Author's Note

So, you guys are probably going to hate me for this chapter. But I promise, it will get better for Liv. Just not today.

Go onward and enjoy. Or hate me. I'm gonna go hide behind Blue.

Suspicions

Normally, the sound of silence is comforting, soothing, like it's an actual, physical presence that eases the tension out of Liv's shoulders. Normally, silence helps her to relax, but that's because, normally, there's no one else around to make any noise.

Under Owen's care, she gets better. She spends the entire weekend at his place, his bungalow as he calls it, bundled up on the couch with Owen constantly by her side. During that time, it's almost never quiet. The T.V. plays some crime drama Owen has a weakness for. Owen rereads Tom Sawyer to her, different voices for each of the characters and all. A radio even older than her plays in the background, playing songs Owen sings along to. He asks her if he should try out for American Idol and she tells him bluntly no. But with a smile on her face.

Non-silence can be comforting, too.

She feels bad for keeping him from work but when she tries to apologize he just holds her tighter and tells her she's worth it.

She's never felt like she's worth anything before.

By the time she has to return to Miami she feels mostly okay. Owen drives her back to the main facility so she can catch her helicopter ride out, making her promise to text him when she gets home so he knows she gets there safe. He drops her off and she bids him goodbye.

She doesn't tell him that there's still one last thing she has to do before she leaves.

With reluctant feet she makes her way to the suite she shares with Vic. This morning she found a text waiting for her from her father, telling her to make sure she stops by the suite to say goodbye before leaving the island. She sees the order in the letters.

How he's going to say goodbye is what she's worried about.

The door clicks open with a swipe of her key card and she cautiously steps inside, letting her backpack slip from her shoulders to land on the floor by the door with a hard thud that echoes in the room like a building collapsing.

This silence is not comforting or soothing or relaxing. This silence sounds like a held breath before being pushed over a cliff. It's the quiet silence that surrounds a jaguar before it pounces on its prey. This isn't from a lack of anyone around to make noise because she knows Vic is in here, waiting for her.

She walks down the short entryway, hands shaking at her sides. To the left of the entryway is the kitchen and dining area. On the wall opposite her are two doors, their bedrooms, each with their own ensuite bathroom. To the right is the living room.

And there, sitting on the couch with a beer in hand even though it's only early afternoon, is Vic. His eyes lock on her instantly, and without looking away he takes another drink from the glass bottle. The bottle clanks against the glass coffee table when he puts it down and then he stands, stalking towards her with dark intent shadowing his face.

Still, the silence.

Until a loud smack reverberates through her when he backhands her, sending her crashing to the floor. It burns with a stinging fire but it gradually fades. The blurry tears in her eyes when she looks up at her father don't. They start to spill down her face as he takes his belt off, holding the ends in one hand.

She's glad she took her tiger necklace off before coming here, hiding it deep in her backpack.

There's no silence for a long time. It doesn't come again until the front door slams shut behind Vic and there's the stench of pain and blood in the air. Liv lays still on the floor, her skin itching slightly as it stitches itself back together.

"Don't ever disobey me again," her father's words, still crowding around her head. "If I find out you went to him again instead of doing as you're told, we'll find out just how far I can go, you mutant freak."

The words sting in a way the beating hadn't. Worse. Because the wounds they cause are further down than just skin deep. Her healing ability can't heal them, especially when it's part of the cause.

All she wanted was someone to take care of her while she was sick. All she wanted was a little bit of kindness, kindness she knows Vic won't ever be capable of showing her. She wanted to spend time with someone who actually cares for her and to pretend that she's normal. That she has a normal family, a normal father who cares about her the way a father should, and that she, herself, is normal. Not a mutant.

If he finds out she's a mutant, would he still say she's worth it?

The helicopter won't wait forever so Liv picks herself up as soon as the worst is healed. A jacket covers the rest. All throughout the long journey back to Florida she contemplates her future.

She wants to be able to spend time with Owen but by the way Vic reacted she knows his tolerance won't last. He feels threatened, like a predator. Another animal is encroaching on his territory and he doesn't like it.

But Liv likes being with Owen. He's fun and kind. He treats her like an adult but not in the way her parents do, expecting her to grow up faster than she should. He listens to her, really listens to her, like her opinions matter. He lets her make her own decisions and respects them. All the while, he's still aware of the fact that she's a kid, not to be coddled, exactly, but to be taken care of. It's a give and take she's never experienced before and she doesn't want to lose that.

She finally has a true sense of what it means to be happy and she doesn't want to lose that.

The thing is, if she lets things stay as they are, Vic will probably continue to beat her just as bad, if not worse, for it. And Owen can't protect her from her father, even though he swore he would. That's obvious just from today.

Is it worth it though? She'll heal, but is trying to keep Owen in her life worth the pain?

Her only other viable option is to tell Owen about the abuse. He could have protected her today, if she had told him what she was walking into. However, telling him the truth just leads her in another circle. If she tells Owen about the things Vic has done to her, he'll wonder why there aren't any signs, any scars. Next time he sees her, she should still have signs of this beating. But she'll be completely healed. If she tells Owen what's going on, she'll have to tell him she's a mutant, and she is so, so afraid of how he'll react to that.

Is he pro-mutant or a mutant hater? Honestly, the odds are against her. Normal people who actually like mutants are a small minority.

And, really, what can Owen do if she tells him? Get her father arrested? Maybe, but that'll just mean she'll have to live with her mother full-time and then she won't see him ever again, him or the raptors.

She tosses her backpack on her bed in the apartment she lives in with her mom. The whole apartment is all black and white, clinical, minimalist, without any personality. Even her room has few splashes of color or things that are truly hers. She doesn't have an allowance and both of her parents are against "unnecessary spending".

It's silent again, the silence that tells her that her mom is gone, probably at the office, and has been for a while. Her mom isn't here to greet her, to find out how her weekend was, how her summer's going, if she's excited to be starting high school. She doesn't do any of those things, ever.

Owen does.

She digs her phone out of her backpack, sitting down in her desk chair as she scrolls through the contacts. There are only four of them. Her mom and dad, obviously, a taxi service she uses to go back and forth between her mom's building and the airport, and Owen. Her finger hesitates over Owen's name, not really sure what she's going to do yet, whether she's going to delete his number and be done with him, give in to her sense of self-preservation, or text him like he asked her to, let him know she's okay and that she'll see him in two weeks.

She ends up pressing his name and calling him.

The phone rings in her ear, like a gong signaling the arrival of something important. It causes her nerves to tangle up in knots.

Maybe she should hang up. This isn't really necessary. He's probably busy and won't have time for her. He did say to text him, not call.

She's about ready to click end call when it connects.

"This is Grady," he says, sounding distracted and like he picked up the phone absentmindedly without checking to see who's calling.

"Hey, Owen," she says, fingers picking at the bottom of her jacket, "it's, um, Liv."

"Hey, Liv." She can hear the grin in his voice as all of his attention turns solely to her. It's a nice feeling. "You make it home okay? You feeling any better?"

"Yeah, the flight was good. Better than the flight out on Friday. And I am feeling better. I think the fever is completely gone now."

"Good. That's good." There's a nervous, hesitating silence before he says, "You sure you're okay?"

"Of course," she says, trying to force a smile into her voice to mask her unease. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just that, I said you could just text me and you end up calling. And you took a lot longer than I thought you would getting home. Are you sure you made it to the helicopter alright?"

She can hear the underlying question. Did she make it off the island without running into Vic? She bites her lip hard, closing her eyes, trying to fight against the tears wanting to swallow her in her indecision.

To tell or not to tell? That is the question, isn't it?

"Everything's going to be okay, right, Owen?" she asks, voice quivering slightly. She prays he doesn't hear it. "Everything's going to be okay?"

"Yeah, of course it is," he says earnestly, consolingly, and she knows she failed. "Liv, did...did something happen? Did your dad do something...wrong?"

She pulls her feet up on the chair, drawing her legs close to her chest and burying her face in her knees. "I can't," she cries softly, voice muffled. "I can't."

"Shh, shh, it's okay. You don't have to say anything." His voice goes quiet and cold. "I think I already know."

Of course he does. He's been guessing it since the day they first met. Most likely, the only reason he hasn't done anything yet is because she refuses to confirm it.

And she won't. She can't. Because mutants are freaks and it won't amount to anything.

"Liv…You know you can tell me, right? Let me help you."

Tears streak down her face, hot and cold at the same time. "I-I don't think you can."

"Yes, I can. I will do whatever it takes to protect you. But I can't do anything unless you tell me the truth."

It would be so easy to do. Just a few words and it will be out in the open. Instead, she shakes her head adamantly. "I'm sorry, Owen."

Owen just stands there listening to the dial tone for a moment after Liv hangs up on him, anger bristling. Anger at Vic, for doing who knows what awful things to his daughter. At Liv, a little, admittedly, for not telling him what's going on. And at himself, for being so helpless even though he promised he would protect her, and for not making her feel like she can trust him. She doesn't trust him to take care of her and, really, who can blame her? He said he'd protect her and failed. He called ahead to make sure Vic wasn't in the Control Room or anywhere near the Innovation Center, but Vic still got to her. Something obviously happened, something bad, and it spooked her enough to call him, to almost give in and tell him, but she pulled back, in the end.

He yells, almost growls, in frustration, his arm moving to throw his phone, but he holds back, barely. He's in the entry cage to the raptor paddock. If he throws his phone here, he could very well lose it.

"What has you so upset, my friend?" Barry asks, coming in through the outer door carrying a bucket of dead rats. They were just about to feed the raptors their evening snack with a couple of training exercises. "Is it Liv?"

"Yes," Owen snaps, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "She called. Something happened to her after I dropped her off this morning but she won't tell me what." He runs a hand roughly through his hair, leaving it sticking up in places. "I swear Vic is hurting her, Barry, but she won't let me help. It's like she's afraid to."

Barry sets his bucket down and steps in front of Owen. Owen tries to shoulder past but Barry catches his arm, stop him abruptly. "Owen," he says forcefully, not saying more until Owen's burning eyes reluctantly look up at him. A part of him expects Barry to say I told you so but he doesn't. "I know you care deeply for the girl but there is nothing more that can be done, not unless she wishes it."

Owen deflates, knowing Barry is right, until all that is left is grief for Liv and desperation. "But she got hurt, because of me. Because I wanted to take care of her. I-I don't regret doing it. She needed help. I can do things differently; try harder not to upset Vic so she doesn't have to suffer the consequences. But what about next time? What if he decides to hurt her for another reason? How do I protect her then?"

"You can't," Barry says, blunt but honest. "The only way to really protect her is to get her to open up about what her father has done to her, and the only way to do that is through trust."

Owen snorts humorlessly. "And how do you suggest I do that? She's armored herself harder than an Ankylosaur and she's as stubborn as a Triceratops. Every time I think I gain her trust she bottles up again."

"The best way to gain trust is through time and action. Time, we have plenty of. Vic won't keep her from coming to the island. She is still his daughter and he wants her here, so there will be plenty more weekend visits. You simply need to work on action." He grips Owen's shoulder, looking him directly in the eye, quiet and intense. "Show her you are worthy of her trust. Take care of her. Spend time with her. Treat her as she deserves to be treated; as Vic has never treated her before but should. Just be her friend."

"I'm doing all of those things already and apparently that's not enough."

"Then draw her further into your life. Show her more of what she is missing from allowing herself to be shackled by Vic. Get her more involved here, with the raptors. Help her discover the life she could have if she allows herself to."

"But what if Vic gets suspicious? I've heard the water cooler talk. She's never gotten so involved with the park before, not with the dinosaurs or anything. She used to just be a little shadow the workers would keep an eye out for. They're starting to wonder, why now?" He knows why. He's shown her an attention and kindness she's never experienced before, and she's drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Right now she may be afraid of getting burned but she's still attracted to it. "Vic is starting to wonder, too. She needs a reason to be around that won't make him ask questions or have him hovering like he has been."

Barry hums thoughtfully, rubbing a hand over the top of his head, when something in the paddock catches his eye and he tenses, muscles coiled like a threatened rattlesnake.

Owen turns slowly to see all four raptors no more than three feet away from the cage gate.

He silently chastises himself, even as he frozenly stares at the pack. Never turn your back on the cage. That's rule number one, a rule he wrote himself, and he just broke it. Both he and Barry had been too engrossed in their conversation to notice the deadly raptors' approach. How long had they been there? Seconds? Minutes? Either way, they hadn't made a sound, prowling over the ground softer than the wind without even the slightest rustle of leaves. The perfect predators. If the cage gate was opened they would be dead right now. A part of him wonders, would being their alpha have kept them from attacking?

Except none of the raptors are looking at them as prey. They aren't hunched to the ground, ready to strike. They're jaws aren't opened, revealing teeth sharper than the hunting knife strapped to his back. Though their eyes are staring at them with an intense focus backed by an instinct and intelligence far greater than any other animal Owen has ever worked with, it doesn't feel like they're looking at potential meals. He knows how animals act when they're on the hunt and it isn't this.

What caused the raptors to come over? Is it because they heard their alpha? Did the raptors sense Owen's agitation?

Blue takes a step forward. Her nostrils flare, scenting the air. She then purposefully looks up at Liv's chair up on the catwalk, her gaze shifting form the chair to Owen and back again.

"They want to know where Liv is," Owen says in awed realization.

"But why?" Barry asks.

All of the raptors are looking up at Liv's chair now. If he had to guess, he'd say they look almost…worried. "They saw her on Friday. They could probably smell the sickness on her. I think…they want to know if she's okay."

"They're raptors, Owen. They don't care about anyone beyond their pack."

"She is pack, Barry, I've told you. They've accepted her."

"But she is human. They would sooner eat her."

"I'm human."

"Yes, but you are the alpha and you imprinted on them at birth. Though I'm still not convinced they won't decide to eat you if given the chance."

Owen glares at him resentfully. "Gee, thanks, buddy."

"I'm sorry, my friend, but you forget that they are simply animals."

"And you forget they're unlike any animals we've ever worked with. They're not simple, definitely not simple-minded. They're extremely intelligent and that doesn't just mean smart. They're capable of having respect and loyalty for others, even humans. We just have to earn it."

"Owen-"

He holds up a hand to stop him. "I know. I know. That doesn't mean I can just walk around in their paddock whenever I want, and I'm not stupid enough to try it. I'm just…," he sighs heavily, "I guess I'm just trying to say that they care. They really do care. I mean, look at them, Barry. They keep staring at her chair. What do you think that means?"

Barry's mouth presses into a thin line. "I don't know. They could be wondering where she is because they care, as you say. Or they could be wondering where their favorite potential meal is."

"Do you really believe that?"

Blue chitters quietly, still looking at Liv's spot. How can Barry deny what he's seeing? The raptors have never acted like this before. This isn't a ferocious animal looking for a meal. There's no sign of the hunt in their eyes. There's no aggression or hostility. There's almost a...gentleness to them.

"Come on, Barry," Owen says. "Look at them, seriously look at them. What do you see?"

Barry rubs a hand roughly down his face and then nods. "Okay. Okay. You're right." Owen smirks. "Maybe." He narrows his eyes at Owen. "I admit, this doesn't appear to be the behavior of a predator, but for what reason do they have to care for Liv?"

"I don't know. But there's only one way to find out. Like you said, we need to get Liv more involved here."

Author's Note

Soooo, yeah, Liv doesn't tell him yet. Even if she wasn't a mutant, all the fear that goes into confessing something like this is huge, but being a mutant in a world where mutants are mostly feared and hated just makes it all so much worse for her. But, like I said, things will get better. Promise.

Next chapter will be Tuesday. And Claire makes an appearance!

Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!