Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me.

Ariadne looked at Arthur, her mouth falling open in shock. "Arthur, you don't mean that you'll..."

"Yes," he said, nodding. "Or the very least I can do is get tested to see if I'm a match." He bit his lip. "He needs marrow to help treat the tumour, so..."

Ariadne blinked. "Arthur, I-"

He smiled at her, tightly. "Its not your decision. Its mine." He turned, preparing to walk through the door. "Where are you-?" She stopped, unsure of what to say. He turned, and smiled.

"To go and see Adam."

"Wait a minute!" Diane Lerner got up, her face distraught. "You can't go and see him, you'll upset him, you'll-"

"Mrs Lerner," Arthur said, quietly, "your son is an adult. If I'm upsetting him, he can tell me." Without another word, he strode in the direction of the hospital room.

Adam swallowed, gazing at the ceiling. He winced as the pain in his back made itself known. Blinking back tears, he tried to focus.

"Adam?"

He turned his head. Katherine was standing next to the bed, her face a mask of sympathy. "I was working late," she explained, her voice faltering. "I heard you'd been brought in, so..."

He nodded, sending a fresh wave of pain shooting up his spine. "Thank you."

"Adam, what happened?" She sat down, and reached for his arm. "You just disappeared. I tried to call you over the last couple of days, and never heard anything."

Adam swallowed. "I was...busy." He blinked, unsure of whether to tell her the truth. "It was..."

"Look, its ok, it won't go any further." She smiled. "Confidentiality, remember?"

Adam turned his head. "I was in a dream." His voice was flat. "In a dream, and facing...my worst nightmare." He closed his eyes. "I think I need to sleep, if that's ok."

Katherine bit her lip. "Of course." She got to her feet, and gently touched his hand. "I'm here for you." Turning, she began to leave.

As she exited, she noted the very smartly dressed young man standing outside the door. "Is he awake?" he asked, without pretence of preamble.

The therapist nodded. "Yes, but-"

"Thank you." To her astonishment, the other man confidently strode into the room.

"Adam?"

He blinked, and tried to focus. Tilting his head, he saw Arthur. "Hey," he said, tiredly. The Point Man nodded. "Were you sleeping?"

"No." Adam decided to keep his head still, to prevent more pain emerging. "I wasn't. It...hurts. A lot."

Arthur bit his lip. "Adam, listen to me. You need a-"

"Transplant, I know." His voice was tired, and sad. "My body can't keep fighting this on its own. A transplant is needed along with surgery." He sighed. "Maybe its time everyone just said it. Said it and realised it was true."

"Said what?" Arthur asked, carefully. "Said what, Adam?"

"I'm dying." Adam's voice was flat, as though he were simply requesting a cup of coffee. "That I'm probably not going to live to see 28. Or go to Canada. Or tell a girl I love her." He swallowed, trying to fight back tears. "I'm going to die. And not even bravely, or heroically. But here, in a hospital bed."

Arthur looked at him. "Adam. I've thought I was going to die at points, myself." He swallowed. "When I was in Colombia, I was kept under armed guard for a few weeks. Not allowed to eat properly, wash myself. And-" he paused - "Tortured."

"What did they want?" Adam's voice was soft.

"Information. About Dream extraction." Arthur shook his head. "I wouldn't tell them anything."

"But it was your choice to go there." Adam's words were hard, pointed. "If you had been killed, that would have been your choice. It wasn't my choice to be diagnosed with cancer." He turned his head, and glared at the other man. "You're just a selfish piece of shit! You care more about yourself, about being seen as the big hero, than anyone else! No wonder Ariadne decided you weren't worth waiting for!"

Arthur blinked, feeling stunned. He looked at the distraught face of the man before him, and realised that he couldn't stay in the room. He got up.

"Well, maybe I am selfish," he said, trying to find the words. "But, Adam, don't give up on yourself. Please." He looked at him. "Do it for her. If not for you."

Adam didn't respond. Feeling unable to say anything else, the Point Man turned and left the room. As he walked into the corridor, he saw a young medic, about to walk into Adam's room. "Excuse me!"

She stopped. "Yes?"

"I would like to be tested." He swallowed. "As a possible donor, for Adam."

She looked at him, surprised. "Are you a relative? You do have a...slight resemblance."

Arthur smiled. "Well, no, but I would like to be tested. He's a friend."

"OK." She nodded. "Let me check his med dose, and I'll be with you."

The Point Man nodded. "Thank you."

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