𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 ▸ Lowery Cruthers [1]

006

In the months she'd been on the island, Ellis and Claire had never really seen eye to eye, though they had recently learnt to tolerate one another and outbursts between the pair were a lot less frequent these days. Despite this, they were not remotely close and Ellis knew that Claire Dearing would not come to her for help unless it was absolutely necessary. Though that didn't make her any less sceptical about Claire's reasoning for summoning her.

"What could Claire possibly need me for?" She questioned, following after Lowery who had already set off towards the gas jeep he'd arrived in.

A small smile caused the corners of Lowery's lips to turn upwards when he picked up on Ellis' sarcastic tone and he shrugged. "She needs you to have a look at paddock eleven."

Ellis stopped in her tracks, a look of confusion ghosting across her features. Lowery stopped too, raising an eyebrow. "We don't have a paddock eleven." Ellis replied slowly frowning when Lowery smirked again, he obviously knew something she didn't, and she hated that. "Do we?"

"We do."

Ellis' mouth fell open in shock and Lowery laughed softly. She was silent for all of two seconds before shoving him gently and shaking her head. "As if they told you and not me, so what kind of dinosaur lives in paddock eleven then?"

"Uh, that was uncalled for contrary to popular belief I am actually a highly valued member of the team." Ellis rolled her dark eyes and Lowery continued "But I don't know what's in there exactly. All I know is Claire needs you to take a look at the paddock make sure its dinosaur friendly you know the usual stuff."

"Yeah alright, would've been nice to get a heads up on a new species though." Ellie mumbled irritably, she'd been here nine whole months and hadn't had a chance to get into one single lab. The entire process of de-extinction still astonished her and she'd do just about anything to get five minutes alone with Dr Wu's research notes – but apparently they were classified and held under lock and key 24/7, she'd checked.

"Lowery?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Why did you come down here? I've got a radio; you didn't have to drive all the way out here..." Her voice trailed off and glancing momentarily at her feet she pushed a flyaway piece of hair from her face.

"Oh..." Lowery scratched the back of his head as he walked around the bonnet of the car, pulling open the driver's side door and climbing in. Ellis pulled open the passenger door, waiting for an answer before climbing in herself. "I felt like getting some sun." She folded her arms across her chest, clearly not satisfied with his answer. "You're right, I hate the sun."

"So..."

"I guess I just wanted to see you, is that alright?" He watched her carefully, awaiting her response, biting down on his bottom lip gently in anticipation.

A smile caused the corners of Ellis' blossom pink lips to curve upwards and she climbed into the van alongside him, keeping her gaze straight ahead out of the windscreen she shrugged in a sort of nonchalant kind of way. "Yeah that's alright." Lowery, who hadn't shifted his gaze from her since he'd first seen her a couple of minutes ago laughed and turned the key in the ignition.

The rest of the journey was relatively quiet, the pair of them stealing glances at the other when they didn't think they were looking, and the only sound coming from the quiet hum of the engine and the tyres against the gravel road outside. They had been like this for some weeks, ever since they'd ended up alone at one of the resorts many cocktail bars, Owen and Vivian were meant to have been there two, but conveniently something had come up for both of them last minute. Lowery and Ellis had talked all night and she'd slept in his bed – whilst he took the couch – because he had refused to let her drive back to her bungalow. The next morning Ellis had to be up and out early in order to feed the raptors and had left before Lowery even woke, but not before writing him a quick note and sticking it to his fridge.