A/N: Hey guys! So I'm sorry you haven't heard from me in ages…school has just been ridiculously busy. I'm actually supposed to be working on an awful annotated bibliography of James Joyce's "The Dead" right now. :P Anyway, I felt like getting back into fanfic writing but didn't have time to write a full length chapter so here's a little drabble. It's not very good in my opinion, but I hope you're able to enjoy it a little bit! Lol For the Echoes of the Past readers, I actually have the next chapter all written except for a tiny bit of the end so be looking for an update this weekend! :D
The Beginnings of Healing
Dark rain clouds cover the sky in a blanket of sorrow, the rain sliding down the window like tears. Arthur raises a hand to the glass and trails a rain drop's path with his finger. The stormy night reminds him of a time long ago, a day where he lost someone dear to his heart. He hasn't thought about that time in years, having carefully locked away the memories in the deepest recesses of his mind.
The house is quiet. Dom's children still do not understand that their mother is never coming back but they can see their father's anguish and react to it. Children can sense when something is wrong. Arthur knows this firsthand as he was once such a child. He turns and he sees an overturned picture lying on the floor in the corner. Picking it up, he sees it is a picture of Dom and her—he can't bear to say her name—holding each other and laughing as they stand on a beach. Arthur recognizes it as a photo from their honeymoon. It has a giant crack in it now from when Dom must have thrown it across the room. Arthur traces the break with his finger, a distant part of him seeing it as symbolic.
Carefully, he removes the glass, absently making mental notes as to its measurements. He'll replace it later. Having drunk himself into oblivion, Dom won't remember what he did. He can't remember what he did, Arthur corrects himself.
He moves to set the picture back down, but his eyes fall on hers, so loving and happy, and for a moment he allows his mask to slip as he remembers all she did for him. He feels as if he's lost a mother all over again and the pain nearly brings him to his knees. But he can't think about that now. There will be a time and place, but now he has to be strong for Dom and his children. So he steadies his trembling hand and sets the picture down.
Going into the family room, he see Dom is still passed out on the couch, his neck in a cramped, awkward position that will surely give him pain in the morning. Arthur gently shakes his friend.
"Dom," he calls softly.
After a few calls, the man moans and opens his eyes a sliver. "Cobb," he whispers. "Not Dom anymore."
Arthur's hand freezes for a split second at his mentor's broken words and feels the depth of his—no their—loss once more. But he steels himself against the grief. "Cobb, let me get you upstairs." After some coaxing, he helps the man into the guest bedroom, knowing the man will want to avoid the room where he has his most intimate memories of his beloved wife.
Once Cobb is safely tucked away, Arthur finds himself wandering into the kitchen. He needs some coffee. It won't be like the way she used to—but he can't think about that now. He grabs a mug from the cabinet and turns get the coffee grinds when he sees it. A tiny note on the fridge written in her elegant hand.
Arthur's birthday: Balloons. Streamers. Chocolate cake!
The note is his undoing. The coffee is forgotten, the mug falls to the floor. As his world blurs before him, he whispers a single word:
"Mal."
A/N: And there you have it. I hope it wasn't too awful for you to read! If you don't mind, I'd love it if you review and let me know what you think! :D