1 Year and 5 Months Ago

"Hey, Gray," Zach states blankly as he steps into his room, taking note of the 11-year-old visibly making himself comfortable on his bed.

"Hi," Gray replies softly, his pale face buried deep into one of Zach's old feather pillows. "I hope you don't mind, but I made myself kinda at home here in your room."

"Not at all." Zach flops down next to Gray, sinking down on the foam mattress topper he practically begged his parents for when he was 12—but that was four years ago. He quickly shoves his little brother away from him when Gray attempts to nuzzle his face under Zach's chin and crinkles his nose up. "Jeez, bro. I'd be more than willing to hug you, but you smell really bad. When's the last time you took a shower?"

Gray averts his gaze down until Zach places his finger under his chin, gently lifting it to where their eyes meet. "Um- A week ago…"

Zach cringes, hastily latching onto Gray's arm as he pulls him off the bed and in the direction of his bathroom. He kneels over the side of the tub and begins to run the water, holding his hand under the faucet to make sure it's the right temperature. Once it is filled, he turns around to face Gray, who is standing in the open doorway—a curious yet pleading look in his eyes—ready to bolt at any second. Zach slowly raises his hands and places them on Gray's shoulders, kneeling in front of him. "Now, Gray. I need you to stay calm, okay? Just breathe. And, when you're ready, step in the tub."

"With my clothes on?" Gray exclaims anxiously, his voice involuntarily shaking as he stutters.

"Well, yeah, obviously. I don't want you to strip down while I'm in here," Zach responds flatly, gingerly squeezing Gray's arms. "Look, I know you're still scared of the water, and you've come a long way since the island. Okay? You really have. But you need to get used to doing everyday things again, Gray. I mean, you can't go around this way the rest of your life."

"Zach, please. I can't do this right now," Gray clutches a wad of his older brother's navy-blue t-shirt so tight that his knuckles fade to a ghostly shade of white. "I've had a rough day as it is. Just- Please understand."

Zach's neutral expression softens as he pulls Gray into a snug embrace. "Alright, alright. I guess I'll let you go this time just because I know you had a rough day."

"Thank you," Gray breathes a sigh of relief, leaning closer to his brother's chest. After minutes pass, neither of them have moved, and Gray is becoming quite anxious with the tub full of water about five feet away. "Um, hey, Zach. I really don't want you to let go, but the water's kinda starting to get to me a little bit."

Before Gray is even able to comprehend what's happening, Zach scoops him up in his arms and places him down in the water. Gray's eyes widen and his face quickly decolorizes as he struggles to get out of the bathtub, panic clouding his logical thoughts.

Zach gets a tight grip on his arms and holds him down, bending over so that his face is a mere three inches from Gray's. "Hey, hey, hey. Calm down, Gray, calm down. You're okay."

"No, no I'm not okay; I'm gonna die! Don't you get that? See? Look!" he rips his arm away from Zach and points up towards the ceiling to where a small black house spider quickly weaves a web in the corner.

Zach's gaze trails from the spider down to Gray's face, and he latches onto one of his hands, squeezing it tightly in between his. "Gray, that's a spider. It's not going to hurt you. And I know what you're seeing, too. The Indominus is dead, little bro. It's not coming back either."

"B-b-but… th-t-the…" Gray stammers almost incoherently under his breath as Zach continues to grasp his hand.

"But nothing. The spider's not going to hurt you, the Indominus isn't going to hurt you, and the water isn't going to hurt you, Gray. Just trust me."

The water isn't going to hurt you, Gray. The Indominus is dead. You're okay. Stay calm and breathe. Just trust me.