Arthur watched as Ariadne walked into the airport without a backwards glance. He had just about mustered up the will to stay away from Paris, but he could feel his body twitching as he fought off all the urges he'd hidden away.
It seemed that he was driving in circles; the scenery seemed the same at every turn he took. Arthur sighed for the hundredth time. "This is stupid." He whispered to himself as he pulled into a lay-by. He pinched the bridge of his nose and rested his head against the steering wheel. He sat like this for some time, until the vibration of his phone distracted him; lazily Arthur pulled his phone out of his pocket. Once again he sighed at his phone as he read the message from his mother: Arthur darling, I hope you haven't forgotten about your father's birthday. It's been a while since we've heard from you, please get in touch. It had been just under a year since Arthur last visited his parents, they didn't know what he did for a living, and because he had to lie to them almost every day he spent as little time around them as possible.
The sun was just peaking up in the sky; the frost that had been caught in the blades of grass was twinkling as the sun beamed off it. Arthur stood in front of his childhood house; memories were bursting out in front of his eyes and been played like old movies.
"Arthur?" A shocked voice broke through the peaceful silence.
"Mum." Arthur smiled; his mother was sprinkling bread out for the birds. She never changed. She tucked her blonde hair behind her ear and ran into Arthurs arms.
"I'm so glad you're here, love." Arthur looked down at his mother; she was unlike him in so many ways, blonde hair, green eyes, and a pretty face.
"I couldn't miss dad's birthday, now could I?"
"I think he's gone Erin." Erin watched her son gazing intently out of the window. His face was a blank canvas but it was clear that there was something underneath.
"Arthur?" Arthur blinked and looked at his parents, worry was clear on his mothers face, his father looked strangle amused.
"Sorry, I was just in a whole other world."
"Clearly... Seems as if you prefer that world, son."
"James." Erin warned. Arthur chuckled at his over protective mother.
"Are you going to make us some coffee Erin?" She sighed in defeat and wondered out into the kitchen, musing about her son's strange behaviour.
As soon as Arthur saw his mother leave the room he could see that his father was ready to pounce on him. Arthur took after his father completely, dark hair, dark eyes, tall, he found it easy to read his dad because he was just the same.
"Who is she?" Arthur frowned at the fact his father was so inquisitive.
"There is no one, dad." He lied.
"You can't lie to me Arthur, you may be able to lie to your mum but I can see straight through you. You're smitten." Arthur cringed, smitten, that word had the ability to make him gag.
"Dad, I am not... smitten." He struggled to repeat the word. James looked out of the window, a slight smile on his face.
"I won't push you, but you know I'm right." Before Arthur could argue James had left, an evil smirk had taken over his features. Arthur cursed him, smitten he still couldn't believe that his dad had said that, yet alone to him. His smooth interior had been corrupted, his mind was scrambled with names and brunettes and his heart was jagged. Arthur was weak, the weakest he'd ever been... and worse? He was in love.
With a poker face set in place Arthur entered the dining room. He had been dreading this since his little conversation with his father. Now he had to sit with his parents for about an hour, avoiding his dad's sceptical eyes.
"Must you always wear suits?" Erin sighed when he entered. Arthur frowned and looked down at his favourite outfit, it wasn't even a suit; it was a tie, shirt and jumper.
"I bet the ladies love it." Arthur cringed again as his father winked and jiggled his eyebrows. He gritted his teeth and prepared himself for a long night.
"So, basically that Fischer guy has just broken up his father's whole business, I bet it was because he was such a bastard to him." It was the familiar name Fischer that drew Arthur's attention, he had managed to flip the switch and blank out everything his parents had talked about.
"What, when did this happen!" Arthur almost leapt across the table.
"It was on the news before dinner. I really think that you should keep up in current affairs, Arthur." But Arthur was out of the room before he could even finish. Inception had worked, they'd done it, and it actually worked. Arthur couldn't keep the stretched grin off his face, even though it exposed the dimples he tried to hide. He pulled out his phone and dialled Cobb's number; he wasn't surprised when it rang just once. "It worked!" It wasn't the fact that he hadn't been greeted by the usual 'hello?' that made his smile fade, his eyes lose their shine or his heart stop beating momentarily.
It was the fact that he had heard Ariadne's voice.
Dun Dun Dun... Okay so i suck at cliffhangers! Well i hoped you liked that chapter, i quite liked writing it. Let me know what you think!