A/N: I don't own, nor will I sadly ever own Inception, the characters, or anything associated with it. I honestly wish I did though! :)
One shot. And then another. And another. They slid down the counter and immediately down Ariadne's throat. It had been two months since the Fischer job, but Ariadne was still finding it difficult to get her grasp back on reality.
"I think that's enough for you tonight, little lady," the bartender strode over to her, taking the empty glasses and throwing them in the tub below the counter. Several clinks rang out, making Ariadne's fragile body jerk.
With no urge left in her to fight it, she nodded off the bartender's request and shakily stood, headed for the exit. When she took her first step, a sharp pain shot through her head, and she stumbled backwards.
"You ok?" the bartender moved closer to her, still remaining behind the counter.
Wordless, Ariadne flung her arm at him, signaling she would be fine. Standing again, she took another step, but this time collapsed to the floor. The bartender was by her side within seconds and asked, "Is there someone I can call for you?"
In a breathless response, Ariadne called out, "Arthur!"
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"Alright," Cobb's voice was loud over the other noises the airport was producing, "the job is over, and so is seeing everyone on the team, at least for a month. The only reason this rule is in place is due to safety. We don't want someone tracking us all down, so obey it."
The team nodded, and Eames spoke up, "What am I going to do without the lovely architect?"
Ariadne smirked, "I'm sure you'll survive."
Arthur muffled under his breath, "But I may not."
"What?" Ariadne turned to him.
"What? Oh, nothing. Sorry!" He turned his body to the baggage claim and grasped the two he had brought with him.
Ariadne produced a confused look, but shrugged it off, clutched her bags as they went by on the conveyer belt and turned for the exit.
"Wait!" Cobb spoke up, "You will all be at the same hotel, but each one of you is on a different floor. Don't, and I mean don't, try and look for each other. Here, Ariadne is your room key. You're all checked in and ready to go. The limo is waiting out front."
Ariadne smiled, nodded them off, and headed out the doors to the limo.
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"Do you have his number? A cell? Anything?" the bartender looked around her, scanning for a purse or a cell sticking out of a pocket.
"Let me tell you…..wait, what's your name?"
"My name is Brady," he spoke.
"Let me tell you what, Brady. I haven't seen Arthur in two months. He's nowhere to be found."
"Well then why did you mention him first?"
But he got no reply. Ariadne was back up on her feet and pacing quickly to the door.
"Are you sure you can make it home from here?"
"I'll be fine, Brady!" she managed, "Don't worry about me. No one ever does…."
And with that, she was on her way.
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The limo ride to the hotel seemed like an eternity. Ariadne hated being alone, now that she had just spent all that time as part of a team, the other members genuinely caring about her and her safety. Upon reaching the hotel, she climbed out, grabbed her bags from the driver, and made her way inside. The hotel desk clerk didn't make eye contact with her once, just pointed in the direction of the elevators.
"Thanks," Ariadne sarcastically called to her.
Elevators weren't her favorite, the last one she had been in involved her unconscious body and a slight awakening before she 'died' and returned to another level to be woken again. And he was with her. It calmed her. Currently, though, no one was there. Just her, her subconscious, and the silence that swarmed the air.
When the ding rang out to signal she had reached her floor, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and walked out, only having to go a short distance before arriving at her room. The key slid through the slot with ease, and a green light shone to allow her to enter. Her bags were placed by the bed, her coat hung neatly in the closet, and her body now rested on the couch. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in all that it had to offer, which sadly, wasn't much.
Soon, Ariadne found her eyelids become heavy, drooping more and more, until they finally felt the need to close completely. She hadn't gotten much sleep, even though that's exactly what the job was. Her body was exhausted and needed actual recuperation to go on. She left reality and faded into the darkness.
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The streets were dark, most lamps burnt out or broken. The only color that shown was from the stores surrounding the bar. The amount of alcohol she had consumed was way past the legal limit, leaving her intoxicated, dizzy, and feeling emptier now.
She stumbled along, tripping over her own two feet. The walk felt like one hundred miles, when in all reality, it was only two. After she clumsily climbed the stairs to the hotel, she drug her weakening body inside, to the elevators, and once the doors had shut, she collapsed to the ground. Tears were now strolling down her cheeks, and she couldn't take the pain anymore.
And suddenly, after she had already been traveling a few floors, the doors opened, and he entered.
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A few hours later, Ariadne woke to find herself swallowed into the darkness. The sun had set, and it was now reaching the late evening hours. 'Did I really sleep that long?' she questioned herself. Her stomach gurgled, signaling the lack of food Ariadne had consumed within the last twenty four hours. She grabbed the phone and called room service. She was in no mood to go out somewhere and eat alone.
Within ten minutes, there was a knock on her door. The food had arrived, and Ariadne, without hesitation, scarfed it down, feeling more comfortable and relaxed after.
Remote in hand, Ariadne laid back down on the couch, filling in the indent her body had created previously. She surfed through the channels, and after five minutes of searching, settled on "The Hangover". She needed a good laugh, and knew this would provide such a need.
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"Ariadne?" his voice was soft, just as it had always been.
Her eyes remained locked on the ground, but glanced to where his feet were currently placed, "Yeah?"
"What are you doing in here?"
She tried to hide back her sniffles, replying, "I'm just…just trying…..trying to get to…..trying to get to…..my floor."
Arthur examined her, knowing something was up. "Where did you just come from?"
"Why does it matter?" Ariadne's tone filled with anger. She couldn't believe that after two months of no contact, here he was, calm and collected, acting as though nothing had changed. But it had.
"Why wouldn't it?" he questioned, now squatting near her, placing a hand on hers.
She pulled away, that butterfly feeling rushing back into her stomach. No matter how mad she was at him, she had fallen for the point man, and her feelings came rushing back in a whirlwind of emotion. Tears fell more rapidly now, and she shied away from him even more.
"Ariadne, talk to me," he lowered his body more, now sitting next to her.
"I…..I can't do that….." her voice shook.
"Are you drunk?"
"Maybe I am, but why do you even care? Just go back to your life without me!" She scooted further towards the opposite side of the elevator, trying to escape his hypothetical grasp on her.
"Ari, I never left. I've been here. I've watched you from a distance. My job is to look over you, and that's what I've done. I've been here all along!" Arthur reached to her, keeping his butt planted where it was.
Ariadne finally gained the courage to lift her head and look at him. Their eyes met, but no words were said, that is, until Arthur spoke again.
"You look like hell, Ari. Let's get you back to your room. Floor 8, correct?"
"Gee, thanks," she smirked, "and yes."
"I didn't mean it like that," he stood, reaching down his hand to her.
She took it, stood, and then let go. But he grabbed it again, "You can't walk straight. I saw you come in. I know the condition you're in."
Her eyes left him and dropped to the floor again.
"It's ok, Ariadne. I've seen worse."
She nodded her head, but refused to look at him again. The gentle grip he had on her was killing her inside. She had been waiting for this moment for so long; gradually giving up on it, thinking it would never come. And here she was, in the moment, drunk off her arse, not even able to enjoy it.
"Here, we are," Arthur slid a universal hotel key from his pocket and opened her door. "Get in the shower, I'll get your bed ready."
Their hands departed each other's, leaving Ariadne feeling a little less complete.
The hot water hit her skin, leaving its mark on her. She took the body soap and scrubbed hard, trying to scrub away the mistakes that she had made within the last twelve hours. After finishing, she hopped out, reached down into her pants pocket, and grabbed the totem that was placed there. She set it on the counter, glanced at her reflection in the mirror, and then bumped the piece. It fell over, leaving Ariadne with a sigh of relief.
A knock came at the bathroom door, "You ok in there?"
Ariadne cracked the door, "Besides the pounding headache I've already attained, I'm fine, thanks."
"Do you have pj's in your bag?" he asked, looking from her to the bag that lay on the ground by her bed.
"Yeah, but I'll come grab them." She flung the door open, and as she brushed passed him, her hand grazed his. Her heart fluttered in her chest for a moment, but returned to normal a few seconds later.
"I ordered you some dinner, and coffee is brewing in the pot over there."
"Thanks, Arthur, for everything." A small grin appeared on her face.
"Alright, well I'll just be on my way," he headed for the door, but Ariadne side tracked from what she was doing and stepped in front of the door.
"Ariadne?"
"You're not going anywhere." She kept her firm stance in front of the door. She didn't seem as powerful as she wanted, due to the fact that she was still only covered with a towel.
"Ok, I'll stay, but go get dressed before you freeze to death," he touched her shoulder, reassuring her that his presence will remain in her hotel room.
"I've missed you, Arthur," she spoke gently and quietly, stopping outside the bathroom door and looking at him.
"I've felt the same, Ari. Now go get dressed, and we can catch up."
She grinned, her heart flipping excitedly in her chest, "Ok!"