In my dreams alone
"Mother's arms are made of tenderness,
and sweet sleep blesses the child who lies therin."
Victor Hugo
Ariadne awoke to evening's waning light invading her bedroom. She was back in the old house in England. She heard noises of the family downstairs as she tried to sit herself up. Her back pain had not gone away at all. If anything, the shooting pain had only gotten worse. With difficulty, she climbed out of the bed. Something warm and sticky dislodged itself from between her legs. She looked down to see her dress completely soaked.
"Oh God." she breathed. A rush a fear taking hold of her.
"Arthur!" She screamed.
She heard a sudden and intense silence downstairs and then the noise of chairs being pushed aside on the hardwood floors.
Many feet running upstairs.
Her husband was the first to appear in the doorway, his long legs and quick movements making him the easiest bet to reach her first. His eyes rested on his wife, her hands trying to hold onto the heavy burden of their unborn child.
"I think my water just broke." She cried. The experience didn't hurt exactly. But the shock of it was enough to cause her to start to cry.
"It's okay." Arthur said rushing to her. Eames had arrived shortly after Arthur, and heard the news. The Forger raced downstairs to get the car ready as Arthur and Cobb helped Ariadne out of bed.
"Were going to the hospital now." Arthur beamed at her. An excited smile on his face. Even Cobb, for once, seemed excited and happy.
Sybil took Ariadne's leather carry all. The same one the Architect's grandfather had used. The Control was quick to reach Eames in the drive way as the Extractor and Point Man carefully shuttled Ariadne outside into the evening air.
"Don't worry about the kids!" Sybil called as Ariadne was gently, and slowly, lowered into the back seat of Arthur's luxury sedan.
The Point Man, not even caring about the leather seats at such a time. Or the fact that it was Eames who was doing the driving. The only thoughts in his mind was her wife and daughter.
Eames was a good driver. He made it to the small hospital in short time as Cobb called ahead to Ariadne's privet doctor. Arthur had insisted on hiring a specialist to be on call 24-7 for the birth of their second child.
Despite sonograms showing the mother and child were both healthy, Arthur treated them like fragile delicate things. Hiring consultants and specialists from England and Japan. He worried about his daughter. The time Morpheus had dragged Ariadne into that frightful dream. Had it hurt the child? Money was nothing to him. Never had been. Might as well use it to preserve the things that were something to him.
The hospital staff was ready for them as Arthur and Cobb helped Ariadne out of the car to a waiting nurse with a wheelchair. She was a pleasant older lady. A neat little pink sweater over her white uniform.
"Oh Dear." She said looking at the excited faces of the Point Man, the Extractor and the Forger. "Now which one of you is the Father to be?"
It was an easy and quick birth. A beautiful thing. Arthur stayed close to his wife as she delivered the baby naturally. Cobb and Eames paced outside in the waiting room.
Audrey was born healthy, screaming and purple. Her mother's cries of pain turned to cries of joy at seeing the squalling newborn. Arthur had to cover his face so his wife and the hospital staff wouldn't see his tears. Audrey was wrapped up in a clean pink blanket and presented to her mother.
"Oh my God, Arthur." Ariadne breathed. "She's so perfect."
"Yes she is." Arthur said proudly next to her. Audrey's little wrinkled face was just like Alexander's had been. Soft and almost grumpy looking.
Ariadne laughed at the thought of it.
Cobb and Eames were allowed to see their friends new edition soon. Like Arthur, Cobb looked longingly at the now slumbering new life. Blinking back tears at the miracle of it.
"She's beautiful." Cobb said raising his head up to look at his friends. Ariadne was sure that memories of his own daughter's birth were overcoming him right now.
"Sons are great and all, but a daughter..." Cobb added
"Nothing quite like it." Arthur finished for him.
The Extractor handed the baby over to the Forger.
"Yes, she's just a lovely Bird isn't she?" Eames smiled at the baby. "Thank God she looks like her Mother." He teased. Even Arthur laughed.
"Well, were thinking her middle name might be Eames, after you." The Point Man said. The Forger looked up in surprise. Arthur shrugged.
"It seems only fair since Cobb is God Father." he explained
"I'm honored." Eames said. A smile creeping onto his face.
"What's her first name?" Cobb asked as Eames handed the pink bundle over to her Father.
"Audrey." Ariadne said. Liking the sound of her daughter's name. "After Arthur's mother, Audrey Daniels."
"Daniels?" Cobb questioned, looking at Arthur.
"It was her stage name." The Point Man explained softly, giving his daughter back to his wife.
"Wait, was she that lovely ballet dancer from New York?" Eames said searching his memory. "I remember her, the one who died..." The Forger stopped short as Arthur cast him a hurt look. Eames back peddled.
"It's a lovely name. I'm sure your Mum would be pleased."
Cobb and Eames drove back home to tell Sybil and the Children the happy news. Arthur slept sitting up in a chair next to his wife's bed. Their daughter, only occasionally sleeping, as all new babies are want to be. It was while the three of them were deep in slumber, that Ariadne fell back into her dream again.
Audrey was forgotten for the moment. A little white house surrounded by woods. Tomas was riding a small bike.
From her spot on the porch, Ariadne held her little girl, Ava, up. The baby was starting to stand on her own now. She would soon be walking.
"Look Mommy!" Tomas called out to her. Wanting her full attention.
"I'm looking!" She called back. "Your doing wonderful!"
It was a cool day out. Leaves were falling gently as Tomas tried to stay balanced on his bike and training wheels. Ava was laughing which made her mother laugh.
Then, everything changed. The house was flooding. Filling quickly with cold unforgiving water. Her young, helpless children were inside. Tomas was perched on the sofa. His pitiful cries sounding over the hard rain. Ava, her white crib floating just out of reach. Out of reach with the frightened baby inside it.
Arthur.
Arthur telling her to leave them. Leave them to die in the water. How could she have done such a thing? Leave her children to die in the flood like that?
Ariadne breathed back awake.
Audrey was fussing from hunger. Mother's instincts kicked in. She reached over for the tiny pink bundle. She had already successfully breast fed her daughter once and was excited to attempt it again. The sensation of her life, pouring out of her and into her child, was indescribable. Joy, folded over many times.
She smiled at the little face. Looking much less grumpy now. A little rosy hand freed itself from the blankets. Spreading her five long little fingers. Ariadne was fascinated by her daughter's little hand and fingernails.
Arthur stirred from his chair.
"How is she doing?" He whispered in Ariadne's ear.
The Architect froze. A sensation like fear spreading over her. She felt Arthur kiss her shoulder and neck. His lips like ice on her skin.
"Stay away from us." She hissed at him.
Arthur was taken aback. He looked at his wife as though she had suddenly sprouted three heads.
"What?" He asked in disbelief.
"You heard me." She said harshly. Her eyes wide and angry. Her expression crazed. "You made me leave my children before. You made me leave them, to drown in that flood. I wont let you hurt her." She told him. Her face cold.
Arthur could only look in startled amazement as Ariadne calmly turned back to their daughter.