I'm saving you the only way I know how

Against Arthur's better judgment, they crossed the border the next morning. The risk of what might happen to them if they remained Stateside was to great.

"So what happens now?" Ariadne asked as the border patrol casually waived the young couple across with barely a look at their ID's. Nothing about them looked like any security threat and they garnered no more attention then any tourist or citizens.

"We make contact with Eames again. Then it's on to a non extradition country." Arthur told her. He drove their newest ride, a nameless pickup down the highway, away from the border.

"Where?" She asked. His hand made contact with hers. Fingers lacing together. He gave her a warm reassuring look.

"Anywhere we want." He said.

Making contact with the Forger was easier said then done. He was not responding to Ariadne's text messages. It was in pleasant city that the couple stopped to eat and rest.

"It's so pretty here." Ariadne breathed as she watched the people going to local outdoor markets. "It's almost like Paris." She sighed softly as Arthur handed her a cup of coffee.

"So, where do you want to go?" He said sitting next to her at the outside garden cafe. "I hear China is very nice to Americans, and we can find wok in extraction there."

He looked up to see her smiling at him and tried not to smile back. Tried not to blush. The memory of their time together only a few hours ago still on both of their minds.

"Do we have to leave so soon?" She asked. "I was thinking maybe we could stay for a few days." She said sweetly. He smiled and tried to avoid her gaze. Knowing full well what she was hinting at.

"Your not tired at all?" He asked teasingly.

"Nope." She told him with a flirtatious grin. He shrugged.

"Alright." He easily relented.

Happy to just make her happy.

"I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be right back." She said hoping up from their little table and vanishing into the crowded cafe.

It was in watching her leave that Arthur heard a voice.

"Don't run."

The Point Man froze. The voice was unfamiliar and cold. It spoke with a tone of authority and power. A man swooped around the empty seat left by the Architect and sat down.

"Don't run, Arthur." He said. The man wore a simple suit. Nothing so fine as what the Point Man usually wore, but professional and tasteful.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked.

"I'm Special Agent McVicker, with the FBI. I'm here to take you and your Architect into custody for the illegal dream manipulation of one Robert Fischer." The man said. Arthur found himself swallowing hard.

"Ariadne isn't here." he ventured. "She stayed back in the States." He made a feeble attempt to conceal the Architect.

"We've been watching you two since you crossed the border." McVicker said. "She's waiting in line for the bathroom." He said casually. "I have a van over there, waiting to take the both of you into custody." he said pointing to a black van that Arthur could have kicked himself for not noticing before.

"You get Eames to?" He asked. "Is that why hes not picking up his phone?"

"Mr. Eames has managed to elude us for now. He's not an American citizen like you and your lady friend." McVicker said leaning back in Ariadne's chair. "Which means if he is caught, it will be on his own government to deal with him."

"Why haven't you arrested me yet?" Arthur asked. "Why didn't you arrest us when you found us?"

"Because, your County needs you." McVicker said casually.

"For what?" Arthur asked.

Already sensing what was coming. What awaited him.

"Our government has captured several individuals who we believe pose a serious risk to the safety of the American people. We believe they have information that will help save innocent American lives. We want you to help us get that information." McVicker said.

"Dream extraction." Arthur said.

"Yes. With Dom Cobb gone, your the most experienced Extractor around. We also need for your Architect to come with us as well." McVicker said casually.

"No." Arthur said curtly. "She's not going anywhere. She's not doing this kind of work. Going into the minds of... monsters."

"You really don't have a say in this." McVicker said.

"Sure I do." Arthur said standing his ground. "You want an Extractor to get information form your enemies, fine. Let Ariadne go. Drop all charges. Let her go back to her old life. I'll train anyone else you want to go into the dreams. Just... let her go." Arthur said. McVicker looked dubious. Arthur sensed he was getting somewhere.

"She's only worked one job. She has no real field experience." The Point Man argued. "I only kept her with me because I promised Cobb." He lied. "Just let her go, let her go back to her life and I'll go with you. I'll perform your extractions."

McVicker pretended to contemplate this idea.

"Alright. You have my word." He said

"Not good enough. Get on the phone with your superior." Arthur counted.

If he was going to sacrifice himself for the woman he loved, it would not be in vain.

McVicker smiled and pulled out his cell phone. With it on speaker phone the FBI man laid out the Point Man's demands to his superior. Arthur heard the call go out to the other agents that Ariadne was no longer a target. That she was to have her passport cleared for leaving the country and she was no longer wanted.

"Now, it's time to go." McVicker said. His end of the bargain upheld.

"I will. First let me say goodbye to her." Arthur told him. Not moving his ground. McVicker chuckled.

"Selling your soul for some girl. A girl your only with because you promised Cobb you would look after her?" The FBI man mused. "Something tells me she's a little more then just your Architect."

"That's not for you to worry about." Arthur said. "If I'm going to abandon her here, I'm going to explain why." Arthur told him. "You can stay in your little van. I meet you there. I wont run." He finished.

McVicker gave the Point Man a little knowing smile and left. Marching strait to the black van.

The garden cafe seemed to return to normal then. As if McVicker's intrusion had never happened. The sounds of the people talking, the smells of good food cooking. Arthur soaked it all in. Knowing that this may be the last pleasant moment he would have for a long time.

Ariadne came back to him. Back to their little table.

"The line for the bathroom was so long!" She explained sitting down where McVicker had sat just a few moments ago. The Architect unaware of what Arthur had done to protect her.

The Point Man drank up the sight of her. As if he were dieing of thirst and she was the water that would save him.

"So, I was thinking we can just pay the tab and get out of here for a while." She said. Her wide eyes making contact with his.

God, how he loved her.

"Ariadne, I'm sorry." He manged to say at last.

"For what?"

"I have to leave you here." He whispered.

"What?" She asked her head snapping up in shock. "Arthur, what are you talking about?"

"They found us." He whispered.

"What!" She breathed. Her voice also becoming a whisper.

"They found us." He said again. "Stay calm. It will be alright." He assured her taking her hand. Her gaze had left him. Searching the streets. The crowds.
"We don't have much time." He said softly. "Look at me." he ordered. His voice gentle but firm.

"Arthur..." She started to say.

"Their going to let you go." He told her. "I agreed to go back with them, to preform dream extractions for them, if they let you go."

"No... Arthur... Please." She was starting to cry now. His lips were on hers. A sweetness in his kiss that held sincere love.

"I want you to wait a few days here. Then get on a plane back to Paris. Forget any of this happened. Don't tell anyone about dream extractions. Don't try and contact Eames." He told her. His hands covering hers. Her fingers wrapping tightly around his. Not letting him go.

"Arthur, please you don't have to do this." She whispered. "Please, we can run away. Can't we?"

He kissed her again.

"I'm sorry." he said into her lips. "Please, do one thing for me." He said.

She nodded. Tears falling freely over her face.

"Remember what I told you about James and Phillipa? How Miles and his wife are getting older?" he asked. His own voice starting to shake as he felt his time with her was closing.

She nodded again and tried to hold a sob at bay.

"They have no one else. They can't end up in foster care." he pleaded with her. "Please... please take care of them."

She nodded again as a sob finally broke free and she was wrapping her arms around him.

"I have to go." He said. Not trusting himself to stay with her much longer.

"Arthur? Will they ever let you go?" She asked. Her voice desperate.

"I don't know." he said honestly. "I only know I love you. Please take care of yourself and those kids. Please?" He said raising her head up to meet his gaze. Wanting to see the promise in her eyes.

"Of course I will." She said. "You know I will."

He nodded and stood.

"Arthur..." She breathed. Tears threatening to fall again. Her small hands holding tightly to his his. Not letting her go.

"It's time for me to go." He said. "Remember what I said. About waiting a few days. About James and Phillipa."

She nodded and finally, slowly, released him. She stayed seated as she watched him walk to the black van. Never looking back.

~ "My that was touching." McVicker said once the Point Man was inside. "She must have been good to you."

"Shut up." Arthur said curtly.

He didn't want to look. Tried to avoid it. But he turned his head slightly for one last glance at her, sitting at the little table, crying.

The Point Man in him took over. Pushed thoughts of her out of his mind.

"So who's the mark?" He asked.

"A man we think killed U.S. Soldiers. We want to know where he hid the bodies. He is not responding to our normal methods of getting information." McVicker said handing Arthur a case folder. The Point Man studied the face of what he knew was another killer. Someone who's mind would be filled with horrible projections.

"Welcome aboard." McVicker said.