Hey guys. So I'm back! It's been a long time. I blame Clawenforever. She's gotten me addicted to Jurassic World & now I can't stop reading it! So I've been itching to do my own fanfic after reading hers. Go check hers out if you haven't already. They are amazing! I hope you like my fanfic. As a disclaimer: I'm very busy. I work 2 jobs and go to GRADUATE school full time. What I'm saying is please don't kill me if I can't update every few days. I promise to update once a week minimium, but hopefully more than that. Okay. Enjoy!

"Do you have to go?"

Iris Carroll smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. It was a bittersweet moment for her. She glanced down at the little girl who'd tearfully asked the question. For years, Iris was convinced she was the only one who knew how to properly care for the girl. No one else would understand. She glanced up at the red-haired woman clutching the young girl's hand, looking on in silence. Next to her, stood a domineering man who Iris knew would not hesitate to protect both the girl and the woman in a second. Even only knowing the pair for a year, she knew they would protect the girl. Iris knew she was getting older and would not be able to keep up with a hormonal teenager soon. But Claire and Owen…they were the parents Maisie deserved. She knew the girl was in safe hands.

"Hey now," Iris cooed as she bent down to be eye level with Maisie. "You're going to be fine. You're a big girl now, right?"

"Yes." Maisie replied, sniffing slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, Iris does not miss Claire squeeze Maisie's hand softly in reassurance. "I am."

"You'll see me again soon." Iris had asked that Claire and Owen keep in touch with her, just so that she could have piece of mind knowing that Maisie was safe.

"For Christmas?" Maisie asked hopefully.

This time Iris grinned. "For Christmas, Mais. We'll watch Elf & eat s'mores, just like always. Okay?"

This made Maisie smile. "Okay!"

"Now boarding gate B8 to Orlando. Please have your tickets ready."

Iris turned slightly to glance behind her. Her flight was now boarding. She tightened her grip on her luggage and faced Maisie again. "Give me a hug, darling."

This time, Maisie could not stop the sob that escaped her lips as she dropped Claire's hand and hugged Iris with all her might. This was the only woman she'd every known, apart from Eli & her grandfather. Owen & Claire were great, but Iris was leaving. Maisie knew she could call and talk to Iris whenever she wanted to, but it wouldn't be the same as seeing her every day. Or getting to sneak up on her and scare her, like she used to. She would miss this woman.

"Okay, I've got to go. But you're in great hands. I'm only a phone call away, okay?"

"Okay." Maisie said, nodding. She then stepped back and reclaimed Claire's hand.

Claire, Owen & Maisie waited until Iris disappeared onto the plane before turning to leave. The ride home was quiet. Maisie stared out the window and tried to be happy that Iris would finally get to spend some time with her family in Florida. Being the sole provider for Maisie her entire life, Iris had rarely got time off.

"Hey kiddo, are you hungry? We could stop for some McDonald's." Owen's voice broke through Maisie's thoughts.

"I'm not hungry." Maisie replied.

"You sure?" Claire asked, turning around in the passenger's seat to look at Maisie, who was sitting behind the driver's seat. "You love McDonalds."

"What if she doesn't come for Christmas?" Maisie asked, tearing her eyes away from the window to look at Claire.

"She will Maisie." Claire quickly said.

"Hm." Maisie sulked the rest of the ride home, and Claire & Owen were both silent, lost in thought. It had been a tough day on them all. It had been a crazy year. Claire had been busy running DPG & looking after the dinosaurs that had been successfully captured & placed on the sanctuary that Lockwood estates had put aside for them. There was still some that had been kidnapped by poachers & other sick people who sold them on the black market. There were rumors of weaponized dinosaurs, but nothing had been confirmed. It was Franklin's job to keep Claire abreast of anything that came remotely close to that.

After her grandfather died, Maisie technically didn't exist except to a handful of people. Mills would have been her guardian, but when he died, the question was still up in the air. Luckily, her grandfather had had his suspicions of Mills, & made a backup Will. In his will, he left Maisie to Iris, & left his possessions to DPG.

Claire, Owen & Iris had decided that Maisie & Iris would live with Claire & Owen until things were settled, and they could figure things out. Iris decided it would be best to let Claire & Owen raise Maisie, because she was not as young as she once was. All her paperwork like her social security card & birth certificate was safely stored away. It took a little over a year, but the adoption process was finally complete. Claire & Owen were her parents, & she finally had her family. As far as the Government knew, Maisie was Lockwood's granddaughter. Not a clone.

Owen worked as an advisor to the DTC (Dinosaur Tracking & Containment) Division of the Government. They trusted his skills & he was instrumental in capturing most of the dinosaurs. These days, Owen helped track the illegal trafficking of dinosaurs, & helped the Government stop the "underground scientists" trying to hatch more.

During all of this, Iris had been instrumental in Maisie's development, and keeping her on as much of a normal routine as possible. Maisie remained homeschooled and protested it every chance she got. It was summer break now, and her main goal was to try to be as much of a normal kid as possible. She knew she'd have to pick the right time and place to ask (beg) Claire & Owen to let her enter public school to be with kids her own age. She knew she could handle it. She just had to prove it to them, that's all.

"We're home." Owen announced, pulling the SUV into the driveway. It had been tough to decide where 4 people were going to live immediately following the aftermath of everything. Claire's condo was too close to the city for Owen's liking. & He never got a chance to finish building the cabin. But even then, he'd always envisioned it as being a vacation home. A place to escape from civilization. Iris had only known the Lockwood Estates as her home, and it was mutually agreed that they start fresh. The settlements Owen & Claire received from the Masrani Corporation was enough for them to invest into a 4-bedroom home on the outskirts of town, away from the city life that Owen despised so much. They had enough money remaining to life off for a while—not to mention the inheritance that Lockwood left for Maisie. Working was more of a way to keep themselves busy and doing what they loved more than anything.

"I miss her already." Maisie said once she was out of the SUV.

"I do too." Claire admitted, walking around the car to join Maisie. Owen nodded.

"Same here. But you know what?" He smiled, looking down at Maisie.

"What?"

"Now we have an extra room to turn into the ultimate game room!"

"Oh, yeah." Maisie said, nodding.

Claire rolled her eyes as she fished her keys from her pockets. Opening the door, they walked in. Immediately the loss of Iris could be felt. Claire hoped that she and Owen would be able to handle the new responsibility of raising Maisie alone. Cooking dinner, washing clothes, doing her hair, all of it—majority of it—would fall on Claire. But she was prepared. She'd been carefully studying the way Iris interacted with Maisie. She planned to make sure nothing really changed in Maisie's daily routine.

"How about we watch a movie, huh kiddo?" Owen asked Maisie. Claire looked at him. It was getting late, and she didn't want to start anything that wouldn't be kept up as a routine with Maisie.

"It's getting late, Owen."

"It's the summer, Claire. Relax." He countered.

"Can we watch Finding Dory?" Maisie asked, bouncing between them.

Claire sighed in defeat. "I'll get the popcorn."

"Yay!" Owen & Maisie cheered in unison.

"Thanks, Claire!" Maisie smiled at her, and Claire grinned.

"Gotcha!" Owen scooped up Maisie in his arms and caused her to giggle. "We'll be in the living room. Hurry up before the movie starts!" He called over his shoulders as he began carrying Maisie into the living room.

Five minutes later, Claire grabbed the popcorn bag and emptied the contents into a big purple bowl that Karen had bought her for Christmas. She, Owen & Maisie only got about 25 minutes into the movie before Maisie was knocked out, sprawled out across both Claire & Owen.

"See." Owen whispered to Claire. "All apart of my plan. She's out like a light. You gotta trust me sometimes."

Claire could only laugh. She carefully got up and helped move a sleeping Maisie onto his shoulders. They put her to bed and then carefully closed her bedroom door.

"Now. Do you want to watch a movie, or make one?"

What did you think?! This is just to set the story up. The good stuff is coming, don't worry! Please review!