2.
~ Ariadne was not prepared for how cold it was in the Swiss alps. The views were more then amazing and she was enjoying herself. The Point Man had been very pleasant company as Cobb stayed close to his kids and Eames was nowhere to be seen for most of the trip.
She had to admit a slight disappointment that she wouldn't have a privet cabin. She had wanted to stay up late. Maybe read or even entertain guests. Her cheeks flushing red at the thought of Arthur in her cabin.
But Phillipa loved her company and claimed the top bunk. It had been a happy trip so far and she was not about to think about the imperfections of something as simple as sleeping arrangements.
It was late in the night when she woke up. She didn't know where she was at first. The few seconds of waking up in a strange place were always strange. Working with the Team, she had started to grow accustomed to waking up, and not remembering right away where she was. But always when this happened, Arthur was there and she was reassured.
She had to think for a few seconds. Try and regain her bearings.
'I'm on a train.' She remembered. The second more insistent need found her. The need to use the facilities. Despite the cramped sleeping arrangements, the bathrooms on the train were spacious and comfortable. They were situated in the hallways and shared. Thankfully, there was no one there that time of night and she had been perfectly alone. As she was leaving, she almost didn't see Arthur. The Point Man stealing out of Cobb's cabin with the shinny briefcase. The PASIV.
Her ravenous curiosity was roused.
'What was he doing?' She wondered as she watched him slip into the shadows back to his room.
~ She almost didn't follow. Almost went back to her's and Phillipa's room and left the matter alone. But she couldn't. She had to know. She got her room key and locked the door behind her as Phillipa was still sleeping peacefully and followed Arthur on silent feet.
~ Down in the dream, life was blissful. Down in Arthur's dream, he was happy. He had always been envious of Cobb. Of the pretty, loving wife the Extractor had. The happiness they shared. But his jealousy was most sharp when it came to the children who meant more to Cobb then anything.
The Point Man often wondered how Cobb could love them so much. So purely and completely. Perhaps it was an inherent parental trait. Cobb and Mal both were ready, and happy, to sacrifice for their children. Cobb was willing to move heaven and earth to return to them and Arthur was envious of such love.
He wanted what Cobb had. Not James and Phillipa, or even Mal. He wanted the family that Cobb enjoyed. It was a life he couldn't have in the real world, but with the help of the device, he could fully experience while in dreams.
~ "Daddy!" Cried a brown haired girl with large dark eyes. Her sweet cherub like face, so much like her mother's. Her long dark hair was pulled lose from, what was most likely, a well tended hair ribbon. A ribbon that didn't have a chance against the stress of the five year old.
She ran to Arthur. Her arms open and trusting. The Point Man was laughing as he knelt down to hug her. The little girl's warm little body felt wonderful. She smelled of the grass, dirt and all the living things from the back yard where she had been playing.
"Dinner's almost ready." Ariadne said holding a toddler, a little boy, in her arms. His mothers big eyes looking at Arthur in contentment. A stuffed elephant, grasped tightly in his hands.
The Point Man turned his daughter lose as she scrambled back to the dining room table and her coloring book.
"Let me have him." he offered as his wife, Ariadne, gratefully handed him the heavy little boy. The toddler whined a little over being parted from his mother's body but quieted down at his father's shushing. He smelled of a wonderful mixture that clean, healthy babies have.
The boy looked ready to fuss some more, but then changed his mind.
"It's alright." Arthur said holding his son capably in his arms.
"How was your day?" Ariadne asked brushing their son's hair aside. The little boy surveying his world as he was now higher up in his father's arms.
"Fine." Arthur said. "Good to be home." He added kissing his son's cheek. Before stooping slightly to kiss his wife. She giggled slightly as she held her close to him far longer then she was expecting.
"Well the kids have been busy." She told him. Finally pulling away. "I think they want to go to bed early tonight." She said with a rueful wink.
"No!" The little girl whined.
"Yes." Ariadne said sternly.
"I'm not sleepy." The girl said in a long note, ready to complain.
"Stop that." Arthur said authoritatively. "Listen to your mother." He told his daughter. His tone was not angry or harsh. Just strong and spoken with conviction. The little girl didn't say anything else as she bent her head down to color.
"What's for dinner?" He asked following her into the kitchen.
"Oh something simple. Kids had me up and about today." She told him with a sigh. The smells form the kitchen were heavenly as Arthur let his gaze wander over his wife's body.
Motherhood was good to her. Her hips, and bust were fuller. Her skin was younger looking. She looked soft and rich with health. Far more pleasing to him then she had ever looked before. He looked at his two children, perfect and beautiful. All the good aspects of her as well as himself. It was so strange yet wonderful at once.
~ Dinner was perfect. Their daughter talking about the worms she caught and her mother wouldn't let into the house. The little boy eating, putting more food on his face then in his mouth.
Arthur was smiling at his daughter as he watched yawn and her eyes droop.
"I think it's almost bath time." Ariadne said with a smile.
~ What a blissful time of day.
Into a tub of warm pleasantly scented bathwater, the Point Man rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and gave his son a bath. Gently washing his dark hair as the toddler splashed in the shallow water. Enjoying the experience as Arthur carefully and capably washed him. He could hear Ariadne with their daughter pulling free night clothes and picking up the girls room.
"I don't want a bath!" The girl complained.
"You need a bath." Ariadne said.
Arthur was chuckling as the girl ran into the bathroom to try and convince him she was perfectly clean.
"You've been playing outside. Beside, your mother said so." The Point Man said effectively ending the argument. He was lifting his sweet smelling son into his arms and wrapping him in a towel as Ariadne kissed them both.
"I'll put him to bed." Arthur said as Ariadne nodded and ran fresh bath water for the little girl.
~ Arthur dressed the boy in warm footie pajamas. All the children's clothing were clean and carefully put away. The bedrooms were tidy and tastefully decorated. Evidence of a caring mother who cherished her children. The baby was half asleep as Arthur could hear his daughter and his wife talking happily in the bathroom. The girl splashing her bath water as she talked to Ariadne about bugs and how she wanted a pet iguana.
He couldn't help but laugh to himself as Ariadne gently told the girl no. He watched his son fall asleep and realized it was true, you love your kids a little bit more when they were sleeping.
~ As his wife was getting their daughter out of the bath, Arthur never noticed the real Architect hiding in the shadowed halls of the house. Hearing and seeing everything he was dreaming.