DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inception.

It's decided. This will now be a series of one-shots.

Arthur felt his heart sink as the tiny brunette clung to his shirt collar.

"Samantha, sweetie, everything will be fine," he assured. The small girl still didn't release her grip on the fabric of his shirt.

"Daddy, I want to go home," she cried.

He took her tiny hands in his and looked into her large eyes. "Samantha, the doctor is not a big deal. All that's going to happen is he's going to give you a teeny tiny shot."

Her eyes watered quickly and she buried her face in his neck. Arthur sighed and clung to her back, wishing he could sweep her up and run her home, far away from any doctor that wanted to inject his daughter.

"Mr Connolly?"

Arthur looked up and the nurse, who was smiling kindly down on him and his daughter "The doctor's ready for you now."

Arthur nodded and stood up, picking up Samantha in his arms. "She's a little scared."

The nurse smiled. "That's alright. We get a lot of frightened children in here, but the doctor is very nice, and the shot won't hurt one bit."

Arthur followed her into one of the rooms, and greeted the doctor who was sitting at his desk. Arthur eyed him carefully, not fully trusting the man who was about to stick a needle into his child.

"Ah, Samantha Connolly," he said, standing up. "I hear you're a little scared."

Arthur felt a tiny head nod into his shoulder.

"Don't worry, it will only take 2 seconds. All you'll feel is a little sting." The doctor smiled at Arthur. "You can take a seat."

Arthur reluctantly placed Samantha down on the hospital bed, still clutching her hand. "Is it alright if I hold her hand?"

"Of course." The doctor looked to Arthur. "She might not want to see the needle if she's scared."

Arthur nodded and bend down. "Samantha, look at daddy."

The tiny girl looked up with teary eyes and squeezed his hand. Arthur swallowed as he saw the needle being assembled out of the corner of his eye. "Can you be a really brave girl for me?"

"Uh-huh," she sniffled. "Can you hold my hand?"

Arthur smiled. "I won't let go."

"Right Samantha, let me know when you're ready," the doctor said, sitting next to the young girl. She stiffened visibly and squeezed Arthur's hand tighter.

"Will it hurt?" she whimpered.

"You'll only feel a sting, I promise."

"Ok. Go," she mumbled.

Arthur watched as the doctor slid the needle into her arm. He suddenly remembered every job he ever did. He wondered how many times he had needles shoved into his skin. A slight squeeze from Samantha's tiny hand prompted him back into the room. It was one of those moments when Arthur knew he had to be a father. In that split second of pain, Arthur wanted to grab his child and hide her from the world, hide her from all the other injections and trees and dangerous people.

But he figured if he didn't want her to get chicken pox, then maybe getting the injection was the best idea.

"All done."

Arthur watched as the tiny person recovered and wiped her eyes. "Was that it?" she asked in awe.

The doctor nodded and smiled at her, kindly. "That's all. Thank you for being such a good girl."

"Come on Samantha," Arthur said, picking her up again. "Thank you," he mouthed to the doctor before taking her out of the room. "You were so brave, sweetie."

"Can we get some ice cream now?" she asked, as if nothing happened. Arthur chuckled, then nodded.

"Of course we can," he smiled. "Let's go."

Arthur didn't place her back down unil they were out of the hospital and by the car. He strapped her into the front seat and smiled at her. "I'm going to have to tell Mommy how brave you were."

She beamed back up at him. "Will she be happy with me?"

"Very."

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

Samantha stared up at him curiously. "Have you ever had an injection before?"

Arthur smiled to himself. "Lots of times sweetie. Lots of times."