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Published:
2018-07-10
Completed:
2019-01-11
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26,352
Chapters:
11/11
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62
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Jurassic: The New World

Chapter 11: Epilogue

Notes:

This is the last chapter of Jurassic:The New World. However, never fear: I'm working on a Jurassic World prequel that provides backstory on Owen. Then I'll be posting part 2 to The New World, which picks up after the cliffhanger in this epilogue ;)

Chapter Text

Two Months Later
Claire stared at her suitcase and swore under her breath. The hard-shelled black luggage had mocked her for two months, reminding her of her promise. You said you would leave, it whispered. You promised to let them move on without you.
Packing would have been easy. She barely had any clothes to her name, and what she did have was transferred into the new house over the last week. The cabin that she and Owen finished together, despite her talk, despite her conviction, despite her fear that she wasn’t good enough.
“You’ve had one foot out the door since we left the estate.”
Claire jumped. Owen leaned against the cherry wood door frame. Claire had chosen that finish. She picked the burgundy paint for their room, the grey towels for the bathroom, the tile for the kitchen. Owen chose the bedspread, the living room carpet, the dining room table. It truly was their house. Together.
“But I just can’t leave.”
Owen sat on her side of the bed and waited. Claire shut the closet and joined him. “Talk to me, Claire. What’s going on with you?”
No tears came. They saved themselves for the night, when she was alone. “I’m not good enough, Owen. I… Jurassic World was my fault. I dragged you back to that island, I put you and Zia and Franklin in danger. Then the estate, that was me, too. Can’t you see? I’m bad for you.”
Owen had the audacity to laugh. Claire punched his arm, but a smile creeped onto her face as well.
“You can’t be serious. You’re going to take credit for all that shit?”
“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
Claire turned away, focusing on the television hung on the wall across from their bed. It was off, but the black screen was a better show than Owen’s face.
He took her hand and squeezed. “I don’t want to be anywhere but here. But Claire, if this isn’t what you want, I don’t want you to feel like you have to stay. You can still be in Maisie’s life, even if you’re not in mine.”
She considered this for a minute, then two. During the week that Maisie was missing, all Claire could think about was getting her daughter back, and leaving. But once Maisie was asleep in her bed in the trailer, that desire to go was nearly gone. It only crept up on occasion, when Claire thought about what she couldn’t bring to their family. Peace, safety. Happiness.
“I’m scared.” Her voice was thin and quiet, nothing like the authoritative tone she used to take on. Too much had happened over the last few years, and not enough of it was good.
“I’m terrified,” Owen admitted. “But we can do this. If we can fight dinosaurs, we can raise a daughter. Together. As a family.”
“We still don’t know what they did to her at InGen. What if…”
Owen squeezed her hand again. “The doctors said that Maisie is healthy, that she’s a normal little girl. As normal as she can be. If InGen did something, then we’ll find out and we’ll figure it out when it happens. For now, let’s enjoy what we have. A beautiful, smart, funny, adventurous daughter. And us.”
Claire leaned her head against Owen’s shoulder. “We are pretty great.”
“The greatest.”
She laughed. She couldn’t help it, the sound just spilled from her lips. “I love you, Owen. I can’t promise… I don’t know if I can ever be all in. I might always stare at my suitcases with a foot out the door. But I can promise I love you, and I love our little girl.”
Owen kissed her temple. “That’s all I ask.”
They stayed like that for a few minutes, until a playful shriek from outside tore them from their peaceful moment.
“Are you okay to join the party? I can tell everyone you’re not feeling well.”
Claire stood and studied her reflection. Her legs were toned, her arms muscular. She looked different in her shorts and tank top than she ever had before. She liked feeling strong. It helped her answer Owen’s question. “I’m ready. And… I’m sorry.”
He bent down to kiss her lips. “Don’t apologize, just talk to me, okay? When you feel like running away, I’ll help you remember why you wanted to stay.”
“You’re a poet now, huh?”
Owen grinned. “For you, babe. Only for you.”
Hand in hand, the couple joined their guests outside. The offending shriek had come from Maisie, who chased her older cousins around the yard. Without the trailer taking up space, they had plenty of room to roam.
Owen had built a couple of picnic tables with extra wood from the construction project, and they were full of adults watching the children play. Karen was the first to notice her sister exit the house. She jumped from her spot at the table and wrapped Claire in a big hug.
“You okay?” she asked.
Claire nodded and promised they would talk later. Karen seemed reluctant, but she released Claire, who was quickly greeted by the other guests.
“Thanks for having us!” Zia said, wrapping her arms around Claire. “This is my girlfriend, Jamie.”
Claire shook hands with the young, blonde woman. She had a fossil tattoo on her right wrist. That alone proved Jamie was perfect for Zia.
Franklin was next, awkwardly hugging Claire with his gangly arms. “I don’t have a girlfriend, but thank you for letting me come anyway.”
Everyone laughed. Dr. Grant had been in the middle of discussing his theories with Zia when Claire made her grand entrance, and the two picked up where they left off the second Zia sat back down. Jamie joined in the lively conversation. Franklin paid more attention to his phone, probably trying to find service. There wasn’t much of that around, unless you connected to the cabin’s wifi. Even that was a bit weak. Owen and Claire didn’t mind, though. They kind of liked the disconnect from society. Plus, there was a grocery store ten miles down the road. So it wasn’t like they were totally in the middle of nowhere.
Claire moved off to the side, beside Owen, to take in the gathering. The house had only been finished for a week, and this was their official housewarming party. All of the important people in their lives were there.
Owen fidgeted nervously. Claire hooked her arm through his. “You okay?”
He nodded. “I’m great. I’m gonna get the grill going. Anyone hungry?”
He left Claire alone by the front porch, but she didn’t mind. She sat down beside Karen and watched Owen prepare the hamburgers and hot dogs they’d bought for the party.
Maisie was the first in line for food. She was a picky eater, but hot dogs were her favorite. She held open the bun for her father. Just as Owen brought the tongs towards Maisie’s plate, a Compsognathus leaped from behind the grill and stole the dog.
Maisie gasped, but Claire couldn’t help but laugh. This was the new world they lived in, one where dinosaurs were as big a threat to picnics as dogs and squirrels. For some reason, Claire didn’t mind it as much as she thought she would. The years since Jurassic World had taught her to live with animals, not against them.
Owen was more careful with the food after the dinosaur incident. He managed to serve the guests without another mishap.
Everyone sat at the picnic tables and chatted, chomping down on delicious food. Owen pushed his potato salad around his plate, and a hamburger remained untouched next to it.
Claire nudged him. “Seriously, Owen, are you okay?”
He studied her with a look she didn’t recognize. Before she could ask another question, not that she knew what she would ask, Owen stood, raising his plastic cup like he was about to give a toast.
“As you all know,” he began, his voice earning the guests’ attentions. “It’s been a hard summer for our family. It’s been a hard year, a hard few years. But we’ve survived it, because we’ve been together.”
Owen looked at Claire, then. Only her, like the rest of the party disappeared.
“I know that you’re scared. I’m scared too. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that it’s scarier to live without you. I never want to be without you again, Claire. I love you too much. And I will love you for the rest of our lives, if you’ll let me.”
He dropped to one knee and held out a small velvet box.
“Claire Michelle Dearing, will you marry me?”
Claire’s hands covered her gaping mouth as she nodded. She may be terrified all the time, she may wake in the middle of the night with horrible memories of the park and the island, but she will never stop loving Owen. She learned that years earlier, and it was a lesson she’d never forget.
“Of course, of course, of course.”
Owen jumped up and hugged his fiancée, then stopped the movement so he could slip the ring on her finger.
“Just so you know, I asked Blue for permission before I proposed. She gave us her blessing.”
Claire had no doubts he was telling the truth. They had planned on sending Blue to the island for protection, but Owen couldn’t part from her. She was safe for the time being, with InGen distracted by their secret project. The time would probably come when Blue had to move to the island, but Owen and Claire liked having her around for now.
Maisie was the first to hug the couple. “He asked me, too. I said he’d be stupid not to propose.”
Claire kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “You’ve got that right, kiddo.”
The rest of the party was a frenzy of hugs, congratulations, and ice cream cake. Claire couldn’t stop staring at her ring the whole time. It was crazy to her that just hours earlier, she was plotting a potential escape. She couldn’t imagine leaving behind what she saw in front of her. Good thing Owen was there to talk her down. That he always would be.
As the sun set, the guests dispersed, promising to visit again soon.
Claire, Owen, and Maisie were cleaning up the trash after Karen and the boys, the last ones standing, drove away.
“That went well,” Owen said, kissing Claire. “I’m glad you said yes. Would have been embarrassing if you didn’t.”
“Did you think I might say no?”
“Absolutely.”
Claire laughed. “I love you too much for that.”
Owen leaned in for another kiss, but a scream from Maisie stopped him. “Maisie, what’s wrong?”
The little girl held her hands over her ears and fell to the ground. “Make it stop!”
“Make what stop? What do you hear?”
A rustling sounded from behind them. Claire and Owen turned to find Blue at the edge of the forest surrounding their home. She clicked a couple times and lifted her chin, waiting for an answer.
Maisie uncovered her ears and turned towards the dinosaur. Her eyes were wide, fear painted on her face.
“What’s wrong, Maisie?” Owen asked again, quieter this time.
Maisie pointed at the raptor.
“I could hear her.”
She paused.
“And I understood what she said.”