The two adults were quick to set onto the single can of beans, both taking turns to shovel spoonfuls into their ravished mouths as there was only one spoon. They hardly even noticed as Eric began to move around the small enclosure, nor did they care when he took his seat beside them and started shuffling through a cardboard box. The moment Amy felt the food drop into her long emptied stomach, all she was worried about was her next bite.

"I read both your books," she heard Eric say, though she didn't bother to answer as she guided Alan's hand to her mouth, stealing his next bite. "I liked the first one better," the kid continued through his own mouthfuls of a chocolate bar, "before you were on the island. You guys liked dinosaurs back then."

"Back then, they hadn't tried to eat us yet," was Alan's gruff answer. He scraped the spoon along the tin bottom of the can, scooping up what little was left of the beans. He offered it to Amy, though she shook her head and he took the final bite for himself.

"When InGen cleared out, they left a lot of stuff behind," Eric informed the two. Alan and Amy did a quick visual sweep of the space, only seeing junk. Much like the compound, it looked like the truck had simply been abandoned with full intentions of returning one day, which never would - or should - have happened.

"Any weapons?" Alan inquired, though the kid shook his head.

"No. And I just used the last of the gas grenades."

"And we appreciate that," Alan started, though he began to cough again. With the food now gone, Amy sat her sights on exactly what all was inside the bunker. Surely something could be of use. An odd, foggy, triangular glass bottle caught her eye and she picked it up, holding it to the little lamps lining the walls to try and decipher what exactly the yellow liquid was.

"I'd be careful with that. T-rex." Amy raised a brow, silently asking the kid what he meant. "It scares the smaller ones away, but it attracts one really big one with a fin."

Amy was still confused, though Alan knew instantly what the liquid was. "This is T-rex pee?" he asked. The boy only nodded and took another bite of his candy. Amy grimaced and slowly sat the bottle down, glad that it was, in the very least, no longer warm. "How'd you get it?" Alan continued to pester, though Amy wasn't sure she actually wanted to know that information.

Thankfully, Eric only said, "you don't want to know," and left it at that. The kid leaned over to shelf, where he grabbed another chocolate bar. "Dessert?" he offered. Amy nodded and Eric tossed the bar to her. She caught it and instantly tore open the wrapper, eager to get more food into her stomach. However, Alan was more focused on the child before them.

"I have to tell you," he started slowly, "I'm astonished you've lasted eight weeks on this island."

The boy paused, a handful of chocolate hovering inches from his lips. "Is that all it's been?"

Amy stopped then, too. Her eyes bounced to Alan, a small pain pinching at her chest. Amy couldn't imagine reliving a weekend on this island, let alone an entire eight weeks. There was no telling just what this poor child had been through. She must have been making a face, for Alan placed his palm against her shoulder and he rubbed her arm gently, trying to sooth her in some way. Taking initiative over the now tense situation, he spoke again. "You're alive and that's the important thing. Thanks to you, that's one thing we have in common." It was his way of comforting the kid, though it didn't seem to help. Eric's shoulders dropped and his face fell and Amy could practically see the gears in his head turning, going over every horrific thing he had overcome in under two months. Alan sighed, searching for some other way to raise the kid's spirits.

Then, an idea appeared in Amy's mind. "You said you read our books. Did you happen to read Malcolm's?"

This seemed to work as the kid finally perked up, if only slightly. "Yeah."

"So?" Alan urged and Eric shrugged.

"I don't know... it was kind of preachy. And too much chaos. Everything is chaos. Seemed like he was high on himself."

Amy chortled at that and she had to muffle a full out laugh behind her chocolate bar. Alan grinned, his eyes flashing to hers knowingly. "That's two things we have in common," he joked and the boy chuckled along with them. Amy shook her head at the memory of the eccentric mathematician as she broke off a piece of her chocolate, offering it to Alan. He took the piece within his teeth with a wink, causing Amy to giggle and roll her eyes at the action. Then, there was a new sound to accompany the trio. From outside the open door to their bunker, there was chirping. At first, Amy thought it only to be the twittering of birds. However, Eric instantly reacted negatively to the sound.

"Listen," he hushed the adults and they all went silent. They heard the sound again. This time, it was much closer. Eric jumped to his feet, shuffling his way towards the hatch of the truck. "Compys!" he shouted as he reached out of their hideout and slammed the door shut, securing it with a twist of the handle.

"Compys?" Amy questioned, sitting up with a new interest. "What are Compys?"

"Little green monsters. They're only the size of chickens, but I've seen a pack take down a full grown Gallimimus."

Amy couldn't place a dinosaur with the name Compy. She thought back to the days spent on Isla Nublar, trying to remember if she had seen anything that could have been a Compy there. She did remember something John Hammond had mentioned while on the helicopter. He said that he allowed a small pack of what must have been Compys to run the island as they were good at cleaning up after the other animals, though she was sure she hadn't seen them. At that time, Amy had still believed John's little island creation was nothing more than an exotic zoo and she never made the connection that the Compys were actually some small dinosaur species. To her, it simply sounded like some rare lizard.

During their stay at the hotel in San Jose after the incident of Jurassic Park, Alan and Amy met a man by the name of Dr. Martin Gutierrez, an American biologist. The man said he was detained to the hotel with them until InGen deemed them safe - and quiet - enough to travel home. Apparently, he had been involved with some incident concerning one of John's dinosaurs and InGen thought he had somehow helped with the downfall of Jurassic Park. At the time, Amy didn't think much of the man. That was, until she recalled Dr. Martin Gutierrez mentioning something that now striked Amy as odd...

The man said he had been snooping around an accident that had happened a few years prior, something he fully believed was caused by an escaped Compsognathus; a long extinct, chicken-sized dinosaur. Normally, Compsognathus preyed on small vertebrates or scavenged meals left behind by larger predators. It never occurred to her what would happen if a few dozen of these miniature raptors ganged up on some poor, unfortunate creature that happened to wander too far from the herd. Or, if that unfortunate soul was human.

Amy could recall the news article about the cruise ship that had stopped on some unnamed island off the coast of Costa Rica. The reports said an eight year old girl had strayed a bit too far from her parents and had been attacked by a new species of lizard. Eye witnesses said the lizards walked upright on two legs and swarmed the child, pecking out chunks of flesh like a ravenous flock of birds. The child was taken to a Costa Rican hospital, where she allegedly suffered an allergic reaction to the saliva of the creatures. Fortunately, she survived the incident.

Dr. Martin Gutierrez had found a half eaten body of one of these alleged new species of lizard, which he excitedly identified as a Compsognathus, thinking he had discovered a close surviving ancestor. Very quickly, according to him, InGen overruled his studies to the point he was not allowed to speak to any outside personnel about his findings on the matter. Even with their sudden interest in the scientist and his studies, InGen continued to disprove all of his research, adamantly denying that this new species was, in fact, a dinosaur. Dr. Gutierrez continued with his research and outlandish claims until, one day, InGen confiscated all of his work, including the remains of the creature, and left him with nothing to show for his discovery.

From this conversation, Amy made the connection of what Hammond's Compys were. It never crossed her mind that those creatures would still be roaming an island somewhere, especially after what happened to that little girl. The attack hadn't even occurred on one of Hammond's Islands! This meant that some of these creatures, which he allowed to roam free of an enclosure, had escaped and caused harm to an unsuspecting civilian. Amy was sure that, even if that incident alone wasn't enough, the mass failure of their weekend trip would be enough to get rid of the creatures. Or, in the absolute least, the smaller ones that could so easily escape his islands. Obviously, that hadn't happened and Amy couldn't deny that whatever Eric had heard were, undoubtedly, Compsognathus.

With the hatch now closed, the trio were blanketed in near total darkness with the only light being the dull glow from four little lanterns. Amy's mouth parted into a wide yawn, the long day's events suddenly making it hard to keep her eyes open. Seeing this, Eric clambered over overturned boxes and shuffled through objects Amy couldn't make out. After a few seconds, the kid brought out a large tarp and he tossed it over his shoulder. Alan slipped himself away from Amy and he took the giant green tarp into his hands, which he began to fold. Amy was quick to help him and the two soon had the tarp folded into a thickly padded mat, and once they cleared a space on the floor, they laid it down and had a makeshift pallet. By this time, Eric had found two brown blankets and he handed one to Alan.

Alan spread out the rather small blanket and he threw it around both him and Amy while Eric extinguished all the lanterns but one, bathing the room in near complete darkness. Amy couldn't hide her grimace at the thin, scratchy material of the blankets, though she did not complain as both her and Alan settled themselves. The two adults fixed themselves in place on top of their uncomfortable bed; Alan using his beloved hat as a pillow while Amy did the same with his arm. From across the small enclosure, Amy caught sight of Eric. The poor child had wrapped himself in his own blanket and huddled up in a corner, his once bright eyes now dull as he sat deep in thought. Amy could only guess as to what the kid was thinking, but she understood instantly the look on his face; it was loneliness.

"Hey, kid," the woman called over gently, catching his attention. Her eyes flickered down as she feigned nervousness, even going as far as to bite her lip. "The longest I've ever been on an island like this was four days. You've been here for weeks now and I'm sorta having trouble sleeping. So, I was just wondering if, well," she trailed off. By the large grin that took over Eric's face, she knew that he caught on to her game, but was grateful nonetheless. Amy smiled back and she lifted the blanket, displaying an open spot just for him. Eric wasted no time in clambering over and snuggling between Amy's arms. Alan repositioned their blankets around them and he placed an arm around both Amy and the kid and the trio settled as comfortably as they could manage on the old truck's overturned side.

Once the three had come to a placid restfulness, Amy felt Alan's hand gently slide from around her and Eric and instead come up to cup her arm. He ran his thumb along her skin, his rough calluses spreading goosebumps and causing her to let out a shivering sigh as a blissful comfort washed over her. "What's this on your shoulder?" Alan suddenly asked and Amy peeked through heavy lids to see what he was referring to. There was a new, deep purple bruise that spread from the top of her elbow and around to the front of her shoulder.

"Oh, that must have been where the Corythosaurus tail hit me."

"You were slapped by a dinosaur? Cool."

Amy chuckled at the statement and she ruffled Eric's hair, however, Alan didn't seem particularly happy about the revelation. "That's not cool, you could have been hurt."

"Well, as long as I don't get as hurt as last time, I think I'll be fine. Besides, I think it is kind of cool to get tail whipped by a dino." The three all chuckled good heartedly at that, even as the remnants of Amy's injuries from eight years ago tingled, uncomfortably reminding her of the real danger behind their laughter and her smile faltered.

The group returned to silence as the sounds of the jungle surrounding them filled the air. Little ticking splattered against the metal truck, and it took a moment before Amy realized that it must have been raining. Amy always found the rain soothing and she felt herself finally beginning to relax, allowing the white noise to cloud her thoughts. However, as her arms enveloped around the young Eric and she hugged him close, she noticed that he was still tense and he was twiddling his fingers. She knew that he wanted to say more, though she wasn't sure how to coax him further without being intrusive. So, she remained silent as her mind began to prickle with what to do to somehow comfort the child. Another relatively quiet moment passed and Eric shifted with a sharp intake of air, and to her relief, he finally spoke. "Are my parents really here?"

Amy paused, then she smiled and rested her cheek against his own. "Paul and Amanda Kirby hired the best Paleontologists in the world to save their son from dinosaurs. Do you really think they'd miss out on that kind of action?"

Eric chuckled through a yawn. "I never thought mom and dad could be so cool."

"Hey, parents are way cooler than you think. Take me and Alan for example."

"You guys don't count, you're not parents yet." His words were not said cruel, nor were they meant to have any real meaning past an observation. Even so, Amy felt her smile completely fall and her heart stop. As if on instinct, she felt an odd fluttering in her lower stomach, though she wasn't completely sure if it was simply in her head or not. Her subtle change in demeanor must not have been as subtle as she thought, for Alan cleared his throat and chose to speak for her.

"Hey, don't count her out, kid. I guarantee Amethyst would be just as cool as a parent. As for me, I'll settle with being the old Dinosaur Man."

"Dinosaur Man," Amy repeated lightly, though her smile did not return. She saw a sudden flash of Billy enter her mind and she heard his final words to her before she ran, echoing deep and loud. The words that questioned her ability as a mother.

After another sweet moment of an unsettling tranquility, Amy heard Eric's quick breathing grow deep and slow and she knew that he had finally fallen asleep. As for Alan, she knew he was still awake by the feeling of the rough padding of his thumb running small circles over her bruises. "The kid's asleep," she informed him and the man let out a low groan, making it abundantly obvious that he had been waiting for this news.

"I thought he'd never knock out."

"He's not that bad. At least he's more mature than most kids his age."

"Being trapped on a dinosaur island will do that to you."

Amy understood that he didn't mean anything by it. He was simply trying to be lighthearted and cocky as usual, though his joking did little to raise her spirits at all as her mind began to fog. Amy readjusted herself and rolled her shoulders, trying to rid herself of the weight of the intruding thoughts she did not want to think of. "Being on this island is so surreal," she said in a desperate attempt at derailing herself from overthinking. "I feel like I'll wake up tomorrow back in Montana."

"I feel like I'll wake up back on the helicopter."

She smirked. "Alan, we came here on a plane."

"I mean Hammond's helicopter. Back when we first arrived at Jurassic Park," he clarified with a small chortle. Then, he let out a long exhale. "Even though it's been eight years, it's still all so... surprising that this is real. Despite everything that's happened, it still seems like some great hoax. It's just hard to wrap my mind around it at times."

Amy hummed simply at his answer, even as she felt herself slipping into a deep hole, her body slowly encasing within a melancholic web of the night. The things she tried so hard not to think were invading her and she could not resist the urge to give in, especially with Billy's words of her unborn child ringing almost painfully within her ears. "Do you ever wish you could wake up back on Hammond's helicopter? Back before you met me?"

"You're the only good that has come from it all."

Despite herself, Amy smiled at this. "Even though we fight all the time?"

"We don't fight all the time, but yes," he chuckled deeply, the sound vibrating against her back in a pacifying lull. "Even though we fight."

"Well, I guess you're the best thing that's come from this, too. Even with the constant jealousy."

"Jealousy?"

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Alan. You'd get jealous of a tree if you could. Just look at you and Billy."

"What, jealous of Junior? Never."

"And Ellie's husband? You can hardly stand him!"

"That's because Mark's a prick, you can't deny that one." Amy rolled her eyes again and Alan snickered. Then, the man sighed once more and Amy could practically hear the new heaviness with his sudden change of tone. "To answer your question, I don't know what I wish for anymore, to be honest. The scientific world has practically begged for a breakthrough like this, and now that it's happened, it doesn't feel... deserved. We can't actually make any scientific breakthroughs with these creatures because of how they were engineered, but the rest of the world doesn't care about the specifics. Anyone with half a mind, a splash of DNA, and spare change can create whatever life they wish to now, so who's going to care about those specifics?"

"I can't," the words tumbled from the woman's throat before she could even realize them. Her bottom lip trembled and she caught it with her teeth. Her eyes burned as the caramel orbs filled with a sudden buildup of moisture that threatened to fall. Even so, her words were spoken evenly and set without hesitation. "I can't create life. What does that say about me?"

At first, Alan said nothing. Then, he pushed himself up onto his elbow and Amy could feel his piercing blue gaze watching her through the dimmed darkness, yet she did not allow her blurred leer to leave the wall before her. "What are you talking about?" he asked, clearly not understanding the meaning of her newfound sentiment.

"Alan, do you think I would have been a good mother? If I was actually able to carry a baby?"

"Amy, that's not... I didn't mean," his voice trailed off, leaving the room empty and vain. As though some unseen detrimental thing inside of Amy was suddenly lost, she felt herself beginning to crumble. Her darkness was collapsing around her and burning tears left their mark from the corners of her eyes, across her flushed flesh, and onto the scratchy blankets that held no comfort. "Hey, hey, hey, it's alright," Alan said softly, tenderly. He was quick to place his large palm against her cheek and he turned her, trying to force her eyes onto his own, though Amy only managed to look at his parted lips. "Look Amethyst," he demanded in a gentle, powerful voice, and she managed to look up at him, though she initially struggled. Her long, wet lashes fluttered down and back up, her nervousness peeking through the urge to completely breakdown. Patiently he waited for her, his thumb dancing back and forth across her cheek, brushing away her silent tears. Once he was certain her eyes would not completely waver and her sole attention was on him and him alone, he continued, "you are the most brilliant scientist I have ever met and the most special woman I've ever had in my life. And I know that any child would be lucky to have you as a mother. I love you."

Alan had only said those words twice before. Alan was never the type of man to be overly loving and doting, but on the days he did say those words, it really was something beautiful. It must have been the way he said it or the look in his eyes just before he did, but when Alan said he loved her, Amy knew he really meant it. Even so, she had never repeated those words to him. As Alan placed his lips against her own and Amy laid her hand on the back of his neck, urging him to continue as her fingers lightly tugged at his sandy hair, she knew she wouldn't say those words even now. At least, not yet, for she was not strong enough.

She was not strong enough to tell him about their unborn child either. Amy was not able to carry a child before. What if she was unable to carry this baby as well? With her first pregnancy, she was so overwhelmingly excited to let the entire world know that she was finally going to be a mother, which made it all the more devastating when she miscarried. It ruined her relationships, she cut ties with friends and family. After her loss, Amy completely drowned herself. It took years of support and patience from Haley and Terry before Amy felt even somewhat close to normal again.

Now, Amy truly believed that she was happy with her life and that she had finally moved on, but it seemed like her trauma was fastly devouring her all over again. She truly did love Alan and she knew that she could spend the rest of her life with him, but if she was to tell him about the baby, would he still love her? Even worse, would he choose to stay and become a father, only for the baby to be lost, leaving Amy's life to fall apart all over again? Amy knew that, in either situation, she would not be able to handle this sort of pain a second time. She simply was not strong enough. And so, she said nothing. Instead, she melted into Alan's kiss, allowing her mind to tumble into the white noise of the surrounding, daunting obsidian as she quietly rebuilt her walls all over again.