3. OLD FRIENDS REUNITED
Based from the movie Jurassic Park 3 written by Peter Buchman, Alexander
Payne, and Jim Taylor
Sunday, July 10, 1999 Washington, D.C.
The Brachiosaurus lunged at the Triceratops. It grabbed its foot and whipped it around. They loudly roared at each other in anger. The Triceratops then head-butted the brachiosaur and it fell back. They jumped high into the air and knocked heads. Their tails went flying toward one another, and then the Triceratops dropkicked the Brachiosaur as it feel in the sand. However, out of all this, there was no hint of wounds on their yellow and green skin. The reason for this was because they were plastic.
Young Charlie and B'Elanna Reiman sat next to their trampoline, on a picnic table in their back yard. They had a huge bucket of small dinosaur toys filled with hours of fun for them. They used their pudgy little hands to make the battling dinosaurs run toward each other in a clash. There was a man sitting next to them, who was wearing a brown jacket with a flannel shirt under it. He had graying brown hair that was beginning to recede and a dark brown beard. He also held two other dinosaurs that were not the same as Charlie and B'Ellana's.
"No, no, kids. Those are herbivores. They would never have any need to fight each other at all. They are very peaceful, actually. But see, look at these," the man told them, holding up the two toys he held. "See these are carnivores! They like to fight, especially over food. See this one here is a Tyrannosaurus and he..." Someone else politely cut off the man.
A woman, some years younger than the man, approached with wavy hair. She held a basket of laundry in her right arm. "Um, excuse me, Alan? They're only three. Why don't you wait till they're five," she smiled. The woman was Ellen Sattler Reiman, Alan Grant's former dig site partner.
Ellie Reiman was now happily married to Mark Reiman, who was a Physicist from Berkeley. Before Ellie and Mark had children she spent a lot of time lecturing at Berkeley, or helping Grant out with some digs. When she finally had kids, she decided to settle down for a while and start working on a novel for the local magazine that had to do with a specific species of poisonous plant that existed back during the dinosaur era. This plant was known as Serenna Veriforman. Those plants that were found only in fossil remains had become an interest to several biology specialists for testing possible genetic Rembrandts. They'd hoped to bring this poisonous plant back to life in finding yet another way to save people from diseases like cancer and aids. They were bullshit scientists though. There was no way that a poisonous plant would be able to cure anything, except their need to die at an early age.
"Oh.yeah. Um...sorry," Grant said.
"Mommy the dinosaur man said that dese are herbadores and that dey don't wanna fight each oder," Charlie said.
"He did, did he," Ellie said smiling.
A woman then came out of Ellie's house, with a phone. She was the cleaning lady who helped Ellie with the housework. "Ellie?"
Yeah," Ellie replied turning around.
"They said they couldn't wait any longer," the woman said with her hand over the phone. "Don't you have your book done yet?"
"No.they have to give me more time, I'm on chapter 11 out of 13."
"Oh, I understand. With the kids and all." The cleaning lady ran back into the house.
"What's that all about," Grant asked.
"Oh...nothing important...just a book I'm submitting to a local magazine," Ellie said not wanting to reveal any of the surprises early. "Those geneticist types are really rushing me on it."
"Well...that doesn't surprise me," Grant said. "You have to remember that Dr. Wu in particular wasn't very patient when it came to getting a job done. God rest his sole."
Ellie laughed at Grant's remark as she then heard a car door slam, and saw her husband, Mark Reiman, approach them. He was well suited, sporting a business outfit and carrying a brown leather briefcase.
"Oh, hey honey," Ellie said. She kissed Mark, and then proceeded to introduce him to Grant. "Mark, honey this is Dr. Grant, Alan, Mark."
"I've heard a lot about you Mark. Nice to meet you after all this time," Grant said.
"Well, Dr. Grant I've heard tons about you as well, and it's a very great honor to me to meet you in person," Mark said.
"Thank you," Grant said smiling. He felt a little uneasy. He'd known Ellie for years and her and Mark had been married for four years and Grant still had yet to meet Mark. Grant even felt uneasy being around Ellie, for they had tried dating for a little while, and things just didn't work out between the two of them. Grant was just very nervous right then.
"Daddy the dinosaur man told us dat dese are herbadores," B'Elanna said.
"I may not know much about dinosaurs but, yes, he's correct," Mark said.
"Did you ever study any paleontology," Grant asked.
"No, but look who I live with," Mark replied smiling.
"Okay, okay, that's enough, let's go inside, I'll make dinner," Ellie said smiling. She led the two men and the two children into the beautiful Washington house. The house was white and three stories. There was a white picket fence around the house. That was what Ellie always wanted. A nice husband, some kids, and a white picket fence. Grant was able to provide the first one, but only when he wasn't busy. The second one would be possible cause Grant loved kids, but the third would be impossible. He liked living in Montana, where his digs were. That's where his life was. Plus, he wasn't even sure if he'd ever be able to stand having another wife, because his first died many years ago. Grant shook those thoughts away and entered the beautiful house.
* * *
Alan Grant was standing at a birdcage, holding a snack cracker. A parakeet was standing on its support beam, looking very stuck up. "Jack.jack.say my name Jack.say 'Alan.' 'Alan.'," Grant said.
"Alan it's been almost five years," Ellie implied.
"Yeah," Grant replied.
"Well come over and have a seat."
Grant walked over to the bar table, as Ellie and Mark situated themselves on the opposite side.
"So.hey, I told you that Mark works for the state department now, didn't I," Ellie said.
"Yes you did, that's very good Mr. Reiman. What do you do exactly," Grant asked.
"Well.if I told you.I'd have to kill you," Mark replied with a smile.
"Somehow, I just knew that statement was going to be said," Grant said smiling.
"Nah. Actually they have me just doing regular problem solving. Being a Physicist is not the easiest job in the world," Mark said. "Buildings.roads.you know. Stuff to make taxes go up more has to be determined by my calculations."
"That's great to hear," Grant said. "I bet you get real good money for that."
"Oh, hell yeah. A whole lot more then I was being paid at Berkeley. They offered me twenty thousand dollars more a year then I was being paid before when I was just a teacher. Don't get me wrong. I love kids. They were great to work with in school, but to be able to get out in the field and do the work that I majored in is a great opportunity for me."
"Oh, I definitely understand. Especially now."
"How do you mean," Mark asked.
"Well," Grant said, "ever since my new book came out on the market, it's been hard to even have one lecture without everyone in the room wanting to ask questions about Jurassic Park. It's not even completely my fault. If Richard Levine had kept his mouth shut. But I know what you mean. I'd much rather be out at a dig finding fossils then sitting in a classroom teaching. That's just not me."
"It never has been," Ellie implied smiling.
"Well, you take what you can get," Grant said smiling.
"So tell me," Mark started, "how was it to actually be inside a Velociraptor nest?" Mark was one of the only people that Ellie had trusted to tell about what happened on Isla Nublar. Grant didn't like that she'd told him, but he went along with it anyway. Every now and then, he just had to get out his feelings on it all.
"It was something else," Grant replied nodding. "I've never seen such organization between a species in my life. I couldn't understand how such a violent species like raptors could've had such order between themselves. It was amazing. What Ellie and I, along with a lawyer named Donald Gennaro, saw was just unbelievable. They seemed almost like an old Indian tribe of some kind. Raptors are intelligent creatures. I'll give them that much, but they sure had a hard time realizing that three humans were in their home."
Ellie laughed. "Very true. I'm just glad they didn't though. Gennaro would've pissed his pants then."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did anyway," Grant said.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a child crying. Ellie got up, but was seated back down by Mark, who stood.
"Actually um, you guys.you guys can catch up," Mark said.
"Thanks honey," Ellie said.
Mark walked off into a hallway. Grant watched him walk off. "I approve," he said leaning forward. They both exchanged smiles.
"Yeah," Ellie replied. "He's been great."
"I'd say so," Grant said. "I'd have never been able to provide a house as beautiful as this."
"Doesn't Hammond's Foundation still fund your digs," Ellie asked.
"No," Grant replied shaking his head. "They stopped doing that a year ago. I believe they hate me or something."
"Well," Ellie said smiling. "Why wouldn't they after your new book you were talking about before, telling all about our experience on Nublar."
"Yeah," Grant chuckled. "And then that bastard Malcolm ripped me off and wrote one himself. Hell, his was longer then mine, and just because he's went to another island. Yee-haw for him."
"Have you talked to Ian recently," Ellie asked.
"Ellie... hunny," Grant said shaking his head. "I haven't talked to that annoying man since the trip on Nublar ended."
"Has he ever tried to get a hold of you?"
"Oh, hell yeah. I can't get any sleep some nights, because he calls me in the late hours of the night, wanting to know some shit about me helping him and Richard Levine with some big scientific investment of theirs."
"Oh I heard of that," Ellie said. "Ian came and told me all about it. They both have a really great plan of putting Chaos Theory and Paleontology together. I think they're going to call it Pale chaos. I told him that if they ever needed my help, I'd be more then willing to."
"You're such a forgiving person Ellie. I would've never forgiven him for what he said about your legs. That man is a nuisance."
Ellie smiled. "You never change Alan... so, who are you working with now."
"Trying to change the subject huh? Ok. Well, I met a college student at the University of Maryland who was extremely interested in Velociraptors. Billy was also very skilled in bone scraping. You know.he's very careful. I couldn't have hired a better man. Also, I hired Cheryl Logan, who is a great computer technician. And you know me and those things."
"Is she.?" Ellie asked hopefully.
"If you are thinking like I.think.you are," Grant said. "No, I believe her and Elliot are taking a liking to each other. Elliot is our other technician. This could be bad.but they are both astonishing workers."
"That's good.I'm glad you are getting this extra help," Ellie said sighing. She'd hoped that Alan had been able to move on with his love life, but his was a hard one to be in control of and it never seemed to work out for him." Anyway... so... anything new?
"Ellie. listen. I'm not sure how you can take this. but..."
"But.?"
"Ellie, our theories about raptor intelligence. what they were capable of. we weren't even close," Grant said.
"Tell me," Ellie said.
"Ellie, remember the sounds they made?"
"I try not to," Ellie replied shivering at the thought of having to remember those horrible animals that almost killed her on Isla Nublar.
"Remember when Tim was saying that, when he and Lex were in the kitchen, how the raptors made very high pitch squawks, then immediately another one showed up?"
"Yes. but we knew that they called one another for help."
"No Ellie, you don't understand," Grant said. "They could talk to each other. in ways we couldn't possibly image."
"Go on," Ellie said.
"Well if my theory proves true. no . I know it's true."
Grant paused. Ellie was in shock about all of this. She couldn't believe what Grant was telling her. If she was thinking the same thing he was, it could've been a big deal.
"Ellie. they were smart," Grant said. "They were smarter than dolphins or whales, they were smarter than primates."
Jack the parrot suddenly butted into the conversation. "Bullshit," the colorful parrot said.
Grant and Ellie exchanged twisted glances.
"Now I know I didn't teach him that," Grant said pointing at the bad parrot.
"Remember when you dropped the television remote in the toilet," Ellie said folding her arms.
"Oh," Grant said. Looking back on it, Grant remembered that he was watching the NBA playoffs with the LA Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets, and he had to go to the bathroom during it and accidentally took the remote in there. He then somehow dropped the remote in the toilet when he got shocked about a rat that he saw moving around. Grant smiled as he remembered cussing himself and the parrot hearing all of it would've been very possible.
"Anyway. Alan. and these things are still here. on Sorna . right?" Ellie remembered Malcolm telling her all about Isla Sorna and what he'd saw on the island. What had given her particular interest were the Carnotaurs and their ability to camouflage themselves. It was an interesting theory that she and Grant had tried to put to fact, but was rejected by the Museum of Natural History as well as several of their other theories that they produced out of the blue after they returned from Nublar. Since the Costa Rican Government and InGen silenced them they couldn't tell anyone that their theories were true fact.
"That's right."
"If only you could prove that they are such a threat."
"No, Grant said. "This world is filled with too many Hammonds."
* * *
Outside, Grant started up his car, and the automatic seat belt fastened. Grant looked up at Ellie, who was standing next to the car door.
"Alan, you know. if you ever need anything. even the smallest thing. don't be hesitant in using our number," Ellie said. "You know you are more than welcome. I'll be there for you."
"Thank you," Grant said.
"Don't be afraid to evolve Alan Grant," Ellie said smiling at the older man. "Sometimes evolving means changing your views on things that happen and scientific discovery is all a part of that, even if it has to do with genetic cloning."
Grant smiled in return. "Okay."
"I just want you to know. you will always be the best hon." They exchanged an odd look.
"I'm. I'm sorry."
"No, Ellie, just don't worry about it," Grant said. "We just weren't compatible."
"Alan, I really wish it wasn't this way."
"Yeah. I suppose I feel the same." Grant threw his car into drive.
"I mean it," Ellie said. "You are still and always will be the best."
Grant smiled. "The last of my breed." With those words he pulled out of the Reiman's driveway, and Ellie watched him drive away. Tears streamed down her face, very slowly.
"Always the best," Ellie said as she walked back into the house very slowly, with tears in her eyes. She hated that her and Grant had gotten closer then ever after the Isla Nublar incident. They had gotten so close that she had considered breaking her engagement to Mark, but they had eventually realized that they just weren't going to be possibly able to keep a relationship intact, and Ellie hated every bit of it.
Ellie walked back into the house to see Mark sitting back down at the table.
"Well," Mark said, "he left in a hurry."
"Yeah," Ellie replied. "He had to get on back to Montana. He's got a lecture tomorrow at the University. So, what was wrong?"
"B'Elanna wanted some milk," Mark replied.
"Oh," Ellie sat back down.
"Are you ok," Mark asked.
"Yeah," Ellie replied shaking her head. "It's just been a long time since I've seen Alan. Listen, there's something I'm going to tell you that I never thought I'd be able to."
"What's that?"
"You remember that we were engaged for a long time before we got married right?"
"Of course. We wanted to make sure that it was the right thing for the both of us. I remember that while I was at one of my conferences in Berkeley, you had that trip to Isla Nublar and was stuck down in Costa Rica for quite awhile before they'd let you come back to the states..."
"And even then I didn't come back for a little longer, because I wanted to make sure that Ian Malcolm was going to be ok. So did everyone else that survived the return from Nublar. There wasn't many of us, but we were all there."
"I know all of this already," Mark said smiling. "What is it that you need to tell me that I don't already know?"
"Checking on Dr. Malcolm wasn't the only reason why I was staying down there hunny. When Alan and I were on Nublar together, we experienced some things that I could've only imagined in my worst nightmares. However, something happened when there that caused me to see something in Alan that I'd never saw before, because he was my teacher and it just didn't seem right to be feeling those things for someone about sixteen years older then me. I was twenty-four at the time and he was forty."
"Are you saying that you wanted to stay down there to see if there was any way that the two of you could possibly ever be a good couple," Mark asked confused.
"Yes," Ellie replied. "I know I should've told you sooner, but I just couldn't ever find the right time to do so. I'm so sorry."
"It's ok dear," Mark said leaning over to take Ellie's hand. "I understand. I'm just glad that we ended up together."
"So am I," Ellie replied smiling. "So am I."
The two leaned in and kissed each other on the lips. Ellie smiled as they continued to passionately kiss from across the table.
Payne, and Jim Taylor
Sunday, July 10, 1999 Washington, D.C.
The Brachiosaurus lunged at the Triceratops. It grabbed its foot and whipped it around. They loudly roared at each other in anger. The Triceratops then head-butted the brachiosaur and it fell back. They jumped high into the air and knocked heads. Their tails went flying toward one another, and then the Triceratops dropkicked the Brachiosaur as it feel in the sand. However, out of all this, there was no hint of wounds on their yellow and green skin. The reason for this was because they were plastic.
Young Charlie and B'Elanna Reiman sat next to their trampoline, on a picnic table in their back yard. They had a huge bucket of small dinosaur toys filled with hours of fun for them. They used their pudgy little hands to make the battling dinosaurs run toward each other in a clash. There was a man sitting next to them, who was wearing a brown jacket with a flannel shirt under it. He had graying brown hair that was beginning to recede and a dark brown beard. He also held two other dinosaurs that were not the same as Charlie and B'Ellana's.
"No, no, kids. Those are herbivores. They would never have any need to fight each other at all. They are very peaceful, actually. But see, look at these," the man told them, holding up the two toys he held. "See these are carnivores! They like to fight, especially over food. See this one here is a Tyrannosaurus and he..." Someone else politely cut off the man.
A woman, some years younger than the man, approached with wavy hair. She held a basket of laundry in her right arm. "Um, excuse me, Alan? They're only three. Why don't you wait till they're five," she smiled. The woman was Ellen Sattler Reiman, Alan Grant's former dig site partner.
Ellie Reiman was now happily married to Mark Reiman, who was a Physicist from Berkeley. Before Ellie and Mark had children she spent a lot of time lecturing at Berkeley, or helping Grant out with some digs. When she finally had kids, she decided to settle down for a while and start working on a novel for the local magazine that had to do with a specific species of poisonous plant that existed back during the dinosaur era. This plant was known as Serenna Veriforman. Those plants that were found only in fossil remains had become an interest to several biology specialists for testing possible genetic Rembrandts. They'd hoped to bring this poisonous plant back to life in finding yet another way to save people from diseases like cancer and aids. They were bullshit scientists though. There was no way that a poisonous plant would be able to cure anything, except their need to die at an early age.
"Oh.yeah. Um...sorry," Grant said.
"Mommy the dinosaur man said that dese are herbadores and that dey don't wanna fight each oder," Charlie said.
"He did, did he," Ellie said smiling.
A woman then came out of Ellie's house, with a phone. She was the cleaning lady who helped Ellie with the housework. "Ellie?"
Yeah," Ellie replied turning around.
"They said they couldn't wait any longer," the woman said with her hand over the phone. "Don't you have your book done yet?"
"No.they have to give me more time, I'm on chapter 11 out of 13."
"Oh, I understand. With the kids and all." The cleaning lady ran back into the house.
"What's that all about," Grant asked.
"Oh...nothing important...just a book I'm submitting to a local magazine," Ellie said not wanting to reveal any of the surprises early. "Those geneticist types are really rushing me on it."
"Well...that doesn't surprise me," Grant said. "You have to remember that Dr. Wu in particular wasn't very patient when it came to getting a job done. God rest his sole."
Ellie laughed at Grant's remark as she then heard a car door slam, and saw her husband, Mark Reiman, approach them. He was well suited, sporting a business outfit and carrying a brown leather briefcase.
"Oh, hey honey," Ellie said. She kissed Mark, and then proceeded to introduce him to Grant. "Mark, honey this is Dr. Grant, Alan, Mark."
"I've heard a lot about you Mark. Nice to meet you after all this time," Grant said.
"Well, Dr. Grant I've heard tons about you as well, and it's a very great honor to me to meet you in person," Mark said.
"Thank you," Grant said smiling. He felt a little uneasy. He'd known Ellie for years and her and Mark had been married for four years and Grant still had yet to meet Mark. Grant even felt uneasy being around Ellie, for they had tried dating for a little while, and things just didn't work out between the two of them. Grant was just very nervous right then.
"Daddy the dinosaur man told us dat dese are herbadores," B'Elanna said.
"I may not know much about dinosaurs but, yes, he's correct," Mark said.
"Did you ever study any paleontology," Grant asked.
"No, but look who I live with," Mark replied smiling.
"Okay, okay, that's enough, let's go inside, I'll make dinner," Ellie said smiling. She led the two men and the two children into the beautiful Washington house. The house was white and three stories. There was a white picket fence around the house. That was what Ellie always wanted. A nice husband, some kids, and a white picket fence. Grant was able to provide the first one, but only when he wasn't busy. The second one would be possible cause Grant loved kids, but the third would be impossible. He liked living in Montana, where his digs were. That's where his life was. Plus, he wasn't even sure if he'd ever be able to stand having another wife, because his first died many years ago. Grant shook those thoughts away and entered the beautiful house.
* * *
Alan Grant was standing at a birdcage, holding a snack cracker. A parakeet was standing on its support beam, looking very stuck up. "Jack.jack.say my name Jack.say 'Alan.' 'Alan.'," Grant said.
"Alan it's been almost five years," Ellie implied.
"Yeah," Grant replied.
"Well come over and have a seat."
Grant walked over to the bar table, as Ellie and Mark situated themselves on the opposite side.
"So.hey, I told you that Mark works for the state department now, didn't I," Ellie said.
"Yes you did, that's very good Mr. Reiman. What do you do exactly," Grant asked.
"Well.if I told you.I'd have to kill you," Mark replied with a smile.
"Somehow, I just knew that statement was going to be said," Grant said smiling.
"Nah. Actually they have me just doing regular problem solving. Being a Physicist is not the easiest job in the world," Mark said. "Buildings.roads.you know. Stuff to make taxes go up more has to be determined by my calculations."
"That's great to hear," Grant said. "I bet you get real good money for that."
"Oh, hell yeah. A whole lot more then I was being paid at Berkeley. They offered me twenty thousand dollars more a year then I was being paid before when I was just a teacher. Don't get me wrong. I love kids. They were great to work with in school, but to be able to get out in the field and do the work that I majored in is a great opportunity for me."
"Oh, I definitely understand. Especially now."
"How do you mean," Mark asked.
"Well," Grant said, "ever since my new book came out on the market, it's been hard to even have one lecture without everyone in the room wanting to ask questions about Jurassic Park. It's not even completely my fault. If Richard Levine had kept his mouth shut. But I know what you mean. I'd much rather be out at a dig finding fossils then sitting in a classroom teaching. That's just not me."
"It never has been," Ellie implied smiling.
"Well, you take what you can get," Grant said smiling.
"So tell me," Mark started, "how was it to actually be inside a Velociraptor nest?" Mark was one of the only people that Ellie had trusted to tell about what happened on Isla Nublar. Grant didn't like that she'd told him, but he went along with it anyway. Every now and then, he just had to get out his feelings on it all.
"It was something else," Grant replied nodding. "I've never seen such organization between a species in my life. I couldn't understand how such a violent species like raptors could've had such order between themselves. It was amazing. What Ellie and I, along with a lawyer named Donald Gennaro, saw was just unbelievable. They seemed almost like an old Indian tribe of some kind. Raptors are intelligent creatures. I'll give them that much, but they sure had a hard time realizing that three humans were in their home."
Ellie laughed. "Very true. I'm just glad they didn't though. Gennaro would've pissed his pants then."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did anyway," Grant said.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a child crying. Ellie got up, but was seated back down by Mark, who stood.
"Actually um, you guys.you guys can catch up," Mark said.
"Thanks honey," Ellie said.
Mark walked off into a hallway. Grant watched him walk off. "I approve," he said leaning forward. They both exchanged smiles.
"Yeah," Ellie replied. "He's been great."
"I'd say so," Grant said. "I'd have never been able to provide a house as beautiful as this."
"Doesn't Hammond's Foundation still fund your digs," Ellie asked.
"No," Grant replied shaking his head. "They stopped doing that a year ago. I believe they hate me or something."
"Well," Ellie said smiling. "Why wouldn't they after your new book you were talking about before, telling all about our experience on Nublar."
"Yeah," Grant chuckled. "And then that bastard Malcolm ripped me off and wrote one himself. Hell, his was longer then mine, and just because he's went to another island. Yee-haw for him."
"Have you talked to Ian recently," Ellie asked.
"Ellie... hunny," Grant said shaking his head. "I haven't talked to that annoying man since the trip on Nublar ended."
"Has he ever tried to get a hold of you?"
"Oh, hell yeah. I can't get any sleep some nights, because he calls me in the late hours of the night, wanting to know some shit about me helping him and Richard Levine with some big scientific investment of theirs."
"Oh I heard of that," Ellie said. "Ian came and told me all about it. They both have a really great plan of putting Chaos Theory and Paleontology together. I think they're going to call it Pale chaos. I told him that if they ever needed my help, I'd be more then willing to."
"You're such a forgiving person Ellie. I would've never forgiven him for what he said about your legs. That man is a nuisance."
Ellie smiled. "You never change Alan... so, who are you working with now."
"Trying to change the subject huh? Ok. Well, I met a college student at the University of Maryland who was extremely interested in Velociraptors. Billy was also very skilled in bone scraping. You know.he's very careful. I couldn't have hired a better man. Also, I hired Cheryl Logan, who is a great computer technician. And you know me and those things."
"Is she.?" Ellie asked hopefully.
"If you are thinking like I.think.you are," Grant said. "No, I believe her and Elliot are taking a liking to each other. Elliot is our other technician. This could be bad.but they are both astonishing workers."
"That's good.I'm glad you are getting this extra help," Ellie said sighing. She'd hoped that Alan had been able to move on with his love life, but his was a hard one to be in control of and it never seemed to work out for him." Anyway... so... anything new?
"Ellie. listen. I'm not sure how you can take this. but..."
"But.?"
"Ellie, our theories about raptor intelligence. what they were capable of. we weren't even close," Grant said.
"Tell me," Ellie said.
"Ellie, remember the sounds they made?"
"I try not to," Ellie replied shivering at the thought of having to remember those horrible animals that almost killed her on Isla Nublar.
"Remember when Tim was saying that, when he and Lex were in the kitchen, how the raptors made very high pitch squawks, then immediately another one showed up?"
"Yes. but we knew that they called one another for help."
"No Ellie, you don't understand," Grant said. "They could talk to each other. in ways we couldn't possibly image."
"Go on," Ellie said.
"Well if my theory proves true. no . I know it's true."
Grant paused. Ellie was in shock about all of this. She couldn't believe what Grant was telling her. If she was thinking the same thing he was, it could've been a big deal.
"Ellie. they were smart," Grant said. "They were smarter than dolphins or whales, they were smarter than primates."
Jack the parrot suddenly butted into the conversation. "Bullshit," the colorful parrot said.
Grant and Ellie exchanged twisted glances.
"Now I know I didn't teach him that," Grant said pointing at the bad parrot.
"Remember when you dropped the television remote in the toilet," Ellie said folding her arms.
"Oh," Grant said. Looking back on it, Grant remembered that he was watching the NBA playoffs with the LA Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets, and he had to go to the bathroom during it and accidentally took the remote in there. He then somehow dropped the remote in the toilet when he got shocked about a rat that he saw moving around. Grant smiled as he remembered cussing himself and the parrot hearing all of it would've been very possible.
"Anyway. Alan. and these things are still here. on Sorna . right?" Ellie remembered Malcolm telling her all about Isla Sorna and what he'd saw on the island. What had given her particular interest were the Carnotaurs and their ability to camouflage themselves. It was an interesting theory that she and Grant had tried to put to fact, but was rejected by the Museum of Natural History as well as several of their other theories that they produced out of the blue after they returned from Nublar. Since the Costa Rican Government and InGen silenced them they couldn't tell anyone that their theories were true fact.
"That's right."
"If only you could prove that they are such a threat."
"No, Grant said. "This world is filled with too many Hammonds."
* * *
Outside, Grant started up his car, and the automatic seat belt fastened. Grant looked up at Ellie, who was standing next to the car door.
"Alan, you know. if you ever need anything. even the smallest thing. don't be hesitant in using our number," Ellie said. "You know you are more than welcome. I'll be there for you."
"Thank you," Grant said.
"Don't be afraid to evolve Alan Grant," Ellie said smiling at the older man. "Sometimes evolving means changing your views on things that happen and scientific discovery is all a part of that, even if it has to do with genetic cloning."
Grant smiled in return. "Okay."
"I just want you to know. you will always be the best hon." They exchanged an odd look.
"I'm. I'm sorry."
"No, Ellie, just don't worry about it," Grant said. "We just weren't compatible."
"Alan, I really wish it wasn't this way."
"Yeah. I suppose I feel the same." Grant threw his car into drive.
"I mean it," Ellie said. "You are still and always will be the best."
Grant smiled. "The last of my breed." With those words he pulled out of the Reiman's driveway, and Ellie watched him drive away. Tears streamed down her face, very slowly.
"Always the best," Ellie said as she walked back into the house very slowly, with tears in her eyes. She hated that her and Grant had gotten closer then ever after the Isla Nublar incident. They had gotten so close that she had considered breaking her engagement to Mark, but they had eventually realized that they just weren't going to be possibly able to keep a relationship intact, and Ellie hated every bit of it.
Ellie walked back into the house to see Mark sitting back down at the table.
"Well," Mark said, "he left in a hurry."
"Yeah," Ellie replied. "He had to get on back to Montana. He's got a lecture tomorrow at the University. So, what was wrong?"
"B'Elanna wanted some milk," Mark replied.
"Oh," Ellie sat back down.
"Are you ok," Mark asked.
"Yeah," Ellie replied shaking her head. "It's just been a long time since I've seen Alan. Listen, there's something I'm going to tell you that I never thought I'd be able to."
"What's that?"
"You remember that we were engaged for a long time before we got married right?"
"Of course. We wanted to make sure that it was the right thing for the both of us. I remember that while I was at one of my conferences in Berkeley, you had that trip to Isla Nublar and was stuck down in Costa Rica for quite awhile before they'd let you come back to the states..."
"And even then I didn't come back for a little longer, because I wanted to make sure that Ian Malcolm was going to be ok. So did everyone else that survived the return from Nublar. There wasn't many of us, but we were all there."
"I know all of this already," Mark said smiling. "What is it that you need to tell me that I don't already know?"
"Checking on Dr. Malcolm wasn't the only reason why I was staying down there hunny. When Alan and I were on Nublar together, we experienced some things that I could've only imagined in my worst nightmares. However, something happened when there that caused me to see something in Alan that I'd never saw before, because he was my teacher and it just didn't seem right to be feeling those things for someone about sixteen years older then me. I was twenty-four at the time and he was forty."
"Are you saying that you wanted to stay down there to see if there was any way that the two of you could possibly ever be a good couple," Mark asked confused.
"Yes," Ellie replied. "I know I should've told you sooner, but I just couldn't ever find the right time to do so. I'm so sorry."
"It's ok dear," Mark said leaning over to take Ellie's hand. "I understand. I'm just glad that we ended up together."
"So am I," Ellie replied smiling. "So am I."
The two leaned in and kissed each other on the lips. Ellie smiled as they continued to passionately kiss from across the table.