The suitcase on the bed was half full as Lily sat looking at her closet.

"What do I even pack?" she asked blowing a wisp of her hair out of her face. She fell back on her bed and turned her head to see her childhood companion, a stuffed stegosaurus named Steggy. She lifted him up and cuddled it.

"I remember when I brought home that dinosaur for you." Harold said leaning in the doorway. She looked over to him.

"You were as small as him." he walked over and sat on the bed as she pushed herself up. "You brought Steggy everywhere."

"I was dinosaur obsessed." she smiled. She played around with Steggy's floppy soft spikes.

"Is Mum still mad?" she asked.

"When is your mother never not mad?" Harold pointed out.

"I don't understand. She told me to get a job that didn't involve digging or the museum. I listened, didn't I?"

"I think your mother's pestering is just her way of hiding the fact that she's worried. I'm worried for you too."

"But you told me to take the job!"

"Easy, I didn't mean it like that. I wanted you to take the job, Lily. But I'm going to worry about you regardless, I'm supposed to. It's in the parenthood rule book."

"I'd like to see this book." she teased.

"You ought to try and talk to her." Harold told her finally. Lily grimaced.

"You mean listen while she yells?"

"If you don't get it over now, she'll just make a scene at the airport."

"Fine." Lily huffed.

Lily knocked on her mother's door. "Mum?" There was no answer.

"Mum..." she opened the door to see her mother reading in bed. Marianne didn't bother looking up. Lily rolled her eyes as she walked over and sat beside her mother.

"Will you talk to me?"

Marianne pursed her lips before placing the book down. "What is it, Lily?"

"Why are you acting like this?" Lily asked her. "I'm doing what you wanted. I got a job, a well paying job."

"You call it a job...going from playing with the bones to playing with the actual dinosaurs. That's not a job Lily."

"Well, I'm sorry we all can't be happy sitting at a desk!" Lily said hotly.

Marianne glared at her. "Do whatever you want, Lily, but in the end, you can't make a career out of dinosaurs."

Lily stood in the airport with her father after her mother's refusal to go see her off. She heard her flight being called to board.

"That's me." she said.

"Well, you're not going anywhere until I get a hug."

She giggled before she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"I love you Dad."

"I love you too deary. Now you take care of yourself, ya hear?"

"I will."

"Take loads of pictures and call me whenever you like. Even if I'm at the factory, I'll sneak off to the loo."

"Ha, alright Dad. Will do."

"Now hurry along before you miss your flight."

"Bye Dad."

"Bye Lily."

Costa Rica was hot and humid as Lily swatted away the mosquitoes that were flying around her hungrily.

She entered the hotel close to the airport and gave her name. The desk clerk looked up her name in the system and smiled at her before grabbing her key.

"Alright, one night stay in room two thirty. Do you need any assistance bringing anything to your room, Ms. Goodwin?"

"No, I think I can manage but thank you." Lily answered taking her key.

She entered her hotel room and sighed in relaxation as she walked onto the balcony looking at the lovely beach.

She was listening to the waves crash against the sand when there was a knock at the door. She furrowed her brow confused as to who it could be.

"Yes?" she said as she answered the door.

A man around her age stood there before he waved. "Hi, Lily right?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm Todd York." he said, she could hear the American accent.

"Hi." she said still puzzled.

"Sorry, we're going to be co-workers." he told her.

"Oh!" she said. 

"I probably should have mentioned that sooner." he chuckled rubbing the back of his neck.

"No, it's quite alright. I should have figured. It's nice to meet you Todd." she said shaking his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I've read a lot of your work especially about the maternal instinct of dinosaurs and their nesting grounds."

"Really?"

"Yeah...I pictured you to be older though, you're quite young."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." she rubbed her arm. "What is your job on the island?" she asked him.

"Mechanical engineer." he told her. "I'm not a dino expert by any means, but I've always been fascinated by them. When Masrani approached me, I was like, where do I sign?"

Lily chuckled. "I'm afraid I was a bit more hesitant."

"Well, I'm sure you had other job offers to choose from."

She snorted. "I wish. The job market is weak right now."

"Tell me about it."

The next morning, Lily's alarm blared but she had been awake long before it went off. She hadn't slept much that night as she anticipated what the island would be like. She flipped the alarm clock off and left to the bathroom to get ready for departure.

Todd had agreed to meet up with her so they could head to the helicopter together.

"Did you sleep well?" Todd asked her.

"Sleep?What's that?" she joked.

"I know, I couldn't sleep either."

They arrived at the helicopter to meet up with another woman who was waiting for the pilot to give word to get on.

Once they were permitted to board, Lily strapped herself in along with the others.

"I'm Todd!" Todd called to the other woman. The other removed her sunglasses eyeing him before looking over at Lily.

"I'm Zara." she said putting the glasses back on.

"Lily." Lily replied before she looked out the window.

"What are you doing once you get to the island?" Todd asked Zara. Zara looked up from her phone.

"I'm Ms. Dearing's assistant." she said lifting up her head in a proud demeanor.

Todd didn't ask Zara anymore questions. Lily was beginning to doze off watching the water below when she heard Zara curse.

"What's wrong?" she asked her.

Zara sighed dramatically. "I forgot to charge my phone last night." she pouted. "It's dead. Do you guys have a spare charger?"

Lily and Todd shook their heads.

"Here." Lily said reaching into her bag. "This should keep you entertained." she handed Zara, Dr. Malcolm's book.

Zara took the book before looking up to Lily. "What is it?"

"A book." Lily answered.

Zara rolled her eyes as Todd attempted to hide his smile.

"Just read it, you might learn a thing or two."