Won't Let You Go | Owen Grady

Chapter Eight

Four Years Ago

Charlie nearly tumbled to the ground and she ran across the opening of the paddock, as the terrain beneath her shook and Rexy rose from her place. The tranc either hadn't been strong enough, or the pain had strong enough to stir her out of slumber. And she was upset. Charlie could see it in her eyes, as they landed on Charlie, recognizing her as food.

She had taken of running the second she heard Rexy stir, saw her eyes blink open and land on her. She had limited time to make sure they all got out of here okay.

"Close the gates!" The vet shouted at the soldiers who were standing by, stun guns at the ready. The last thing she wanted was them shooting the T-Rex. It would set back any progress, any trust, that they had made with the giant, beautiful carnivor. "Close them now!" She could feel the earth rumble beneath her as Rexy took a large step in her direction, already beginning to cover the headway Charlie had made.

Thankfully, she saw the main gate start to lower in front of her, sharp as a guillotine. She could hear Owen screaming her name as she sprinted across the dirt, narrowing avoiding roots and rocks. Every fiber of her being, her human survival instinct, was kicking in and powering her body forward, moving more quickly than she ever had in the past. This was a live or die moment, the first of many she would have here at the park.

When she got close enough to the gate, she dropped to the ground, sliding across the gravel, legs scrapping on the rocks beneath her. She tucked her arms close and slid just under the gate, her golden locks not being quite so lucky. The gate, sharp as a knife, sheered her long blonde hair off at her shoulders. She lay there, shaking, looking at the gate behind her head. The gate which could have quite literally cut her in two. Rexy's thunderous roar shook the building around them.

The other vets were standing, staring at her on the cool cement floor of the bunker, looking at her bleeding legs, her sloppily chopped hair, her flushed cheeks. Some were crying. Charlie didn't like all of the eyes on her, she didn't like being their spectacle. "Go get me some bandages!" She barked out, her voice shaking. "I need to wrap my legs!" The vets and interns scattered, and Charlie propped herself up, hands shaking.

Suddenly Owen was there, pulling her up from the ground, crushing her in a bear hug. "Jesus Fuck, Saunders! What the fuck were you thinking?" He practically shouted at her, his voice muffled by his arm as he hugged her tightly. Then, he held her back at an arms length, his eyes, sad and green, searched for something inside hers. The one look made her lose it, the floodgates broke and tears tumbled down her red cheeks.

She buried her head in his chest once more, sobbing into him, her hands clenching tightly to the front of his shirt. She had almost died. Died. She understood her job had risks, but this was the first time she had ever faced near death. As she sobbed into his chest, Owen shooed away an eager intern who had run back in, bandages in hand. He would take care of her, when the moment was right. Right now, she just needed to let it all out.

And he held her as she did, for several minutes, he held her tight, brushed her hair, whispered gentle words into her ears. He let her recover from the shock of what had just happened. When she stopped crying, he released her, looking at her once more. She rubbed at her red eyes, and blinked up at him. "What now?" She asked softly.

"Now, we go get your interns to patch you up, get you to the real docs, then file a fucking report on how the lab majorly fucked this one," retorted, slipping her small hand into his large one. She liked the feeling of his large, warm, callused hand holding hers tightly. He lead her out of the bunker and into the sunlight.

Things were going to be fine. They had been close, and there would be further things that would be close. But today, today things were fine. Owen was here with her, she was alive, everything was okay. But damn, she sure did need a drink.

"Hey Owen?" She asked, from the passenger seat of the silver Jeep as he drove them to the medical facility.

"Yea?" He asked, glancing her way, worry creasing his brows.

"Can we go get Margs after they patch me up? I need some alcohol, stat." She sighed, leaning back against the seat and flashing him a small smile.

"Music to my ears, Charlie," he laughed, as they drove under a canopy of trees, dappled sunlight splashing over their bodies. Charlie wasn't even worried about her scrapes at this point. She was content.

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"Strawberry, iced please," Charlie smiled at the bartender inside of Margaritaville. "And one regular with a side of Corona. And. You know what, two shots of tequila as well, with lime." Might as well. Neither of them had to work again till late tomorrow. She had almost died, why the hell not have a drink or three?

Charlie smiled happily at the bartender and slid her Jurassic World credit card across the counter, charging all of her drinks towards the Masrani cooperation. She'd advise Mr Masrani at a later date. Not that he would notice or care. After the ordeal today, what would he say? Nothing, that's what.

The bartender brought her drinks to her on a tray, and she carried them back outside to the table Owen had snagged. It was a miracle they had managed to get one, what with all the tourists bustling around these days. The opening of Jurassic World had been a hit, to say the least, and the hits just kept coming. People couldn't get enough of the remote attraction. Even with moments like earlier today, Charlie loved it all. She loved the nature, she loved her coworkers, she loved Red.

Setting the tray down gently, or as gently as she could when they were already two drinks in, she grinned at Owen. "Hope you're ready for more," she teased.

"Saunders," Owen drawled, "There will never be a day in your life when you can outdrink me." He cracked open his beer and took a sip, then took a hearty drink from his marg as well, licking his lips with satisfaction. Charlie caught herself watching the pattern of his tongue over those smooth, full lips of his, and quickly looked away, a hint of red slipping over her cheeks.

She plopped herself down into her chair and threw her feet up on the railing beside her, reclining in the sun and sipping from the straw in her strawberry drink. "Sounds like a challenge I'm up for," she said back, slightly flirtatious. What the hell, right? You only live one.

When she looked across the table, he was staring right back at her, challengingly. She grinned over at him and shot him a wink, taking another sip of her drink. "Ready for these shots then?" She nodded at the table where the silver liquid sat tantalizingly in the small cups.

"Whenever you are," he challenged back, flashing that cheeky grin of his.

Both of the adults reached for their shot glass, clinking them together loudly. Watching one another, the two each knocked back the shot, cool liquid dancing down their throats.