PER-I-LOUS,, jp-jw/hp

Chapter 10

"Harry, those few words I spoke back in '94 have become a cautionary tale for InGen. Life finds a way." Ian rolled his eyes.

Nearby, eight-year-old Kelly was diligently taking notes as thirteen-year-old Tim inspected the nest and used infra-red thermometers to monitor the eggs.

"Is that what you said to Monica when she told you she was pregnant?" Harry asked dryly, referring to Kelly's mother.

Ian just glared at him.

"It's not just that there are going to be more raptors walking around, what are the expectations of the wild raptors? You saw how they responded to their missing baby in '94. Will they be demanding the babies live with them?"

"Babies are mine." Came the computerised translation of Scar's declaration. "Part of our pack."

"I'm going to have to eat so many raptors." Harry sighed.

Around fifty days later and there were a lot of humans and two excited raptors. One of Scar's eggs was about to hatch.

"Did you know I was there when you hatched?" John asked the mother-to-be. "It was just as amazing as this."

"I was never that small." Despite the translation, everyone could hear the indignation in the barks and growls from Scar.

"Looks like she's making her exit." Sarah Harding was the new dinosaur medic. Her father was her predecessor back in '94. She was a red-headed woman with a kind face and the ability to snark Ian into silence.

Which was probably why Ian appeared to be falling in love.

The egg was shaking, rocking slightly.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Scar asked worriedly.

"Whatever you think you should." Harry patted her back.

Scar stepped forward and sniffed the egg, growling softly. "You're my baby. You can make it."

Ian discretely stepped back and turned off the translator. They didn't need this moment spoilt by a digitised voice.

"Harry, be sure nobody but Scar touches her first." John said quietly. "Not even Doctor Harding."

"Not to worry, Mister Hammond, I know my place." Sarah assured him.

Soon the sharp little beak broke through the egg and the little raptor made her debut.

Scar began peeling back the shell and snuffling her hatchling. "I made this." She declared with pride and emotion.

"And you made it very well." Harry assured her.

A few hours later a second egg began to hatch. Thirty minutes after that one of Jelly's started.

By the next day all of the eggs except one of Jelly's had hatched.

"Why won't it come out?" Jelly asked mournfully.

"Patience. Maybe it's not ready." Harry said softly.

"Harry, Jelly, everything I've read on dinosaur eggs in InGen's files says this one may not have survived." Sarah said softly.

She waited for Harry to translate, they weren't going to let a machine handle something this sensitive and personal.

"Are you positive?" Harry asked as Jelly let out a heart-wrenching moan.

"No. But... there is nothing I can do."

Harry was seventeen and he had a earned a lot of trust from people like John.

Which was why he sent a message to the man that he needed to get to London as soon as possible and was using a portkey.