. She laughed and rubbed at the back of her neck with her fingertips.
"Thank you. That… that means a lot, Barry, it really does."
Barry beamed and nodded for her to follow him the cage. Without hesitation, she fell in step with him, smiling warmly. There was a sort of comradery that came with working at Paddock Ten; all of the workers who were there regularly were like family to one another. If you texted any one of them saying that you'd be late, they'd fix you your coffee the way that you liked it. When lunch order was put in, you knew someone would order your usual meal if you weren't around. It reminded Gwyn of working on dig sites with Alan, Ellie, and Billy Brennan. It was a welcoming feeling, and she was happy to be surrounded by it once more.
"So, how have things been progressing?" she asked, leaning against the metal bars.
Barry frowned a little, pressing a button next to the door; it buzzed and opened for him, and he slipped inside, closing it behind him as security measures mandated. He sighed on a tired sounding vowel, the sound carrying into the rustle of jungle foliage. "It's been a tough month. There hasn't been much advancing with the girls, and that has proved to be frustrating what with all the progress that we have been making."
Gwyn hummed lowly, the corners of her mouth twitching downwards empathetically. As they crested the top of the stairs, Gwyn chuckled under her breath, which caught Barry's attention.
"At least the girls were probably glad I was gone," Gwyn joked.
Barry cocked a brow and then smirked mildly, an almost playful gleam rising to his eyes. He snagged a rag from his back pocket and started to go about the daily task of wiping down the muzzles.
"Actually, Echo started acting up when you left; so did Owen––seemed a little lost." He smirked a little wider at her, a glance shot her way from the corner of his eye.
Gwyn blinked at him and felt her heart jump a little. When she realized that Barry was starting to grin at the fact that she had gone mildly catatonic at his words, Gwyn cleared her throat. She crossed an arm over her ribcage and brought the thermos to her lips.
"Find that hard to believe," she muttered, voice forced into a deadpan. And for someone who deadpanned so naturally, Gwyn was surprised at how hard it was to keep her voice from pitching differently. So, again, she cleared her throat and took a hefty sip of coffee. But, still, Barry grinned and chuckled with mirth, like he could sense her struggle.
"I'm surprised that his shoulders haven't climbed up to his ears with the amount of tension he's been carrying in them. He's gotten a bit snippy, a little more short tempered… doesn't joke as much. I think he's gotten used to having you around; the two of you formed a routine, and that routine was disturbed when you were suspended. But, thankfully, you have returned to us! And for that, we are all very excited."
Gwyn's lips quirked at the corner at Barry's reiterated sentiments, though her mind was stuck on the fact that he had insinuated that her absence had affected Owen so drastically. Ever since her movie night with Lowery––where he had astutely deducted that she had feelings for the raptor handler––just the mere mention of Owen sent heat surging to her cheeks. The whole time she had been watching Jaws, she had repeatedly asked herself whether or not she had feelings for Owen; and it was as Brody and Hooper paddled their way back to shore that she'd concluded that, yes, she did. It was the first time in a while that someone had the ability to reduce her to a blush and a stuttering heartbeat. And, judging by the way that Barry was smirking smugly, and the way that Lowery had kept her over to talk about the depth of these feelings, she was not doing very well at hiding this newly discovered attraction.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the growl of an engine and the sound of tires rapidly cutting across dirt. As the engine got closer, there was an excited chatter from the dinosaurs inside the paddock. Gwyn glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Owen roll into view on his motorcycle. It was then that she decided that the universe just wanted to torture her with the fact that she had recognized her feelings––because no one had the right to look that attractive on a motorcycle. And yet, Owen Grady did. He was wearing a pair of Ray Bans and his hair, despite its short length, was still enticingly wind swept. Paired with a navy blue tight-fitted Henley, dust smattered brown pants and boots, and his typical stubble, he looked like some sort of dashing action movie hero. Then, like he was trying to give her a heart attack, he grinned at her as the bike idled. With an expert simultaneous kick of his heel and twist of the keys, Owen cut the engine and let the bike lean onto its kickstand.
"Gwyn Grant, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" he proclaimed. He swung his leg over the seat of the motorcycle and started to make his way towards her. Gwyn laughed and pushed away from where she had been leaning against the cage. The grin hadn't left Owen's face, and its charming nature was going to be the death of her.
"Same could be said about you, Mr. Grady," she teased.
Once he was close enough, Owen pulled her into an embrace, one arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand firmly set on her hip. One of her arms rose to drape over his shoulders, while the one that still clutched her thermos curled around his middle. His head rocked sideways to rest against hers, knocking her hat off in the process. Both laughed, albeit a little awkwardly, but did not separate immediately in order to retrieve it. They stood pressed against one another for a moment too long, both enjoying the feel of the other pressed so close. To feel their familiar heat, smell their familiar scent, and just be close to one another after a hell of a long couple weeks. Their time together had diminished after their excursion into the original park center; Owen put in longer hours at the paddock to try and get to the root of the problem with the girls, and Gwyn was often too exhausted to do much more than grab some food to-go, eat it, and fall asleep on her loveseat. It was nice to see one another again, to speak with each other in person and not over the phone or over text.
"It, uh…" Owen started once he––almost hesitantly––withdrew from the hug, "looks like you're prepared for the heat." He ducked down to grab the fallen hat, brushing its brim against his thigh to rid it of dirt. "It's gonna be a scorcher––let's hope that all your indoor work hasn't pampered you too much.
Gwyn laughed and grinned, taking the hat back once he'd finished cleaning it off. She threw her arms out and beckoned towards herself with a waggle of her fingers.
"Oh, bring it on, baby––I've had enough of air conditioned, controlled lab settings twenty-four-seven. I'm ready to get… sunburned, ready to sweat, ready to be endlessly bothered by bugs, and then take a nice mid-day break in the office," she assured, jauntily slipping the hat back onto her heat. Owen chuckled throatily, hands migrating to his hips.
"That's what I like to hear. Glad to see that the lab hasn't changed you. Now, why don't we start off with some overview on what you've missed? I've got the files on my desk all ready to go."
Gwyn gestured for Owen to lead the way with her thermos. "After you."
With a cheeky smirk, he plucked the thermos from her hand, to which she sputteringly protested, and started to back away. "Don't mind if I do." He grinned and took a gulp from the thermos whilst turning on his heel. Gwyn watched him walk for a couple of steps, grinning to herself before she started to follow, hands shoved in her pockets. Owen Grady was going to be the death of her––but at least it would be a pleasurable one.
Afterword: And now things start to heat up a little bit; there's only so much more tension that they can handle before it breaks ;) Also, on an unrelated note, I forgot how much I love Barry. I'm happy that I'll have more chances to write him again, now that Gwyn is back at the paddock––and we'll finally get some more Owyn moments, which will be nice and tense with their newfound realizations.
Review Replies!
katy1986: I, too, am waiting for Wu to get his dues. Still yet to be seen in movie canon, though he definitely got his in book canon. I'm really looking to write more of Lowery and Barry because they're just so fun, and so integral as being friends to Owen and Gwyn respectively. I saw Fallen Kingdom and, oh, do I have ideas… I hope you enjoyed the story! Thanks again!
JosieoftheRose: I'll provide the rock for Wu's head, you can jump on it all you like. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
soccergurl382: Thank you so much! I always worry that I'm not writing Owen in character, 'cause he's a tricky one––in the first film he's very much the quintessential action-man, so it was an exercise in trying to figure out his sense of humor, laid-back style, and what not from the few pre-disaster scenes there were in JW. But I'm happy that it all seems aligned! And I'm glad Lowery is in character, I always worry I write him too fanatically (he's also tricky, 'cause we don't get a lot of him, period). Them getting together is steadily approaching––and it's going to be so great when they finally do. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
SabakuNoGaara426: The end does, indeed, begin… and Gwyn is in for one hell of a ride, emotional and otherwise. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
NicoleR85: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
suzii3499: Thank you, so much! I don't think I could ever reach the level of intelligence that I've written Gwyn to have, or the confidence to constantly get into people's faces to stand up for herself. But I'm very happy that you've been enjoying her as a character, watching her interact with everyone. And, OH, do I have their first kiss planned out. It's a-coming… it's a-coming… I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
AugustRrush: Thank you; I hope you enjoyed the update!
ArtemisLuna85: Alan will be appearing some time in the next chapter or two. Owen and Gwyn will definitely be the Jurassic World power-couple. It's gonna be so much fun to write. And I am so happy that you have been enjoying both of Gwyn's stories; and I hope you enjoyed the update! Thanks again!
RHatch89: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
WaywardandWanderlust: I am so happy you've been enjoying the story! I have so much up my sleeve for this story, and I am so excited to write every chapter. I am always going back and watching both JP and JW to get more ideas. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
AmericanNidiot: I agree with every one of those sentiments. I have been debating whether or not Alan will run into Hoskins, because a kick in the nuts may just be at the end of that encounter. And Lowery is, indeed, a precious bean, and he needs to be protected. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Zadria Cerulean: We all know that when she and Owen finally end up together Lowery is gonna lose his MIND––I like to think that he and some of his fellow control-room co-workers have bets going on as to when Owen and Gwyn become a thing. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Mixie18: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
LoveFiction2018: I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Thanks again!
supboyyyyy93: Hoskins is definitely starting to bother Gwyn more persistently, and chaos is, indeed, on the horizon. Lowery is the captain of the Owyn ship––like, he'd probably never admit it, least of all to either of them, but he's gunning for them to get together. If there were any characters that I would have loved to see even a snippet of in Fallen Kingdom, I'd love to know what Lowery's doing, and I want Alan to come in very grumpy and ready to fight anyone who dare contest him. I hope that you've been enjoying the prequel story as well––we've still got a few more chapters to go in that, and we get to see Gwyn in a couple more stages of her life. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Guest 1: Gwyn doesn't really catch a break with Wu and Hoskins, and they both definitely bring out the worst in her most of the time. Lowery and Gwyn are definitely buddies and I plan on writing more of them. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Guest 2: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
DyanGuhong: I think that, for Gwyn, she doesn't necessarily mean to belittle genetics as a whole; it's just her long-standing problem with Wu and the intentions that he's had that feeds her fire in fighting with him. And I think one of the reasons they butt heads so much––especially now that Gwyn is an adult––is because they are both similar in some aspects. Both of them have a die-hard love for their field and for what they do. They would protect it with whatever means necessary. And it is that similarity that they would never acknowledge that they share, and that sends them roaring back at each other again, and again. That, and Gwyn's initial experience with Wu's kind of science was when she was very young, and very impressionable. Her first impression of all this truly remarkable science was proceeding and in the wake of the most traumatic experience of her life. She is… incredibly biased, just as Wu is. And that's what makes them them. I am very happy that you enjoy the story, and you don't have to apologize for the long post; I'm flattered that you enjoyed the morality vs. science aspect of the last chapter. And with Wu and Gwyn working together, there'll probably be more scenes like it. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Aly Blue: Thank you so much! I'm so incredibly flattered that you find Gwyn a strong, realistic character. I have worked really hard to make sure that she stays realistic without exploiting anything or making it unrealistic in the process. I sometimes worry that she seems a little mood-swing-ish, but then I try and remind myself that no one has a single sided personality––everyone is different with certain kinds of people. Like, Gwyn is more relaxed around Owen, Barry, and Lowery, more defensive around Wu and Hoskins, and a little wary around Claire. But, I digress. I am very happy you have enjoyed the story! And we will soon find out if Owen will survive meeting Alan… because that one will be a tough one to shoulder through. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Mina: You are very welcome! I am always happy to put out more chapters for you to enjoy; and I am very glad that you have been enjoying the story so far! Thanks again––hope you enjoyed the update!
Daryl's Lady: We inch ever closer for them getting together––I've got the whole thing planned. God, I love Twister, I haven't watched that in ages… and that does seem like a very Owyn kind of moment. And don't worry about rambling, I do it all the time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
monkeybaby: Thank you; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
ShadowTeir: Gwyn's scar is something that I love so much, purely for the fact that it is something that she could always be vying to hide, but instead chooses to display. To her it's a symbol of strength and perseverance while, to others, they may perceive it as a weakness. I am glad that I have written the attacks well, in a manner that is respectful. Because it is a serious thing, and I do have family members who suffer from similar episodes. And I am happy that the character development has been well distributed throughout the story. There is some stuff with Echo coming up next chapter, and Alan will also probably be arriving next chapter. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Straightupgyo: There is more to be had with Gwyn observing the Indominuses! And she's gonna be there for a lot of it… gonna have to sit through a lot of the terrible bumps that those two go through before––and then after––two Indominus Rexes become one Indominus Rex. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
kitsunelover300: Hoskins definitely gets his, and I, too, am waiting to see what Wu's fate will end up being. Because, in the book, he DOES get eaten by the raptors, but, obviously, that isn't movie canon. But maybe he WILL get eaten by one of his creations… seems fitting. Gwyn is definitely having a bit of a tough time with the Indominus project, and it isn't about to get any easier for her. I actually do plan on including Owen's video diaries from Fallen Kingdom (or some semblance of them because I don't have the exact dialogue memorized or anything). Because knowing, now, that Blue can empathize is… important. Very important. And Blue and Gwyn will definitely have an interesting relationship, eventually… because with Gwyn getting so close to Owen… Blue's gonna have some feelings on that. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter––Alan should be showing up soon! Thanks again!
DreamBubbles: Thank you so much––it's always a big worry that the story might hit a boring lull every now and then, but I'm glad to hear that it has been flowing easily. Initially, when I originally started writing this story, Gwyn was not going to work with the Indominuses. But then I realized how interesting it would be to have her involved in the project because she is SO vehemently against it. Because every step of the way she's going to be telling people it's a bad idea. That something has to be done to prevent disaster. And she definitely wants to tell Owen about the project; and Owen definitely knows that shit is up because she's just so drained and tired and stressed. And both Gwyn and Owen are gonna have to navigate trying to act 'normal' until they buck up and tell each other how they feel. Alan will be here soon, so an in person interaction will beat a phone call. And I love answering the reviews that people leave; I love getting a chance to discuss things and thank everyone who's taken the time to read what I've written. It's the least I can do. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Guest 3: When I saw Jurassic World, I immediately knew I wanted to delve into the world and write something for it, because I adore Jurassic Park, too. And when this idea popped into my head, the first chapter flowed easily and the rest is now history! I'm very glad that you discovered this story and that you've enjoyed it so much. It will soon be known which Indominus Gwyn bonded with… because soon enough, only one Indominus will remain. There will be more raptor stuff coming, because she's back at the paddock halftime now and she's gotta see if she can help get Echo back into place. I've been toying with the idea that either Gwyn or Owen will go into back to the JP complex and go into the kitchen––I almost feel like it would be too much for Gwyn, but I feel like Owen could be curious enough to take a peek. As for a faceclaim, I landed on Hayley Atwell a while ago, though I had a difficult time trying to find anyone who marginally matched a mental picture. Thank you so much, again, and I really hope you enjoyed the newest chapter!
paulavara140: Here's an update! I hope that you enjoyed it!
musicluver246: Thank you! I hope you'll stick around to read more!
ObssessedFangirl96: I'm glad that the two stories compliment one another and enhance each other! I feel like the prequel is kind of a supplement for this story, to see why Gwyn reacts certain ways to certain things/certain types of people. And I'm happy that you've been enjoying both of them. Others will definitely have the (displeasure of witnessing a 'conversation' between Hoskins and Gwyn––not saying it will happen while Alan's visiting, but it's possible it could happen while Alan's visiting. And I'm happy that you are enjoying Lowery and Gwyn's relationship! We will get more of them in the future, because they're just so much fun to write and they need each other as friends. It's not at all bad that you want Billy to show up––because he's gonna, at some point. He and Owen will meet, I do plan on that… 'cause I've got some stuff up my sleeve regarding Billy and Gwyn's little crush she had on him (look forward to that in one of the next chapters of the prequel). Alan is a-comin' real soon! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
marieniz V: Hello! I am happy that you've enjoyed reading this story! Alan is going to… have a time when he sees the state of Jurassic World, and how very much unlike Hammond's dream it is. And then he finally gets to speak with Owen face-to-face, so that should be a fun time for all. It's gonna be interesting to see how things progress with her and the girls, especially Echo and Blue. That's one of the challenges I set out for myself writing this story––Gwyn is so wary of the raptors because of obvious reasons, so it's been interesting to figure out how she's going to go about bonding with them. I have seen Fallen Kingdom, and little baby Blue… oh, she's adorable. The kiss ever approaches! Sooner rather than later. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Colleen: That's one of the most interesting things about Owen and Gwyn's relationship––she's been so deeply traumatized by velociraptors before, and Owen is their biggest advocate. They're both teaching each other so much by being together. And they definitely have been growing so close that it's not just 'Owen' and 'Gwyn' it's 'Owen and Gwyn' to others who work in the park. We'll get more from Owen's side, too––we got a little of it at the start in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!
Asuka1920: Thank you; I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter!
And thank you to those that have added this to their follows/favorites; it means a lot!
And that is that, for now! I've actually sat down to plan out what else happens in this pre-movie phase, so I've got a firm plan as to where things are going. I've also been toying with making a playlist for this story, because I listen to a lot of music when I write these chapters––lemme know if y'all are interested in giving it a listen. I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter! Thanks again!
~Mary
