Disclaimer: I don't own Inception but I have borrowed some lines from the movie. Main title comes from lyrics in Ellie Goulding's song: I'll Hold My Breath.

Chapter12 rating: PG-13


Point Man, Interrupted

Arthur enters the warehouse feeling as exhausted as he looks. His clothing is wrinkled from the long plane ride in the confines of economy class, he has bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and he didn't bother with shaving the last few days he was away. He would have gone back to his apartment to clean himself up instead of heading to the warehouse first thing after landing in Paris, but he knows Cobb is anxious to hear about the reconnaissance mission. His vanity had to wait.

Taking a quick look around, he sees no one else inside the cavernous mainspace, but he knows that Cobb is most likely inside the small alcove that he uses as an office. Arthur starts to make his way over there, but he's distracted when he sees the table holding the designs for his dream level. Automatically his mind conjures up an image of the petite architect working over it, adding little finishing touches here and there—a sight he's actually seen many times before.

Smiling with that image in his head and ignoring his duty to Cobb, he makes his way over to his layout spread on the table, shedding his coat along the way and draping it over the back of a nearby chair. As he examines the details he knows Ariadne thoughtfully and carefully laid out, he continues to make himself more comfortable. Pulling at the Windsor knot of his tie to loosen the garment, he decides to remove it completely, draping it over his coat before unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt. He's almost finished rolling up his shirt sleeves when Cobb appears.

"You're alive. I was getting worried." Cobb gives him a quick look over. If he's surprised at Arthur's less than professional state, he doesn't acknowledge it. As Arthur predicted, he's anxious for information. "How was Johannesburg? Cobol give you any trouble?"

"I can take care of myself when it comes to those thugs." Arthur had spent an adrenaline-filled two days in the South African capitol keeping an eye on his back the whole time. "They're all brawn over brains. No stealth, no finesse—unlike me." He drops the bravado when Cobb's face remains serious.

Walking up to Arthur, determination making his gaze hard, he cuts to the chase. "What the hell happened over there? What's Saito up to? Is he playing us?"

Arthur sighs and rubs a weary hand over his face, noting with distaste his growing whiskers. He summons up the patience to remain calm and remember that Cobb has been anxious ever since he'd called him last Saturday, interrupting his date with Ariadne—among other things—with word that the businessman left Paris saying only that he had urgent matters to attend to. Cobb had been eager to find out what these matters were.

After some sleuthing they had narrowed down Saito's destination to South Africa, where Cobol Engineering's headquarters were located. Suddenly, this trip was setting off warning bells in both their heads. Making a trip into the territory of the company that hired them to steal from him was a bit suspicious—enough to make it worth checking up on the tourist; and so Cobb asked Arthur to keep tabs.

"Saito wasn't in South Africa. We were wrong, but you may be happy to know that we can visit there any time we please. True to Saito's word, Cobol dropped the price on our heads, which, consequently, is part of the reason why I'm standing before you in one piece." Despite his earlier assurances, Arthur is thankful that Saito did hold up his end of the bargain.

"So he kept his promise on that end. Were you able to track him down though?" Cobb asks.

"Yeah. He was in Tokyo the whole time."

"Tokyo? How'd we miss that?"

Arthur shakes his head, not sure either how they, he, could have been so off on Saito's destination. "I'm not sure, but I did follow him there once I realized my mistake. Turns out he wasn't lying. He did have urgent matters to attend to, but not the kind you're thinking." Cobb raises a brow and Arthur continues. "He has a son who turned ten recently. He went back home to celebrate his son's birthday."

"That's it? Are you sure? Could he have been there for something else?"

"Possibly. There is some word that he had some business deal to take care of, some plans to finalize. But after getting his destination wrong, I'm not sure I trust that information."

"And he arrived back in Paris last night," Cobb says, deep in thought.

Arthur nods, confirming that Saito had left Japan the day after his son's birthday.

After considering this information Arthur can see the tension ease from his friend's shoulders and face. It had to wear on him, placing so much trust on a man he isn't sure can be trusted; only Saito truly knows whether or not he can or will deliver on his promise to get Cobb back home to his children.

"Whatever business he had to take care of, doesn't involve us," Cobb deduces, more to himself then to Arthur. "Thanks for doing that. By the looks of it, it wasn't easy." Cobb nods towards Arthur's appearance.

Arthur shrugs. "I've been through worse."

Cobb nods, the earlier tension now gone. "Yeah, I remember Toronto."

One of the first jobs they did together had Arthur jumping out of a third story window to escape a mark's security. Luckily, he landed in a garbage bin and survived with nothing worse than a dislocated shoulder, a fractured rib, and other minor cuts and bruises, all while smelling like curdled milk and rotted vegetables. Afterwards, he went straight to his sister's to recuperate but wasn't past the threshold of Camille's apartment more than a minute before she forced him to contact Cobb. After seeing her younger brother bruised and bandaged on her doorstep, Camille gave Cobb, whom she held responsible for her brother's injuries, an invective earful or two over the phone—she yelled at him for at least twenty minutes.

"You'd never be able to tell by her appearance, but your sister's got a mouth on her." Cobb says, shaking his head in memory. "Are you still planning on visiting her after this?"

Arthur had been planning on a couple of extended visits to both his sister and his mother. It was what he was supposed to do after the Cobol job, only this job interrupted him.

"Yes. You know Camille. I was pretty vague when I told her about what I was doing and I'm sure she's worried." His sister knew the truth about what he did, though he did keep her in the dark about certain details and limited contact with her and his mother while he was actively working. Camille didn't like that much—she played the overprotective and superior older sister role to a tee—but she eventually understood that he had to do it for her and their mother's safety.

"And after that?"

The question brings his attention back to Cobb. "Find more work. You know me. What am I going to do if I'm not doing this?"

"You could always settle down. Get married, have kids, work a normal job."

Arthur scoffs, but only half-heartedly since he'd been thinking about those very options, and very recently too. But he doesn't admit this to Cobb. Instead, he lies and says, "There's a novel idea. I'm not sure it'd suit me."

"You're not going to want to do this forever, you know." Cobb replies.

"Probably not. But I'll cross that bridge once I get to it." He figures that will be a long ways away, anyway. "Right now, this job is all I'm focused on." That's not entirely true, but he didn't want to discuss his growing admiration for their architect with Cobb.

"If we pull this off I'll be going back to my kids. It also means you'll be out of a partner." Suddenly, Cobb is looking at him carefully, as if he's weighing Arthur's reaction.

"I know, but don't worry about me. I can work solo for a while until I find someone I can trust enough to partner up with. There are other good extractors out there."

"I know there are. And they shouldn't be hard to come by."

"Yeah, you're right. Donovan, for one. He's pretty trustworthy."

Dom seems to be considering the extractor that he and Arthur have worked with numerous times before. "Yeah, he's good, but maybe you should consider a different option."

"Like who? Rhodes?"

"No, I was thinking more along the lines of partnering up with an architect."

Arthur's eyes turn suspicious as he wonders where Cobb is going with this.

"Do you know any architects I could team up with?" To Arthur's knowledge, there were few, if any, who were both talented and dependable enough to work with for the long term, and he wasn't going to work with just anyone. He learned that lesson with Nash.

Cobb looks him straight on with a completely neutral expression. "Ariadne."

"Ariadne? You think I should work with Ariadne?" He had a small hunch that Cobb might mention her, but he's surprised by the suggestion all the same.

Cobb shrugs. "Why not? She's talented and intelligent. She works hard and picks up things quickly. You've seen for yourself what she can do. I think if she chooses to continue building in dreams, she can be a real asset to anyone she works with. And I've been thinking that if you're both up for it, you two could make a good team."

Arthur frowns, questioning Cobb's confession. "You've been thinking about this? That Ariadne and I could work together?"

Cobb nods, "Why not?"

Why not, indeed. Still, it seemed odd that Cobb would suggest it.

"Ha—has she…have you…" Arthur pauses to clear his throat. "Have you mentioned this to her?"

If he didn't know Cobb better, Arthur would have sworn he saw Cobb crack a quick smile. "No, I haven't, do you want me to?"

"No!" Arthur doesn't mean to object so forcefully. At least Cobb doesn't say anything. "I mean no," he repeats in a more reasonable tone. He's not sure why he's acting so…nervous. "I mean, if I wanted her—I mean, if anyone should ask her to work with me, it should probably be me."

"So you'll ask her?"

Damn it, what was Cobb doing?

"Ariadne is...talented." He avoids answering Cobb directly. "And…I'm sure you're right, anyone working with her would have a real advantage…" Before he can get too attached to the idea of the two of them…working together, he adds, "But she's too inexperienced, even with this job under her belt. And she may not want this lifestyle."

Cobb shakes his head at these arguments. "What makes you think she'll turn down the opportunity to do it again? She couldn't stay away from this job."

"This job is different. You know that, just like you know as well as I do how hard this life can be. What we're doing isn't exactly legal most of the time. There's a lot of danger involved. Why would she want to put herself through all that when she can have a successful career as a legitimate architect building realstructures—structures that will last a much longer time than a dose of Somnacin can provide."

Perhaps he protests too much because Cobb smiles a rare smile at his arguments. "For the same reasons that lured you in: limitless creativity and the constant thrill. They're luring her in as well," Cobb easily counters. "And who said she can't do both? Plus, I think she's more resilient than you give her credit for. As for her inexperience, like I said, she's a quick learner. You know that. You've trained her yourself. And you could continue to, if you wanted."

Cobb starts to head back to his office. "Miles was right about her, you know. She's better than I was when I first started and I believe she can only get better. Extractors are a dime a dozen and they're always in need of a talented, reliable architect. And I know you; you can't stand working with anyone not up to snuff. If Ariadne decides that she wants to continue building in dreams, she may very well become the best out there. Wouldn't you want her to work with you and not with other extractors?"

No, he wouldn't want her working with any other extractors. That'd be a horrible idea—a downright distasteful one, in fact.

"It's just food for thought. You might want to keep her in mind for yourself. She probably wouldn't mind working with you and I think you two could be good together." And with that Cobb disappears without waiting for Arthur's response, which is just as well because he needs time to muddle through everything Cobb just said as well as all his own rampant thoughts regarding Ariadne.

But Cobb's last words echo in Arthur's head. Keep her in mind for yourself. You two can be good together—he and Ariadne. Cobb means to work with, not…to be with together…in a non-professional relationship.

Would she even want to continue with extraction and dreamshare? If she did, would she say yes to an offer to join him? And if she doesn't, where would that leave them?

But he's getting ahead of himself. There is no 'them'.

Does he want a 'them'?

Arthur lets out a sigh and rubs another weary hand over his neck, tired and more flustered than he'd like to admit by this latest conversation with Cobb.

Keeping Ariadne in mind isn't a problem. She's been on his mind all day and for the past several days. All his attempts to try not to think about her have been futile. Aside from mentally preparing himself for this job, this thing between him and Ariadne, the one he can't quite quantify yet, has also been weighing on his mind. These last few days away from her have brought to light just how much he's come to admire and really like her.

Maybe 'really like' is not strong enough. His thoughts of her may well be reaching obsessive levels. And Cobb pointing out the benefits of having Ariadne as his architect is not helping to temper those thoughts.

But he can't deny that Cobb's arguments for Ariadne being an asset to the field are all true. With her level of talent, she can be an architect for any extractor out there. And with a bit more field experience, he can easily see her in high demand, making a decent career of building in dreams by working with the right people—the key word being the 'right people.'

Not all extractors are 'the right people'. In essence, they're all thieves who play by a slightly different set of rules and have their own moral code. But there are some extractors who don't abide by any code except that which ensures self-preservation. These are the men who would leave you out to dry to save their own necks, so easy is it for the ruthless instincts that serve well while extracting in dreams to carry over into the waking world.

The thought of Ariadne getting mixed up with those extractors…well, it stirs a very primitive kind of protectiveness in Arthur that he's never felt before. Just imagining an asshole like Nash selling her out like he did him and Cobb riles up his anger so much so that before he knows it, he's mentally kicking the asses of these scumbags who'd dare to harm or betray her. And in his mind, when he's done taking names, Ariadne's there smiling up at him in that adorable way of hers and he's melting at her feet and she's joining him on the floor and then they're naked, tangled in each other's arms and kissing each other breathless while her agile little hand reaches down to stroke his co—.

Holy shit. Arthur violently shakes his head, attempting to dislodge those vivid images. Where had they come from? One moment he's admiring Ariadne's talent, the next fighting off merciless extractors and then mentally stripping them out of their clothes so she can...thank him.

Arthur lets out a chuckle that's equal parts weary and frustrated. He's tired, he reasons to himself. He's sleep deprived. Traveling from Paris to South Africa to Tokyo and back to Paris within a span of four days would wreak havoc on even the most collected of minds. Managing the stress and worry of his current situation requires a Herculean effort, and admittedly, he's no Hercules.

He's just a guy who hasn't had sex in what's been longer than he would like to admit.

He really needs to get laid. Soon.

"Arthur?"

His head whips towards the warehouse doorway where Ariadne stands, a surprised look on her face. For a moment he wants to pull out his totem to make sure he isn't hallucinating and his sleep deprived brain didn't conjure her up to fulfill his last thought.

"Ariadne." Her name comes out sounding low and hoarse in the quiet of the warehouse.

It's only when he's certain he can't make her throw herself at him and start ripping off his clothes that he's convinced she isn't an illusion.

Or is she?

She continues to stand by the entrance, laying wide eyes on him. Time ticks by slowly before she finally does make her way over with what seem to be wary steps. Her cautious approach makes him think of her as a wide-eyed doe unsure if the tiger in her midst is a friend or foe. And the tiger in him, meanwhile, is nearly salivating over her very welcome appearance.

She's wearing her usual outfit of collared blouse, button-up vest, patterned silk scarf, snug fitting jeans, and ubiquitous red jacket. The last time they were together she had on a cute little dress and black tights, a look he found charming on her. But this familiarity makes him smile and realize that it doesn't matter what she's wearing, he's not going to get enough of the sight of her.

She appears to be looking him over as well and a soft smile of her own plays on her lips before she says, "You're back." After taking a couple steps closer, a look of concern crosses her face. "Is everything okay? You look…exhausted."

"I'm just a bit jet-lagged, is all."

"You look more than a bit jet-lagged." She steps up even closer and examines him with fascination. A hand tentatively reaches out and her fingers lightly graze his unshaven cheek. Her own cheeks flush lightly when she looks up at him and it's all he can do to not fall over at the adorable little smile she gives him, the same one he had been imagining only moments earlier.

There's nothing hesitant or tentative when he reaches up with his own hand to take a hold of hers.

Ariadne makes a move pull away, but he holds on firmly. She avoids his eyes, endearingly self-conscious while she tries to explain. "I—I wasn't sure if I was seeing things. I've never seen you so worn out and looking so…Eames-like." She risks a glance at him.

He gives a low chuckle. "And I've never been so flat out insulted by anyone other than Eames."

Her laugh is light and echoes in the warehouse. It's a sound that makes him smile and not worry if he looks completely goofy while doing it.

She's smiling back when she asks, "Where have you been? Cobb said you had to go out of town to do some research but he wouldn't give us any details. "

"I went to Johannesburg and Tokyo."

"You had to go all the way to Johannesburg and Tokyo?" Her eyebrows rise in surprise. "Why?"

Arthur hesitates, but only for a moment. He knows he can trust her. His instincts tell him he can. "Cobb and I had some suspicions about Saito's…activities. I had to check him out…without anyone, especially Saito, knowing. At first, we thought he went to South Africa. It wasn't until I was already there that I realized he was actually in Tokyo."

"Oh. Well, what did you find out? Is everything okay?" A little worry crease appears on her forehead that Arthur discovers he wants to soothe away.

"Yes, there's nothing to worry about. Saito went home to celebrate his son's birthday."

Ariadne nods and doesn't press further. Instead she smiles that soft smile that he's becoming addicted to and says, "Well, now I know why you look so exhausted. Johannesburg to Tokyo to Paris in four days is a rough schedule. I'm glad you're back."

"Me too," he says softly, for her ears only.

There's a hint of a blush on her cheeks before she takes a deep breath. "Arthur, I…" her eyes stray to the unbuttoned collar of his shirt before returning back to his, "I've m—."

"Ariadne! Why were you walking so fast? Don't tell me it was because Yusuf and I were teasing you about your love—Arthur! Is that you? I almost didn't recognize you there."

Eames and Yusuf enter, bringing noise and animation to the previously quiet warehouse. Ariadne jumps away at the sound of Eames' voice, snatching her hand out of Arthur's hold and placing both behind her back, looking as if she got caught with them in the proverbial cookie jar.

"Are we interrupting something?" Yusuf questions with a grin on his face.

"No. We were just…talking." She tries for nonchalant but she can't hide the heat rising in her cheeks.

Eames meanwhile, saunters over to Arthur. "You missed out on some damn fine tea and conversation this afternoon. What have you been up to? Obviously not shaving." He clasps one hand on one of Arthur's whiskered cheeks turning his face to better examine him. "It looks good on you."

Arthur slaps his hand away, silently cursing his and Yusuf's timing. He turns his focuse on Ariadne, who gives him a shy gaze before looking away, hoping what she left unspoken was going to match his own sentiments. It's only been four days, yet their separation makes him realize how much he's missed being near her.

Her presence now, however, is also making him wonder if their near kisses have been consuming her mind as they have his and if she's as disappointed as he is that they couldn't finish what they had started in his apartment the other night.

"It's such a shame!" Eames interrupts his musings.

"What is?" Arthur snaps his head towards the forger. Eames is good at reading people, but even he couldn't read thoughts. Not outside of a dream, anyway.

"It's a shame you weren't there. Ariadne missed you…at tea." He cheekily turns to Ariadne and cuts off any reply she is about to make.

"It just wasn't quite the same without you. Next time we'll have to plan it properly, so you can be there. Or you can plan it. You're rather good at that sort of thing. Just make a date—I mean pick a date." Arthur frowns at the forger who stands looking as innocent as a skilled thief and liar can. Ariadne is practically shooting daggers at him with her eyes.

"Eames—." Ariadne tries to interject the oncoming teasing, but Eames continues, undaunted.

"For a proper tea, of course." Eames walks over to one of the chairs set up in the middle of the room and takes a seat, leaning back on his linked hands, legs stretched out in front of him. "Unless you prefer luncheon? I love lunch! Especially picnic luncheons. Ariadne, you like them too, if I recall correctly; but not as much as spending a cozy evening at home with a home-cooked meal. Didn't you tell me that it's a turn-on of yours?" He gives her a not-so-sly wink that everybody catches and which makes her fume.

For his part, Arthur's amused by the forger's recognizable jabs at his attempts to impress and get to know Ariadne. She obviously told him about their time together on Saturday. But he isn't going to begrudge Eames for being her confidante; before his self-imposed separation of their personal lives Arthur often saw the two take lunch breaks or go out for the occasional drink. The 'old' Arthur, the one who forced himself to keep their relationship strictly professional, may have once been jealous of Eames and Ariadne's close relationship, but now he isn't bothered by it. Not when she's sporting a blush and has obviously been thinking about him while he was away. He finds himself profoundly happy.

"Isn't that a coincidence? I enjoy picnics and home cooked meals, as well." He gives Ariadne an encouraging smile to let her know that he knows what Eames is trying to do and is not upset.

She returns a hesitant but relieved smile of her own.

"Arthur, I've…" Ariadne pauses when she notices all eyes fixating on her. Eames shares a smirk with Yusuf. "I've…made a modification to your level that I think you should incorporate. Do you think we can go over it together?" She gives him hopeful look.

He nods. "We can do it now. I'll set up the device." If he's reading her correctly, then she wants to get him alone, and he can't help but want that too. But the only way it's going to happen at this point is in a dream.

And if Cobb doesn't step out of his office to foil their plans, which unfortunately is what he does.

"You're going under now?" He watches Arthur carry a PASIV over to a couple of lawn chairs.

He answers without looking up from the vials he's examining, trying to be quick. "Ariadne and I are going to go over my dream level."

"I've made a change to his design that I need to go over with him," Ariadne supplies helpfully.

"But we need to go over what Eames uncovered in Sydney."

"It'll take five minutes Cobb." That will give them about an hour alone. Maybe he should set it for ten. Saturday was so long ago. "Besides, Saito isn't even here yet." That should buy them some more time, especially since he's decided he wants at least fifteen minutes on the device.

But it turns out that he and Ariadne won't even have one minute alone. The businessman opts to walk through the door just as Arthur's about ready with the PASIV.

Shoulders slumping, he glances at Ariadne who gives him a small shrug. He hears a snicker from one of the lawn chairs.

"Saito, you're just in time." Cobb calls out.

"I make it a habit to always be where I need to, at the opportune moment. You should know that, Mr. Cobb," he says superciliously, strolling in as if he owns the place, which he in fact does.

Arthur wonders if it'd be inappropriate to tell Saito that his arrival is not an 'opportune moment' for him and Ariadne.

"Mr. Eames, you're back from Australia. Good. I'm interested to hear what new information you have on Robert Fischer."

"We are just about to go over that, I believe. All of us." Eames sends an amused look over at Arthur and Ariadne.

Cobb drags a chair over towards Arthur. "We'll go over it in Arthur's hotel. That way Ariadne can show him her modifications and it'll give us all the opportunity to see the hotel for ourselves."

The others all grab chairs of their own while Arthur, helpless to stop them from joining him and Ariadne, continues to arrange the device for six now, instead of two. He sets the dials and pulls out lines to distribute among the team members while everyone settles in their seats. He walks over to where Ariadne has stationed herself, noticing that the chair which has his coat and tie draped over it has been repositioned next to her own lawn chair.

Bending down he takes the IV from her hand and gently takes her other arm to swab the delicate skin at her wrist. He hasn't prepared her for dreaming like this since their first training session together and if any of the others think that strange, it's not mentioned.

Before Arthur can place the needle into her wrist, Ariadne stops his hand to whisper, "The west elevator bank. The change I made is to one of those elevators."

The west elevator bank is fashioned for access to the luxury suites. It's secluded and private, making it unlikely that the rest of the team will wander that way. Smiling, he gently rubs the spot above her wrist before bringing the sharp point of the needle to her skin.

"Thank you, Arthur. I'm sure that won't leave a bruise," she says aloud.

He pushes the button to release her dose of Somnacin. Ariadne smiles softly before drifting off to sleep, just missing Eames calling Arthur over, proclaiming his need for the same gentle touch in inserting his IV.