To wake from a dream after what seemed to be forever, you question your own sanity. Cobb had implied this time and time again, and everyone took his words to heart, him being the only known person who's been to Limbo and still alive.
They had implanted the idea, but still had to wait for the sedative to wear off. They were waiting for a week, hiding from projections and ignoring the possibility that Saito and Cobb minds may be destroyed forever.
To wake from a dream after what seemed to be forever, the first thing you notice is the light. It is blinding, and you blink several times, thinking if this was reality, or were you still dreaming.
Arthur thought this, staring up at the ceiling. He was slumped down in his seat, but had barely moved.
Barely moved in what seemed days.
He slowly took out his totem, the little red die that was the only thing that could tell him he was in reality. The others, all expect Saito and Cobb and Fisher, were beginning to stir. Yusuf had waken first, quickly working with the flight attendant to hide the PASIV device before Fisher woke. He had sat back in his seat after hiding it just as Fisher opened his eyes.
Arthur turned to his side, rubbing the die between his fingers. He rolled it across the tiny ledge to his left, praying this was reality, that he didn't have to wait again to wake up.
He sighed when it rolled to a stop, on the right number. He picked it up, placing it back in his pocket.
He stared forward now, at the young woman who he was afraid for inside the dream, who had never shot a gun, never gotten into a real fight. He was scared when she told him what had happened in Limbo, scared that it might have hurt her horribly.
But then she glanced back at him, her totem grasped tightly in her hand, and she smiled at him. That one, little smile, and automatically everything was better. Things hadn't changed, he was still scared for her. But it was better.
He smiled back at her as the flight attendant told them they would be landing soon. Everything wasn't alright, but they could all get through it, together. Because after something this big, you can't forget anything that happened.
AUTHORS NOTE: I got Inception this weekend. I am so thrilled, I've been watching it over and over again. It came up around the end when I wondered what happened as they wake up on the plane. I've seen many fanfics when they are off the plane, but I haven't really seen one where their contemplating what happened down in the dream, so I made this. Hope you like it.