Chapter One

I was alone in my apartment, laying on the couch as I stared up at the dark ceiling. The sleep I hoped for didn't come. Not that I really cared anymore. Dreams just hadn't been the same since... I paused, reminiscing... since my last job. It hadn't turned out so swell.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts as I sat up. I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and found that it was already ten thirty. I yawned. Why couldn't sleep come so that I could get the night over with.

A loud, unexpected knock at the door made me jump out of my skin. I ran a quick hand through my hair and looked down at my sweats. I didn't have time to change into something decent. Grumbling to myself, I stood and stumbled to the door. I opened it and lost my ability to speak.

It was Eames. I hadn't seen him in months. Not since we'd worked together. It wasn't exactly my fondest memory-we'd failed inception- but Eames and I had become the best of friends.

"Hello Blake."

"Eames!" I threw my arms around him and he pulled me into a tight hug, lifting me off the ground.

"Its been a while." he grinned, setting me down.

"Too long." I agreed.

He looked me over. "I'm sorry did I wake you?"

I shook my head. "No. I've been trying to sleep, but the dreams are just..."

"It's not quite the same is it?"

"No." I sighed and opened the door wider, stepping back. "Why don't you come in?"

"Thank you." He took off his hat, straightening his slicked back hair with his fingers.

"Here," I gestured to the kitchen table. "Lets sit down." I turned on the kitchen light and we both sat.

He looked around the room anxiously, fidgeting nervously. He had something on his mind.

"Go on, spit it out tiger." I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms.

"I don't quite understand darling."

I smiled at darling. He had a few cute little pet names for me. Then I scowled. "You didn't just come here to visit me Eames. I know you better than that."

Eames stared at me. I had him now. Finally he spoke. "I have an offer to make you.

I raised my eyebrows, suspicious. "What kind of offer?"

"Recently, I worked on a team for a man named Saito."

"You mean, like, an extraction team."

"Blake. We completed inception."

"Impossible. We tried and failed, remember?"

Eames nodded. "This team was good. It worked." His dark eyes stared into my own blue eyes.

He looked so sure, so certain. I believed him. "What is your offer?"

"Saito is in need of another team. He convinced Cobb, our leader to come back and organize another team."

"And?"

"Cobb decided to use the same team as before. Everyone agreed to come back."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"When we last preformed inception, our architect became very useful on the field. Saito wanted her to come into the field again, but Ariadne won't do. We need an architect who will."

He took a deep breath. "I know you've never gone into the field before, but with you skill-"

"I'll do it." I answered before he asked.

Eames looked a little surprised. "Don't you want to know more about the job? I wouldn't just jump right into something like this darling."

"I've waited months for something like this to come along. I am not going to sit back and watch this pass by." I said earnestly.

Eames studied me for a moment. "Alright then, go get packed. We leave immediately." He leaned back and waved me away.

I packed quickly and dressed in jeans and a dark purple top. I slipped on some socks and was tying my converses when Eames stepped inside my room.

"You ready kitten? We've got a plane to catch."

I finished tying my shoe and stood. I grabbed a leather jacket and put it on. I glanced in the mirror and grimaced. So much for making a good impression. I quickly ran a brush through my light brown hair, but it still needed to be washed. I didn't wear any makeup so my dark, navy blue eyes didn't stand out like they usually did. I wished I could rid myself of the light freckles that sprayed my face.

"Alright. I'm ready."

Eames put a hand on the small of my back when we left my apartment. "You have been careful, haven't you? Theres still a price on our head."

"I didn't know, but I haven't had any trouble."

"Maybe the Parton will leave you out of this. The cooperation didn't like that we failed inception. They've been tailing the rest of us for a couple weeks."

"Guess the architect isn't too important." I shrugged as I stepped into the elevator.

Eames punched in the number and we began our decent. "For your sake, I hope not."

We left the building just as a blue car pulled up. Eames opened the passenger door for me and took my bags.

"Thanks." I said, climbing in.

The driver was not what I expected. I had expected him to be a few years older than me, like Eames, but he looked younger. He actually looked to be the same age as me, twenty four or so.

If he had been standing, he would have been considerably taller than me with his long legs and lean frame. He had dark hair and a dark, tan complexion. His eyes met mine. They were a dark chocolate-brown filled with sober emotion.

We both stared, unable to speak or break eye contact. We gazed for what seemed like an eternity. Time halted for the moment, everything around us seemed to freeze, now unimportant. It was only him and me.

Eames suddenly opened the door and climbed in. he rubbed his hands together. "Lets go! Oh, Blake this is Arthur. He's our point man. Arthur meet Blake, our new architect."

I shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine." He smiled a small, sly smile.

I blushed. What he must really think of me. I wore no make up and my hair was damp from the rain. It didn't help ma any that my clothes were any thing but professional.

But as I glanced back at him once more before he put the car in gear, I realized he was looking beyond all of that. He wasn't even looking at me. He was seeing me and for the first time in a long time, I felt alive.

Okay, well I hope you liked it. I have more on the way. PLEASE leave a review. I'd really like to hear what you think. And, yes, I know that Blake doesn't sound like a girl's name but that name stuck so deal with it.