A/N: So, yeah. We have Victorious, A Nightmare on Elm Street and now Inception. Because, why not?

That's what's so cool about FF. We can do anything we want!

So thrilled to see you guys are on board with where we're going with this story.

Sorry this chapter's a little on the short side but I wanted to have this scene stand alone. It really gives Tori's dad time to shine and it also refreshes everyone who hasn't seen Inception in a while.

P.S. - If you haven't seen Inception yet, I promise to keep spoilers to a minimum because I understand that movie isn't very old.

David Vega sat across from Dominic Cobb in the man's home just outside the metro area. The two men sat in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds in the living room until Cobb spoke first.

"Mr. Vega…" he began.

David held up his hand. "Please call me David."

"Okay, David." Cobb leaned back in his chair, regarding the visitor on the couch in front of him. "What can I do for you?"

"It might be surprising of you to hear this but I'm not actually here on police business."

Cobb blinked, his face resting on his hand. He had a feeling that he was safe. When Mr. Saito arranged for his ticket back into America after helping him with the Fischer Affair, he also provided him with terrific legal counsel. He was on probation for fleeing the authorities but he was exonerated for the murder charges against his wife.

Now a free man, he fell into a government job using his extraction technique for terrorist interrogation. He continues to this day asserting that the act of "inception" is more theory than practice. The truth is it does work but he has experienced the dangerous and irreversible risks involved first hand.

Cobb picked up his cup of coffee, moving his hand back and forth causing the hot liquid to spin clockwise. "Then what brings you to my house early in the morning?"

David leaned forward. "My daughter is in a coma. She…she was in an accident."

The blond man nodded and raised an eyebrow. "You know," he smiled. "You actually weren't the first to ask this of me."

"No," David shook his head. "This isn't what you think exactly."

"And what makes you say so?" Cobb asked.

"Because the same thing happened to me other daughter. She was asleep when it happened."

Cobb sat up straighter in his chair. "I'm listening."

"I don't know how to begin to explain what is going on lately. It all seems impossible, really." David cleared his throat and looked at Cobb with dead seriousness. "But what I saw with my own two eyes I couldn't deny. And ten other people saw it happen, too."

That last sentence made Cobb's eyes widen with great interest. Usually nobody starts a story with a statement like that unless they are afraid no one will believe them.

"So what happened to your daughters, Vega?" Cobb closed his eyes at his error. "I mean David."

David rubbed his hands together. "It looked like…someone or something was attacking them. My youngest Tori had these bruises on her wrists and some nasty cuts on her legs. I've been a cop for fifteen years, Cobb. I know what these markings symbolize. Her girlfriend was always close by. Nobody harmed her and obviously she couldn't have done it to herself."

Cobb nodded for David to keep going.

"Anyway," David continued. "Just yesterday I saw my oldest Trina…fighting and kicking with all her might…and her eyes were shut. Then once we pricked her awake, everything stopped and she was back to normal. I saw her back get cut up out of nowhere. It was like there was a knife and we couldn't see it even if we were looking right at it."

Cobb sipped the last of his coffee and the clinking of the mug landing on the table was the only sound that fell in the large room.

"You're right," Cobb played with his sleeve. "It is impossible."

"But it's true, Cobb. If I made something up, wouldn't I have tried something a little more realistic?"

"Good point. But what would you have me do?" Cobb shrugged.

"Don't be coy. You're the man who took lucid dreaming to unbelievable heights never imagined before. You have gotten to the level that you can affect change in the dream." David leaned in. "Can you?"

Cobb nodded reluctantly. "Yes but it's far from easy."

"Is there a way, Mr. Cobb? Is there a way for us to induce Tori to awaken?"

"Comas are very powerful, David. Now, if I had a particularly strong sedative in the extraction process, I would require an equally strong kick to bring out the dream people."

"Kick?" David tilted his head.

"It's a way of disturbing the sleeper, snapping them back to reality. We just got used to calling it a kick because the more effective techniques were to literally kick the sleeper out of his chair."

David chuckled a little at the mental image. "What a second…we?"

"Right," Cobb stood up and David followed. "I never go in it alone. Too risky. Besides, everyone in the group has their own responsibility on the job."

"Do you still have these people handy?"

Cobb laughed for the first time. "Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"Let's just say the last job was…a little risky. Not that we were friends to start with but Fischer put the nail in the coffin."

"Fischer?" David asked impatiently.

"Long story," Cobb quickly said. "Listen, David, I would love to help you but I'm afraid it's not possible."

"Come on, Cobb" he pleaded. "I need…"

The two men were interrupted by a boy and girl bounding down the stairs and running to Cob.

"Daddy!" the girl said.

"Bye dad," the boy added.

Cobb got down to their level and hugged them tightly. "Miss you guys," he smiled. "Now hurry up" he said while handing them lunch money. "You'll miss the bus. Be good."

"Okay," they both said running out the front door to the waiting yellow school bus.

Cobb closed the door and looked at David who was staring daggers at him.

"I hate to do this to you, Cobb…" David started.

"Don't…" he pointed, shaking his head.

"From one father to another…"

"Stop. Stop this now."

"Dom, they're my girls."

Cobb gripped his hair like he was going to pull it out. "Alright, alright. I'll help you."

"How soon can we start?"

"First I have to get grandpa here to watch the kids when they come home."

"And then what?" David pressed.

Cobb sighed and looked out the window of the living room. "Equipment, sedatives and of course…" he turned to David morbidly. "I have to get the team back together."