Oh look! An update! 8D They should start coming faster.

Raptor
Chapter 11: Thing

Owen quickly acquired them a park jeep. And in this instance, acquire meant stole. It was new and shiny. And didn't have a raptor head shaped dent in it. And it was parked in front of the science building. And someone had left it running. Okay, so he'd seen Dr. Wu drive up and get out and told the brothers to wait for him and he snatched it.

"Doesn't this belong to that guy?" Gray asked, looking to the building where the driver had disappeared.

Owen shook his head. "Park jeep. Belongs to everyone. He was done with it. He got out."

"But it was still on..." Gray started.

"Just get in Gray." Zach said. "Or we won't have time to do everything today." Gray's eyes widened and he quickly scrambled into the front seat. Zach rolled his eyes and climbed in behind him. He settled down into the back seat and focused on his phone again.

"Hold on." Owen said. He pulled out quickly and sped out of the lot. A few minutes later and they pulled up at the T-Rex exhibit. He ushered them out of the jeep and into one of the employee doors. He greeted the other employees as they went. He introduced the brothers to a few of them. But no one questioned them being there. Or Owen. No one really seemed to pay them any attention. And then he was pushing them out another employee door and out into the viewing area. There was already a crowd forming and Owen stalked up to the front, the kids in front of him. "Get right up close."

Gray glanced back. "Shouldn't we be back there..." The crowd was standing a good two feet back, some eyeing them oddly.

Owen shook his head. "I work here. You can press your face right up against the glass. It's fine." He turned and gazed out the window. "Aw come on. Where is she?" He let out a snort and shook his head. Then turned around. "You two wait right here. I'll be right back."

Zach frowned, looking up at him. "Where're you going?"

"To talk to Rexy." Owen answered. "See what's taking her so long."

Zach stared at him for a moment. Then shook his head and looked down at him phone.

Owen smiled and ducked back through the employee door. He jogged down the hall and slipped into the control room. He smiled, spotting someone he knew, sitting at a computer terminal. "Hey! Joe!" He waved and headed over.

The man turned around in his chair, frowning at him. "It's Reese."

Owen tilted his head. "Really?" He sighed and threw up his arms. "Man, I was way off."

Reese nodded and stood up. "Yes. But it's closer than what you called me last week."

Owen pursed his lips, thinking. Reese shook his head and turned around and then Owen remembered. Reese had been wearing his long hair in a ponytail. "Hey! Tracy can be a guy's name, too."

The man let out a sigh and turned back. "What do you want?"

Owen smiled. "Boss lady has me babysitting her nephews." He said, like that was an explantion.

Reese just stared at him.

"And they wanna see Rexy." Owen continued.

"So does the room full of people." Reese said. He turned back to the monitors. "We're working on it. She's being stubborn." He stepped closer, checking her tracker. "I think it's too soon after lunch time. She's not hungry."

Owen stepped up beside him, watching the screens. "Give me the mic."

Reese glanced up at him and shook his head. "Owen, the last time..."

Owen snorted, interrupting him. "It was barely a crack!"

Reese shook his head. He let out a sigh and threw up his arms. "Whatever. Everyone let's you get away with everything anyways." He turned and started towards the door. "You might as well. Just wait until I'm out of the room."

Owen smiled broadly and waited for the man to leave. And then promptly turned to the terminal, switched on the intercoms, and picked up the microphone. "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, adults and tiny people, special guests and cute... uh... babies!"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Zach was leaning against the display window, again paying more attention to his phone than what they were there to actually see. Although what they were there to see, wasn't around anyway. And even if she was, who cared? No one wanted them there, why should he care that he was there? But Gray was bouncing beside him, fogging up the glass as he pressed in close. Both brothers stopped and glanced up at the ceiling as the voice came over the speakers.

Gray glanced back at him. "Is that Owen?"

Zach nodded his head slowly. "Yeah." He shoved his phone in his pocket and pushed away from the glass.

"What's he doing?" Gray asked.

Zach shrugged and shook his head. "No clue."

"Gray!" Owen said over the speaker. "What do you call a dinosaur that can't take a joke?"

"Oh god." Zach shook his head.

"Tyranno-serious Rex." Owen answered.

Gray laughed and looked up at Zach. "That's funny."

Zach shook his head. "No it's not."

"Zach didn't laugh, did he?" Owen asked over the speakers.

"No!" Gray laughed.

"He can't hear you!" Zach snapped.

"Now..." Owen continued. "You've all come to see Rexy. But I think she's being a little shy. Or maybe she's gone a little deaf in her old age. Rexy. REXY!"

Zach glanced around the room, looking for an escape route. And suddenly Gray was pressed even closer to the window. He let out a gasp. "Owen!"

Zach frowned. "What?" He pressed in beside his brother.

"Owen!" Gray pointed. "He's out there!"

Zach watched as Owen was suddenly on the wrong side of the glass. Zach's eyes widened. This guy was crazy! Owen lifted his arm and waved. Gray waved back. And all the other people in the viewing room were crowding in around them, pressing against the glass to better see the lunatic in the dinosaur pen. They all pulled out their phones and started flashing.

"Who wants to see Rexy?" Owen asked.

Everyone raised their hands. Zach looked around at them. All smiles and laughter. They all thought it was part of the act. Zach looked back down at Owen and swallowed. He didn't think it was part of the act. He was certain this guy was crazy. Hot, clearly, but crazy.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Owen turned around in time to see the trees sway and part as the massive head poked through. Owen smirked to himself. He knew if she heard his voice, she'd come looking. He lifted the microphone to his mouth. "See, boys and girls." He said loudly. "She can hear me. She can smell me. But she can't see me. Not if I hold perfectly still."

Rexy tilted her head to the side. She tilted her head to the other side. Then she flared her nostrils and took a deep breath in through her nose.

"See?" Owen said smugly. "She can smell me. But she can't find me. Unless..." He paused for dramatic effect. "I do this." He jumped up and started waving wildly. "Hey Rexy! Hey!"

She turned her head again and blinked. Then her eyes narrowed and she lowered her head. She opened her massive mouth and let out a roar that shook the trees around her.

Owen bared his teeth and felt the growl at the back of his throat. He lifted the microphone to his lips again as Rexy set off at a run towards him. "Annnnnd that's my queue." He turned and dashed back to the door he'd left open. He slipped inside and threw it shut. He heard and felt Rexy slide to a stop and let out a frustrated whine.

"Poor Rexy." Owen said into the microphone. "Maybe you'll get me next..."

"Owen!"

Owen turned as Tracy-or-whoever came striding towards him. The man's arms were crossed and his eyes were narrowed into a glare. "Tracy! I uh... thought you left."

"It's Reese!" He snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you not to go into the pen and tease her?"

"Oh come on!" Owen said, still speaking into the microphone. "It's fun! She's never gonna catch me."

"That is not the point..." Reese started.

Owen turned away from him and looked back at the monitors. Rexy was still there, tilting her head like she was still trying to find him. "Hey Gray! She's looking your way. Everyone wave."

Reese stepped towards him and grabbed his shoulder. "Turn off the microphone."

"No." Owen turned and jumped away.

"Owen, give it to me!"

"No!"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Zach rolled his eyes as Gray laughed and smiled and started waving both arms wildly. "This is the guy aunt Claire stuck us with." He mumbled. Everyone around them was laughing, obviously still thinking this was part of the act. And maybe it was. Zach was seriously considering grabbing Gray and sneaking off when Owen came strutting back in through the door.

Everyone turned and started clapping and the man actually bowed. Then practically skipped to the window and smiled down at Gray. He joined Gray in the waving, trying to get Rexy's attention again. And it worked. The dinosaur stepped closer to the window. Then bent down, her eye level with them. She blinked and her pupil dilated and darted back and forth. Then she opened her mouth and let out another ear piercing roar. Everyone covered their ears and Owen laughed again.

Then he turned back to the crowd and held his hands up to get their attention. "We here are all trained professionals. Do NOT try that at home." Then he spun back around to Gray. "What do you get when two dinosaurs crash?"

Gray was smiling just as wide and goofily as the crazy dinosaur guy. "What?"

"T-wrecks."

They hung out for a bit longer, Gray talking a mile a minute with Owen about the T-Rex. Zach sort of tuned them out. He pulled out his phone and tried to causally hold it up, like he was looking at something. Instead, he was watching Owen. The man talking with his whole body. Lifting his hands and moving them to punctuate words. His shoulders flexed with each movement and his back and... Zach quickly looked at his phone for real and tried to casually turn away. He really shouldn't be paying so much attention to the clearly crazy guy.

Owen threw his arm around Gray and spun him around, lifting his eyes to Zach. "Okay. What next?"

They wandered around for a bit. Checked a few smaller attractions while they waited for the next mososaurus show to start. Nearly an hour after they left the T-Rex pen, they were sitting in the front row. Owen was sitting on the other side of Gray and the two were laughing. Zach watched the man with his younger brother. Owen laughed with him, talking to him like he wasn't an annoying little brat, and he looked like he was actually enjoying himself.

"Moe is really laid back." Owen was saying with a wide smile. "She just swims around. All day. When she was younger, they tried to reach her some tricks, like the killer whales at Sea World, ya know? Flips and jumps and waving at the crowd. But then she got really big, really fast. Like really, really big and really, really fast. And suddenly, no one wanted to get too close. Like getting in a tank with a monster fish is crazy or something."

Zach shook his head and rolled his eyes. "No crazier than getting in a pen with a monster lizard." He mumbled under his breath.

Owen looked over at him and his face lit up. "Exactly!" He said with a smile. They locked eyes and Zach felt something in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed, feeling suddenly nervous, and Owen's eyes shifted lower, catching it. And then Gray said something and Owen's gaze shifted to the kid and he laughed.

And then the show started. And Zach had to admit, it was pretty entertaining to watch the monster fish rise out of the water and completely engulf the great white shark. And it was amazing when the seats dropped and they got to watch her swim. Okay. Yeah. This was pretty cool. And he was looking forward to seeing the raptors up close. Well... not too close.

When they finished there, it was well past lunch time. But Gray was too excited and still too set on seeing everything the first day. So they opted to swinging by one of the food vendors for a quick bite. Claire called shortly after. They were on the monorail. Owen was stretched out, his feet propped up on the seat across from him. Gray was beside him, sitting at the window seat. He was pressed up against the glass, gasping at practically everything he saw. Zach was sitting beside Owen's feet. He was leaning back, his headphone on. Owen had dozed off and Zach watched him for a moment. Then he crossed his arms and slouched down in his seat.

"Zach! Zach! Look! They're flocking! The Gallimimus!"

Zach pretended like he couldn't hear. The volume wasn't high. Owen had been awake and talking to Gray when Zach first put them on. And he hadn't turned it up when the man feel asleep. Then the music cut out as his ringtone chimed through his ears. He pulled out his phone. It was aunt Claire and for a moment, he just stared at it. He was actually surprised. He hit the answer button and leaned back again. "Hey." Gray turned towards him and Zach pointed to his headphones. "Aunt Claire." He said her name both in greeting and telling Gray who it was.

"Where are you guys?" She asked.

"Monorail." He answered.

"Overtop the Gryo field." Gray added.

Zach shook his head. "She doesn't care where."

"Tell her it looks so cool from up here!" Gray said, pressing his face back to the glass.

"I heard him." Claire said over the line and Zach rolled his eyes. She continued, "You two having fun?"

"Blast." Zach answered dryly.

"Is Gray?"

"Yep."

"Good." She said. "Owen behaving himself?"

Zach glanced over at the sleeping man. "He's sleeping."

There was a pause. "Sleeping." She repeated and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, no. It's fine." Zach said quickly. "He fell asleep on the monorail. He's pretty much been matching Gray in energy since we got here."

Claire let out a laugh. "I told you. You're more mature."

Zach smiled for a moment. Then he leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "Did you need something? Or just checking up on us?"

"Both." She answered. "Dinner tonight at 7?"

"That's kinda late for Gray."

"Of course!" She said quickly. "Yes, well... what's a good time? 5? 6?"

They settled on a time and place. Zach had no clue where it was, but figured Owen would. "You think she'll show?" Gray asked softly. Zach shrugged as he turned his music back on and leaned back in his seat. He honestly had no clue if she would. And he wasn't sure he really cared. They woke Owen up when they'd ridden the monorail around the whole park twice. The second time, Gray had sat on the other side, to see the other half of the park.

"Shit." Owen rubbed at his eyes as he stood up. "Sorry." He yawned and stretched. "Guess I was more tired than I thought." They stepped off the monorail and headed back to the main plaza.

Gray was back to bouncing and spun around towards Owen. "Can we see your raptors now?" He asked excitedly.

"Can't." Zach cut in before the man could answer. "We have to meet aunt Claire for dinner soon. Can't be late."

Owen glanced over. "We do?" He asked softly.

Zach nodded. "She called while you were sleeping."

Owen paused for a moment. "Did she say I had to go?"

Zach smiled and nodded his head. She hadn't, of course. But Owen didn't need to know that. Zach kind of wanted to spend more time with the man.

"Fuck..." Owen breathed out and his eyes widened. "I mean shit... uh damn..." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever."

"Don't wanna go?" Gray asked.

Owen shrugged. "I feel like I'm in trouble."

"So we can't see the raptors?" Gray asked softly.

Owen shook his head. "Not today. They're pretty moody today. But how about tomorrow?"

Gray smiled. "Tomorrow?"

"We're stuck with you tomorrow?" Zach asked, glancing up from his phone.

Owen looked at Zach and smiled. "Yep. Can't see the whole park in one day anyways. Still so much we missed."

"So we can see the rest tomorrow?" Gray asked.

Owen blinked and nodded his head slowly. "Maybe. Might take a couple days. It's a big park. But we can hang with my girls tomorrow. Can show you guys a few tricks. Pretty cool."

Gray was in heaven again. And started talking a mile a minute again. Zach hung back a bit. They were in no real hurry now. Owen promised Gray they'd see everything. The kid was placated but still bounced everywhere, full of excitement. They checked out some of the smaller attractions. The petting zoo and kid rides. Gray could still ride one of them. Zach and Owen waited at the fence as Gray laughed atop the adolescent dinosaur.

Owen stepped closer to Zach unconsciously. His nostrils flared for a moment and he closed his eyes. His shoulder bumped into the kid's and he breathed out. Then he stepped away just as quickly and shook himself. "Uh... kid has a lot of energy." He said awkwardly.

Zach let out a sharp laugh as he nodded his head. "You have no idea." He mumbled.

"Not having fun?" Owen asked softly.

Zach shrugged. "It's alright." He said absently.

"Didn't want to come?"

Zach shrugged again as he pulled out his phone. He checked the time and then waved at Gray. "Hey, we gotta go." Gray nodded and hurried out of the exhibit. He was just as excited to see aunt Claire.

They hurried back to the jeep and headed to the restaurant. They pulled up in front of it and Owen put the jeep in park for a moment. Then he breathed out and tilted his head. "Okay... so... have fun with your uh... aunt." He said awkwardly.

Gray turned in the front seat towards him. "You're not coming with us?" A slight whine to his voice.

Owen shook his head. "Can't. Have something uh... important I have to do tonight. But I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I'll pick you up, like I said. 9? That enough time for you to get ready and eat breakfast?"

Zach nodded as he got out of the jeep. "Whatever." He slammed the door and headed straight inside. He didn't wait for Gray. He hurried through the doors and got a table. Gray joined him a few minutes later and they didn't wait. They ordered and Claire still hadn't shown up when the food arrived. When they were almost done and Gray was asking about dessert, Zach called her. She was stuck in a meeting and had forgotten. She apologize and promised she'd make it up to them tomorrow. Zach hung up. Honestly, he wasn't surprised.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Owen stopped by the paddock. He said a quick hi and bye to the girls. They'd been fed and taken care of. And Barry even managed to roll the TV inside for Echo to watch. He put it right in the doorway, pushed it a foot inside, and ran. The door shut and brushed against the stand. But it was progress. Barry had technically been in the raptor paddock. For a second. Owen thanked him and then left again.

He was distracted. He knew he was distracted. But something was on his mind. Someone was on his mind. Someone who really shouldn't have been on his mind.

He'd stood at that fence and something came over him again. It was the same scent, the same sense from that morning at the docks. But it wasn't just an over whelming sense of desire and want. This was something more, something much deeper. This was the quiet, comforting calm of someone he'd known for years, someone that knew him better than himself. A closeness that came with years of time spent in each other's company. Owen had never known that, not to the extent he was feeling, standing there, next to Zach.

Zach, Claire's nephew, who was most likely half his age. Zach. He'd crowded into the kid's space and pressed up against Zach's side. He hadn't seemed to mind, hadn't moved or said anything. And that note was doing things to Owen's mind. Because he wanted Zach. More than anything he'd ever wanted in his life. Want, desire, need, crave. He craved the kid. Kid! He wanted to grab him, right there, in front of everyone, and mark him. Lick a line up his neck and then bit his perfect skin. The instinct was primal. And scary. And Owen had practically jumped away from the kid. And he had to physically force himself to do that. Because standing that close felt right and felt like home.

And Owen had promptly fled. And if he hadn't of already made plans, promised the brothers, and practically begged Claire in the first place... well... hiding just wasn't an opinion. Just the thought was making his skin crawl. So Owen fled home, promising the girls he'd see them early in the morning before he had to meet with Firelady's VIP's again.

Then he shifted and disappeared into the jungle.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Author's Notes: Chapter 12 is actually done. (It was one of the first ones I wrote, actually.) But since I wrote it so long ago (a year, I SUCK!), I'm gonna wait and re-edit it and make sure it all still makes sense. 8D