After his daughter's diagnosis of cancer, Arthur's already broken world becomes more unraveled when he learns the truth about himself.

Set after the events of "Arthur's Betrayal" and "Dream Collapsing".

It is very important to read "Arthur's Secrets, Arthur's Ghosts, Ariadne's Secrets, The Kick, Arthur's Betrayal and Dream Collapsing". Otherwise, it won't make any sense.

Arthur's Daughter

1.

~ Arthur sat stiffly in the the doctor's office. The Point Man fighting the urge to fidget.

Darcy's new doctor was taking a long time to meet with them. The past week had been nothing but a myriad of tests on the little girl as they tried to disprove the original diagnosis of cancer.

By his side, sat the Architect. A worried look making her eyes seem larger. They were both watching Darcy play in the little waiting room with the new iPad Arthur bought her. The constant testing of the girl's blood and other things had been painful and scary for a child that age and for Arthur, it was easier to bribe her into submitting to all the needles and bad things.

He felt Ariadne lean closer to him. His wife wanted him to come back home after they found out about Darcy's illness. The Point Man and Architect putting their problems aside to focus on the little girl with curly blond hair.

"I'm sure it will be alright." Arthur whispered to her. "Doctor Rowland is the best in France."

Ariadne nodded and rested her head on Arthur's shoulder. He didn't miss the opening she gave him. His large hand covering hers. His thumb brushing over the hard sapphire of her engagement ring.

"All those times she kept saying she wasn't hungry. All the times she was so tired. If I had taken her to the doctor sooner." She said sadly.

"It wouldn't have made a difference. Leukemia is a genetic problem." Arthur said.

In the past week, he felt closer to his wife then he had ever been to anyone. They had united to fight this insidious enemy that was hurting their daughter.

The door burst open and Darcy's third doctor came in.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." The doctor said as he sat at his desk and gave them a comforting smile.

"It's alright." Arthur said curtly.
"Now, I understand I'm the third doctor you have seen about your daughter." The doctor said.

"Yes. We want her to get the best care possible." Ariadne said shifting in her seat and looking at the doctor imploringly. It was as if she were asking him to tell them the other two doctors made a horrible mistake and Darcy just had the stomach flu.

"I ran all the tests twice, just to be sure. I'm afraid it is acute Leukemia." The doctor said gravely.

Ariadne started to cry as they watched Darcy play with the iPad through the waiting room window. The child unaware of how serious her condition was.

"So what happens now?" Arthur said bravely as he put an arm around his wife. Ariadne trying to cover her face.

"Now, we test you both for a possible match in bone marrow. It's the best way to beat this cancer. Darcy told me she has two brothers, full blood siblings are the best for bone marrow matching. So, we need to test them both as well."

"Oh." Arthur sat stiffly. He looked embarrassed. "It's not that easy."

The doctor looked at them, not understanding.

"We're Darcy's parents, but she is really my half sister. My father's daughter. He passed away a few years ago and her biological mother is in prison. She has no full blood siblings." Arthur explained with difficulty.

"Well, that does make things more complicated." the doctor agreed sadly.

"But Arthur is still her half brother. He has a better chance of being a DNA match right?" Ariadne said hopefully.

"We can test him to make sure, but the chances are much more remote. Are there any other relatives we can test. The natural mother perhaps?" The doctor asked.

Arthur shook his head.

"Well, let's test you both. We can't be too careful. We might get lucky." The doctor said.

~ It was a simple blood test they did in the office as Darcy complained she was tired and her knees hurt.

"It's alright. We're going home now." Ariadne said kissing her blond curls.

They drove home in silence and put Darcy to bed. Mrs. Mills asking how the visit went.

"Not well." Ariadne told the nanny.

"I'm sorry ma'am." The older lady whispered sympathetically. "I've already given the boys their bath. Their playing in their room."

"Thank you Mrs. Mills." Ariadne said.

~ In their little bedroom, Arthur shed the jacket of his three piece suit and crawled into bed with Ariadne. She tried not to cry as his hands moved over her belly. Their unborn child had gone largely unspoken with all the problems surrounding Darcy.

"Did Becky have leukemia? Or anyone in her family?" Ariadne asked.

"Becky was always healthy. She lost her mother when she was 16 in a car accident. Her Dad left when she was 13." Arthur whispered.

"What about your father?" Ariadne whispered as his hands unbuttoned her blouse and exposed her flesh to him. The lace of her bra covering her as his lips dipped over her skin. Making a trail to her belly. Over a child they still had not talked very much about.

"I honestly have no idea. I never talked to my father, remember?" He said. "I can hire a private detective. Find out his entire history."
"I'm just thinking of the boys. If it's genetic." Ariadne whispered as Arthur slipped off her bra and put his mouth on her nipples.

She started breathing hard as she allowed the Point Man to suck at her breasts. His large hands going under her skirt and rubbing the lace of her panties. This was the best way they relived tension since the diagnosis. The problems that caused Arthur to live apart from his family had not been spoken of since Ariadne cried for him to come home last week.

"We'll get the boys tested." Arthur whispered into her ear as he kissed her over and over. His long fingers rubbing and stroking her sensitive places, making her wet.
"Arthur." She panted as she squirmed under him. Her body growing hot and helpless under his touch. "Arthur, I love you."

~ A few days later, Arthur and Ariadne were enjoying a quite evening with the kids. The Architect had left her job at Seth's company and stayed home with Darcy. The little girl already becoming too sick to go to school. Darcy had to take frequent naps these day and not understanding why she never felt good.

Arthur had also taken some time away from his work in dream extraction.

The phone rang and Arthur begrudgingly left his spot on the sofa next to Ariadne to answer it.

Ariadne went back to watching Darcy color with an app in her new iPad. It was funny how just a few years ago things were almost just like this. She was pregnant with Dominic and Darcy was coloring and Arthur came home. She was pregnant now, and except for all that had happened in just the past few years, just the past few months, it was odd how this hadn't changed.

~ "What?" Arthur was saying into the phone. "Are you sure?"

Ariadne turned around and looked at her husband. He looked shocked and angry. Arthur had a hand to his forehead in a way that made the Architect stand up.

This was serious.

"Arthur?" She asked.

The Point Man shook his head.

"You're absolutely sure?" He asked again. "Yes, of course. No, I understand. Thank you for calling. Yes, I'm glad you told me."

The Point Man hung up the phone and looked at Darcy for a long time.

"Arthur?" Ariadne asked as Darcy ignored them both and drew on her iPad.

Arthur didn't look at her and stormed out of the room. Ariadne hurriedly followed him into the bedroom.

"Arthur, what is it? Is it Darcy? What's happened?" She almost started crying.
"No, it's not about Darcy." Arthur said. He looked troubled and his hands were shaking.

"What is it?" Ariadne almost shouted.

"They ran my blood to test for a match. I'm not a match." Arthur said.

Ariadne waited. Surely this news should not have troubled the Point Man like this. Nothing shook the Point Man. In an unstable world, Arthur was always constant and strong.

"Arthur?" She prompted.

"I'm not a match because... according to the tests." he seemed to have trouble saying it. "According to the blood tests, there is no way I could be related to Darcy. I'm not her half brother."