Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me. All readers and reviews appreciated, thank you!

Eames wandered into the recreation room. He looked at the clock – half an hour until group therapy.

He quickly scanned the room, noticing that neither Arthur nor Robert were there. Shrugging, he walked over to where Cobb and Yusuf were playing Connect 4. Yusuf was holding a red counter in his hand. His hand hovered tantalisingly over the blue upright board.

"And...my row!" He said, triumphantly. "I win!"

Cobb rolled his eyes. "You're too good at this, you know?"

"Practice makes perfect," Yusuf grinned.

Eames looked at them. "Practice at what?"

Yusuf mumbled, and looked uncomfortable. Cobb curled his lip.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Eames said, genially. "Was it something I said?"

Cobb turned to the larger boy. "Its more something you did," he said, through gritted teeth. "Where do you get off upsetting Arthur and Ariadne like that?"

Eames shrugged. "We're stuck in here, it passes the time." He sighed.

"Why are you stuck in here?" Cobb demanded, suddenly. "You've said that you told your mother you think you're several different people – what is it?"

Eames' eyes narrowed. "No, my mother thinks I'm several different people." He looked bitter. "I told her it was only in dreams, but-"

"Only in dreams?" Cobb leaned forward. "Talk to me."

"Why should I?" Eames sounded irritable. "My mother shoved me in here so she could go and play with her new boyfriend, and it was all because I told her that when I dream, I can become other people. Thats it. Very interesting."

"How do you become other people?"

Eames raised his eyebrows. Cobb suddenly realised the intensity of his voice, and lowered it. "Well, I can observe people...and then become them. I looked at my mother's boyfriend...and then when I dreamed, it was as though I were him."

"And you told your mother?"

"I did."

"And what happened?"

"She told me I was clearly mad." Eames sat back in his seat. "Took me to a doctor, who told her I was obviously suffering from some kind of psychosis. Gave me a prescription. I wasn't going to take pills, and then her boyfriend and I got in a fight-" he broke off.

Cobb swallowed. "You know, Eames, I'm in here because my parents think I'm delusional, too. Because in a dream, I can find out information."

Yusuf looked interested. "How do you do that?"

Cobb paused, and looked around. "My girlfriend's father – he's an architect. He was working on a design once when I was round there. I asked him what it was for, he told me it was for a special project. I decided to drop it.

"But then, I saw him. Hooked up to a machine. I watched, and when he woke up, I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he had designed a dreamscape, and had to go under to test it."

"Crap." Eames' lip curled. "Don't believe you."

"I don't care if you believe me or not," Cobb said, steadily, "but he asked me if I wanted to try it. I went under, and found myself in a city. I was only under for five minutes, yet in that time, I got attacked by a gang. Miles had to pull me out, and when I woke up, I found out that I'd been attacked by his projections. I was the dreamer, but as he was the target, his subconscious had to attack me."

Eames blinked. "This all sounds..."

"Its true," Cobb said, stoically. "Its all true. I went home and told my parents, and they told me that it wasn't possible. But it is. I went into Miles' dream, and I saw how it could work." He lowered his voice. "This could be better than therapy. Everyone here has a secret, everyone here is unhappy in some way. And no-one wants to talk about it."

Eames swallowed. "So you're saying that you could use this...to find out what is making us unhappy?"

Cobb nodded. "I am. Think about it. When you're asleep, Miles told me this, you're vulnerable. You're prepared to open up more. Arthur will never talk about why he's here. But in a dream-"

"Arthur will never talk about what?"

Cobb sat up with a jolt. The younger boy had approached the group, and was standing with his arms folded. His face wasn't particularly suspicious, but nor was it especially kind.

"Oh, don't worry," Eames said, arily. "We're just talking about dreams. Fascinating topic. Except for you, because I'm sure you don't have any."

Arthur blushed, then glared. "I'm not going to answer that."

"Suit yourself," Eames commented, and turned to stare as Arthur walked away.

Suddenly, Saito appeared. "Eames!"

"What?" Eames said, sulkily.

"Your mother's here!"

Eames got up. Cobb looked at him. "Enjoy," he muttered.