"It's our little secret, right Bobby?"

"Yeah…right…"

"You sound…disappointed?"

"No, no love of course I'm not. You're my best mate, yeah? Just had to…just remembering that splendid party we went to…"

"Our. Little. Secret." Each word punctuated with a kiss and a rough shove into the wall. His secret. Right, he could manage that…

Eames woke up in an instant, sitting up in his bed and looking around the room of his rundown apartment. It wasn't by any means glamorous, though Eames knew he could afford it if he desired. He also knew it was better to lay low in London than to live lavishly. He learned quickly in his younger days that he was not to spend too much and not to get too wild, even if his friends were quite the wild little crew. The apartment was only three hundred square feet and was a studio that has a square shaped room. It made it seem even smaller than it actually was but Eames did not mind. There was one small window on the wall across from the door and he had a small kitchenette, a bathroom, and just enough room for his mattress and suitcase to fit comfortably.

Groaning as he ran a hand over his face, Eames reached over to turn his fan up a level and attempt to cool down the sweltering hot room. He rarely dreamed anymore after years of working with the PASIV, but when he did it was always the same nightmare he had to relive over and over. He grabbed his cell phone from next to his bed, frowning at the sight of an all too familiar name appearing on the screen. He dialed it back instantly, making his way into his kitchenette to make a cup of tea. It rang three times before the familiar and clipped voice met his ears, "Mr. Eames."

"Ello Cobb darling, how are you?"

"I have been better, but I'm with my kids so I guess I can't complain too much?"

"No indeed you can't, I would think. What's this I hear about you and Ariadne, hmmm?"

"She moved in a few months ago," Eames could almost hear Dom blushing through the phone, "Doing her graduate work out here in the United States again…"

"Good to hear. But I presume your call isn't because you wanted to catch up, love…"

"No. Not quite," Dom sighed a heavy sigh as Eames' kettle whistled shrilly. Eames quickly took it off the burner, pouring it over the tea-bag he already had waiting in a nice large mug. He stirred in a little cream, waiting for Dom to continue as he heard the shuffling of paper on the other end of the line, "Yusef has gone missing."

"Yusef you say? Our quirky little chemist? Shame."

"Yes, that Yusef," Dom paused, sounding distraught as he continued, "Look I was having him work on this new compound that was going to make us able to go into another level without facing the threat of Limbo. Almost a limbo-less sleep, if you will. Arthur was in touch with him almost daily until suddenly, he stopped returning our calls and messages. Arthur checked into it and his home had been ransacked, with literally everything taken including Yusef. His cell phone was on still and we could track it down to London. Well, East Sussex."

"And that's where I come in I presume?"

"Arthur's landing in London in an hour or so. Pick him up and he can explain the rest?"

"Dom, you know I love you all…but I stopped. I had to. I am supposed to be laying low, remember? After all the prison charges from when I was a young lad got dropped I tried to clean up a bit. My messes are far greater still in London than anywhere else in the world."

"Eames," Dom sighed again, pausing to contemplate if he should share the information he had, "Look, Eames, we can make it all go away. Make sure Bob never existed and that the feds drop everything on your friends too."

"Not my mates anymore, Dom. I lack those sans for you and Ari."

"And Arthur."

"The stick in the mud can't stand me and we both know it."

"I figured I'd try to convince you otherwise," Dom laughed a bit, sighing before he did, "Look I know what happened with your team and…"

"Don't," Eames closed his eyes, putting his head in his free hand and rubbing it with his palm, "You don't know, you've just read some parchments on it. Just…don't go there okay? I don't want to think about that time of my life anymore. I was a kid and misled. Made the wrong friends and even worse, the wrong enemies."

"Akron?"

"No, he's dead thanks to yours truly. I worry about Finn," Eames groaned his name, sitting back up and sighing, "Look, I'll help because it's you asking and it's Yusef, but Arthur better be prepared to lay low with me and not complain."

"I warned him you would not be living in the best conditions if you were in London," Dom paused to mull over how to phrase his next sentence, continuing after a brief moment, "I mapped your place and saw it after tracking your phone. You sure you're safe there right?"

"I've killed before, Dom, I'm safe anywhere I go except hotels and governmental buildings."

"So most of London, then?"

"Hence why I live on the west end, yeah?"

"Good talking to you Eames."

"You as well Dom," they hung up in unison. Eames moved about, quickly pulling on his worn in dark-wash blue jeans and a nice blue and white oxford button down. He hurried around the small apartment, gabbing his car keys and wallet as he left quickly to attempt to not be late in picking up Arthur.