A/N: I have finally gotten around to writing the last bits of Chapter 3. I've rewritten it so many times because I wasn't satisfied with it, but I think it's finally something I'd like to post. No cliff-hanger type ending here. (: Thanks for reading, readers! (:

xo

Rain spattered against the window and Arthur couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming. It felt too much like a dream but his totem hadn't changed in weight since they were on the plane after the Inception. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him and at any moment, he'd wake up in his apartment, alone, and Ariadne would be back in Paris.

Whatever amount of sleep he could muster up in a chair by the window was all he had gotten so far, be it a couple minutes or a few hours. Just after midnight, he'd convinced Ariadne to get some sleep. It took him promising not to leave for any reason in order to convince her, but she finally gave in and was fast asleep in the king size bed.

Every now and then, barely audible noises and words came from Ariadne's sleeping form. Once or twice, Arthur could swear he had heard his name but every time he looked over his shoulder at her, she was quiet and her back was turned to him.

You're reading too much into this, he told himself. Ariadne only wanted him to stay because he had been through this already; the anxiety is wondering when your next dream would come, if ever it did, and the sadness that came when you realized you would never dream again.

Arthur took languid strides across the room to the kitchenette, brewing himself a cup of coffee. Outside, the sun was pushing the moon out of the sky, eagerly waiting to greet the people below. The rain subsided, leaving behind only the scent of freshly fallen rain and a thin layer of fog draped over the city like a blanket.

As the coffee pot brewed, The Point Man loosened his thin black tie and undid the top buttons of his starch white dress shirt. It gave him a relaxed look; more relaxed then his "casual" looks, where he still appeared to be all business, still with no signs of emotion. Behind him, The Architect had finally woken up, examining Arthur's posture; slightly slouched, staring intently at the coffee pot.

"Watching it won't make it brew faster." A yawn escaped Ariadne's lips as Arthur turned away from the coffee pot, towards her.

"Did you dream last night?" He asked, hoping that she had, that she would be the outlier in this set of non dreamers.

"I wouldn't call it a dream, really. More like a mix of a nightmare and a memory." Ariadne crawled off the bed, her hair and clothes askew.

Arthur's brow furrowed, "Of what?"

"Mal."

"Mal?"

"Yeah. It was my memory of Dom, Eames, Saito, Fischer and I in Eames' dream and Dom and I in Limbo."

"What happened?"

"Well, in Eames' dream, Mal shot Fischer and Dom shot Mal. Then Dom and I followed Mal into Limbo, where she stabbed Dom for not staying with her forever, like he'd promised. It just kept playing in my head like a really bad movie, y'know?"

Arthur nodded and turned back to the coffee pot as it finished brewing the black liquid. He poured two cups and offered one to Ariadne, leaning back on the counter and taking in a glorious whiff of the beverage. He took a sip, watching as Ariadne climbed onto the counter adjacent to him. "What are you going to do now?" He asked, placing the coffee cup on the counter beside him.

Ariadne shrugged, her brow furrowed a bit. "Go back to Paris, back to the University." Ariadne glanced at The Point Man. "Unless I had a reason to stay here in LA."

"Would you stay if I asked you to?"

"I, uh, I'd have to thi-" Ariadne started to speak, but Arthur stopped her. He stood in front of her now, his lips pressed firmly to hers. One hand rested on Ariadne's leg and the other had snaked its way around her waist. Kissing her in reality felt much better than a dream, and though he showed little surprise when he realized she was kissing him back, his satisfaction manifested itself in the form of a smile creeping its way across his face. He pulled away from her, looking into her eyes. He didn't remove his hand from her waist.

"Will you stay? For me?"

"My stuff…it's in Paris. I...if I stayed, I'd need it. I've got classes, as well." She said quietly, a hit of disappointment in her voice.

"We'll get it; we'll go get your stuff. And we'll talk to Miles, maybe there's something he can do about your classes." Arthur's hand brushed strands of hair away from her face, and traced her jaw line. He'd jinxed it, complicated things. She wouldn't stay. It was a coincidence. "Please. Stay with me."

"You're crazy, you know that, right?" Ariadne laughed, holding his face in her hands. "You're really crazy."

"I know, I know…I shouldn't have asked. You've got a life back in Paris."

"Hey, stop." Ariadne rested her forehead against his. "If you want me to stay, I'll stay. If it were anyone else I'd probably say no."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll stay here with you, Arthur."

A/N: So, yeah. (: I'm figuring out a way to bring in the rest of the team in the next few chapters. Specifically Eames and Cobb, so they might pop up in coming chapters. Sorry it's so late! If you have any ideas as to how to bring the team back, I'd love to hear 'em. Or any ideas for coming chapters, I'd love to hear them. Send a message (not a review) my way, and I'll consider it. If I use the idea, I'll dedicate the chapter to you. (: