AN: I took some liberty with this chapter...Basically, I made up where Miles worked (because I need him to be in the US now) and where the Cobbs live. But since my story is pre-movie, it shouldn't matter. Onward!

Oh, and there seems to be some confusion over whether or not Miles is supposed to be Cobb's father or Mal's. I just don't know anymore. xD

CREATION

IV

Arthur loved speaking with Cobb's father-in-law. They'd only met a few times, but Arthur could tell that he was a true gentleman and had the patience of a saint. Normally, they didn't visit the university to discuss work or practice. But today, Cobb had been very specific about going into Boston, so Arthur had packed his bags without complaint. Besides, it gave him an excuse to spend money on Belgian chocolate, something the professor and he shared a taste for.

Arthur placed his bag on the Miles' desk, and the older man smiled broadly at him. "Arthur! What a pleasure. I see Dom hasn't arrived yet."

"I don't know where he is." Arthur shrugged slightly and dug the chocolate out of the bag. He smiled and shook one of the boxes enticingly.

"Ooh," sighed Miles. "You spoil me, young man." He adjusted his reading glasses and cleanly picked the box from Arthur's fingers.

"You're welcome, sir."

"Gentlemen!" Cobb called from the top of the stairs.

"Finally made it, have you?"

"Took you long enough, Dom."

"I have an announcement to make!" Cobb bounded down the stairs and slung an arm around Arthur's shoulders. The younger man raised an eyebrow at this uncharacteristic behavior, but didn't protest. At least the announcement didn't seem to be serious or unfavorable.

"Mal's pregnant," Cobb said, his voice dripping with excitement and pride. Miles' jaw dropped. Arthur's eyebrows traveled further toward his hairline before he smiled. He'd never met the woman, but he'd only heard wonderful things about her.

"Wow, um, congratulations!" he said, grinning. Cobb hugged him reservedly and thumped him on the back a few times before moving to share a moment with Miles.

"Oh, Dom, I'm so happy for you! My little girl...My first grandchildren..." Arthur could hear the tears in his eyes. "This is wonderful news."

Arthur dug for the second box of chocolate and thrust it into Cobb's hands. "There you go. Women like chocolate, right? Give that to Mal for me."

Cobb laughed. "That's nice of you. But you're both coming with me to visit!"

Arthur was more than a little surprised. "You, um, want me there? At your house?"

"No, Arthur, I want you to wait on the neighbors' roof. Yes, at my house! Mal's been wanting to meet you."

"You talk about me at home?"

Just a few hours later, they were on a train headed to upstate New York. Arthur and Cobb shared a glance when they came to the only unoccupied group of seats. "New fathers get the window," said Cobb, shrugging apologetically.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "I get train sick."

"No you don't."

"Wanna take that chance?"

They both knew what he'd said was complete bullshit, but Cobb gave him the seat anyway.

Blood. There's blood everywhere. There's enough to make the floor slippery, and Arthur can't walk without clinging to the wall.

His mother is screaming in the background, but he can't hear. There's a ringing in his ears that blocks out all other noise, and the beating of his heart is all he can feel. But he can smell the blood; the scent clings to his throat.

Miles took Arthur's hand and held it tightly. "Easy, son," he whispered, leaning in close. "Breathe."

Arthur pulled in a few shallow breaths as his eyelids fluttered open. He glanced sideways at Miles and tried to say something, but the strength evaded him. Miles just smiled reassuringly, moving his hand to pat Arthur's arm.

"There you are. Calm down; you'll be right as rain in a minute."

A few minutes passed in relative silence before Arthur finally managed to ask where Cobb had gone off to. Miles nonchalantly checked his watch. "He hasn't been gone long. I just saw that you were struggling a bit to wake up." He paused and studied the seat in front of him for a moment.

"From the look on your face, I would guess that your dream has been bothering you for quite some time now."

"Yeah," Arthur muttered hesitantly. He leaned his head against the window, unmindful of the vibration.

"May I ask why?"

"What's going on here?" asked Cobb, who had just appeared behind him. He held the back of a seat with one hand and a tray of drinks in the other.

"We were just having a pleasant conversation about you," said Miles as he picked himself up. Part of Arthur desperately wanted him to stay, but his face didn't betray it. Cobb handed him a drink and sat down, upon which he extended the tray to Arthur.

"I don't like beer," he said, wrinkling his nose slightly.

"Then you're not a real man," replied Cobb tersely.

"But," Arthur continued with exasperation, "since you already spent the money on it..." He took a cup and raised it politely.

Miles leaned across the aisle and joined in. "To your health, boys," he said. His eyes lingered on Arthur, but only for a moment.

"Mal's going to love you," Cobb was saying. "She hates beer too."