A/N: sorry it took awhile to get this chapter up! I caught up with myself and wasn't quite happy with this chapter for awhile...plus the holidays got in the way. enjoy! and thanks as always!
Ashby glanced around her, she clearly wasn't in her flat. Instead she was in a lofted bedroom decorated far more to her own taste. She looked to the other side of the bed, which she'd noted was empty. She rubbed her eyes, then immediately reached for her totem.
She wasn't dreaming.
As soon as the realization hit her, she heard her phone ringing. She dug around the bed, searching for the pants she'd worn the night before.
"Ah ha! There you are!" she said as she extracted the device. "Hello?"
"Ash?" the familiar voice of her flatmate sounded through the receiver.
"Morning Nel" she said stretching.
"Ash, I'm so glad I got a hold of you!" Nel said "Listen, I'm really sorry about last night...I scolded Louis, and the couple on your bed...Things just got out of hand"
"It's alright Nel" Ashby said as she grabbed one of his starched white shirts from the floor and put it on
"Where did you go?" Nel asked
"Back to work," Ashby answered. "Look, Nel. I'll see you tonight, we'll talk then alright. everything is fine"
She made her way downstairs from the loft, she smelled the distinct smell of coffee and shook her head. she also heard a song she hadn't listened to in a long time and Arthur singing slightly in the kitchen, she smirked again knowing she'd catch hell later from Eames. She snuck up on him and put her arms around him from behind.
"I keep telling you, that stuff is going to kill your stomach" she said causing him to jump slightly.
"'Bout time you woke up," he laughed. "No complaining about my morning rituals, I already made you tea"
"You randomly keep tea in your place?" she said raising an eyebrow.
"No," he laughed "I actually tried some."
"And?" Ashby said hoping he'd changed his mind.
"It's still wet leaves to me" he grinned.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Ashby asked as the team gathered in the mutual meeting area.
"Cobb is still in Mombasa, but has a plan" Arthur began "Saito will be calling in momentarily to let us know the full mission"
"Been wondering why he's so secretive about this one" Eames said making note.
"Ariadne, I'd like it if you and Ashby could go over some of the dream layer designs" Arthur said. Ariadne nodded dutifully.
"Is Saito in Mombasa as well?" Ashby asked.
"Yes," Arthur answered "He'll let us know soon who our mark is. Said something about making sure the whole team was assembled before saying anything"
Ashby raised an eyebrow and shook her head before writing something down.
"Alright, everyone. Let's get to work" Arthur said. With that the rest of the team stood and went to their areas, Eames catching up with Ashby as she dug through her bag.
"Seems a bit odd," he said with a smirk.
"Everything is odd with you Eames" she said ignoring him and looking over her papers. it had seemed odd, the info for the mark was there...but no name, Saito had been so secretive, it was starting to concern Ashby. If her info added up correctly, she had a good idea why he was being so secretive.
"What I mean pet, is it seems odd...the two of you arriving together" Eames added "Thought this was just work"
"It is," she said closing up her folder "business as usual"
Eames smirked as Ashby walked away toward Ariadne's desk.
Admittedly, Ariadne was nervous she was assigned to work with Ashby that afternoon. They hadn't spoken much, and the few times they did Ashby was very short and precise with her. She didn't know if it was because she was focused, or she just didn't like her.
"Ok, ok...just be yourself. I'm sure she doesn't hate me...Arthur said she's just that way...what if he's wrong?" Ariadne's mind raced.
"Am I interrupting?" she heard a voice jarring her thoughts.
Ariadne jumped and looked to see Ashby standing nearby.
"No, um...just.." Ariadne tried saying, stammering over herself.
"Let's see what you've got for me" Ashby said setting her folder down on the table
"Sorry," Ariadne said feeling her face turn red "It's rough, but this is my concept for the second level"
Ashby looked about the various diagrams Ariadne had built.
"Just how many layers are we going?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not even sure, Saito told me to build multiple diagrams" Ariadne admitted. "I know at least 2"
"At least?" Ashby asked. she shook her head to clear her thoughts "Right then, what have you got"
"So far, this" Ariadne said pointing to a diagram still in progress. "It's a bit rough.."
"But impressive" Ashby commented. Ariadne smiled at the compliment.
"Is there any way you could make these halls a bit easier to...how should I put it.." Ashby thought. "Make it so one can manipulate physics a bit easier?"
Ariadne looked at her confused "Really? I thought messing with physics was a bad thing..."
"It can be." Ashby said "However, it's a necessary evil...and a bit of a speciality of mine"
Ariadne was feeling better already as she agreed and spent another hour working with Ashby to make the mazes perfect.
"Ash, Ariadne, Saito is on conference call" Arthur said approaching them. Both grabbed their folders heading for the central area.
The small group sat around a telephone perched on the table.
"Saito? Can you hear me?" Arthur asked as he turned speaker phone on.
"I hear you fine Arthur" the familiar voice sounded "Good afternoon everyone"
Various greetings were said.
"I am sure you are all eager to hear of the assignment in full." he began. "This is a large job and I wanted the best of the best on this team. Arthur, Ashby, I have sent the full information on our marks and it should be arriving within a day, but I wanted to tell all of you first to lessen the blow"
"Excuse me, did you say marks? as in more then one?" Ashby asked.
"Yes, Miss Wilkes. two to be exact. I need the team's assistance in disbanding a corporation. The man in charge of the company, has admittedly lost much of his mind in the past 3 years, as such, his son will be taking over the company. Now, his son has no information about the company, and given the current state of his father's mind...he won't. I need you to extract the information to give to the son to destroy before the heads of the company take over, the son is the only one who can disband the company"
Ashby's jaw dropped. Arthur ran a hand through his hair.
"Never make things easy on us, eh Mr. Saito?" Eames said spinning a pen in his fingers.
"For this team, it should be an easy matter" Saito replied.
"Alright, if it's going to be so simple. Who are the marks? Ash and I need to start finding the necessary information on them as soon as possible" Arthur said.
"William M. Woodruff and William Jr." Saito said plainly. Arthur, Eames and Ashby looked up from their paperwork instinctively. There was a silence in the room.
"The head of Cobol engineering?" Ashby said suddenly.
"This has to be a lark.." Eames said.
"I'm afraid not, despite his mental state. He is still sending his men after information about my company. I need his son to disband the company, to protect my own" Saito explained.
"Forget it." Ashby said getting up "I'm out."
She grabbed her belongings and made her way to the door. There was a loud slam of the door.
"Shit.." Arthur said getting up instantly. "Eames, Ariadne write down anything else you talk about, Mr. Saito, I'll be right back until then Eames and Ariadne are standing by."
"Forget it Arthur" Ashby said as he followed her down the sidewalk.
"Ash, come on. Please." He begged picking up speed. She turned on her heel and stopped abruptly.
"I don't care if we aren't working for them...I refuse to deal with that...man ever again" she spat. She wiped at her eye feeling a tear form, she hated the thought of shedding any tears over much of anything. Arthur caught up with her, putting his hands at her shoulders.
"The team needs you Ash," he said "I need you. I don't think I can do this job on my own, Saito is asking a lot of us"
"I hate this, I hate admitting it...I can't do it" she stammered through tears. It was rare she ever let her guard down, she always came off as collected, calculated, at times brash. There were only a small number of times Arthur had ever seen her completely break down.
"It's ok," Arthur said pulling her close "You don't have to face this alone"
It had been a couple months into the recent job and nearly a month they'd been sleeping together.
Arthur laid awake in bed, it was late. He smiled looking around the lavishly decorated loft he'd become used to.
"Doing alright yankee?" she asked in a thick British accent. He laughed at the nickname he'd inherited from her.
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" he said pulling her in closer.
"You were quiet" she said propping herself up to look at him.
"I can't be quiet?" he grinned.
"Nope. afraid not" she said kissing him. He laughed, then looked at her again pushing a strand of her hair away from her face.
"What's on your mind Arthur?" she asked.
"Nothing really," he said playing with the ends of her hair "Just realizing I feel at home here"
Ashby paused a moment before speaking again.
"So, what are you running from?" she asked. Arthur raised an eyebrow curiously.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It seems like 90 percent of those who become involved in dream sharing, specifically how we're involved.."
"illegally?" he ventured. She nodded.
"It seems most of us have something to run from. So, what's your story? What are you running from? Why'd you start this crazy life?" she asked. Arthur thought a moment glancing out the window at London's nightscape.
"You'll think it's stupid I'm sure" he smirked.
"Try me" Ashby challenged.
"Alright, you asked for it" Arthur laughed. "I think I've always been running from who they want me to be."
"They?" she asked.
"My family." he sighed.
"Why do I get the feeling you're a rich boy rebelling against his family?" she smirked. he laughed and kissed her.
"Because, in a way you're right" he admitted "My family is well off. I won't deny that."
"So why run?" she asked.
"Because I'm not my sister," he sighed pushing a strand of hair behind her ear "They always wanted a girl and she's the perfect example of what they want. Whereas, I'm not. So, after highschool...I decided to go to college in France. They weren't happy as I was supposed to go to Yale like her, become a lawyer. Much as I make more then she does doing what I do for Cobol...it isn't good enough to them. I only visit once every couple years"
"Why?" Ashby asked confused.
"To see if they changed" Arthur answered "sadly I'm always disappointed."
"I don't know your sister," Ashby said "But I know I like you better"
He smiled again.
"What about you?" he asked "What's your story? how'd you become involved in all this?"
"Simple really." Ashby began "I was sent to school in Paris by my Auntie, never knew my parents, I'm honestly surprised we never knew each other in university Arthur"
He laughed as they'd realized they'd been at the same University during the same time period.
"Anyway, just like you..I had a fascination with dreams. Miles saw that and instantly began cultivating that interest...I also had Eames egging me on, we didn't live far apart really and he'd just started working as a forger. Soon after graduation, Cobol picked me up and here I am." she said.
"How'd you become so sought after?" Arthur asked "I mean, I thought I was the best until you came along"
"Don't doubt yourself!" she laughed "I think we're both equal and I NEVER thought I'd say that to anyone!"
"Well thank you," he laughed "But you were working directly with the head of Cobol engineering.."
Ashby frowned.
"Thankfully, I pulled some strings to get jobs away from him and his main cronies" she said "I'd like to think I was that high up due to my abilities...I'd be kidding myself if I thought that"
Before he could say anything, he saw he fighting back tears.
"He's a fucked up person Arthur," she choked.
"Who?" Arthur asked pulling her closer to him.
"The head of Cobol...you know how we can die/be killed in dreams and all it does is wake us up?" she said. Arthur nodded.
"Yeah, well he uses that for his sick fantasies...specifically if you're female and working with him. He can't persue any of his fantasies in real life as I have higher standards then him, he is a married man, and legally...he would be arrested if he got away with it...I'm terrified he'll try some day" she said burying her face in his chest "All I want to do is work"
Arthur grit his teeth in anger at what he was hearing, then it hit
"Oh god...I know we've had a little fun in dream sharing, I hope you don't think I'm anything like that" he said embarrassedly. She laughed slightly.
"No...trust me...I'm not afraid of you and I agreed to that fun" she said "If I could I would stop working for Cobol completely. As it stands, any outside jobs have to be directly related to the company and there's so many hoops teams have to jump through to get me"
"Well, I'll make sure Cobb always gets through those hoops so you can work on our jobs only" he smiled at her.
"Or you could leave with me" she suggested