Adelaide (Ian Malcolm)

Chapter Seventeen - A Problem Solved

"Stop being stubborn – what's the worst that could happen?"

"Many things." She lay her head against the pillows, stretching out her inured leg with a wince. The glass had severed just mere inches away from a main artery, meaning that Adelaide could very well have bled to death. It seemed she was just lucky to be alive all round.

A couple of hours later, Nick was dozing in the blue armchair, his head leant back and mouth open. Adelaide chuckled under her breath, shuffling out of the white bedsheets and feeling her bare feet tap on the cold floor.

Her arm had been placed into a sling, mainly to stop it from hanging at her side like a dead fish. She'd managed to change out of the god-awful hospital gown into a tank top and sweatpants, all curtesy of Nick. She really wondered what she would have done without him – her parents hadn't even called to ask how she was.

The walk to Ian's hospital room was a short one. The corridor was basked in the evening glow of dusk, the sky a gentle plume of pastel pinks and orange. Taking a moment to stare out at the horizon, Adelaide began to hear voices filtering out of the doorway.

She took small steps towards it and peeked around. Ian sat in a wheelchair at the small table in his room, leaning his elbow casually onto the surface in engagement. He was talking to a redheaded woman, the pair so engrossed in their conversation they didn't even notice Adelaide's presence.

"...Yah, you've erm, asked me all these questions Doctor Harding but I have, well, a better idea," Ian said, with that signature sexy smirk on his lips. "Why don't we play a game?"

The woman, Doctor Harding, laughed. She was flushing very obviously under Ian's charm, her body angled towards his and eyes wide. "You want to play a game?"

"Yeah the ur, getting to know you, um, game,"

Adelaide had seen enough. Oh, how she wanted to stomp over to the tall, handsome man and wallop him over the head! He was clearly doing fine and moved on to his next victim. Had he even spared her a thought, after all they'd gone through? Her blood boiled with anger as she turned to leave.

"Aida?"

Damn it. Adelaide winced, before turning on the spot. "Oh, hi,"

Ian's expression completely changed. The smirk dropped from his face as his eyes roamed from her face to her toes. She felt vulnerable under his hazel gaze, wishing she'd never listened to Nick about talking to him. "I just wanted to check up on you, but I can see you're busy so-"

"Oh, no it's ok. You are Adelaide, right? Adelaide Dobrev? You were on the island too?" Doctor Harding asked as she stood from the table, reaching out to shake Adelaide's hand. "My name is Doctor Sarah Harding, I'm a palaeontologist,"

Great, another one. Adelaide returned her handshake, wondering what this doctor could possibly want.

"I've been speaking to Ian about the events that occurred on Isla Nublar. I just want to say, I believe you. My Uncle worked with the dinosaurs on that Island," Sarah glanced at Ian, who was watching Adelaide intently. "My focus is animal behaviour, you see, especially the parental instincts of predators,"

"Well...thanks, I guess." Adelaide muttered.

"You were attacked by the Rex, weren't you?"

"Yeah-"

"Did it seem to be doing it out of aggression? Or do you think it was hungry? Or maybe being territorial, as there are many indicators from fossils that they were extremely protective of land and their infants,"

"I couldn't tell you why. It just did." Adelaide responded, the images of the T-Rex's face plunging through the jeep roof flashing before her eyes. She could hear it's loud, bellowing roar, feel the mud pouring over her skin as the car was pushed down on her and the kids...