Chapter Text
The first night after escaping the island was just a mixed bag of emotions. On the one hand, none of them knew what would happen to the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar or on Mantah Island, but on the other hand, they were finally reunited with their families! It was something that they’d been waiting for for ten months, as they were finally updated. Keeping track of time was difficult when running for your life, who knew?
But now they’re relaxing on the coast of Costa Rica, being served dinner at their resort after a long and very well deserved shower, and sitting around with their families and telling them about their exploits.
“So there I was, my ankle still wasn’t fully healed after I hurt it, and Sammy is fighting off the poison of this horrific test tube dino, and we remember that Dr. Wu has this antidote on the other end of the island! It’s a good thing I’ve been a serious athlete since I was in diaper because otherwise, I’m not sure how any of us could have survived that Scorpius Rex poisoning,” Yaz said, one hand holding Sammy’s hand, and the other shoving as much bread as she could in her face. All the kids were eating like starved raptors while their parents watched in a mix of relief, joy, and absolute horror.
“Forget the Scorpius,” Sammy said. “We’re both very lucky and very unlucky that we were all lumped together because that meant we each had our own talents that helped each other survive. I mean, Brooklynn’s tech knowledge, and other random ‘unboxing’ knowledge, Darius being a total dino nerd, Kenji’s knowhow with everything privileged, and Ben becoming a total jungle boy out there all came together in a way that we didn’t just survive, we lived!”
“Sammy, you can’t discount your knowledge of farm animals and how to act around them! Who knew that baby dinos acted like baby cows?!” Yaz said with a little smile. Sammy blushed and immediately rushed towards the tamals that were set on the table by the waiter who did a bad job at trying to hide the fact he was eavesdropping.
“But seriously, I’m glad they also took Dr. Wu into custody along with Mr…uh…” Brooklynn trailed off, but Kenji held up a hand.
“It’s fine, really. My dad did really bad stuff, not limited too attempted murder of any child that wasn’t his own blood,” he said. “I thought he was my only family, but blood family is overrated anyways. You guys know me better than anyone ever did back home.”
“I still can’t believe people left you on that Island,” Mrs. Fadoula said. “They should have seen that you six weren’t off the island, gone in to investigate.”
“Well, to be fair to them, if you’re a dinosaur’s dinner, they never left any scraps around,” Darius said.
“Yeah, and with the original incident alone, I’m betting there were many empty casket funerals,” Ben said, earning a slap on the back of the head from Brooklynn. “What? It’s true, I mean, their families couldn't get bodies and…oh…” An uneasy silence fell over the table, and the eavesdropping waiter all but threw the plate of Casada on the table before running back into the kitchen. “Did…did you guys…?”
“It seems silly now, doesn’t it?” Mr. Gutierrez said with a sad smile. “I wonder how we’ll return the gravesite…”
“Forget the gravesite, there’s a giant memorial to all those lost on Isla Nublar and your names are etched in stone. Can you imagine crossing those off?” Darius’s mom said.
“Well, I’m going to keep the scholarship we started for the Brooklanders open,” Brooklynn’s dad said. “Except now instead of being in Brooklynn’s memory, it’ll be in her…celebration, I suppose I should say?”
“Dad! I love that idea! Except let's not limit it to Brooklanders! Let’s make it a Nublar Six scholarship,” she suggested.
“I love that!” Darius said. “Maybe six people could win it?”
“Yes! And we’ll each “sponsor” one of the winners,” Sammy said.
“Whoa whoa whoa guys, great ideas all around,” Brooklynn said. “But let’s hold off on giving either of my dads more work until they can fully appreciate us being home. I mean, we’re not even home yet.”
“Yeah, there are doctors staying at the same hotel we are who are insisting that you six go through every medical test in existence before you go home,” Mrs. Pincus said.
“Great, poking and prodding,” Kenji groaned. “Sounds fantastic.”
Darius kept staring at the ceiling, hearing his mom and brother softly breathing the next bed over. Even though they were right there, he hasn’t felt this alone since before he went to Camp. He turned over and saw Kenji on his side in the bed next to him, facing away from him. “I know you’re still awake.”
Kenji sighed and turned over, looking up at the ceiling as well. “How could you tell?”
“I know when all of you guys are asleep. Your breathing changes.”
“Yeah, I could tell you were awake too, but I didn’t want to point it out.” He let out a long sigh, subconsciously making constellations in the popcorn ceiling of the resort. “Feels weird, right?”
“I honestly can’t remember the last time we slept in a bed before your dad’s suite,” Darius said. “And even then…I went to the couch.”
“I was on the floor with Brooklynn…” he looked over at Darius. “How do you think the others are?”
“Probably the same. Being alone to sleep wasn’t a good idea with Dinos around. I mean…I know I’m safe, that we’re all safe…but…”
“I know what you mean. I swear I’m listening for some dilophosaurus to come around the corner. And we’re in Costa Rica. No dinos here…”
“Right?” Darius chuckled. “Wanna go explore?”
“Yeah, but…maybe let’s leave a note? Before your mom freaks out again.”
She could hear her own heart pounding in her ears like drums, but no matter how fast they beat or how hard she ran, it wasn’t fast enough. She was never fast enough as the Carnotaurus kept chasing her, picking up speed, almost catching her and she couldn’t run faster. She wanted to hide! Why wouldn’t her legs let her hide! The dinosaur wasn’t even running, just lumbering hungrily towards her. Wait…not her…
If the Carnotaurus wouldn’t get her, The BRAD-X certainly was going to eliminate Sammy! She had to get there! Before it was too late! Sammy! Run! Sammy! Why was she turning green?! What was that on her side?! They looked like…like Scorpius Quills!
“SAMMY NO!” Yaz shot straight up in her bed, clinging to the sheets. Blinking slowly she was able to reassess her surroundings. Right, she was safe in a hotel room in Costa Rica with her mom in the bed next to her. Her mom, who was turning on the light and sitting up, with concern in her eyes. “Mom…sorry I woke you. I’m fine…really…”
“Yasmina…”
“I’m fine, I promise. It’s…it’s just a nightmare.” She looked next to her on the bed, to that big empty space where she wanted Sammy to be. “I’m fine.”
“Yasmina, what you went through…I can’t imagine it…” She got up and sat on the bed with her daughter, putting a hand on her knee. “I’m just…I don’t even know who I’m thanking, but I’m pretty sure I’ve thanked so many Gods that Chris Hemsworth is going to come here saying that Thor says he’s welcome that you’re alive.” Yaz couldn’t help but let out a little laugh at that.
“There were some people who came to do analysis of Nublar a while back, and we were able to get a ride with them for a bit…they told us that we were on the island for six months at that time, and all we could think about was ‘how was it possible it was that long?’ We…we had no idea how much time passed,” she put her hand on top of her mom’s. “We were so busy surviving we just…never really tried to track time. We had no idea how long we’d sleep for or how long we were awake for…we just slept when we felt tired, and ran the rest of the time. And we kept trying to find our way back home. Even now, when they told us it’s been ten months since the Nublar disaster…we were all thinking ‘how has it been four months since that helicopter ride?’ It…it feels like it’s been both ten years and two days at the same time…”
“How did you six do it, my love?”
“With each other really. I can’t remember the last time I was alone until now…like, alone…”
“You’re not alone right now, I’m here.”
“I know but…”
“It’s not the same, is it?”
She sighed. “I’m sorry mom…I don’t mean anything by it, but…that’s the Camp Fam…our herd. We depended on each other so much and…we were almost always within arm’s reach of each other. It’s…weird…last year, I never knew these kids. Ten months ago, I wanted to stay away from them as much as possible. But now? I can’t imagine not having them there everytime I turn around.”
Her mom listened quietly. “What would you like, sweetie?”
“Do…do you think it’s okay if I get everyone for a sleepover?”
Ben didn’t even pretend to try to sleep, sitting, staring out the window. He couldn’t really shake the feeling that they couldn’t just…be safe. Not like that. For months, they had to be alert, against dinosaurs, against adults who said they’d help them only to let them be dino chow…they know exactly what it looks like when a dinosaur eats a person, and how it could either be torture on the victim, or quick and painless. Sometimes he debated throwing himself at the nearest Baryonyx and let the pain vanish. But he couldn’t do that to Bumpy, or his friends, his herd…his camp family.
He watched the waters of the beach just outside his window, imagining Bumpy staring at the shores of Mantah Island. He wondered if he’d ever be back to see her, if she’d remember him if he ever did go back. And going back to his own life. The day he was thrown out of a monorail by pterodactyls was the day the old Ben Pincus died. He’d forgotten how to live, he just learned how to survive.
He pretended not to notice his mother’s worry because there was really nothing he could say or do to reassure her. She wants him to be okay, and physically, he was. Mentally? He even felt like he belonged among the dinosaurs more than he did here on the mainland, in human society. He felt more feral now, and more understood with the giant reptile/birds.
He heard a soft knock at the door and jumped up, ready for action, before remembering that it probably wasn’t a Compy trying to steal his dinner. He got up and opened it, seeing Yaz.
“What’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Touche.”
She sighed and hugged herself. “My mom opened our room for anyone who wants to come…just in case you…”
“I’m writing my mom a note right now!”
She smiled. “I’ll get the others…I guess…”
Apparently, if she wasn’t in mortal danger, Brooklynn’s body decided to have a physical reaction to her nightmares, and that was throwing up that amazing dinner she had the night before. Her dad sat by her, worried, but she kept reassuring him in between bouts of expelling empanadas. She specifically kept replaying that one guy on the helicopter ladder who got eaten by the Mosasaurus in her head.
She told her dad that she’s seen lots of death, but she didn’t go as far into detail of all the different horrors she’s seen. She didn’t want to stress him out even more. Finally, she flushed the toilet again and got up to gargle the bad taste out of her mouth. “Please stop freaking out?”
“I just…the last time you threw up this much, it was Brooklynn Unboxes Norway and found out you’re allergic to one of the pickled fish ingredients…and even then, it was something physical that made you throw up, not just your memories.”
“Yeah, but I survived, which is the important part, right?” She gargled with mouthwash and spit it out. “We all did it together. And the nightmares will pass. I had them for a bit when we were first stranded, but then they stopped. I guess it’s just like, now I’m safe so I’m processing it.”
“I’m starting to regret letting you do Brooklynn Unboxes Psychology,” he joked slightly. “But you are going to go to a psychiatrist when we get home. All of your friends are. I’ll pay for it myself if I have to.”
“Actually, that wouldn’t be bad,” she admitted. “But you might want to make sure that they’re fully aware who we are, you know? Explain that we lived with dinosaurs for ten months.”
“I still can’t imagine all of that…”
“It wasn’t all bad. I mean, they’re amazing creatures. It would be kind of like living in a regular jungle, I guess. I mean, yeah there are animals that could kill us, but it’s not because they’re violent. They’re animals surviving, like us. And you’d think we’re insane for the amount of dinosaurs we saved.”
“You did always have a big heart. You saved some herbivores?”
“We saved all of them. And Darius even learned how to communicated with T-Rexes. We became friends with them.”
“You’re right…I do think you’re insane,” he said with a small, nervous laugh. She was going to say more but a small knock interrupted them. Her dad got up to answer, and Yaz was on the other side.
“Oh…uh hi…sorry I just wanted to say that the camp fam is invited to my room for a sleepover and-”
“I’m there,” Brooklynn grabbed her pillow and went to the door, kissing her dad on the cheek. “See you at breakfast?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I think I might have an easier time sleeping with the same six people I’ve been sleeping with for the past ten months tonight…”
Mrs. Fadoula decided to get another room at the front desk and Sammy and Yaz were the last to get to the room right after Darius and Kenji. All of them found spots on the two beds but they were really all too electric to fall asleep just yet.
“It still feels like I’m dreaming, and one of y’all is gonna wake me and tell me that allosaurus is headed our way,” Sammy said. “But dream or not, it’s so good to see my dad’s face again.”
“Same here,” Brooklyn said. “Although I doubt I would dream throwing up the best food I’ve had in almost a year.”
“Tell me about it, or waking up in the middle of horrific nightmares,” Yas said.
“I think we’ve seen more people killed by dinosaurs than movie directors,” Kenji said. “And we saw real deaths. Not fake ones where we can high five afterwards saying ‘Good death scene, bud.’”
They all kind of fell quiet after that. “Well…goodbye childhood…” Ben said. “It was good while it lasted.”
“At least we had each other…” Sammy said, squeezing Yaz’s hand.
“True but…what about after the doctors check us out?” Darius asked. “Our parents will want us to go home…and all of our homes are different.”
“I mean, we could always visit each other,” Brooklynn said. “And college isn’t too terribly far away. We could plan on going together, right?”
“That’s still at least three years away for some of us,” Ben said. “And just being in my room away from you guys had my hairs on my arm standing up.”
“So…we’ll have to figure it out?” Yaz said. “I mean, do you think our parents would let us get an apartment that we could all live together?”
“With two teenage couples? I doubt it,” Sammy said.
“Then for sure we video call. Every day,” Darius said. “For a start. And we make trips *every* three day weekend.”
“Maybe plan our summers together, like finding a non-dino invested island to resort at,” Kenji suggested.
“Non-dino? Meaning no visits to Bumpy?”
“Don’t worry Ben. We’ll also do Bumpy visits. And now that Mae is there almost year round, you know she’s safe,” Brooklynn said.
“Yeah, those two girls will protect each other,” Darius said. “But these plans…they can at least wait until tomorrow, right? I mean, the doctors are probably going to be really thorough.”
“Yay,” Kenji said unenthusiastically.
“Just…maybe we should get as much sleep as we can for the rest of tonight.”
Mrs. Fadoula went into the room the next morning to wake up the kids and saw a heartwarming and sad scene. It was clear that they had started by splitting the two beds, but then ended up all piled up in just one. Yaz and Sammy were holding each other tightly on one end, and Kenji and Brooklynn on the other end, and Ben and Darius found themselves draped over the four of them in a contorted yet oddly comfortable manner, one that they’re clearly used to sleeping in as a group. How many times were they like this for safety? And now, even the parents would have to come to the difficult decision of how to break them up in a way that wouldn’t totally crush them.