A/N: Holy crap batman! thanks for the comments/critiques/follows and favs. I really appreciate it and plan to write more as soon as possible! If I don't update again this week, have a happy Christmas everyone! thanks again!

Ashby lit a cigarette, "Just thought I'd get a head start..." she lied.

"And why are you really here?" he asked sitting across from her. He was trying not to get his hopes up on anything with her. He also knew when she was lying.

"Can't get anything past you can I?" she smirked "Roommate is throwing a party...tried being social...only to have a drunken party boy try to convince me in bed"

They were silent a moment. Arthur silently gritted his teeth, upset at the life Ashby had been forced to live.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked finally as she set a misplaced pen back in it's cup.

"Just finishing up," he answered. "Getting ready to head home"

"Don't let me keep you, think I'm just going to get to work and sleep here tonight" Ashby yawned.

"Are you serious?" Arthur said raising an eyebrow.

"Can't go home, they'll be up until I have to be back here anyway" she answered "Plus I'm sure there's a couple shagging on my bed"

"Look, Ash...you don't have to stay here" Arthur said. what he said next surprised himself "You could stay at my place"

She looked to him.

"Arthur..." she began.

"I know. we're through, but I want you safe. the rest of the team does. staying here wouldn't make any of us feel you were safe. You can stay on my couch" he tried explaining. She paused a long while looking him over, she wasn't sure what she felt about him anymore. Then again, staying on a couch...rather then an old, uncomfortable military cot seemed enticing, plus the warehouse wasn't the warmest building at night.

"Alright" she said finally much to Arthur's surprise.

The conversation on the way home had been pleasant. It was late.

Arthur turned the key to the door of his apartment. The door opened and he flipped a light switch as the two entered.

"Well, this is it" he said. Ashby looked around, taking in her surroundings. It was a decent sized abode, well lit and very well fashioned. She'd always enjoyed Arthur's tastes for the finer things, being as she'd had to give up her own tastes just to get by, she was immediately put at ease in her current surroundings. The room was large, a kitchen was to her right and a large living room with a fire place to her left. at the far end of the living room was a flight of stairs to a lofted area which contained Arthur's bedroom, a hallway led from his room into a smaller study area.

"I'll get you some sheets and get the couch ready for you" he said making his way to a small linen closet. Ashby sat on the couch waiting, deep in thought.

"Bathroom is right through that door, feel free to make yourself at home" Arthur said as he returned. Much as they'd been getting along in the warehouse, there was an undeniable tension.

"Do you have any wine?" Ashby asked suddenly. Arthur looked at her shocked.

"Of course" he answered. the two had a mutual love for fine wine and a well crafted beer.

"Why don't we open a bottle and have a chat...I think we need to" Ashby said. Arthur nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"Trust me, I'm as nervous as you are Arthur" she said sensing his nerves.

"It was one of the most difficult jobs I've ever done" Arthur laughed as he took another drink of wine. He sat on the couch with Ashby, a bottle of merlot sitting on the sleek black coffee table, the soft sound of Ashby's ipod playing over the speakers.

"Did you really say 'paradox' as you dropped the projection to his death?" she laughed.

"just before, but yes" Arthur corrected. Ashby rolled her eyes and laughed taking another sip of her wine. There were times it felt like nothing had happened between them, or like they were starting over.

"I'm sorry I asked about Mombasa" Arthur said as he poured 2 more glasses of wine.

"It's alright, at least I'm still around" she said "I'm thankful for that"

"So Miles found you?" Arthur asked. Ashby nodded.

"Apparently Cobb had found out I was in Mombasa, he sent his father in law after me to get me back to Europe" she said "I didn't want to go back to dream sharing, so he's had me tutoring some of his brightest on their dissertations"

"Anything worthy coming our way?" Arthur asked raising an eyebrow

"No...I can honestly say, I haven't worked with a single student yet that has shown much promise" she admitted. "I never tutored Ariadne, she was in architecture. I was tutoring the psychologists, physicists and such who were interested in dreams..you know, my forte in the realm of dream sharing."

Arthur nodded.

"Miles also told me of Mal's death one afternoon," Ashby said sadly "I went into more hiding shortly after that...just couldn't handle it..."

"I think we were all affected by that.." Arthur said. He remembered Mal fondly, when he was new to the team she was the one who always helped set his mind at ease.

"Yeah..." Ashby agreed taking another drink. He wasn't sure if it was the wine talking, or the fact he needed to ask.

"Are you ever going to forgive me Ash?" he said suddenly. She stared at him a moment, her blue eyes scanning his face like she'd done so many times before.

She sighed then leaned back on the couch resting her head on his shoulder.

"I forgave you a long time ago Arthur" she confessed. Arthur was taken a back by the statement, but didn't want to move. she sighed.

"I thought of you, I missed you, I still lo-" she stopped and corrected herself "care about you. However, I didn't want to be pulled back into all this. When I ran, I said I'd never look back..at least that was my intent. I've had a gun pointed at my head so many times in the last few years, I don't think it'd phase me anymore. I also know, all this time you've been keeping track of me...which I'm sure made things rather convenient when Cobb wanted me back on the team."

Without either of them realizing it, Arthur's arm went around her as he listened to her speak, his fingers idly played with the ends of her dark hair.

"So, why come back to the team and not me?" he asked.

"Is there ever really a method to madness?" Ashby laughed slightly as her arm went around him "When I ran, and you stayed...That was it in my mind. you didn't feel the same as I did."

"That wasn't it at all!" Arthur said pulling her closer to him "I panicked! What you aren't aware of, is after you left that night, I ran after you. Tried hunting down the cab you'd taken, but I had no luck. Should have known you'd be amazing at covering your tracks"

They were silent, only the music from the small ipod could be heard.

"So, tell me now where was my fault

in loving you with my whole heart?"

Ashby smirked at the lyrics given the situation she'd placed herself in.

Bloody thing reads my mind sometimes

"So, where do we go from here Ash?" Arthur asked suddenly, his heart leapt into his throat the instance the words left his mouth. There were times he cursed his tendency to jump ahead, now was one of those times. He was sure she'd leave.

Ashby sat up, looking straight at him.

She really had missed him more then she had let on, she could feel the walls she'd built crumbling fast as she looked into his eyes. She ran her hand through his hair, Arthur closed his eyes and smiled slightly before pulling her into a kiss.

She knew at that instant, she wouldn't be spending the night on the couch.