Chapter Text
Karen Mitchell was in the driveway of her home loading the rest of the luggage into the back of the family vehicle making sure everything fit. She turned around and yelled to her two sons in the house. "Boys, let's do this!"
In his room, Gray Mitchell was looking at slides of dinosaurs fighting with each other on his View Master toy. His room had all kinds of dinosaur posters and figurines. Along with all kinds of other toys and tech.
His mom knocked on the door. "Gray?" She opened his door and walked over towards him, grabbing his View Master. "Honey, what're you doin'? What is this here?" She put it down and Gray stood up. "Let's go. Come on, honey, your flight's in two hours."
She put the rest of his smaller necessities in his backpack. "Dane County Airport is thirty-six minutes away, sixty with traffic." Gray informed his mother.
"How many minutes to get your little butt in the van?" Gray and Karen smiled at each other, amused. "Hmm? How many of those?" She grabs his bag and they walk out of his room. "Feed the monster under your bed?"
"Yes."
Gray runs out of the house and past his older brother, Zach, and his small group of friends. Cade, Rowan, and Elise all huddled around him, making a big deal out of him leaving.
Cade placed his hands on Zach's shoulders. "Text us pictures everyday so we don't forget what you look like."
Zach rolled his eyes and Rowan pinched his cheek. "And text us what you do everyday as well." He mocked in a baby voice. Zach slapped his hand away.
Elise poked her head past the two boys. "And let me know if you meet a cute girl, I want a new friend."
Karen walked past the four friends.
Zach stared at them. "I'll only be gone a week."
From the driver seat of the van, Zach's father. Scott, watched the friend group with an amused smile on his face. He did find it funny but they did need to get going. "Zach."
The group turned their eyes to the older man. "You're not goin' off to war, here. Come on."
Zach began walking away and his friends waved dramatically to him, following his dad's unintentional idea. "Bye!"
Zach sighed and got in the van. As his father started the engine.
The parents look in the back at their eldest son. "I know it hurts, sweetheart."
"Are you gonna be okay?" Scott pouted.
Zach looked at them annoyed before looking out the window, putting his headphones on.
-
At the airport, a Christmas themes song was playing in the background. The Mitchells were saying goodbye to their sons at the gate of the plane.
"Everything right on there?" Gray nodded. Karen smiled at him. "I'm so jealous. You're gonna have so much fun." Gray didn't seem to notice that his mom's smiled seemed a little forced. He was too excited for the dinosaurs. "I love you."
"I love you too." Gray hugged his mother, then looked to his father who managed a small smile.
"All right, let's give these to your brother, okay?" She tried handing the ticket to Zach, but he wasn't paying attention
"Zach!" Scott spoke louder, catching his attention this time.
"Can you hold these? Honey, I need you to take care these."
Zach nodded and grabbed them. "Take care of your brother, answer your phone. I'm serious. It's the green button. When you see my name, push it, okay?" Zach nods absently, wanting to leave. "And remember, if something chases you...run." She spoke dramatically.
Zach gave a weak laugh and began ushering his little brother away. "Come on, let's go."
"Bye, guys."
"Bye."
When they were out of sight, Karen and Scott's demeanor changed. The boys didn't know exactly why they were going on the trip. And it wouldn't be disclosed to then until they got back.
-
"Gray? Is that you?" A voice interrupted the brothers from talking anymore.
Zach and Gray turned to see a redheaded woman dressed in white descend down the stairs. She smiled and Gray ran towards her, startling her when he wrapped his arms around her for a hug. She slowly but surely wrapped her arms her youngest nephew.
Zach followed in suit of his little brother but slower, and less interested. He didn't have any reason to be excited as Gray was to see his aunt. She never visits and never sends anything simply because she was too engrossed in her work. Zach got tired of waiting around for his aunt. Gray didn't have any reason to be happy to see Claire, but he always saw the good in people.
Claire turned her view to the taller male. "Whoa, Zach! Last time I saw you, you were like..." She trailed off as she holds a hand a little shorter than Gray. "That must've been, what? Three, four years ago?"
"Uh, seven. Seven years." Zach monotonically corrected her. "But, you know, close."
Claire faltered and glanced down at the boy's hands. "So I see you already got your wristbands," she glanced around the area they were in trying to think of something. She wasn't extremely sure about leaving them in the care of Zara. She was constantly staring at her phone trying to figure out everything for her wedding. Maybe she needed a vacation earlier for it. Claire looked at her phone that buzzed. It was a reminder for a meeting with Masrani. Claire paused and looked at her nephews. Maybe this could do everybody good.
Zach and Gray were no doubt surprised when their Aunt Claire offered to take them behind the scenes and spend the day with her, but they were complaining, Gray more than Zach. Zara had been dismissed and the family were on their way to a car.
Neither of them knew what kind of things were going to happen. Nobody did.