Ellie watched a string of words appear on the scroll with her heart pounding wildly. She was petrified with fear. She was so frightened, in fact, that she could hardly even process the meaning of the text.

Claire tried desperately to hold onto the ledge, but she was too heavy.

Owen read the words over her shoulder with wide eyes.

"No! No, you can't let this happen! Do something!"

Ellie handed him the scroll and dashed away.

"I'm going to try and save her!"

She unfolded her wings and shot up into the sky. Owen turned back to the scroll and saw a new sentence being written.

Her fingers began to slip.

Owen started shaking.

"No . . . No . . . Please, hold on, Clairebear . . ."

As she was torn away from the cliff, she found herself thinking about Owen.

"Claire? . . ."

She hoped he was safe.

"Claire . . ."

It was true what they said about life flashing before a person's eyes when they were about to die. Claire's fear-poisoned mind did, in fact, come up with a few images as she fell, but they were not from the past. Instead, she imagined the future she'd never have: the one she wanted to share with Owen. She knew in her silly little brain that her silly little fantasy could never come true: they had only spent a few silly little days together as a couple, after all . . . but maybe that was all it took. Maybe she really did love him in her own silly little way, even though her silly little pride prevented her from saying it too sincerely. She had spent so long trying not to look like an idiot, but now, she felt very stupid for never telling him the complete and honest truth. At this very moment, she was about to die, and he'd never know how she really felt about him. But how could a person claim that they'd met their soulmate without sounding silly? Claire didn't believe it was possible. Even if it wasn't, she would have given anything to tell him. Maybe she wanted to be silly for once. At least she'd be telling the truth.

Claire had time to think all of this, and more, as she fell. She was promptly snapped out of her reverie when she slammed against one side of the cliff, then the other. She tumbled down the canyon until she hit the ground, rolling for a bit before coming to a sudden halt.

As she lay there, her breath shallower than it had ever been, she managed to finally say what she felt in her heart, without a trace of irony. She gathered up all of her courage, and admitted what she had been holding back for the past few days.

"I love you, Owen. I love you more than anything in the world."

Owen stared at the page with misty eyes, his heart caught in his throat.

"I love you too, Claire . . ."

***TSJWFEW***

Ellie arrived at the cliff too late. She was horrified to see Claire lying on her side, her mouth hanging open limply. She was still breathing, but barely. Ellie glided down and landed beside her.

"Claire?"

Her eyes flitted over to Ellie, but otherwise, she was absolutely still.

"Claire, I'm sorry for not getting here in time . . ."

Ellie knelt beside her, feeling for injuries. A few of her ribs were definitely broken, and her left leg was twisted in an unnatural position. Ellie took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Listen, Claire, I'm going to fix you up. Just stay still, okay?"

She placed her hands on her side, which began to glow with a gentle light. Claire winced as her ribs cracked into place. After a fit of panicked breathing, she closed her mouth and choked a little.

"Are you feeling better, Claire?"

The stegoceratops closed her eyes, squeezing out a single tear.

"I failed."

Ellie shook her head.

"No, no. Not at all. You did exceptionally well."

"June is going to kill again."

Ellie bit her lip.

"Look, you don't have to worry about June. I'll take care of her. Just go back to Owen and-"

"And tell him what? That I tried to lure June away, only to be rescued by a magical wing-lady? I'm starting to think that I can't do anything on my own . . ."

Ellie smiled sadly.

"Claire, you did more than enough to earn the respect of your peers. I just helped you along the way . . ."

"Like when you gave me that magic necklace?"

Ellie laughed quietly.

"Claire . . . Can I tell you a secret? That necklace was just a placebo. You had the power to change back whenever you wanted to. You just thought you couldn't, because you saw yourself as a nervous wreck."

Claire's lip quivered.

"But I am a nervous wreck . . ."

Ellie rubbed her chin. Then, she smiled and snapped her fingers.

"You know what? I'm going to get someone who can help."

She walked away and crouched behind a boulder. A few seconds later, a pteranodon with feathery wings emerged from behind the rock.

"Hello, Claire. I'm your spirit pteranodon."

Claire frowned sardonically.

"I'm sure you are."

The pteranodon smiled and lay on its belly, resting its beak on its wings.

"Claire, you need to believe in yourself."

"Cliché."

"It may be trite, but it's true. You're capable of so much more than you let yourself believe. Who was it who flew to Cambodia?"

"Me."

"And who was it who-"

"I'm going to try again."

The pteranodon blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"I'm going to find a way to stop June. I owe it to my friends. Thank you for healing me, wing-lady, but I think I can take it from here."

Ellie smiled warmly.

"Alright. I'll let you get to it."

She watched as Claire charged up the mountain, ready to face June once more. Behind her, a yellow dragon made herself visible.

"That was beautiful, Ellie."

She changed back into a human and smiled.

"Thank you, but we aren't done yet."

Elkay grinned.

"What are you planning, Ellie Sattler?"

"I'm going to change your mother's mind."