Clawen ♡ Second Time's the Charm

Chapter 12: She Trusts Him

Thump.

Claire whirled around, her heart beating fast. She stood frozen and unable to move as the trees before her shook like there was an earthquake. One of the skinnier trees, younger than the others, crashed to the ground dangerously close to her.

Claire screamed and her frantically trembling hands found Owen's. Another tree was knocked aside, and now the two of them could clearly see guilty culprit. She roared at the sight of them, her jaws spreading to reveal countless sharp teeth, and began to advance with outstretched claws.

"Claire! We need to jump!" Owen shouted as he dragged her to the edge of the waterfall. Screw the plan!

Claire broke away from him and peered down to estimate the height. It would be a daunting forty foot fall into the small pond at the bottom. She reeled back in terror. There is no way that I am going down like that! I'll never ever be able to swim my way out! If I jump, my dead body will be washed ashore in a few days.

"I can't jump that!" she cried desperately. The Indominus drew closer to them by the second, leaving Owen no time to convince her.

He stretched his hand out to her. "You trust me, don't you?" She looked into his eyes, which were also full of fear. She looked at his outstretched hand, which was also shaking. She looked at the Indominus. And she remembered Karen's words, "Show that you trust him." Trust him.

Claire took his hand. Their eyes met for a split second. Then, Owen leaped over the edge of the waterfall, yanking her with him. She closed her eyes and held her breath, fighting the urge to scream.

For a few moments, they were airborne, and Claire could remember the butterflies that had flown into the air during their kiss. She called them back into her mind, holding onto their beauty, focusing on them as she allowed gravity to take control.

But when she plunged into the pond, it was as if the warm waters melted the butterflies from her mind. She opened her eyes and felt a rising panic in her chest. There was too much water; she couldn't see, couldn't breathe. The waters held her in place like a ruthless captor. Claire kicked in desperation, but it was no use. She hadn't swum in years.

Suddenly, she felt strong arms encircling her waist and wrenching her toward the surface. Gulping great breaths of sweet air when she reached the surface, Claire wrapped her arms securely around Owen's neck. She glanced up to find that the Indominus, who was unwilling to venture into the water, had already retreated. We're safe.

"She's gone," she breathed and let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Oh, my God, I thought we were dead." Claire choked on her own saliva as she worked to regain her breath.

Owen paddled closer to shore with Claire hanging onto him. She rested her cheek against his just as he reached land. With a grunt, Owen heaved both of them out of the water. They lay exhausted on their bellies in the thick mud.

"C'mon," Owen said. He made his way to the grass, Claire still in his arms. Drops of mud splattered onto her face, and she cringed at the thought of her purely white work clothes getting stained brown.

When they reached the grass, Owen sat up tiredly and leaned against a large rock. Claire made no effort to move, remaining stretched out on her back and not aware of how ridiculous she looked.

Their eyes met, both panting, before Owen began chuckling. Claire stared at him in bewilderment as he continued to laugh at her almost hysterically. She couldn't contain her own giggles at the sight of him-- soaked, muddy, yet laughing hard, though she knew she probably looked worse.

"Why am I even laughing? My clothes are ruined," she whined. It was true. Her blouse and skirt were streaked with brown stains while her bangs were plastered all over her forehead. She sighed and stood unsteadily. "I look horrid."

"Yes, you do." Owen remarked teasingly. Claire gasped and swatted at his arm, smearing the mud on his sleeve.

"Well, I guess being next to you makes me feel better, considering your much filthier appearance," she retorted.

"Wow. I never thought I'd hear you say that," Owen commented. Claire raised an eyebrow as she squeezed the excess water out of the fabric of her skirt.

"Say what?"

"That being next to me makes you feel better. I mean, until recent events, you were always rolling your eyes or glaring like there was no tomorrow whenever you were near me."

Claire sighed. "Because, until recent events, you had always been a disgusting reclusive Neanderthal in my eyes." She emptied out the water in her pumps, which by some wild miracle, had managed to stay on her feet while she struggled in the water.

"So what am I now in your eyes? A handsomely rugged raptor trainer?" Owen asked mischievously. Claire blushed because, deep inside, he actually meant a lot more to her than that.

"Hmm," Owen said. "No answer? That's suspicious. Maybe I'm actually right about myself!"

"You can be a completely unbearable and exasperating idiot sometimes, you know that, right?" Claire sighed, combing through her knotted hair.

"You forgot handsome," Owen added helpfully.

"I left it out for a reason." God, he's an idiot.

"Uh-huh. I get it. You're shy around people like me, huh?" Owen joked. He stood and ran a hand through his soaked hair.

Claire didn't reply, her cheeks pink. She sat gingerly on the edge of the flat rock and unbuttoned the bottom few buttons of her blouse to air it out. But she was careful not to completely unbutton it and reveal her skimpy, skin-tight lilac tank top underneath. Owen sat beside her and nudged her elbow.

"I like this shy side of you," he said quietly. Claire felt herself smile despite her efforts to fight it. How does he always know how to make me smile?

"It's not a side I show often because I need people to take me seriously at work and everything," she explained hastily.

"Yeah. It's a side that you save just for me," Owen said. He grinned as he stood back up. Claire pulled herself up beside him.

"Sure, Owen. Keep telling yourself that and maybe one day, you'll find someone who will really do it for you," she said dryly. "C'mon. We need to find my nephews. I see their tracks in the mud. They're leading into this forest."

Owen nodded and inspected the sets of footprints before turning to Claire. "Shall we?" He offered his hand flirtatiously. Claire stared at him, her face a mix of irritation and bashfulness. It was nice to be able to joke around, knowing that the Indominus was no longer pursuing them.

"Stop acting like we're taking a stroll through the park or something," she said, pertaining to a neighborhood park.

"But we are taking a stroll through the park," Owen said in mock-confusion as he referred to the theme park. He gave her another one of his charming smiles when she sighed loudly. 

"Shut it, Grady."

She took his hand anyway.
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