Jurassic Wildflower (A Jurassic World AU)

Chapter six

When Anna returned the next day, Rose was not there.

Instead, she found Doctor Watson and Luke standing outside the raptor enclosure. Swallowing hard, she got out of her car and walked towards them. "Where's Rose?" She blurted when she was close enough to be heard. "Is she alright?"

"They will be," Luke said, a little pointedly. He stood firm with his arms crossed, blue eyes watching her with a look that wasn't hostile but wasn't exactly friendly either. Now she saw the family resemblance. 

Anna looked at Doctor Watson. "What do you want me to do? I can go back to my usual work-"

"No," Doctor Watson said slowly. "I spoke to Rose, they aren't happy, but they don't blame you. They didn't realize that you aren't quite as... confrontational, as they are."

Anna nodded solemnly. Doctor Watson looked at Luke, standing beside her. "You can go now, Luke. Thorns and Terrance haven't been fed yet."

Thorns? Anna thought. She hadn't met any dinosaurs named Thorns. Had Rose been keeping something from her?

As Luke walked away from them, Doctor Watson spoke again. "Luke and Rose are aware of your assignment."

"What?" Anna said, incredulous. "I thought this was a secret-"

"As far as the council is aware, it is," Doctor Watson cut her off smoothly. "Anna, the council doesn't trust Rose, but they don't trust you either."

"Why wouldn't they-"

"I don't know for sure. What I do know is that they are planning something, and they won't tell me what. And they want you and Rose out of the way while they do it."

Anna stared at the ground for a moment, mulling this over in her head. Why would they not trust her? What were they planning? What could she do to be such a threat to that plan?

"For now, go back to your usual post, I'll send Rose once they've recovered," Doctor Watson said, her voice softening slightly. "I'll make something up to keep the council happy. You just focus on understanding their dinosaurs, and Rose herself. I have a feeling it may help you one day."

Anna nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Barely two days later, Anna was feeding one of her dinosaurs when she heard familiar footsteps. They were slower, and more cautious than the way any of her colleagues walked, but also purposeful.

She turned around. "Hi Rose."

Rose made a face, and Anna could almost hear her saying 'don't turn your back to the dinosaur.' She smiled disarmingly. "Don't worry, he wouldn't hurt me."

She gently patted the long horn protruding from the four-legged dinosaur's nose. Rose nodded and looked at the ground, then at the trees to her right, then the sky, then the dinosaur beside Anna, then finally she looked Anna in the eyes. "I'm sorry," she blurted. "I'm sorry about what I said, it was wrong and rude and you didn't deserve that-"

"It's okay," Anna said soothingly, taking a step toward Rose.

"No, it's not," Rose said. "It was really shitty, and I'm sorry. I was just... I was..." She gritted her teeth hard, the muscles in her jaw working. "I was scared."

"Scared?" Anna repeated. What would Rose, the strongest, fiercest person Anna knew, have to be afraid of?

"I was scared that you would get hurt and it would be my fault."

Anna blinked. Rose fidgeted nervously, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Rose never looked that insecure. "Look if... if you want to come back, to the raptors, and maybe, try again? I wouldn't be upset about it, is all."