Chapter Text
Claire and Owen cruised at full speed towards the island. For about twenty minutes they traveled through the ocean, stealing glances at each other and smiling when they caught each other’s stare. They had covered many miles across the water, the blue of twilight deepening, when Claire started feeling a little dizzy, her head heavy suddenly and uncomfortably warm. She knew it was the beginning of motion sickness. In the morning, on their way to Costa Rica, they had traveled there as fast as they could, but coming home they had been taking their sweet time and it was finally catching up to her.
“Owen, can you slow down?” Claire asked, touching Owen’s arm to get his attention as she fixed her stare strictly forward, her voice coming out small.
Owen turned to Claire, his brow furrowing at the waver in her voice. “Yeah,” he said, immediately slowing them down to half speed. “You okay?” He grew concerned when she would not look at him.
“Slower, Owen.” She gestured with her hand lightly. “I’m getting seasick,” she said.
He shifted the gas and brought them down to an easy 12 knots, practically crawling through the water, and put the boat on auto. “Here, sit in the back,” Owen said, standing up and taking Claire by the hand to pull her with him. “There’s less motion there.” Claire followed Owen as he led them to the bench in the center of the boat. She slumped down on the cushion and Owen sat beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder. With the stark change in speed Claire immediately felt her body temperature regulating and her head felt less dizzy. She took a deep steadying breath.
“Better?” Owen asked, looking at her face and trying to measure how bad her sickness was. She kept staring straight. There was a little more color to her face and her breathing slightly labored, but she appeared coherent. She did not look badly ill, Owen thought, and though he was concerned for her he was glad that her sickness could not have been that bad yet.
“Yeah,” Claire replied, taking another deep breath and looking out into the ocean to focus on the direction they were moving. She brought her hand up to her head and ran her fingers through her hair. “It’s my head mostly. Just–a little dizzy.” Claire noticed their picnic bag on the floor and asked Owen if he could pass her a water from the cooler, which he did immediately. Taking the cold bottle from his hand, she thanked him and brought the water to touch her forehead, the cold temperature against her balmy skin making her dizziness subside more. She closed her eyes and sighed as she moved the bottle around her hairline and to her temples, the wet cold giving her instant relief.
Owen watched her move the bottle across her forehead, the condensation from the bottle leaving her skin glistening. He had the urge to brush her hair from her face and the dampness from her skin, but he did not move. He observed the slouch in her shoulders, the way her breath became even, and the normal coloring of her skin returning. She looked in control again, and Owen was relieved. After a few minutes, Claire set the bottle aside and straightened her posture slightly.
“Feeling any better?” Owen inquired, gauging the expression on her face. She was still looking straight ahead to the sea, but he could tell by the set of her eyes that she was more awake.
“Yeah,” Claire assured him, and she was glad she could honestly say that she was.
Owen noticed her steady tone of voice and knew she was telling the truth. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips. “Good," he said quietly, reclining and resting his arm atop the length of the seat. He brushed his knuckles along Claire’s shoulder. "But let’s just hang back here, and we’ll go slow for a while, okay?” He wanted to make sure Claire was alright and not rush back up to speed only to have her sick again.
She hummed in response and scooted closer to Owen, her legs curled up on the seat. She leaned on her side towards him hesitantly and glanced his way before committing and fully leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes instantly.
When she rested her head on him Owen's heart swelled in his chest. He did not think he had ever felt happier in his life than in this moment knowing that Claire felt safe with him, to just rest in his arms. He shifted slightly and brought his arms around her more securely and she snuggled into him more, the weight of her against him feeling glorious, like they were two pieces forming a whole. Owen turned his head and almost closed his eyes when the sweet scent of her filled his senses again. He would never forget the way she smelled from this day on, he thought. He looked down at her to see only the top of her soft red hair against his chest. It was official, Owen thought. He has never been happier in all his life.
Claire shifted, getting more comfortable against Owen. She fit the bridge of her nose against the crook of his neck and she fit so perfectly that part of her wanted to tilt her head up so she could kiss him, but she resisted. She breathed deeply and relaxed into him fully when his hold on her arm and her waist tightened. She felt perfectly at peace in his embrace, the deep smell of him enveloping her and the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed lulling her to mold herself to him deeper.
Owen exhaled slowly, content to hold Claire in his arms for the rest of his life. He looked ahead at the deepening blue horizon and the lights of the boat shining along the water. He could feel Claire move with every breath she took and it made him never want the moment to end. He was not sure how long he and Claire stayed curled against each other, watching the twilight blues get deeper and deeper and the light of the waning moon grow brighter. The first stars of the night peeked out as the sky turned its deepest, darkest blue and once it was almost black more stars shone.
It was Claire who lifted her head from Owen's shoulder and suggested ultimately that they drive faster. Reluctantly agreeing, Owen disentangled himself from Claire and got up to check the navigation, the dashboard lights glowing in the dark. Seeing they were still in line with their coordinates, Owen sped them up to 30 knots, cautious of going too fast in the dark of night when their visibility was limited. He was also aware of Claire potentially getting seasickness again, and well, going slower and elongating the time he got to spend with Claire was just an added bonus. He wished he could just stay out with her at sea, away from all the chaos that waited for them on the island, but knew he could not. Checking their navigation lights and that the radar was set to alert them of any incoming vessels, Owen thought it safe to keep running on autopilot. He activated the auto with a push of a button and then took his place next to Claire again. Putting his arm back around her, he pulled her into his side, and Claire automatically cuddled into him, leaning her head on his chest.
Her hair tickled his nose as he ran his fingers over the soft skin of her arm, and Claire relaxed at his touch, her eyes feeling heavy. She blinked sleepily until she inevitably gave in and closed her eyes, dozing off to the rise and fall of Owen’s chest under her and his deep, woodsy scent all around her. Owen looked down at Claire as he continued to brush his fingers along her skin, determined to memorize the way she felt against him. He rested his head on top of hers and blinked his eyes lazily, content to rest like this forever. Inhaling deeply he forced his eyes open, making sure to keep watch so that they crossed the ocean safely. He kept watch as they drove through the smooth water, the headlights illuminating the flat tide. The sky turned black eventually and the stars lit up the night, reflecting their light off the water, the moon bright white and mirrored, glimmering in the ocean as well. Checking on Claire, Owen looked down and could see her fairly well even in the night because of the lights that shone from the boat as well as the light gleaming down from the sky and reflecting in the ocean around them. The moonlight made her skin glow almost a ghostly pale, and her hair sheened a stark contrast against the shadows. He felt Claire’s even breath against him and he wondered if she had fallen asleep. The thought of her falling asleep on him, of Claire feeling comfortable and safe enough with him to do so did more to make his heart swell, almost ache. His throat tightened thinking about it. He cared more for Claire than he knew to let on, Owen thought. He continued to guard their course while Claire rested, the night turning impossibly darker as they glided through the sea.
After some time, Claire breathed deeply and blinked her eyes open, hearing the soft motor of the boat. Hardly conscious, she realized she had dozed off lightly against Owen and was just coming to. She was completely unmoving, extremely comfortable in Owen’s grasp, his body like a furnace against hers and his shoulder pressing perfectly against her cheek. She squinted a little at the harsh light coming off the boat and seeing how it gleamed off the water, Claire honestly thought the scene was a little creepy, the ocean water pitch black at this time of night. She opened her eyes fully and it looked so dark and empty, save for the headlights and the moon mirrored along the waves. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since she dozed off but it was much darker than it was before. Barely lifting her head, she rubbed at her eyes and turned against Owen’s side to face him. He stroked his hand up and down her arm and her body tingled at his touch.
"Hi.” He smiled slightly down at her. "You fall asleep?"
"I was in and out," she responded after a beat, still waking up. Owen thought she looked both beautiful and adorable rousing from sleep, so much so that he could not help himself from pressing a kiss to her forehead. Claire blinked as he kissed her bangs, slightly unaware of what was happening and still confused by the time of night. "What time is it?" she asked, and Owen checked his watch.
"9:22," he said.
She hummed, blinking her groggy eyes again. "We almost there?" Looking into the black ocean again, Claire could not see anything and a chilled feeling crept through her.
"It'll be another hour or so,” he responded, rubbing her arm gently.
She thought it was still a long way to go. Granted, they drove much slower than they did this morning, taking almost double the time to get back. Claire did not totally mind though. She liked being with Owen, she could finally admit to herself, and to him.
She faced him again, observing how the moonlight illuminated his features. His eyes sparkled and she gazed at him for a moment with half lidded eyes, the boat lights still bothering her slightly. Owen looked back and forth between her eyes. She looked like a dream to him. He leaned towards her and her eyelids fluttered closed as he placed another kiss to her forehead, his lips grazing her hair before he pulled back and smoothed her bangs over with his left hand. She still felt like she was dreaming partially and was unsure of how to react to the sweet gesture. She leaned back to sit up more and the cool night air stung her skin suddenly, making goosebumps form on her arms. She hissed and curled back into Owen.
"It's cold," she shivered, folding her hands up to her chest between their bodies.
Owen held her tightly to his chest, circling her in his arms. "It is a little cool," he admitted, but smiled anyhow, reveling at the way she burrowed into him, and he took the opportunity to wrap his entirety around her and just hold her.
"You’re warm," she hummed, nuzzling his neck. Owen held her snug to his body and she nudged into him more, pressing her forehead against his neck and nestling into his chest. The weight of his head pressed on top of hers and the warmth of him as he embraced her was brilliant, she thought. She had not given much credit to just how large Owen was. His arms were so big they engulfed her completely, and his hands fully wrapped around her arm and splayed on her hip. His shoulders and chest were wide and strong as she cuddled against him and he practically covered her whole. It was perfect, she thought. He was wonderful, and she suddenly had the feeling that they were made to complement each other like this.
As she lay wrapped in his arms, Claire looked up at the moon and noticed all the surrounding stars. There were more stars than she normally saw at night being in the ocean and away from the light pollution of the park. Tilting her head back further, her eyes widened at the wonder before her. The sky was hardly black as night…it was saturated with stars like she had never seen. There must have been trillions of them up in the galaxy. There were some whiter and brighter than others, some that twinkled. They were red, blue, and purple, all glowing above them in the veil of the milky way. It was the most awe-inspiring sight.
Owen took in the way Claire stared up in wonder, her mouth agape and her hair falling back. Her eyes sparkled from the light of the sky and she was the real wonder in his eyes. He looked up then to see the stars above. It was incredible, he already knew. He had seen nights like this in the Navy when stationed at sea. It was something he never got used to though.
Claire looked at Owen to see if he was seeing what she was and he glanced at her then. She looked back up at the sky in admiration. "I've never seen the stars like this before," she confessed.
Owen slouched more, pulling Claire with him, and she smiled as he dragged her down into the cushions until they were both lying horizontal across the length of the bench. He hugged Claire to his chest as they gazed up at the stars. It had been such a long time since Claire just stargazed, and she had never done it like this before. She had seen plenty of shining stars on the island, even with the lights of the park brightening the night, but this was something transcendent, and it made her feel like she was a special piece in the puzzle of their universe.
It had been a long while since Owen saw the stars like this as well, and getting to see them here with Claire, just the two of them, it was like they were the only two people in the universe. After a minute of gazing, Claire asked Owen if he could tell her anything about the stars, having been in the Navy. He considered her question, searching the sky for a moment. He pinpointed a few constellations to her that would help narrow down their location and tell them which way was north. It took Claire a while to see which constellations he found, Owen pointing up at the sky and Claire getting close to his line of sight to see which of the millions of stars he was referring to. He talked about as many constellations and stars as he could identify, enchanting Claire all the while. Owen fascinated Claire the more she learned about him, and she was impressed by his knowledge of subjects she knew nothing about. They were both smart in their own right, but so different in their studies and topics of interest. She liked learning new things from him.
She listened as Owen finished explaining a cluster of stars and when he turned to look at her his face was just millimeters from her own. His eyes shone from the faint glow of moonlight and the features of his face were contrasted with deep shadows. She smiled lightly at him with his half lidded eyes and he smiled back. She traced her gaze along the contours of his face and stretching her neck up, she placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. She pulled back, looking at his dazed face for a beat before resting her head back down on him and blinking her eyes closed, smiling at feeling Owen’s strong heartbeat in his chest. He touched his nose to the top of her head and kissed her hair lightly before bringing them both up to a sitting position again, so he could keep watch properly. He settled his chin on top of her head and they laid that way for a while.
Eventually, Owen spotted a small light on the horizon. It blinked in a steady pattern, flashing yellow and red. He knew it was Isla Nublar’s lighthouse, pointing them to the harbor. It meant they were about 20 nautical miles from shore, and at this rate they should reach the island in half an hour.
Claire adjusted her head on Owen’s shoulder. “Is that the lighthouse?” she asked, pointing her finger, her arm stretched out and pale in the moonlight. Owen titled his head against hers to see her line of sight, his cheek pressed firmly to her forehead, despite already knowing exactly what she had referred to.
He reached out and grabbed her hand in his, intertwining their fingers playfully. “Yes,” he replied, bringing her hand up to his mouth so he could kiss the back of her hand and she smiled. “We’re about 30 minutes away.” He placed her hand back on his chest, smoothing the pads of his fingers over her skin.
It was just a few more minutes before Owen decided it was time for him to get back behind the wheel and make sure they beached safely. Claire got up and hugged herself as she moved to sit in the front again. She sat as Owen navigated them through the dark ocean and towards the lights of Isla Nublar’s harbor that got brighter as they approached, the stars in the sky lessening as they got closer to the lights of the island. It was not long before Owen slowed them down, piloting them through the harbor and mooring them to the dock.
Owen secured the boat to the dock as Claire gathered her things. He helped her up and onto the dock, and she felt a little off kilter being back on land after spending so many hours at sea. Putting back on her heels, she watched Owen step onto the dock and when he looked down at her she could see the smile in his eyes. Under the harbor lights she could make out his face more clearly and was glad to see all of him. This time of night, the marina was fairly empty and they stood alone at their end of the pier.
“I’d say this date went much better than the last,” Owen reckoned, smiling down at Claire, his hands in his pockets
She smirked. “You mean better than the date with Margaritaville and boardshorts?” Owen groaned immediately at the mention of the boardshorts, but knew he had it coming. “Yes, I’d say this was much better.” She chuckled. “Although, I don’t know if I would call stealing Masrani’s boat for a joy ride a date.” Claire tilted her head and looked up at him from beneath her lashes.
“Of course it was,” Owen defended. “Come on. Romantic dinner on the ocean, stargazing…and we did not steal anything. I’ll top off the fuel before I turn it back in,” he finished, convincing her and she smiled. “Claire,” he said her name after a moment and her curiosity peaked. He looked at her intently. “Can I take you out on a real date, where we make a plan, and I pick you up?” He was prepared to persuade her, but Claire was already nodding her head.
“Yes. I’d like that,” she responded, and Owen sighed in relief. “And I promise not to make an itinerary,” she added.
He laughed at that. “And I promise to come appropriately dressed.”
She chuckled lightly then too and clutched the bags in her hands.
“I’ll walk you to your car?” Owen offered, and she accepted, following in step with Owen as they walked down the pier. She directed them around the corner where she was parked, and he walked with her all the way to her car, standing with her at the driver’s door.
“I had a really good time tonight,” Claire said softly and the corner of Owen’s lips turned up.
“I’m glad. So did I,” he said quietly, taking in her features again under the street lights. He fixated on her freckles. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said hopefully and she nodded, responding a quiet “OK” so lowly he could hardly hear her, and was relieved once again.
“Goodnight, Owen,” Claire said, never breaking eye contact with him and her heart fluttered in her chest. She was not moving to leave and neither was Owen.
“Goodnight, Claire,” he said softly and swayed into her space. She moved closer to him naturally, unable to look away from his eyes as they sparkled and captivated her. She was enamored.
He towered over Claire the closer he got, blocking out the lights of the marina to their right and casting Claire in his shadow. It felt like they were the only two people in the entire world again, Claire thought, and she knew suddenly where this was going, though still felt completely unprepared. As he leaned down slowly her heartbeat picked up. His eyes fixed on her lips and she noticed his throat bop as he swallowed and it made her swallow in suit. They moved towards each other until their lips met in a slow, gentle kiss, and Claire melted against him immediately, tilting her head and resting her hand on his chest. Suddenly Owen’s hands were on her arms, holding her to him as he deepened the kiss and her head spun. His arms quickly moved to wrap around her back then as he angled his head and kissed her so passionately it made her stomach flip. She responded just as well, his hands feeling perfect where they held her. She smoothed her palms up his chest, the warmth of her seeping through the fabric of his shirt and spreading along his skin. She splayed her hand on his shoulder blade while the other caressed his cheek, feeling his stubble under her touch as she moved her mouth against his. When she stroked her hand along his jaw and into the hair at the nape of his neck he groaned into her mouth and it made her blood rush and her chest felt warm. Her skin was electric everywhere he touched her. She never wanted him to stop.
Slowing down, they finally pulled apart and rested their foreheads together, still holding onto each other. After a minute, Owen’s arms unraveled from her and he ran his hands along her until they settled gently at her hips. She slid her hands down to lay on his chest, but she did not move away from him.
“Goodnight,” Owen panted out once again and she could feel his breath on her lips. She chased the feel of him and before she knew it her chin was tilting back up.
"Goodnight," she whispered, her lips grazing his before capturing them in another soft kiss. His hands squeezed her hips and he pulled her against him again, kissing her back deeply. Her mouth parted underneath his and he devoured her, the taste of her intoxicating him. He held her firmly until she was flush against him and he was growing delirious from her kisses. When they parted again they panted against each other, and after a moment Claire leaned back in his arms to look him in the eye. His eyes were wild as he gazed down at her, his pupils dilated. It made her heart race even more than it already was. She pushed lightly at his chest so he would relax his grip around her and she could think a little more clearly. The cool night air replaced his warm embrace and she immediately wanted to step back into his arms, but she stood firm. She averted her eyes for a moment, still breathing heavily through her mouth and then gazed at him.
“Goodnight, Owen,” Claire breathed, and she bit her lip.
Owen looked down to her mouth until her lip pulled out from between her teeth and he stared back into her eyes adoringly. “Goodnight, Claire,” he said, his voice rumbling deeply and it made her insides coil. He watched as Claire turned to unlock her door, and he had to force himself to take a step back so he would not reach out and touch her. She glanced back at him one more time before she finally got into her car and only then did he start walking backwards, stepping towards the entrance of the marina. He could see her unyielding gaze through her windows and he held her stare until she started up her car and eventually drove away. He watched her car until it was gone from view.
Owen sighed to himself, completely satiated as he walked back along the pier. He could not believe how incredible this night was. He smiled to himself as he strolled over to the Riva, quickly refilling the tanks before making his way back to the parking lot and to his bike. As he drove through the night and back to his bungalow he prayed that Claire would not regret anything that happened tonight and that he would not do anything stupid to mess up what they had. He had never felt this way about anyone before and he wanted more than anything to make this work with her.
When Claire got home that night she could not stop thinking about Owen and the way he romanced her the entire night. Even as she climbed into bed she could smell his scent on her skin and it made her sigh, comforted her as she fell asleep easily. She hoped that whatever she and Owen had, that she would not do anything to screw it up. She did not think she had ever felt this happy with anyone else before in her entire life and whatever it is she had with Owen, she wanted it to work and she wanted it to last.
Owen called her the next day and later that week they went on their third date, then their fourth, and neither of them thought that anything they did would be able to top their date in that boat. When it came time for Claire to meet with Mr. Masrani to discuss the new quarter’s investors he noticed something different about her, something lighter in the way she held herself. Simon found Owen that same day at the raptor paddock and embarrassed him, making a spectacle about how he knew Owen should have taken his advice and asked Claire out on a date sooner. No matter how certain Simon was, both Owen and Claire denied anything of the sort to keep their professional relationship as simple as possible, but they both realized that eventually the entire park would know because they could not seem to get enough of each other and knew that their relationship was something worth holding onto.
