Disclaimer: Well, you should know, I do not own Inception or Chuck, though I own a DVD of Inception and my Flatmate owns the first season of Chuck. My point is, I'm just borrowing the chara's and their circumstances^^ The song at the end isn't mine either, it's Fisher - You
This story was inspired by this beautiful little one-shot by tigriswolf: http:/ archiveofourown .org/ works/ 359193
WARNING: Chara death, slash, het, pregnancy depression, trauma, emotional/physical pain
Bullet to my Heart
Bryce, and he pretends that, that had always been his name, steals the Intersect for his very own reasons, even though he knows he will most likely die in the process. He sends it to Chuck, because Chuck is the only person who can actually comprehend it the way it is supposed to be understood, without overloading his brain. And maybe he sends it to Chuck because he knows that Chuck is the only person, except for one other person in his life and he doesn't count because he is his twin, that he would trust with everything. He trusts that Chuck will not attempt world domination with all the information he gets, because he knows Chuck is a good guy, and maybe he's a little biased, but love does that.
When he actually does lie on his back, blood spilling into his mouth and from the gun-shot wounds, he barely has the energy to press the send button, but he can't help but smile up at Casey. In the end he wins. His brother is safe and they couldn't kill Chuck because then they would lose their precious information. His world fades into darkness and he asks himself if there will be a light for him.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The death of Bryce Larkin is highly classified, and the CIA erase every sign of him ever existing. So, it is no surprise that his brother knows about it the instant that Bryce draws his last breath. The lithe, dark-haired man gasps awake, one hand clawing at his chest, the other pressing into his throat, then mouth, as if he is trying to hold the bile back from rising. He chokes once at the oppressive feeling of loss that has ripped into him and had woken him so suddenly. Then moans, as if he was suppressing screams of pain.
A big, warm hand settles on his thigh. The voice speaking, rough from sleep and British.
"Arthur? Everything okay, darling?" Arthur swallows several times before he nods in the dark and answers.
"Yeah." He lies. They both know it. Arthur stands and leaves the bedroom, Eames can hear the bathroom door click shut as he contemplates following him. He can hear the tap running shortly and then there's only silence. After a moment he gets out of bed as well and makes his way towards the bathroom, the lock on the door is no problem for him.
Arthur is sitting in the stark light of the Russian chandelier. He's sitting on the toilet lid, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. His breath is forcibly calm. Eames kneels down in front of him, not saying a word, just watching and waiting.
He remembers one time, three years ago, when Arthur had collapsed without a cause and hadn't been able to walk, because of the pain in his leg. It had been weeks before he had been able to walk without a limp. Eight months later he lost the use of his right hand for two weeks. Eames had learned not to ask about those strange instances.
It is quite a while before anything happens. Eames sits himself onto the cold tiles and settles one hand on Arthur's foot. They sit like this for several hours, though it is still dark when Arthur moves again and all of his movements look painful.
"I have to go to Merribeth, Texas." Arthur says at last and Eames nods and stands, holding out a hand for Arthur to take. The Point Man gazes at him, as if to decide something important. In the end, he accepts the hand and gets up to busy himself with the arrangements. Arthur has a safe-deposit-box to empty.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Bryce and Arthur had been born only seconds apart. They were lifted towards the light through the cut the doctors had made to at least safe the unborn children, as the mother bled out from the long cuts she had painted down her forearms. A maid had found her in the hotel-room, bleeding all over the bathroom floor and had called the ambulance immediately. They should have been born one month later.
They are taken in by their grandmother, after their father cannot be found. Years later they would find out what really happened, would read words like pregnancy depression and decisive cuts, but until then their mother died in a car crash shortly after they had been born. Arthur will be shocked for a moment, as a twelve year old should be, and then there will be a dark room in his heart were everything he thinks and feels could be stored and locked away. Bryce opens a dark abyss and throws everything he had just read into it and stitches it back up, while he pulls Arthur into his arms.
They both feel the change in them. The realisation that it was their fault. That their mother was dead because she couldn't bear the thought of them existing. Something hardened in them both.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Until the age of eight-teen, they do everything together. Martial-arts training, hunting trips with various great-uncles of their family, playing Computer games and watching endless seasons of various series on the sci-fi channel, even dance lessons, there is almost nothing they don't share. Even the girls, though never the boys.
When Arthur breaks his arm at fifteen, Bryce can't use his arm properly for four weeks. It is not the first time they notice this connection, but it is the first time in which they can't deny it. It scares them terribly and brings them even closer together, because stopping to deny this strange connection seems to have made it only stronger. They are convinced that if one of them should die, the other would as well, and something in them breathes a sigh of relief at that thought.
At eight-teen several things happen at once. They graduate High-school, Bryce applies for Stanford, Arthur signs up for the military and the woman who raised them dies in a grocery-store robbery.
They have an argument, Bryce because he is frightened of losing his brother, not to the distance but to war, and Arthur because he is pulled away from his brother by people that are threatening him and most importantly his brother and he wants to kill them for that alone. He isn't yet Arthur, though, and he doesn't know how he can protect others and himself the way he will know in the future and he can't do anything but to give into their commands at that time in his life.
Bryce finds out two years later and they have another argument, through encrypted letters and text-messages, but they are both too deep in the classified levels of the government now to do anything about it. In the end, Bryce joins the CIA and Arthur escapes Project Hypnos with a PASIV-device and several bottles of Somnacin. And Arthur becomes Arthur.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
At Stanford, separated from his brother for the first time, Bryce, as he is called Bryce now, meets Chuck. Innocent, smiling and geeky Chuck and Bryce can't help falling in love. He memorizes every moment they spend together and when he makes the decision to break Chuck's heart, betray his trust and save his life, the rest of his own heart breaks as well. For the first time he understands the decision his brother had made all those years ago.
Arthur calls for the first time that evening, talking to him in soothing tones and telling him that it would get better, while Bryce says he knows. They both think about the things they found out when they were twelve and they both know they are lying to each other. It may fade with time, but it never got better.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Seventeen months after stealing the PASIV-device and having a price on his head that was in the six digit domain, Arthur meets Eames. They don't meet through a job, but in an art museum, Eames checking out the layout, Arthur actually there for the art. They meet, because Arthur can't stop himself from pointing out that there are three hidden cameras more, than Eames had already noticed. Eames is delighted. Arthur is exasperated, though in a good way.
It is just several weeks later that they meet again, this time on a job and from there on out, the bickering and teasing starts. It never stops, but eventually they start sleeping together, later they actually start to trust each other and in the end, they notice, that maybe they have been in love for quite a while now.
They crash tremendously in the year after Mal's death, Arthur feeling obligated to help Cobb, because the man had helped him escape the Project and Eames thinking that that isn't enough for such a sacrifice on Arthur's side and angry and bitter because he has lost Mal, too.
They start to mend their wounds during the Fisher Job, and the trust was never really lost between them. With the Cobb problem out of the way and the Cobol issue handled by Saito, it is only weeks before they're back in business as a team.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
After a long trip by plane and then a shorter but still long trip by rental, Arthur and Eames arrive in Merribeth several days after Bryce's death. Arthur clears out the safe-deposit box in the small bank of the tiny town under a different name, with papers that look real to anyone but Eames. It isn't much, just a hard-drive, which Eames assumes contains data. They leave as soon as they have it, Arthur smiling and saying good bye to the clerk.
Eames drives the car, while Arthur connects the hard-drive with his computer. He turns the screen away from Eames, but the Forger doesn't care. He really just wants to know what is going on with Arthur and if he can help to fix this. Because there is still agony in every movement Arthur makes and Eames doesn't know what it means, or how he can help.
"Our next stop is L.A." Arthur says next and Eames nods.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
It takes longer for them to arrive in L.A. than they both would have thought. There are several calls waiting for them in the morning and Eames can practically see Arthur struggling with the decision, but it is Ariadne calling, and it doesn't sound as if they could let her wait.
After solving the situation in Paris, with three hired guns dead and the leader not waking up any time soon, meaning ever, they are exhausted and sleep for the whole flight towards L.A. Ariadne was save for now. It has been two months since Bryce has been killed.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The BuyMore is busy, but not packed as they enter. It is almost surreal to Eames to be here, because when had he ever had the need to go to such a place? If he isn't on the run from somebody and had to steal some equipment, he is getting all the technical stuff at air-ports or from Arthur.
They ignore the rows of DVD's and Video Games and Eames follows Arthur towards a big round counter called the Nerd Herd. Eames can't suppress a smirk at the name. Arthur comes to a halt in front of a tall guy with curly hair and a slightly stressed but overall naïve face. And because Eames has a military history, even if it was a short one, because he has a problem with authority, he can't help himself but think of the guy as a civilian.
"Hi, welcome to BuyMore, what is the problem?" the Nerd, his employee sign says he is called Chuck, asks in a friendly tone as he turns around towards them. Chuck seems to freeze for a moment as he looks at them, his gaze glazing, before he shakes himself and his eyes are suddenly filled with fear and panic.
Before he can run away Arthur has him caught, his hand wrapped tightly around Chuck's arm.
"Stay." the Point Man says, his voice commanding, steady and calm. Chuck freezes, only his eyes are hushing over the people around them, as if he is searching for someone. Eames keeps his ears on Arthur, but searches the room for anyone who might disturb them. For now, no-one has seemed to notice anything wrong.
"You know who I am?" Arthur asks and the guy nods and starts to run down all the facts.
"Codename: Arthur, real name censored, accused of high treason against his country and the theft of a top-secret project called Hypnos-" Arthur interrupts him with a shake.
"Yeah, but I'm not here for that, I'm searching for someone and I believe you know where he is." Eames notices a blond woman walking up towards them and her movements practically scream government agent, well, at least to his trained eye. He signals Arthur and Chuck sighs in relief as he notices her.
"Everything all right, Chuck?" she asks sweetly, assessing them quickly.
"Well, actually-" he starts but Arthur just talks over him.
"I'm looking for a Mayor John Casey, do you know where he is? I heard he is working here now." The blonde twitches and Chuck outright flinches. Bingo. The smile on her face tells Eames that she knows that they noticed.
"Isn't that the new guy, Chuck?" she asks, still in her cute voice. Chuck looks uncertain for a while, but nods.
"Yeah, sorry guys, but it's his day off, maybe tomorrow?"
"I don't think so." Arthur pulls on his sharp smile. "Maybe you could give me his home address, I have to talk to him as soon as possible, it's about a very personal matter."
Chuck shoots a look towards the blonde and she nods barely noticeable.
They leave the BuyMore with the address and the certainty that their target would be waiting for them.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The apartment-complex is cosy and domestic. It would almost be a shame to start shooting. Eames and Arthur are standing in John Casey's living-room, opposite the owner of said living-room and they are all pointing weapons at their opponents.
Casey speaks first.
"What do you want, Arthur?" he asks, the name strange on his tongue and Eames knows that it isn't in recognition but that the two from the shop had probably called to warn the Mayor.
"I want Bryce Larkin." Arthur answers, his voice cold and calm to anyone but Eames, who could hear the tremble underneath as well as the desperation.
"Sorry, he's dead." comes the dry reply from Casey.
"I know. I also know that you killed him. I want to know where his body is." Arthur elaborates his request, he sounds pained again and Eames notices the stiffening of his back. Casey shrugs, seemingly coming to the conclusion that he wasn't in real danger.
"That's not my part of the job, so can't help you." Eames keeps his gun focused on the Mayor as Arthur suddenly performs a complicated move and brings down the blonde woman, who had tried to sneak up on him. With her on the floor Arthur takes a step out of her range and keeps his gun on her.
"Betty, so nice of you to come by." Arthur drawls and Eames can't help but blink at the sudden dialect in Arthur's usually bland American. The blue eyes widen in shock.
"How do you-"
"How do I know what Bryce called you in private?" he interrupts her. "Didn't you know? He told me everything. About you Agent Walker, about Charles, about the intersect." they both notice how the two agents go tense as he mentions the last two. A timid voice at the entrance to the living-room interrupts any further questioning from them however.
"Oh God, you're his brother." Eames turns slightly so that he could keep an eye on all of the people in the room. It seems Chuck had found them as well. And he is unarmed. There is suppressed cursing from the Agents but Eames is more fascinated at what he sees on Arthur's face. The agony that had been shining through his usual behaviour in the last two months was now plain on his face. Arthur looks down towards the female Agent.
"Yeah..." he grips his gun a little tighter. "Yes, I am."
"He talked about you a lot, back at Stanford, he was worried and angry, but foremost, he was worried about you." Chuck says softly.
"Yes, he was." Arthur replies with a broken smile. "You were the only one he ever told about me, did you know? He loved you more than anything in his life."
While Chuck smiles with a pained edge and nods in understanding, the two agents frown slightly. Apparently, they didn't know that bit of information either.
"I know, about Stanford. He wanted to protect me. He broke my heart, but he got me to safety." Chuck says, his voice breaking slightly. Eames could see Arthur break a little bit more as he nods.
"I just want his body returned to his family, I know that it is in his contract, I am his contact should he-" Arthur faltered a little. "I want to talk to your superiors." Both Eames and Arthur straighten and adjust their weapons with that demand. Casey lowers his and Sarah stares at him in shock.
"What?" Casey shrugs. "I think that is a reasonable request, I know I would want to be buried by family and not be stored somewhere in the cellars of the CIA. One condition though, you put away the guns." the last is thrown into their direction and after a shared look they store their guns away.
From then on it goes pretty smooth, if Eames could say so. They spend about a week in LA before they get what they want, Bryce's body was going to be transported to Arthur's family plot to be buried there. (Eames isn't really surprised about the smooth run they have with the CIA and NSA leaders, Arthur seems to have blackmailing material on practically anyone important.) Eames knew that Arthur was talking with Chuck most nights they were there, explaining things about his brother, keeping him alive just a little bit longer.
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The real breakdown, the one Eames had been waiting for since Arthur had woken up in pain and devastation, happens after the burial, when they arrive in Arthur's childhood home and the impassive mask the Point Man had been wearing all these months doesn't just break, but shatters.
It's late now
Time to sleep
Close your eyes
Go to dreams
Arthur collapses onto the floor sobbing and gasping for air. Eames has barely the time to catch him and save him from the impact.
"Shsh, it's okay. I got you, Arthur. I'm here." Arthur turns towards him and clings to him with the desperation of a drowning man.
"Did you know that my mother killed herself when she was pregnant with us, Bryce and me?" Arthur's voice is broken and barely there but the words send shivers down Eames spine. He shifts his grip and pulls Arthur even closer towards himself.
"We should have never existed."
Eames shakes his head.
"No, darling, no no no, that's not true, you were meant to live. You have to believe me. Please Arthur, you and your brother have made an impact on the world. You were meant to be." Eames reassures and babbles and doesn't really know what to say.
Clouds on walls
And blue skies
Mummy's sun,
her moon, her stars
"It hurts so much, Eames. Like half of me was ripped away and all that's left is a gaping abyss, half of me is gone." Arthur gasps the words and Eames loses all of his. He couldn't possibly find anything that would make the situation better for Arthur. He just holds on to him, humming a little and swaying them back and forth.
And you
You make me run
And you
You make me want to live
When Arthur is on the edge of crying himself to sleep he can hear Eames whisper something before he continues humming.
"I am here, darling. Do not leave me Arthur."
And you
You make me run
And you
You make me want to live
For you...
Fin
Hope you liked it, please leave a review!
The Song at the end: http:/ www. youtube. com/ watch?v=uzudGPIGlDk