While I'm Alive (An Owen Grady Story)

Chapter Thirteen

A/N:

People, things are getting serious. I'M SO EXCITED UGH! So...here's the deal. I will post the next chapter TODAY depending on the response this one gets. Deal? Deal.

BTW you guys are awesome, I can't believe the response this story has. Mucho love to all of you! <3

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"MY HEART TREMBLED AND I WILLED MYSELF TO MAKE IT STOP"

SONG TO LISTEN TO: IN LOVE WITH A BOY BY KAYA STEWART

In the entire time that I'd been at Jurassic World, I'd only been to the raptor containment unit once. It had been during my very first week on the island and even then, seeing them had scared the shit out of me. So the idea of getting up close and personal with the carnivores wasn't something I was really looking forward to. It was a complicated combination of fear and thrill.

This time, Denny let me borrow one of the staff jeeps to get there. Being behind the wheel of an actual car for the first time since I'd gotten to the island was a weird feeling. I'd had a bizarre fear at first that I wouldn't remember how to do it. Somehow, though, I'd managed to make it to the containment unit without any incidents. Even the bag of styrofoam to-go boxes perched onto the passenger seat made it there okay. Not only had I been talked into meeting Owen's 'girls' (which I'd told him calling them that would never stop being weird), but he'd also somehow convinced me to bring him lunch.

"You're a god-send." Barry said gratefully, taking the bag from me. "I haven't eaten since six o'clock this morning."

"I know." I grinned. I clicked the lock button on the keychain before sliding the keys into my bag. "Where is he?"

Before Barry could answer, Owen poked his head from around the cage door. "Hey, come here!" He called, waving me over.

I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. I'll just stand here."

One side of Owen's mouth quirked upwards into an amused smile. "They can't hurt you right now. Just come here."

Barry chuckled. "You know how relentless he can be. He's right, though. This is the only time it's even remotely safe to be around them." He gave me an encouraging smile before prodding me in the direction of the massive concrete and steel walled cage.

I hesitated before taking a tentative step towards the open door. All four raptors were in their own individual stalls, just their heads showing. A huge metal contraption, that looked like a hardcore, heavy-duty muzzle, kept their jaws snapped shut. I almost felt sorry for them, but quickly reminded myself of what they were capable of without the confinements that were obviously there for a reason.

"It's the only way we can safely get blood samples from them. Better than tranquilizing them all just so we can run tests." Owen explained, glancing over his shoulder towards me.

I finally made it inside the square caged room, an automatic barred door the only thing separating us from the actual containment unit. On the wall opposite me was a control panel that most like controlled everything from the doors to the muzzles on the raptor's jaws. Owen was standing next to one of the raptors, running his hands along the animal's long snout. It let out a huff of air, and it almost seemed like his touch was soothing to it. My heart started to speed up, in a way much different than it usually did when Owen was around. My palms felt sweaty at my sides as my eyes swept over each of the four raptors.

"You can touch her...she can't hurt you, remember?" Owen reminded me, giving me a reassuring smile before gesturing for me to come closer. Still feeling incredibly unsure about the situation, but not wanting seem like a total wuss, I sucked in a deep breath and shrugged off my purse before taking slow, deliberate steps in Owen's direction. The raptor's yellow eyes followed me, eyeing me in a way that almost seemed suspicious. "Okay, good. See not so scary, right?" Owen teased when I finally within arms length of the huge reptile.