Starry Night
by heavensgirl

I'm Clawen trash, you guys.

Standard disclaimer applies.

It was well known among the employees of Jurassic World that Simon Masrani was not only a wealthy entrepreneur but was also a sociable and likable individual. He enjoyed getting to know his employees and took the time to visit all of his park's attractions. He made sure that the people who worked for him knew that building and maintaining the park wasn't just about making profits, but also about appreciating the miracles of science and technology, and history literally coming back to life.

Simon Masrani was also a considerate man. He knew it was important to keep his employees satisfied and happy. So, every Christmas day, he ensured that the park was closed so that his employees can spend their time with their friends and families. However, because it was impossible to leave the island unattended even for a day (someone had to make sure all the dinosaurs were where they should be), there was still a group of employees who were requested or volunteered to stay on Christmas day.

One such employee who often volunteered during the holidays was the theme park's operations manager, Claire Dearing. A well-known workaholic and perfectionist, it was Claire's mission that the park was in tippy top shape, even if it was closed on days such as Christmas.

"Claire, this is the third straight year that you won't be going home for Christmas," Simon Masrani admonished when he saw his best employee busying herself in her office, two days before Christmas.

The redhead paused from her typing to offer him a reassuring smile. "It's perfectly fine, Mr. Masrani. I want to finish this report before the start of the new year."

"Christmas isn't even here yet, and you're already thinking of next year!" Masrani chuckled. "Are you at least attending the Christmas Eve party tomorrow?"

As consolation for the employees who had to work on the island on Christmas Day, Masrani had his executive assistant organize a party for those who had to stay. The party included a Secret Santa gift exchange to liven up the small gathering.

When Claire saw Masrani's expectant gaze, she lowered her eyes in thought. She did RSVP and even bought a gift for the Secret Santa activity, but was now considering skipping the event because she really wanted to complete the report before the year ended. But she didn't want to disappoint her boss and frankly, a part of her didn't want to spend another Christmas in her office by herself…

She nodded. "Yes, I will be attending."

Masrani clapped once, delighted by her answer. "Wonderful!" When he saw Claire's worried expression, Masrani smiled at her. "The park will still be here even if you leave for a couple of hours. Have some fun! Enjoy the night!"

Claire couldn't help the small smile that fought its way to her usually-serious demeanor. Simon's enthusiasm was contagious.

Owen Grady was a simple man. He loved living in his man-made bungalow and enjoyed spending his free time outdoors. He disliked overly festive gatherings and preferred the company of his raptors over most of the humans he had to work within the park.

That's why it came as a surprise to Barry when Owen decided to RSVP to the Christmas celebration/dinner. Barry's hunch was that his friend only did it because a certain redhead also RSVP'ed to the event. His suspicion was confirmed when the raptor trainer approached him – just a day before the Christmas party – with his voice slightly desperate as he asked Barry for advice.

"I have no clue what to get for the Secret Santa gift exchange," Owen confessed with a frown. "Who did you get, anyway?"

"Lowery," Barry replied.

"What did you get him?"

"An Apatosaurus toy dinosaur for his collection."

Owen rolled his eyes. "Well, that was easy."

Barry laughed. "He told everybody what he wanted while we were drawing names for the exchange gift, so it was a breeze."

Owen groaned. "Lucky you."

"Who did you get?"

"Claire Dearing," mumbled Owen.

Barry couldn't help it: he laughed until his stomach hurt.

Owen glared. "It's not funny."

"What are the chances that you would get your crush for Secret Santa…"

"I don't have a crush on her!" Owen scowled. "Miss prissy ain't my type."

Barry was laughing again. "Sure, Owen, sure…"

When Barry had calmed down from his laughing fit, Owen gave him a 'I-really-need-your-help' look. "Seriously, what kind of gift would you get the person who runs one of the biggest theme parks in the world?" asked Owen.

Barry was deep in thought. "Man, that's tough…"

"No kidding," Owen grumbled. "I don't even know what she likes. Hell, she probably already has everything she needs! She's pretty well off."

Owen's comments gave Barry a thought. "Maybe give her something money can't buy." An extremely general suggestion, but hopefully it would provide Owen an idea.

Owen considered his friend's words. Barry was right… but what kind of present would that be?

Owen tossed and turned on his bed. He was deliberating Barry's advice on what to give Claire for the Secret Santa exchange. Owen knew that he had a little less than 24 hours before the inevitable would happen… and he absolutely had no clue what to present to her.

Deciding that lying in bed wasn't helping him think, he grabbed a jacket, walked outside, and made his way near the lagoon next to his bungalow. He enjoyed spending his free time outdoors; it didn't matter if it was during the daytime or nighttime. For Owen, being outdoors alleviated his stress and made him appreciate Mother Nature even more.

Owen took a deep breath and closed his eyes, reveling at the sight, smell, and sound of nature that surrounded him. He instantly felt calm and at peace as he concentrated on his surroundings. With a smile, he opened his eyes and tilted his head, admiring the night sky. He thought that such beauty was often missed by so many of his co-workers who didn't take the time to stop and appreciate that they worked on an island that showed how beautiful Mother Nature was.

It was from that thought that Owen found the solution to his dilemma.

Claire nervously tapped her fingers on the table as she observed the dozen or so Jurassic World employees who were chit-chatting merrily amongst themselves. She took a sip from her eggnog and looked around the room and hoped that nobody noticed how out of place she felt. Claire mused that the most likely reason they didn't initiate a conversation with her was that she was often hard to talk to, especially since she managed them and the park.

As she scanned the room, Claire felt the beginnings of a blush form on her cheeks as her eyes fell on Owen Grady, who looked even more handsome in an outfit that was a far cry from his usual attire when he worked at the Raptor paddock. She hated to admit it out loud, but she found Owen rather endearing, with his can-do attitude and easy smile. It was something her friend and assistant, Zara, loved to tease her about.

"Alright, it's time for the Secret Santa gift exchange!" exclaimed an excited Lowery from the front of the room. He took it upon himself to be the emcee for that night's occasion. He ordered the rest to form a circle before proclaiming, "My turn first!"

Lowery handed a rectangular-shaped present to one of his fellow colleagues at the control room. The colleague hastily unwrapped the gift, lips immediately turning into a grin at having received Ian Malcolm's book, God Creates Dinosaurs.

The gift exchange went as smoothly as expected. Knowing her turn wouldn't be coming anytime soon, Claire flashed a tiny smile every time her co-workers opened their gifts. When it was her turn to give out her present, Claire smiled warmly at Vivian as she handed her an envelope.

"What is it?" asked another co-worker as Vivian read what was in the envelope.

She gaped at the tickets on her hand. "It's the romance ticket package to Jurassic World." Many people in the room gasped – that particular ticket package (which included staying in a penthouse suite) – was quite pricey. Even with employee discounts, it was still an expensive purchase.

Vivian smiled gratefully at Claire. "Thank you, Claire."

"I heard that your boyfriend will be coming over in a week, so I figured that would be the best way for the two of you to ring in the New Year," Claire said in a hushed tone, afraid to embarrass her friend. Vivian blushed and thanked her again.

"Alrighty… last but not least, Owen!" Lowery called out.

The normally confident and brash man walked towards Claire with tentative steps. The redhead raised an eyebrow as the raptor trainer handed her a plain, white envelope. As she slowly opened the envelope, Claire wondered what Owen had come up with for a present for her. She knew she was a hard person to shop for.

To her quiet disappointment, the envelope contained a Christmas card and a gift card. Without bothering to read the contents of the card, she forced a smile as she looked at Owen. "Thank you."

His eyes twinkled with mirth like he was anticipating something and couldn't wait to share it with her. "You haven't read the letter."

"What?"

Before Owen could reply, Lowery's voice reverberated in the room as he took a mic from the stage. He sounded slightly tipsy. "Thanksss for participating, folksss!"

"Did someone spike his punch?" Vivian asked, concerned.

Momentarily distracted by Lowery's antics, Claire didn't notice Owen slip away from her side. It was only when Vivian asked her what was in the letter that she realized she still hasn't read it. Scrawled at the bottom of the card were the words: Meet me in front of Margaritaville in 10 minutes.

At first, Claire found his words profoundly ridiculous and insulting. Did he really think she was that kind of girl? The rational part of her told her to completely ignore his proposition, but the curious part of her couldn't stop wondering what Owen's plans were. Then there was the other part that wanted to confront him and tell him how classless his words sounded to her.

After she bid goodbye to Vivian and a few other employees, Claire grabbed her coat and power-walked her way to Margaritaville. Lo and behold, Owen was there, a cheeky smile on his face as he leaned casually on his motorcycle.

Claire stomped her way until she was in front of him. "For your information, I'm not the type of girl that likes to do the whole pick up and hook up." She looked at the Margaritaville sign. "Also, I dislike drinking alcohol."

Owen blinked, slightly confused. "Wait, this isn't a pick up and hook up…"

"Then what is this asking me to meet you here?"

Owen rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Damn, I knew this wasn't the best meeting spot."

Claire crossed her arms, irritated. "You didn't answer my question."

"I was hoping to take you somewhere." Owen cleared his throat. "The gift card isn't my actual present for you."

Claire's anger dissipated almost instantly and was replaced by curiosity. "What?"

The sincerity in Owen's voice was enough to let Claire know that he doesn't have any plans of taking advantage of her. "I want to show you something," he replied as he extended his hand for her to take.

She couldn't help the slight narrowing of her eyes. She had the irrational belief that Owen wasn't going to take advantage of her – they have known each other for quite some time now – but she didn't know if she should listen to him or run away. "Where are you taking me? And what do you want to show me?"

"It's supposed to be a surprise," he answered patiently. He understood Claire's apprehension but knew he needed to find a way to persuade her to come with him.

"How do I know you won't do anything stupid?"

"Just have some faith in me, okay?"

With some hesitation, she took Owen's hand and let him lead her to their ride. Claire thanked the heavens that she decided to wear denim pants to match her sweater that night or she would have felt positively horrified to ride a motorcycle in a dress. "This is safe, right?" she asked Owen, shyly snaking her arms on his torso as he turned on his bike.

He looked at her over his shoulder. "Hold on tight!"

Claire gave a slight shriek and shut her eyes tightly as Owen accelerated to God-knows-where he planned to take her for the "surprise." For a few seconds, Claire felt like regretting her decision to ride with Owen on his motorcycle. But as she felt the warm wind caress her cheeks and play with the strands of her hair, Claire's thoughts changed: she felt lighthearted, something she hasn't experienced in a long time.

Owen knew that his plan was working when he felt Claire visibly relax behind him. Her tight hold on him was gone, and he even heard her sigh contentedly as they traversed a dirt road leading to one of the island's hills.

Claire must have dozed off during the ride because she did not notice they have stopped until she felt Owen gently squeezed one of her arms. "We're here," Owen said with a smile.

This time, Claire took Owen's hand without hesitation as he helped her off the bike. Curiously, she looked around and noticed that they were on top of a grassy hill that overlooked part of the Gallimimus Valley. There was only one thought that plagued her mind: why did he take here there?

While Claire was still taking in their surroundings, Owen took out a large picnic blanket and proceeded to lie down on the blanket and waved at Claire to get her attention. "Claire."

Owen's voice snapped her from her daze. Claire raised an eyebrow when she saw Owen on the ground. "What are you doing?"

He chuckled. "Come, lie down here."

Claire placed both hands on her hips, appalled at the suggestion. "Excuse me?"

"Relax, Claire. I won't do anything stupid, I promise." When Claire didn't budge from her spot, Owen sighed. "You won't see your present unless you join me down here."

"Why don't you just tell me what the present is?"

"Showing you would be better than telling you," Owen explained, still patient.

Part of Claire's brain screamed to run from him as far away as possible – his mysterious actions and the almost-creepy way he's insisting on joining him on the blanket was enough for Claire to think Owen was a weirdo. But Claire knew Owen ever since Ingen hired him for the Raptor research program three years ago: although he liked to get under her skin, Owen was considerate, passionate about his work, and was kind to his co-workers.

"Fine." Claire sat rigidly on the blanket. She looked down at Owen who seemed to be admiring her face. "No funny business, got it?"

"I promise."

Before she completely lied down on her back, Owen had one last request. "Close your eyes first."

"Owen..." Claire almost growled in annoyance.

"Trust me."

With a resigned sigh, Claire did as he asked and slowly took the space near him. "Now what?"

"Open your eyes…"

Claire gasped as she did, awed at the scene above her: the night sky was littered with a myriad of stars and the moon hovered above them, and every so often, dark and wispy clouds would eclipse the moon that illumined the land. Around them, the swaying of the trees and the slight rustling of leaves created soothing music to their ears.

As Claire concentrated on the sights and sounds of Mother Nature, she felt an overwhelming peace that seemed to calm every fiber of her being. It was an unfamiliar feeling; she had forgotten what real inner-peace felt like. The more Claire watched the night sky and listened to the breeze, the more she felt like she was being whisked away at a place where peace and tranquility reigned – it almost felt magical, and she didn't want to leave anytime soon.

"This is beautiful, Owen," Claire murmured, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"You've never seen something like this, huh?" Owen asked as he admired the way the stars were mirrored in Claire's blue eyes. The happiness that was radiating off of her felt almost tangible that Owen couldn't help but smile.

She gave a rueful smile. "Never."

They stayed like that for a while, lying side-by-side as they continued to marvel at the night sky. Owen would point out some of the constellations he knew while Claire listened to him with rapt attention. He also shared some of the activities he loved to do outdoors during his free time: fishing, hiking, and even rowing on a boat he built himself.

"By the way, I'm sorry for feeling suspicious earlier," Claire said, turning her head so she faced Owen.

"Nah, I understand. I was actually expecting you to freak out or beat me up for the not-so-smooth invitation." He chuckled and faced her. "I'm not very good at planning out surprise presents like this."

Their proximity was enough for Claire to give her goosebumps, anticipating what would happen next as Owen shifted on his side, resting his head on his arms. "You know, your eyes remind me of the sky. But more the morning sky than the night sky," Owen told Claire. He grimaced when he realized how lame that must have sounded to her.

"Your eyes remind me of the forest," Claire confessed. "They're so… green."

They shared a nervous laugh. "Is it just me or is there something between us?" Owen finally asked. He couldn't take the tension any longer – he needed to know if his attraction to her was reciprocated.

Claire blinked, amazed that Owen had voiced out precisely what she was feeling. "You mean... like an attraction?"

"So… you feel it too, huh?"

"Do you think it's weird?"

He shook his head. "Nah. It's only natural for two attractive people to be attracted to each other."

Claire laughed again. His early nervousness was now gone and replaced by his usual and familiar attitude of confidence. "You're so vain," she joked. "You know, two people attracted to each other usually go out on dates."

"Then let's go out on a date," Owen said like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "I'd love to take you out. Just tell me where and when you want to go, and I'll be there."

After a moment's pause, Claire asked, "So now what?"

"Well, I think I better take you back. I don't want the others to think I kidnapped you or something." Owen was getting ready to get up, but Claire's hand gently grasped his wrist and tugged him back to lie down next to her. "Claire?"

"Let's stay a little longer, please?"

"Sure." Owen smiled but was suddenly taken aback when Claire pressed a feathery kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you for taking me here. It's the best Christmas present I've ever had."

The smile he gave her took her breath away. "Merry Christmas, Claire."

"Merry Christmas, Owen."

& Merry Christmas to you all (:

Yours Truly, HG

Edited: 2/13/18