"What about this?" I looked up from my spot in the chair I was sitting on with the portfolio in my hands. Cobb was in front of the drawing board as we tried to figure out our next job that was in Paris and we were going to do it within a week or two. It was going to be our last big job before we went off the market. Cobb was going to give us a month off so we can relax, bless him for that. I was going to go back to the states and visit my grandparents that were still around. I talked to them on the phone some time before our meeting, and they wanted to see how I was doing in Europe since they think I'm a student. It would be nice to go back to America.

Arthur and I decided to try and keep it low key when it came to our relationship. We didn't want to be that public about it anyways, kissing in front of the team and being like teenagers all over again. It would of made me uncomfortable, and Arthur knew that as well. Bless Arthur for being such a gentleman, plus I think he didn't want to see the wrath of Cobb or the gestures of Eames. I didn't either. Having a lecture from Cobb about the importance of being a professional, wasn't my cup of tea.

"We try to get our Mark to since lower into his personal relationship with his wife." Eames explained as I looked from him to Cobb. I moved some of the hair away from my eyes as Cobb nodded his head in agreement. I looked over at Arthur who was on the opposite end of the circle we had and was writing down some notes in his portfolio. He gazed up at me and a small smile was on his lips. I smiled back, but we both looked down and whipped away the smiles on our faces when Cobb looked back in our direction.

"True, but let's make sure he gets a positive reaction more or less. If it's negative, the dream will fall apart within seconds. Nash, how are we doing with the maze?"

"About to be done with it Cobb." Nash replied from his huddled spot on a leather couch. He looked very nervous and reserved, somehow dazing off into his own little world as Cobb nodded his head again. Nash was on his toes those days, something was bugging him or he wasn't able to concentrate at all. I wouldn't blame him,

"We're about done here. We'll talk some more tomorrow night." Cobb replied, going back to the board and looking at it one more time. Eames got up in a grunt as Nash got up silently. Arthur got up and walked over to Cobb, talking to him a little bit as I got up and threw on my green beanie. Walking over to the front door I threw on my jacket and was about to leave when I felt a hand on my elbow.

"Come with me love." I heard in my ear as I looked to see Eames. He smiled and ushered me out of the room and into the hallway, having me wonder what he wanted with me. He stopped and I stood in front of him, seeing him fold his arms in front of him and a big smile on his face.

"So you and Arthur eh?" He asked in a sheepish grin. I gave him a shocked look, how did he know? I was about to say something when he chuckled and shook his head.

"I saw how he looked at you after the whole Las Vegas incident, he never left your side. And besides, we can all see you have a big crush on him." Eames explained to me and I leaned against the wall, rubbing my eyes and moving the beanie around on my head.

"Eames, I'm only going to ask you this once, if you say anything..." I started to say to him in a low threatening tone, but Eames held up his hand to me.

"Say no more my little ginger, I will not say a word about this to anyone." He said to me, but I still glared at him.

"But if you do, so help me god I will break your neck." I said in a lower tone, hearing him chuckle and ruffle his own hair.

"Well I hope to never get in your way darling." He said in a smile as he looked back to the door we just came out of.

"I'm off to the pub. I'll see you in the morning eh?" He asked me. I nodded my head and he walked off with a smile on his face towards the elevator. I smiled, shaking my head in joy as I heard the door opening. Looking over I saw Arthur walking out and seeing me, a big smile on his face. I felt like a giddy little girl again seeing my boyfriend. Arthur walked over to me and I threw my arms around him, hugging him close and feeling him hug me back. It felt good to be close to Arthur and not be worried about being caught.

Arthur pulled away and gave me a small kiss on the lips, a giggle escaping me as he rested his forehead against mine.

"Let's go on a walk." He said to me in a smile and I nodded my head, needing some fresh air in my system. He smiled widely and gently took my hand in his, the both of us walking over to the elevator and stepping inside.

"Where are you going to go after our last job?" Arthur asked me as we walking on one of the many bridges in London. We held hands and walking slowly, drinking in the atmosphere and cold weather. Lights were lit in the buildings and street lamps, the fog was rolling in from the sea and the sound of people and cars were rolling by us.

"Back state side, My grandparents are in San Francisco and they want to catch up." I explained to him, seeing him nod his head.

"And what do they think you do?" He asked me with curiosity in his tone of voice.

"They think I'm a student here in London, so I have to think of a story before I see them." I replied back to him. I looked over at him, seeing him think to himself as we were at the middle of the bridge.

"You're a philosophy major, with a minor in psychology. You're enjoying your classes but you hate the food there, and you met a incredible boy and fell head over heels in love with him." Arthur explained to me as we both leaned against the banister to look over the river. I laughed out loud, hearing him chuckle with me. Looking at Arthur, I couldn't help but wonder where he was going to go and what he was going to do for a month.

"What about you?" I asked him suddenly, seeing him look over at me and then back out in front of us at the river.

"Probably stay here. I have nothing to go back to back in America. I can stay and find something to do." Arthur replied back to me as I turned around to have my back leaning against the banister. It would be a bit hard for him to stay here and for me to go back to America. I wished I could stay with him, but I needed to see my grandparents.

"You should come with me, San Francisco has a lot of stuff to do." I said aloud as he looked over at me, tilting his head slightly as I looked right back at him. He reached out, moving some of the hair away from my eyes and a small smile was on his lips.

"You'll miss me, won't you?" He asked me in a playful tone. I smiled, looking down and nodding my head. He scooted a bit closer to me, gently talking my hand in his and I looked back at him.

"I admit, not being around you will be hard. And besides, you still need to watch that arm of yours." He explained to me as I looked down at my arm. It was still a bit sore and a bruise came into view on the shoulder blade.

"You want to watch my arm? How exciting." I replied back to him, seeing him laugh as he reached down with his free hand to take my arm in his hand. I stayed silent as he observed my arm. Though I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and peacoat, I could tell he was looking to see if I was still in pain.

"Have you been stretching it?" He asked me, having me roll my eyes to him with a small sigh.

"Must you check in on me to see if I'll live." I asked him, seeing him get serious on me. I knew he was protective, it was his nature and personality, but sometimes I wanted to smack the boy. I sighed again and wrapped both arms around him, pulling him in as my arms were around his neck.

"Arthur, I know my limits, and I'm not pushing it, not too much." I added the last part. He smiled slightly as he placed his hands on my waist. It felt like we were in our little bubble.

"I just don't want you to be in anymore pain is all. You're too happy to be in pain." He explained to me and I smiled back at him.

"And you need to smile every once in awhile. I'll be okay Arthur, you don't have to protect me from everyting." I said to him in a serious tone. He nodded his head and I started to think about something, about Cobb. Why was he so hesitant in Las Vegas, it was like he didn't want to be seen at all.

"Hey, why was Cobb sketchy at the airport in Las Vegas?" I asked him out of the blue. Arthur was silent for a moment or two, and I knew he knew the reason. He laced his fingers behind my back as I did the same around his neck, his face was in deep thought and sorenes about the topic.

"Cobb was accused of murdering his wife Mal." He explained to me, having me stay silent as I tried to think of what he told me. Cobb, killing his wife? I heard about Mal once or twice from either Arthur or Eames, but nothing more.

"Maybe I should tell you." Arthur replied to me, and we both started to walk back to my flat. He told me about Mal, how she met Cobb and they had a family together, married and happy. But he then told me about Mal committing suicide, the Extraction world being too hard for her to understand what was real and what wasn't. Cobb going through that kind of pain, why would that happen to him. He didn't deserve that, he was too much of a good guy, well in my opinion. I made me think, how dangerous this job was and how one could get lost so easily if they went too far.

One false move, and I could die.

I took off my long sleeved shirt, wearing a wife-beater underneath and slipping into sweat pants. It started to snow outside when we made it back to the flat, having me stand by the window and feel the cool breeze of the A/C. My hair fell back and around my face, being straight since I flat ironed it that morning. I was thinking about what happened to Cobb, how he lost his wife in the game we were playing. It made me think, and it got me scared if that were ever gong to happen to me, or even Arthur.

Arthur was strong when it came to knowing when he was dreaming or when he was in reality. But something could happen to him, something could snap inside of him to do something as drastic as what Mal did. If anything were to happen to him, I would be lost. Utterly lost.

I felt arms around my middle from behind, having me smile knowing who it was. The arms were strong in muscle, but gentle in touch: Arthur. I leaned back with his touch, feeling his bare arms and knowing he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. He pressed a gentle kiss to my shoulder blade, right above the gauze over my wound. There was bruising all around my wound, purple mixed with blue and green, branching out to my shoulder and down to the middle of my waist. Eames warned me it would happen since I was moving around too much, but I told him I didn't mind. Pain, nowadays, was nothing compared to that gunshot. Complaining was no a option, not to me anyways.

To see this different side of Arthur was still to new: how warm he was and how caring. To everyone else he was serious, straight forward and determined. Not that he wasn't like that with me, we have our fair share of fights on when he can protect me and when we can honestly say I have fight on my own. I knew he cared about me, but it's when he over does it when we fight. He even admitted to me after he kissed me in my flat for the first time that he felt ashamed that I was shot, that he should of stayed next to me and took the bullet instead.

"You know I would take that day back in a heartbeat, when you were hurt." He said to me, making me place my hands over his on my belly. I turned my head to rest it against his head, breathing in the cologne he had on.

"But one moment I wouldn't take back, is when we were at the Bellagio, seeing the show. You remember?" He asked me as he pressed another kiss against a part of my bruise. I smiled and nodded my head.

"How I was talking about how my dream would be?" I asked him, feeling a smile against my skin as he moved his head so that he was rested his chin on my shoulder gently. I looked back out in front of us, seeing the snow fall lightly from the dark sky.

"I think I remember you closing your eyes, you seemed like you were in your own little world." Arthur said to me as I smiled, seeing our reflection in the window. He was smiling, making my insides go warm even in the cold weather. I then saw him look at me through the reflection, the look of curiosity was on his face.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked me, having me rethink that small dream I had in Las Vegas. It was a pleasant moment, making me forget where I was.

"My parents, before they died. They were on a hill were I used to live, and it just seemed...perfect." I replied back to him, feeling his hold on me tighten. He was silently telling me he understood, that he kind of knew how it felt to have one pleasant memory and then darkness.

Darkness, something I never wanted to encounter, and I hoped I never will since Arthur was a part of my life now.