Claire breathed next to Owen, her rhythm a relaxing mantra as they watched the sun set. Side by side on the floor of the developing cabin, a blanket covered their legs and a beer bottle lingered in each of their hands. The air was cool and crickets chirped to welcome the night. The deepening of the colors had a more final feel then the previous nights. The cabin had become their spot to talk, among other things, when Maisie was in bed. It was slowly taking shape… along with everything else. He hated the thought of leaving it again, when they were finally making some headway. Iris had struck a deal to leave Maisie with them while she settled Mr. Lockwood's affairs… and kept her eye out for anyone that might inquire after Maisie.
Even afterwards, it'll still be her decision, if she wants to stay or go. Owen told himself, back to a stud and an arm over Claire's shoulders. He hadn't wavered in believing Maisie needed to make her own choices. Mostly for the kid's sake; she needed to realize that her choices were hers, no one else's. Maybe it felt so important to him because, in a way, it would be more important for Maisie to grasp that then anyone else. He might have said something about it, had Claire not shifted, falling out of her rhythm. He turned his head to eye her. "You okay?"
"Shhh," she hesitated, gaze lingering over the lake. "I don't wanna ruin this."
Owen considered her request, but smirked because he knew better. "We both know your brain will explode if you don't speak your mind."
Claire hit him lightly, waited another minute, then sighed. "An airstrike's not going to end this, Owen. A handful of people walked out of that auction with a dinosaur in their trunk."
Owen didn't have a rebuttal for that, massaging her shoulder. "It's a start."
"What if there's no way to find out who those people were?" Claire asked with a nervous sip of her beer. "No way to discover what they wanted them for?"
"Mills wasn't stupid." Owen hated to admit. "He knew who was coming and would've kept records as insurance. It'll just be a matter of finding them."
More crickets and breeze went by before Claire sat up from Owen to face him. "We need to be a part of this. We need to make sure that it finishes."
Owen saw that, much as he didn't want to. The reality that they couldn't hide up here forever had been creeping on his thoughts as he'd watched Claire's restlessness grow. They were still on the mend, but their wounds would become scars and he'd have full mobility of his side again. They were both people of action, he being the bull that charged in first and Claire being the bull that went nuts if she didn't have something to charge at!
"What's more important though?" Owen found himself saying to Claire. "Our involvement out there, or here with Maisie?"
Claire took on a glare that he felt even in the dark. "Don't go using her as an excuse."
"I'm not." Owen stopped her. "She's a concern for us, someone that we care about… we're going to raise her, aren't we?"
"What example do we set for her by ignoring our responsibilities?" Claire's eyes were afire now and Owen strapped in mentally. "We won't be ignoring our responsibility to her; to keeping her safe."
Claire stared at him, knowing and sharing the same thought. Would Maisie ever be safe? Iris had added little to what they knew about her. A terrifying query was, who knew more then them? Someone did and if Owen read human nature correctly- much more complex then raptor behavior no matter how one sliced it- Lockwood's death would draw them out of the woodwork. The implications of that were unknown and as much as Owen could roll with the punches, he didn't like all the blank spaces on this one.
"Maisie understands what her existence means." Claire looked to the trailer. "I don't think we should patronize that."
Owen swallowed his beer with a chuckle. "Now who's making excuses."
"Excuse me?" Claire did a double take. "Owen, we're trying to figure out what our next step should be-"
"Stop." Owen groaned at the first stars appearing for the night. Claire's tone turned puzzled- and annoyed. "Stop what?"
"Stop… trying to outrun who you are." Owen said, taking her hand. "Who you were… at the park."
She looked taken aback, like he shouldn't have been able to read her. Good luck, Mrs. Grady.
"Owen," Claire shook the blanket off, hastily getting up. She backed a few feet into the cabin, then back beside him. "It's not just the park. Even before that I was-"
"Young?" Owen threw out, getting that cute furrowed brow from her. "Ambitious, unstoppable," he rose up beside her. "Blind and stupid. Because I was too. We all are, until something comes along that teaches us to be better."
Claire looked him over, her belief still in suspension. Owen pulled her in so that he had her eye to eye. "You gotta hold yourself higher then that. I do, and so does Maisie."
A ginger brow raised. "You think you know me pretty well."
"I know what I know." Owen shrugged in zealous confidence. "That's why I'm so in love."
"Ugh," Claire brushed his hand off. "That is such a guy response."
Owen had to chuckle. "You make it too easy."
"You call five years easy?" Claire snorted, fussing with the blanket so they could sit back down.
"I doubt for you; you were sooo into me." Owen teased. Claire kicked out at him. "Shut up."
"Probably dreaming of me every night-"
"Owen." Claire huffed. Owen raised his eyebrows with a cocky swig of his beer. His eyes traveled over his wife's body, ending on her bare feet. He almost laughed, never having pictured her as one to go barefoot. But here she was, proving him wrong. She was here, she was his WIFE… and they were going to raise a kid together. Owen put his back to the stud at the thought of Maisie. "Are we-"
"Really going to do this?" Claire picked up on his thoughts. Owen grinned at her. "Only if I get to be the fun parent."
Claire dropped the blanket, coming to stand in front of him. "More like the obnoxious one."
"Ouch." Owen faked a moan. "You never do shy from insulting me."
Claire stepped closer, returning his elevator eyes. "Well… maybe I can stop insulting and you can stop annoying. Sound fair?"
Her lips were very close now, eyebrows kneaded knowingly. Owen's heart raced as he kissed her. Celebrating the thrill it gave him, Owen nestled her neck with his hand while Claire's arms worked up his back. His side resounded in pain, but he ordered it silent.
"Claire?"
Maisie's voice split their concentration, making Claire jump and ram the back of Owen's head into the stud. He grunted, looking over to where Maisie was standing in her gray and blue horse pajamas. He focused on that rather then swearing. "Maisie… what're you-"
Maisie stopped coming forward, eyes half open. "I had a dream… sorry to-"
"No, it's fine." Claire walked over to hoist her up onto the frame.
Speak for yourself. Owen rubbed his head, the throb matching his side. Great.
"Another nightmare?" Owen guessed as Maisie tucked herself under Claire's arm. She nodded. Owen nodded back. "Those'll go away. Just takes time."
"Have you had them?" Maisie looked between him and Claire. Claire shrugged. "A few."
"Yeah, a few." Owen echoed. He gestured to the half-built cabin. "We come out here to… get away from them."
Maisie giggled, rubbing at the sleep in her eyes. "No you don't."
Claire glared at him, like Maisie's knowing was his fault! She was obviously wise, so they didn't have to sugarcoat it. Wait, should that make him relieved or anxious?
"If you two need your privacy-" Maisie stepped back, but Claire held on. "No, no Maisie, really. If you need us, we're here…" she looked over her shoulder. "Right, Owen?"
Owen blew his breath out, conflicted. "Yeah, sure."
That seemed to comfort Maisie as Claire helped her sit down and get situated in the blanket. Owen sat too, withholding the frustration of being interrupted. The crickets and stillness of the lake came back into focus and after a minute, Maisie stretched out, placing her head in Owen's lap. "I don't think I thanked either of you for today."
Owen looked over at Claire. "For what?"
"For letting me belong with you." Maisie explained in soft embarrassment. She looked up, gave a contented smile. Owen had to smile back, letting the frustration go. "Anything for you, kid."
He caught Claire watching him, face and eyes tender with the scene. He shrugged helplessly. Claire held in a laugh, leaned over, and pecked his cheek.
"We won't go before the roof's done?" Maisie made sure, her voice softer then before.
Claire looked up at the frame, pulling the blanket up Maisie's shoulder. "Absolutely."
Maisie nodded, her eyes already closed. "Good. I'll be glad to finish it."
Owen rolled his eyes at her choice of words. "Why is she taking after you?"
Claire tucked her hair behind her ears, watching Maisie drift off. "She'll take after both of us."
Her head came to rest on Owen's shoulder. He stilled, letting her rhythm relax him once more. He slipped an arm over Maisie, so his hand held Claire's. Dinosaurs, airstrikes, safe havens… he'd go through it all, long as he had this to hold onto.
}{}{}{}{
THE END
This story has been a thrill to write and I'm happy that y'all have enjoyed it! I'm going on hiatus, but I will aim for a new Jurassic fic... say, around the time that Fallen Kingdom comes out on DVD? That'll give me enough time to recharge my creative batteries, cook up a killer plot line, and take care of life stuff. Hold on until then and I PROMISE Blue will be in the next one! I have a great arc reserved for her.
Thank you again for y'alls constant support; it keeps a writer going! I hope that y'all are doing well and whatever you can to make your own stories more unique and beautiful then they already are.
