A/N: AYO! How's it going?

Well I've got another chapter for you and it TOATS has A/A fluff. Although, I'm not sure you'll still be calling it fluff once you've finished reading. But it's what I believe you've all been waiting for.

Disclaimer: I loaned JGL to Chris Nolan so he could make Batman 3. That is all.

Enjoy!

-RaifandRosefan

Chapter 9: Arthur vs. The Voice

The next day. Inside the warehouse. The group is assemble around a clear drawing board.

"Our mark is Perot Peradit."

The team looks down at their files to a surveillance photo of a dark man sporting horn rimmed glasses and a sharp gray suit.

"He's a Belgian business man, and it seems he's created a lot of enemies. Our employer, whom we will refer to as Video, has hired us to perform an extraction -"

"Wait a minute. Our employer's name is Video?" Zelda interrupts.

Arthur shrugs, "he prefers we call him Video."

Rolling her eyes, Zelda mumbles, "What's his last name? Cassette?" Ariadne laughs, the women share a smile. Eames sits at his desk, away from the group.

Slightly dizzy, the forger is attempting to prepare notes for Zelda. Yusuf sits at his desk, toward the corner of the room, set up will vials and beakers of various sizes. He swirls a sample of clear liquid in a test tube. He is absorbed by the tube's contents.

"Anyway, Video believes Peradit is planning a hostile takeover of his company and that he's sleeping with Peradit's soon-to-be ex-wife. Now, you read the files. Peradit is an expert. He's an expert in weaponology. We're gonna go down two levels, and his subconscious will be armed. This mission has to be stealth. No mistakes this-"

"When do we go in?" Dom interrupts.

"We were supposed to go in today. Peradit had an appointment for a knee surgery, but he rescheduled it for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow it is!" Zelda enthuses.

Ariadne looks at Zelda and Cobb, "I need to go over the layout with the two of you. Some of the physics in the dream are a little different."

"Can't wait to see it, Ariadne," Dom admits, honestly. The group walks over to the architect's enormous desk, located at the center of the warehouse. The abnormally sized desk is covered with hundreds of models - or rather - one really large model.

Ariadne has recreated an entire city out of foam and cardboard. At the center of the city sits a massive square building. Following the architects gaze, the team members survey the building. "It's built like a casino," Ariadne explains. "Designed to keep the dreamer inside."

Ariadne lifts the building out of its place in the large model city. She places it on an adjoining desk. Arthur, Zelda and Cobb watch as Ariadne slowly picks apart the building.

Floor by floor, the building comes apart. Each room is designed to perfection, no detail unattended. The corridors wind and stretch like a multilevel maze. Zelda is momentarily confused when Ariadne explains once facet of the building,

"If the mark is running down this corridor, you can turn around and run the other way. The hallways sort of 'eat' themselves. You'll be running at the target in a few steps."

"So, it's like running in a circle," Zelda intuits. "You and I may be running in opposite directions-"

"But we'll eventually run into each other," Cobb finishes.

"Right, only - this is not a circle. It's kind of a paradox. You see, you can enter the hallway from the stairs and go in either direction, and you'll end up somewhere new. But, if you enter the hallway from any other point of origin, you'll be trapped on that small circular level." Dom claps his hands together,

"Sounds good, let's go under. So we can see this thing for real-"

"Hold on." Ariadne stops the extractor. "There's one more thing I want to explain before we go under." Dom turns to look at Ariadne who stares down at another level of her building.

Ariadne has lifted away the ceiling of one of her floors. Attached to the ceiling are couches, chairs, lamps - furniture, upside down.

"This third floor is a recreation of the third floor of Peradit's office building. I created a half-level on this floor," Ariadne explains. "It's an exact replica of the office layout, only everything's upside down."

"Walking on the ceiling," Zelda states.

"How do we get to this half-level?" Dom asks.

"You ever walked up a wall before?" They watch Ariadne fawn over her model, adjusting the placement of some furniture.

"I have, actually," Cobb boasts, smugly. He folds his arms over his chest. Zelda eyes him, unimpressed.

"Good. Cause I created a false ceiling. You just keep walking up the wall until you step through the ceiling. Then you walk up the wall of the half level until you reach the floor where you can stand upright, upside-down.

"You'll be able to see what's happening on the floor below you. But they won't be able to see you. I figure you can ambush a projection or the mark if need be."

"So, we'll have to look above us to see what's happening on below us," Zelda states.

"Exactly," Ariadne answers. She puts the building back together and puts it in its place in the model city.

CRASH!

"What now?" Arthur groans as he turns to face the source of the noise.

The group sees Eames on the concrete floor, sitting squarely on his bum. Pencils roll off the desk, onto his head, falling to the floor. Yusuf stops swirling his test tubes. He gapes at the forger sitting sloppily on the floor. Zelda rushes over to the forger, she helps him to his seat. He plops back into his chair. Yusuf, who nearly dropped his test tube in surprise, closes his mouth. He places the vial of clear liquid in its stand.

Zelda stands over the forger, worried. "Eames, are you alright?" He waves his hand dismissively.

"Don't mind me." The forger smiles weakly, "I just got a little dizzy, is all. I'm fine. No, really. I was leaning in my chair. I was asking for it."

Arthur clears his throat. They turn to look at the point man who has returned his focus to the mission, "It's time to go under."

Yusuf emerges from behind his desk. Ariadne, Zelda, Arthur and Cobb position themselves on the lawn chairs around the PASIV. One after the other, they insert the needles. Yusuf depresses the release valve. All around him, his companions drift off to sleep.

Yusuf stands there for a few moments, wondering what to do. Food. The chemist looks over at the forger who appears ready to collapse.

"Hey, Eames," Yusuf crosses to Eames. Eames sits with his head in his hands, leaning over his desk.

"Mm?" the forger groans.

"I'm going to step out for a bit, n' get us some lunch. Watch the group for me?" Eames removes his gun from the waist of his pants. He waves the firearm, apathetically, shooing the chemist.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll watch them. Bring me back something good."

Yusuf walks briskly out of the warehouse.

Inside the dream, Zelda and Ariadne stand on level 3.5. Arthur and Cobb are above them, on the level below.

Arthur looks up at the ceiling. He looks at Dom. The extractor starts,

"She's very good."

"No shit," Arthur replies, in a tone that suggests he's more impressed than he appears to be. He looks back up at the ceiling. "You'd never guess there's another level up there."

Ariadne pokes her head through the ceiling. The architect looks at the extractor and point man.

"Aren't you gonna come up?" the floating face asks. Dom and Arthur look at each other and walk up the wall. They trail behind Ariadne until they too are standing on the floor of level 3.5. Zelda, Ariadne, Cobb and Arthur look up at the third floor below, an exact replica of the floor they are on.

"How do we get out of here?" Zelda asks.

"You can walk up the walls to the floor below or you can-," Ariadne walks over to a large floor lamp. She slides the heavy floor lamp about a foot-and-a-half to the left. In its place sits a whole large enough to fit a grown man. The architect crouches down. "I suggest you go head first. Where we're going is right-side up." Head first, she reaches through the whole.

On the other side of the whole is the fourth floor, right side up. Ariadne pulls herself up through the whole. Zelda, Cobb and Arthur follow suit.

"Welcome to the fourth floor!" Ariadne exclaims. Arthur, with his head and arms still on the other side of the whole, slides the lamp back into place before standing upright.

The dreamers stand in a dark room. Their footfalls are barely heard against the parquet mahogany flooring. Mahogany walls lined with leather-bound books, and windows shrouded in heavy green velvet draperies finished with gold silk imbue the dark room with an overbearing richness. A green Tiffany lamp glows softly in the corner, atop a far-too-ornate wooden desk. Covering nearly half of one wall in the somber room is a marble fireplace. Flames crackle, casting a dim golden light over the room.

"This is Peradit's study. Located in his apartment," Arthur explains, stepping closer to the architect. Dom looks into the fire, considering something.

Arthur nods in approval to Ariadne. She can almost hear his, 'Well done, Ari.' She smiles ever so slightly. Arthur returns the smile - his, an intimate gesture. The golden glow of the flames reflects softly against his skin. Something playful dances behind the man's eyes. Zelda watches this. She says nothing. The seer turns to face the fire just as Ariadne begins to feel her gaze. A knot grows in Ariadne's stomach.

Shame. Ariadne is struck by the feeling. She looks back at Arthur. A quiet panic taking root, lingering in her expression. A desperate fear roils in the young woman's chest. Regret. She turns away as the point man lifts his hand to caress her cheek. "Ari, are you okay?" This is private, a secret question. He inches toward the architect. Something is wrong. He knows it. He feels it. "Ari?" he tries to reach her; she won't let him any closer.

How could you do this to me? The voice snaps.

The voice. Again. He is angry with her. Ariadne steps away from the Arthur. She was tired. She couldn't do this anymore.

In an attempt to appear normal, Ariadne walks over to her bookshelves, pretending to survey her own work.

What do you want, Thomas? It was him. She knew it. It always was. The voice. The man she'd left behind when everything was over. He was back again, to make this dream a nightmare. But this dream isn't private. There are too many witnesses. There is Arthur. She couldn't let Arthur see her like this.

Ariadne shakes her head. The voice doesn't leave.

How could you forget me? So soon. The voice breaks, desperate. I've been gone only a few months, and you're already moving on. The voice is angry. Hurt. And very angry. I loved you, Ari. I. Me. How could you-

I'm sorry, Thomas. Her vision blurs. Please understand. I've been nothing but sorry. Her expression, one of fear and regret. If I could change the way things went, I would. Believe me. I would. But I can't keep going like this. I don't want to die! Can't you understand that-?

I understand. I understand you don't want to be with me. We could be together, Ari. You and me. We were supposed to be together... The voice pauses. Ariadne can hardly breathe. The knot in her stomach growing tighter with every inhale. Did you ever want to be with me! The voice shrieks. Ariadne looks around, fearful; to see if anyone has heard. But his words are only meant for her. Her private hell. Arthur turns away from his conversation with the others to look at the architect. The darkness in his eyes deepens when her gaze meets his own. Pain hidden somewhere underneath. Embarrassed, the architect looks away.

I can't do this, Thomas. She coughs, masking the choke of tears welling in her throat. I can't do this with you anymore.

You don't love me. The voice concedes, defeated.

Yes. No. I did. I did love you. But how can I love the dead, Thomas? How can I love what I cannot touch? How can we be anything more than a memory? We aren't anything anymore. You're dead, Thomas. Don't you want me to be happy?

I do. He responds, sadly.

Then let me go. Let me do this. With Arthur. Please-?

I LOVE you! He pleads. Venom in his voice. She can almost feel his presence, behind her, in front of her. Between her. She resists it.

That's not enough, Thomas. Not anymore. I don't want to end up like Cobb. And I don't wanna die. If you love me, you'll let me choose life.

Not this. Not with him. You can't choose him.

Why? Because he cares? Because he might make me happy-?

No! She waits. Because he's the one you've always loved. Because you only wanted me when you couldn't have him. Because it means I never stood a chance. Because it means you might actually-. He rearranges something. Because you'll no longer be safe. Because you'll have no more excuses for why you live such an isolated life. Because you'll finally allow yourself to get close to someone who could actually hurt you. And that scares you shitless, Ariadne.

Enough, Thomas. She fights to breathe. Choke. I've had enough. His presence leaves her. She exhales.

The architect leans over Peradit's desk. Letting the words sink in.

Fear.

Guilt.

Shame.

Regret.

All wash over her. Consume her. She couldn't face the team now, even if she wanted to. Everyone would know. She knows Arthur already suspects something. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven... The architect counts to remain calm.

As she reaches one, Dominic turns away from the fireplace to face the group. The whole group. Ariadne schools her expression and turns around.

"In here," Dom starts. "The safe is in here. Peradit will be throwing a party. Arthur and I will pose as business men looking to make a deal. Peradit will bring us into this study. Arthur, will mention putting the contract somewhere 'safe,' as a precaution. And when he leaves us to tend to his other guests. We steal the contract."

"What if it's not here? What if he puts the safe elsewhere?" Arthur asks.

"We mention the safe in the hallway. He'll look in the direction of the room with the safe. As long as we can keep him distracted, we're in the clear. Zelda will play the role of his trusted advisor. She will remain with the Mark for the entire mission. If anything goes wrong, she'll signal us. We'll meet on level three point five. "

"How do we receive the signal?" Ariadne asks. "I mean, what are you gonna use to send and receive it."

Zelda looks sympathetically at the architect. "You mustn't be afraid to dream bigger, love." Just then, an earpiece manifests in her ear, a watch on her wrist. She looks to her teammates; they all wear the watch and ear piece, it appearance changing subtly to match the individual's own clothing.

"Testing. Testing. One, Two, Three." Zelda says into her watch. The sound reverberates in Ariadne's ear. She searches for the volume-adjust on her watch. Apparently it was also too loud for the others because she sees Dom and Arthur also lowering the volume on their watches.

"Right. Well that works." Zelda turns to face Cobb once more. The headsets and watches disappear.

Ariadne doesn't say a word for the remainder of Dom's speech. Arthur watches the architect. Some part of her his fading. And he may be the only one aware of it.

Dom turns to Ariadne. "Ariadne, can you show us the rest of the city?"

"Yes," the small woman says, taking the lead.

The stairwell is dark and full of shadows. Zelda looks over the banister. Her mind wandering to the possible number of paradoxes which must exist between where she stands and the ground floor. Two thousand flights of stairs bend in a never ending loop, all the way to the bottom.

"I thought we were only on the fourth floor." Zelda puzzles.

"We are," Ariadne explains. "There are two thousand flights between here and the ground floor."

"Dream physics." Dom offers.

"You must've been on acid when you designed this," Zelda complains. Ariadne scoffs, unimpressed.

Dom starts down the steps-. "Wait," Ariadne turns to the door through which they entered the stairwell. She stops just short of the door. She places her hand deliberately on a seemingly unimportant section of wall. As she pushes, a small section of the wall depresses. A light scans her hand and then flickers off.

"I created a faster way to get to the ground floor. Scan your hands in there." She points to the wall.

"What'll that do?" Zelda asks as she and Dom scan their hands.

"A fire poll," Arthur chips in. Ariadne avoids his probing gaze as he walks to stand next to her. She can almost feel the warmth of his chest. "It'll create a fire poll at the center of the stairwell. You grab on and slide down. It'll only work if you've previously been scanned." Arthur swings his legs over the banister.

"If I didn't know better," Zelda starts. "I would swear you were about to commit suicide."

"Good thing you know better," Arthur retorts.

From the other side of the banister, the point man turns to face the architect. She doesn't avoid eye contact this time. She can't. Something hot and ebony, like sadness and desire, burns in the point man's eyes. She sees this for only a second as Arthur has turned around once more. He jumps off the edge of the staircase, a brass poll manifesting between his capable hands. He slides, new feet of poll continuously solidifying then disappearing, down to the ground floor.

"When you've slid down a length," Ariadne explains, "It disappears so no one can follow behind you." Ariadne follows Arthur over the railing and down the poll. Dom follows suit.

"You young people are going to be the death of me," Zelda whines, swinging her legs over the banister. Deep breath. Pause. She jumps. To her surprise, a golden cylinder appears between her hands and legs. Air rushes around her, her hair flying in every direction. A light giddy feeling. In her stomach. Something like excitement. Bubbles up. A sharp squeal escapes the seer's lips. Laughter. This is fun, she thinks. A smiles spreads across her lips.

Landing, Zelda finds the others staring at her smirking. Ariadne approaches, "See? It's not so bad! You don't have to climb down those stairs. You're going too fast for any bullets to catch you, and the landing's soft. "

"Yes," Zelda nods. She is ready to see the rest of the city. Ariadne walks back to the front of the group. She opens the door of the building. They are blinded by the light.

Up above, Eames snores loudly into his arms. He is face down on his desk, Yusuf has returned with lunch.

Everything is fried. Fried chicken, fried potatoes, Eames' brain. Everything is fried. And it smells delicious. The scintillating scent wakes Eames from his slumber. Yusuf plops a hot greasy bag of food in front of the weary forger. In seconds, Eames has crammed ten percent of his meal into his mouth - despite the searing pain in his jaw. Yusuf sets a tray of drinks on an empty table.

"Thank you, Yusuf," The forger enthuses.

"I told you to watch them. Not fall asleep." Yusuf says, feigning displeasure.

"Yeah, yeah. They're fine. They're asleep." He swallows. He stuffs a fry into his mouth.

Yusuf walks over to the sleeping members of his team. He checks the PASIV. 10 seconds left.

He looks from the extractor to the seer to the point man. Finally, his gaze lands on the architect. He sees something there that unsettles him.

"What?" the forger asks, noting Yusuf's change in demeanor. "What's wrong?" Eames cranes his neck to follow the chemist's gaze. It's Ariadne. The forger gets up from his seat. Carrying his greasy bag of food, he crosses the warehouse to where Yusuf is standing. Both the forger and the chemist look down at a sleeping Ariadne.

"What the bloody hell is going on down there?" Eames asks, mystified. He shoves a fry into his mouth. He chews.

"Something's wrong with Ariadne." Yusuf folds his arms, resting his chin in his hand. They stare down at her.

The architect lies motionless on the cot. Her face locked in a silent scream. Her fingers bent, ready to claw their eyes out.

Dom and Zelda wear peaceful expressions. Arthur appears focused and confused. "Something's going on down there." Eames states, turning his back to walk to his desk. Yusuf stays. "Something's not right."

Back under, Dom and Zelda run down a city street. They are scouting out good places to hide. Ariadne walks in the middle of the street, looking to either side at the buildings she's created.

She stops to look at a tree. It isn't as large and lush as she'd imagined. Under her watchful eye, the tree begins to grow. Beneath her feet, the Earth shakes. She can feel the rumble of roots extending. The sound of bending and snapping accompanies the stretching of tree limbs as the trunk of the tree expands. Looming larger. Leaves bristle in the cool breeze she commands. Branches stretch. Snap. Grow. New leaves appear. Larger the tree grows. Snap. Blossoms, the tree in covered in white blossom. Branches stretch until the tree is nearly fifteen feet high.

Arthur walks up behind the architect. He has just seen Ariadne cause a tree to grow. His tie flies about in her wind. She can feel the rumble of a chuckle in the point man's chest, she cannot hear it. Her breeze drowns out all sound. Ariadne stares at the tree, trying to keep her composure. From behind, Arthur wraps his arms around the small woman, his breath tickling her ear. "It's beautiful," he utters in a deeply personal tone. She feels the words die in his chest. His warmth, as his arms wrap tighter around her. "What's wrong, Ari?" He whispers, kissing her ear. The architect shakes her head. "What happened?" A limp sound, a whimper, escapes the architect's throat. Nothing else.

Ari, The voice calls. She doesn't answer.

"Ari?" Arthur asks, in her ear. She does not answer. "Ari." He pleads. Arthur looks up at the tree, its white blossoms stare back at him. Hoping. Waiting. He looks down at the architect. She stares at her hands. They are trembling. Arthur grabs them in his own. "Ari, what happened to you? What's wrong?" Silence. "Please," he pleads, "let me help you," he whispers. But she is far away again.

Ari, The voice, his voice, calls. You're not ready to let go of me. You still love me.

I barely knew you, she retorts, I don't know you, anymore.

But you miss me. You love me. He says. Pleasure in his voice.

Arthur looks down the street. Dom and Zelda are blocks ahead, running into a glass building. "Dom..." he whispers. Fuck! Arthur seethes. Fuck!

He's seen Ariadne's paralysis before. In Dom. He's seen what it does to a person. Their world stops turning. The future doesn't exist. Only the past. Only. The pain. He turns Ariadne to face him. She stares at her hands. "Ari. Ari!" He jostles her. Hoping to wake her gently.

You can't leave me, the voice cries. You don't want to leave! I won't let you go!

No! Thomas, please! I can't stay here. With you. Not like this. I can't get stuck in some dream where you don't really exist! Do you want me to die?

You killed me. He weeps. You knew they were coming for me, and you never told me-.

I couldn't fight them. You couldn't fight them. There was no way to stop it. I thought we were all dead. The whole team. They found Duncan in Sweden. They found us, Thomas. And they want to kill me too. Don't you get it?"

What kind of love gives up and leaves a person for dead, Ariadne?

I didn't know they would get you so quickly. She cries. I didn't know it'd be over so fast!

You killed me, Ari.

No. No they did. I'm sorry...

You killed me-

"Ari! Ariadne, please!" Arthur shakes Ariadne. His voice breaking through the architect's tortured haze.

The point man watches the architect come to. Her eyes blink. Slowly, she looks up at the point man. From beneath the haze she sees Arthur. Desperate, worried Arthur. But Arthur still. A flicker of hope dances in his eyes. A sad flicker of hope.

Something honest, a little bit raw, something real, and dark, fills the point man's features. Emotion, somewhat like understanding with a hint of desire, brims over the edge. In that moment, Arthur kisses her.

He catches her lower lip with his in a strong, hungry, kiss. Something daring and aggressive. He pulls her into him, cradling her, pressing her into him. Willing her lips to open, to accept him. She does this. His lips move earnestly, sucking hers. Willing her awake. Willing her back to him. He breathes. He works, tugging and sucking. All to bring her back to him. To connect her to him. Until, his need for nearness becomes her own. She moans. Ariadne pulls him down, onto her. They stagger backward, into the tree. He reaches out, steadying them.

They continue. He slides between her thighs. She moans. Grinding against her. Rubbing her, sucking her. She pulls his hair, bites his lip. Licking. Sucking. Pulling her shirt. He presses. Harder. He pulls her hair. She gasps. Kissing her neck. She shudders. She laughs. He sucks harder and harder. Her neck. Her chest. She lifts his face. In her eyes there is sadness, weary, a moment of joy. She kisses him, tasting his lips, sucking his mouth. Biting him. He holds her tight against him. His warmth. His hard, strong warmth. Pinning her down. He pulls away. She misses him. His hand caresses her cheek. Making its way down her neck. Stopping there. He is between her thighs. Near enough to feel. He leans in slowly, watching her expression change. She leans out for a kiss. He stops her. She misses him again. Near enough to taste the mint on his breath, "Don't stop," she mumbles. He smiles. He bites her lip playfully before pulling away entirely. She stands up, adjusting her shirt, the neckline is stretched.

"I needed to get you back," he says, looking down the street. He smoothes his hair back into place. He turns to Ariadne. She is disappointed. "But I did enjoy it," He promises, smiling. Somehow, his clothes are not half as wrinkled as her own. Ariadne looks down the street to the building Dom and Zelda are exiting.

"I'm sorry," she says. "There's a lot on my mind."

"A lot of guilt?" he asks, all too knowing.

"Yeah," she admits, relenting.

He turns to her, darkness in his eyes. "It happens, Ari. We can't let it get to us. Or else it consumes us, and we end up... like Dom.

Ariadne nods, wishing the words made her feel better, but they don't. And he knows it. But the truth hurts. Always.

Dom and Zelda make their way to the tree. Zelda eyes both Ariadne and Arthur. Arthur looks at the woman. She's seen everything, without looking; he knows it. She offers him a respectful nod. He nods; then turns to Dom, who is preoccupied with details of the mission. He babbles on and on, only Ariadne listens.

After a brief pause, Zelda gives Dom some previously unknown information. The extractor is forced to amend his plan to accommodate the new info. A seer was good for these things.

"I think time's up," Arthur states, coolly. And sure enough, the world begins to crumble. Ariadne's tree falls over to crush them.

They wake. The architect's mouth snaps shut. She rubs her hands together. Her fingers are oddly sore.

"Welcome back," the forger enthuses sardonically.

"How's the plan looking?" the chemist asks. His eyes shift between Arthur and Ariadne, and come to rest on Dominic Cobb.

"We're all set for tomorrow." The extractor clasps his hand together, to grabs a bag of lunch and a drink, bringing it over to his desk, where he sits to eat.

"I'll be in the bathroom," Eames announces, "if anyone needs me." The forger rises from his chair, walking slowly to the bathroom. They pay him no attention.

"Ari," Arthur nudges the architect, "can I talk to you?"

"Sure," Ariadne nods. Dom and calls Zelda and Yusuf over to his desk to work out a few details regarding the mission's sedative. Arthur and Ariadne make their way over to one of her desks. A cleaner, less crowded one. Arthur gestures for her to take a seat before sitting himself atop the desk.

"What's going on?" he asks. "I know something's wrong," he whispers. "I've seen this before." He hesitates, "... I've seen what can happen."

The architect looks up at him, not feeling the need to explain herself. "Look, I'm not asking you to pour your heart out," he states. "All I'm saying is that whatever's eating you up inside is dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know-"

A loud thud. From the bathroom. The team stops, mid-action.

The fuck?

It takes them little time to ascertain someone's missing. Eames. They make a b-line for the bathroom, where the forger escaped to take a leak. Yusuf busts open the door. Eames lies on the floor, unconscious. It appears he hit his head on the edge of the sink.

The warehouse is all a fuss. Zelda and Yusuf curse like sailors as Dom grabs his keys to take Eames to a local 'doctor,'

"What other choice do we have?" He gestures toward Ariadne, "As we've seen, public hospitals are off-limits. We've gotta take him to our doctor."

Their 'doctor'was a woman who ran a series of underground (read: illegal) medical clinics in Europe and South America. No paperwork meant no trail that would bring The Council to their doorstep. To Ariadne.

Zelda crouches beside the motionless forger. "Eames! Eames, dear. Wake up. Mowgli. Mowgli, please honey." Zelda shakes the forger. Urging him to wake up.

"He must've had another dizzy spell," Arthur concludes.

Urgh, Dom bristles. His hand wipes over his face. "I'd be surprised if this fall doesn't give him a concussion."

"Concussion!" Zelda shrieks, whipping around to meet the extractor's gaze. "He could be in a bloody coma! For god's sake! Concussion. That's the least of our worries," she snaps.

"I was trying to look on the bright side," he offers.

Yusuf examines the forger quickly, "Good news. He's still breathing like normal."

"See," Dom insists, "the bright side." Yusuf and Arthur get into place on either side of the forger. They lift him on... three. Ariadne and Zelda watch the dreamers drag the forger out of the warehouse. Follow them out to Dom's rented vehicle, where they lay Eames in the back seat.

"I'm doing too many of these emergency trips," Arthur states absently, into his palm. Zelda eyes him angrily,

"Well, you don't have to come if it's such a burden," she seethes.

"No. Zelda, that's not what I meant-"

"No," Dom stops him, "It's alright. You look tired. The three of us will handle this." Dom looks from Ariadne to Arthur. "You and Ariadne close up shop. Take the spare key and head over to the BP. We'll meet you there." Dom tosses Arthur the key.

"You sure you don't need me?" Arthur asks, catching the key. He looks at the key for a moment. Dom's silence is enough of an answer. He and Ariadne step back as Dom, Yusuf and Zelda drive away, headed for The Doctor.

Ariadne is the first to turn back, heading for the warehouse.

A/N: This was a fairly dark one, huh? Well, it what felt right when I wrote it. Wait 'til you read the next chapter!

I hope you like the A/A - It took FOREVER for me to write (not my forté) but I hope it was at least somewhat pleasing to you.

You know the drill. RATE. REVIEW. And I will LOVE YOU forever (in a totally non-stalker-ish way). Please. (I wanna know if this went too far. Is Ariadne going crazy? or is she just cracking under the pressure of certain death - a kind of break on can recover from?) Do you hate Thomas?

-R&Rf