Ashby yawned as she poured herself a cup of tea.
"Ash, I didn't schedule you until noon...how can you be so tired?" an older man asked.
"Sorry Mr. Girard...just didn't sleep well last night" She yawned. The old man shook his head, he'd been used to his daughters when they worked in the small cafe spending their night's out on the town and coming into work tired, but nothing like Ashby who almost seemed to refuse sleep.
"Ashby, you're a young girl...your sleeping habits worry me a bit. It can't be healthy for you" he said warmly as he cleaned a counter.
"I'm fine sir...it's just hard to sleep most nights" she said sipping her tea. A small bell rang just above the door signaling a customer.
"Take care of this Ash," the old man smiled before returning to the kitchen. Ashby yawned not looking up to face the new customer yet
"Afternoon, what can I get...you..." she asked finally glancing up at a too familiar face. "What are you doing here Arthur?" she asked.
"Ordering lunch" Arthur said plainly.
"Right...what are you really doing here?" She asked crossing her arms.
"I'll have the ratatouille...sounds great" Arthur said seeming unfazed by her attitude. Ashby was slightly taken back.
"Fine then," she said writing down his order "It'll be up in a few moments, have a seat where you like"
Hours had passed, Arthur had long since finished his lunch and sat reading a paper. Ashby watched half in anger, half in curiosity as she wiped the front counter.
"I don't think he came just for lunch cheri.." Mr. Girard observed, amused at both behaviors.
"He bloody well isn't getting any dessert..." Ashby mumbled continuing to work.
"Go talk with him, you need a break anyway" the old man advised.
"I'm fine sir..." she said. Mr. Girard shrugged. Ashby looked about, the restaurant was empty except for him, she was only an hour away from closing the cafe. She crouched down to clean the lower part of the counter.
"Still unwilling to forgive me Ash?" he said suddenly causing her to jump and bump her head on the lip of the counter.
"I think you know the answer to that as well as I do" she said rubbing her head.
"That's what I thought..." he said folding the paper and turning toward her. "Which is why I came to talk to you personally. not in a dream. not at Cobb's discretion, or anyone else's..."
"I find that hard to believe" Ashby laughed.
"Christ Ash! Can you at least hear me out?" Arthur said growing annoyed at her stubbornness.
"Give me one good reason Arthur" she bit.
"Because I still care about you and I know somewhere deep down you don't really hate me..." he said finally.
"Fine." she said moving toward his table and sitting across from him "You have one hour"
"You really can't forgive me?" Arthur asked after a few moments of silence. He'd almost regretted taking Ariadne's advice and talking with Ashby.
"You made your choice, clearly Cobol was more important then me" Ashby said fidgeting with her spoon.
"You didn't let me decide!" Arthur rebuttled "Before I could say anything, you were out the door!"
"Right, it should've been an easy enough decision Arthur" she said angrily.
"I don't think anyone faced with a decision of being hunted for life or losing someone they love is going to call that an easy decision Ash, you're being unreasonable" Arthur said calmly.
"Unreasonable? you're calling me unreasonable?" Ashby demanded "Unreasonable is a company who kills it's dedicated members if they aren't able to succeed, for that matter sends them on impossible missions. Unreasonable is living in a world only accessed by sleep"
"I've told you, none of us are under Cobol anymore..." Arthur began.
"Non, Rien de rien
Non, Je ne regrette rien..."
An all too familiar song came over the radio in the small cafe. Ashby suddenly looked to Arthur confused. Arthur looked about him confused. Ashby grabbed the small marble she kept on her at all times, her heart pounding. she looked it over, felt it's weight. Then glanced at Arthur who had taken his die out of his pocket.
Ashby laughed slightly as she placed the marble back in it's place. Arthur smiled at the amusement they each shared in what had happened.
"Can't look at that song the same way, can you?" He asked.
"No, the owner loves it...I have a moment of questioning my reality whenever I hear it" she said smiling.
"Look...Ash..." he said suddenly "I thought I'd gotten past everything with you. Turns out I was wrong.."
Ashby scoffed. She refused to let him through the wall she'd forced herself to build, even as she could feel it crumbling.
"I don't care about whatever job we're doing. I don't care if you come back to the team. I just hope you'll reconsider us" He continued. He noticed Ashby looking downward into the empty cup of tea in her hand, he waited a moment before realizing it was hopeless. Arthur glanced at his watch and sighed.
"I'm sorry Ash.." he said standing up from the table. Arthur walked toward the exit feeling worse about the situation then before.
"Wait.." Ashby called. He froze, then turned to face the small table they'd been sitting at. She stood and walked toward him. She removed the apron she had to wear for work, her clothes, a black tshirt and jeans were not what he'd been used to seeing her wear, she'd always had impeccable fashion.
"Look, you can't just waltz in after all that's happened and expect me to give you an answer straight away..." she said pulling her dark hair out of a binder as she stood in front of him.
"I need time..." she sighed. Arthur was silent watching her as she thought.
"You'll know by tomorrow what I've decided" she said brushing his cheek thinking it'd be the last time she'd do so.
"Goodbye Arthur" she said with a small smile as she left the small cafe.
Arthur returned to the warehouse before returning home. As he was packing up for the night Ariadne stopped him.
"How did it go?" she asked. He laughed.
"Can't get anything past you can I?" he smiled. She winked.
"Can't say" he began "It didn't go bad, it didn't really go well"
"At least it's even?" Ariadne offered. Arthur shrugged.
"Do you think she'll come back?" Ariadne asked.
"Knowing Ash...she'll come back to the team before me" He smirked. Ariadne smiled weakly, then an idea popped into her head.
"I've got an idea..." she grinned. Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Let's grab a couple drinks," she suggested "Rather then sitting in this old warehouse and chatting"
"Don't you have another date?" Arthur asked.
"I cancelled, I was here late" she smiled.
"Alright, sounds good...Think I could use it after this week" he said grabbing his coat.
Meanwhile, in the small apartment Ashby sat in the window of the living room, smoking.
"Christ Ash..." Nel said entering the living room glancing at the multiple used cigarettes in the window.
"Everything alright?" Nel asked. Ashby was silent a moment, she flicked a small piece of ash from the pajama pants she wore.
"Fine..." she said taking another drag "Just...have some really difficult decisions to make.."
"Are...are you leaving?" Nel asked nervously "I know I have the money to pay rent for awhile...but I really hate living by myself...and I'm sorry for.."
"I'm not leaving Nel" Ashby interrupted her. "Not yet."