A/N: Hi, everyone, I'm back again after a long break… yeah, sorry about that. I couldn't figure out how to write this next chapter so it would be as good as the last, but hopefully it's okay.

Disclaimer: Inception belongs to Christopher Nolan

Arthur got out of the taxi after pressing a few Euros into the driver's impatient hand. The impeccably dressed man strode through the university campus, trying to ignore the curious looks he got from the students. He kept a watchful eye out for a petite girl with luscious curls and porcelain skin and tried not to meet the eyes of his onlookers. The bell signaling the end of class rang, releasing a flood of bodies scurrying out of lecture halls and classrooms as he strode purposefully through the halls of the building. A group of girls bumped into him and giggled amongst themselves, but Arthur ignored them as if they were just leaves blowing around in the wind. It was obvious that he wasn't a student at the university- he was dressed too nicely, but he was also too young to be one of the professors. Suddenly, he caught sight of a flash of red in the crowd. Quickening his steps, he wove through the students towards the girl a red cardigan and patterned scarf, whose back was too him. Anticipation rose inside of Arthur as he craned his neck to get a look of her face- but he dropped his gaze disappointedly as the girl turned around and started walking away. It wasn't her. She was too tall, he realized, her skin too tan, and her features too sharp to be Ariadne's.

He continued down the halls until he turned into a much narrower corridor lined with bookshelves. He was very much alone as he made his way down the corridor and allowed himself to think about what he had felt when he thought he'd seen Ariadne. He had been… excited. Almost happy that he was going to see the Architect and talk to her again. He continued to walk briskly down the corridor until he reached a door with frosted panes.

"Rome's forum walls. There's something I haven't seen in a while," Arthur commented as he walked down the steps in an unhurried pace.

Miles looked up from grading papers to see a sharply dressed man eyeing the blackboard behind his desk.

"Yes, I thought we'd go back and study what, in a way, started it all." Stephan Miles stood up and shook Arthur's hand, "What brings you to Paris? Certainly not just the sights?"

Arthur chuckled. "Actually, I was looking for Ariadne. I thought she'd be here…?"

Miles furrowed his brow at his favorite student's name, "Is everything alright?"

Arthur was quick to reassure the elderly professor," Everything's fine. I just wanted to check up on her. You know, make sure she'd coping alright." And offer her another job, he thought to himself, not wanting to upset Miles. Arthur knew Miles wasn't too excited about dream sharing, especially when it had taken his daughter's life and his son in law away from his kids.

Miles sat back down in this chair, "Well, I'm afraid I can't help you with that. You see, I've only just come back from the States this morning and her next class is starting in a few minutes. If you'd like, you are welcome to sit in the corner and observe; she should be here any minute."

"Thanks, Miles. I appreciate it." Arthur turned to go climb back up the stairs, keeping an eye out for Ariadne in case she came in.

The steady trickle of students into the classroom turned into a stream which soon turned into a rush of bodies clamoring to get the best seats. Miles started class and Arthur swept his eyes over the classroom, looking for a familiar face. Girls stared back unashamedly as his eyes passed over them, but he pretended not to notice. He continued to look, thinking-hoping, that he had overlooked her. Ten minutes into class it was clear that Ariadne wasn't in the room. Miles stole a glance up at Arthur in the corner, his eyes betraying the worried look the rest of his face couldn't show, and five minutes later, Arthur left, his mind buzzing worriedly. It wasn't like Ariadne to miss class, especially the class taught by Miles. The few times she hadn't been able to make it to class because of the job, she'd made Arthur notify Miles and go pick up her homework for her.

Something was wrong. And Arthur couldn't help but think the worst.

Twenty minutes later, Arthur climbed out of a taxi cab, literally throwing money over his shoulder to the driver and scaled the steps to Ariadne's apartment building. Luckily, one of the residents was coming through the door and recognized Arthur form the few times he'd walked Ariadne home during the Inception job.

"Ariadne?" Arthur asked, too tense to even form a proper sentence.

"Go ahead," The resident said in a heavy accent as he held open the door, "I usually see her in the mornings on my way to the market, but not today. She sick?"

"I don't know," Arthur said, slipping through the door, "Thanks!" He remembered to call halfway to the elevator. He waited impatiently for the elevator to come, his fingers brushing continuously over the die in his pocket, then traveling to his back to feel the gun hidden in his waistband. When he finally reached Ariadne's floor, he braced himself before stepping out of the elevator, putting on his indifferent mask that hid his anxiety. It was all that he could do to not run down the hall and break down her door. Instead, he knocked politely on her door. After another minute, he knocked again, more urgently and called out to her, "Ariadne? Anyone home?" After five more minutes of knocking and calling, he checked that the hallway was clear and the security camera was blinded before pulling out his gun and kicking down the door.

"Hello? Ariadne?" Arthur continued to call, checking around the corners of her front entrance before proceeding farther into the apartment cautiously, gun still help out in front of him. "Ariadne?"

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the doorway to his side and he swung around to point his gun at the subject of the movement.

"Jesus Christ, Ariadne, are you alone? Is everything okay?" He asked, doing a once over of her body for any physical injuires.

"Yes." She said and turned to go back into the room. Arthur followed cautiously, tucking his gun away, his body still alert.

"You didn't lock your door," He accused.

Ariadne rolled her eyes and slumped into her bed. "What do you want?"

Arthur inspected her carefully (but respectfully), the reached out a hand to cup her cheek, turning it from side to side gently to look at her eyes.

"You weren't in class and- Jesus, Ariadne, are you hung over?" He noticed the closed drapes, her lack of emotion and personality, her crumpled pjs and bloodshot eyes. She moved away from his touch somewhat slowly.

"Piss off, Arthur." She groaned. He took in her ragged appearance and asked softly.

"Are you sure you're okay? You don't seem like yourself-."

"Piss. Off."

Arthur sighed and ran his fingers though his hair and stood. "I'll make coffee I guess. And I'll just make myself at home while I'm at it."

He left the room feeling more worried than before. He physical state was fine (besides for the hang over), she wasn't kidnapped or tortured, but her mental state was much worse than her feared.