Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me. Apologies for the hiatus, but thank you to those of you who have this as a favourite and on alerts!
Robert turned. "Father?"
"Come with me," "Maurice" said, putting a fatherly arm around Robert's shoulders. "I need to talk to you."
Robert nodded, duitfully, allowing himself to be led away. Arthur and Ariadne watched from the side. Both were dressed in fashionable evening wear, allowing themselves to blend with the other guests.
"What do you think is going to happen?" Ariadne whispered.
Arthur swallowed, his lips tightening. "I'm not sure. Hopefully, Eames will be able to repair his relationship with his father...but, I don't know. Depends on whether he can sustain the forgery." He rubbed his forehead. "Its tough." He turned to her. A string quarter had begun to strike up a soft waltz. "Do you want to dance?"
Ariadne blinked. Dance? With Arthur? She nodded, extending her arms. Smiling, the young man circled his arm around her waist, and began to glide with her gently across the floor.
"I hope we get out of here-" she began to comment, only to see Arthur shake his head, frowning. "What is it?" she whispered.
"We can't draw attention to ourselves," he warned. "Dom told me. These are projections, they'll be looking for the dreamer. Looking for me." She turned her head - other guests were beginning to look at them. She swallowed, and suddenly realised he was still speaking. "Quick, give me a kiss."
Ariadne blinked, then leaned forward. As his lips met hers, she realised that she had been starved of human contact for too long. He had comforted her at the clinic, and also when they had tried to escape to Dom's. She let their lips melt together, relishing in the warmth of his.
After a few precious moments, they pulled apart, reluctantly. Arthur turned his head and looked round at the other guests. "Well, they're still looking at us," he commented, shrugging.
Ariadne smiled, still enjoying the tingle his mouth had left. "It was worth a shot."
"What do you want, Father?" Robert asked, uncomfortably. His father had ushered him into his study, and was in the process of pouring himself a scotch.
"Well, I just wanted to talk to you," was the reply. "I appreciate you're not a very happy boy." "Maurice" turned and looked at Robert, his eyes questioning. "Peter told me you were expelled from school." He sank into a chair. "What's wrong, Robert?"
Robert swallowed, meeting his father's gaze. "Its not been easy," he admitted. "I was...bullied there."
"Maurice" took a sip of scotch. "How were you bullied, Robert?"
"Well, I would go into the swimming pool, and find my clothes torn to shreds." He looked at the floor, unwilling to look up. I would find things...in my bed at night."
"What things, Robert?"
"You don't want to know," was the mumbled response.
"Maurice" nodded. "Robert, I know we've never been close, but you need to listen to me. I want to...repair this relationship. Make things better between us."
Robert looked up. "I see."
"You are the person I intend to leave my Empire to," his father continued. "I need to know that we trust each other."
Robert looked at him. "So why did you send me away, to that clinic?" Tears were beginning to form in his eyes.
"Maurice" looked at him, and sighed, sadly.
"That wasn't my decision. It was your godfather's."
Robert's eyes widened. "What?"
Arthur swept around the dancefloor, Ariadne firmly in his arms. Cobb hung on the sidelines, and checked his watch.
"Ten minutes," he muttered. "You've got ten minutes, Eames." He swallowed, trying to keep calm.
Suddenly, he felt a tug on his arm. Turning his head, he looked up. A man in a suit was smiling at him.
"Come with me," he said, softly.
Dom froze. Then he noticed the gun.
"Peter has been trying to come between us for years," "Maurice" told him, softly. "I need to know that you're on my side, Robert."
Robert looked at him. "I-" "Maurice" looked at him, kindly. "Yes?"
"I-" Suddenly, the door burst open, and in came Browning.
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