(Thanks for all of your reviews. This is my first attempt at a romance fanfic and I appreciate everyone's support. I'm usually a mystery and thriller writer personally but I found their relationship too be too good to not write about. You might say this first attempt is worth a shot? Ha-ha? Cue the cricket noise. There's more to come. I have this and a second mystery/action story in the making. If you enjoy it please review it to get the next chapter! Enjoy!)
2
A young man with large glasses held hands with a shorter girl. They walked in perfect sync across the university campus underneath a blanket of rich moonlight. Their frequent gazes at each other's smiles sent ripples down Ariadne's spine. When the couple reached the street that bordered the university, Ariadne hid within the shadows of a nearby corner and watched. Then the young man hunched down and planted a soft kiss on the girl's lips and Ariadne's heart retreated into the depths of her chest.
She turned away, not wanting to look anymore, but the scene was too intimate to ignore. If it was going to be the only connection she had with him then she had no choice but to absorb the last few chances she had to see him. Suddenly a hard twig crunched underneath her shoe and she darted away.
Ariadne ran as hard as her feet could take her. She was the only one on the streets that night so it gave her the privacy she wanted. There were no cars driving alongside her so that gave her the peace she needed. She was alone. The wind against her face slid her flowing tears towards the back of her ears. With every step she remembered the walk across the courtyard, the last kiss of the day before departing to their dorms, the usual surprise of him not letting her hand go and then following night that was spent together. In her head she remembered everything.
Ariadne pushed her body forward and leapt into the street. The last thing she consciously remembered was a bright light and a piercing screech. Then everything, including the young man with large glasses, went black…
"Get up, quick."
Ariadne recognized the voice with great content. "Arthur?"
Arthur helped her off of the middle of the intersection and brushed her down. He looked around him and held her face with his hands. "For the next five minutes don't ask questions ok?" He request was firm but polite.
Ariadne nodded obediently. She heard him but her eyes were the only things focusing. She was locked onto his own and fixed by a powerful gaze. Deep down she was almost at his mercy.
"Wait, what's going on?"
Arthur touched his fingertip on her lips. "You're so stubborn, I said no questions. Follow me."
He grabbed her hand and took her away from open light. They ran through the empty streets until they came to an alleyway. She looked at him cautiously. Arthur was silent as he looked into the darkness of the alley. He looked as if he was in deep though.
"Arthur?"
"That's still a question."
"Oh, sorry."
Arthur pulled her hand towards him as he finally decided to enter the shadows of the alley. He stopped underneath a fire escape that was hanging above him. Ariadne helped him bring the ladder down with curious thoughts running through her head. Arthur helped Ariande up the ladder first. She looked down at him and he looked up smiling. He sent the message and she got it.
Trust me.
Ariadne climbed the apartment's fire escape with Arthur right behind her heels. The ambient lights from the street casted long creeping shadows across their faces. As the two climbed higher Arthur began to notice strange things. He watched as long shadows began moving towards them in the alley below. One of them looked up and pointed at the them.
"Ariadne, I'd hurry it up."
"Why, what's going-" Ariadne looked down and gripped the ladder's bars even tighter, "oh damn."
More people were filling the alley below them and they were beginning to climb the fire escape behind them. They followed each other up in a single fashion. Arthur gripped Ariadne's shoe.
"I'm going, I'm going."
Ariadne climbed even higher, hoping to reach the rooftop but the closer she got to the roof another story to the apartment was added. No matter how fast she climbed she was never any closer to the roof.
"Arthur?"
"You're asking questions."
"Seriously, what's going on?"
Arthur looked up and looked as if all of his hopes and dreams were suddenly destroyed. He pointed ahead of her and motioned with his head. Ariadne looked up as well and saw the same young man she saw kissing the shorter girl. He was now hunched on the rooftop with his arm extended but instead of helping Ariadne he want for Arthur who was behind her.
"Thomas?" She asked in a quiet voice. She was lost in mixture of emotions but that all changed with the young man pulled Arthur up from the fire escape to the rooftop above her.
Arthur did nothing but look at him. The young man however observed him with loathing eyes.
Arthur looked down at Ariadne and smiled. "Now you can ask your question."
Ariadne had nothing to say. She simply watched.
"I'll answer that for you," Arthur swept his hand through his hair and sighed. "You're dreaming."
The young man then grabbed Arthur's arms and pushed him off of the roof. He fell without noise or resistance. Ariadne, however, was screaming at the top of her lungs. She let go of the ladder and went after him. Arthur tried to reach out for her hand as they plummeted to the crowd below them. Nearly an inch away Ariadne felt only two thing for Arthur at that moment, pain and love.
The impact wasn't painful. In fact, Ariadne felt nothing but bliss but that was before she woke up.
Beep. Beep.
Ariadne opened her eyes up with difficulty. Her eyesight was blurry but she could make shapes and color. She saw piercing and lost eyes and wondered about Arthur.
"How're you feeling?" Cobb's voice was like a ton of bricks to her ears. It was not the voice she wanted to hear.
Ariadne tried to sit up but the IV and searing pain held her back against the bed. A soft rain was lightly tapping against the window. It was a gloomy day and that made the hospital room even darker. She looked at herself and moaned.
"Are you hurting?" Cobb asked worryingly.
"I hate scrubs."
"No, you're fine." Cobb smiled and rested against the bed's railing over his folded arms. "You didn't go home last night did you?"
"Really? You want to talk now?" Ariadne placed her hands over her face. "At this time?" Her voice was muffled.
"We need to know, kid."
Ariadne sighed. She had to make up an excuse, fast. "I went for a stroll."
"For two hours?"
"What I gone that long?"
"No, that was how long you went strolling. Arthur told me you left before nightfall and you never returned."
"Was I?" Ariadne thought hard and remembered the training session she had asked Arthur to attend. "Oh."
"So, where were you?"
"I was," Ariadne's brain was jumbling inside of her, "I couldn't go back."
Cobb lifted his head up. "Why not?"
Ariadne tugged on her hair. "Cobb, I can't do this anymore."
He waited for her to explain but was just as eager to talk.
"I've been thinking hard about this job and I don't think I'm emotionally ready for this."
Cobb listened to her in silence.
"I have- I used to have a life before this and now…" Ariadne felt her cheeks warm up and her throat swell. The painkillers they had given her were beginning to wear off. She was slowly beginning to feel a cold pain shoot up the left side of her body.
Cobb got up and nodded. "I'll let you rest."
Ariadne pulled on his sleeve. "Please don't tell Arthur."
Cobb nodded. "Sure. I'll leave that up to you." He bid his farewell and left the hospital room. Ariadne was left alone to listen to the sporadic beating of the rain.
Cobb closed the door behind him and shook his head in frustration.
"I said to keep it quiet and minimal. I said to be discreet, dammit." Cobb frowned at the Arthur who was sitting outside Ariadne's room.
He got up to Cobb's eyelevel. "There's something bothering her Cobb. I can feel it."
"Don't find out." Cobb turned around and began to walk away.
"She needs me."
Cobb immediately stopped and pointed his index finger at Arthur. "No. You think she needs you. Whatever this thing is between you and Ariadne, take care of it or it'll mean the death of this group. Got it?"
Arthur said nothing.
"Keep the training separate from your personal life. You don't want to mix those two up." Cobb's breathing flinched. He paused for a moment and then walked away from Arthur. Arthur picked up a small metal suitcase that was lying next to his feet.
"I can help her Cobb. I can get her focus back." Arthur shouted.
Cobb didn't respond.
(I'm sorry if this has a few spelling and grammar mistakes. I really wanted to get this one written. I'll edit it as soon as I possibly can. Again, please be a good crowd and review this chapter. It really gives me an extra boost of energy to hear what you have to say. Thanks for reading and please review for the continuation of this story!)
