9.
~ It would still be several days before the line would advance further in. Arthur's men were still on the mends from the bombing and they were also awaiting supplies and reinforcements. The city seemed to buzz with excited life as shop owners were eager to throw open their doors to the Americans.
~ "What are you doing?" Cobb asked when he finally spotted Eames outside of a barber shop. The Forger turned Lieutenant was sitting at a small outdoor table. People watching as he was writing something.
"Writing back home to my girl." The Lieutenant said with a cherry smile. "Have to let her know I'm behaving myself."
"Eames." Cobb said sitting down. "Please tell me you still remember what's really happening."
"What do you mean, sir?" Eames asked.
Cobb fished in his pocket and pulled out his top. With one easy flick of the wrist, he sent it spinning. The Forger looked at the tiny, silver toy. It's whirling steadying out and never stopping or wavering in its spin.
"It just spins and spins." Eames said as if hypnotized.
"So what does that mean?" Cobb said looking hard at the Forger.
"It means were in the dream." Eames said fishing in his pocket and removing two red poker chips. "Were in a dream, this isn't real." He said looking over the grooves and lines.
The Forger looked around. Seeing his world as if for the first time.
"I'm sorry Cobb. I lost myself for a while. I..." The Forger looked embarrassed.
"It's alright. Ariadne seems to be lost too. I would remind her, but every time I get close to her, she seems to avoid me. I don't know what's going on." Cobb said pocketing the top.
"How long have we been in the dream, Cobb?" Eames asked. The Extractor sighed and leaned in further.
"Almost a week now. By my guess, we have only been asleep for 30 minuets in the real world." Cobb said smoothing out his Major's uniform. "I've been talking to Dax and he's just as far gone as Arthur is. We have to find a way to get them to come out of this dream. The wake up music alone isn't enough."
"Cobb, were in a war zone. They advance to the front tomorrow. If Arthur gets shot and killed. If you or I get killed."
The Forger didn't need to explain. If they died in this dream, they would wash up on the shores of Limbo.
~ Arthur was using his last few days of freedom to court Ariadne.
"Alright, hold still." The old man said as he snapped their picture. Arthur was leaning against a nearby wall with Ariadne in his arms. A happy look on both their faces.
"Ah, very nice. A lovely picture for a lovely couple." The old man said. "I'll make two prints, yes? Only five dollars*."
"Five?" Arthur turned to him surprise as Ariadne laughed. "A bit much isn't it?"
"Who can put a price on memories?" The old man said.
"Apparently you can." Arthur said handing over the money.
"Come by later today, I'll have them ready for you." He said giving the handsome Captain a salute.
Arthur only nodded as his girl laughed again.
"I thought you were taking me out for dinner." She said with her hand on her hip.
"Right." he said returning to her. "It's my last day in the city till who knows when, lets make it count." He told her. His large hands resting on her hips. She grinned up at him.
"Um, Arthur?" She asked as they walked the elegantly cobbled streets. He kissed the top of her head sweetly.
"Yes?" He said, listening.
She blushed furiously. Her courage suddenly abandoning her.
"Um... you know, if... um... if you wanted to... I mean." She looked away. Her Captain stopped her and gave her a puzzled look.
"Some of the girls, they go to the hotel with their guys." She said shyly. "I mean, before they leave for the front."
"Have you ever gone to a hotel with a guy?" He asked sullenly.
"No." She said honestly.
"Don't you think if I wanted a girl to go to a hotel with me, I would have found one already?" He asked. His face that deep scowl she worried over.
"I know you can have a girl... one that is more experienced..." She floundered as her cheeks felt horribly hot.
"I don't want a girl like that." He told her simply. "War time, I can easily have a girl like that. I want you, I really do. Nothing would make me happier, but not like that. That's not how I want things to be with us. Not yet anyway." He said kissing her hand.
She was nodding.
"I'm sorry." She said brushing her hair off her face. "It was stupid."
"No, it wasn't stupid. Never be afraid to tell me how you feel." He said with a smile. "Lets go get dinner."
~ It was late and he was leaving in the morning. They picked up their over priced pictures. Ariadne laughed at the novelty of seeing them captured in that moment in time. Arthur looked so handsome in his pristine uniform. She looked so plain in her simple dress. She wished she had a finer selection of clothes. She almost looked out of place next to her Captain. Still, they looked happy there. Caught in that sepia colored world.
Arthur quickly placed the small photo in his breast pocket and looked back at her.
"Now I'll have a picture of you so I can brag to all my buddies." He said. She laughed as he was kissing her.
"I was hoping you could take this with you." She said fishing out her handkerchief from her purse. It was the only dressy handkerchief she had with her. She only used it for Sunday services. She sprayed it with her perfume because she read a story in school about knights taking a token from their lady into battle. It would bring them luck and remember what they had back home.
"You can have something that smells like me." She said with a shy smile.
Her Captain took it solemnly and placed it into his breast pocket. His eyes not looking back at her. His face seemed angry.
"I can't be sure when we'll come back into Paris." He said with a ragged voice. "It may be a while." He said stiffly. The barest hint of emotion in his voice.
"I know." She said sadly.
"I promise though, I promise we won't lose each other." He said. "No matter what, we will find each other."
She nodded and tried to hold her tears back.
"Alright." he said. He stooped slightly to kiss her. "I'll see you soon." He said.
Just like that, he was gone. Her Captain had vanished in the crowd and didn't look back.
~ Dawn broke over the sky, angry and demanding.
"Hurry up!" Trixie barked as Ariadne readied herself. "We don't have all day. I can't believe your Captain was alright with you going to the front."
"Yeah, he was fine with it." Ariadne lied as she packing her nurse's bag and her pack with her one change of clothing. All she was allowed in the field.
The Red Cross truck was ready to pull out of the hospital. The Doctor and the other two volunteer nurses were waving at her to hurry.
"Good luck." Trixie said giving her a hug.
"I'll be fine." Ariadne said feeling nervous.
"Let's go ladies." The Doctor said pulling Ariadne up into the back of the truck. "Our boys are already at the front line. Reports of POW camps. We need to get ourselves and these supplies to the front."
'I'm on my way, Arthur.' She thought as the truck lurched forward and drove slowly out of the city. A convoy of desperately need supplies. Her mind wandering over if Arthur was alright. Fear that he may already be wounded and needing her help.
* Five dollars then would be about sixty in today's economy. Still, a pic with JGL in uniform, who can put a price on that?
