Hi everyone. Already the 10th chapter. I'm enjoying every minute of writing for other people that love to daydream about movies that I love. This whole fanfic writing this has been a very new experience for me. Believe it or not, it took me a while to figure out that the emails of 'story alerts' and 'author alerts' were actually talking about me and my story. Haha. Thank you everyone who put the story on alert or me. And a big thank you to everyone that wrote a review. They mean the world to me. Even if they shouldn't influence my mood, I can't help but be happy when I get wonderful reviews :)) I originally planned this fic to be about 25 chapters long. Hope I'm not boring you guys! It's going to be quite a different storyline than the movie. I hope everyone will choose to stick with it.

Enjoy!

It was distracting.

Not only was it distracting to have your date tossing and turning in the back seat of your car, occasionally kicking up her skirt up to a dangerously high proximity barely covering her underwear and revealing her slim legs, but what disturbed Arthur the most was that Ariadne was saying his name in her sleep.

It was just a soft whisper at first.

Maybe she's saying martyr… I don't know why she would say that but you never know what kind of crazy dreams she might be having.

Could be General Macarthur…starter…garter…cream of tartar…

Arthur raked his brain to think of words that sounded even slightly like his name. At least that had his mind occupied on something other than her.

Then she said it again.

"Arthur…"

Arthur froze.

Okay…definitely my name. Keep your eyes on the road Arthur. That's what she's saying. Stop looking in the rearview mirror. Eyes on the road.

He almost shut his eyes when she said it again for the third time. Her voice, no, her entire being definitely had this unsettling affect on him.

Arthur almost cried out in joy when he finally reached her apartment. He gently shook Ariadne awake. She moaned and swatted his hand away. "Arthur -" she said again.

"Alright alright, I'll carry you," Arthur grumbled and slung her arms over his shoulders and lifted her, carrying her on his back. Her cheek touched shoulder and he could feel her breath on his neck. Arthur gulped. Just to the elevator. Just to the… DAMN.

He swore loudly when he saw a sign that said that the elevator didn't operate after 11 P.M. He was going to have to take the stairs.

Arthur wasn't complaining because she was heavy, no, on the contrary, she was very light. But he had to bite his cheek every time her lips accidentally bumped into his neck or when he had to readjust his hands beneath her thighs when she shifted in her sleep to keep himself under control. To keep his rationality. It's just fourteen flights of stairs Arthur. Just fourteen GODDAMN flights of stairs.

Ariadne's eyes fluttered open as she felt the ground rock below her. They were clouded with sleep and she could hardly make out the face that was in front of hers. Who is that? She thought dreamily.

"Oh..it's Arthur," she giggled sleepily.

"Yes. It's Arthur," he said softly. "You awake now?"

"Nope. I must be dreaming because Arthur the point man is carrying me up the stairs," Ariadne said grandly, flinging her arms when she said his name. "Arthur doesn't carry people. He says "Although it may be too much for you to handle Ariadne, but you must get up right now and walk home like a sensible girl," " she imitated Arthur's stern tone and fell into a fit of laughter.

"Sounds like a jerk," Arthur smirked.

"Yea. He's a jerk. But I still like him though," she whispered dreamily. "It's a secret. Shhhhh." She closed her eyes and he felt her breath slow down as she fell once again back into sleep.

Some secret. He grinned.

This was why he liked her.

After fourteen flights of agonizing self-control, Arthur arrived at her doorstep. He nudged her lightly. "Where are your keys Ariadne?" Arthur asked her. "In my bag," she said, still half asleep.

In her bag…which is in the car… crap…

"Stay here Ariadne. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back," Arthur told her, gently putting her down on to the floor. He leaned her against the door and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Okay," she murmured happily.

Arthur ran down the fourteen flights of stairs, no, he flew down the fourteen flights of stairs. He jumped several steps in order to get down faster. "Shit," he swore loudly when he tripped on the step and scraped his palms. Arthur never fell accidentally..at least not usually. The last time he had fallen was when he was tackled by one of the security agents in Fischer's subconscious. Arthur chuckled and got up, brushed off his pants and ran down the stairs again. "Must be getting old," he muttered to himself. Or must be falling head over heels. His subconscious added, laughing deviously.

The corridor was strangely quiet. There was no relaxed breathing of Ariadne, echoing in the halls when Arthur came back upstairs, her keys in her hands. "Ariadne?" He called out but there was no answer. She wasn't where he had last left her. Arthur felt his heart beat quicken. Keep calm. He quickly dialed Cobb's number and impatiently paced as he heard the dial tone.

"Where are you Arthur?" Cobb snapped at him impatiently when he finally picked up.

"At her apartment, listen -"

"At her apartment? Still?" Cobb cut him off and Arthur heard Eames chuckle and wolf whistle in the background. "Arthur, stop being irresponsible and get th-"

This time, Arthur cut him off angrily, "Goddamn it! Listen to me Cobb. Ariadne's missing. I left her for five minutes outside her door and she's gone."

There was a moment of cold silence.

"Shit. I should have known. If she's been having the same dream for a week, the extractor must know where she lives. I'll be right there," Cobb said finally.

"Don't do anything rash Arthur," he added warningly but Arthur had already hung up.

He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up when he turned the doorknob of her door. It opened without a protest. Arthur closed his eyes and slowly opened it, trying his best not to make a sound.

His pulse quickened. It was quiet. Too quiet.

He slid quickly inside and froze when he heard a sudden rustle from behind him.

There had been a person hiding behind the door. Arthur spun around swiftly but he was too late.

"Hello," the stranger said, knocking him in the back of the head with a blunt object.

Arthur fell to the floor.