11.
~ Ariadne had decided to stay at Cobb's place for the night. Things felt strange between herself and Arthur. The Point Man did not argue the matter at all. Preferring to let her have her own space, her own time.
~ "For all I know, it happened here. In our bed." He told Eames as the Forger listen patiently.
Arthur looked around the cozy apartment he had shared with the Architect for the past few months. As short time, but a happy one. What if this place was tainted for her now? What if she never wanted to come back?
"You have to put this behind you." Eames said feeling too tired to debate anything. It had been an exhausting day.
After Ariadne had left for the night, Eames had stayed. Arthur was grateful to have a sounding board in the Forger.
"How can I?" The Point Man sighed. "She's not here. We've barely spoken." Arthur shook his head. "How can we stay here?" He asked finally.
"So move." Eames said with a shrug. "Get a new place, together."
"Not that easy." Arthur said.
"Boy this conversation sounds familiar." The Forger laughed.
"Eames, she was hurt by someone who made himself look like me." Arthur said soberly.
"But not you." The Forger pointed out. Eames shook his head. "Look, you can't undo anything. The nature of the shared dreaming means that it will fade and feel like a dream eventually. The more you show her that it was just a dream, the faster she'll come back to you."
Arthur shook his head.
"She doesn't want to be with me anymore." He said
"You don't know that." Eames countered.
"I do, I can feel it."
"Maybe she thinks you don't want her. Maybe she thinks she betrayed you." Eames offered.
The Forger's cell phone gave off a familiar ding.
"Sadie?" Arthur asked as the Forger looked at the message with fright.
"Um yeah. You think you got it bad." Eames said looking worried.
"Why do you stay with that woman?" Arthur asked.
"It's like she has me under some kind of spell. Plus she waxes everything. It's great." Eames confessed. Arthur only raised his eye brows. Mildly amused.
~ Phillipa loved having a female house guest. After Ariadne had showered and changed, Cobb had bandaged her torn feet. Not willing to be out done, Phillipa had painted the Architect's toes and finger nails. Bright garish colors that Ariadne claimed to love.
The young girl, probably missing the female companionship of her mother, had bombarded her guest with talk of all things female. Eventually tiring out and insisting that Ariadne stay with her in her room.
"I never thought she would miss having another woman around, this much." Cobb said when Phillipa left to change for bed.
Ariadne laughed.
"Well, I think I need to make an effort to be around more." She said sadly. "Might help."
"Maybe I need to start dating again." Cobb mused finally.
"Maybe." Ariadne sighed.
"How are you doing?" Cobb asked.
"I know I should feel more upset." She confessed. "But, it feels like it happened to someone else. Like it was a story I heard. That the whole dream was just so... preposterous and unreal."
"That's good. Stay with those feeling." Cobb directed. "The dream space feels real while were in them, but when were out, they no longer have any power over us."
"Will I forget it? Forget about it totally?" She asked.
"How many dreams do you remember?" Cobb asked with a smile.
"I remember the nightmares." She told him softly.
"Ariadne, we get shot and stabbed in dreams. We shake them off because at the end of the day, there only in our minds. They can only hurt us if we let them." Cobb said gently.
Cobb's advice, seemed valid. Phillipa was already asleep with the doorbell rang at midnight.
The Point Man at the door.
~ "Arthur?" Ariadne asked as Cobb let him in.
"I'm sorry to call so late." He apologized. The Extractor was half asleep as he let his old friend in.
"You two take the guest room and keep it down. It's been a long day." Cobb told them sleepily stumbling back to his room.
"I was sharing a room with Phillipa." Ariadne explained once the couple was alone in the neat little guest room.
Arthur only nodded.
"I'm sorry I left." She whispered. Her eyes wide.
"I'm sorry I let you leave." He said softly. Trying to laugh it off.
"So... what do we do now?" She asked.
"Do... um... do you want to stay with me?" He asked carefully. "I mean, given what happened, I would understand if you never wanted to see me again."
"No." Ariadne sighed shaking her head. "I mean no, I want to stay with you." She smiled. Both of them feeling awkward. "I just... I felt guilty and embarrassed that I thought he was you." She said avoiding his eyes.
"It wasn't your fault." He said. He finally made contact with her. Touching her arm. "I'm not angry at you at all."
"I think it's fading away." She confessed finally looking at him. He nodded and looked hopeful.
"Remember your training, to not give it substance." He said.
Every vigilante, he had long ago trained her for the more unpleasant aspects of dream sharing. Getting hurt or killed in the dreams. So it would not traumatize her.
It was a surprise to him to find she had moved into his arms. He was glad he had thought to shower and change clothes before coming over.
"You smell good." She said breathing him in.
"So do you." He replied holding her. Her body felt perfect against his. "I was so worried." He confessed. "I thought I had lost you forever."
"No, you would have found me." She told him. "I just beat you to it." She teased.
He kissed the top of her forehead. The same sweet movements she had come to expect from him. His body felt just right next to hers. She didn't need to check her bracelet or her bishop to know this was real.
He was her Arthur.
Don't worry, this is not the last chapter. Oh yes, there will be Erotica.