Day 1

It was early morning when he woke up, feeling her body move next to his. She was kicking.

"Ariadne?" He said softly turning towards her. His vision was blurry with sleep and he vaguely realized it was raining out. He had to think for a moment to remember where he was. That she was sleeping next to him.

Her breathing was labored. He snapped on the light to see her cheeks were a bright red.

"Ariadne?" He asked again shaking her slightly. He brushed a hand to her face. It was warm, to warm. "Ariadne." He said more sharply. She responded to him finally by opening her eyes.

"I feel dizzy." She said hoarsely. She closed her eyes again.

Arthur was quickly out of the bed to wet a wash cloth. He had only heard about this. A serious side effect of the dream environment. One that could kill her since they had a week left in this place. Normal dream sharing lasted only a few hours in dream time. Nothing so prolonged as a week. Ariadne was new to the dream sharing. Her mind was not prepared for all the side effects she could succumb to.

Yuseff's compound was very sharp. It made the mind think things were real. Ariadne had been freezing in the rain and now her dreaming mind thought she was fighting a cold. She was with symptoms and everything. If she couldn't come back from this, she could die and wind up in Limbo.

"Ariadne?" He asked, gently and skillfully placing the wet cloth on her face. She eyes opened again and she looked at him.
"I feel so hot." She said weakly. She tried to kick her covers off but the Point Man wouldn't let her.

"We have to keep your body warm and your head cool." He explained. "I'm going to find some ice and I'll be right back." He tried to keep his voice even and calm. As the washcloth started to progress from cool to warm.

Out in the hall was a small alcove with a vending machine and ice maker. Arthur quickly filled the room's bucket and returned to her. She was trying to sit up. Attempting to kick off her covers again. Her leg had snaked out of the coverings and was attempting to reach the floor.

"Ariadne?" He said covering her back up more securely and putting a hastily wrapped ice pack on her brow. "I need you to stay in bed. Alright?" He tried to sound kind and reassuring. She dint seem to hear him. "Hey!" He said sharply "Look at me." his voice growing more authoritative. She opened her eyes again and looked at him.

"What's happening to me?" She asked. He breathing hard and her face was sweating. He tried to keep himself calm so that she would not see the worry.

"Your mind has convinced your body that your sick. It's actually making you sick." He explained

"I'm a hypochondriac?" She asked her chest rising and falling with her heavy breathing. He tried to smile and nod, but knew his worried eyes gave himself away. "Is it that bad?" She asked but didn't need an answer.
"I need you to tell me where a pharmacy or general supply store is." He said. She had to stop to think. Closing her eyes and trying to imagine the city she built.

"There's an elephant at every other corner." She told him. "A small supply store will be there." She said. "Are you leaving me?" She asked in a small frightened voice.

"I will be right back. We have to treat this as a real illness even though it's just a dream."

"No Arthur, it's to dangerous." She told him. "The city is a maze, the projections will kill you."

"I have to." He told her brushing her hair away from her face and putting fresh ice on her forehead. "If you die from this you can fall into Limbo."
"Fall into Limbo again." She said dryly. He didn't have time to ask what that meant as he dressed him self and readjusted her coverings and ice pack.

"Don't get lost in the city." She told him.

Her advice not to get lost in the city was not arbitrary. The rain made the layout vastly confusing. Arthur kept his head down and his gaze away from the projections as he walked in the pouring rain to the nearest street corner. The projections looked at him but didn't approach. In the room, they were away from the projections. Out of Fischer's sight and mind. Now that he was on the streets, they could see him.

'Elephant?' He thought looking at the street corner. What an odd thing to look for in a city. All the buildings looked alike. The rain casting everything into darkness. It was almost impossible to see three feet in front of him. The rain was cold to. Then he saw it. A little store with a large tacky blue elephant lit up in neon. He made a steady stride for it as projections walked past him, bumping into him.

The store was clean and fully stocked. Arthur went for the pharmacy aisle and collected fever reducers, a thermometer, and even some sports drinks so she would stay hydrated. His eyes almost missed the clothing section of the store and this made him stop. It may not be a bad idea to purchase something for the Architect to wear other then the night gown and no undergarments. There were no woman's clothes. Once again Ariadne had not planned to be in the dream with them. But there were simple sweat pant's and T-shirts that would be adequate. Hoping he had gotten enough supplies, he paid the projection of a shop keeper and left the store.

Back out in the streets he dodged the projections and tried not to let the rain get him turned around. He finally found the hotel again and was back in their little room.

Ariadne was asleep again but was easily roused and willing took the fever reduction medications. She drank the sports drink and settled beck down to sleep again.

"I'll be fine." She said softly before falling off. Arthur nodded and let out a long sigh as he watched her sleep.

He wished Cobb was here. The Extractor had much more experience with this kind of thing then he did. Arthur had only been working in dream extractions for a few years when Cobb recruited him. The Point Man had given up more lucrative work in order to work more interesting jobs Cobb brought. He chose jobs that tested his skills.

He had to let out a huff. This particular job had tested his skills a little to well.

She had been teaching him the maze of the hotel. He had been impressed with the level of skill and professionalism she had. So few Architects in this line of work were like this. Certainly not Nash, the greasy little coward from their last job. He hated to admit it, but Cobb had done an excellent job in choosing her to build the dream. She was even better then the Extractor had been.

"There will be several paradoxes on the service stairs." She said as they walked around the modern nameless building. "If you get into any trouble just use them, not the elevator." She showed him the dim utilitarian stair well that morphed into dangerous traps.

"This is really excellent." He said as they looked down the long fall of the pen rose steps. "Watch out." He said putting an arm across her. She grinned and rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm fine Arthur." She said turning away from him. "I can take care of myself you know." She was climbing back up the stair well to the start of the maze.

"I know that." He said quickly following her.

"Really?" She said with a raised eye brow. "Is that why you insist on hailing a cab for me every time I leave the warehouse?"

"Only on the days you still till after dark." He countered.

"Well, that's everyday." She laughed. They had entered the lobby and Arthur felt their privet time had been cut off to soon. In the dream was the only time he had alone with the Architect. He wasn't ready for it to end.

"We don't have to leave so soon." He said authoritatively. She turned and looked at him. He looked at his watch. "We have another hour left, before the device times out." She looked around the elegant ly appointed lobby.

"Well is there anything else you need to see?" She said.

"No, I think I have it." He told her stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I meant what I said before. This is really exceptional."

"Thank you." She said humbly. As if she expected nothing more form her work. She had taken the compliment just like he was another co-worker. He wasn't much for flirting. His careful, pleasant manners and style usually meant he didn't have to work to hard to get women to notice him. Ariadne wad different. She was professional at all times. She didn't seem to want or need any romantic attentions from anyone.

"Let's just hang out a while." He said pointing to the bar.

"Why cant we just wake up?" she asked.

"Because there is only one way to wake up from within the dream before it times out." He explained. "I never liked that way. Besides, we need to get used to leaving the dream naturally." She nodded. At the deserted bar, Arthur played bartender.

"What would you like?" He asked.

"Just water." She said. He chuckled.

"You know you can have alcohol in the dream if you want. It wont impair you mind in the real world." He said

"I never drink." She replied.

"Never?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"No never." She told him "I never cared for the taste." He poured her a simple glass of water before doing the same for himself.

"Tell me what made you want to study architecture in Paris." He asked.

"Well, I studied art for a long time before switching majors. I chose Paris because it has architecture unlike anywhere in the world. People tend to use Paris as a format for everything. They may not realize it, but Paris is a very modern design for being so old." He listened as she explained the little nuances of streets designed to counter rioting, to energy efficient home ideas.

"I had my doubts about you coming on as out new Architect." He admitted "I'm glad I was wrong." He had meant it as a compliment but one look at her face told him he was wrong. He could see her sharp little mind turning over the sentence.
"Did you think I couldn't do it because I'm a woman?" She asked plainly

"No." He said immediately. "It's because our last Architect, Nash, couldn't design anything nearly this good." She nodded. Willing to accept this.

"What happened to him?" She asked. He shook his head. He didn't want to reveal to her the unpleasantness of Nash and his betrayal. Of what happened to him.

"He went another way." He told her honestly. She waited for him to say something else but he straitened up.

"So how long have you lived in Paris?" He asked.

"Two years now." She said with a smile sensing he wanted to talk about something else.

"Must be interesting, being an American living in Europe."

"It can be." she admitted. "It's something I've always wanted to do." She said with a shrug.

He heard it then, the music. Like Murphy's law, ruining a perfectly wonderful conversation.

"Do you live in the city alone?" He asked. A feeble last second attempt to ask if she had a boyfriend. The Architect smiled coyly at him and said simply.

"Time to wake up Arthur."

The Point Man jumped awake in the plush chair. The rain was still pounding outside. More intense then before. He looked at Ariadne. She was sleeping peacefully. Her lovely little face still a bright red.

He had fallen asleep thinking about the time she was teaching him the hotel design. He felt silly for falling asleep so easily in the dream. It was starting to get dark outside. He sighed as he stood up. He went to check on her. He felt the heat come off her body before he even touched her. She was burning hot.

"Ariadne?" He asked shaking her. Her eyes fluttered open. Her breathing had a harsh sound to it.

"What? What's going on?" He could see now that she was sweating profusely. He threw off he covers to see the night gown was wearing was clinging to her body with sweat.

"Your burning up." He said rushing her to the bathroom and running cool water in the tub. "Stay there." He ordered as he went to get more ice.

The fever reduction medicine was not working. He had to take drastic steps. He filled the tub with water and ice before he carefully and easily picked up her small body and lowed her into the ice cold water. She gasped at the shock of it. He hoped the trauma of the ice water wouldn't cause her to pass out. He had to break this horrible fever. She seemed suddenly more awake at her body tensed in the ice water.

"Oh..." She cried out.

"Just a few minuets then you can get out." He said gently trying to get her head to relax into the water. She nodded and allowed him to recline her head into the water.

He couldn't hide the worry from his voice as he helped her out the water. Telling her that the ice would work to bring the fever down. He stripped her of the black night shirt that now clung to her like a second skin. He deftly wrapped her in a towel and dried her hair. She allowed him to help her dress. A less awkward adventure because of her illness. He suddenly didn't see her body as he had before, with it's lovely soft curves and delicate features. His worry for her over powered even that basic male instinct.

"I feel cooler." She admitted in an exhausted voice. Her face did look less red as Arthur changed the sheets. They had been soaked in the sweat from her fever. She allowed him to guide her back to bed and curled into a comfortable sleeping position. "Please, don't put me back into the tub." She said before falling asleep. He had to laugh as he felt her face. She was much cooler. He breathed out a thankful sigh as he realized her fever finally broke.

I've noticed I have a few new followers on this story. Please read and tell me what you think of the Dream stories I have been working on before this. Lots of A&A and new characters. I have really enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy them to. It's a bit of a saga... it starts with "Dream" and then "Bliss". There are 7 stories in all (so far) and I plan to post more very soon. This story has nothing to do with them and is not apart of the "saga". Be forewarned that there is erotica, but not until the 3rd one. I try to keep it tasteful.