A/N: As always HUGE smile for everybody, who reviewed/read et cetera.
(Hopefully) enjoy and, please, review!
Ariadne stood in front of bathroom mirror. She was staring in it, still unable to actually believe.
I'm here, she thought fervently. I'm here and Arthur is Arthur.
She knew that there was still long way to go, before they'd reach place of happiness again. The difference was that now she could believe that they'd do it.
She undressed herself, still looking into the mirror, like if the image of her within its frame could be a proof of reality. Suddenly she inhaled sharply.
There was a lovebite on her collarbone.
Ariadne felt like she was sinking and for a second couldn't take a breath. Memories washed over her with horrifying clearness.
Eames full lips on hers. His hands, bigger than Arthur's on her hips, his fingers tracing gently the line of her spin…
Ariadne shuddered violently and felt her knees go weak, so she simply sat on cold tiled bathroom floor.
You think you'll forget soon, don't you? Well, let me tell you something: you won't.
Ariadne rested her forehead on hands. For a moment she desperately wanted to call Eames, to admit him that he was right, that forgetting would be much harder than she had ever expected.
But it was just a moment and it quickly ran away.
Behind the wall there was Arthur waiting for her.
Ariadne stepped into shower tub. Water was pleasantly chill, it cooled her fervent head, streamed smoothly along line of her body.
She knew she need to lie.
There was no other way; telling Arthur the truth could only make everything worse.
Ariadne stood much longer under streams of water, her tears mixing with them.
Eames's phone vibrated in his pocket. He frowned, his eyes once again scanning woman sitting beside him. She was gorgeous blonde, he had to admit that; still he decided it'd be better to answer phone than continuing their meaningless conversation.
"Sorry.", he murmured inattentively, not even bothered to say anything more before exiting pub.
The phone vibrated once more and Eames answered it quickly this time.
"Yeah, Cobb?"
"Where the fuck are you?", Dom's voice is furious. "You know that I don't keys to your flat!"
"Oh.", Eames answered shortly and suddenly burst into laughing. "You're sitting on staircase?", he managed to stammer out finally.
Cobb answer was cold. "You're drunk."
Eames wondered a while about it. "Yeah, you can say so.", he agreed eventually.
"Come back here. Now.", Cobb snapped and disconnected.
Cobb sighed heavily and shifted his position on step. It was cold and the whole situation grown harder to understand with every minute.
Arthur pretending that everything is fine, while obviously it's not. Ariadne with strange look in her eyes. Eames suddenly getting drunk…
Cobb shook his head; he needed to have some serious talk with Eames and he hoped that stubborn Brit would explain something. He wrapped himself in his coat a little tighter; all he needed right now was catching some nasty cold.
Fortunately Eames emerged within next ten minutes. As always almost nothing shown his drunken state; only his eyes lost their usual sharp look.
Cobb decisively took keys from Eames's hand and opened the door.
"What happened between you and Ariadne?", he asked as soon as they entered flat.
Eames glared at him. "Well…", he drawled. "Obviously nothing worth remembering."
Dom frozen. "You slept with her.". It wasn't question, but statement. "It's incredulous! What's happening here?"
"Fucking melodrama.", Eames answered reasonably and yawned widely. "Listen, Cobb we both should use some sleep. We can talk tomorrow."
Before Eames could walk away Dom grasped him strongly.
"No way.", he hissed. "We'll talk right now.". The look in Cobb's eyes suddenly reminded Eames how dangerous Dom could be, if he only wanted to. He shrugged defensively.
"Ok, ok. So what?"
"Why did you sleep with Ariadne?", Dom asked angrily, his eyes flashing with fury.
Eames arched his brew. "Really, that's rather common knowledge why people have sex with each other."
"Eames, stop it, please.", Dom sounded so exhausted, that Eames gave up finally.
"I don't know.", he answered honestly. "She… She claims that she also doesn't know, but I think she just wanted to forget and feel safe for a moment."
"You should leave.", Cobb said quietly.
Eames shrugged once more. "I know.", he answered. "I know, but this time I'm afraid it won't be just bloody difficult. This time it'll be impossible."
When Ariadne stepped into bedroom she silently thanked god for darkness. There was no way Arthur could see this thing on her collarbone. She slipped into bed, hearing Arthur's steady breath beside her. For a moment she was sure he'd fallen asleep, but no; his breath during sleep was different.
"Arthur?", she whispered.
"Ari.", he answered softly and gently pulled her closer to him. She tensed slightly, it felt so unreal. Like nothing had happened, like there was no blood, no screams and no silent tears. She fought down the urge to take totem, to check the world around her; she couldn't do that, not with Arthur beside her.
She shuddered feeling his long fingers traced along her cheek. This touch was so familiar, so different than Eames…
Don't think about it, she said to herself. It won't make any good.
With that thought she caught his lips with hers. She could taste the mint freshness of his toothpaste, no cigarettes (don't think about it), no bitterness of her own tears this time.
She let herself sink into his touch, into the intensiveness of their feelings.
At last there was no "might", or "maybe".
Only this one, perfect moment.
A/N: Me again. Thanks for reading and sorry- angsty chapter with fluffy end… I'm think I'm on the edge;)