Hey, I hope you all enjoy!

Pain…

The pain pulsed with the acidity and strength of a living creature - a creature of misery that lacks any and all pity. It ripped like fire through his veins, snatching away his breathe.

But how could he have expected any thing else?

…

"Arthur?"

"ARTHUR?" Cobb screamed gripping the now lifeless form. But there was no time for remorse or even time enough to comprehend what had just happened before his eyes; a glance over his shoulder showed that Eames had lost his battle. He was lying face down on the concrete, blood slowly dripping from the many cuts covering his face. A guard had his knee placed firmly between Eames' shoulder blades as he roughly bound his arms behind his back.

Yusuf and Saito had given up their struggle, though two men were now stationed on both their sides, it didn't make a difference because they weren't putting up any fight. Ariadne was still clawing for her freedom, her wails of fear and Eames restricted breathes echoed loudly throughout the room. But Cobb could hardly hear any of it. He was lost in a land of blurred sadness. Even now he couldn't make his body move or react as he watched three men charge towards him; they were moving no faster than snails. He could have diverted their attack with ease, making it to the door and out of the retched place before they even reached where he now sat. But he didn't make an attempt and then they were upon him; ripping Arthur from his grasp and hauling him to his feet. Ariadne's heart wrenching scream of remorse at the sight of Arthur's dead body being carelessly dropped to the floor broke through Cobb's numb shield; though it was quickly resealed by the break off of her voice.

The world pitched and swirled around him, his physical presence on this earth only like a distant memory. Cobb didn't hear the people shouting at him as he was hustled down hallways - only a muffled hum was processed by his brain. The brilliant colors and architecture which he had taken note of on his previous journey only a colorful blur and he barely registered when his team was shoved back into the dark damp dungeon.

"C-C-Cobb?" Ariadne questioned between sobs as she fought for control over her emotions.

"What the BLOODY HELL?" Eames swore as he slammed the palm of his hand in the rusted steal door.

"How did that fucking happen? Right before our eyes! Right there, WE WERE THERE!" Eames continued to explode. Ardiadne just sat and watched him. What more could be said... or done for that matter. Cobb still wasn't responsive but focus and comprehension of what went on around him had returned to his demeanor.

"This has-has to be a dream, right?" Ariadne spoke up again, a little more confidently. But when her question brought not response panic instantly grasp her and tried again; this time with desperation:

"RIGHT?"

Cobb slowly turned his head and looked at her from where he sat on the floor in the middle of the room. She was shaking slightly, and looking past her Cobb saw that Yusuf was as well - though he accompanied it with silent tears. Saito on the other hand showed nothing; not anger, not sadness. He just sat, staring. Maybe he felt ashamed of the weak effort he put forth earlier. Though, honestly it was not a weak effort. He had tried everything he could.

Eames, Arthur, and Cobb had been together a long time – over that time a deep brotherly bond had grown. This brought forth extreme reactions from them; a ferociousness accompanied their actions that a normal 'friend' could not truly understand. Thus, Yusuf and Saito had tried their best for who they were. And Ariadne, yes she had been with the team as long as Saito or Yusuf, but she seemed to instantly become one of the family; she harbored feelings right now that mimic a girl who just lost her only brother… and she wasn't going to accept that as the truth.

"I don't know…" Eames finally replied for Cobb in a faint whisper that barely reached anyone's ears.

"Cobb please," Ariadne begged.

"We… we need to remember how we got here. Everyone, think of the last place you where before we got to this place," Cobb instructed as he sat up straighter; slowly pulling on a shield of security and strength for the rest of the team. He would hopefully have time to cope later, but for now his strength was need.

Upon his instruction everyone set to work in deep thought. Seconds that turned into minutes slowly ticked by; how many, no one knew. A productive silence settled so deeply around everyone as they devoted every part of their being to remembering that when Saito spoke up it nearly startled all of them to death.

"I do not understand. I thought you could tell when you were within a dream. We are trained though lack numerable years of experience," Saito said as he gestured towards Ariadne, Yusuf, and himself, "but both of you posses the training, understanding, and experience," he continued to informed while motioning to both Cobb and Eames

"So why can't you just tell?" came the bare question.

Cobb and Eames slowly glanced at each other, for they had been wondering that since the beginning; though neither wanted to admit it.

"I don't know," Cobb answered with confidence; he would not be ashamed of what he did not understand before his team.

" This 'man' must have discovered a more powerful sedative that disorients the dreamers in such a way that clouds our senses," Cobb explained.

"But I don't feel disorientated. I feel normal," Ariadne voiced.

"Precisely. The drug would cause you to feel as if you are awake and in the real world. You all know the faint hum that seems to vibrate at the back of your mind in dream? That is caused by the continual rush of the PSIV device, but recognizing that sensation requires you to be fully alert. If your senses are muffled in even the slightest way you would lose the ability to decipher between a dream and reality," finished Cobb the last sentence slow and careful, as if he was examining every word before it left his lips; and as soon as he no longer spoke, all eyes turned to Yusuf.

"What Mr. Cobb saysis true. The concept would be similar to that that I used on the Fischer job so you could feel tipping or falling," Yusuf explained.

"So then this is a dream right? It is just we can't tell?" fear and desperation had returned to her voice as she quickly searched the faces of her team mates.

"Ariadne, the best we can do is hope and think; I cannot guarantee you that we are dreaming," Cobb said, understanding the question hidden behind the ones she just put forth…

Was Arthur still alive?

Hey everyone. I know it was short and the wait was long but stay with me. I know there was not much action in this chapter… though it is coming later. So how about you let me know what you thought and I will continue writing.