Here's your reality, guys. I'm working on the next chapter now. It has drama. Lots of it. Dramallama srsly.

DISCLAIMER : I do not own Inception. I wish I did, but Chris Nolan did fantastic with it.

REALITY

Alina woke with a start. She was breathing fast, her green eyes wide. That was amazing, she thought, head still buzzing with excitement and conversations. She slid her IV out, wincing. She had always hated the PASIV device, and she had always hated needles. She smiled weakly at Yusuf and he pressed a cotton ball to her wrist.

"Here, keep this on there until the bleeding stops," he said before turning to Jak and injecting him with Propofol to keep him asleep while he takes the IV out and stops the bleeding. Jak stayed asleep. James was already awake, looking around and pulling out his own IV and placing a tissue on it to stop the bleeding. Everyone else had done the same. A blonde flight attendant walked back and smiled at everyone and announced that they would be landing in Los Angeles from Paris in 30 minutes. Alina sighed and then her lips parted as she yawned. She pulled a blanket out of her carry-on bag (a small duffel bag) and snuggled into it, falling asleep almost promptly. Arthur smirked at the girl. Usually someone going through their first inception would be excited and hyped up, much like Ariadne on the Fischer job. Jak still hadn't noticed Alina, which was a particularly good thing. We didn't want him to notice her. Not yet, anyways. His father was being pulled off of life support this afternoon and the funeral was scheduled for next Wednesday, so Alina and her twin brother, Ryan, and James had to be there with the rest of their family. Alina suddenly jumped and she pulled out her cell phone and answered it with a cheery hello, disguised by a really good fake Irish accent.

"Hello?" she asked and then her smiled widened and she gripped the phone a little harsher.

"Ah, hello Ryan," There was a pause.

"Yes, I'm fine. And you?" Another pause, longer this time. She chuckled before responding.

"Yes, the job went fine. No complications. I'm still alive, Ryan. I'm talking to you, remember? Yes, the whole team is still alive. No; there were a few other things to be taken care of before that. Yes, I remembered. Is Cobb there?" There was another, much longer pause before she grinned eagerly.

"Dominic! How are you? How are Phillipa and James? And Miles? How long have you been out? Where do you live? How are you?" Everything came out in an excited rush and Cobb's laughter was so loud the team could hear it. Eames couldn't help but chuckle, Arthur smiled, Yusuf was holding back laughter, and Ariadne giggled incessantly. She listened intently to Cobb's story before responding, slower this time.

"Well, yes. The job went well. It was scary at times. And yes, some of those scares were caused by Yusuf and Ariadne's inside jokes that I will never understand, and that I never want to understand. Yeah, Arthur and Eames are fine. They said they'd see you before they head back to Eames's flat in Tudor, Mombasa. Yeah, Ariadne's staying here. Yusuf's going back to Mombasa as well. Later, though. I'll go back to my place in Monteriggioni when my sleeping habits are normal again. I need to see my horses. I need them. They help me, like therapy in a way," she said with a smile and Cobb said something that made her laugh.

"Have fun Dom. See you in a few. Tell Ryan I said I loved him. Thanks. Bye," She shut the phone off and looked sleepily over at Arthur and Eames. Eames grinned and Arthur smirked. Eames handed her a folded sheet of paper. She unfolded it and the picture of the ink black horse slipped out. She picked it up and slipped it in her pocket.

"Thank you. It must have fallen out of my bag. It's very wonderful," she said, pausing, "that you found it." She stared at it for a long time and then smiled. She nodded at Eames, slid it into her messenger bag, and then leaned back as the plane began its descent. Planes landing had always reminded Arthur of a line from a song by Brandon Heath.

"Touch down on the cold black tar,

Hold on for the sudden stop,

Breath in the familiar shock

Of confusion and chaos"

It was a wonderful song. Religious, yes, but wonderful. Arthur had never really been religious, but he prayed often. He didn't go to church, but he had read the Bible multiple times, memorized verses, had written insights in the margins, and highlighted his favorite verses and sayings. Arthur sighed and yawned, his head resting on Eames's strong shoulder. He had missed the familiar bulk, the ugly pattern shirts, the homey smell, the warm, scratchy voice.

Eames grabbed his hand gently and pulled it closer. He twined their fingers together and closed his eyes. The plane landed with a slight rock and bounce and it was carefully taxied into its place. There was that shock; that familiar chaos. Alina was the first off. She waited patiently for the rest of the team and they headed over to the luggage carousel. She grabbed her things and turned, heading towards security.

There was a young man, around her age standing just beyond the metal detectors. He had the same dark brown hair, except it was straight. It ended around 2 inches past the back of his neck and his bangs were long and pushed off to the side. It was a jagged cut and it looked surprisingly good on a 23 year old guy. His skin was paler than hers, but his eyes were the same amazing green. Dominic Cobb stood next to him, Phillipa holding onto one of Ryan's hands, James holding onto Dom's hand.

Ali went through security faster than anyone's ever seen. As soon as she got her shoes back on, she launched herself at her brother. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, tears leaking out from the corners of her eyes. He looked slightly startled, green eyes wide. Slowly he gave in and his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, his face buried into her neck. She pulled away, laughing and turned to Dom and hugged him just as hard. Dom's face was relaxed and gentle. It had been a long time since Arthur had seen Dom at such ease. It was amazing the transition from being the greatest extractor that ever lived to a retired 32 year old man who had everything.

She hugged Phillipa and James and looked back at Arthur and Eames, who were making their way through security somehow with the PASIV. She looked at Dom and then at her brother before shaking her head as they walked up.

"Well, we'd better get going if we want to miss the traffic, Dom," she said and looked at Arthur. "Are you two going to drop by later? We could have some drinks. I know a local bar. It's nice," she shrugged and Eames grinned and elbowed Arthur gently in the ribs. Arthur gave in.

"Alright. But what about the kids?" Arthur asked, glancing at Phillipa and James. Dom gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Arthur. I have a good babysitter," he told him and they turned away, Ali holding onto James's hand, Dom with her cello and guitar over his shoulders, Ryan with her duffle bag and Phillipa hanging onto his hand. She turned and waved at the team before turning and scooping James up, laughing and cradling him with such earnest joy, that every member of the team thought the same thing they thought about Mal.

She's lovely.

Hours later, the team was nestled in a corner of a high-end bar. It was a large booth and everyone was crowded around it. Ariadne and Yusuf were crushed together in the corner, giggling over beer. Dom and Ali sat in the opposite corner, and Arthur and Eames were sitting across from each other, Arthur stuck next to Yusuf. Ali was nursing a cocktail that the bartender called a Gamble. It was good, just not what she needed. What she needed was a scotch or gin and tonic or something stronger than a Gamble that only had a shot of gin, pineapple juice, and pomegranate juice. She raised a hand to a young waitress walking about and she shuffled over.

"Gin and tonic, please," she ordered, yawning and glancing around the table. "Anything for any of you?" she asked and everyone shook their heads. The waitress nodded and scampered off to the bartender who nodded and slid a glass to her. She skittered over, placed it on the table and began her rounds again. She reminded Ali of a squirrel. Skittish and shy. She shook her head and nursed her drink.

Arthur wasn't exactly sloshed yet, but he was drunk enough to do something stupid. Like go up to the karaoke stage, steal a guitar, and start singing. The table in the corner was laughing so hard that the barkeep told them to quiet down. It wasn't that he was a bad singer. No, it was just the opposite. He was amazing and he was playing a guitar in a lovely three piece suit even though his tie was loosened and the buttons were undone. He sang and they laughed and drank away the stress that had built over the job. The team got to know Ali better, and yet again, like with Mal, they thought she was just lovely.

Later, outside the bar while the team had gone out for a smoke break, Ali stole Cobb's cigarette, crushed it under her foot, and kissed him, soft and sweet. They went home an hour later, Cobb looking happier than ever, and Ali with this look of pure bliss on her face. They got into a cab after telling the team goodnight and they went back to Cobb's, Ali falling asleep curled up with Dom in his bed; Ryan asleep on the couch and the kids curled up on either side of him.

A/N : Okay. There. Finished. Finally. UGH. Anyways, I have the next chapter being written like... right now, so you'll get it soon. If you really love Arthur/Eames, go to . she has amazing recs, seriously.