Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me. Thanks to Moviemaniac12 for letting me co-write this fic.

Opening the screen door, I stepped out of the shower. I'd needed it. Reaching for a towel, I rubbed my face. My body was flushed pink, and my skin tingled. Wrapping the towel around my waist, I headed back into hotel room.

I couldn't relax. I pulled on a clean pair of boxers and then the hotel bathrobe. I didn't want to go downstairs and join Eames in the bar. I didn't want to go and knock on Cobb's door. I wanted to be left alone.

Nash. I shuddered. Nash was the one of the worst people we'd ever worked with. His idea of designing was one that cut corners, missed out details, failed to see the bigger picture.

I vividly remembered the failed extraction with Saito. The moment when he'd identified the carpet…and that the carpet was wrong. I raked my hand through my hair. I still couldn't believe how we'd got out of that one.

"Asshole!"

"I didn't know about the carpet!"

"You're the Architect!"

"I didn't know he was going to rub his damn cheek on it!"

Yes, the carpet. Saito had rubbed his cheek on it…and the whole extraction had been exposed. Not to mention those crazy projections. I'd never encountered anyone else who'd had a full scale riot erupting in their subconscious, and I didn't want to again.

But now Cobb wanted to. To extract from Nash who he was working with.

A knock on the door startled me. "Who is it?"

"Its Ari…can I come in?"

"Hang on." I slipped off the robe, and pulled on a shirt. And pants.

I opened the door. "Come in."

She walked in, her expression nervous. "Arthur, whats going on? I've just seen Cobb – he looks furious!"

I sighed. "We've had a…disagreement."

"What? You and Cobb?"

"Yep."

"Over what?"

I sighed. "Look, Ari…I can't really talk about this."

"Is it about the case?"

"Yes."

"Then whats the problem?"

I swallowed. "Cobb wants us to perform an extraction on Nash. I don't agree with it."

"But why?" She looked at me, questioningly. "I know you don't like him, but-"

"Actually, Ari, I despise him. Nash sold us out completely after the first job on Saito. It was lucky that Saito needed Cobb for the Fischer job, or we'd both probably be rotting in a jail somewhere."

Her jaw dropped.

"He screwed up the design. We were meant to be in apartment – the apartment that Saito takes his mistress for trysts. He screwed up the carpet. Saito recognised it, realised it was a dream, and ripped us to shreds. It was only because we were in Nash's head we got out."

She looked at me, dumbstruck.

"So, yeah, he was a lousy architect. You know you only have to mess up one small detail, and that's it – game over." I looked at her, unblinking. "That's why I don't like him. He put us all in danger. And then, he goes and confesses all to Saito, who then put me and Cobb in a position where we couldn't refuse. If we'd refused to do the Fischer job, he would have gone after us."

I walked over to the mini bar. Pulling it open, I reached for the small bottle of chilled water and poured myself a glass.

"Drink?" I offered. She shook her head.

"But, Cobb thinks-"

"Cobb wants us to be the heroes. Nash is working with an urban terrorist, lets find them and stop them. Never mind how we're exposing ourselves to danger."

She swallowed. "Cobb wouldn't put us in that position."

"Have you forgotten the Fischer job, Ari? How he didn't tell us that we could have gone into limbo if we'd been killed? I know Cobb's heart is in the right place – he wants to do the best thing he can, but sometimes he…"

My voice trailed off. This was the first time I'd ever openly criticised Cobb, and in front of Ariadne too. I gave myself a little shake. I was always loyal to Cobb – now I could feel the sheen disappearing from it. I rubbed my forehead, wishing that we'd never got sucked into this.

"But Arthur…" Ariadne's voice was timid, hesitant. "Cobb wouldn't make a mistake like that again. I know he wouldn't. He has to make sure we're safe."

"We're safe as long as we don't go into Nash's head."

"You're sure of that, aren't you?"

"Yes." I took a swallow of water. My head was beginning to pound.

"Arthur." Ariadne looked at me. "I know you don't trust Nash. But we have to trust Cobb. He believes we can do this…and as you know, I'm the Architect. I won't let you guys down."

I smiled. "I know you won't. Really."

She nodded. "Well, goodnight then."

"Goodnight." I paused and watched her go, unable to think of anything I could say to make her stay. Taking another swallow of water, I pulled back the covers on my bed. As I slid in, I closed my eyes, hoping that my worst fears weren't going to be realised.