Author's notes: There is nothing to be said, but enjoy my longest ever chapter, and uh, vote in my poll (found in my profile).

I really really heart everyone that places a review for me. Makes my week.

Life is but a box of chocolates, and do I love chocolate...

Ariadne stared up at the bare ceiling. She could hear a distant, rhythmic beeping, and concludes she's in hospital.

You're safe now, but you're all alone.

A tear wells up in her eye, and she lets it fall silently as flashes of her rescue from the river returned.

Water.

The impact had thrown Ariadne into the windshield, head first.

Water. It was everywhere.

She was only aware of her survival when she started to choke.

Water in my throat, my nose, eyes and ears. Couldn't breathe. Doesn't matter. Alex won't hurt anyone else.

Ariadne had been told that people from a nearby ferry had jumped in and rescued her.

You survived.

She was also told the driver was in a critical condition.

When they retrieve the car, they'll find an arsenal of weapons. Alex isn't going anywhere.

The police had been in to question her, but the doctors explained that her concussion might leave her disorientated for a while yet.

Cobb won't see his children again. Eames will never give you those bear hugs anymore. You won't ever get to witness Yusuf's awkward honesty again, and you only just got back with your parents. And Arthur.

Her heart monitor quickened. You'll never get to see his rare smiles, feel his comforting embraces or just stand in his presence again. Her body started to shake as she was overcome with a racking sob, her face was as wet as when she was pulled out of the river.

'Ariadne, child.'

She turned to her side to see Saito standing at the door.

'Mr. Saito? What are you doing here?' asked Ariadne as she sat up on her bed, wincing at the throb in her head.

'No, you just lie down and rest. No need to get up for the old man.'

Not embarrassed at being caught crying, and still recovering from her shakes, Ariadne had to ask something that's been bothering her since she heard those cataclysmic gunshots. 'Did you manage to secure the warehouse, and get - get the team, and my parents out?' It was like burying Alex, all over again. Only this time, it's everyone that ever mattered in your insignificant little life.

'Yes, I got them out. They're here now.'

She wondered how Saito explained the massacre to the coroner.

'I am sorry, Ariadne, for the pain that I've caused. Alex should have turned up in your parents' background check, and I could have prevented all this.'

'It is not your fault,' lamented Ariadne, her face indifferent to the turmoil she is feeling inside. 'There is no one to blame.'

'They've seized a lot of weapons from the van, hauling it out after they got you to the hospital. I've talked to the police. They won't bother you again, and Alex will be under surveillance until he is well enough to face charges.'

Ariadne pulled her knees up, than tucked her head down. 'Please, I just want to be by myself now. I've lost a lot today.'

'Of course, I understand you and your brother wer close. A few of my men will be outside. No one will bother you unless, you want to that is. I have business to attend to, concerning your parents and the others too. I will see you when you're feeling better. Have a quick recovery, Ariadne.'

'Thank you,' said a muffled Ariadne, her head held like a vice in her knees.

Saito left her private room, closing the door quietly.

'What do you mean I can't see her? Of course I can!'

Great. Saito is off taking care of the funeral arrangements and here I am, hallucinating his voice. Then there's that mint and musk cologne that I can literally smell, that after months of working together, I've come to strongly associate with him. Please let it stop. Please.

'Ariadne?'

She exhaled very slowly. It even sound, feels and senses real. The concussion must be worst than I first thought. Where's my damn totem?

'Maybe the concussion is messing with her hearing?'

Her head snapped up. 'Eames? You're alive! You're -'

Behind Eames, at the foot of her bed, stood a very dishevelled Yusuf, sporting a black eye and a split lip; while behind him was Cobb, looking as if he slept in his clothes for three days straight.

Arthur was motionless by her bedside. He looked as if he lost a fight in a boxing ring.

Ariadne was speechless; she didn't know how to articulate how she felt. They're alive.

'You all look like crap.'

'Well, at least her brain works! You don't look so great either darling,' and Eames came up to give her one of those hugs, albeit not too tight as to not cause her any pain.

'You're going to be alright?' asked Cobb.

'Sorry I don't have the skills like Arthur to fight off those men,' explained Yusuf, and Ariadne smiled, grateful only that they're all here.

'They had guns, and you were outnumbered.'

'But he did manage to give one of the men a broken arm before they knocked him out cold. Nice work, by the way,' added Eames.

'Come on, let her rest. The doctors will be looking for you now, and you still need your x-rays done, and Saito is waiting for us outside,' concluded Cobb, leading a beaming Eames and a reluctant Yusuf out the door. 'But I've already taken my x-rays,' muttered Yusuf, and her door closed again, leaving just Arthur behind.

'I think Eames is still high from the drugs the doctors just gave him.'

Ariadne followed Arthur as he sat down at the foot of her bed. She straightened her legs that she was still holding onto when the team entered, and laid them next to Arthur's back.

'My parents, how are they? Are they alright?'

'They're fine, just in shock. The doctors want to keep them under supervision a little while longer, or else they would've barrel rolled in here.'

'But they let Yusuf walk around, and he looks terrible!'

'Yeah, but we're talking about the team that lies and deceives for a living. You think doctor's orders will keep us away from seeing you?'

'Right. What about you? What did the doctor's say?' and upon closer inspection, she realised that Arthur had a cut near his hairline, his eyes revealed how exhausted he really is, and his knuckles were all bruised and bloodied. She reached over and gingerly touched his hand. 'Is this - is it your blood?'

'Well, Eames, Cobb and I got shot. Cobb just got grazed but Eames and I had a through and through. Not too bad,' added Arthur, as Ariadne just looked on in horror. 'It just prevented us from chasing straight after you, considering that would leave us with Yusuf's driving...' Arthur smirked.

'What happened?'

And Arthur told her. How Cobb realized that she was forcibly removed from her dream, and so told her parents to feint sleep when they actually wake up. How Alex's men had terrible aims, and how Cobb and Yusuf were holding down on Eames' and his wounds, preventing either of them from going after her.

The men escaped, though they're probably not far from a hospital either, with the injuries that Cobb, him and especially Eames, had inflicted upon them. Saito and Zang turned up afterwards, and Saito went straight after her, only to be met with a crowd of witnesses who saw a car losing control, ploughing through traffic and then off the bridge and into the Seine River.

Ariadne was unaware that she holding tight onto Arthur's hand throughout his explanation.

Arthur shook his head, than looked straight at Ariadne, his eyes piercing. 'Didn't I ask you not to do anything stupid?'

Ariadne wasn't sure how Arthur could possibly know about what really happened. 'What -'

Arthur raised the other bloodied hand that Ariadne was not holding onto, and traced the contusion on her head. 'How did Alex lose control of the car?' he asked off-handedly.

He knows.

'He uh -' Ariadne started, looking at anywhere but Arthur's gaze. 'Well, we argued and, um -'

Arthur's hand slid gently from her head injury to her cheek, then her chin, pulling her gaze back onto him. He was gentle, yet insistent at the same time.

He knows I did it. He just doesn't know why.

They held each other's gaze until Ariadne decided to tell him the truth. Maybe he'll understand.

'Arthur, I thought that you died, and I -'

'What do you mean she can't be interrupted?' said a frustrated Fay, followed closely by Mitchell. 'You can't stop us from seeing our own daughter!'

Arthur and Ariadne pulled apart before her parents stormed over to her bedside. Arthur stood up and made room for them both. Saito followed closely behind.

'I just couldn't keep them out. They were very anxious, and annoying the doctors.'

'Why would you want Mr. Saito to keep us outside anyway? Oh, Ariadne, look at your head! I hope it doesn't scar!'

'Mother, please. Don't fuss, I'm fine... ow!' said a surprised Ariadne, when her mother applied some pressure on her swelling head.

'I'll call the doctor. I don't think it's supposed to look like that,' and Fay walked out of the room.

Saito then left with Arthur, both of whom nodded at Mitchell's presence before exiting, her senses overwhelmed with something like Dettol after getting used to Arthur's minty aura. I hate hospitals.

Ariadne turned her attention on Mitchell. 'You've been quiet, Father.'

'I knew that Alex wasn't dead.'

'You knew he planned that accident?' asked a shocked Ariadne.

'He did? My goodness, no, I didn't know that, just that the incident was suspicious, but it was officially declared an accident. End of school year, drunk kids... bad things just happen. None of the bodies were positively identified, and your mother and I - well, we should've told you.'

'So that day, at the funeral -'

'That was just for closure. They were all buried together, under a memorial tombstone. You didn't stay for that. We couldn't bear to tell you. It wouldn't have made any difference anyway. The day we lied to you was the day your mother and I lost our kids but - you were better off in Paris...'

'Father, I'm sorry I left like that, when I wanted to go and study, and that time at the funeral. I guess I've been running all this time because I was afraid to see you and Mother. I was afraid you'll be disappointed,' said Ariadne, wiping her tears off her face.

Also holding back his tears, Mitchell explained, 'no, we were never disappointed in you, sweetie. The day you graduated was the proudest moment for both your mother and I. You did it all on your own, and you proved us wrong. You didn't need us to look after you. You made the right decision,' Mitchell said, and he hugged his daughter.

Her head didn't hurt all that much now.

They met back at the warehouse.

Ariadne's swelling had subsided and the concussion turned out to be minor. Saito took the chance to explain that Alexander Blackwell, after the accident, was more commonly known as Alex Black, an engineer for hire. Any of the large companies and corporations that he ever worked for could have taught him about shared dreaming.

Fay and Mitchell reluctantly had one more session, where Saito, as a tourist, saw Fay's subconscious shoot Cobb as he tried to enter a police station; and Mitchell's subconscious drowned Arthur in the river while he tried to navigate Ariadne's maze of bridges. Eames haven't stopped making references to Arthur's lack of swimming skills, that was until Ariadne told him off for it.

As it turns out, Saito had another job lined up for Cobb, Arthur and Eames in New York, but it wasn't for another month or two. Cobb is returning to his children and Eames said he wanted to help Yusuf set up his lab somewhere upstate. It was revealed that Yusuf had a one-on-one fight with one of Eames' attacker.

'I'm just returning a favour,' said Eames nonchalantly.

Alex is making a full recovery, and is expected to be transferred to a low security prison within the next couple of days. Charges of weapons possession and kidnapping causing grievous bodily harm will see Alex in jail for some time, or a psych ward, depending on the doctor's evaluation.

Ariadne wanted to see her brother, but both Fay and Mitchell rejected the idea.

'I need to know, no, understand why he would do such a thing.'

'He's not in his right mind. With his OCD, physically seeing him again will not benefit either of you,' and they returned the only object that wasn't withheld as evidence. Ariadne's baby blue scarf.

This is for you Alex.

'So honey, did you think about it yet?'

Mitchell came to stand beside Ariadne as Cobb and Arthur rearranged the warehouse to its initial desolate scene. Eames and Yusuf were having a heated conversation at the back of the room about some volatile chemical.

'About what, Father?' asked Ariadne, tucking her blue scarf away. Today her neckwear was a simple light grey chochet knit.

'Coming back with us to California.'

Ariadne had thought about it. A lot.

'I'm not sure just yet,' said Ariadne truthfully. Home or follow the team upstate?

'We're leaving tonight, your mother and I, and we would love to have you back home. Your mother doesn't show it, but she misses you terribly.'

'And you?'

'You know that I've always loved you, and always will. No matter what, especially after what you've been through these last couple of days.'

Ariadne watched Arthur replace an old, battered desk to its original position, measuring it closest to the nearest centimetre, as Eames stormed out of Yusuf's lab muttering about unappreciated help.

'I've already asked Saito,' said Mitchell knowingly.

Ariadne turned to her father. 'About what?' she asked curiously.

'The job in New York. It doesn't require an architect, not really anyway. In any case, I've asked Mr. Saito for another favour that he was willing to agree to. Not to get you involved with Extraction anymore, or jobs concerning Cobb and Arthur. Or Eames for that matter,' said Mitchell as an afterthought.

'Do you really want to start this up again?'

Fay saw her husband taking up a defensive stance and Ariadne returning her stubborn posture, and quickly ran over to the both of them. 'Okay, whatever it is, we can discuss it on the plane, quietly.'

Ariadne laughed in disbelief. 'Not you too Mother! Don't I have a say in this?'

'No,' said Mitchell.

'I thought you were all into supporting your daughter?' stated Ariadne.

'Saito can give you a job within my department, not that you need to get paid after the last job, or so I've heard.'

Fay raised her hand to prevent her daughter from answering back, and questioned her husband on Ariadne's behalf. 'I thought we were going to discuss this together, as civilized people.' She turned to her daughter. 'Honey, you really should come home.'

'Well thanks to Father here, going back to Sacramento might be my only option now.'

'Unless you decide to run off unannounced again.'

Ariadne turned red and walked off, leaving Fay to scold at her husband's tactless behaviour. She intended to ask Saito to take back his promise with Mitchell and take her on as an architect for the next job. Working anywhere but near her father would do just fine.

Are you sure there isn't another reason for your outburst?

Saito was in a discussion with Arthur.

Ariadne approached both men cautiously, and Arthur immediately gave her his attention.

'Mr. Saito, may I have a word with you?'

Arthur raised his eyebrows in curiosity, but then turned to Saito and said, 'I'll meet you there in three days time. Got a couple of things to wrap up here anyway.'

Saito nodded. 'I'll have Zang meet you at the airport. I'll see you then.'

Arthur glanced down at Ariadne before going over to Cobb and helping with the packing of Yusuf's large chemistry set.

'That was about the upcoming job, isn't it, in New York?'

Saito started to walk towards the large windows at the end of the room, and Ariadne followed. 'Yes, Ariadne, it is. I need Arthur to start early, gathering and double-checking the information that is required before any real work is done in the next month or two. I will meet him upstate after I fly out with your parents tonight,' said Saito, and he stopped to view outside the window, peeling off the newspaper that Ariadne had helped Arthur stick up to block out some of the bright lights they use at night.

'And I know why you're here.'

'Pardon?'

'You want me to allow you to work on this job, even after your father asked me not to, am I correct?'

'Uh, yes, that about covers it. My dad needn't worry. I know the risks of working as an architect, and I want in.'

'Do you? Do you really understand the risks that you take when you enter someone else's dream, especially from your parents' point of view? After what happened, I am glad that your injury was only minor. Everyone was very worried.'

'But that was Alex. I would have otherwise been fine.'

'This time, perhaps.' Saito turned to face Ariadne, leaning on the window as he did so. 'Cobb agrees that you should at least try settling down with your parents first, something that Yusuf and I second. Arthur thinks that it'll take more than a couple of months for you to recover from the ordeal, and though I haven't personally asked Mr. Eames yet, I think he'll agree on you skipping the next job or two.'

'What did you do, have a 'Save Ariadne' convention?'

Saito chuckled. 'You don't need saving, you need time.'

Ariadne knew a lost cause when she saw one. But he does have a point.

'Don't look so down. From what I'm hearing, you got lots of prospective offers, some even in Sacramento. I, of course would give you a placement in my company, but I didn't think you'd want to work with your father, something that you and I both agree on, yes?'

'You - you don't want to work with - but you're making him head of the department!'

'Oh, well, he's skilled, yes. But why did you think that I agreed on letting him work down in California?'

Ariadne smiled in astonishment. 'You're just saying that to make me feel better.'

'Maybe,' and Saito patted Ariadne reassuringly before finalising the flight down to Sacramento with her parents.

Having left the more precise handling of chemicals to their chemist, both Arthur and Cobb approached Ariadne, who was now sitting on the window ledge, liking the view outside.

'Going back home with your parents tonight?' asked Cobb.

'Are you leaving me much choice?

'Be grateful that you still have a place to call home,' said Arthur. Ariadne gave him a probing look, and asked him, 'you said you had a couple of things to wrap up here. What is it?'

Cobb, glancing between the two team members, answered, 'because Miles wanted to meet us here. He has some news he said he wanted to share.'

At that moment, Professor Miles ran through the front door, looking relieved. 'Thank goodness everyone is alright. Dom, you have a lot of explaining to do to the kids. You didn't call them the last couple of days.'

'I had a lot on my plate. Don't worry, I'm flying back tonight. My luggage is nothing but toys.'

Miles shook his head and smiled, 'well, I was hoping you could spare a couple more days here, actually. You're all invited.'

'Invited to what Professor?' asked Ariadne, sliding off the window sill gracefully, and approached her Professor.

Yusuf finally packed his now compact-and-portable lab into the trunk of a hired truck with Eames help, and they both gathered around. Saito and Ariadne's parents followed suit.

'I will be presenting at the annual Society for Architecture, held this year at the Champs Elysees Plaza.'

'One of the ritziest hotels here.' Ariadne wasn't surprised that Eames knew that.

'It's a three day conference, open to the general public so the hotel will be extremely busy. I hope you can all make it,' this time the Professor was indicating Saito and the Blackwells.

'Unfortunately, we have to fly back to start work tonight,' said Fay, and Saito agreed that it couldn't be delayed.

'Well then, I hope that your daughter can make it? Some of the seminars are on Victorian-era architecture, Ariadne's major. It's a once in a year opportunity, and it's the first time it's held in central Paris!' said Professor Miles, as if that settled the matter.

Everyone quickly glanced at Ariadne and then her parents, and Mitchell replied without missing a beat. 'Of course she's coming to her Professor's presentation.'

'Really?' said Ariadne and Fay.

'Yes, she is, then she'll fly home afterwards, right sweetie?

Professor smiled down at Ariadne. 'You're going back to California?'

'Well, I don't know for certain if -' and glancing at her parents, she decided to give it a chance, like Saito had suggested. 'I just wasn't sure how to break it to you Professor. Paris is like home for the last few years.'

Arthur, Eames and Cobb looked at her understandably. Their architect is going home.

'Well, I have a surprise for you that will make your decisions easier,' said a beaming Professor.

'Oh, Professor, I haven't gotten over that first surprise you threw at me,' indicating Cobb the team. They all smiled guiltily, except for Eames who laughed good-naturedly.

Professor Miles held up three envelopes, and passed them onto Ariadne.

'Professor, is this what I think it is?'

The first envelope was thick, labelled with a company logo that Ariadne recognized as a California architectural firm she had applied for.

'Go on, read it!' urged her mentor.

Ariadne was careful not to give herself a paper cut as she slid the envelope open.

'I got a placement!' Ariadne said in disbelief.

Fay and Mitchell rushed over to their daughter, and sure enough, it was a work placement for one year that, upon satisfactory completion, will allow for a full-time position.

'Wait, what about the other two?' said Mitchell, and her father took upon himself to open the next envelope from a similar company in Sacramento, and read it. 'Honey, you got offered a place here as well!' Fay gave her daughter another congratulatory hug.

Ariadne however, felt a little overwhelmed. To go straight to legalised work placements after everything she'd experience...

Because of the work or who you'll be working with?

'A New York firm? No, I don't think it's applicable here. You already have two offers from California, and they both look great.'

Her father's voice snapped Ariadne out of her daze.

'Well I applied for many places,' and Ariadne reached for the envelope, which was the thickest of them all as she turned the envelope around in her hand. Ariadne contemplated opening it.

Sure, you could annoy your father; disappoint your mother, just so you can spend more time with the team but... Alex is right. In the end, there is only family.

'I think that it's time I return home,' and before anyone can object, she returned the offer letter to the Professor, unopened.

'This is one of the biggest firms in -'

'It doesn't matter,' said Ariadne, who stepped away from in between Arthur and Cobb to stand next to her parents.

Because I would never do anything again, to jeopardize their lives.

That includes being their architect. I should go home.

Post Script: She quits! At least, for her anyway, the team is alive and happy. But I can tell you now, Eames is not going to let this rest. Find out in the next chapter, and yes, more scuffling ensues.

LOL at tactless father! (and worsed timed entrance ever...)

For all those that missed my Chapter 6's update, I have placed a poll concerning Alex for your chance to leave a lasting opinion. The results will be released when I update Chapter 8 or 9, for which I will incorporate the winning choice into my story (in Chapter 9 itself). Within the limits of the story of course :D Vote your heart out!

I would never kill the team. I don't have the right, Christopher Nolan does. (Please don't kill them Mr. Nolan!)

Oh, and I never intended to have Alex view Ariadne as anything but his sister, that will be ick, and I'll never write that so, sorry that I might have mislead you to that conclusion. (Though if he was adopted, and he knew that he was adopted...)

He's not adopted.