Dream of me

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."

Edgar Allen Poe

Ariadne had taken up the all to common task of packing their bags again, Phillipa watched the Children. She had no idea where she was even going but she had become used to it. Sybil and Nolan had quickly packed and after a quick goodbye, drove with Eames to Paris to pack his things and then fly to Crete. Saito and Yori had left the house shortly after they had all woken up. The safety of Japan beckoning them back. Arthur reminded the businessman that if this Morpheus could get past his security, he could get to Saito as well.

"We shall see if you are right." Saito said with a superior air. "But I hope to prove you wrong."

The Team hadn't had enough time to unpack from their trip, so there was little to actually do. Ariadne was in the massive walk-in closet when her husband found her.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked, setting down his own travel bags.

"Why would I be mad at you?" She said in a tone that let him know she was mad at him. "Because you treated me more like your child then your wife in front of our friends?" She asked.

"Well, maybe you should stop acting like one." He said harshly. She turned to look at him. Arthur dropped his head and tried to calm his anger.

"You just can't do these things anymore. You have to think of Alexander. You to think of her." He said waving a hand in the direction of her belly.

"Arthur, that man was in our home last night. He could have smothered our son in his sleep. He could have done something to make me miscarry. Don't tell me I don't think about them. Don't tell me I'm not a good mother." She lectured him coldly.

"Your a wonderful mother." He said honestly. "But I have to keep you safe." He told her approaching her. His hands moved down her body to rest on her hips. She still had a fire in her eyes as he tried to explain. "I have to keep all of you safe right now." He said. He moved to kiss her.

"Don't." She said sharply. He leaned back, nodding. She wanted to be mad at him for awhile. He could respect that. He looked over her beautiful face, glowing with her pregnancy. He realized he was leaning in again.
"I said don't." She whispered. But her voice was weaker. As if some of the fight was gone. He hesitated only a moment longer before taking her lips in his. She put up a very brief and futile struggle. Her body smelled of a heavenly concoction of soap and subtle perfume. He felt her make a halfhearted punch at his chest before giving into him. He broke off his kiss to see her face flushed and realized she had shed the robe she had been wearing. She wore little more then a flesh colored slip dress that reminded him irresistibly of another dress she once wore for him.

He need for her overtook him. Her body being pressed to the back of the closet where a dozen pink and black boxes were stored. Wasting no time he picked up her slight weight and held her up against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he made hastily, clumsy, fumbling to free himself from his pants. Her breath was mixing with his. Her hands on his neck. He pulled himself free of the confines of clothing and felt at her hot entrance, wet and wanting. He made not hesitation at all as he plunged himself into her passage.

She let out a noise as her body became filled with him. He made steady pumping motions into her as he held her against the wall. Gravity bringing her closer to him.
Your body doesn't belong to you right now." He whispered. "It belongs to our baby." He breathed hot wet breath on her neck and ears. "I'm trusting you with my babies." He said in a husky voice, ripped with lust. "You have to take care of my babies." She was nodding as she felt herself climax. She had nowhere to put her hands as the force of her orgasm took hold. Her fingers sought and found his dress shirt. She held on until she heard it rip. Her breathing started to slow as he returned her to the floor. He looked briefly ashamed of himself as he readjusted his clothing. She smoothed down her slip dress in an attempt to be modest. Arthur inspected the rip and shook his head chuckling.
"I guess I can just call this a causality." He said starting to unbutton it. His wife stopped his progress and kissed him.

"I love you." She said sincerely. "I love you so much." He nodded and gave her a small but meaningful smile.

"I love you to." He said. He kissed her back and let his hands wonder to her belly. "I love the both of you." She knew he was talking to their unborn child when he leaned his head down slightly and said, "I can't wait to meet you." She smiled and rested a hand over his. Loving the fact he wanted to be close to their new family member.

The rest of the packing went as normal. The privet plane left France for the safe house with Cobb, Arthur, Ariadne and their Children. The Extractor and Architect fell asleep as soon as they were airborne. Everything about the experience of leaving the country went perfectly normal. The only exception is that Ariadne and Cobb never woke up.

Ariadne woke up in a strange bed. It wasn't exactly strange, but not what she was used to. As if she had slept in that bed before, and hadn't done so in a long time. She opened her eyes and sat up in bed wondering where she was. It occurred to her that her husband was still sleeping next to her.

She was in their bedroom, but not the one in Saint Cloud or Japan. Not a hotel room, not on board "The Minotaur".

She looked around her. It was a house, but not one as grand or fine as the one in Saint Cloud or Saito's country home. It was an older home. The bones of the place told of age and many inhabitants over the decades. The Architect was drawn to the high ceilings and tall windows that were a dead give away for homes no longer made in modern times. The walls were dispersed with art work she slowly realized were her own. Although she could not remember ever painting them. Her mind was still sleepy as she saw the dawn coming in though the curtains.

"Morning." Her husband said as a strong callused hand started to pull her towards him. Ariadne looked down to see him. She looked down to see Braker.

With sudden shock and fright leaped from the bed. Her balanced wavered and she landed on the hardwood floor. Her heart was beating fit to break free from her body as she freed herself from the entanglements of sheets and scurried to the corner. Braker sat up and looked at her concerned.

"Babe, what's wrong?" He asked. Ariadne found her breathing was very hard and rapid.

"What... What..." Her brain seemed to lock. The Australian Forger climbed out of bed after her as she stood up.
"Stay away from me!" She shouted finally as he approached her. She heard a baby start to cry. An insistent wail of discomfort only a parent can fix. Braker sighed.

"The baby's awake." He said turning to the rooms only door. The instincts of a Mother took over her then.
"Stay away form my son!" She shouted moving fast and pushing the Australian Forger out of the way. She threw open the door and followed the sounds of a baby crying till she reached a little room. It was adorned in pink and had a white crib and rocker as it's only furniture. She was about to reach for the squalling infant when she realized, this was not her child.

The crying baby was a little girl. Her eyes big and brown like Ariadne's and younger then Alexander. Braker had followed her into the room. His footfalls loud and heavy like Cobb's had been on the ship. She leaped to the wall out of his arms reach.

The memory of what this man had done in that chapel in Rome had snapped back into her head. Like a sudden photograph. Him holding that gun, ignoring her cries of mercy, her being shot, praying for her son to make it. She braced herself for the worst as fear poured into her veins and making them ice cold.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked in a tone both tired and frustrated. With a natural ease he picked up the little girl and comforted her. She stopped her crying and looked at the Architect with large brown eyes.

"Where... where is my son?" She asked Braker calmly as she tried to slow her breathing.
"Probably still in bed." He answered giving her a strange look.

She hugged the wall and kept her eyes on the Australian Forger as she escaped the little pink nursery. She wasn't sure where she was going. In the rustic house she opened doors. Doors to closets, a laundry room, a guest room, and finally a room set up for a little boy. With a sigh of relief, she entered the room and saw a form under the covers.

"Alexander?" She said throwing off the covers to reveal the warm body of a little boy about three years old. Not her son. The image of the boy had her stopped cold. He was awakened by her and rolled over. He had a chubby cherub like face. He looked unmistakable like Braker must have as a child. Her own brown eyes stared back at her as she heard heavy footfalls come into the room.

"Tomas," Braker said "Go to the bathroom and then get dressed." He said in a calm tone that needed no authority. The little boy bounced off the bed and gave Ariadne's legs a quick hug before running out of the room. His feet making heavy, patting noises on the floor.

Ariadne felt her mind lock up. She should barely remember to breath.

"Babe?" Braker was saying. She turned to look at him. He had a worried expression on his face. "Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?" She turned on him then. Filled with the anger of the friend he used to be. The one she had lost in Limbo almost two years ago. The Devil who tried to murder her and her unborn child.

"You know I don't dream anymore." She said coldly.