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Adam swallowed as his mother entered. She brushed her pashmina, and smiled at Ariadne.

"So you are...?" her eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the petite young woman. The Architect smiled at her. "Ariadne."

"Of course." His mother nodded. "Adam has mentioned you."

"Mom," Adam said, his tone uneasy, "won't you sit down?"

"Of course," she replied, seating herself elegantly on the sagging couch. Ariadne was feeling somewhat uncomfortable. This was not a situation she felt prepared to handle.

She had never met Arthur's family. He never mentioned them, leading her to assume that he did not keep in touch. She had wondered if the dangerous elements of their work meant that not contacting them was a safer option, but, his sheer independence meant it was hard for her to reconcile the idea of him having a family. She shook her head to clear it, and tried to focus on what was being said before her.

"So, is it OK if we have take out?" Adam said, trying to sound cheerful. Ariadne nodded. "Sounds great."

"Shouldn't you be careful?" His mother said, her tone almost disapproving. "Your stomach is so delicate with the chemo, that you-"

"I think I can digest it this evening," Adam said, guardedly. "I'll just order, shall I?"

His mother nodded. "If you say so, sweetheart."

Ariadne shifted on the sofa. She was beginning to notice how he looked younger, and even slightly helpless when confronted with his mother. He picked up the phone, getting ready to ring. Suddenly, his mother's voice echoed through the room.

"Adam! What is this?"

He jumped, and so did Ariadne. In between his mother's fingers was a hash pipe. He felt himself turn scarlet - Kyle had obviously left it there.

"Its, uh, part of my medication," he mumbled, taking it from her hand. "Still, I'll just order the food, and we-"

"Ok," his mother said, nodding. She turned to Ariadne, and blinked, as though she'd forgotten that she was there. The young woman smiled, trying to seem calm.

"How did the two of you meet?" she asked. Ariadne swallowed. "Well, he was walking his dog, and we sort of-" she blushed slightly - "bumped into each other."

"Right." The older woman nodded. "And what happened after that?"

"Well, we exchanged numbers, and then-" Ariadne found herself freezing slightly. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She also couldn't help mentally comparing Arthur to Adam. He, she felt sure, would never allow his mother to dominate him like this. She bit her lip, feeling a flutter of consternation. She was almost seeing a weaker version of him, and she wasn't sure she liked it.

Adam re-appeared, and sat down next to her. "Food's ordered," he said, reaching for her hand. She let him caress it, feeling his fingers wrap around hers.

His mother nodded. "Make sure you eat enough," she said, looking at him directly. "You're far too thin."

"Well, cancer's a great diet programme," he joked, and then saw it had fallen flat. She shook her head. "I'm serious, Adam," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "I can't bear to see you wasting away like this!"

Adam blinked, and Ariadne saw his face tighten. Feeling uncomfortable, she got up, and left the room.

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