Claire followed Vivian into the Visitors' Center Palace. It was just how she remembered it, but there were a few new tapestries hanging on the walls, and the red carpet had been replaced. The bitter dinosaur led her through hallways made of veined marble, up massive staircases with gilded banisters, across a bridge that gave them a view of the sun setting over the shimmering sea, and into a tower, where they climbed up to a very important-looking door. Vivian slowed to a stop and held out one of her feet in a sarcastic gesture.

"Go ahead. Have your earth-shatteringly important conversation. I'm sure you deserve this council."

Claire swallowed nervously.

"I . . . I don't know if . . . I mean, it's just a little intimidating . . ."

"I swear to god, if you bail on this-"

Claire shook her head.

"No, Vivian. I wouldn't do that to you. I know you didn't want to arrange this, and I don't blame you for that. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did."

She sneered.

"Yeah? Well I'm the boss now. That's the way it goes."

"Vivian . . . I never meant to hurt you. I was angry because you continued to work for Ellie after what she did to me."

"I can't give up my job on your behalf!"

"I know, I know," Claire insisted, "My quarrel had nothing to do with you. I guess I just thought you'd . . . defend me."

"Like you needed my help!" Vivian snuffed.

"I did," Claire whispered, "When powerful people turn on you, all that's left are your friends. Everyone else is too disconnected from your troubles to care about what's right and what's wrong. They listen to what their leader says, because it's risky to trust the word of a nobody like me."

Vivian's face softened.

"Well . . . that's not entirely true. You're not a nobody. You may have been the most important person to ever work here. You're missed on Isla Nublar, Claire. There are those who believe you betrayed us, but . . ."

She lowered her voice.

"Anyone with half a brain knows that Ellie has done some very questionable things. You may believe I'm a coward for staying here-"

"I don't."

"Well, even if you did, it's not like I had an easy time making that decision. When you stepped down- or were fired- I saw it as an opportunity to advance my ranking. I knew it would come at the price of our friendship. I told myself that it was worth it. I made excuses for Ellie. By the time I realized that I'd chosen the coward's way out, it was too late. Our friendship was damaged beyond repair. All I could do was hold onto the life I'd chosen."

Claire gave a half-smile.

"Our friendship wasn't destroyed, Vivian. I know you were afraid to lose your job, but if you had changed your mind and told me how you feel, I would have accepted you. Your value here may be measured by your rank, but your real worth is reflected in the eyes of your friends."

Vivian nodded.

"I wish I had known that sooner. You weren't always the most sympathetic person, Claire, but you changed this island for the better. Your contributions will be missed, I can tell you that much. It's been kind of shitty here without you."

Claire laughed weakly.

"Well, I don't know about that . . ."

"It's true," Vivian affirmed, "You haven't been around, so you don't know. Isla Nublar is a good place for our community to blossom, but the leadership . . ."

Vivian bit her lip as if she was deciding whether or not she should continue. She took a deep breath and sat down, wrapping her tail around her legs.

"Claire . . . I shouldn't be telling you this, but Ellie tried to slander your name."

"What?"

"She told everyone that you were a traitor, that you were trying to take over the island . . . stuff like that. I guess she thought that if they knew the truth, she'd look like the villain."

Claire put her hand over her mouth.

"Oh, god . . . Is that all?"

"No. She brought up . . . She brought up the incident with the stegoceratops colony."

Tears brimmed in Claire's eyes.

"For eighteen years, I've been trying to make amends for that!"

"I know, but she doesn't care. It's a smudge on your history, and she'll do anything she can to amplify it, if it makes her look better by comparison."

Claire closed her eyes.

"So, everyone thinks I'm a bad person?"

Vivian shook her head.

"No. The funny thing is, you were saved by the very story that started this whole mess. Everything you've done is recorded on paper, and that's more permanent than Ellie's lies. No matter how much she tries to make you look bad, the truth is preserved here."

"Here?"

"In the story."

Claire nodded.

"I guess that explains why those people followed me here . . . but how many Nublarians know the truth?"

"Not many. A lot are afraid to believe it. But . . ."

She smiled.

". . . I've earned the trust of several people on this island. I think I can help clear your name, one step at a time."

Claire nodded.

"One step at a time."

Vivian smiled and tilted her head towards the door.

"Don't let me delay your visit. She's waiting for you."

Claire smiled.

"Thanks Vivian . . ."

"No problem. Remember, Claire, the truth will always come out, one way or another."

"As long as you have friends."

She winked.

"And you do."

Claire turned to the door. It was heavier than she expected. When it closed behind her, there was absolute silence. She was at the end of a long hall, one lined with stained glass windows. She stepped across the fragmented rainbows that shattered the red carpet. The Sun was sinking into the Earth, it seemed. But that didn't matter. The world would go on turning. There was no use in trying to change that. The only thing Claire had a hope of controlling was what would happen when she went through the second door.

She gathered up all of her courage and did just that.

Ellie was sitting at a desk near an open window on the opposite side of the room. She was writing on a piece of parchment with a white feather. When Claire closed the door behind her, she did not react. She spoke without giving her so much as a nod.

"You're back."

"I am."

"I know what you're here for."

"I thought you would."

Ellie didn't answer. Claire took a deep breath.

"Lily told me you saved her. Thank you."

"I had already saved her once that night. It was no trouble at all."

Claire nodded.

"How's Liam?"

"Grounded. He won't be allowed to see Lily."

"For how long?"

"A week. Maybe more."

She let go of the quill, and it continued to write without her guidance. Claire stepped closer to the desk as Ellie leaned back in her chair.

"I heard what Vivian said about me."

Claire's heart jumped.

"Are you going to fire her?"

"No. She was telling the truth. If you punish someone for doing that, odds are you're on the wrong side of the argument."

Claire took a deep breath.

"Yes. You know why I'm here."

"I do. Honestly, I could grant your wish right now, but then you would have to leave, and I don't want that. I thought we might be able to talk about what happened."

She pulled two glowing strings out of her pocket. She tossed one out the window. It flew out of sight. The other, she held out for Claire.

"I took this from you. I know it doesn't make things right, but I want you to have it back. The other one will find its way to Owen."

Claire's jaw dropped.

"Is it the memory?"

Ellie nodded. Claire prodded the filament when it dropped in her palm. It squirmed around, and she bit her lip.

"How is this possible? You destroyed them."

Ellie shrugged.

"Well, I'm also God, so it's no big deal to retrieve things like that."

The string dug its way into Claire's skin, and soon, she could remember what had happened on Tall Mountain. She was glad she did, only the memory was causing tears to prick at her eyes. Or maybe she was just grateful to have it back.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. That's like thanking a thief for returning your money."

"No, thank you for everything. You've done countless deeds to support my family, some of which I'm probably not aware of."

"I've also put you through a lot of pain."

"It was worth it. Really, it was. Don't tell me that's not true, because it is."

"But I didn't have to."

"What's done is done," Claire affirmed, "I wouldn't change a thing, if I could. I'm happy. I love my family, I love my friends, and I love my life. All I need now is my old body."

Ellie nodded.

"If I change you, will you leave forever?"

"No. I'm not just here for the favor. It would be nice for things to get back to normal, but changing me into a dinosaur isn't the only way to make that happen. I think the real reason I came here was to make sure that you're okay, because even though you made a series of huge mistakes, you're still my friend."

"And the only reason I haven't changed you yet is because I'm having a hard time finding an appropriate way to apologize."

Claire smiled.

"You don't need to say you're sorry. If you can't find the right words, your actions will suffice."

Ellie nodded. She lifted her hand, and Claire began to glow. Her feet lifted off of the carpet, and she started spinning. As she did, Owen burst through the door.

"Change me too! Change me too! Change me too!"

He jumped up and grabbed Claire, and Ellie held her head in pain.

"Ah! Stop it! I already said no!"

"That was years ago!" Owen protested, "Change me! Change me now!"

"FINE!"

Ellie snapped her fingers, and suddenly, two stegoceratopses landed on the carpet with a heavy whump. Claire writhed around in panic as she tried to avoid being suffocated by a rather large rump.

"Owen!"

He rolled off of her.

"Sorry!"

She shook her plates and stamped her foot.

"What the hell are you doing?"

He tapped his front feet together nervously.

"Well, I got my memory back, so I figured things were going well, and I came back to see if she'd-"

Claire shook him.

"WHY! ARE! YOU! A! STEGOCERATOPS!"

He whimpered.

"I thought this was what you wanted."

"I want our family to be the way it was!"

His beak quivered.

"I just don't want you to be alone."

Claire let go of him. She took a deep breath and rubbed her frill.

"Owen, I'm not alone. You've always been there for me, and being a stegoceratops won't make you a better husband."

"It won't?"

"No. Ask Ellie to change you back."

Owen hobbled forward and held her cheek.

"Are you sure? I can stay like this. I don't mind."

Claire touched her front horn to his.

"I'm sure."

Owen turned to Ellie.

"Alright. Change me back."

She crossed her arms.

"Look, why don't I make this easy for you? I'll allow you two . . . and Lily . . . to change back and forth. How's that?"

Claire and Owen gaped at her.

"Really?" they chorused.

Ellie nodded.

"Yeah. You've earned it. Don't tell anyone else, though. I can't be handing out free favors to every hybrid on this island."

She snapped her fingers. Owen's crimson scales melted away, and he shrunk down to his usual size. Claire gave him a hug.

"I'm so happy . . ."

Ellie smiled.

"I know the feeling. The same thing literally happened to me decades ago."

Claire raised her eyebrows.

"Really?"

"Mhm. I can only hope that I'm not being as dickish as the last Queen."

Claire laughed awkwardly.

"Well . . . That's one way to put it."

Ellie nodded.

"I expect things to change from now on. Change is good. People have to evolve. That's what makes the world go 'round."

Claire smiled. Ellie nodded to the window.

"What are you still doing here? Go surprise Lily. I'm sure she'll get a kick out of seeing two stegoceratopses appear from out of nowhere."

Claire grinned.

"I'm ready to scare the living daylights out of her. Owen?"

He changed.

"Ready."

They leapt out the window, fluttering their plates like ladybugs. Ellie watched them leave, then turned back to the manuscript. No one in the history of the universe had ever looked so happy to dot a closing sentence.