Levels of Reality

Disclaimer : All recognizable characters belong to those who have made the movie Inception.

Summary : Do you really think that you can only get away with deceiving people in the dream

world? Reality can be manipulated just as much.

Chapter 1

Everyone looked up and tensed as the door to the warehouse slid open. It was in the middle of the day and they were all concentrating on their current project. The whole team were already there and there was no one missing. As usual they were operating out of an abandoned warehouse in the middle of a big and busy city.

Within the space of a few seconds Arthur appeared silently next to Ariadne at her workstation and gently but firmly pushed her down with an arm around her, crouching down next to her and she realized that he held a gun in his other hand. Eames had vanished out of sight but there was the whisper of a gun being cocked.

A woman stepped confidently into the warehouse. She was dressed immaculately in a peach coloured suit and elegant four inch heels. In her right hand, she clutched an expensive leather briefcase. Ariadne felt the slight hitch in Arthur's breathing only because he was so close to her. She was feeling the adrenaline course through her veins from the suspense and terror at the sudden intrusion. However she was not beyond enjoying the feel of being pressed up hard against the lean body of the smart point man.

And then it was all over. Arthur rapidly straightened himself and briskly put the gun away. Ariadne stared in fascination at the new arrival. Somewhere in the back of her mind a small fact registered that she had yet to hear any reaction from their other colleague. Eames was always loud and playful but Ariadne had learned that he was no slouch when the situation called for action. She suspected that both Arthur and Eames had some sort of military background. It was a little strange that they did not see or hear anything from him right now.

The woman was beautiful but when Ariadne instantly recognized her, she felt chilled to the core and her heart raced. Arthur stepped towards the new arrival confidently and the woman had quickly locked her gaze on his. Then as the chill subsided, it left cold, wispy, tendrils of dread clutching at her heart. Almost immediately after that, she was awash in a new emotion. The green-eyed monster of jealousy invaded her being, for Arthur had nearly reached the woman and he seemed to have eyes only for her.

In that few short minutes, maybe only a few long seconds, the emotions coursing through Ariadne were overwhelming her entire being. She could not help but ride the roller coaster of her emotions from the time when she had been having a normal day doing what she loved most to being exhilarated but secure in Arthur's arms to a crashing feeling of dismay as she watched him greet the gorgeous woman who had entered with a familiarity borne of a long association. Ariadne was surprised but powerless to stop herself hating the woman in the instant that Arthur took her hand.

Her mind was whirling with questions even as she assimilated more information. The woman was not Mal, as she initially thought. She was of a similar build and colouring to Mal, but her hair was longer, straighter and a few shades darker. She was voluptuous but slightly slimmer, Mal's more generous curves could have been gained after giving birth to two children.

Who was this woman? And how did Arthur know her? Ariadne was appalled when the whisper of a thought emerged that she wished that Arthur had used his gun first and asked questions later. Why was she having such a strong reaction to a woman who she had never met before? Deep in her mind, she knew that her reactions were mainly because of Arthur.

Arthur, who was even now gently guiding the woman to a seat with a hand on her elbow. He clearly knew this woman well. Ariadne did not miss the soft smile that he bestowed upon her, nor her answering smile at him. What was infinitely worse for Ariadne was watching the kiss he had given her on the cheek after that smile. She could not hear anything they said for they were talking in low tones. But she could sense the comfort and familiarity in their conversation. They were pleased to be in each others' company.

Ariadne felt herself dying as she noted that fact that they looked perfect together. She herself was dressed in casually in student attire in jeans, a top and her scarf. She knew that she was only petite and waif-like in form. She could never compete with this mysterious woman's looks. The woman was dressed neatly in a suit but that did not detract at all from the fact that she was the epitome of feminine. The elegant lines of her simple, classically tailored suit only served to highlight that it encased a gracefully built body beneath. She perfectly complemented Arthur's style.

Ariadne was still absorbing all of this information by her desk when she caught a glimpse of movement at the corner of her eyes. Eames had emerged. The two people engrossed in conversation in front of her had not seemed to notice him yet. Ariadne swung her eyes to him in an effort to shield her battered heart.

Unfortunately what she saw, did not serve to comfort her in the least. Eames had a haunted look upon his face as he stared at the new arrival. He looked like he could not believe the evidence of his eyes and there was a shadow across his face even as Ariadne registered the hunger in his gaze. Ariadne was taken aback at the intensity of the emotions flitting across the man's face, most of them dark but with a glimmer of hope and a myriad of other indefinable emotions.

Unable to cope with all of it, Ariadne blinked and Eames seemed to have transformed back to his normal self in that instant. She saw the carefully constructed facade of a cavalier, daredevil, playboy settle itself back onto his features like a cloak. He held himself confidently and advanced with his usual swagger.

He heralded his approach with a loud "Hello, darling, and what brings you to our neck of the woods?"

The woman lifted smoky brown eyes towards him and with a cool smile, said "Hello Eames."