#jurassic park ocs

[lizisshortforlizard]

Living Dangerously - Chapter 35

Jurassic Park’s animal handlers: none of them ever mentioned by name in Michael Crichton’s original novel. Who were they? What were their lives like on Isla Nublar? Did any of them survive the disaster?

A year in the life of those responsible for the care of the dinosaurs. Many people would kill to have their jobs.

But would they die for it?

Jurassic Park novel/Jurassic Park film (1993)

Viewpoint: 3rd person female oc

Warnings: only mild swears this time (boooo)

Tagging: @heresthefanfiction @ocappreciation @wordspin-shares @howlingmadlady @arrthurpendragon @themaradwrites @starryeyes2000 @kmc1989 (please lmk if you would like informed of my sporadic updates)

Read on Ao3

Chapter 34 | Chapter 36

Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash

As the skipper steered away from the dock and out into the fog bank that filled the ocean passage between InGen sites, Lori Ruso only managed to keep sight of Muldoon and Armstrong for a few seconds before they disappeared completely.

In less than a minute, there was no sign that Isla Nublar even existed.

A productive site visit indeed.

She hadn’t made the journey with high hopes, but the sombre man and his that’s-not-my-girlfriend-she’s-just-a-colleague had turned out to be decent people. Lori had no interest in screwing them over, and nothing she had told them was a lie, per se…

But Muldoon’s proposal of a meeting couldn’t have come at a better time. The residents of Nublar had no idea that the “site visit” was the perfect cover for something else altogether.

Unbeknownst to John Hammond’s company, Ruso had received a rather intriguing phone call several weeks prior. It was from a man who seemed particularly interested in her position as a disgruntled current employee, and was offering her a lot of money for-

“That’s all? Just information?” Lori had shivered as she remembered how tight of a leash Ingen currently had her on. “You really aren’t asking me to do anything more…invasive?”

“No-” Lewis Dodgson had replied. “-I got another guy for that.”

***

”You’re panicking about Kathy leaving, aren’t you?” Lizzy felt compelled to say so.

”Panicking?” Muldoon turned to make his way back down the dock. “Hardly.”

“The raptors are coming-” Lizzy thought of the Scotswoman, the Kenyan and the Texan holding down Fort Nublar by themselves. It sounded and felt like a terrible joke. “-and you think three of us alone can handle more than one of them? What if they all turn out like…her?”

“I think one of us alone could handle three of them.” He called back to her as she struggled to catch up without slipping. “Though I’d rather it doesn’t come to that.”

“You may have to-“ Lizzy gasped, mock-dramatically. “-recruit!”

“Hope not. I’ve been lucky, the Team I ended up getting.” Muldoon admitted. “Never expected to get along with, let alone actively like any of you.”

He about-turned so abruptly that Lizzy misjudged her steps and had no choice but to collide head on to keep from swerving off the edge of the algae-covered boardwalk. He caught her around the waist as Lizzy huffed in surprise.

Muldoon didn’t even sway at the impact, so familiar with the shape of her. “Especially you…”

Lizzy wondered if he was also still thinking about Lori’s suggestive comment. Or if he was planning on doing anything about it.

”Even Tom?” She asked dazedly, spouting the first unfortunate words that entered her head. She could picture Arnold eye-rolling and dry-heaving if he were to snoop on them now, images blown up fullscreen on his monitors for the entire workforce to see. “Not just a pretty diversion if things go sideways?”

Muldoon looked down at her sternly.

“Don’t say things like that.” Then, somewhat reluctantly: “Yes, even him.”

”Would it kill you to mention it once in a while?” She asked quietly.

He only stared at her, and Lizzy persevered.

“He has a problem with male authority.” She didn’t have the guts to utter the words father figure.

“So; I’d like to point out, do you.”

”You know what I mean.”

She could see it, crystal clear. Muldoon couldn’t, not yet.

Tom’s past life, why he was that way, made Lizzy desperately sad. She’d already found her own mentor, someone to stick the broken pieces back together stronger than before. Tom’s mentor, standing in front of her now, remained unwilling. “He trusts you. Can’t you see he so badly wants your approval?”

“Suppose.” He was turning sullen, approaching blood-from-a-stone territory, and Lizzy backpedaled in a hurry.

“I’m not asking you to call him son, play catch in the yard and take him on fishing trips!”

“I should bloody well hope not!” He looked horrified. “It’s still asking a Hell of a lot, Armstrong.”

“Even if it’s me that‘s asking you?” She looked up from under her eyelashes, in a way she knew he found disarming.

Rico’s accident had put her on edge, worrying about things left unsaid in case the worst should happen.

”Hmm…think about it.” He finally said begrudgingly. “Don’t get your hopes up-“

The radio crackling surprised them both.

“-uldoon?” Muffled, no doubt by the perpetual cigarette. “-rmstrong? Come in, for the love of Christ-“

Arnold.

“We’re here.” Muldoon didn’t hesitate to answer, reflexively dropping his hold on Lizzy in case of prying eyes.

“-ig trouble.” The engineer was hurrying, not waiting to start talking until after he’d pressed the call button. “-uge. They’re maaaaad.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

“-need to get back to base…-better hope to God you find Regis before they do.”

“Why?” Muldoon and Lizzy looked sideways at each other. “Who’s they?”

***

”Mr Hammond, I have a, er-“ Regis fumbled nervously with the telephone handset. “-an angry mob situation.”

“Oh, really?” His employer sounded only mildly concerned.

”They know about the deal with that Rico kid.” Ed hissed quietly, trying to remember if he’d locked the office door in his panic. “Operation Backhoe.”

“I am in my car-“ Hammond replied tersely. “-en route to collect my daughter from the airport. This is not a good time, Regis.”

“But-“

“You are public relations. This is your job.”

“These are not the public! These are a bunch of very pissed-off animal hand-…hello? Sir?”

Regis was on his own.

They were drawing closer, he could hear lots of cursing in various different languages, and overriding them, loudest of all, a women’s Scottish brogue.

Oh Christ, no.

Hanmering fists on his door.

“Open up, Ed. We just wanna talk.” Baker’s level voice held a lot more venom than usual.

“Go away!” He yelled back, somewhat childishly.

”Why’d you cover it up, pal?” Armstrong demanded.

Kennedy followed suit. ”Yeah, why’d you lie, brother?”

Regis had a hunch that pal and brother weren’t to be taken as friendly terms. At least his life insurance policy was pretty damn watertight, from the looks of things they’d be paying out soon. Death by misadventure.

His boss had abandoned him, and the only way out was through a crowd of angry colleagues.

You got this, Eddie-boy.

Customer service was his niche. He had faced down plenty of entitled middle-aged women in his career. He could do anything. Time to pacify the brands and pitchforks.

“Okay, folks-“ He spread his hands wide, begging forgiveness as he opened the door. “I can explain.”

***

”Right, let’s make this quick.” Muldoon strode into Regis’ office, with only a cursory nod in Wu’s direction. “Remember, we have a funeral to get to.”

It was in fact a memorial service. The funeral itself had been in Portugal, already missed by several days due to management’s erasure, but the animal handlers decided they wanted to remember Rico in their own way regardless.

Muldoon didn’t agree with funerals. For him, it never make the inevitable goodbye any easier, just prolonged it. And he’d attended far too many in recent years. A stark reminder that he himself was getting on a bit. He had less friends above ground than a decade previous. But his team wanted him there. Lizzy wanted him there. His presence mattered.

That was why this end-of-day “urgent” meeting had wound him up so much. A few more minutes and he was in danger of being late, something he couldn’t stand, not at the best of times. Certainly not now.

“Oh, that’s still going ahead? Uh-“ Regis stammered. “I wasn’t planning on-“

“You’re going.” Muldoon ordered bluntly. “Least you can do. Find a clean shirt and get down to that beach.”

Regis nodded mutely and avoided eye contact.

“This better be good news, Wu.” Muldoon quickly got back to the reason he’d been summoned.

“Seven bouncing baby velociraptors are being delivered to you tomorrow.” Wu announced. Then, somewhat condescendingly: “Congratulations!”

Muldoon could already envision the animal handlers taking the news rather poorly, seeing it as an insult to Esteves’ memory. Stiff upper lip, and carry on. Get back to work.

”Seven?” He frowned. “Were we originally planning on that many?”

”Dr Ruso’s department seems to have had a long overdue stroke of luck.” Wu clarified. “A higher than average number of juveniles survived the last incubation cycle.”

”Out of how many viable embryos?”

Henry Wu cast his eyes to the ground; Muldoon shook his head in exasperation. “You don’t know?”

How many had hatched and suffered before finally succumbing?

“Ruso has the numbers.” Regis waved a hand.

Numbers. Was that all they were reduced to now?

”And another thing, that paddock you’ve had built is far too small for seven juveniles, plus an unexpectedly big one. Is it too late to change the itinerary?” Muldoon criticised, scanning the blueprint on the desk, looking for any labels that indicated a perimeter large enough to house eight (eight?!) adult raptors. “Can’t we move them straight into their permanent enclosure?”

He couldn’t see one. Maybe it was unmarked?

Regis and Wu exchanged a glance.

“That is their, er…permanent residence.”

“You have got to be joking.” Wu looked unhappy, Regis was grinning sheepishly. “That’s a holding pen at best.”

Straight up cruelty at its worst.

InGen hadn’t bothered to consult him. It somehow felt personal, this time. Muldoon wasn’t one to network, ever, but didn’t they know who he was?

He sighed deeply and ordered. “Get me Hammond, now.”

***

Muldoon had seen some remarkable things in his lifetime, but the animal handlers clamouring for Ed Regis’ blood while he wrung his baseball cap in his hands was one of the ugliest.

Baker was telling everyone within earshot he lied, he lied to us over and over.

The handlers began demanding to know what had really happened, Regis had cowered before them, then finally lost his marbles and yelled for quiet.

Why didn’t you tell us?

There followed directly from the mouth of Regis some convoluted; and, Muldoon suspected; untrue in parts, though he couldn’t prove it, tale; about how InGen hadn’t wanted word of the incident getting back to the investors, the paperwork (folks, honest to God, the amount of paperwork, you’ve got no idea) of a foreign worker being injured on a privately-owned island but kicking it- er, passing away on the mainland…

Regis had talked for a long time. Until the anger had subsided and the grief had taken over for his audience. Nobody was level-headed enough to question him further, coming to terms with the notion that whatever he said couldn’t change the cold, hard fact that Rico was dead.

That night had been all sorts of messy, Muldoon recalled. Nobody had really known what to do, himself included. Richardson had vanished, and was no use whatsoever.

Armstrong had been struck practically mute, Baker had a constant stream of tears for hours, soundless crying until raw tracks had been worn into her face. He’d finally convinced her to go to bed for Christ’s sake, pretending to ignore that Kennedy had quietly followed her.

He’d wanted nothing more than to disappear, hide from all of them, even Lizzy, with a bottle of the highest proof he could lay hands on because he couldn’t do this again.

The sports fan would have a tough job getting his respect back, not that he’d had much to begin with.

Especially when he said things like-

”That’s not possible.”

Sensing trouble brewing, Wu had quickly excused himself from the office. Meanwhile, neither Regis nor Muldoon was all that happy about being left alone with the other.

“Why isn’t it possible?” Muldoon ground out.

“Time with the family, I’m afraid. Mr Hammond simply cannot be disturbed this week.” Was the infuriating reply.

Regis was assertive, for once. The lad might be somewhat wary of him, but the trembling of his voice meant that he was clearly more afraid of the park‘s creator.

Although, there was another who was capable of making him sweat bullets…

Muldoon very deliberately reached for his radio and pressed down the call button with a crackle.

“Armstrong?” The ginger head jerked up in alarm, remarkably like a meerkat. “Stop whatever you’re doing and come to Regis’ office.”

”Okay, okay, fine!” Ed looked pained, reaching for the phone. “Please, don’t let her in here.”

His eyes darted to the door, windows, ceiling vent, as if he were afraid of any potential entrance Lizzy might suddenly jack-in-the-box from.

”That’s better. And Regis?” Muldoon waited a few moments until he was certain the US mainland number had been input. “Radio was on the wrong channel. She didn’t hear.”

Ed’s mouth fell open in surprise. But it was too late, the phone was already ringing, and with a click, Hammond’s housekeeper answered.

His mind went blank, his entire vocabulary far out of reach.

“Go on.” Muldoon urged.

Ed considered hanging up before it was too late, then reminded himself that the park warden was actually there in the room with him, and readily had access to a shotgun, and a Lizzy.

So he meekly whispered Mr Hammond please.

“Very good.” Muldoon nodded.

“Hello?” Impatiently. Then irately. ”Hello!”

“H-how are you, John?” Golly, he was sweating in places he didn’t even know he had. “It’s Ed.”

“…who?”

Was he serious?

”Ed R-regis. From Jurassic Park, sir.”

”My grandchildren are here, dear boy.” This time around the moniker didn’t sound quite so sincere. “Twice in one week, Regis? Really? Can’t you handle a bunch of zookeepers?”

”Mr Muldoon wants to speak to you, sir. It’s-“ Ed glanced up. “-quite important.”

The park warden nodded reassuringly again, mouthing very important. He straightened up from leaning on the wall and began to stalk slowly around the back of Regis’s desk. Ed tried to swivel his chair to keep him in view, but quickly ran out of telephone cable.

“I told you how to handle Muldoon.” Hammond was beyond exasperated. “Just keep the bottles stocked and he won’t bother you. Not unlike you’re bothering me now.”

“Uh…” The urge to mutter I’msorrysirwon’thappenagain and slam the phone down before scurrying off to hide was unbearable.

“That’ll be all, Regis.” Came the voice from behind him. “Move.”

***

“That is brilliant.” Lizzy exclaimed.

She found Muldoon’s threat of setting his dog on Regis hilarious.

“He’s scared of me. He’s terrified of you.” He had told the story to cheer her up after the memorial, when the news of seven raptors arriving the very next day was not well received, as he’d expected.

“Move.” She mimicked his stern tone and faintly began to chuckle. The relief and finality that follows the wake began to wash over her. Awkward jokes to break through the gloom.

Lizzy was still hurting, and would be for a long time.

“Drink?” Kathy had brushed her elbow, as she turned to follow the rest of the crowd to higher ground. “Food?”

She’d refused.

“It’s what he would have wanted…” Kathy had murmured softly, trying for humour.

Lizzy just shook her head and her friend gave a sad smile before taking Tom’s outstretched hand and letting him lead her away.

She stayed on the beach long after everyone else had left, sitting cross-legged with her toes buried in the sand, watching the waves roll in and wash back out again until horizon and water were merged, the same exact shade of inky blue.

Goodbye, Rico.

When she’d finally stood up and turned around, Muldoon was just there, still waiting patiently to give her a lift back.

She trudged bare-footed up the beach and slumped into his arms.

“Sorry, love.” He muttered against the top of her head. “I ended up running late.”

Blame Regis.

“At least you made it in the end.” Lizzy said simply, just grateful he’d shown. More effort than some.

Hammond’s absence had not gone unnoticed and would not be forgotten, nor this time forgiven.

On the beach at sunset, Kathy had sang in Portuguese, accompanied by Tom’s guitar, her voice rising like a siren over the soft crashing of the waves. Isaac had stood to give his part of the eulogy, faltered while his shoulders heaved, and Lizzy had gently taken the notes from his hand and read out his words, as well as her own.

She was both sad and grateful to have closure. Mostly, Lizzy just missed him, found it unbearably hard to believe she would never see his face again. Just a kid, someone for whom the awe of dinosaurs had truly never got old, the same childlike wonder on the day of his death as of his arrival to the island.

Gone.

“But I hope your tardiness was worth it.” She shrugged off the last of her remorse, trying to find herself again. “Good news?”

“Not really.” He filled her in.

”Seven?!” She was horrified.

”I, hm-“ He had debated telling her the full story when she was less fraught. No point. “-may have played all my cards in one go.”

”What do you mean?”

“I threatened to leave the park, and go to the press about what’s happening here.” He turned to look at her. “I wasn’t bluffing.”

“You-“ Lizzy shook her head and blinked. “I’m sorry, what?!”

”I think Hammond knew I meant it.”

“Oh.” Lizzy’s expression plummeted. Quickfire shock, worry, then anger. “I didn’t realise that leaving was ever seriously an option for you.”

“I said I felt responsible-“

Lizzy’s stomach dropped from sickening heights.

”Do you, for real?”

Why would he accept any form of blame? Why hadn’t he told her he felt that way?

“Of course not-“ Muldoon replied too quickly. “-we all wish that night had played out differently.”

Lizzy felt his fingers tighten on her hip, and wasn’t sure if she was in the place of a subconscious Scotch glass or the stock of a gun.

“Kinda seems like the sort of thing you should have talked to me about first.”

”Seems like the sort of thing you should trust me to handle.” His hand fell away from her side. “I’ve known Hammond for a very long time. You need to make everything seem like it’s his brilliant idea. He gets the hump if it’s your idea.”

“Uh-huh.”

”I do know what I’m doing.” She was hiding her face, resolutely staring downwards. “Lizzy?”

“Yeah?” She was tired, and it took all the fight she had left to not turn her shoulders and face away from him.

“He compromised. I’m getting weapons that will actually stop a dinosaur in its tracks. About damn time.”

Surely, that would brighten her otherwise terrible, getting-worse-by-the-second day?

“Compromised…” She fixated on the word. “Are telling me you asked for more and didn’t get it?”

Muldoon paused. “The raptors won’t be getting a bigger paddock. Not anytime soon.”

”Well, at least you got what you wanted.” She murmured bitterly. She might need Lori’s help with welfare requirements sooner than expected. “Screw what I want.”

“Listen, I want the best for these animals too.” Enough of the hiding, she would bloody well look at him. “Do you have any idea how concerned I am about integrating twenty-three-oh-eight with the younger ones in such a small space?”

“It’s an ethological nightmare.” Lizzy agreed, her voice flat. “I honestly have no idea how we’ll do it safely. I don’t think we can.”

“Tomorrow’s problem.” He shrugged. “And it will definitely be a problem.”

They both stared out to sea, listening the the water, the seabirds, and the sound of Lizzy’s nostrils flaring as she angrily breathed.

“You could have come with me, you know. Left. Back to Africa.” He said gruffly.

Lizzy blinked. Back? With him? Like…together?

”Oh-…it’s not that simple-“ Her voice was gentler. She reached up and tugged at her own hair in frustration. “I can’t just go. Hammond’s funding the elephant project, back in Namibia.”

Muldoon’s daydream of having Lizzy move in with himself and his daughter was raptured away. He had let himself hope too much.

Her research was in danger of drying up. If dinosaurs existed in captivity who would care about wild elephants when a couple of years down the line they could just make some more?

Extinction was no longer final.

“They really can’t lose that funding.” She explained. “They only get it if I stay here.”

She was thoroughly wrapped up in InGen’s web. A financial decision that had seemed like a godsend at the time but now only made her ties to the company that much harder to sever. Muldoon wondered if her lawyer man had taught her well enough, if she had read her contract in full before she signed the dotted line, or if things were about to get messy indeed.

“Sod it. I bet they’d rather have you than the money.” Tomorrow’s problem. “I know I would.”

“Stop it.” Half-heartedly swatting him away, she was only pretending to be mad, now. “Oh, please. They couldn’t wait to see me out of Africa.”

Peace at last. Muldoon smirked. “I’m sure that’s not true.”

”How many of them have called me, hm?” She demanded. “Or wrote?”

“Well, none. Because you aren’t a soldier gone off to war.”

“Feels like it sometimes.” She reeled off her long list of injuries in her head, not even counting the emotional damage she’d incurred.

And yet, Lizzy wondered, if she was truly free to go, would she really want to leave? She might not be able to return.

No, not yet.

At least, not by myself.

“I can think of at least one person who misses you.” Muldoon added.

”At least one.” She quoted. “Great. That’s…great.”

They stood, watching the stars appear one by one, the odd meteorite whizzing overhead through the clear skies, sauropod lowing and the odd Tyrannosaur rumble echoing over the island.

”But would you go? If you could?” He asked, somewhat awkwardly. “…with me, I mean?”

Lizzy quashed her eyebrow-raise. As if he still doubted her feelings towards him after all this time.

”I would.” A no-brainer really. “Of course I would.”

***

“Weapons, Robert?” The Animal Supervisor sniffed. “Getting rather Lord of the Flies in here, isn’t it?”

The ever-present, ever-demoralising Richardson. Always a joy to be in his presence.

Muldoon recalled a particularly unpleasant conversation with Armstrong’s main antagonist, tacked on at the end of yet another pointless meeting that could have been a memo.

“Isn’t Elizabeth a little above you, education-wise?” Gammon-faced Richardson was belittling as usual. “Remind me, what’s your doctorate in again?”

The portly man really couldn’t resist trying to draw a reaction out of him every chance he got.

“Well, is she beneath me or is she above me, which is it?” Muldoon made the mistake of entertaining his drivel by replying. “Make up your mind.”

“No need to snap, Robert! I’m just saying it's a bad idea to get involved with a woman who has more letters after her name than you.” Richardson preached smugly. “They start having opinions. Thinking for themselves.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Muldoon shrugged. “All I’m hearing is you still can’t control her, and you don’t like it.”

“Neither can you. That one does what she feels like.”

“At least she respects my orders.”

“When it benefits her!” Richardson countered. “She’ll get what she wants and then drop you, mark my words.”

”Then she’s playing a very long game.” He pointed out. “I’m not sure L-…Armstrong has the patience.”

Nor the capacity for such a detailed lie.

“Ask yourself, what does she see in you, apart from the salary and benefits?” The man just wasn’t letting it go. “And more importantly, what do you see in her?”

Sometimes she does seem too good to be true…

Nope, we’re not doing that. Not today.

”None of your business.”

”Go on. There must be a reason, and it can’t possibly be as stereotypically bland as ‘her mind’.” Richardson had noticed his hesitation, and his tone was loaded with disdain. “I genuinely can’t understand why you’re so useless when you’re around her. You let her get away with murder, Robert-“

”I wasn’t paying into my pension-“ He muttered.

”What was that?” Richardson interrupted.

“I wasn’t planning on living long enough to need it.” He said uncomfortably, though he’d gone with something factual. “But my feelings on the matter have recently changed.”

“My God, that’s nauseating. I suppose there’s ways of getting them to be quiet. At least she’s decent-looking, though that won’t last.” Richardson dismissed him.

Muldoon felt his patience running out exponentially. “Watch your-“

“You’d do well to not get caught doing anything…untoward.” He interrupted smugly yet again. “If I catch you I’ll have no choice but to report you to Palo Alto, and Hammond. Something I will take great pleasure in doing.”

“Nothing to catch.” Muldoon grunted.

”Good. Remember; InGen can separate you, quite easily. I hear she’s wanted over on Sorna.”

How was everybody hearing things all the time? Who ran the Nublar gossip column?

Face it, probably Arnold.

“And they’re even stricter about visitors over there.” Richardson prodded further. “Restricted access for conjugal visits.”

“What on Earth are you talking about?” Muldoon shook his head. “Nobody’s moving to Sorna, and I told you, nothing to catch.”

“At least it’s a warm body.” Richardson hesitated, savouring the moment. “That’s probably good enough for you, given your circumstances.”

Muldoon didn’t have the words or the ability to hold his temper any longer.

He chose to leave the room before he did anything rash. Not that he’d regret it, but because Richardson would likely never recover from what he had in mind.

***

Thanks for reading!

I always choose the chapter titles/songs very carefully. I originally picked Fado Português by Amália Rodrigues, a beautiful sad song which is the one I imagined Kathy sang on the beach, but The Clash seemed more meaningful/ominous from Muldoon’s point of view. “If I go there will be trouble, if I stay there will be double”.

Also I was rewatching Stranger Things S1 while I was editing this. Again.

[rafeandonlyrafe]

escape from isla nublar

words: 2.6k

warnings: jurassic world alternate universe, dinosaurs, violence, brief mentions of gore (but not detailed), illusions of sex but not actually written out, established relationship, soft!rafe, death tw, proposal, mentions of anxiety & panic attacks

a/n: im having a lot of fun with writing aus, so here! take another one!

“thank you so much for bringing me here, rafe.” you coo out, getting onto your tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

rafes arm slides around your waist, keeping you tugged in close as the boat approaches the dock of the island. you squeal along with all the children gathered around impatient and ready to jump off the boat and explore.

“welcome to isla nublar!” the voice of a friendly sounding woman says over the speakers. “please disembark slowly and carefully and enjoy your stay in jurassic park!”

“baby, can i just say-” rafe begins as the crowd shuffles forward, most with bags in their hands or suitcases being wheeled behind them, but rafe has already arranged to have them brought to your room so you can get right to exploring. 

“mhm.” you hum, encouraging him to continue.

“that you've been so chill this entire trip so far. proud of you.” it might sound weird to anyone else, but you've always gotten nervous when leaving your home for too long, worried something bad would happen. rafe saw it on your first trip he took you on where you tried and very much failed to hide your anxiety.

“im so excited there's like no room for nerves.” you giggle as you walk down the gangway. “and the fact that you let me plan everything. you know how much i love a schedule.”

“we are so different.” rafe shakes his head, hand squeezing yours as you step into the concrete, turning away from the crowds heading to the resort and towards the main street and the iconic innovation center.

“opposites attract.” you state, and it couldn't be more true, but rafe loves you more than he could ever envision caring about someone.

as you round the lagoon, trying to see if you're able to catch a glimpse of the giant mosasaurs in its depths, you feel your excitement levels only elevate more.

“oh my gosh, there's the petting zoo entrance.” you turn and pout to rafe.

“isn't that mostly for kids?” he raises a singular eyebrow.

“i mean yeah, but you also get to pet baby dinosaurs. totally worth it.” you tug him towards the entrance.

--

“okay.” you sigh, placing your hands on your hips. “i guess we should slow down so we have things to do for the rest of the trip.” 

“im already exhausted.” rafe chuckles. “how about dinner then to the hotel?”

as tired as rafe is, he's certainly not going to complain about being run around isla nublar when he gets to see the gleaming smile on your face every time he looks at you.

“sounds good… we could go to winstons steak house,” you point in one direction, then the other “jurassic cafe, or the brachiosaurus restaurant.”

“how about whatever is closest.” rafe rubs his hand over his face.

“okay steak house it is.” it's your turn to take rafes hand. 

he barely manages to stay awake through dinner, and by the time you're back at the hotel, he's passed out on the bed before he can change into his pajamas.

--

“what would you like to do today?” you ask rafe. “anything but that hang gliding, you know how i feel about heights.”

“the gyrospheres look fun.” rafe shrugs and looks at the map pulled up on your phone. “or kayaking.”

“why not both.” you toss your phone to the side and cup rafes cheek, bringing your lips together in a kiss.

“you're the best boyfriend ever.”

rafe places a hand on your shoulder and pushes you down onto the mattress, laying you back.

“we can wait a little bit though, right?” the smirk on his face gives him away.

“i think that would be fine.” you giggle, pulling rafes shirt off over his head.

--

“that was actually so fun.” you hum out.

“it was when you let me drive and we could finally go fast.” rafe says. you were halfway through the gyrosphere tour when you handed the controls over to rafe, allowing him to speed through the ankylosaurus herds.

“but we will not be doing that on the kayak.” you hold your finger up.

“yes ma’am.” rafe says, slipping the attendant a $20 bill to move you to the front of the line, not wanting you to have to wait.

“life vest.” rafe says, slipping it over your head while he just grabs his and throws it into the kayak, not planning on putting it on unless something happens.

rafe helps you step down into the kayak, grabbing the paddle knowing he's going to sit in the back and do all the work.

--

“this is so beautiful.” you say, leaning back into your seat as you look at the stegosaurus and it's long neck reaching up to grab the leaves, his feet submerged in the water as you paddle past.

“this might be even better than the velociraptors.” rafe says.

“wait-” you sit up. “whats that sound? is that a radio?”

it takes a second for rafes ears to pick it up, but he can hear the frantic static of voices over a walkie talkie.

rafe continues to paddle, realizing suddenly that you've separated from all the other kayaks and can't see anyone. he brings the kayak closer to the side when he hears the radio as you reach out to pick it up from the muddy bank.

you turn the volume knob up as you try to make out what the voice is saying through the water logged speaker.

“we sent the containment unit out with nonlethal force and they're all dead! immediate evacuation, get everyone inside and back to the hotel!”

“rafe…” you turn towards him, eyes widening in fear.

“im sure it's just some kid pulling a prank.” rafe takes the radio, finding the speech button and pressing it. “what is going on?”

“who is that? this is an authorized channel.” one voice says before another cuts it out.

“whoever you are, seek shelter immediately. the indominus rex is on the loose, currently heading towards-” the radio sparks and then dies out.

“shit.” rafe hits it against his thigh, but it's clearly no use.

“rafe.” your voice is already shaking. “the indominus rex. i don't know what it is, but it doesn't sound good.”

“okay.” rafe stands up and steps out of the kayak, pulling it onto the bank before helping you out. “baby-” he places his hands on your shoulders. “i need you to stay calm. you know this island like the back of your hand. where are we?”

“we-” you take a deep, shaking breath. “we are halfway through the kayak adventure. we should head just west and find the road to the aviary.”

“okay.” rafe presses a kiss to your forehead. “let's go quickly and quietly. im sure they've already contained whatever dinosaur escaped.”

“yeah.” you nod, gulping, not so sure.

rafes steady hand stays in yours, helping you over bushes and downed trees.

“shouldn't be much farther.” you bite your lip, hoping you didn't get the direction wrong.

“hang on.” rafe whispers, placing a finger over his lips. 

before you can fully comprehend what's happening, he's tugging you down under a giant tropical plant, the leaves hiding you as you hear whatever rafe did, the pounding footsteps of dinosaurs.

“that's the stegosaurus we saw earlier.” you remember the distinct marking along its side.

“get over here.” rafe pulls you in tighter, not allowing you to see as he presses you against the stem of the large plant, covering your body with his own.

“it's okay, it's a herbivore.” you say, when you hear the second set of dinosaur footsteps following it. you tense up, and you can feel a panic attack setting in as you pick your head up to see some sort of giant rex running after it.

you both stay still and silent until it's clearly far enough away.

“rafe.” you tremble as you turn into your back, his body still hovering over yours, protecting you, willing to put himself in the line of danger if he needs to.

“it's okay.” his voice is betraying how scared he is as well, but he's going to try his best to not let you see it. “let's just get to the aviary.”

“i-i can't.” you shake your head. “im fucking terrified.” 

“me too, baby.” he says. “but we gotta get under cover somewhere before that thing catches up to the stegosaurus and comes back for us.”

you swallow deeply, eyes closing for a brief minute, gaining all your courage you possibly can.

“okay.” you're up and moving quickly, running towards the aviary. your steps are no longer balanced and cautious, moving quickly through the jungle until you make it through the trees to the grassy plane.

“the aviary!” you point at the large glass dome, just in time to see a helicopter careening into it, smashing a hole that instantly has pterodactyls flying out.

“shit!” rafe shouts, tugging you back into the treeline.

“we're gonna die.” you sob out, not able to hold back your tears as you crumple to the ground.

“no.” rafe says firmly. “i will not lose you.”

he knows he needs to move, especially as the pterodactyls come closer, and he doesn't have time to console you enough to get you ready to move.

rafe reaches down and pulls you into his arms, hugging your shaking form against his chest as he follows the same path of disturbed leaves and muddy footprints back to the river.

“i need you to paddle.” rafe says, glad your kayak is still in the same space. “i know you're scared, but you need to help me here. we need to go fast.”

you sniffle and look up at rafe, your big eyes filled with tears causing his heart to pang out in pain. “okay.”

rafe bends down, pressing your lips together in a soft and caressing kiss before climbing onto the back of the kayak.

you both immediately begin to paddle hastily, not knowing where the next meat eating dinosaur could be.

“the river goes underground then should let us off near main street.” you tell rafe, eyes briefly closing to envision the map in your head before putting your entire focus back onto paddling.

“baby, still.” rafe says softly, both of you pausing as you look upwards, seeing pterodactyls wings flapping over, thankfully not seeming to notice you under the treetops, yet you still wait until they pass over before beginning to paddle again.

“there's the cave.” you say, pointing as the river bends and you head underground, lights strung along the cave ceiling as you paddle underground, able to take a deep breath now that you're under cover.

“are there any dinosaurs in this cave?” rafe questions, helping you move back so you're leaned against him. 

“shouldn't be.” you say, eyes closing as your adrenaline drops now that you're mostly safe.

“go ahead and rest.” rafe hums as he paddles, looking down at you in relief.

--

“y/n.” rafe shakes your shoulder and you sit up with a gasp, looking around, waiting to see the indominus rex charging at you.

“it's okay.” rafe says. “we're just leaving the cave.”

“so that wasn't all just a nightmare?” you sit up, knowing you must not have been asleep that long, but already feeling majorly refreshed.

“im afraid not.” rafe sighs as you grab your paddle to help steer.

“so this let's out…”

“near the resort. we should be safe there.” you squint into the dying sunlight as the kayak leaves the caves and enters into the large man-made lake.

you both quickly steer to the side, glad to be out of the kayak and on your own two feet.

“to the resort.” you say, able to tell that there are still people running from main street in that direction.

rafe is about to toss the paddle back into the boat when a screech comes from overhead and you both look up to see a pterodactyl perched over cave entrance.

“run!” rafe yells, not turning his back from the dinosaur to see that you haven't moved an inch, not leaving him.

the pterodactyl lunges forward just as rafe swings his paddle at it, hitting it in the beak, but it only enrages the dinosaur more.

you move quickly to grab your paddle, joining rafe in hitting at it, keeping the snapping beak away from pecking at your skin.

“baby, go.” rafe grunts out.

“no! im not leaving you.” you keep slapping at its beak and head until it gets annoyed and roars before taking off to the sky.

“fuck.” rafe groans. “i hate dinosaurs. sorry baby.”

“that's okay.” you say with a slight laugh. “i don't think i like them that much anymore either.”

you take off towards the resort, keeping your oars held tightly in your hands, just in case any pterodactyls try something.

“onto the ship or into the resort?” you question, seeing people trying to get into both.

rafe opens his mouth to respond when a roar rips through the air.

he looks around quickly, pulling you into taller grass, not having any other close cover.

“some of the gates must be down.” you whisper.

“why?” rafe questions, not doubting you as his eyes search through the field before you point at the crowd of people, even more frantic as you watch from a distance.

“because there's a metriacanthosaurus.”

the name makes rafe blink harshly before he sees it, the dinosaur flinging people around as it takes advantage of the hoards of people trying to get to cover.

“oh my god.” you cover your mouth, watching as the carnivore rips someone in half.

“don't watch.” rafe pulls you further into the grass, tucking you against his chest.

you close your eyes and focus on his arm wrapped around your shoulder instead of the screams.

“i got you.” rafe whispers, free hand tapping his shorts to make sure the box is still there in his pocket.

“i know.” you press your lips into his neck. “i know.”

gunshots ring out and rafe looks out of the grass to see that the dinosaur has finally brought down and everyone is safely inside.

“okay, let's run.” rafe helps you stand, deciding to head towards the boat instead of the hotel, knowing it's just one step closer to getting you safe.

you take off in a run, entering up the gangway you went down just yesterday morning.

“inside the cabin.” one of the staff says quickly, ushering you through the glass doors into the packed hallway of people, but rafe keeps moving, tucking you into him until you're towards the front of the boat, able to move up a level and find a place to sit down.

“we're okay.” you say as you relax into the sofa. “we’re alive.”

“i love you.” rafe says, head dropping to your shoulder. “im never talking you on another vacation like this again, but i love you.”

“and i thought you were protective before.” you chuckle, breathing out heavily.

“really ruined my whole plan though.” rafe knows that you both just experienced a trauma that will no doubt need to be unpacked later, but you're just happy to be safe inside the cruise ship.

“what plan?” you lift your head up.

“not the best time but-” rafe sits up and pulls a box out of his pocket. “i planned to ask you in front of the waterfall, all romantic and sweet. but i don't want to waste a single moment longer.”

rafe flicks the top of the box up to reveal a glimmering ring. “will you marry me?”

you let out a squeal and jump into rafes arms, “yes!”

sfw tags: @winterrrnight @bejeweledreverie @ladyinbl00d @ethanthequeefqueen @drewsephrry @wearemadeofstardust0

[dramatic-horsey]

🦴🦖🥩

[dazelvel]

What if... Alastor and his lover ate sinners together in their demon forms... 🥺

You know that this is giving?

[popfizzles]

consider me interested

×××

[Neopets Paintbrush Challenge]

[werewolffrommystories]

Rainbow Utahraptor for pride!!!

[pls click the image for more detail, I’m really proud of this one haha]

[archiepelago]

*puts a fucking dinosaur in the blacksite*

[koiinoborii]

A man that has fleas and a few ethics violations

[princessjadyn15]

Wanted to show off my Sky Kid cosplay I did a couple months ago, I painted the mask myself btw

[reginaldubel]

sneaks in your kitchen at tree i am

[lizisshortforlizard]

Living Dangerously - Chapter 36

Jurassic Park’s animal handlers: none of them ever mentioned by name in Michael Crichton’s original novel. Who were they? What were their lives like on Isla Nublar? Did any of them survive the disaster?

A year in the life of those responsible for the care of the dinosaurs. Many people would kill to have their jobs.

But would they die for it?

Jurassic Park novel/Jurassic Park film (1993)

Viewpoint: 3rd person female oc

Warnings: swears, one brief description of gore

Tagging: @heresthefanfiction @ocappreciation @wordspin-shares @howlingmadlady @arrthurpendragon @themaradwrites @starryeyes2000 @kmc1989 (please lmk if you would like informed of my sporadic updates)

Read on Ao3

Chapter 35 | Chapter 37

20th Century Boy - T. Rex

“They’ll be fine-” Richardson simply brushed off any and all concerns the Carnivores team presented of how to integrate the seven juvenile raptors with the much larger version. “…overthinking this.”

“Will not be fine.” Muldoon insisted. “Not with her.” 

“You worry too much.” The portly man fielded. 

“They are completely different animals from 2308, you may as well stick them in with the damn Rex.” The game warden complained. “I fancy their chances better.”

“Could we…?“ Richardson actually seemed to be entertaining the idea.

“No.” Kathy and Muldoon said in one voice, looking equally horrified. 

“As far as terrible ideas go, you’ve excelled yourself.” Lizzy murmured.

The Animal Supervisor scowled in her direction. “Rubbish, they’ll just avoid each other.” “It’s alright to have more than one apex predator in a game reserve.” Muldoon explained very slowly, as if he were talking to a pre-schooler. “But the paddock is the equivalent of a goldfish pond. You can’t cram a barracuda and a shark in a pond together and expect things to just work out.”

“Fine. But I’m telling you, they’ll either avoid each other or sort it out amongst themselves.”

“There’s several million dollars worth of animal at risk if they sort it out themselves.” The game warden was losing his patience. “Who do you think InGen will blame if it goes horribly wrong?”

”Whoever’s in charge of Carnivores.” Richardson gestured at him. “Therefore it’s not really my problem, is it?”

“Best leave this to the experts then, eh?” Muldoon, astoundingly, managed to reply without sarcasm. It was his polite way of saying ‘bugger off’. 

Richardson finally got the hint and swanned out of the office after a cursory nod to Tom, who merely raised an eyebrow. The animal handlers watched him exit with relief. 

“Doesn’t change the fact that after thirty years working directly with wildlife, I’m actually a bit stumped.” Muldoon admitted. “And I’m already in the bad books with Hammond.”

Lizzy remembered. His threat of leaving and going to the press had not been well received. 

”It’ll be alright. I’ve known that man nearly as long.” He must have noticed the worried look on her face. “He does this sort of thing rather a lot.”

“Guess I’m not too used to hanging around with millionaires.” “Armstrong, you are getting on my nerves today.” The game warden announced, then without changing tone, followed with: “Can I borrow you for a bit?”

“Oh, look how that worked out.” Kathy muttered in mock-surprise.

Tom blinked. ”I don’t get it.”

I’ll explain later Kathy muttered to him. 

“Where are you going?” Lizzy asked Muldoon, who already was in the process of leaving. 

“Hammond’s bungalow.” He held up a hand when she automatically went to follow him. “Had an idea. I’ll be back.”

”Can I-“

“Won’t be long.” He stopped her again, lowering his voice this time. “Armstrong, I’m fed up of Richardson, don’t give him an excuse.”

Lizzy’s eyes flicked to Tom, who was also preparing to leave the room with Kathy. 

Her former arch-rival had kept his word, for now. She had to trust him, and he was yet to let her down.  

He hadn’t told anyone he’d seen her leaving a certain game warden’s room early one morning. And if he’d told Kathy, she didn’t show it. 

As if he’d read her mind, Tom glanced back over his shoulder while Kathy wasn’t looking and winked at her.

***

“What’s all this?” Lizzy’s expression was barely visible as she peered over a stack of books Muldoon had unceremoniously dropped on his desk in front of her.  

”You’ll remember that Hammond owns a game reserve in Kenya. It’s very important to dress for the occasion.”

She took a closer look at the lettering on the pristine spines. It felt like her game warden had lifted every title that had anything remotely to do with wildlife management. 

“Jeez, they haven’t been opened, ever.” Lizzy exclaimed, the book in her hands creaking as she opened it gently, the pages still crisp,  though starting to wilt from the constant moisture in the air. They’d be yellowed soon enough. “And they’re all first editions.”

Muldoon cracked the spine on his book a little more forcefully. “S’good, isn’t it? Books he’ll never read, in a house he doesn’t live in.” “Why me?” Lizzy wondered aloud. “Payback for something?”

”You know how to research properly, and you’re the fastest reader.” He said simply. “In other words, reliably focused.You honestly think Kennedy has the attention span for something like this?”

“Good point.” She noted with pride he had placed her own thesis amongst the reading material in front of her. “I think Kathy and Tom are…busy, anyway.”

He looked up sharply. “That’s still going on?” 

She smiled at his response. Muldoon never could deny how protective he was of his Team Leader. 

“Getting kind of serious, possibly…” She turned the end of the sentence into an unintelligible grumble. It was still monumentally weird for Lizzy. She would never have put money on her remaining teammates ending up a couple. Not that she hated it, just that it put her slightly on edge, being a third wheel. Things had changed, and she wasn’t sure it was for the better, at least not yet.

Damn. Was that how everyone else felt around her?

“-Hey, isn’t it your day off tomorrow?” She wanted to talk about something else. “We might be here for a while.”

“No such thing anymore.” He pointed out. “Never made use of them anyway.”

True enough. Day off or not, Muldoon was usually always up at the arse crack of dawn, doing god-knew-what in the far reaches of the island, and would often only reappear at sundown.

Lizzy had asked once or twice where he went but he’d given a vague answer followed by a pressing excuse to be somewhere else. 

His business. As long as he wasn’t drinking, she’d have to be content with not knowing. But it buzzed in the back of her mind like an angry hornet. 

“Anyway, this isn’t exactly terrible.” He added, turning a page. “You’re here.”

Lizzy focused even harder on the sentence she was currently reading to keep the idiotic grin that was brewing under wraps. 

They continued in mostly silence for a while, interspersed with several passionate - relatively, for Muldoon - discussions about enclosure design.  Lizzy finally let loose her smile, a year ago she would never have thought she’d be in the same part of the world as Robert Muldoon, never mind the same office, discussing his specialist subject. 

It didn’t change the fact they were still facing a dead end. 

“Do I need to call Sarah again?” Lizzy threatened eventually.

“Don’t you touch that bloody phone!” Muldoon snapped yet another book shut and tossed it back on his desk. “We’ll have no distress signals to Africa this time, thank you very much.”

“Gennaro calls the consultants in Montana with the real-life things.” She complained. “All the time. I have their books, too. What they eat-“

“And what do they know, Lizzy?” He cut in. “The dinosaurs they study are dead and gone. We have living articles here, on the island. Let’s face it, nobody on this Earth knows those animals better than you and I do.”

“Better than Richardson does, anyway…” She muttered viciously.

“We have a problem we need to solve, let’s buckle down.”

Just then Kathy walked past the open door, paused and shook her head, pursing her lips as she made eye contact with the ethologist. It was obvious she disapproved of something.

Kathy was all dolled up. She was effortlessly beautiful day-to-day, even covered in mud and wiping sweat from her brow after a tough shift, but she had really knocked it out of the park. 

“You look-“ Lizzy called, but Kathy was already gone. She sighed. “Amazing.”

Their friendship had a slightly tense edge recently. On the surface the two women were carrying on just fine, but Lizzy felt the tug of the undercurrent every time they spoke. Something wasn’t quite right. Kathy was still leaving the island soon, and besides, she had Tom now. She didn’t need Lizzy like she did during the early days, where it felt like the two of them against the world. 

Muldoon was right, maybe this wasn’t so bad. 

As if to prove a point, his next words came as a complete surprise. “Do you know, you’re very beautiful when you’re concentrating?”

“Hm?” Lizzy made a distracted noise, trying hard to re-focus on the pages in front of her. 

“Longest you’ve ever stayed quiet for.” He continued. “Bloody lovely.”

She raised her book higher to hide how fixated she was on chewing her lip.  Pleased at the results, Muldoon reached for Lizzy’s thesis next, just in case there was something, anything he’d missed the first three times. He made the mistake of glancing at the dedication on the inside page to her almost-husband and the words were burned on his brain before he could do anything about it. 

Why did it still pain him so terribly? They were broken up, had been for months. 

And yet, the words didn’t even sound like her. To my darling Simon. He could barely imagine her saying such a thing without sarcasm evident, it just wasn’t Lizzy.

Not his Lizzy, at any rate.

It was ruined. Muldoon was no longer thinking about the task at hand, this was going to gnaw at him for hours, days. He closed the thesis without reading any further. “You agree, we’re off the clock?”

Lizzy nodded, haltingly, as she continued to trace her finger along the lines of text. She was hoping against hope he wasn’t about to suggest they call it a night. Looming, terrible deadline aside, she was in her element, pushing exhaustion aside and speed-reading chapter after chapter.  “I want to ask you something.” He hesitated. “Not as a colleague.”

Uh-oh.

This wasn’t what we agreed.

But Lizzy was drawn in.

”Shoot.”

“You went back to the States often?” He held up her work so she could see. “While you were writing this?”

“At first.” Lizzy paused her scanning and tried to remember her university days, wondering what Muldoon was getting at. It felt like another life, a completely different geological period. “Every couple months, for a week at a time…ish. Why?” ”Get much work done in those weeks?” 

”Loads.”

”Hm.” 

Good? Bad?

She waited for him to explain, but he had nothing further to add. “Uh, hello?”

”It’s fine.” He shrugged. “Just curious.”

”About what?”

”Doesn’t matter.”

Lizzy finally shut her book with a sigh and gave him the look over the frame of her glasses, raising her eyebrows. “If it didn’t matter then you wouldn’t have asked me. I’m not gonna let it go-oooo…-“

“Alright. How’d he ever leave you alone?” He fixed her with an equally intense stare. “That man of yours.”

“Leave me-? You’re serious?” That threw her. “I dunno…we’d been together a long time by that point.”

”That’s a piss-poor excuse.” He sat back, not satisfied with her answer. “The entire street should have known you were back in town. The entire damn borough.”

Lizzy did an excellent impression of a fire hydrant, she flushed such a deep shade at what he was implying.

“Not really his style.” She barely managed to croak out.

”Fucking his wife-to-be isn’t his style?”  Every trace of breath left her body and Lizzy just sat there, dumbfounded.  No, apparently it wasn’t his style. Hadn’t been. 

Simon would buy her things she would never wear, or had little use for in Africa. Jewellery, perfume, nice clothes. All of it still packed away in their apartment to that day, gathering dust. He was forever despairing she wasn’t above tying her hair back with a used shoelace before talking a walk around Central Park, passing the 5th Avenue shoppers who looked at her sun-bleached curls and loose-fitting clothes with disdain. She’d never cared. Simon had. 

She’d come from so little, it was just nice to have enough. Lizzy hadn’t wanted or needed extra. 

Why hadn’t she realised together forever probably wasn’t the best idea, the way things had been going? Why hadn’t she called it off sooner?

For God’s sake, why hadn’t he wanted her? Why hadn’t she been enough, as she was? Without tailoring to his idea of what she should be? 

“I…-“ Lizzy floundered. 

”Thought you looked nice, that’s all.”

”Stop doing that.” She abruptly ground out in a flash of anger. “Catching me off guard. It’s not fair.”

”I’m the last person you should be talking to about not fair.” Muldoon sounded infuriated too, though maybe not necessarily at her. “Not fair is knowing how we both feel and pretending this is enough. It’s not.”

She frowned at him in concern. What was going on? Had Rico’s accident also made him worried about things left unsaid? 

“Anyway, when’d you get so squeamish, Armstrong?” He smirked at her.

“I’m not.” Lizzy bristled. “Because…-“

“Because what?”

“Because if I was trying to wind you up, these books would be on the floor and this desk would be getting used for something else entirely.” She slammed her hand down flat to drive her point home. 

Muldoon paused before answering, and his words were extremely measured and even. 

“You’re probably right.”

The silence practically rang in their ears as they both glanced to the door, still ajar. 

Lizzy eventually cleared her throat and opened her book again. “But I can’t. Wind you up. Because we’re supposed to be behaving aren’t we? Anyway…who’s to say the raptors want to live in groups? In such a small paddock, it could turn into a turf war.”

”We, hm…-“ He shifted his weight. “We can’t do anything about that. There’s only one paddock big enough.”

“Can’t we generalise and say herbivores are social, carnivores are solitary?”

”No.” He said gravely, looking at her as if she’d just insulted his family name. “Koala, giant panda, moose, leopard-“

“Alright then, Field Guide-“

“Lions, wolves, killer whales…” Muldoon was still listing species, paying her no heed. 

“Okay, okay, but if they hunt alone here then they probably won’t die!” Lizzy slumped back in defeat and frustration. “They can’t possibly starve, we plonk their food right in front of them!”

“Hm, hunting…” Muldoon visibly brightened. “You could be on to something there, Armstrong.”

“Why do I feel I won’t like this?”

“Maybe…we feed her early in the day, before they arrive.” He explained, the plan still taking shape. “Make her slower, the bottomless pit that she is. She’s like Kennedy in the morning, set your alarm early if you want eggs, you’ve got no chance after he’s been in the canteen-“

“Feed her, and…” Lizzy redirected masterfully. “Good start. You know how to treat a woman.”

“Then we dart her while she’s resting, and when she comes to, the younger animals scent is all over her patch.”

“And she just…accepts them?” “We can gauge her reaction and intervene if necessary while she’s still coming around.” He shrugged. “Hopefully she won’t be too hopping mad.”

”What if they group up and attack her while she’s drowsy?”

”I’ll look after her. Don’t you worry.”

She paused. “How does hunting come into this?”

”I’m going to let you get close. Very close.”

Lizzy mouth twitched at his choice of the words let you. As if she hadn’t been sneaking ever closer to the fence for weeks.

But not recently she reminded herself. 

”Because I’m hoping she’ll dislike your presence more than that of the other raptors.” Muldoon explained. “It’s not unusual to bond over a common enemy. Same goes for animals.”

“I’m the distraction.” Lizzy understood. “Got it.”

“Aren’t you just.” He agreed. “Good work tonight, Armstrong.”

“Hey-“ She caught his attention as they were tidying up. “How long has it been?”

“Long enough.” He knew what she was referring to. “I haven’t, if that’s what you’re asking. Not once. Though I’ve been awfully tempted lately.”

“Is it any easier?”

”No. But it’s a conscious choice I make. You, or…that.” He shrugged. “Simple, really.”

”I know.” Lizzy said simply. “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks…” He tailed off, muttering something else as he turned away that sounded a lot like you utter pain in the arse.

Lizzy’s shoulder ached, but she didn’t care. 

***

The plan was off to a bad start. The raptor shipment was delayed by rough seas, and now the shadows were growing long. Muldoon was getting increasingly twitchy, he was worried about losing the light. “That damn dock-“ He kept repeating. “It’s not good enough.”

Lori Ruso hadn’t accompanied the dinosaurs, but that didn’t surprise Lizzy at all. She’d done her part, they weren’t her animals anymore.

Kathy sidled into Muldoon’s field of vision as the container was manoeuvred towards the paddock gate. “Are you getting Lizzy a Valentine’s present?” She whispered.

“A what now?” Shamefully, it hadn’t ever crossed his mind. It hadn’t been a concern of his for many years. 

“Tom gave me this last night.” She proudly showed him the thin gold chain around her neck. The same one Kennedy usually always wore. “He remembered.”

”Hm.” He frowned, trying to think of a good response. “I let her have seven more of those ruddy animals, that’s all she’s getting for a very long time.”

”Ah, so you do like her!” Kathy retorted cheerfully, chuckling at the confused look Muldoon shot her way.

The park warden reminded Kathy of her dad, with the abandoned kitten she’d presented to him when she was a child, and she was moodily told one night only. Ten years later, the cat still curled up to sleep on her dad’s shoulder in front of the TV every single night. 

Here he is, with the eight lethal carnivores he said he didn’t want. They always come around.

The big raptor had already been darted, though too early in the day, before they knew the ship would be delayed. They couldn’t give her another dose, Harding advised, it could tip her over threshold. 

It was intended to be just enough to make her a bit wobbly, to lower her guard and make her less vigilant.

It seemed to have just made her more irritable. She kept on tossing her head and rumbling at the visitors lined up near the fence. 

“Am I doing it?” Tom was on top of the transport container, ready to man the gate. He looked around anxiously when he didn’t get an answer. “Uh, guys? This thing is really heavy.”

“Muldoon?” Kathy asked timidly. “We’re waiting for the go-ahead.”

When he didn’t answer, Lizzy couldn’t resist glancing his way.

He looked uncertain. If she knew him at all, he was no doubt running through every possible scenario in his head. What he’d do to get them out if she attacked. How far he’d go to protect them from 2308. If Hammond would consider it a personal debt owed this time and Muldoon would be making amends very slowly from his own funds with high interest. 

“If we were in Kenya, you know you’d just go for it.” Lizzy stepped forward and laid a hand on his arm. “Forget about the money situation. We trust you. Let’s try.”

Her words seemed to snap him out of his indecision. 

“Alright. Do it, Kennedy.” He called up to the Texan, who saluted and began to lift the gate. “Armstrong, you go over there and keep her busy.”

Nothing happened for a second, then the first juvenile raptor poked their head forward into their enclosure, scanning the environment. They didn’t seem fearful of their new cagemate at all. 

The younger, smaller animals were curious of the larger, chirping and moving forward in a group. They reminded Lizzy of guinea fowl, investigating something novel, the way their heads kept bobbing back and forth. There was nothing aggressive about their movements. 

“Armstrong?” 

“All good.” She signalled. “They’re coming out now.”

She heard a series of clicks as another tranquiliser dart was loaded. Over threshold or not, Muldoon was still prepared.

Lizzy had a good view, she was closer to the fence than she’d been in a long time. Far closer than she was comfortable with, to be perfectly honest.

“This isn’t right.” Kathy was watching beside the park warden, tense. “Thought you said 2308 would go for her.”

“I did.” The big raptor wasn’t hunting Armstrong. Watching her constantly, yes. Keeping her body between the human and the younger animals, stance defensive.

But not protecting her. 

It was almost as if it were-

…guarding her?  Armstrong was high value. Muldoon understood now, the way the raptor was prowling closer to Lizzy, claws tapping erractically. He knew what the dinosaur had to be thinking, because he often thought it too. 

This one’s mine.  That sent a chill through him. 

He really didn’t like the way more of the big raptor’s teeth were becoming visible as the juveniles pottered closer. Her pupils narrowed into slits as they flicked towards him, warning him off. 

“Armstrong, move away.”  “It’s okay.” She reassured. 

”It’s really not.” He tried not to sound too alarmed, but his heart was in his mouth. “Move. Carefully.”

Didn’t she realise that she was being sized up? 

He could almost see it playing out, a freak accident, the ground was spongy under her feet, if Armstrong was startled and slipped to within grabbing distance-

The raptor nearly had Regis, and she was miniscule then.  She got Esteves not so long ago. 

I shouldn’t have used her, this is just reinforcing behaviour we don’t want.

”Talk to me.” Lizzy, confused, turned her attention away from the raptor, spinning around so that she was side-on to the animal. Had he spotted something she hadn’t?

Christ, watch where you stand.

“Move a-“ He started to order.

The raptor slammed her entire weight into the fence next to Lizzy with juggernaut force, throwing off a shower of sparks and screeching in pain at the shock.

She was close enough to feel how hot her breath was, the saliva splattering her in the face, causing the white-hot sparks to sizzle on her skin as the dinosaur screamed loud enough to make her eardrums wobble at close range. 

Fuck! Lizzy froze, rooted to the spot, shrinking down in the face of death. Her raptor was even bigger now than only a few weeks ago. She was vicious. She was terrifying. 

And now 2308 associated Lizzy with the pain of a sizeable electric shock.

The big raptor vocalised, a sound Lizzy hadn’t ever heard her make. A low, rattling whistle. 

She did it again, and most of the smaller raptors charged the fence. They stopped short of the wire, hopping and snapping in her direction as well as at each other. 

”What the-“ Lizzy froze for a second time, frowning.

That’s not right.

“O-kay, time to go!” Next thing Lizzy knew she was flung upside-down over Tom’s shoulder and ended up closer to the back of his jeans than she’d care to be, at eye-level with his belt as he carried her to safety. “The things you’ll do to get a good look at my butt.”

“You wish.” She had the wits to retort despite her teeth chattering. “Nearly as hideous as your face.”

”No!” Kathy’s alarmed voice rang out. “Mike, stop!”

Tom dumped Lizzy right-side up with her feet in the jungle stream. 

“Ugh, idiot-“ The cool water flowed over the tops of her socks and into her boots as she brushed her hair out of her eyes to get a better look at the newest commotion. 

“The Hell are you playing at, dude?” Kennedy demanded. “Seriously?”

Richardson feigned innocence, a chunk of bloodied meat dangling in his hand. ”We’re feeding them extra, yes?”

The big raptor snatched up the first piece he’d lobbed over the fence and disappeared into the paddock’s undergrowth with a growl.

”Yes, but-“ Kathy rubbed her forehead, jostling her glasses out of place. “-not right now! Give it a sec-“

”Why?” The Animal Supervisor clearly thought they were being ridiculous. “It’s a distraction, no?”

“You just rewarded her for attacking Armstrong.” Muldoon was struggling to keep his voice even. “If that weren’t incredibly obvious.”

The implied you idiot was clear.

Kathy took a slow step back. She’d never seen her boss this angry. 

The smaller raptors chirped in chorus, and one-by-one, sprinted away, following the bigger animal out of sight.

The animal handlers stood still, nobody daring to blink, waiting to hear screams of terror as the young ones were inevitably torn to shreds. 

Nothing, only sounds. 

“See? It’s fine!” Richardson bemoaned loudly. “You were worrying over nothing. As usual.”

”No, it’s not fine.” Muldoon argued, clipping his words harshly. “But we can’t separate them now. Cover’s too thick to catch the youngsters, they can easily hide, and the light’s going.”

“I’m calling it-“ Tom added, trying to diffuse the tension. “-but dibs on not going in there with the big girl.”

”This enclosure is not ideal.” The game warden continued, paying him no attention. “If I’d been involved from the beginning-“

“For Christ’s sake, Robert! Enough complaining about the bleeding enclosure.” Richardson was also getting agitated. “We’re stuck with it now!”

”What do we do?” Kathy asked timidly.

”Pray to whichever God does it for you.” Muldoon shrugged. “Check back first thing in the morning. Christ. Are you alright?”

He turned back to Lizzy, voice hard but eyes betraying his concern. 

“Yeah.” She shoved her hands into her back pockets to conceal how much they were still shaking. “She’s just…a lot bigger than when I saw her last.” 

Bigger than me Lizzy thought nervously as she shuffled closer to Muldoon.

”In hindsight, probably shouldn’t have done that.” He admitted. “Involved you. She’s just taught the others a new trick.”

Attack her.

“I got it wrong.” Muldoon sighed resignedly. 

”We got it wrong.” Lizzy corrected. “Should have moved away when you told me. Thought I was getting through to her-“

”Shake you up a bit, Elizabeth?” Richardson swaggered back into earshot. “Finally come across something more feral than yourself?”

Lizzy scowled at him. Clearly, no apology was coming her way.

Because he’s not sorry at all. 

“Remember: she doesn’t need to run fast, Richardson.” Muldoon was still furious. “She just needs to run faster than you.” 

The colour leached from the Animal Supervisor’s hammy face and he made himself scarce, roaring off in his own Jeep now that the spectacle was over.

“So far so good.” Lizzy said wearily. 

“Or the calm before the storm.” The park warden deliberated. “We’ll find out which when her sedative fully wears off.”

“So pessimistic.”

“I am never disappointed if I assume the worst.” He gravely informed her. “Just get to say I told you so.”

“Guys, it’s dark. We can’t do anything more tonight.” Kathy pointed out. “Come on, I’m hungry.” 

They crammed themselves into Muldoon’s Jeep, trying not to think about arriving to the worst the next morning, where VM2308 had defended her territory to the death. Lizzy wondered if it was unreasonable to camp out in front of Arnold’s monitors, and wait for the Velociraptor population count to tick slowly downwards. 

***

By the time they got back to the visitor centre, the scaffolding was lit up by the quartz beams in the darkness. And the silhouette of Richardson was blocking the road, waiting for them. 

Can’t escape this guy…

“What’s he got in his hand?” Kathy craned forward to see. 

The headlights picked up the object he was holding. Lizzy leaned forward and stifled a gasp when she realised what it was. 

Someone had vandalised one of the lunchboxes in the newly stocked gift shop area with a black marker pen, to read Ass Park.

”Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Muldoon thumped the steering wheel, making the other three jump. 

“Robert!” Kathy was horrified enough to first-name him. “Honestly-“

”Christ, Baker! Can’t I do anything I like around here?”

“You can do Lizzy.” Tom muttered under his breath.  Lizzy whipped around so fast to scowl at him she cricked her neck. 

“Who did this?” Richardson boomed through the windscreen. Nobody answered, of course. “A replacement will be coming out of someone’s paycheck!”

”Oh, sure. This he cares about.” Kathy muttered.

”I will not be made a mockery of!” Even in the gloom, Richardson was a ridiculous shade of puce. “Get your staff under control!”

He threw the lunchbox into a puddle at the side of the road, and in a fit of pique absolutely nobody was expecting, actually stamped on it before trundling away.

They rolled around to the parking garage in silence, the animal handlers afraid to say a single word in case it was what finally tipped their boss over the edge.  Muldoon cut the engine and they sat in silence, the Jeep ticked quietly as it cooled.

Was he too angry to speak? Having an aneurysm? It was hard to tell. 

“I will neither confirm nor deny to him it was one of my staff-“ He finally said. “But, Kenned-“

”Yeah, yeah, boss. I’ll fix it.” Tom was apologetic. 

“You’d better.” Was the stern response. “It’s not funny.”

”No. Not at all. Sorry.”

“Good, as long as we’re clear.” Muldoon sounded like he was trying his very best not to laugh. “Not funny. Not in the slightest.”

Lizzy couldn’t look at him and stared resolutely at her own boots. She daren’t make eye contact, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop herself laughing if she did. Kathy was still trembling with fear in the backseat.

“Armstrong. Baker.” Muldoon nodded curtly at the two women before making a hasty exit from the garage, leaving the keys behind in the ignition.  Lizzy had a feeling he was headed straight to find Arnold and Harding. An if you don’t laugh you’ll cry kind of situation.

“Now that was priceless.” Tom announced proudly. “Did that break the tension in here or what?”

“You’re a real asshole, you know what?” Kathy lightly smacked his arm. “This is only the most stressful day of his darn career.”

”The most stressful day so far.” Lizzy added, reflecting that she was turning into a pessimist herself, and that Muldoon was right. Again. It was oddly liberating. 

“I got him.” Tom beamed happily. “Worth it.”

“You know folks, I think I’m going to get him a swear jar.” Kathy nodded thoughtfully. “He’s terrible these days.”

***

Thanks for reading!!

I love writing Wildlife Expert Muldoon.

Not on hiatus, just slow to update atm. But we’re getting there. Still the fic of my life <3

[dramatic-horsey]

A little story about compsognathus. Nothing serious, I just wanted to draw a dino comic. 🦕💚

[hellishcircusworld]

It is *almost* done!!! I present to you "The Amazing Jurassic Park" franchise in TADC AU! I was having many ideas to do all 4 chapters in a weekend or other days, so it will be interesting. I will also make some surprises, so stay tuned! @endomentendo

Jax's little sister and Kingly belongs to @sm-baby

As well as Able

But with some new clothes and new personalities from the original "Jurassic Park" franchise feature film!

Able with Triceratops and another dinosaur :3

Jingle with a shotgun!!!! 🔥 🔥 🔥

[mustardbones]

ohmygod after a LONG fucking hiatus and redoing a plot and so so so many more things, we are BACK and ready to start our comic work on this account. Jurassic Park mcyt au comic coming SOON to a tumblr account [this one] near YOU!!!!!!!

Lizzie for the Au Under the Cut! :)

[askmovieslate]

Just picture it, the Raptors pulling out a knife and fork ready for the attack, you'll have Jeff Goldblum trying to pull the moves on Miss Piggy dressed like Laura Dern.

Kermit wearing a hat!

This writes itself, come on guys! It's not like it's gonna be less of a mockery than the last three...four? Five? Jurassic movies have been already, you're sitting on a gold mine and you're just counting the clouds!

[maisiesbike]

i checked the poll and you guys chose memes for some reason…I didn’t expect that ngl. But the polls are the polls ig.

The new girl is Stefanie, who my mutuals already know everything, and i mean everything, about (im so sorry guys)

The Japanese guy is Ichiro, her ace best friend.

I‘m still going to do some of the other things in the poll. Be prepared.