Amy shrieked as the ear shattering roar of the Spinosaurus drowned out the sound of her broken voice, the overwhelmingly powerful steps of the creature jumbling the ground so greatly that every step the woman took nearly sent her to the ground. If not for Alan's tight grip on the back of her shirt, she very well might have fallen. Amy, Alan, and Eric raced down the length of the stretching fence, praying to whatever God above that, somehow, there would be some way to get across to the other side. Her hope was quickly dissipating with every cracking step the creature took, its shadow steadily growing and consuming her own as it loomed above her. Then, Eric took a sudden sharp left and dived through a small, ragged hole. Alan was the second to go through, his grip on Amy's shirt only tightening as he pulled her along with him.

Amy felt her foot catch on a jagged piece of the broken metal and she was sent spiraling forward, her full body weight crashing against Alan's side. In a mass of flailing limbs and muffled shouts of both surprise and pain, Amy and Alan blindly crawled over one another in their attempt to get away from the fence and the monster behind. Amy felt a new set of hands grab her arms and she was dragged backwards. Her eyes only just caught sight of Alan scrambling away as the Spinosaurus forced its jaws through the small hole, it's ravenous laws snapping and tongue thrashing at the spot where they both had fallen mere seconds before.

Whoever had grabbed her continued yanking her back, then she realized they were shouting. Amy jumped to her feet, her hands searching for her bearing against Billy as he practically carried her from the fencing. The group ran further, yet only managed to escape a few feet away before their exhaustion overtook them. They all came to a breathless stop, leaning on one another as the adrenaline slowly ebbed from their bodies. The Spinosaurus let out an angry roar, now pacing circles on the opposite side of the fence while pawing at the dirt and sending menacing glares their way. Then, there was laughter. It was first started by Paul, followed by Amanda and Eric as the reunited family finally embraced one another properly after two months apart. Amy looked to Alan, who was bent over his knees and heaving heavily, then she turned to Billy and she laughed. Amy threw her arms around the kid's shoulders and buried her face into his neck and she laughed, her body forming heavily against his own as her strength slipped away. "I'm sorry, Billy," she said in what might have been a sob. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you like that-"

A loud, metallic bang shattered the afternoon air, followed by the threatening cries of the Spinosaurus. Amy jumped and spun towards the sound, only to go completely white at the sight of the dinosaur on the their side of the valley, surrounded by a shattered, collapsed mess of metal bars and wired netting that used to form the fence. It had broken through.

There was no thinking, no hesitation from the group, only running. They all took off in the opposite direction of the dinosaur and towards a small building in the near distance. Amy could feel the blood rushing through her ears and felt a burn deep in the meat of her calves, but she pushed on. The wet ground sloshed and plashed with her fleeting steps and the group slipped and swayed, yet they were all able to keep their balance enough to make it to the entrance of the building. Paul reached the front door first and with one good shove of his shoulder, the doors swung open and the group piled into safety. The moment Amy stepped a foot inside, she spun back around and she snatched at the hatches of the door just as Alan, Billy, and Paul did the same. Together, they slammed the heavy slab of metal shut. Instantly, Amy's fingers raced across the rusted locks on top while Alan clicked the bottom half, fully securing the door and locking them into the building. As soon as the last hatch was settled in place, the door suddenly jumbled and creaked as the Spinosaurus pounded its body against the building, doing its best to tear down the very walls from around them.

There was another harsh bang and Amy flinched, her body shaking with anticipation of whether the doors would hold. She took a small, unsteady step back and she touched someone, causing her to jump. It was only Billy, who chuckled breathlessly at the woman and he wrapped his arms around her in another heavy embrace. With his body firmly pressed against her own, Amy let out a hefty sigh and she rested her head against his chest, finally allowing herself to relax as she struggled to regain her breath. To her left, the Kirbys did the same, holding one another silently as the great pounding and cries from outside slowly died down to nothing.

Once Amy regained her foggy senses, she realized that the Kirbys must have wanted some alone time with their found son, so she tapped Billy on the shoulder and gestured with her head towards the small, spiraling staircase of the room. Alan followed the two with their walk, his eyes surveying the small round room and shattered windows as his chest finally began to calm. "You're hurt," said a soft voice that Amy recognized as Billy's, though it took her a moment before she realized his comment was directed to her. Her eyes dropped down to her bare ankle, which now had a steady, burning stream of red dripping down. First it surprised her, then she remembered the broken metal of the fence and assumed it must have been from that. After giving it a passing inspection, she assured herself that it was not in need of immediate care.

"It doesn't look deep, but I'll have Doc look at it later," she joked lightly with a small smirk sent Alan's way. The Spinosaurus bellowed again, its voice thankfully further away now, though Amy still flinched at the sound. In a way to distract herself, she turned her attention to the many windows that lined the walls. Amy peered out into the river below and the cliffs in the close distance, ignoring the tangle she felt in her stomach at the steep, dizzying view. They must have been in some abandoned outpost, which hopefully meant they could find some weapons, maybe even bandaging. However, this thought was quickly overshadowed at the sound of Billy's voice once again.

"Alan, you want to give me that bag back?"

"It's okay, Billy. I got it," Alan responded shortly, not paying the kid any mind as he looked over the edge of the cliff.

"Please give me the bag," Billy insisted slowly, taking a few strides towards Alan. Amy took a step back, her brow furrowing at the odd tone Billy used. This also caught Alan's attention and he finally turned to regard the kid with clear suspicion. Billy didn't stand down, though his fingers played nervously at his side and he gulped thickly. "It's not safe."

"Billy, what did you do?" Amy found herself questioning, though neither man paid her any mind. Alan took a short step forward, then stopped himself. He lifted the bag up with one hand while the other unzipped the main part. Instantly, Billy began to shuffle uncomfortably in place and he exhaled lowly through his nose. Once the bag was unzipped, Alan opened the flap to reveal two oval, white objects. "Raptor eggs?" the words mumbled from Amy's lips as a new realization overtook her in an icy wave.

Menacingly slow, Alan looked from the eggs and directly at Billy, his blue eyes seemingly on fire with a building rage. "Did you steal raptor eggs?" Each word Alan said was spoken coldly and steady. Billy could only manage a small nod, his eyes flickering about the floor, refusing to make any eye contact. At this, Alan smiled, then his lips flattened and his eyes closed as he worked through his fighting array of emotions. "Now it all makes sense," he grumbled through a disappointed sigh.

Finally, Billy found his voice, which had flipped from that of tensed suspension to a growing desperation. "I swear, if I'd known you and Amy were going to end up with them," he trailed off.

Amy shook her head, suddenly filled with baffled denial. "No, Billy wouldn't have taken raptor eggs. This is just a misunderstanding-"

"I took them on an impulse," Billy interrupted her, and from the single glance he threw her way, she knew he was telling the truth. "I thought they'd be worth a fortune. Enough to fund the dig site for another ten more years." Billy's eyes flickered between Alan and Amy, searching their faces for sympathy, yet he received none. Amy's eyes were wide and confused as she worked to understand his reasoning while Alan simply glared at the hard floor. Billy spoke again, his voice cracking in rising distress. "Look, you have to believe me! This was a stupid decision, but I did it with the best intentions."

"With the best intentions," Alan repeated and he rubbed his chin as if to keep himself from completely exploding. He swallowed and, finally, he settled his eyes on Billy directly and coldly. "Some of the worst things imaginable have been done with the best intentions. You know what, Billy?" Alan took a step forward and Amy half believed he would punch the kid, yet he stopped himself with a short shake of his head. "As far as I'm concerned, you're no better than the people who build this place." Alan practically spat the words in Billy's face with such a ferocity and venom that even Amy was shocked. Suddenly, the woman found her own voice.

"That was uncalled for, Alan," she said, finally capturing the men's attention. For a reason she could not yet comprehend, Amy found herself steadily growing more and more angry; angry at Alan. She understood that what Billy had done was wrong, but that didn't mean Alan should have been this harsh. After all, it was Billy...

He wasn't out for personal gain. What he did wasn't done out of spite or malice, he was just being Billy. And though Amy knew that she could not condone his actions, nor would she have ever made such a dangerous mistake herself, she knew she had an obligation to the kid. Billy was the only one she had revealed her secret to. He was the only one who knew she was pregnant and knew that she was hiding it, yet she was not once met with judgement. He hadn't questioned her and he certainly hadn't deemed her as bad as the scientist of InGen. Because of this, Amy reasoned that, even with what he had done, Billy deserved her understanding at the very least.

Unsurprisingly, Alan did not share the same view as her. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open as if to say something, yet Amy was quick with her new stance. "He was only trying to help us-"

"Amethyst," Alan interrupted her in an anchored, perplexed tone, "he stole Velociraptors eggs from their nest and set the entire pack after us."

"And he didn't mean it like that! Yes, it was beyond stupid, but maybe if you weren't always so hard on him, he wouldn't think he had to do something this ridiculous just to please you."

Alan took a small step back, completely struck dumb by her oddly placed retaliation. Then, he chuckled and scratched the back of his neck while shaking his head in honest disbelief. "I don't believe this... Why do you always take his side?"

"I'm not taking his side, Alan," Amy snapped back instantly. "I already said what he did was stupid. I'm not taking any sides."

"Then why do you keep defending him?"

"I'm trying to get you to see his side of things! He did this for us. For all of us! He just wanted to help."

"Oh, he did this for us? Or did he do this for you?" Alan practically growled, his nose scrunching in what must have been disgust. Despite the pinch of hurt that stabbed at her chest, Amy only glared heatedly at the assertion as Alan continued his rant. "He put us in danger, Amethyst. He put you in danger. If you can't see him for the mess up he is, then maybe you deserve each other."

Amy was absolutely stunned by this accusation. Her eyes rounded and she gawked at the man before her stupidly. All of her thoughts, words, and emotions disappeared into the stale air of the room in an instant, leaving her blank and hurt. Alan looked surprised by the words he spoke as well. As soon as they had left his throat and reached his ears, his shoulders dropped, his face went white, and his jaw clenched tightly as if to keep him from speaking any further. His blue orbs quivered, scanning over Amy's features as though he were studying her reaction, discovering by her face alone that he truly said those words aloud.

Before he could fully come to regret them, however, Alan hardened his features and he huffed harshly through his nose. Stepping around the frozen woman before him, Alan marched right on up to one of the many broken windows of the room, shuffling with unlooping the strap of Billy's bag from around his shoulders as he did so. Once the bag was off, he thrusted his arm between the broken shards of glass, dangling the bag over the steep drop into the river below by its lucky strap. Billy sucked in a sharp intake of air and he averted his gaze. Amy was quick to comfort the kid. She placed her hand against his shoulder and she patted him gently. With her soft touch, Billy dropped his head against her own shoulder and he mumbled a quiet apology. The woman said nothing. Instead, she hooked her arm around his shoulders as her eyes continued to peer evenly at Alan, waiting for his undoubtable next move through a caramel colored glare and an upturned, sunkissed nose.

Even so, Alan hesitated. His eyes blinked heavily against the brightness of the sun as he stared down at the bag and the little eggs within. His feet shuffled and his fingers flexed, though he did not let go. He threw a small glance over his shoulder and Amy caught his quick gaze of uncertainty, though it did not settle her now thundering chest. She wanted him to do it. She wanted him to defy her by dropping Billy's bag and the raptor eggs into the abyss, solidifying his words as truth and giving her a reason to remain angry with him. However, things could never be that simple with Alan. Another heartbeat passed and he brought Billy's bag back to his chest.

"What are you doing?" The new voice joining the mix was that of Paul. The Kirbys had remained shamefully quiet through the entire ordeal, yet at the sight of Alan placing the smaller bag into his large backpack, Paul simply could not keep his mouth shut any further. "Those things are after us because of those!"

"Those things know we have the eggs," Alan said rather matter of factly, even with the slight, misplaced tremble that fell upon Amy's hot ears. "If I drop them in the river, they'll still be after us."

"What if they catch us with them?" Paul practically begged.

"And what if they catch us without them?" That shut up Paul quickly. Alan zipped his bag shut and slung the straps over his shoulders as he began to slide into place as leader once again, smoothly and efficiently as ever; as if what had just transpired between him, Billy, and Amy had never happened. "There's a boat at the bottom, just downriver. We can try to make it to the coast at least." As though it would really be that simple, Alan began his descent down the spiraling staircase, followed first by Paul, then Eric, and finally Amanda, leaving Billy and Amy alone in the deserted room.

Finally, Billy raised his head from Amy's shoulder. He cupped her dirt and blood ridden face carefully within his large palms, trying to gain her attention from the hole in the floor she was currently staring daggers at. "Amy, I'm so sorry," he whispered, his head ducking into her line of vision, yet she did not bother to look at the kid. "I know I messed up, but I didn't mean it, I swear I didn't!"

"I know," she said. "You're a good man, Billy." Finally, she allowed herself to look at the kid. His eyes were reddened by the tears that threatened to break and his chest heaved from the exertion of the previous events. Then, Billy did something that Amy couldn't altogether concede. The hands against the sides of her face tightened and she felt a soft weight of warmth across her lips. Amy couldn't blink, nor could she think any thought at all as Billy kissed her. Her entire body turned to stone, taught and unmoving as every muscle in her body fought against itself to either remain stilled or shove the kid away. Before she could come to a decision herself, Billy pulled away. His eyes stared deep holes into her skull as though he were deliberately stripping her thoughts, searching for what she could not find herself. As if her body was completely rejecting his searching, Amy turned away from him. Her head turned and caramel eyes landed on the deep hole the spiral stairs disappeared into. Only then did she realize that she was in search herself; in search of the one person who had inflicted such a heavy pain, yet all at once made her feel light. Just like that, Amy blanked out what had just transpired between her and Billy as her body went altogether numb.

"Thank you for fixing my arm, and... thank you for understanding me on the plane." That was all Amy could say. If she tried speaking any further, Amy knew she would cry. She gave Billy a tight, pathetic smile, brushed his hands from her face, then started down the staircase. After a few moments of silence, Billy followed behind silently.

The further down they went, the louder their footsteps echoed against the metal landing and enclosing walls. The lighting was dull and fog hung thickly in the air, making Amy's nose feel stuffy. Although she could feel the blood on her ankle beginning to dry, the wet air made it feel thick and stick against her dirt ridden skin. The woman could only make out a few feet ahead of her, which was a mass of thin, wired netting from shredded fencing. Once her eyes began to settle to the lighting change, though, she realized that they were in more of a cage-like structure than a fence as the tops of their heads were concealed by the metal wires as well as their surrounding flanks. Amy could tell that they were still high up and she was thankful for the thickly hanging mist that blocked her view of the drop.

Amy and Billy kept close to one another while following the group down another short staircase, led by Alan. Every now and then, Amy would feel Billy touch her and she shook him off instantly, whether it was a mere accident or not. She was still struggling to process what had happened, or if it had even happened at all. Either way, she found herself rather lost in the group. She was still angry with Alan and refused to go to him, though she could not go to Billy either. Her only other option would be to go to Eric, though she knew it would be horribly intrusive of her to force herself between the Kirbys. So, Amy remained at the back of the group with Billy, trying to keep quiet and to herself while she fell deep in thought.

They reached a landing that branched off into the clouding mist with a bridge, though this went ignored as they continued downward. The stairs led deeper and deeper down the cliffside and into the fog until they reached yet another landing. The very instant Alan placed his weight onto the next set of stairs, the floor fell out before him in a sudden, thundering clatter of rusted metal. Instantaneously, Amy felt herself crash into the protective arm of Billy as he pushed her back and away from the danger. Amy did not have the voice to scream as she watched Alan's feet quickly disappear into the hungry darkness, sucking him down, down. Alan threw out his arms in search of stability and, thankfully, they found the railing. He gripped the old bars tightly as Paul snatched at his arms, hauling Alan to safety as the remnants of the stairs banged and rattled harshly against the sharp rocks and finally splashing into the river below.

Amy's ears rushed with the sounds of her beating heart. She was able to make no movement as she slowly came to the realization that Alan was okay and that he hadn't fallen. She could hardly even make out the low whistle of Paul as he asked, "you okay?"

Alan gave a simple, breathless, "yeah," in response. Alan turned in her direction and she fully expected him to go to her, however, all Alan did was pass another short glare at Billy before he turned his attention back to the bridge. He took his first step onto the bridge, which creaked and rattled in protest and he paused. "Let's do this one at a time, shall we?" said Alan, then he proceeded onto the platform. Amy could do nothing but watch as Alan slowly disappeared into the wake of the mist with nothing but the metallic creaks to show that he was still okay. After a few, long minutes, he finally called back, "okay, come on over! One at a time!"

The Kirbys looked among themselves, silently deciding who would be the first to travel across. All eyes landed on Amanda, yet she turned to Amy. "Do you want to go next?" she asked, to which Amy shook her head.

"No, you go next," she told the woman with a not so subtle glare at the drop below. "I'll hang back, just in case."

Amanda smiled and she nodded gratefully at the brunette, then she turned to her son. "Alright, Eric," she said calmly and placed her hands upon the boy's shoulders, "I'm going to leave you for just a minute and then you'll be right behind me, okay?"

"Mom," Eric rolled his eyes, "I've been alone in a water truck for eight weeks. I think I can manage the next two minutes without you." Amy found herself smiling lightly at that. Eric sounded so grown up, doing his best to be brave for his mother. Amanda smiled, too. She gave her son a loving pat against his cheek and nodded.

"Right, we're all together now." With this, she locked eyes with Paul. Although the two said nothing at all, at that moment, they said everything. Then, the blonde set out into the fog. Many moments passed with nothing but the swaying scratches of the metal bridge. A few minutes passed until Amanda's voice could be heard again. "Okay, Eric! Come on, honey!"

"Okay, over you go," Paul encouraged Eric and the kid was set out with a comforting pat on his shoulders.

While waiting for Eric to cross, Billy suddenly set his hand upon Amy's own shoulder, startling her slightly. "Are you going to make it?" She said nothing. Billy sighed. "Amy, can we talk?" he tried again, though Amy was quick to shake him off once more.

"Not now."

"I just wanted to-" his words were lost as Eric suddenly screamed. The bridge rumbled and rattled terribly as Eric's cries steadily grew closer and closer. Amy was quick to dart forward, her fear of heights momentarily forgotten. Side by side, her and Paul both raced down the bridge in search of the boy. Eric's voice was so close that Amy was certain she could reach out and touch him. A shadow began to form against the fog before her and she was sure it was him. Suddenly, the dark outline of Eric's body was lifted from the floor and he appeared from the mist, carried by the arms by a Pteranodon.

"Eric, no!" Paul shouted, his arms grappling in the air as the Pteranodon gave one strong flap of its wings and left the bridge, diving off the side with Eric in tow. There was a mass of forms and voices Amy couldn't discern, though she hardly cared. The only thing on her mind was to get Eric back. She darted back down the length of the bridge, and once she was back at the staircase she took the steps two at a time. Soon enough, the Kirbys began to outrun her in their desperate pursuit of the boy, though that did little to slow the woman.

"I can't see him, I can't see him!" Amanda cried.

"On your left!" Amy yelled and pointed at the distant, misty forms. Eric dropped from the dinosaur's talons and he rolled hard against the rocks, letting out a distant yelp as the Pteranodon continued to fly overhead with an ear shattering caw. Amy forced herself forward, begging whatever God above that they would reach another bridge near Eric's perch, though the most anyone could do was continue running. Tiny, flapping forms began to jump and flock around Eric's screaming form, causing Amy's heart to leap into her throat. He was being fed to juvenile Pteranodons. Eric shook off the crowding, ravenous creatures and he began to run down the length of the cliff, further and further away from them.

The Kirbys spun around a sudden corner and Amy did her best to do so as well, though her boots slipped and she fell against the stairs hard. A pair of footsteps came to a stop next to her, and when she looked to see who it was, she saw both Alan and Billy. Billy stared back at Amy, his gaze unwavering and fearful. Amy's brow scrunched in slight confusion as to the meaning behind the look, then she heard a click. Her eyes landed upon the buckle across his hips, which his hands secured with a good yank.

"Billy?" Alan questioned. By his tone alone, Amy could tell that Alan knew something she didn't; something awful. Without a word, Billy turned and ran. Alan was fast on his heels. "Billy, stop!"

"Billy!" Amy screamed and she scrambled back to her feet. She hadn't a clue what Billy was planning, but she knew by the look upon his face and the way her heart dropped that it couldn't have been good. Amy slipped and stumbled against the damp metal, though she managed to stomp up the remainder of the staircase before she slipped again.

"Billy, stop!" Alan continued to beg, his voice raising and echoing inside Amy's head. Panic flared untamed through the woman, though she could only watch as Billy raced up to a part of the fence where it had been torn to shreds. With one great step, Billy jumped onto the railing. "Don't, Billy!" Alan screamed and he jumped, his arms outstretched and reaching for the kid. Just before Alan could touch him, Billy lept.

Amy screeched, her voice mixing horrifically with Alan's as they watched Billy disappear over the railing like a discarded rock. Her boots slipped and rutted against the floor, yet the woman still dragged herself forward and to the ledge. Fingers snatching at the fence and taking hold tightly, Amy threw herself over, her eyes frantically searching for any signs of Billy. To her great surprise, he was flying. Billy was sailing through the open air by the parachute on his back; the very one taken from Ben. Amy watched on in an amazed annoyance, perplexed by his audacity yet bravery. She felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned to Alan. Without a word, he took her by the hand and the two continued after the distant screams of the Kirbys.

Every few seconds, Amy would glance out into the open enclosure to try and decipher what was happening. One moment she saw Eric fall and get swarmed. The next he was running again with Billy sailing closely overhead. It was hard to place just what was happening, but all she could do was trust that Billy had a plan. She looked again and Eric was standing at a ledge, the infantile dinosaurs flocking him while he screamed and flailed. Billy flew by and Eric jumped, crashing into Billy's side and sailing away from the baby Pteranodons.

Just as she saw this, Amy was yanked backwards and she almost tripped again. Once she regained her footing and realized what was in front of her, she realized her and Alan had finally reached Paul and Amanda. However, they had been stopped by a broken gap in the bridge. From above, there was a powerful cry and another Pteranodon appeared. Using its gigantic wings as balance, it tried landing on the bridge, its large beak snapping angrily at the group as it did so. Alan pulled Amy from the ledge and the group ran back down the way they had come. The prehistoric bird gave chase, shrilly cawing overhead and sending gusts of cold air as it sailed above their heads. Without warning, the creature dived down and crashed through the protective fencing of their cage, landing heavily in their way. Alan threw his arms out behind him and Amy instinctively did the same, the two paleontologists pathetically blocking the dinosaur's way as they backed towards the broken half of the bridge with the Kirbys closely behind. Alan made a false lunge as though to kick the monster, though it only screeched angrily and continued to crawl after them. Closer and closer the creature drove them to the edge, leaving them with two choices; take their chances with the oversized bird, or attempt the jump.

They did not have to decide. With a shattering crack, the bridge crumbled with the weight of the Pteranodon and they were sent into the water below, humans, cage, bird and all. Amy had no time to scream as she suddenly found water filling her lungs. Her arms and legs kicked and fought against the mass of waves and limbs as she scrambled for the surface, thankfully finding it almost as quickly as she had landed. The woman coughed and sputtered, her injured arm practically screaming as she continued to flail and grappled with her bearings. Just then, the Pteranodon broke the surface with a desperate cry, its wings spiraling against the weight of the water as it tried to get back into the air. Then, the half of the bridge they were standing upon moments before came crashing down right on top of the thrashing dinosaur, dragging it into the dark depths below.

The group dwelled little on this. Once they were sure they were all together, they dove their tired arms deep into the river and swam for the edge. Amy could still hear the yelling of Billy above, which only drove her to swim past her own pain. The very moment her feet scraped against the wet mush of land, Amy's head whipped back to the air in search of Billy and Eric. "He's there!" she heard Paul call.

Just down the river a few short yards away, Eric drug himself up onto the bank, completely drenched from his own dunk in the river. Paul and Amanda were quick to his side, though to Amy's angst, Billy was nowhere to be seen. "Eric, where's Billy?" she begged the boy, who pointed back to the cliffs.

"There he is! He's across the river!" Just as Amy turned, she saw a body fall into the water.

"Get him out of here!" Paul waved on Amanda, who began to pull Eric away and to safety, despite the boy's pleas to help. Then, Paul began to run back in the direction of Billy. Amy started after, though Alan was quick to push her back.

"Stay with them!" he shouted, though Amy only shoved his hands off of her.

"No, I have to save him!" She did not wait for him to argue. As she ran, she heard Alan let out a string of curses, though he was quickly on her tail.

Paul, Alan, and Amy raced down the riverside for Billy, who was doing his best to fight against the rushing current. A Pteranodon swooped down and grappled at Billy, raising him a few feet into the air before dropping him again. "Hang on, Billy!" Alan called out. Amy wasn't sure she even had a voice anymore, nor could she feel her body at all. Amy was altogether cold and hot. Every step she took she was sure would send her face first into the dragging, ankle deep water, though she still pushed on. The dinosaur continued its assault on Billy, continuously picking him up and dropping him back into the water. Every time he dropped, Amy felt a little more hopeful that they would reach him in time, and yet it didn't go unnoticed how the creature's grip grew tighter every attack, and how Billy was lifted feet and feet higher before being dropped again.

A second Pteranodon attacked, then a third. Only then did Amy realize that Billy was saying something; something that very well could have shattered her whole. "Get away!" he cried and swatted at the air, trying to get Amy, Paul, and Alan to leave him. To abandon him. "Get away!"

"Billy!" she screamed in retaliation, though a hand suddenly grabbed her arm and snatched her back, preventing her from getting any closer. It was Paul. The man had grabbed both Alan and Amy, holding them and keeping them from reaching Billy as he continued to splash and yell. Amy looked to Alan, hoping he would overpower Paul and fight his way to Billy's rescue, yet to her dismay, he didn't. Alan was struggling against Paul's grip, though either due to exhaustion or simple understanding, he never shook his grip. Amy flared at this like a rabid animal. She dug her nails into Paul's hand and the man instantly let her go, catching her off guard and causing her to fall into the water. The water wasn't deep, though it instantly washed over her head and choked her. By the time she resurfaced and regained her sight, Billy had drifted further downstream, his body overtaken by a wash of blue and red as the ravenous creatures repeatedly dove their razor sharp beaks deep into the water and into his body. "No!" Amy wailed and coughed, her hand outstretched pleadingly, begging that by some miracle his hand would appear within her own. And yet, she knew it wouldn't. Billy was gone.

Alan and Paul grabbed either one of her arms and lifted her, dragging her through the rushing water and back in the direction of Amanda and Eric. Amy could hardly aid them in their retreat. Her body was as heavy as a ball with its chain. Her feet limply marched forward, though her top half drooped as her chest fluttered shallow and far too quick to allow herself proper oxygen. Her surroundings were blurred and she couldn't hear anything other than the remnants of Billy's pained screams that bounced between her eardrums. The water before her bubbled a disgusting red that seemed to never wash away from around her body, and she couldn't be sure it was only her own. Once her toes finally touched solid ground, though, she could run again.

A stray Pteranodon began its pursuit against the three as they raced down the muddy, pebbled floor and towards the gate Amanda awaited at. However, it was obvious they would not make it, even as they drew nearer. Even if they were to somehow reach the fence in time, they would risk letting the monstrous bird out of its enclosure. "Close it!" Alan shouted and Amanda slammed the gate and locked it shut. Just as she had, Amy heard someone shout, "jump!" and a body barreled directly into her side, sending the woman falling back into the deep water.

Amy, Alan, and Paul kicked and struggled against the current. Amy could see nothing and she did not know what direction she was going, her only hope was that when she resurfaced, they would be safe. Her hands scraped against something so unlike rock, and when she forced her eyes to open, she was able to make out thick metal bars through the murky darkness and swishing boots of someone slipping between. The woman followed, her fingers scratching and digging into the slick metal and she forced herself through, wiggling like a fish upstream. Then, her waist caught on the bars.

Amy pushed her arms and kicked her legs, struggling to get through, though she would not budge. In her panic, Amy's mouth opened in a scream for help and water instantly pooled down her throat and into her lungs. Amy continued to struggle, twisting and scrambling for the surface above that began to grow darker and darker. Her head pounded and her lungs burned. Obsidian ebbed around the corners of her eyes. She could feel her consciousness leaving her, her last thoughts being; this is how she would die? After everything she had been through, drowning would be her end? She lost Billy, her best friend, and she could never tell him how sorry she was about everything. Alan would return home empty handed and broken, never learning of his unborn child, or the truth that Amy had never said out loud; that she truly did love him and him alone. It was almost a comical fate, one that made her want to cry.

No, it couldn't end like this. Not without a fight.

Amy began to struggle again, more ferocious and desperate than before. Ever so slowly she felt herself move forward, closer to the surface. Amy thrashed and kicked blindly, her bare legs scraping harshly against the metallic bars as she regained her freedom. Just as fast as her adrenaline had spiked, however, it left her quite suddenly. Amy watched through hazey eyes as the remnants of her air escaped her, fluttering to the surface that was just within her reach as everything went dark. Then, her thighs slipped free.

When Amy finally broke the water, she was outside the aviary. She had swam under the fencing and out of the terror bird's reach. The creature spiraled itself against the fence, cawing and scratching for the humans it could now never reach. Amy wasted no more of her time with the awful bird or the cage that had almost become her watery tomb. Returning to her swim, her, Alan, and Paul finally arrived at the shore and reunited with Amanda and Eric. And, despite the luck they had just endured, they had arrived at the boat.