“Hello Sera?” Jack spoke into his handheld radio while inspecting the goat chute inside the Tyrannosaur paddock. Said Tyrannosaur was safely enclosed in her holding pen, under the watchful eye of the good Doctor. “The chutes pretty torn up, she could have easily cut her face on it...” He leaned in a bit closer to inspect the twisted metal. “...In fact I’m gonna say definitely, I can see a bit of her skin caught on it. How’s her face looking?”

     Although they hadn’t been together for very long, Kyle was happy to call Sera his girlfriend. He knew enough of her backstory to know that things weren’t going to be easy. Though nothing in his life ever was... Neither of them had been in a relationship in a long time. However, Kyle was fully prepared to move at Sera’s pace, though some things would likely be entirely new to her. That didn’t matter though. The two already had a strong connection; they wouldn’t have made it this far if they didn’t. 

     Since they had the day off today, Kyle invited Sera over to his apartment to meet his two dogs. He also wanted to use the opportunity to cook for her. The man recalled her love of pad thai, so he had spent all night looking for the best recipe. Then he got up early that morning and got all the ingredients he needed to prepare dinner. Wanting a sweet, but not too sweet dessert, he got an assortment of fresh fruits to make a dark chocolate fondue. 

     As the rice noodles were cooking, the man took the time to clean up his apartment, take a shower, and put on a clean button-up shirt and jean shorts. Then he cleaned out the dogs’ dishes before giving them fresh food and water. He set the table and cleaned the kitchen. Then he proceeded to chop up the vegetables for the stir-fry. Kyle had just finished cutting the vegetables when he heard the knock on the door. Both of his girls raced to the door and started barking. 

RANDOM SENTENCE STARTERS // @thedinodoctor

He understood the emotion in her voice, the subtle silent plead to not be left alone. He felt it all the time after the incident. Because how could your life go back to being normal when every aspect that made your life normal had been destroyed? 

Jack wanted to stay. He didn’t want to go back to his own empty apartment. Face his own demons and nightmares alone. He had them every night. The red eyes of the Indominus flashing at him as it roared and growled and tore everything he knew apart. He had almost lost Rexy, he had almost lost Sera. He had lost almost everything but they where still here. The Tyrannosaurus, roaming her island. And Sera, standing in front of him, asking him to stay with her.

“Okay.” Jack murmured as his legs seemingly took him towards her without thinking. He hugged her close, holding her like a lifeline because in a way she was. She kept him afloat in an ocean of uncertainty. 

     The Pachys had safely been taken to their shelters. Luckily Kyle didn’t need any help getting his girls inside, since they practically raced after him. They could sense the oncoming storm and their handler’s concerns, so they followed without much resistance. If only the man had caught that on camera.

     Just as he had the girls locked away in their indoor shelters, the rain had started and now Kyle was getting soaked. But he made his way towards the employee building closest to the Pachy Arena. The rain felt nice, since this island was incredibly hot and humid most of the time. A nice bout of rain would’ve been nice, but this was more than shower. It was full blown storm that was just starting.

    There was one room in the back that most people didn’t use; the room in which Kyle usually ate his lunch, alone, and the one where he usually kept his work bag. So he walked all the way back to that room, removing his button down shirt as he did so. The fabric was a bit scratchy once wet and he hated how it felt. Luckily he always kept some spare clothes in his work bag, so he intended to put a fresh shirt on.

    He was looking down as he opened the door, his dark hair had fallen around his face. The water droplets trickled down his toned and scarred torso. The pawprint tattoo with the “Sunny” scripted above it was visible on his right forearm, something his button down shirts often covered. The man raised his head as he opened the door and was surprised to see Sera there. He noticed the scars and tattoos, but he didn’t allow his gaze to linger. That’d be very rude. So he spoke without looking at her, walking to the back of the room to grab his bag.

Jack’s grip on Sera’s arm was steady. He had watched her hurt herself a few seconds before, heard the crunch and her cries of pain. He knew what that was like. To be so consumed in your own thoughts and anguish, to not care about whatever harm came to your body because whatever was on your mind had consumed all of your senses. Too be so far gone you simply don’t care. He had stopped her second blow because it was his responsibility to care right now, when she seemed incapable.

Sera’s lips where trembling, her eyes bright. Jack felt deeply invasive, looking at her right now. He knew with certainty that this was something he was not supposed to see.

Finally a broken whisper, a shaking command for him to leave. He knew before she had even finished saying it that he couldn’t. She might hate him for it, but he just couldn’t leave her in this state without trying to... do something. Help didn’t seem like the right word. He just knew he couldn’t leave her. When someone is truly breaking, it’s hard to leave them.

“Sera...” Jack’s voice is quiet, but unwavering. He reaches gently for her injured hand. It would need ice to bring the swelling down, possibly an x-ray later on.

Only once Jack’s sure it won’t need urgent medical attention and he’s methodically checked her over for any more injures does he bring his gaze back down to Sera’s heartbroken face.

He doesn’t look pitying. Simply gentle concern. Taking a deep break, Jack does the only thing he can really think of. He pulls Sera slowly into a tight hug.

     First Kyle was sitting around, minding his own business. He generally kept to himself at places like this. Only speaking when spoken to, same as always. But then he heard the commotion, screaming and insults flying across the room. It was obviously a man and a woman, he could tell by the voices. Then he recognized one of the voices. The female, she was the head of veterinary care, Sera. He didn’t really know who initiated it, but he intended to end it before fists were flying. 

     Kyle stood and approached the two. He had gotten there just in time too because the man had already prepared his fist. Sera was too caught up in her berating to have noticed. Naturally, Kyle moved without thinking, something he always got scolded for. The man then firmly placed himself between the two, grabbing the fist with one hand and pushing it back, while the other went behind him to keep Sera in place. Of course it had come off as a defensive stance, the man trying to protect the woman because she is weak, small, etc. It always came across that way. However, it had been placed so that she didn’t lunge back at the man she had been yelling at. Though a little part of him had been defending her, despite him knowing full well that she was capable of handling herself. 

     Luckily he had managed to diiffuse the man. Kyle had been larger, more muscular than him, so he really didn’t want beaten up. The other man backed away and Kyle had turned to face Sera. Just as he did, she was practically growling at him, as if she were one of the dinosaurs she so ruthlessly defended. Naturally she responded by saying she wasn’t a helpless child, that she didn’t need to be rescued, she could take care of herself. Way to go Kyle, making yourself come across as a typical misogynistic asshole.