Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me.

Arthur blinked, and looked round. He was sitting on the bed, of a luxurious, spacious room. Swallowing, he got up, and a voice made him jump.

"Sssh!"

He turned. A small girl was hiding, and brought her finger to her lips.

"He's looking for us," she whispered, urgently. "You don't want him to find us!"

Arthur shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Alice!" A woman's voice echoed. "Alice, where are you?"

Alice looked startled. Arthur nodded, and headed to the large, heavy drapes, carefully concealing himself in one. Before he'd finished properly wrapping himself, a woman entered, slightly harrassed, early forties. She looked round the room. "Alice!"

Shamefacedly, the young girl came out. The woman shook her head. "Alice, how could you?" she asked, gently. "You know how you shouldn't be playing hide and seek in here. This is Master Fischer's room!"

"Its ok," a voice said, calmly, as she turned round. "It was my idea, Louisa. I'm sorry."

"No, no, its fine," the woman said hurriedly, as she took in Robert. "I just worry my daughter gets under your feet, that's all!"

"No, she doesn't," he insisted. The housekeeper nodded and began to walk away, Alice clinging to her mother's hand. "Mommy, I was just helping Robert, he's lone-"

The housekeeper abruptly shushed her, and Arthur remained concealed as the figure of Robert Fischer moved silently around the room. He sank down onto the bed, sighing. With a jolt, Arthur realised the impersonal room - as far as could be imagined from the usual cluttered habitat of a teenager - was Robert's room.

Suddenly, the door burst open. "Robert!" Peter Browning stood in the doorway, frowning. "There you are! Have you forgotten you're meant to be downstairs soon? Guests are arriving!"

Robert stood up, and Arthur thought he saw a flicker of fear in the other boys' eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, Uncle Peter. I just-"

Browning shook his head. "Not good enough, Robert. You know this. Your father needs to see you can be responsible."

He left, closing the door. Robert walked to the bureau, and placed his hands on it, trying to control his breathing. Suddenly, the door burst open again.

"Just remember, your father had to put up with you being expelled from two schools! The best prep schools on the East Coast, and you-"

"Well, maybe he shouldn't have sent me away!" Robert shouted back. "Did he ever think of that?"

"What else was he supposed to do with you?" Browning shook his head. "Robert, your father has an empire, that is going to be yours one day. You need to prove to him that you're not just a weak, spoiled, baby! Because thats what he thinks!"

Robert swallowed, the muscles in his neck visibly tightening. "And he thinks this because-?"

Browning stepped forward, and placed his hands on the younger man's shoulders. "He thinks this because of the way you behaved after your mother died. Sobbing every night. Crying at the smallest thing."

Robert shook his head. "Yes. There was 'nothing to be said'. That's what he said, Uncle Peter."

"Well, I suggest you come with me," Browning said, kindly. Patting Robert on the shoulder, he began to lead the younger man downstairs.

As soon as the door closed, Arthur pushed the curtain aside. "Damn," he muttered.


"So, this is the Fischers'...?" Ariadne looked around the room, amazed at the modern, subtle splendour. Dom nodded. "Impressive, isn't it?"

Suddenly, a man approached them. Tall, slim, he had the same sculptured features of Robert, although his eyes were darker. "Hello," he said, cordially. "You are..."

"Oh, I'm Dom Cobb, and this is Ariadne Hamilton," Dom said, smiling pleasantly. "We're friends of Robert's."

Maurice Fischer extended his hand. "Delighted," he said, politely. "Robert should join us, soon."

He walked away. Ariadne swallowed. "So, he's-"

"Robert's projection of his father." Dom turned. "Where's Eames?"

"I'm right here," the younger boy called. Dom looked more carefully, and noticed Eames in the hallway. He frowned, and gestured him to walk over.

"What?" Eames asked, his eyes still taking in the splendour of the room. "What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to-" Dom swallowed, and leaned forward. "Become Maurice. We need to feed Robert an idea. The idea that his father loves him, and is proud of him."

Eames blinked. "Dom, I don't know. I mean, I've done it a few times-"

"You can do this," Dom said, simply. He leaned forward, and placed his hands on Eames's shoulders. "We need you to."

Eames pondered. "Well, I-"

"If you don't do this, Browning will use us back in reality. He'll use us to extract from Maurice Fischer, and then, he'll turn Robert on us. He'll use us to kill him. Do you understand that?" Dom said, forcefully.

Eames swallowed. "OK. But how do we get Fischer Snr to-"

Dom nodded. "Leave that to me." He raked his eyes over the hallway, noting the projection walking into the living room. Quickly, he followed him. "Mr Fischer?"

Fischer Snr turned. "Yes?"

Dom moved his fingers to the back of his neck, and squeezed gently. Fischer swayed, and began to lose consciousness. Dom searched, and found a cupboard. Moving quickly, he dragged the projection into it.

"Dom!" Ariadne hissed. He blinked. Robert was entering, with his godfather, his hand firmly clamped on his shoulder. Dom turned. "Eames!"

Smoothly, Eames, masquerading as Fischer Snr, walked forward. "Robert," he said, simply. "Thank you for coming down."

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