A/N: here's a little something to hold ya over as I write the sequel to The Secret Pursuit or Ariadne. it hold no significance to the upcoming fic, just some team bonding. Really short, wrote it in under an hour.
I own nothing, well, almost nothing, i'd like to pretend that Natts is my love child with Eames.
It seemed to be a lazy afternoon in the workshop, Cobb was feeling nostalgic and decided to go through his personal files, he came across a photo of Phillipa and James, Phillipa was only 3, James about 5 months.
"Eames, take a look at this." Cobb called to the Forger.
"They're so- blonde." Eames told Cobb, leaning over Cobb's shoulder, in Cobb's hand was a picture of his children in their younger years.
"Thank you, Eames." Cobb replied sarcasticly, turning around to stare at Eames.
"Sorry, I forgot, I haven't seen those buggers since- well, I've never met the boy, have I? But Phillipa, when will she be 18?" Eames joked, Cobb was not amused.
"Eames." Cobb warned.
"You know I'm playing Dom. She's Natts's age for Christ's sake." Eames scolded, this caught Ariadne's attention.
"Who's Natts?" Ariadne asked, turning away from her work station to listen. Eames reached into his wallet to pull out a picture of a 5 year old brunette in pigtails and a pink dress.
"My daughter." Eames replied, handing the photo to Ariadne.
"You're married Eames?" Ariadne asked, alarmed, Eames chuckled, and Ariadne gave the photo back.
"Eames? Married? Not in this universe." Arthur replied, he was carrying a stack of papers he needed to file.
"Ah Mr. Point-Man, please inform Ariadne of my dirty deeds." Eames said with a slight smirk.
"Her name is Natalie Quinn Eames, and as we all suspect, she's illegitimate," Arthur began, "She really is a charming little girl, shame I only met her once." Arthur said sarcasticly.
Eames leaned over to Ariadne, "She told him off and asked him to take the stick out of his arse, and when Arthur scolded her her reply was 'I'm sorry, I didn't realize how far up it was.'"
Ariadne laughed loudly, "She sounds like a complete angel."
"Saito, you have a daughter, don't you?" Arthur asked the tourist.
"It doesn't take a point man to figure that out Arthur, just a issue of fortune magazine." Saito replied.
"Whats her name, Saito?" Ariadne asked, as Saito reached into his own wallet and handed Ariadne a picture of a seven year old with short black hair, she was in a sailor suit styled school uniform.
"Eiko. My precious Eiko," Saito said with a smile, Ariadne handed the photo back, "I'm not as home as often as she'd like, but she knows I love her dearly."
"What do you know about Eiko, Arthur?" Ariadne asked.
"Eiko Sukiyaki, shes 9, born April 3, her mother is Hikari Sukiyaki, Saito's wife-"
"Ex wife." Saito corrected.
"-Saito's ex-wife, who has custody of Eiko due to Saito's constant traveling, she attends a school for gifted children and has a I/Q of 120, the average for adults. Saito's pet name for Eiko is Koi, after the fish because Eiko is a natural swimmer."
"Bravo Arthur." Saito congratulated, Arthur gave a mock bow.
"Does anyone else have surprise children? How bout you Yusuf?" Ariadne asked Yusuf who had been paying more attention to the lab set in front of him instead of the conversation.
"No, no children." Yusuf called, Ariadne looked at Arthur.
"maybe someday, but at present no."
Cobb put his picture on the desk, "Breaks over guys, back to work!" Cobb said at last, taking one last glance at the photo before walking off to his office. Saito placed his photo next to Cobb's, smiling at his little koi fish before following Cobb to discuss some details of the assignment.
Next was Eames's turn to put his picture down, he places a soft kiss on the photo, and Ariadne was awed to see Eames's sensitive side.
"I have lunch with Browning, I'll see you in a few." he greeted everyone a quick goodbye and was out the door.
"They're so cute." Ariadne told Arthur when the three fathers were out of ear shot.
"They really are." Arthur took a peak at the photos.
"They could have been friends, maybe if their fathers have met in different circumstances." Ariadne mused, Arthur saying nothing, but instead gave Ariadne a approving smile.
"Ariadne, Arthur, back to work!"Cobb called, Ariadne scampered off to her desk, but Arthur lingered, leaning on a chair and staring at the four innocent faces.
'You're wrong Ariadne,' he thought to himself, 'the bond between fathers is what's going to make these kids such good friends.'