DISCLAIMERS

1. I DO NOT OWN JURASSIC PARK/WORLD. This is just for fun.

2. This is a femslash story. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like this.

PART 21

No.

No no no no.

The word repeated in Lex's head.

This could not be happening.

But as she stared at Claire's shocked face... she knew it was.

No nightmare could hurt this bad.

Claire reached out for her. "Lex, listen to me, I... " Lex instinctively backed away, which clearly shocked the redhead. "Lex? H... honey, I don't understand... "

Lex took a deep gulp, trying to control her emotions - but it was a fruitless attempt. She was already going into panic mode. Her body was shaking, her eyes watering, her breathing quickening. Her worst nightmare was coming true... no, this was worse. This was something she never even considered. "You... you work... at... at... Jurassic... ?" Lex could not finish. She felt physically sick.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," said Claire. "I... I wanted it to be a surprise. I know you don't like theme parks - that's why I didn't say anything. But... I don't understand." Her confusion was crystal clear on her face. "Did you have a bad experience at Jurassic World? Is that the problem? I don't... " She shook her head in incoherence. "I don't get it. Nothing's gone wrong in ten years."

Lex was barely listening. She was instead trying to get a grip on her fears. The fears that had been in the background for 22 years, but right at this second... had perhaps never been stronger. "Oh, God... " she whined. "This... this can't be happening... "

"My darling, please talk to me," soothed the redhead as she approached Lex. The blonde however, suddenly - almost violently - swatted her away. "Lex, please! Tell me what's wrong!"

Lex darted her head up, tears now streaming, her eyes like saucers. "J... John... John Hammond... "

Claire looked at her, still shocked. "You... knew John H... ?"

"He was my GRANDFATHER!" Lex screamed.

Claire gasped. "W... what? WHAT? Are... are you serious?"

"Of course I'm FUCKING SERIOUS!" Lex threw Claire's phone at her - Claire barely catching it - then turned and dashed back into the lounge. The redhead was right behind her.

"How... how could you not tell me?" asked Claire. "Lex, he was the founder of my... "

"Really?" Lex interrupted. "You're REALLY asking me that?! Why the fuck would I think he'd matter to you?! Why would I EVER think the woman I'd fallen for would be involved in his life's work?!"

"You knew I worked at a... !"

"That place isn't a theme park!" shrieked the blonde. "It's a deathtrap! It's hell on Earth! I barely survived it! Me and my brother were nearly... !" She stopped again, unable to control the sobbing. This was the worst moment of her life.

Claire tried to close the gap between them again. "My darling, please... let me... I can't bear to see... " She then froze, putting her hands to her mouth with a gasp. "Oh God. The... the '93 incident... that's what this is! You were there!"

Lex's face was buried in her hands, muffling her crying. Her emotions were in turmoil. But the same thing kept going through her mind: please, please let this not be happening... otherwise it would destroy her. "Lex... " came Claire's voice. "Lex... dammit, talk to me!"

Slowly, Lex freed her face, though she kept her back to the redhead. "Grampa... he... he invited me and Timmy to his new park. He... oh... oh God... " The tears nearly overwhelmed her. "The... the Rex... the Raptors... oh God... "

"Honey, I'm so sorry," said Claire. "You should've told m... "

"Shut up!" yelped Lex, spinning 'round to see a slackjawed redhead. "I should've told you?! How could you do this to me?! You said you CARED FOR ME!"

"I DO!" Claire's voice was raising to match the blonde's. "Why the hell would I ask you to come back with me if I didn't?! I want us to be together! I... I can't lose you, Lex. You're the best thing that's... "

"Stop it, just stop it!" Lex could not listen to anymore. She did not want to listen to anything. She just wanted to crawl away and die. "Leave - get out!"

"What?!"

"Get out! I never what to see you again!"

"Lex... you... c... can't mean that... " Claire was close to tears.

"Get the fuck out of my house and never come back!" Lex had officially entered the red haze state.

"N... no!" Claire yelled. "You think I'm leaving you? Especially like this?! Dammit, I've done nothing wrong! I mean... how the fuck was I to know you were John Hammond's granddaughter?! And you never asked about my job anyway! I... I'm not a mindreader, Lex! I... "

Once again Lex was not fully listening - not when a particular thought entered her mind. "Oh God. Oh God... no."

"What now?" snapped Claire. She had clearly lost control herself.

"His visit... " whispered Lex. "You being here... it was all a plan."

"Excuse me?"

Lex was now all-but hyperventilating. "Masrani... told you to... seduce me."

Claire blinked in shock. "I... I beg your pardon?!" She then appeared in thought. "Wait... he... he was visiting you? Oh... oh my God... "

"He wanted me to come back to the island," Lex said, her chest threatening to burst. "But I never thought... he'd... oh God. He actually sent you to... "

"No... " said Claire. "No. No no no. Don't... don't you even say it." She was obviously too angry to realise Lex already said it. Claire's face became one of fury. "You... you actually think... ? You... DARE... !"

Lex had heard enough. "Get out!"

"Like hell I will! How could you even think that?!" Tears were now streaming down Claire face also. "How COULD you?! For heaven's sake... I've never felt like this about anyone! Dammit... if you even knew what I thought about asking y... "

Suddenly, Lex slapped Claire hard across the face. "GET OUT!"

That silenced the redhead. She stared wide at Lex, her hand covering her already-reddening cheek.

Then, almost in slow motion, Claire turned and walked emptily to the front door... and left, closing it behind her.

Unable to take anymore, Lex fell to her knees, succumbing to the pain of her surely-broken heart...

TO BE CONTINUED