The shock wore off the minute they were up in the tower. Alan spun and landed a blow across Grady's jaw.

"Dr. Grant-"

He grabbed the man's sweaty shirt, pushing the words out. "You could've carried her!"

"I'm sorry-"

Alan threw another punch, unfeeling. There was only a burning vacuum in his chest, turning every part of him numb. "She's still down there! Where YOU left her!"

Did Grady and the others understand that? Did any of them realize the life they had just wasted?!

Owen kept him at arm's length, face unchanged. "She was pinned down. We couldn't move-"

"There were four of us!" Alan kept shouting, the hate growing, pushing down reality. They had left her... HE had left her!

"We got you out of there!" the pilot woman shoved his shoulder. Alan glared back, lungs squeezed for air. "You should've left me."

"She would want that?" the pilot challenged.

Alan didn't need woman's intuition telling him what Ellie wanted! He knocked them both away, bolting for the door. He'd get her out; be with her every step until her leg healed. Ellie, I'm coming.

"Alan."

He stumbled to a stop, to Ian blocking the broken door. Always there, to show him up, but not this time. Alan set his chin. "Don't you start."

"You can't go out-"

"YOU BROUGHT HER HERE!" Alan shouted to his soot-streaked face. "The least you could do is- is save her!"

Everyone froze. Their silence allowed what had happened to become real. Ian's mouth opened, but he gave Alan nothing; least of all comfort. Owen moved back towards his family, leaving Kayla to awkwardly stare at the ground. Alan searched for Ellie, in a wide sweep of the room. Seeing her would ground him... It would remind him of what he wanted...

But she wasn't there.

Ellie. Alan sagged against the wall, his brain searching for an answer. He might've gone all the way to the floor, only Ian held him up with a hand on his shoulder. "We-"

The crash of glass shattered any talk, scattering the group into the corners of the room. Alan yanked Ian farther in as glass hit their backs. The giga pressed its nose and jaws in, growling and grappling at anything that moved.

"Claire!" Owen shouted, pulling her legs away just in time. His knife was out and attacking the tough skin. Alan pushed Ian off of him, gaze locked on the ravenous head. What more does it want?

"The door!" Ian was scrambling behind the desks with Kayla. "We need to find the door!"

"It requires a key!" she screamed back in frustration.

"Actually, they ugh, use um bracelets."

Papers and instruments fell among the glass as they searched for one. Meanwhile, the giga swayed its head, back towards Alan. His eyes widened as he saw down its hot, dirty throat. He saw it, back there between the teeth... her hand. Ellie's hand!

Something snapped. Alan swore and the burning surpassed the numbness. He crawled to the back wall of the tower. The weapons locker had been the first thing analyzed, and he spotted the RPG. "Kayla!"

She was the closest, and the giga had gone back to cornering Owen and his family. Alan passed the cannon off to Kayla; she held the shaft while he loaded it.

"I got it open!" Ian yelled from behind. Kayla turned the cannon around, but hesitated. "She's too close."

Alan whistled, placing himself into the open. It worked, the giga's jaw scrapping back. He looked it in the soulless eye. Take me too! Why not?

"Clear!" Kayla shouted. Then Owen and Claire threw themselves over Maisie as she fired. The hit was dead in the eye, sending the giga's head up and the ceiling crashing down. Alan fell back as the lights rained down, searing his arms and forehead.

"Um, leaving," Ian waved from the door that would lead to the tunnels. "Leaving now!"

The room shook and swayed, but they pushed in, one after the other. Alan took one last look, watching the giganotosaurus in pain. He'd take it. "G-Good-bye, Ellie."