CHAPTER 28 Homeward Bound

A/N: One more chapter to go!

Claire was finally being released from the hospital and Owen couldn't be more excited. She was finally coming home.

They had decided for the time being that she would stay in the bungalow with him until she was recovered fully. Truth be told, Owen didn't think he could ever let her far out of his sight again anyway. He had hoped that the temporary arrangement could be more permanent. But there was time for that.

He was standing by the door holding her bag as he watched the nurses guide her into the wheelchair. They were being extra cautious with her feet healing so she'd have to take the chair for a while. She was laughing and shaking her head.

"I feel ridiculous." she chuckled. Her feet were still wrapped, so she needed to be lifted into her seat.

Owen walked over to her and leaned down and kissed the top of her head, moving behind the chair to start pushing her, "You look beautiful."

"You should keep this one around." Sara, her nurse, grinned.

"I think I just might." Claire replied looking up at him. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the lips.

"You two are killing me. Get outta here." Sara laughed.

With that, Owen started pushing Claire out of the hospital and on their way home.

The helicopter flight back to the island was fairly short. As they landed, they could see Simon waiting with Zia, Lowery and Zara on the helipad for them. As they landed, Zara approached with a wheelchair to set Claire into. Owen hopped out first and had one of the pilots help hand her down to him. His Navy blanket had been folded up on the chair and he pulled it off as he gently placed her in the chair, carefully wrapping her legs in the blanket.

Zara stood off to the side ready to help, but it was apparent Owen had this under control. The last thing he did before getting behind her to push, was lean down to kiss her. They made their way over to where the others were waiting. The helicopter noise was dying down as the pilot killed the engines.

Simon immediately walked up to lean down and kiss her on the cheek, "How are you feeling?" It had been a couple days since he last visited as the helicopter had been very busy shipping people over to see her. He even flew a few over himself. He didn't really mind it. It seemed to keep everyone's spirits up.

"I'll be much happier when I can where my heels again." she chuckled.

"All in due time." he smiled, "Come, everyone wants to see you." And with that the went inside.

They knew they were seen as soon as the elevator doors open. The room came alive as many jumped up to greet her. It took them almost ten minutes before they finally reached her office down the hall. So many wanted to check on her. Many wanted to just hug her. Owen just smiled through all of it as he watched her come back to life.

He still had visions of her collapsed, worn out body being held by Leon on that cold vessel floor. He still held regrets of not getting there faster and preventing all of this. Angry that they had managed to let it happen in the first place.

If they had just paid attention a little longer.

He tried not to linger too long on those thoughts. She was here now and smiling and laughing with her co-workers and friends. He had remembered what Frank told him. Appreciate every minute you have with her. He dismissed his darker thoughts for now. Saved for time when he was alone and could process them. He tuned into the conversation that had started without his notice in her office. Simon was giving the current update as they knew it.

"The authorities have collected the vessel before it could do any damage. There were a handful of survivors found hiding and taken into custody. Some were there by force as our people were. Others will face consequences."

"What about Eli? He was the money and he has the means to try again." Owen couldn't fully relax knowing the man who caused all of this was still out there.

"All the major authorities have warrants out for him. Truth be told, I've asked the private InGen team to investigate. We'll find him. Until then, we'll be beefing things up around here, starting with Lowery's GPS trackers in all assets." Simon replied.

Claire just shook her head, "I said that right before. Lowery had brought me the one for Blue and I said we should have it placed in all the animals. It was the reason I held onto it in the first place." She knew she'd be having these moments for a while. Everything would be a reminder. She'd wonder for a while what would have happened if she had done things differently or acted differently. One decision or one action. All of it could have led to a very different outcome.

"Thank god for that." Lowery responded. "If you hadn't, we wouldn't have found you until you landed in some war zone."

Owen unconsciously squeezed Claire's shoulders. She was right here. He could breathe. They didn't lose her or the raptors. Everyone was home.

Simon, wanting to cut the tension a bit, "Regardless, we will make sure no attempt like this can happen again. I want you all to rest knowing you are safe." he said, looking mostly at Claire. "I would offer you personal security for a while, but I don't think I need to worry about that." he chuckled, looking at Owen.

"She may need some from him if he hovers too much." Zia smirked.

"Hey, I warned her." Owen grinned.

"I'll allow it. But I request a loophole that Zia can come get me when you drive me nuts," Claire replied.

"I can accept these terms," he chuckled, leaning down to kiss her again.

Simon just smiled. He couldn't hide how proud it made him feel to see Claire really find herself. And she was happy. Despite the current circumstances, when most would wallow and hide, she was here smiling, surrounded by family. The whole ordeal just made her stronger.

"Now!" he said, clapping his hands together and grabbing the rooms attention. "I need all of you to go away, but I would like a few minutes with Claire. Please." Lowery and Zia got up to make their way out, but Owen didn't move from his spot. "Owen, she'll be fine. I promise. Please." He just nodded, glancing back at her as she smiled a reassuring smile at him. He finally nodded and stepped out.

"I hope you know, he's probably leaning on the door right now." Claire chuckled.

"I'm aware, but it's good for him" Simon smirked.

"It'll wear off soon." She actually appreciated Owen's attachment right now. She didn't really want him out of her sight either.

"Doubtful." Simon laughed. "So, I just wanted to have you alone for a minute to tell you how very proud of you I am. Frank was right, as he often is, to have you take over. You had the problem figured out in no time and you didn't hesitate. But Claire Dearing, if you so much as think about doing anything like that again, you'll be mandated to be on all of my flying lessons from here on out." he said, looking at her seriously.

Claire just nodded. "Not really an experience I'd like to repeat any time soon." she shrugged.

"Good. You're to follow all of your prescribed therapies and I do not want to see you here working for at least a month." he grinned.

"A month?! What the hell am I going to do for a month?!" Claire couldn't even fathom being gone as long as she already had, let alone a month. "C'mon Simon, really?"

"A month. Maybe try enjoying some time off for once?" he smirked. He got up from the chair and headed for the door, opening it as Owen practically fell through before catching himself. "Mr. Grady, if you would be so kind as to take Claire home to rest. She is allowed to come by to visit, but not for work. She has 30 days mandated recovery leave and I don't want to see her hanging around here."

Owen's smile stretched a mile wide and he began pushing her out the door.

"Now hang on! I think we can discuss this..." Claire started.

"Nope! You heard the man!" Owen declared, as he marched her right out the door.

"So we're taking a little detour on the way home." Owen was driving Claire's car considering she wouldn't be up for the motorcycle for a couple more weeks. They were at last headed for the bungalow when Owen decided they needed to make a stop. Instead of taking the road home, he turned toward the raptor compound. "I think there's a couple people who'd like to see you."

They pulled up near the paddock and Owen got out her chair. He then went and picked her up out of the car, placing her down.

"You know, this is going to spoil me. I'll just want to be carried everywhere from now on." she giggled as they made their way to the cage entrance.

"You know me, happy to oblige." he replied, walking up and putting in the code. As the gate opened he pushed her in the inside area. The raptors were out loose in their paddock, playing around. He kept her back, so she wasn't right next to the bars, but close enough where she could see and be seen.

Blue must have caught Claire's scent, because she stopped playing and slowly made her way over. She was sticking her nose through the bars and snorting, followed by chirps. The other three paused in curiosity and eventually followed her over.

"Hi Blue." she paused, "See? I kept my promise. We're home. I'm a little worse for wear and I hear you guys were a little cranky. But we're exactly where we should be." she said, grinning up at Owen, who leaned down to kiss her. Blue chirped in response.

Claire started to feel tears well in her eyes as she thought about how she got out. "She saved my life, Owen."

"What?" Owen asked, confused.

"She wouldn't leave me. When they got out, she was the one to kill Hoskins. Then she wouldn't leave until I followed her. She even nudged me a bunch. I think she was keeping Echo from eating me." she chuckled.

"You're serious?" Owen was trying to wrap his brain around what Claire was telling him. "Blue led you?" That meant Blue had taken Claire into her pack somehow. At least based on the interactions he'd been researching.

"One of the last things I remembered was her and Echo taking off after they heard a group of the mercenaries down the hall. Then Leon found me. It's pretty spotty." she said almost absently. "But she kept checking behind her to make sure I was there. I don't know if she realized I collapsed."

Owen walked up to the bars, seeing Blue still hovering nearby. She didn't seem to want to stray to far. He thought back to a peculiar moment on the vessel. A look of shock crossed his face as he realized what it meant. "She was trying to lead me to you." He was still trying to wrap his brain around it.

"Huh?" Now Claire was confused.

"There was a moment before we put her down. I swore she was trying to lead me somewhere and she seemed determined. She was knocked out before she could." Owen just looked at Blue in amazement.

He stepped back, grabbing onto Claire's hand. "My girls, taking care of each other. Couldn't ask for more." he said, lifting her hand up and kissing the back of it. "Come on. I think there's a few people waiting on us."

"Hey Blue, I'll be back, I promise." she grinned as Blue again stuck her nose through the bars. She chattered loudly in response.

"Let's get you home."