Claire is on her phone again and my head is getting fuzzy again, I am leaning more heavily on Owen and I can see him glancing at me in concern every other second out of the corner of my eye.
"T… baby," his voice is like honey washing over me, warming me and making me feel safe no matter what is happening and it sends a tiny shudder rolling through me as my breath stutters and I try to get my head around the pet names and the fact that they were directed at me and I really… really liked it.
"Mmm, okay," I mumble but I can hear my speech is slurred slightly and before I can think he has swept me into his arms and is shouting and then doors are slamming and we are moving.
"Is she going to be okay?" that's Claire's voice and she sounds concerned, maybe that means she didn't hate me anymore.
"You care now?" Owen sounds angry and I can't work out why, I can't seem to open my eyes yet although my head feels clearer than it had in a long time, it was a very strange out of body type experience to be laying here, aware of everything around me but unable to communicate or respond in anyway. It was like my whole body was caked in lead and I was just too exhausted to move much less talk or open my eyes.
"Of course I care," she shoots back indignantly,
"Why wouldn't you care Aunt Claire?" that's Gray's voice, what the bloody hell is going on here and why was I apparently asleep or awake or unconscious or whatever I bloody well was?
"What were your words again, 'barely even a woman' I think is what you said about her," Owen says and I can feel a hand flinch against my head at his biting tone, apparently despite me telling him not to he couldn't resist calling her out on their conversation earlier. God was it really only this morning, I felt as if that was months ago so much had happened, so many terrible things and one fantastic thing.
"You said that about Taylor? Why?" Zach sounds incredulous,
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it," she breaks off when Owen growls low in his throat sounding more like one of his raptors than I thought was possible, so much so that I want to laugh but don't have the energy, or capability at the moment, "Okay I did mean to say it but only because I was jealous, I could see the way you looked at her, I knew you would be perfect together," she murmurs.
"Why did you say such horrible things though Aunt Claire?" Gray says and now I really want to laugh at the fact that this conversation is happening even as the whole place is going to shit and even more so at the fact that I feel kind of sorry for her.
"I was stupid Gray, I'm sorry," she says quietly and Owen growls again,
"You need to tell her that, she risked her life for your nephews she deserves at least that… how is she?" he asks and I can hear the worry in his voice now as he asks about me and it makes my heart swell, he really did care about me.
"It's just a mild concussion I think, she'll be fine when she wakes up," Claire says and then I seem to fade out again for a while, everything becoming kind of black and silent again.
When I wake up I realise that I am in someone's arms and without opening my eyes I know that it is Owen carrying me and for a second I forget everything that is happening just snuggle further into his warmth.
"T… baby," his voice is soft and I can hear the concern laced through it,
"I'm okay," I whisper back to him, opening my eyes and gazing up into his face, relishing the way his eyes soften as he looks down at me, "I'm sorry I worried you," I add and he chuckles a little before shifting me in his arms so that he can plant a kiss on my hairline.
"As long as you're okay baby that's all that matters," he responds and I can feel myself flushing at his pet name.
"I think it's going to take me a while to get my head around this," I murmur as he finally sets me on my feet beside a huge lorry type vehicle.
"Dinosaur on the loose, we could have called that months ago, years ago, we just need to get through it then we'll work on working it all out," he says to me that smirk that makes me weak in the knees, makes most women weak in the knees, in place as I smile a little and shake my head at him.
"Not that," I grin and he frowns a little,
"What then?" he asks stepping closer to me and I duck my head automatically even as his fingers search out mine, giving me instant comfort and safety.
"You… wanting me, the pet names, I just… I feel like I'm dreaming it all," I say my face burning by the time I have finished my little speech and a little gasp escapes me as he suddenly pulls me tightly to him.
"You're going to have to get used to it T, I'm not letting you go," he pulls my face around to his and smiles before dipping to kiss me soundly.
"I'll try," I smile back and he chuckles again before his face becomes serious again and I spend a moment glancing around realizing that we are at the raptor paddock, "what are we doing here Owen?" I ask as nerves creep back into me.
"Hoskins," he sighs, "he wants to use them in the field to hunt the I-rex," I gasp again my eyes becoming wide and then cling to the front of his shirt as I realise what he is saying.
"No Owen, you can't, it's too dangerous," I almost whimper and he sighs as his hands find their way to either side of my face his thumbs gently stroking across my cheekbones.
"I have to," he murmurs and I find myself gripping his wrists to try and anchor him to me as I feel tears pool in my eyes, I know he is right and it terrifies me that I might lose him.
"I know," I say eventually and he smiles softly at me.
"I need you to be safe baby," he says now and I nod at him, "and I need you to look after Claire and the kids okay, you'll be safe in here and I'll find you okay," he says and I nod again and then he is gone and I am standing next to Claire and the boys as Claire opens the doors to the truck.
"See perfect, we'll be safe in here and you can talk to me through the window there if you need to," she says to them and they start clambering into the back of the truck.
"I'll go with them in the back, make sure they're okay," I say to her and she turns fully to me,
"Taylor, listen, about…" she begins but I hold a hand up to stop her,
"It's okay Claire, really," I say as she flushes and looks ready to argue with me, "what you said hurt, a lot, but I get it, I'm a woman too and I know you didn't really mean it, you didn't did you?" I ask and she shakes her head emphatically.
"No, God no, I… working here I think it's changing me in bad ways and I would never… I…" I laugh as she struggles to get out her words.
"Then I forgive you, besides I don't think we have time to hold grudges right now do we?" I smile and she does too before suddenly hugging me tightly.
"You saved their lives, I'll never be able to thank you enough for that," she murmurs to me and I laugh before clambering into the back of the truck behind the boys.
"I'm sure I'll find a way," I quip at her and she laughs before shutting the doors and moving to the driver's cab.
Ten minutes later and we are all watching the screen Claire is holding, Zach, Gray and I watching through the small hatch. I can barely breathe as the cameras on the girls' heads pick up Owen riding his bike alongside them.
"Your boyfriend's a badass," Zach says to me and I smile a tiny bit despite myself before flinching as we watch everything going horribly wrong.
"What's wrong? What's happening?" Gray asks as we watch the raptors communicate with the I-rex and then turn on the soldiers and Owen.
"Oh God," I whisper hearing the shaking in my voice as I say even those two words,
"What? What is it?" Claire asks and I look at her for a long moment before speaking.
"I know why they wouldn't tell you what they made that out of…" I break off drawing in a shaky breath as they all watch me intently, "that thing is part raptor," I finish and for a second there is absolute silence until a scream outside and a bloody hand is hitting against the driver's side window making us all jump and scream in terror.
"Drive… they're coming," a man screams as he flings open the back doors causing another cry of fear to be ripped from our throats before Delta launches herself at the truck and drags him off. The boys are both screaming and I immediately begin banging against the hatch.
"Drive Claire, for fucks sake drive," I scream as Delta looks up and begins to barrel towards us. I am forced to grip a wall unit with all my might as the vehicle lurches forwards and my legs fly out to stop Gray from flying straight out and in to Delta's waiting jaws.
"Oh God, Oh God, Oh God," Zach is saying as the raptor gains on us throwing herself towards us once again, her claw catching in my trousers and ripping straight through them scratching my thigh and I hear the boys scream and stare wildly around me for something to get her claw off of me, otherwise she would have my whole leg in her mouth within seconds.
Suddenly, my eyes see the tasers and I make a grab for one, turning it on instantly and pushing it towards her.
"I'm sorry girl," I gasp out before shocking her and I am released as she falls.
"Did you see that," Gray cries out as they both help haul me further into the truck, my eyes watching for more of the raptors following us but instead I see something that makes my whole body relax just a tiny amount as Owen's bike comes into view, with him unharmed on the back of it.
"Oh thank God," I whisper as he roars past and leads us to the resort, where he appears at the doors to pull me out straight away holding me tightly, "thank God," I say again into his shoulder and he pulls away to look me over his face crumpling into a frown when he sees my ripped trousers.
"What happened?" he asks as he bends to see if the wound is deep and sighing with relief when he realizes that it is just a scratch.
"Delta got a little close at one point," I explain and his fingers are instantly in mine pulling me close into his side as the five of us make our way to the lab only to find it empty and clear of people and equipment.
"They evacuated the lab," Claire is saying quietly as we begin to look around, Owen having yet to release my hand.
"I'm okay, I promise, you're here now," I whisper to him and he glances down at me but before he can say anything Hoskins appears beside Gray and we both move quickly to his side, my fingers surreptitiously reaching for Gray's and pulling him closer to me.