Dreaming Of The Past
Six days had passed since Daren had introduced Kevin and Sam to their partners. He had them training since that day none stop, and the intensity seemed to be unlocking some of their abilities too. He wasn't surprised that neither Sam nor Jessica had any prior self defense training, but he was pleased at how fast the picked up on learning it. With the aide of Cipher, Daren was able to teach everyone how to rangle, fight, and dodge dinosaurs. Though fighting them was pointless most of the time it was still good to teach. Dodging was much more useful.
Jonah had been keeping Daren posted on Larry's progress on unearthing the lastest Guardian by watching his men with their satellite. Kevin had suggested just rushing in and storming the place, then picking up where Larry left. Daren told him it was too high risk since the only two other people on the island who were experienced enough with their dinosaurs were already on another assignment. That's when Jonah suggested letting Larry's team finish digging out the Guardian, and then go in and storm the place. The trio agreed to go with Jonah's plan.
On the seventh day of training Daren decided to let the dinosaurs take a rest since he knew they would be uncooperative if they became too irratated. Instead, he would just train the girls in defensive fighting. Jonah had volunteered to keep the dinosaurs busy while everyone else worked. He said he had some new training toy he wanted to try out.
"So like this?" Sam questioned as she flipped Daren onto his back into the dust of the training grounds. A audible crack echoed across the dusty earth. Kevin and Jessica stopped talking and looked over to Sam and Daren. Jonah stopped tinkering with the training toy he was working on, which looked like a flying saucer the size of a human, and looked over to Daren on the ground. It even grabbed the attetion of the tussling Velociraptor and Deinonychus, and Cipher, who was just laying down resting. "Oh my god! Did I break something?"
"No. I'm fine." Daren stood up and cracked his back into place again. "For a paleontologist who spent most of her time in a museum, you sure are strong."
"For a 27 year old guy, you seem pretty out of shape." Kevin laughed. Jessica was walking up behind him. They seemed almost inseperable at times.
"You're 27?" Jessica asked astonished.
"You look like you're still in your early twenties." Sam complimented.
"Well that's what happens when your excercises involve running from dinosaurs. Right Daren!" Kevin laughed and slapped his friend on the back. Another audible crack was heard. "Sorry." Kevin apologized quickly removing his hand.
"I'll live." Daren cracked his back once more. "And let's not bring up Sarah's training, shall we." Daren chuckled.
"Will do." Kevin agreed about to pat Daren on the back again, but stopped short when he realized what he was about to do.
"Jessica it's your turn." Daren said. "Sam, take a break." The girls switched positions. Sam and Kevin stood off to the side. "Are you ready?" Jessica nodded. "Okay, when I come at you I want you to grab my arm like this. Then twist and spin, and throw me with all the force you've got. Got it?" Jessica nodded again. "Here I come!" Daren ran at her. Jessica flinched at first but righted herslef immediately. When Daren was in position Jessica did as instructed. She grabbed his arm, twisted, spun, and threw with all her might. Surprisingly it took little effort, though. Daren went flying into the ground again. Fortunately for him, there was no audible crack. "Good job." Daren said in a high pitched voice as he lay on his back in the dirt.
"That was fun! Can we do it again?" Jessica bounced up and down clapping.
"I would normally say yes, but my back would never forgive me." Daren stretched as he stood. "Unless Kevin wants to do it?"
"No way, man. I like my spine aligned and in place." Kevin laughed.
"Okay, well the next thing is-" Daren started.
"HEADS UP!" Jonah yelled out. The last thing Daren remembered before everything turned black was someone grabbing his hand to prevent him from hitting the ground so hard.
Sarah grabbed Daren's hand and pulled him off the boat and into the lake water, clothes and all.
"Sarah!" Daren yelled as he splashed down past her. When he resurfaced he found her giggling with delight. "That's not funny." Daren growled.
"What's the matter, buddy? Afraid to get a little wet?" Sarah splashed him.
"Hey, cut it out." Daren splashed back. Soon enough they both were laughing and immersed in a splash fight.
"Hey, kids." Someone called from the back of the boat causing Sarah and Daren to cease their splashing.
"We're not kids dad." Sarah whined. "I'm 19, and Daren's 17. We're young adults."
"Well, you young adults can get back on the boat now. Your mom's about to drive us to our favorite island on the lake." Sarah's dad smiled. Sarah and Daren eagerly climbed back onto the boat using the ladder on the rear. Daren recieved a funny look from Sarah's dad and didn't realize why until he felt the cold, water soaked shorts and t-shirt on his body. "I see Sarah convinced you to changed your mind about that swim, huh Daren?"
"Yeah, something like that." Daren chuckled and gazed over at his best friend. She was lying on her back in a lawn chair. She hadn't bothered to wrap herself in a towel, which left Daren with a wonderful view of her shapely body which her bikini emphasized upon perfectly.
"Enjoying the view?" Sarah winked at Daren as if reading his mind.
"I was just...uhhh." Daren's face was red.
"Stop teasing the boy, Sarah." Sarah's dad gave a hardy laugh and gave Daren a friendly slap on the back. It nearly knocked Daren over though. "He's barely past puberty." The older man laughed and climbed to the top of the boat, leaving the two teens alone.
"Buddy?" Sarah used Daren's nickname to get his attention. She had affectionately called him 'Buddy' since their childhood.
"Huh?" Daren answered, slightly dumbly.
"When we get to the island I want to show you something. But not around my parents, okay?" Sarah looked at Daren for confirmation he would go along with her.
"Sure." Daren nodded.
Sarah smiled. "Awesome. Now come over here and sit next to me. I can't make you feel awkward standing all the way over there. You know it's my favorite 'pass time'."
Daren chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He moved to sit down in the lawn chair next to Sarah. As soon as he laid back comfortably in the chair Sarah jumed into his lap and sat sideways, swinging her legs off the edge of the chair. "OW!" Daren exclaimed. "You could've damaged some sensitive equipment down there!"
"I seriously doubt that, but if you're so concerned we can test and see later on." Sarah winked and giggled, and sure enough, Daren felt awkward once more. "Hey, Daren..." Sarah said. "Wake up."
"What?"
"I said wake, Daren. Wake up." Sarah repeated.
"Daren, wake up." Sam voice rang loud and clear. "Daren, wake up."
"I'm up, I'm up." Daren said still in a daze.
"Damn...you look like shit, dude." Kevin proclaimed examining Daren's eyes with a flash light. Daren's eyes were blood shot red, and his hair a total mess, and his skin pale.
"No. I'm fine." Daren waved him and Sam away as he sat up on the bed. He had a throbbing headache. He could remember bits and pieces of the past week, but that was it.
"Well he was out for a week." Sam pointed out.
"Where the hell are we?" Daren looked around the room. It definitely wasn't his, because his room didn't have white and red walls. It was large enough to fit a couple of superpredators inside, as were all the important rooms on the isalnd. Upon further inspection he noticed Jessica wasn't around. "And where's Jessica?"
"We're in the hospital wing. And Jessy?..." Kevin thought for a second. "Oh yeah, she went to go meet her partner. She'll be back soon enough, but at the moment you need to concern yourself with rest. Doctor's orders." Kevin stated sternly. Daren just growled under his breath.
"What the hell happened?" Daren asked.
"While training Samantha and Jessy in defensive fighting you were hit in the head a metal frisby Jonah was experimenting with." Kevin explained.
"Metal frisby?" Daren gave Kevin a questioningly look. "You mean that flying saucer thing Jonah was messing with?"
"It was designed for the dinosaurs to play with." Kevin shrugged. "Ironically, Cipher was the one who tossed the frisby when it hit you."
"AARRRGH!" Daren fell back onto the bed with a frustrated grunt.
"Look on the bright side," Sam began. "We learned a lot in the week you were conscious to teach us stuff." It was true. Kevin, Sam, and Jessica had learned a lot since Daren had first introduced them to their partners. From what Daren remembered, they were able to communicate pretty well with their dinosaurs. They also had started to tap into some of the abilities too before Daren was apparently blindsided by a metal dino frisby. If he remembered correctly, Sam could manipulate fire a bit, and Kevin had some control over wind. Jessica had yet to gain an ability due to her lack of partner, but if she was going to met hers today then all that would soon change.
"And the week you were out cold, Jonah picked up where you left off." Kevin said.
"Yeah! Now look what we can do!" Sam said enthusiastically. She yanked a lighter out of her shorts pockets and ignited the flame. She closed her palm around the flame and pocketed the lighter. When she opened her hand the lighter flame was still there, licking lightly at her fingertips. Sam began to lightly bounce the flame in her hand, then she tossed it to the other hand and repeated the movement. For a few seconds she seemed to play a game of hot potato with herself. Suddenly, she tossed the flame high in the air and held her head back. By the time Daren realized what she was about to do it was too late.
"Sam, dont'!" Daren sat up straight. Sam had already swallowed the flame though. She smiled at Daren as if nothing strange, or out of the ordinary had just occured.
"Calm down. I'm not down yet." Sam backed away a good distance. She slowed her breathing and took one deep breath and held it.
"This is pretty cool." Kevin told Daren. A a burst of heat and fire streamed from Sam's mouth in a flamethower-like fashion. She held the stream of 10 foot flame for about three seconds before it ended and died out with her sigh.
"Ta-da." Sam announced, taking a small curtsy.
"That wasn't cool, Kevin. That was hot." A wide eyed Daren corrected his friend. "What kind of training did Jonah give you guys...on second thought, don't answer that question." Daren layed back down. "Jonah's always been a better teacher anyway. I should have had him train you from the beginning. So what did you learn Kevin? How to fly?"
"Not quite." Kevin laughed. "But we do have to be outside. It's too dangerous in here."
"Miss Jessica, You can't bring that in here!" Someone shouted in panic from out side the room. Most likely a guard or another medic.
"Move, or I'll have her eat you!" Jessica shouted back. "I have to see Daren, right now." A shrill roar, clearly that of whatever dinosaur was with her, pierced the air. Quick footsteps was soon heard leaving away from the room. A second later Jessica walked through the giant sliding doors with a Baryonyx right behind her. "Daren! Your awake!" She cheered. "Just in time too!"
"In time for what?" Daren questioned. Jessica ran over to Daren and slammed him with a hug. "Jessica...I...can't...breath!" Sam and Kevin pried Jessica off of Daren.
"Just in time to meet my partner!" Jessica gestured over to the Baryonyx. It was a dark gray and blue with piercing green eyes. "Is she not just the cutest thing you ever saw. I would have never met her if it weren't for you." Jessica ran over and hugged the leg of the 10 foot tall, and 30 foot long animal. The Baryonyx craned its neck and nuzzled Jessica's back to return the affection.
"Jessica basically loves dinosaurs now." Kevin informed, noticing the confused expression on Daren's face.
"I noticed." Daren said. "So I'm out for a week because of some metal dino frisby, and you guys get new abilities, and Jessica loves dinosaurs now. Is there anything else wierd you guys want to tell me?"
"Sarah may not be dead after all." Jonah rushed through an opening in the wall. It closed immediately after after he passed through, blending into the wall once again.
"That's a sick joke." Daren said in a low somber voice. His mind instantly shot back to the dream he was having earlier. About the time he vacationed with Sarah and her parents at their lake house.
"Daren, I would never joke about a subject so sensitive." Jonah approached Daren and stared him in the eye. Jonah's face said it all. Daren knew he meant what he said.
"You have to be mistaken." Daren almost whimpered. "She died in my arms. You saw me holding her when you arrived." A tear escaped Daren's eye. "You're lying!" Daren yelled and grabbed Jonah by his collar. Daren was fully crying now. "She's dead and nothing can change that!" No one in the room moved, but stared at the two founders. The light playful mood in the room had been replaced with tension. All had become quiet. Jonah didn't flinch.
"I know it sounds impossible, but here me out." Though in a compromising position, Jonah sounded sad and very sympathetic for Daren. Daren let go of his old friend and looked away towards the floor. The room became a little less tense. Jonah took this as the okay to speak. "I was keeping tabs on Larry's progress with uncovering the lastest Guardian." Jonah began. "I had the satellite take photos of his work team's movements in Australia. In all the photos another person kept showing up well out of range of the workers to be part of the team, so I had the satellite zoom in and take a photo of the person." Jonah reached into his cargo shorts pocket and pulled out a single photo. "Here." Jonah extended the photo to Daren. Hesitantly, and with shaky hands, Daren took the the photo. He forced himself to gaze down at it.
"It is her." Daren said under his breath. He would recognize those deep dark blue crystal eyes anywhere. Eventhough the photo was taken at a high angle, her eyes were still visible underneath her flowing wavy brown hair. Her face was a canvas of scatches and dirt, and a stern frown marked her lips. She was in a crouched position and half hidden by thorny bushes. Her appearence was rough and gruffy, yet, to Daren she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. "Sarah...but how?" He whispered to no one in particular. Thoughts, theories, and ideas rushed into Daren's mind for any answer to how she could have lived. Overwhelmed by the evidence Jonah gave him, Daren's mind shutdown and he blacked out.
"We're here kids!" Sarah's dad called from the front of the ship.
"Daaad!" Sarah whined.
"Oh yeah, sorry sweetie. I mean, young adults, we're here!" Sarah's father corrected himself. Sarah and Daren came to the front of the ship just as the boat docked. Once everthing was tied, anchored, and secured, Daren and Sarah raced off into the little forest of the small island. "Hey you kids, be careful!" Sarah's dad called after them.
"Charlie, let them go. They'll be fine." Sarah's mother spoke. Sarah's mother kissed her husband on the cheek, and walked towards the cabin. Her husband couldn't help but see that his daughter was a spitting image of his wife. Wavy brown hair with striking blue eyes. Only difference was that his wife was more delicate than his tomboy of a daughter.
"Finally. We're away from my folks." Sarah dug in the pockets of her shorts she had put on before getting off the boat. She had forced Daren to put on his swimming trunks as well. Neither of them cared to put on a shirt. Sarah just stuck to wearing her bikini top.
"So what exactly did you want to show me?" Daren looked over to Sarah who and stopped walking and was rummaging through her pockets.
"It's no fun if I tell you." Sarah managed to find what she was looking for. She pulled her favorite pocket watch out of her shorts. She carried it with her on special occasions because it was an antique. Sarah opened it and checked the time. "Perfect. Come on, it's about to happen." She grabbed Daren's hand and ran towards the opposite side of the island.
"It would be nice to know where we are going, and if I'm going to come back alive." Daren sarcastically stated.
"Have you always been such a pessimist?" Sarah joked.
"Do you even know me?" Daren retorted.
"Good point." Sarah replied. They both laughed. Before long they had reached the other side of the island. A small sandy beach area greeted their bare feet as the best friends ran to a stop at the water's edge of the lake. They sat down, panting to catch their breaths from the run.
"Now will you tell me what you wanted to show me?" Daren sighed.
"I can show you better than I can tell you." Sarah pointed towards the setting sun. Daren watched as the giant red-orange sphere slowly dipped itself into the lake. The placid water glimmered a near perfect reflection of the sun. The sky itself became an ever expanding rainbow of colors Daren wasn't sure he had ever seen before. A group of cranes flew across the horizon in the distance, painting their silhouettes into the setting sun, if only for a brief moment. Sarah scooted closer to Daren and rested her head on his shoulder. "I've loved this spot since I was a kid. No matter what, I can always find peace here. I think it's kind of romantic, ya know? So what do think?"
"Honestly?" Daren questioned. He felt Sarah nod against his shoulder. "I think it's the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life."
Sarah lifted here head to see Daren's face. "Second? What's the first?" Sarah asked puzzled.
Daren took a in a shaky breath, and then turned to face Sarah. "You are." It took a second for the magnitude of the words to sink in, but the instant it did Sarah's face reddened completely. Without warning, she found her lips pressed into Daren's. A few seconds passed before Daren broke the kiss he had initiated.
"Buddy..." Sarah gasped, and tried to speak but no words came to mind. For the first time in her life, she was actually speechless. An intense moment was held between the two. Their eye's locked with the others'. Daren broke it by looking away.
"I'm sorry..." Daren said in such a low voice it was almost inaudible. "Please don't hate me...Sarah."
"Buddy..." Sarah repeated, leaning into Daren. She placed her right hand on his bare chest. She felt his heart beat. It was fast and frantic. Full of angst and fear. Her own heart was not much different at the moment. So many flooding pent up emotions and feelings were running through her all at once. "Buddy...I could never hate you." She spoke softly and with care. She placed a hand on Daren's cheek and gently turned his head to face her again. Slowly, she tilted her head slightly and leaned into Daren. She pressed her lips into his, letting passion take hold of her. Her hands sensually slid over his shoulders, and her fingers interwove behind his head. Sarah straddled Daren as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body into his, deepening their kiss.
AN: Okay, I'm going to need some serious help here. I have no idea if the the little romance scene is any good or not. Your advice will be greatly appreciated in that area. Other than that, feel free to citique the story and give opions. I like hearing what you guys think.