AN: Thanks, as always, to the amazingly lovely myparamour, for helping me improving my work, and to any other reader out there, thank you for your appreciation, and also I would love some sort of feedback, either as a review or a much more discreet personal message, anything! :)

Chapter Three

Alex woke up in the middle of the night with the sound of her own voice, pleading for her father's aid. Her heart was pounding furiously and her breathing was erratic. Sweat coated her body and tears covered her face, and a tremble ran through her core at the recognition of what happened.

Alex ran her shaking hand through her forehead, cleaning away the sticky, cold sweat, as her heart still fought to lunge out of her chest. She'd been plagued by nightmares, images of her father being killed in front of her and the time she lived as nothing more than an young prostitute, the friends she'd lost at Division, and lastly, the loss of Sean. The feeling of being alone, frightened and powerless was with her every day, and it was too overwhelming for her to bear within her dreams as well.

Alex looked at the vintage metal clock perched upon the end table, it was only a few minutes past four. She got up and walked towards the bathroom sink, turning on the cold water to its full power, scooping and splashing water onto her face. She grabbed a small towel and walked towards the balcony, and looked at the punching bag that was set next to the lounge area. That would do for a couple of hours.

Dawn rose quickly, and after four hours of training she wasn't tired at all. Although she would prefer to continue working out, in an hour or so Cobb would initiate their training in the dream sharing, so it would be better for her to take a quick shower. She ran quickly up the stairs, holding to the rails, and she was so absorbed by her own thoughts that she almost bumped into Eames. He stopped her by her shoulders and smiled, as the imminent crash was avoided.

"Morning darling, up already?" he took a glance at her as she stepped back, raising an eyebrow. She was in sports clothes, and her skin was all sticky and sweaty. She didn't know what to say, so she quickly walked pass him by and entered her room in haste, closing the door behind her, but she could still hear him say before he walked away, "Nice chatting with you."

#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#

Arthur gathered everyone outside for breakfast, and after a quick snack Cobb took the meeting to the couch. Alex was still sipping her coffee when Cobb got up and walked towards the white board as he started to speak.

"We need a plan, a well-structured plan before-"

"I'm sorry chief, but this is our field of expertise." Birkhoff got up from the couch and walked towards Cobb, giving him a pat on the shoulder before starting to talk. "Amanda is in a U.S. secret basement, right? Well, they have received an order to relocate on the 15th, due to security issues, by yours truly, Shadow Walker, and we have a two hour window to hijack the transportation – probably an SUV - before they noticed it's off route."

It was obvious that Cobb, Arthur and Eames didn't understand anything Birkhoff just said, Alex noticed as she looked at their faces. Both Owen and Alex herself were graduates of Birkhoff 101, but to everyone else the only response is to give off a look that says, 'we never know exactly what he's saying, we just nod and smile politely.'

Alex wanted to laugh at the sight of those men staring awkwardly at Birkhoff, but instead she cleared her throat to draw attention from the tech man. "Okay, Owen and Birkhoff, you two go on and find a way to get us inside that car. Arthur and Eames, do whatever plans you do before an extraction. Cobb, I need you to teach me all I need to know about dream share, I'll be going with you."

Everyone suddenly started talking at the same time, the commotion making it clear that they didn't agree with her plan. But time was running short, and she wasn't there for a debate. "Listen Owen, I saw you limping, your leg, it's worse, right? And you Cobb, you need someone who's been inside Division, 'cause no matter the plan these two come up with, I bet it involves me. I'm the key to get through here, and you know that, so quit stalling, we have less than 36 hours to come up with a plan and execute it."

Without further hesitation, Arthur went inside to grab the PASIV kit as Cobb guided Alex to the reclining chairs, leaving the rest of the men to the research and outline the plan. Cobb laid on the chair and as he waited for Arthur to return he turned to Owen. "What happened to your leg?"

Owen looked down at the injured leg, "I got shot."

Birkhoff, without looking away from the laptop screen, clarified, pointing towards Alex, "She did it."

Alex could feel everyone's eyes on her, and she could sense her cheeks burning red, so she spoke nervously, "What!? It was the only way they wouldn't take him as hostage!"

Arthur stuck the PASIV needle into Alex's forearm, and she could see he, as well as Cobb, were still smiling from her declaration, so she spoke lower this time, in a shy, childish tone, "It seemed a good idea at the time…"

#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#

Dom handed Alex a cup of Starbucks coffee as they continued their walk through a busy Californian street, people coming in and out of big high-fashion stores with their arms filled with shopping bags with designers logos on them. Alex stared at the new Diesel collection; there were a few military styled pieces she wouldn't mind adding to her closet. She took another sip of the hot beverage while she practically drooled over a black leather jacket, but suddenly she froze. How did she get here? She looked around at the people surrounding her, and her mouth dropped slightly open as she felt her heart racing towards an abnormal pace, as the memories flooded her head. She recalled being in the safe house, on a reclining chair, waiting for Arthur to bring the PAS-

Suddenly the ground and buildings started to shake, first a small earthquake, but its force and impact grew by the second. She felt two hands grabbing her shoulders and now she was facing Cobb, who spoke gently but with a nervous tone. "Alex, if you don't calm yourself, the dream will collapse."

Alex looked Cobb straight in the eyes and exhaled heavily, bringing herself to a serene state. After a few seconds, the street stopped shaking, and the people around them resumed their activities, as if nothing had happened. Cobb smiled at her, "I'm impressed. I've never seen someone untrained being able to prevent a dream from collapsing." He let his hands slide off her shoulders and he brought them behind his back, continuing his lecture as they walked side by side.

"When awake, we only use a fraction of our brain's true potential, but when we sleep, our mind can do almost anything. We can create, control and manipulate the dream world, its landscapes, buildings and characters, but dream sharing requires certain tools." Alex nodded and Cobb continued, "We are the tools. The Subject is the person providing the information and projections needed to the fill the dream setting. The Dreamer is the person who creates the world of the dream. In our situation here, I am the Subject and you are the Dreamer, and that is why when you realized you were dreaming the world almost collapsed."

They contoured the street corner and now they were walking on the sidewalk across the beach. "What about the subject?

"If the dreamer realizes he's dreaming, the mind will search out the invader, and soon the projections will turn against the dreamer, fighting him as our body fights an infection."

Suddenly Alex stopped. She saw Thom. At least, she thought she did. Then everything unwound quickly. In a few seconds, Thom was approaching them with a handgun and was ready to shoot them, but Alex pulled Cobb out the range. He continued to shoot against the wall they were hiding behind.

"What's happening?" Alex yelled under the sounds of brick being torn apart, as she and Cobb covered their heads with their arms.

"The projection is reaching for the subject!"

"Thom, stop it!" Alex yelled desperately, and the shooting stopped. Alex slid out from cover and passed Cobb, and although he tried yelling 'no!' under his breath, she still made her way in front of the projection of Thom. She could feel the tears building up in her eyes, and although she tried to speak calmly as soon as she spoke her voice audibly low and trembling.

"Hi Thom," she forced a smile, and that was when the tears ran down her face. "I miss you so much… Please, don't shoot Cobb, okay?"

The boy raised his gun. "It's not him I'm after," and shot her in the head, waking her up with a brutal shake.

#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#

Both Alex and Cobb awoke with a jump. Cobb got up instantly and walked around, his blue eyes wide in shock. Arthur and Eames ran immediately towards them, Arthur helping Cobb stop the bleeding from where the needle was ripped, and Eames helped Alex straighten up. She quickly cleaned away the tears that were steadily falling down her cheeks, and although Eames didn't say anything she knew he'd noticed them. Owen walked slowly towards them, and as soon as he approached them Eames stepped away, giving him space to stand between him and Alex.

Arthur passed a clean tissue to Cobb, who was now just cleaning the blood around the small wound, and spoke lowly, "What happened?"

"Alex was doing fine, she'd even stopped the dream from collapsing, but then a projection shot her."

Eames looked at Cobb and spoke exasperated, "A projection kills the subject, not the dreamer. Maybe the shot was meant for you."

Cobb passed the back of his hand over his sweaty forehead, trying to think as the adrenaline in him gave another kick. "No, no, I was out of range. He really meant to shoot her."

"It was Thom," she spoke to Owen, but everyone turned to her. "He's dead because of me"

"Even if that were true, that's not really him, it's your own guilt projected towards you." He sounded calm, and its voice was now as smoothly as ever. "You can't hold onto something like that."

She looked at him until Cobb's voice brought her back from her trance. "Alex, are you alright?" She nodded back at him and smiled tried to smile as he continued, "It's better if you rest a couple-"

"No, I'm ready, let's do it"

#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#

Another restless night found Alex once again outside, in the early hours of the morning, beating senseless the poor punching bag. 'Whoever decided on this outside gym is a genius.' The workout relaxed her tensed body and the fresh air relaxed her troubled mind. Although the previous day had drained her, nothing could push away the horrible nightmares that kept creeping around when she slept.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice him approaching.

"I've just realized how poorly your sleeping habits are, it must be frustrating not to be able to sleep."

The British-accented voice brought her back to reality. She stopped, but she didn't need to turn around and face him to know who he was. "I can sleep, Eames, I just prefer not to."

"Hmm, I see." He held her hand in his and pulled her away from the training bag. "Come with me love, the dummy has suffered enough. Besides, I've got something better for us to do"

#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#.#

Eames took Alex down the hill, to an even more secluded part of the mountain. He had on his shoulder a duffle bag that he managed to get while she was inside the house grabbing her hoodie. When they finally arrived at their destination, Eames turned on the large solar spotlight sitting a few feet away. He unzipped the bag and picked up an air rifle and handed it to Alex, before walking a few yards upfront and setting a dozen empty soda cans on an improvised fence. This was their practice field, she realized, and it was a good place, for there was no way the people still sleeping at the safe house could hear the sound of the weapons.

"Okay, you shoot while I drink a few beers, the first one you miss we trade places."

"I-"

He cut her off right away, with his trademark grin spread all over his face. "Don't you worry darling; I brought you a pack of Red Bulls. You weren't intending on sleeping anyway, were you?"

In between shooting down the dozen cans in turns, to then picking them up and starting shooting once again, the hours passed without Alex really noticing. They spoke of frugal subjects and the job they were preparing themselves for, but nothing actually personal, Alex noticed, as she was shooting the last two cans on the fence, and Eames sat in a plastic chair with a beer in his hand, watching her aim at the target.

"Tell me something about you," he simply asked

"There's nothing to tell," she lied, as she shot down the can with a perfect precision, not turning to face him, and aiming towards the last can standing.

"Your accent is Russian, that I am sure, and by the way you refuse alcohol and hesitated when the needle touched your arm I can definitely say that you were addicted to both." Without her noticing he had crept up behind her. "…Which is very common with the sex slaves fallen victim to trafficking. Am I close?" She could feel the warmth of his breath touching her ear, so she stood as quiet as her racing heart allowed, her chest up and down as she tried to hold her aim at the can. "What happened with Thom?"

And that was it. She missed the shot, as her heart skipped a beat at the mention of that name "I don't want to talk about it," she said with what she hoped was assuredness, only her trembling voice gave her away, Eames noticed. She shoved the gun towards his chest and walked passed him, sitting down in the chair right across from where he was previously.

Eames put his hands up, in a gesture of surrender, and spoke with a low, smooth voice. "It's okay. Actually, I'd rather not listen to some old, sad story, it ruins both my mood and my fuddle…" by now he had already sat on the other chair, and they sat silence for a few moments. He scanned her for a second. She was very good-looking, with pale skin, light blue eyes and plump pink-ish lips, and more curves in that athletic body of hers than a common man could ever bare. And still, when it came to her personality, she was just like an iceberg, underneath all that superficial beauty there was an unseen complex nature, most likely to make a man sink than to help him swim to shore…

He smiled at her, as he already knew her reaction to his following statement. "I've gotta give it to you darling, this is the most peculiar date I've ever been on."

"It's not a date!" she snapped out loud, giving him just the exact annoyed reaction he expected. He was looking straight at her, a mocking smirk playing in his lips, as he rubbed the edge of the beer bottle with his index finger. She rolled her eyes and she smiled, a warm genuine smile she quickly tried to cover by drinking a gulp of Red Bull. He continued staring at her, with a raised eyebrow, and resumed his teasing speech.

"But it was surprisingly enjoyable. We should do this again soon!"

She cracked-up in a loud laughter, something that made him chuckle. She was always reserved and liked to keep to herself, playing safe when it came to people, but now he could sense she was completely relaxed, aside from being tired, she was really enjoying herself and the company, he hoped.

Eames got up and arranged all the gear together, and spoke as he observed the east horizon "The sun is rising. We better go, if we want to catch a couples' hours' sleep."

AN: This fic was supposed to be only cannon-pairings, but I got to give it to my muse, Alex and Eames being all friendly is super cute! But that's all they are, friends! You hear me, stubborn muse!?

Hope you'd enjoyed chapter three, hopefully I'll update soon and please, share your thoughts on this, pretty please!