One Year Later, Madagascar, Africa

It was hot, sweltering hot, and Eames was in the middle of the city. He walked less than a mile to the nearest payphone in Antananarivo. He was in too much of hurry to get a burner phone. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and proceeded to to put change into the machine.

"Sam, buddy, how are ya?"

"Hey, cuz. It's great to hear your voice."

"Yours too. How are things?"

"Good, you?"

"Ah, same 'ol, same 'ol...Listen, have you spoken to my wife recently? How is she? How's Charlotte?"

"She's fine. Char's good too. She's growing, man. She's walking now." There was a silence.

"Jonny... do you want to remind me again of how the hell you let this happen in the first place?"

"... Just made a few mistakes, that's all... screwed over the wrong people."

"How long is this thing gonna last...you being gone?"

"I don't know...I'm playing it safe for a little bit longer... laying low. I don't want to take this home with me. I can't...?"

"Yeah, well you better figure it out. She can't just keep waiting for you."

"I know, I know..." Eames paused. "Tell me something, Sam..."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Tell me...has she given up on me yet?"

"Why don't you call her and find out?" Eames said nothing. "Right...sorry... When was the last time you spoke to her?" Eames sighed. He thought back to his last conversation with his wife.

Two Months Ago

Eames looked at the clock on his bedside table and got up and stretched. It was 5 o clock in the morning in Madagascar. He felt restless. They agreed to speak to each other three times a week and he was becoming impatient. He just wanted to hear her voice. Never mind the fact he was calling from a hotel phone...he would be out of here in an hour. He set his alarm the night before, to wake him up right before she got ready for bed? He picked up the phone an dialed her number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, how was your day?" He lowered his voice because he could tell she was tired.

"Good...it was good," She replied, her voice sounding monotone.

"That's great darling." He smiled when he thought of his little girl. "Did you put Charlie down for bed yet?"

"Yeah, she's fast asleep. She had a really long day. We took her to the beach. She had a lot of fun."

"Good...that's good."

"I show her your picture every day. She recognizes you. She says 'da da' all the time..." He could hear her voice breaking.

"Well, do you want to know about my week...I met..." She stopped him before he could finish.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore..." She blurted out. "Be away from you like this."

He was stunned. I took him a couple seconds to find his words. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"I wish I could be there, but I can't...you know I can't. Not for a little while longer."

"How long?"

"I'm not sure," He replied quietly.

"You know...I could handle it when you were in the military...when you'd be gone for months, but now...I don't know if I can do it. I'm not the only person in this equation anymore, Jonathan... It hurts every time I wake up and realize that i'm still alone."

"I know, darling." There was a long pause before she spoke again.

"I want you to stop calling."

"Sophia..."

"I'm serious...it hurts too much. I can't..."

"Don't you think this hurts me too?!" He raised his voice. "Don't you think it hurts me to know that my family is going on without me?" She didn't reply.

"I don't know what to say Jonathan."

"Say you won't give up on me...Say you'll put as much into this as I am."

"I ..."

"Just say it, please..."

She cut him off. "The pictures I sent are in the mail. I sent it to that address you gave me."

"Sophia!" He called her name. He didn't like being away from her. He wanted her to stay on the phone but he didn't know how to make her stay. She was too far away.

"...I have to go."

"Sophia...Sophia wait!"

"Goodbye Jonathan."

Six Months Later, Mombasa, Africa

He had given up on thinking about them a long time ago. He couldn't... not here, not now... especially when he was so far away. It would only make him angrier. He didn't have time to be angry, especially because there was nothing he could do. He would never put his family in danger. He fiddled with the last two chips in his hand. He hadn't taken any jobs since their last conversation and was running low on cash.

"Rub them against each other all you like, they're not going to breed." He looked up to see Dominic Cobb. Not this bloody bastard again, he thought. Seeing Cobb again just reminded him of what he was living without. Erase the thought from your mind, Eames, he thought. It isn't worth it.

A Few Minutes Later

"Word is, you're not welcome in these parts."

"Yeah?" He asked, nonchalantly.

"There's a price on your head from Cobol Engineering. Pretty big one, actually."

"You wouldn't sell me out."

"'Course I would." If it meant that I could go home, I would... I would do it in a heartbeat.

Cobb smiled. "Not when you hear what I'm selling."

Cobb, Saito and I discussed what needed to be done. All I needed was access to Browning and then we could meet up with rest of the team...but we needed to meet up with Yusuf first. He held an important piece of the puzzle. Then, it was off to Paris. That day, I made a promise to myself...I told myself that after this job...I would go home. I'd been in hiding for a year, after losing my last tail six months ago in Madagascar. After being in Mombasa for a year, If they didn't find me now, they would never find me. After this job, I would take my cut and finally disappear.

EXCERPT

Eames SHOCKS Fischer's chest...

COBB
There's no use in reviving him, his mind's trapped down there. It's all over. (Eames listens for a pulse. Looks up at Cobb.)

EAMES
So that it, then? We failed.

COBB
We're done. I'm sorry.

EAMES
Well it's not me that doesn't get back to my family, is it? (Eames looks down at Fischer. Then over to the double doors.)

EAMES
It's a shame. I really wanted to know what was going to happen in there. I swear we had this one.

COBB
Let's set the charges.

ARIADNE
No, there's still another way: We just have to follow Fischer down there.

EAMES
We don't have time.

ARIADNE
No, but there'll be enough time down there. (They look at her.) And we will find him. OK, as soon as Arthur's music kicks in, just use the defibrillator to revive him. We can give him his own kick down below. Look you get him in there-(points to doors) As soon as the music ends, you blow up the hospital and we all ride the kick back up the layers.

Eames looks at her, then to Cobb.

EAMES
Well, it's worth a shot. Saito can hold the guards off while I set the charges.

COBB
Saito will never make it, will he?. (Eames shakes his head)

ARIADNE
Come on, we've got to try this!

EAMES
Go. If you're not back before the kick, I'm gone with or without you.

I wouldn't risk getting trapped in limbo. Not while my family was still waiting for me. Cobb could take that chance, he had to...he didn't have a choice...not if he wanted to save Fischer and complete the mission. but I did...I had a choice and I would never do something so foolish...

I would the set the charges...once I fought off as many projections as I could... and then I would get back to revive Fischer so he could enter the strongroom. Then finally, I would blow up the hospital.

Eames pulls the mechanism from his pack. Offers it to Cobb. Ariadne watches. Silent. They quickly move off to the side, away from Eames. Cobb pulls out the tubes-

ARIADNE
Can I trust you to do what needs to happen here? Mal's gonna be down there-

COBB
I know where to find her. She'll have Fischer.

ARIADNE
How do you know?

COBB
'Cause, She wants me to come after him. She wants me back down there with her.

I watched Cobb get in line for immigration. It was the moment of truth. Ariadne, Arthur and I silently watched on. We exchanged glances. The immigration officer stamped Cobb's passport and he was on his way.

Saito did it, he bloody did it, I smiled to myself. Not that I expected he wouldn't...a part of me thought it would be funny to see Cobb whisked away in handcuffs, I sighed.

The moment was bittersweet. Cobb was going home to his family...and me...I realized that once I got on my flight back to JFK, I would soon have to face the reality of my own.

A/N: Edited.