Authors Note:
Thank you for the reviews!
If you thought last chapter was long, this one is insanely long!
I used another reader idea in this one. No spoilers, so you will just have to read to find out whom's I used.
Please review! I worked so hard on this one. Thank you!
Chapter 7
"I never thanked you properly, Mr. Cobb." Saito stared at Dom with his dark eyes, his expression being a slight grin.
The restaurant was one for an elite class. Only the wealthy would be allowed within 20 meters of the entrance and if one that was not a guest, of a higher class client, security would be on its way in thirty seconds flat.
The entire room was painted in red and gold, with expensive silverware and chandeliers hanging off the ceiling. It was the type of place that Cobb never really stepped into unless he maybe wanted to go bankrupt. For the price of $85 a steak, the steak had better be served on a golden platter.
"It was my duty as your employee to finish my task." Dom let out a quick smile at Saito and turned to Eames who was nodding, agreeing with him.
"Well, gentlemen. If you wish to order, you may do so." Saito announced, giving out the Menu's to the two.
They were sitting at a private booth, in the corner of the restaurant. It was a beautiful area. Just far enough from the dance floor not to be bothered but close enough to still be able to hear the music that was playing.
"Oh, good. I'm bloody starving." Eames opened up the Menu and stated reading it, skimming through the pages until he found the Entre section.
"I think I'll wait for the others to arrive." Dom leaned back on the comfortable seat, as he said that.
He looked towards the door way. Where were they? He couldn't understand what was taking them so long to get there. Arthur knew where this place was. They had always passed by here… never getting too close…. but still, he knew the area. They should be here by now. She should be here by now.
"So, you never got to finish your story this morning, Cobb." Eames suddenly stated, looking up from his Menu.
Dom groaned at the comment. Eames was never going to let it go, was he? "I really don't think this is the right time to discuss-"
"Sorry, we're late. I couldn't find parking." Arthur's voice interrupted Dom's sentence.
Dom turned around to see Arthur smiling, beside Ariadne. That was Ariadne, wasn't it? She looked so… different.
She was wearing a black cocktail dress that ran up until her knees, with black high heeled shoes. Her hair was done, as well. It was long and flowing with slightly more curls in it. And she was wearing makeup. Ariadne never wore makeup. But what stood out immediately to Dom was the fact that she was wearing his necklace around her neck. He smiled at that. He was happy that she liked it.
"Ariadne, you look stunning." Saito announced as she sat down next to Cobb, Arthur next to Eames.
"Thank you." She smiled at him in a thankful manner and then crossed her legs under the table, accidently hitting Dom. "Sorry," she muttered to him in soft tone. He just shook his head slightly, as if motioning for her not to worry.
"Well, as I was saying before. I want to thank all of you for the successful inception you established. My company associates and myself are very grateful to all of you." Saito raised his glass full of champagne.
The rest of the table joined in on the toast as Saito spoke vibrantly "To reality." And then the entire table took a sip of their drink, after clinking their glasses together for good luck.
Cobb couldn't help but drink for that toast. That was what he was after; reality. No matter how intolerable it sometimes could be.
"Good evening gentlemen and my lady. My name is Jon and I will be your server for tonight. Is there an appetizer that I could start you off with?" The tall and most definitely French waiter held out a piece of paper and pen, waiting for the orders.
"Well, I'm ready actually." Eames replied and Jon clicked on his pen, waiting for the order "For starters, I will have the shrimp cocktail along with the balsamic covered bread. And I will have the lobster as my main dish."
"With baked potato or seasonal vegetables, sir?"
"Do I look like a sissy to you? Bring me both." Eames smiled at the waiter, who wrote down the order.
"And you, my lady? Have you decided?" The waiter looked at Ariadne who was still looking into her menu.
She looked up and asked "How big exactly is the calamari plate?"
"It serves up to three, Miss."
"Oh. Will anyone split it with me?" Ariadne asked hopeful. She really was in the mood for some seafood.
"I'll split it with you. I haven't had seafood in a long time." Cobb said and Ariadne beamed at him. She hadn't had it in a long time either.
"And I'm not sure yet about my entre." Ariadne admitted, turning the pages on her menu.
"Bring me the usual" Saito told the waiter, who obliged.
Once everyone else ordered, the waiter left the five of them alone, the music from the dance floor suddenly getting louder in the background.
"So tell me," Saito turned to Arthur and continued "have you been working on what I have asked of you?"
Cobb's eyes widened. Another job? Hadn't Arthur or even Saito had enough? Especially Saito…
"Yes but unfortunately, I no longer have an architect. So, the task will be quite difficult to infiltrate on my own." Arthur looked over at Ariadne, who was trying not to look at Dom.
He was wearing the suit that he had bought the day before, with her. And he looked extremely well in it. Better than he did at the store.
Saito caught on and directed his attention to Ariadne "But you were so good. Why would you stop?"
Ariadne bit down on her bottom lip. Well, she didn't want to lose herself for one thing and she didn't want to lose Cobb either. She promised him that she would never be part of another extraction or inception again and she planned on keeping that promise.
"Sometimes, it's better to quit while you still know what 'reality' is." Ariadne responded back, her fingers draping up and down her champagne glass.
"Fair enough." Saito managed to say before taking another drink.
There was a quiet moment at the table as Lady Gaga's Speechless started to play from the dance floor.
"Miss Ariadne, would you accompany me in a dance?" Eames winked at her.
"To Lady Gaga, Eames? Really?" Ariadne asked him in a soft chuckle. She could see Cobb looking at her from her left eye.
"Of course. After all, I am gaga for Gaga." He removed himself from the table and let out his hand.
She took a second to think it over but then decided that it would be harmless to dance with him. So, she placed her hand in his and he guided her to the dance floor.
Deep down inside of her, she wished that Dom was the one that had asked her. He hadn't even commented on how she looked. She had spent an eternity getting ready and he hadn't even cared.
Back at the table, Dom and the other two were discussing the new job that Saito had lined up.
"It's not that I don't trust this man. I just want to know what he is hiding. An extraction would be all that I would need." Saito explained to Arthur and Dom. Dom was barely listening though. His attention was somewhere else- half way between his kids and half way between the dancing that was happening across the room.
Arthur noticed Cobb's expression, so he decided to play with him. "You never did tell me what you dreamed of last night."
That caught Dom's attention. He didn't want to talk about that now. In front of Saito, in the middle of the restaurant.
"I told you the main part." Cobb spoke in a slight murmur. He really did not want to get into this subject now. It definitely was not a good time.
On the dance floor, Ariadne did not feel like she was dancing at all. She felt like she was being interrogated.
"Arthur told me about your secret desire for Cobb." Eames smiled down at her, as they swayed to the music.
"Well, it's not so secret anymore is it?" Ariadne rolled her eyes. "Why would he tell you, anyway?"
Eames chuckled at her question and replied "Because I threatened to leave his team if he didn't. I just always knew that there something was going on between you two."
Ariadne shook her head at that. "Well, that's where you're wrong. There is nothing going on between us. He just thinks of me as a friend."
"Do friends buy each other expensive jewelry, Ariadne?"
Ariadne watched him for a moment, wanting to know exactly how he knew-
"Arthur," Eames smiled.
Ariadne sighed and whispered "There is too much in the way. It's so complicated."
"What love isn't complicated?"
"Wow… that was quite profound Eames. I'm surprised." Ariadne admitted.
"Yes, well. I do have my moments." Eames chuckled and tightened his grasp on her a bit. "You see, I could help you….and Arthur could help too."
"What's the catch?" Ariadne questioned.
Eames looked straight into her eyes and answered bluntly "You help us with our next extraction."
Ariadne stopped dancing. She didn't know what to do. She promised Cobb never to be part of one again. If he ever found out, he would hate her.
"I don't think I can do that." Ariadne didn't mean to whisper, but her came sentence came out as one.
"Well, just think about it." Eames smiled, as she nodded. "I mean, I'll even give you a small preview of what I could help you with, right now." He paused and then grabbed her hand in his while shouting "Come on." Eames had already started running back to the table and Ariadne followed, wanting to see what exactly he was up to.
"I am surprised that not even your architect will help me with such a simple task, Mr. Cobb." Saito spoke to Dom who was looking directly back at him. He shook his head and was about to say something when a limping Eames made it to the table, with a confused stricken Ariadne.
"What the hell happened to you?" Arthur asked, laughing at Eames attempting to sit back at his place in the booth.
"Some old Nana with a cane suckered me right in the knee. I can't dance anymore. I'm sorry, Ariadne." Eames faked a pained expression and then turned to Cobb and said more fluently "Perhaps you could take my place, huh, Cobb?"
Cobb looked up at Ariadne, who now was just trying to keep her widened eyes to a more normal level. Dom thought about it for a moment. A dance was just a dance right?
The song changed in the background to Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayor.
"Oh, look at that. Perfect timing. Now you have to go, Cobb." Arthur spoke lightly, pointing upwards, as if the music was coming from up above them.
Cobb sighed briefly and then got up, reaching out his hand towards Ariadne, while saying "Shall we?" Ariadne looked at the hand briefly, her heart starting to flutter. It was only when she reached for it that she started breathing again. And slowly, they walked to the dance floor, Ariadne's stomach churning from both nerves and excitement.
Eames finally stopped the pained look on his face and Arthur couldn't help but congratulate him, "Very nice work. If I hadn't known about your plan, I would have believed you."
"Well, that's why I am called 'the Forger,' eh?" Eames smirked and then continued to Saito "I talked to her. She wasn't too keen on it before, but I have feeling that she will be begging us to let her in by the end of the night."
"Good" Saito smiled in his direction. "It really would be a shame to waste such a talent as hers." And Arthur and Eames couldn't agree more.
Back on the dance floor, Cobb had pulled Ariadne into his arms and they were swaying to the music. But Ariadne could fit at least a small child in between them and she wanted his arms wrapped tightly around her. She wanted to feel him next to her in reality, not only her dreams.
"Thank you for filling in for Eames." Ariadne smiled at Dom, looking up into his blue eyes. And Dom smiled back at her in return.
He was starting to feel more comfortable now. He hadn't danced in ages but he still wasn't too bad it at. The last time he had danced, was with Mal, in their bedroom on their anniversary. Suddenly, he stared to feel a little more uneasy.
But when Ariadne leaned in slightly closer and whispered "You see, I kept the promise," Dom felt himself relax again. She did keep it and Cobb was very happy for that, but he was also partly confused as to why she had.
"Yes, you did. Thank you." Cobb managed to say. Being this close to a woman was something that he hadn't done in a long time. Many months in fact. But Ariadne wasn't just any woman. She was something special. Any other woman would have just broken the promise and did the extraction. He was sure Saito had offered her a grand amount of money.
"And I really like this tie, Dom." She reached up slowly, and grazed it with her finger tips before asking "Where did you get it?"
Dom chuckled, remembering their shopping experience from yesterday. He was wearing the suit and tie she had picked out. "Well, it seems that you have good taste." Dom couldn't help but smile. He was having fun talking and dancing with her. She was really easy to get along with and he felt that he could trust her. For Dom, trust was a big issue. He didn't trust just anyone.
"I do have good taste, Dom." She smiled at the comment. She wanted to be held closer by him. So, she took a chance and moved in slightly more, looking up into his eyes before continuing "Thank you for noticing." She was flirting, badly too. Oh well, it was better than nothing.
Suddenly, Cobb took her slightly closer and whispered softly at her "I have to admit….you look beautiful tonight." The breath in Ariadne's throat got stuck. Had he actually just said that to her?
"Thank you." She half smiled and placed her head, daringly, onto his chest as they continued to sway to the music.
His mind was telling him to stop dancing with her and yet, his feet kept moving. It was a silent moment, in the middle of the crowded dance floor. He felt very much alive and he hadn't felt that way in ages.
He let his hand fall to her lower back and he held her even closer to him. He could feel her reciprocating his actions, falling directly into place.
She looked up into his blue eyes deciding that this was the moment where she was going to finally touch her lips to him. She raised her head slightly, her lips parting towards his and she breathed out slowly, waiting for a sign from him that it was alright to keep going.
But instead, he let her go quickly and mumbled "We should go." And Ariadne looked down at the floor, nodding, not wanting to look up at him just yet. He hurt her again. Her subconscious was right. He was only going to end up hurting her in the end.
As she followed him back to the table, she thanked god for making that phone call this morning. She had booked a flight for the following week to go back to Paris. She didn't want to stay here with him anymore. She didn't want to feel like this every time they were together. She needed to get away.
"Shh…" Phillipa hushed James, as they got off the large bed in Dom's bedroom. Their four tiny feet tip toed towards the door. They wanted to go see their Grandma. They knew that this was the day she was visiting them.
Phillipa opened the door slowly, not wanting to make any noise. She left the room first, James following her. He closed the door as lightly as possible not wanting to wake them up.
Dom was sleeping soundly. The majority of his suit still wrapped around his body. The only things he had taken off before going to bed were his shoes, tie and coat. His eyes were closed, but he had a slight smile on his face.
He suddenly awakened, his eyes still closed, not wanting to get out bed. So, he reached over and wrapped his arm around Ariadne. His eyes snapped open.
What the fu-? What the hell was she doing sleeping next to him? Oh god. This had to be a dream. He lifted himself up and bit and took a good look at her face. She was still in her cocktail dress from last night and her makeup was a tiny bit smudged on her face.
This had to be dream. It couldn't be reality, could it? Totem. He needed his totem right now. He lifted his arm off of Ariadne and took a quick look around. If only he could reach over her to grab it. He couldn't go the other way, there was a wall blocking him.
He sighed suddenly, what the hell was he going to do? He couldn't remember a whole lot from the night before. He had just awakened; he needed a few minutes until his mind kicked into full gear.
They hadn't slept together, had they? Dom placed his head back down on the pillow and watched Ariadne's face suddenly turn into a small smile. What was she dreaming about? He took a deep breath in and realized that he couldn't just stay here anymore; he needed to know if this was real or not.
He lifted himself up onto his elbow, trying to keep a perfect balance. And then he draped his arm across Ariadne, reaching for the totem on his night table. That was it. He was almost there, just a little further.
"Shit" he mumbled, as he lost his balance and fell straight on top of Ariadne. Her eyes fluttered open and then they become wide.
What the hell was he doing on top of her? Not that she was complaining or anything, but what-? Was she dreaming? She needed to know!
She breathed in and out heavily before asking in a whisper "Am I dreaming?"
Cobb chuckled nervously at that. She didn't know what the hell she was doing there either. Ariadne laughed in return, Cobb still was on top of her. The weight of his body was making her feel nervous. And they just laughed at the situation, Ariadne realizing that he was reaching for the totem when he collapsed on top of her.
"Is this how you treat your own Mother?" A light voice asked, as the door flew open.
Mother? Ariadne grew red as Dom's eyes flew to the door way to see his Mother's eyes in an extremely wide form.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She said quickly and closed the door.
Oh crap. Cobb got up off the bed, pushing Ariadne slightly aside as he lunged towards the door.
He turned around to see Ariadne covering her face with her hands "Oh, god. I really hope this is a dream." She was turning red as she spoke "This is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me." She got up, off the bed, her hair slightly tasseled.
Dom was already spinning his totem, watching it, hoping for this to be a dream, as well. But when it came to a complete stop, he bit down on his bottom lip and ran towards the door way.
"What's going on? Is something wrong, Claudia?" Miles asked his wife, who was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs, taking a few deep breaths in.
"Our son. That's the problem, Miles." Claudia responded to his question. "I know he is a grown man, but couldn't he atleast go to a motel or something like that? His children and parents are in the house!"
Miles watched his wife hyperventilate. What was she even talking about?
"Mom?" Dom's voice called from the hallway, shouting it.
Claudia's eyes widened at her son's voice. She didn't want to speak to him right now. He had disgraced her… yet, again.
"Please, that was not what it-" Dom stated, he felt like he was sixteen again, not thirty five.
"Oh please, Dom. I know what I saw." His mother spoke it bluntly, as Dom sat down on one of the chairs in the kitchen.
"Am I the only bloody one that doesn't know what's going on?" Miles asked, turning to the kids who were, thankfully, not paying attention and watching television.
"I just caught your son in bed with some hussy." Claudia whispered it to her husband.
"She is not a hussy mom. Her name is Ariadne." Dom started.
Ariadne could hear the talking from the hallway, where she was standing. She didn't want her presence to be known yet. She wanted to see where the conversation was going.
"Ariadne? Is that even her real name?" His mother asked him, concerned.
"Yes, mother. It is. She is one of Miles' students-" Cobb spoke.
He wanted to continue but his mother cut him off "You're sleeping with one of your father's students?"
"No!" Dom exclaimed loudly, his kids turning to look at him. He took a deep breath in and calmed himself down.
"Then what did I walk into?"
Cobb couldn't believe it. His mother was acting like he was some teenager that didn't know the difference between right and wrong. "You know what? Think what you want. It doesn't matter anyway." He was really getting frustrated. His mother really knew how to push all the wrong buttons.
"How can it not matter? What about Mal?"
"Mal's gone!"
Ariadne's eyes widened in the hallway. Did Dom actually say that?
Cobb couldn't believe he had said that himself. But he needed to calm this situation down once and for all "Look, you have to finally understand that I am a grown man and that I can make my own decisions."
"But she's so young." Claudia muttered, softly.
"This isn't about Ariadne! Now, you have to listen to me because-"
"Oh my god, you're in love with her!
Ariadne had started to walk back to the bedroom, to get shoes, when she stopped dead in her tracks at that accusation.
Dom just sighed and whispered "Can we talk about this another time? Not in front of the kids."
"She's just a child!"
"She's not just a child and I am not in love her. This was all just a big misunderstanding."
"Like Mal's death, Dom?" Claudia questioned.
Dom felt himself freeze and Miles spoke to his wife in a blunt tone "I think you've crossed over a line, Claudia. You know that it wasn't his fault."
"Oh really? Why should I believe that?"
Ariadne marched in from the hallway and said loudly "Because he loved her! And you have no idea how much he still does! He would have never hurt her purposely, in any way. And you know what? Cobb is right. She is gone and he deserves his happiness. And trust me; I would know if I was the one that was making him happy. But I'm not. So, please just calm down."
Ariadne took a deep breath in; as she watched the entire room stare at her. She ran her fingers through her hair and continued "I think I'll go now. I'm sorry that we had to meet this way." Ariadne turned back towards the bedroom and walked out of the kitchen.
The entire room was silent.
But Claudia broke the silence with a mumble "I don't like her, Dom."
Cobb sighed heavily and walked away while saying "Well, good for you Mother." And then he followed Ariadne back into his bedroom.
"I'm sorry about her. She isn't the nicest person." Dom said softly, as he watched Ariadne put on her shoes.
"I should go." Ariadne whispered, as he sat next to her on the bed.
Dom shook his head. No, he didn't want her to go. She was the only sane one in the house. She couldn't leave just yet. "But you promised Phillipa that she could she show you some of her drawings."
Ariadne sighed, memories of last night coming back to her. Sitting and laughing with Dom and the kids. It was something that seemed too perfect and it was.
"I know but this isn't the best-"
"Please, stay." Cobb grabbed her hand in his.
She looked down as he rubbed his thumb on the back of her palm. If this was any other moment, she would have been gleaming from happiness. But now, for some reason, she felt empty inside.
"I- I have to make a phone call."
"Make it here." Cobb wanted to make sure she was alright. His mother had said some awful things about her and Cobb didn't want anything to ruin what he had with her.
He suddenly let go her hand. He didn't want something to ruin what he had with her? What did that exactly mean? He didn't want anything to stand in between their friendship? Yes, that could be it. They had become good friends. He knew that he could trust her with anything.
"I'm sorry. I'll come by again tonight for Phiilipa's drawings." And with that, Ariadne left the room. Leaving Dom with a confused expression on his face.
Suddenly a vibrating noise surfaced. It was coming from the top of his night table. Ariadne had left her cell phone there.
When he looked at it and saw that she had gotten a text message from Arthur, he cringed. Should he have a look? Well, yes. It could be important.
From: Arthur
To: Ariadne
Stop flirting with Cobb and get your ass over here. The airlines keep calling. They need your passport number. And Eames keeps bothering me to ask you about last night's arrangement. Well, deal or no deal?
Cobb's eyes rolled over the sentences on the small screen. There were a few things he couldn't get out of his mind. 1. Why would he say that line about the flirting? 2. The airlines? Was she planning on leaving so quickly? 3. Last night's arrangement? But she promised-
Well, Cobb needed to get to the bottom of this. And he was going straight over there, to talk to her, after breakfast. He sighed out bitterly, he could tell that this was going to be a long day.
Authors Note:
Well, how do do you think this is going to play out?
Thank you to 'tutskai' for the idea for the bedroom scene.
Please Review! Please? Maybe Cobb will wake up next to you next if you do :P Oh how I wish that were possible *sighs*