Chapter Two

The next day, Cobb eyed her bag, silent but clearly assessing just what was in it. He didn't make an attempt to hide the fact either, which Juliet knew he could. She pointedly took out a lap top and walked away, saying hello to the children and accepting James' exuberant hug. If Cobb had reservations, he didn't say anything and left her to watch his children. Evidently he still trusted her to watch them.

While James and Phillip devoured their lunches, Juliet sat down to work on her papers due in the next week when she would be absent. She was in the middle of putting together interesting little inserts about the industrial age when the door slipped open. Half expecting Cobb, she didn't turn. Only when the two children dropped from their chairs calling to their grandfather did she bother to stop typing.

"Professor Miles," She greeted him pleasantly. As part of her study abroad in undergrad, Juliet had taken an architecture course from the esteemed professor. In fact, he'd been her reference when she had been put up to nanny the two children. Seeing him was a welcome surprise.

Untangling from the children, he walked over to look over her shoulder, ever the teacher. "Ah, Miss Shaw. Industrial age. Quite an interesting period."

"I prefer Classical sculpture myself, but I'm intrigued by this now." Juliet's smile was an easy one, something she missed these days.

"As you are by other subjects, no doubt." There was something veiled in that remark that made her tense but she said nothing in response. "Just be careful, Miss Shaw. You have a bright future, remember that." He patted the back of her chair once and was instantly captured by the eager James.

Juliet watched them play for the next hour, using that time to push through her paper. While she was grateful for the Professor's visit, if only to finish her work, she was unnerved by his sudden advice. She wasn't aware that Cobb might have spoken to Miles about their disagreement the night before. It was perfectly plausible, just as much so that the sharp older man might have discovered it on his own.

When he left, she snapped her laptop closed, determined to focus on the children. James wanted to build Lego cities with her until they toppled over from poor construction or until Phillippa distracted him with a new idea. The two helped her with the preparations for dinner, though James left to set the table while Phillippa did more to help Juliet cook. They were checking the chicken in the oven when Cobb returned. Dutiful Phillippa didn't leave her assessment, determined to make sure the chicken was perfect before she greeted her father.

Juliet took that moment alone to fish out the chicken to cool on the stove top. Normally she might have gone to speak to Cobb, greet him at the very least. They often exchanged a bit of conversation, most of it rather mundane, but not today. Today Juliet stayed in the neat, little kitchen to avoid the awkwardness of what was bound to happen.

She was spared any of that when her cellphone buzzed in her pocket. With her hands in mitts, she wouldn't have answered normally, but she checked the id and stopped. It was her weekend job; she had to answer it. Juliet closed her eyes and hit the answer button. "Hello?... Wait, what are you talking about? Everything's been planned. The plan involves five people, not four, not two, but five… I'm not going in like that… Why? Because it's suicide, that's why…The success rate of a job working like that is about 5%... No that's not a scientific number…" She turned so that her back was to the kitchen opening, struggling to keep her voice low. "It can't be done… You can't force me… That's black mail. That's illegal… I know that but… Yes, yes of course I'll still do it if it put it that way, but I need at least one more person… What? Hello? Hello?" Juliet glared at the offending technology.

"Blackmail is a part of everyday life in that business." Cobb was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets.

She didn't turn around to look at him, just tossed the mitts down with more force than necessary.

"What do they have on you?"

Juliet just shook her head, turning to leave. She meant to slip around Cobb and check on the children, but he moved, blocking her exit. "Respectfully, it's not of your business."

He didn't look like he was giving up any time soon. "Juliet, you've been here almost every day for three months looking after my children who I prefer to keep out of this world, you understand. What do they have on you?"

She took a moment before letting out a slow, long breath. "My little sister is studying in Greece, I mentioned that remember? They threatened to detain her; to keep her from coming back home. She can't handle detention let alone being held against her will in another country."

Cobb held her gaze for a long time and Juliet desperately wished he would just move out of her way. Dinner was getting cold and when it got cold, Phillippa just pushed it around her plate and didn't eat. "Who do you need for the last person?" He didn't look at all pleased to be asking her that. In fact, he looked like he'd just swallowed a cockroach.

"I need a forger. We have a half way decent extractor; not the best but he has a good track record. The architect has done his job but he refuses to go in, ever. Some bad experience or another. I don't dally in the forgery world so…" She trailed off after listing their members. Hearing it out loud sounded so much worse.

Cobb pinched the bridge of his nose. "Juliet."

"I know, Cobb." Realizing she wasn't escaping the kitchen, Juliet set about slicing the chicken and making the children's plates. At least they could eat while their father chewed her out. "When I signed on, it had a decent success rate, but it's spiraling. We should just pull out but you heard the conversation. It was fishy from the start. I shouldn't have taken it."

When she was finished putting the plates together, Cobb took them and set them on the table. The children, well, James, dashed to the table. A few moments later, the former extractor met her in the hallway. "Listen, I know a forger-"

Juliet stopped him, "We don't need a great forger, just a halfway decent one. The job isn't that complicated. It's two levels."

He grabbed her arm, pulling her further down the hallway and away from James and Phillippa. "You don't do anything halfway in this game, alright? You mess up just a millimeter and you're job is scrapped and your sister is stuck in Greece. He's more than a forger and you need someone to watch your back."

Her head slumped. After this little incident, she was pretty sure she was fired. "Fine."

"Can you do the extraction yourself?"

She looked up, "What are you talking about?"

"You said he was only decent. If you have to, can you do it yourself?" Cobb was looking at her with an intense stare that made her increasingly nervous.

Juliet had never been the extractor before. She knew how to do it in theory, having played point man most of the time, but she'd never been the one to initiate it. "I have never done it. I'm the pointman. I support the extractor."

"And you're also a extractor when you need to be," his words were tired, like he was frustrated she hadn't picked up a lesson before now, or didn't turn in her homework on time when he knew she'd completed it. "You're going to need to talk to some more people. When is this job?"

"This weekend." She told him without hesitation.

"Three days," he was lost in his thoughts for a moment, "You're here early tomorrow. Miles can watch the children."

"Cobb, you don't have to do this." Juliet was telling him, but he was already walking away from her. She took that as her cue to leave, grabbing her laptop and slipping out the door. She felt about as tall as James.

Author's Note: So, not the turn I expected. It took me a bit to get this up since Miles decided to make an appearance and I have no idea why. And yes, Dom is helping Juliet. Yes, he wants to stay out of the dream business for the sake of his kids, but I also think he can't help himself, especially when he sees someone doing it all wrong. He's been in it so long that I really didn't want it to be easy for him to just give it up. Think of Juliet as his twelve step program to quitting.