Waking

Ariadne sat up and fumbled for her totem she had tucked into her dress. The same weight, colors and shine of the rock was still there. The memory of a perfect day with Arthur was there. The real world. She felt a hand on her back and saw the Point Man looking at her. She nodded.

"Everyone alright?" Yuseff asked. "How did it go?"

"I think it worked." Eames said sitting up. Cobb looked over Browning who was still sleeping off the drugs they gave him on the beach. His loud snoring was distracting. The Team unhooked themselves and Browning from the device and quickly took their leave.

"Cobb," Yuseff said as they made there way down to the lobby. "You cell phone went off while you were under. Saito found your family. He is bringing them and Sybil to us right now." Cobb and the others gave a sigh of relief.

"Is my father with them?" Cobb asked. The Extractor was angry at the Old Gentleman for not calling him or answering the phone.

"Cobb," Yuseff started and stopped. He wasn't the person to say this. "Saito said the Miles had a stroke in his home a few days ago. He's at a hospital in L.A. I don't know anything else."

The team was quite as they rode the elevator down to the lobby. Ariadne (still wearing Arthur's coat) took her lover's hand. All thoughts of their fight were forgotten. She felt him give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

For Cobb, the need to see his Children safely returned to him outweighed the need to tend to his Father. Cobb and the Team waited patently in Paris for Saito to arrive. They lodged at the same local inn Arthur ran to after he found his Lady had been taken. As night crept across the French country side Ariadne changed into her regular clothes.

"Sorry to see that hot number go, Darling." Eames joked as she came came downstairs looking her normal self again.

"I'm sure you are." She said mockingly. Arthur grinned at her.
"You did really well down there." He told her in privately.
"We did really well." She corrected.

It was with an eagerness the Team watched the driveway. Almost like kids on Christmas Eve. As headlights broke open the night they all stood. In a Luxury car Saito got out along with a blond Sybil and Jams and Phillipa. The two youngsters screamed in delight at seeing their Father. The reunion was wonderful to be apart of, if only as a witness.

"Blood hell!" Eames exclaimed giving Sybil a hug. He smoothed out her light colored hair. And laughed.
"Don't listen to him!" Ariadne said with a smile. "You look wonderful." She gave the Girl a warm hug.

"Thank you Saito," Cobb said nodding to his friend. The Extractor looked at the Teenage Girl. "Thank You Sybil. For keeping my Children safe.

The life of France dictated: with good friends, comes good food. They had a very late dinner at the Hotel and ate and laughed. The Children fell asleep quickly after their Father put them to bed.

"Hey Sybil?" Cobb asked coming back downstairs. "Why did the kids say they were in Amsterdam?" Sybil looked innocent and confused.

"I don't know. Maybe there retarded." Ariadne tried to smother a laugh. "We were in Amsterdam." She admitted. "I couldn't reach Miles. I an old friend of my Mother's she took us in. She colored my hair to hide us. If Saito hadn't have found us we were going to hide in Russia next." She finished out.

"Thank God he found you." Eames sighed as Cobb patted her back and smiled. He could not be angry at her. Everything she had done was to protect James and Phillipa. They were all he had left. All he had left of Mal.

"So listen." Sybil started. "My Mother's friend, Hagion, She said I can come back and live with her. If I want to." She looked at Saito, who had been so kind to her. "I want to." She said honestly. Saito smiled.

"Then you should." He said sadly.

A few days later, Cobb and the children were on there way to L.A. Saito was on a plane to Australia. Eames was taking Sybil back to Amsterdam. Yuseff to London under a new name. They had all agreed to make contact in one month. COBAL was still out there and it was safer to split up.

Arthur had planed to take Ariadne with him. That morning when he knocked on her door, he found her room empty.

"She left this morning." Eames said shrugging his bag over his shoulder. "Left this for you." He said giving the Point Man an envelope. Arthur nodded and opened it after he waved goodbye to Sybil and Eames.

Arthur,

June 1st, Isle of Crete. Heraklion, "The Minotaur"

All my Love,

Ariadne