Jennifer stood in the bathroom, her hands holding onto the sides of the large porcelain sink as she allowed the cold water she had just splashed onto her face to trickle down her cheeks and onto her neck. She looked at her reflection in the mirror above the sink, seeing her reddened face and her heavy breathing as she thought about what had just happened. She'd been sleeping peacefully, allowing her thoughts to consume her before she saw his face in her sleep. Eames just wouldn't leave her mind and she had no idea why. She'd awoken with a start, looking to her side where Robert slept peacefully and she had rushed out of bed and to the bathroom to calm herself.
Robert was her fiancé. He was the one she wanted. He was the one who had gotten down on one knee and proposed to her. She should be dreaming about him and not about a man she had known for less than a couple of months.
"Are you okay?" Robert's voice suddenly asked as he knocked at the door and listened to the running water from the sink. Jenny jumped suddenly and gulped loudly, nodding at herself before wiping her face on one of his fluffy white towels. Slowly, she opened the door, looking at him as he stood before her in his cotton pyjamas, her hair all ruffled and messy. She forced a small smile onto her face as he looked at her suspiciously.
"I'm fine," Jenny whispered back to him, folding her arms and motioning to the bathroom behind her. "I just had a bit of a bad dream and needed to get up. That's all."
"Okay than," Robert replied in a mutter. He didn't even bother to ask what she had dreamt about. "Well, I'm going to go back to bed. Are you coming?"
"In a minute," Jennifer said, her voice hoarse as she looked up at Robert who avoided her gaze, seeming more intent on staring at her forehead. "I'm just going to get a drink."
"Alright," Robert mumbled. "I'll see you in a bit."
He turned on his heel and began to move down the apartment again as Jennifer watched him and sighed to herself, rubbing her hand against her forehead. She moved into the kitchen, pulling out a glass and filling it with cold water. She downed it quickly, pouring another glass after a moment and then she looked at the bedroom door which was partially open and she took a moment to think. Her eyes drifted over to the sofa and she moved across to it, settling down onto the plush leather before reaching for the blanket over the back of it. She pulled it tightly across her body, holding her glass in her hand as her fingernails took a chewing too and she remained silent, sat in the dark and thinking.
...
"I talked to Saito," Arthur informed Eames as the pair of them left the bar at half past one in the morning. Arthur had called the other man, telling them of the issue which they faced. Yes, he did sound angry that Fischer knew and was back in business, but, he had informed them that it wasn't Cobb's fault. The man was with his children and he was nowhere near Fischer. Instead they fed him a lie and said that it was possible that Fischer found out on his own accord. They didn't need to drag anybody into more mess.
"And?" Eames asked, trying not to slur his words as he did so.
"And, he was pissed," Arthur nodded quickly. There was no point in sugar coating it. "But, he doesn't think that Cobb is responsible. I did tell him that there was a chance Fischer would remember and he seemed to fall for that story."
"How very clever of you, Arthur," Eames responded in a chuckle and Arthur settled himself back onto the barstool, looking around the dive of a bar which they had spent their last few hours in. That was time in his life which he wasn't going to get back. But, something told him that if he left Eames then the man would be unbearable. He didn't think that he would be able to make it back to his hotel if he upped and left at that moment.
"Things are looking up," Arthur commented, trying to be upbeat and Eames snorted, twirling the gin in his hands as he did so. Arthur was beginning to wonder how much the man could drink without passing out onto the floor. He also wondered how much was on his tab.
"Why did I have to go and do it, huh, Arthur?" Eames enquired, now his words came out in a flurry so Arthur had to listen intently to understand what he was saying. "Why did I have to go and care about a woman who couldn't care less if I was dead or alive?"
"You don't know what you're saying," Arthur responded, sipping on his glass of tap water which tasted slightly off. He didn't dare ask where the water from the tap had been filtered. "Jennifer is his fiancée, Eames. You knew that from the start."
"I also know that he's an idiot," Eames complained. "I know that he's an idiot who doesn't really care for her."
"You're just saying these things because you're drunk and tired," Arthur responded quickly and Eames shook his head, sitting up straight, his head moving back against his neck as he coughed and then gulped before burping, his fist resting over his mouth. "You need to sober up and you need a clean break."
"I need another drink," Eames said hastily.
"No, you don't," Arthur put his foot down and Eames scowled at him as the other man shook his head forcefully. "You don't need any more to drink. Come on, we'll get you back to the hotel."
And for once, Eames didn't argue as Arthur led him from the bar and onto the streets of LA.
...
One week had passed since Robert had slid that engagement ring back onto Jennifer's finger. One whole week and they had only just managed to exchange pleasantries with each other. Every morning was the same, Robert leaving early whilst Jenny slept and then he came back in the evening when Jenny made an excuse to leave for the gym. When she came back he was often working on the company, already having eaten dinner which left her with having to find something for herself.
The paparazzi were becoming increasingly annoying, probing into Robert and wondering why he split his company up and then rebuilt it. They also wanted to know wedding details which made Jenny shiver when she saw the paper article about it.
"I've been thinking," Robert said lowly as he moved into the living room where Jennifer sat, her lap containing a laptop she had bought as she emailed her work some of her client's account numbers. She looked up to Robert and saw that his hands were on his hips and his eyes were downcast. "I think that it would be best if you signed a prenuptial."
Jennifer felt her heart sink. She felt her mouth become dry as she looked down onto her laptop screen and remained silent as Robert sat himself down on the leather chair to the side of her.
"You said before that you didn't mind signing one," he reminded her. Her eyes rose to look into his sharp blue ones and she glared at him.
"That was before you wanted me to sign it," Jennifer whispered and Robert rolled his eyes, pulling at the purple tie on his shirt as he did so. "That was when you had undoubted faith in me."
"Jennifer," Robert said her name strictly. "It really isn't a big deal. You said before that you would sign it. Why are you making an issue out of this?"
"I'm not!" she denied to him. "But back when they wanted to sign it you defended me. You said that I wasn't after you for your money and that you believed in me...but...now...for you to want me to sign it...it means that things have changed, Robert. It means that you don't trust me."
"You're overreacting," Robert complained. "Why were you so willing to sign it back then but not now?"
"Because back then you loved me unconditionally," Jennifer snapped, slamming the lid of her laptop down and placing it onto the coffee table as she did so. "Back then it didn't matter to me because you knew that I didn't want your money. I still don't. You're doing this because you don't trust me, Robert."
"Can you blame me?" Robert wondered, pushing his hands through his hair as he did so. "I don't know what to think, Jenny. I almost lost my father's company because of the lie you kept from me. I don't want a repeat of that."
"I don't care about your money!" she barked at him, shrugging into her blazer which she'd left next to her. "You seem to care about it more than I thought. You know, I honestly believed that you wanted to be your own man and do something for yourself. But you don't, do you, Robert?"
"Yes," Robert snapped. "I just don't want to lose my father's company for doing it. I can invest with some other money."
"And I've begun to wonder what you want more, the money or me," Jennifer admitted and Robert rolled his eyes at hearing that. "We've hardly said anything other than 'can you pass me the salt?' to each other this week."
"I've been busy."
"You're always busy," Jennifer complained. "I'm going out."
"Where?" Robert wondered as she walked over to the door and grabbed her bag from the coat rack it sat on.
"I need some fresh air," she replied. "I need to clear my head."
"I'll leave the document on the side for you to look at," Robert said simply to her. "I might not be here when you come back."
"Where are you going?"
"It's a business dinner," Robert informed her with a nonchalant shrug.
"You didn't tell me."
"I didn't think that you'd want to come," Robert admitted to her. "It isn't your thing."
Jennifer nodded once before moving out of the door and closing it gently, feeling herself almost on the verge of breaking point as she moved down the hallway and to the elevator. She knew where she was going and she knew what she was going to do. She'd researched places where you could go and just dream. She was well aware that Eames would have killed her if he found out. But if Robert found out? Jennifer didn't think he'd even care.
...
"Where will you go?" Arthur asked from Eames as he stood in the departure terminal of the airport, looking at all of the different airlines which offered available seat for their flights. Eames was studying each one with intent, wondering where the best place would be. Arthur held onto his small duffel bag whilst Eames toyed with the handle of his case. Arthur was intending to be on the first flight to New York which departed in another two hours.
"What do you think to Europe?" Eames wondered gently. "Possibly Italy?"
"I've never been," Arthur shrugged. "It sounds nice. You don't have to stay for long if you don't like it."
"No, I don't," Eames said and moved over to the ticket desk whilst Arthur checked the board for flight times.
Eames quickly bought his ticket, getting rid of his case as he did so and noting that he had to transfer in the UK before heading out to Italy. The two men checked in and then made their way through security together before standing and looking out onto the planes on the runway.
"This is it then," Arthur said as Eames stood opposite him and they heard the New York flight being called.
"Oh, Arthur," Eames joked, "don't you go all soppy on me now, darling. Our fling in LA has been rather...tolerable."
Arthur chuckled and rolled his eyes whilst Eames grinned and he looked at him with a small smirk.
"I'd say tolerable would be the correct word," he admitted, looking over to his gate as people began to file over to it and he nodded once at Eames. "Take care, Eames."
"You don't need to worry about me," Eames grinned, looking back onto the runway whilst Arthur picked his bag up and slung it over his shoulder.
"I don't," he assured Eames, the pair of them grinning as he walked off to his gate and Eames was left with another hour to wait. He remained stood next to the window, watching the planes take off and land until his flight was called and he nodded to himself, knowing that leaving was the best option.
...
A/N: So, I decided to go with Lovely Rain Dancer's idea of how Saito wouldn't be mad with Cobb, it seemed right. Anyway, thank you to Lovely Rain Dancer, NeedNotNoName, NewSlove, K9Train and SARAHBABE215 for reviewing!
Let me know what you think so far!