Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me.

Ariadne looked at Arthur. The covers were pulled up over him, and he was sleeping deeply. He looked vulnerable - his eye area was darkly shadowed, and his hair was ruffled, in contrast to his usual smooth and debonair appearance. She had found a pair of old, comfortable pyjamas, which he had dressed in.

She walked back into the kitchen. She pulled out a carton of eggs, and also a bag of salad - determined to make omelettes for herself and Arthur when he woke up. She bit her lip, feeling a throb of guilt about Adam.

His family were there. Kyle would be there. His therapist would be there. Arthur had no-one. She straightened her spine, and tried to make sense of her thoughts. Pouring herself a glass of water, she sat down.

She did love Adam, she reflected. His sweetness and kindness was a breath of fresh air. He wanted a calm, orderly life, one without dangers or terrors - which made it doubly frustrating that he had been struck with his present illness. He clearly just wanted to recover and be with her. They could get married, move to the suburbs, her get a job as an firm architect and he continue with his modest job in broadcasting.

Where with Arthur - life would always be difficult. Always have the possibility of danger. But there was a freedom in it - they would live in the centre of the city, and continue with metropolitan interests. Plus, she knew, Arthur's lack of family meant there would not be a mother in law peering over her shoulder. She shuddered - Diane seemed to regard her with suspicion and almost hostility. She knew the older woman would always regard her as in outsider, an intruder.

She shuddered. She picked up her glass and took a swallow. Suddenly, her phone began to ring again. Annoyed, she looked at it. Adam. Her fingers trembling, she reached for it. "Hello?"

"Ariadne? Kyle."

"Hi." She swallowed. She was not sure how Kyle felt about her. "Hello."

"Ariadne, he's going into surgery in one hour. They're going to adminster the aneasthetic soon." Kyle's voice sounded full of annoyance. "Are you coming to see him?"

"I-" Ariadne paused. "Arthur's not well, he's-"

"Ariadne, Adam could be dying!" The sheer anger in the young man's voice caused her to blink. "You're supposed to be his girlfriend! He can't call you, so I am. Do I-"

Ariadne bit her lip. This was not what she wanted to fight against for the rest of her life. "Don't make me feel bad," she said, her voice shaky. "I will be there. But Arthur has no-one - and Adam has you, and his family. He would want me to help someone, don't you get it?!"

"I-"

"Bye," she said, abruptly, clicking off. Tears came to her eyes, and she brushed them back. Suddenly, she heard a voice. "Ariadne?"

She turned on her chair. Arthur stood in front of her, his pyjamas as rumpled as his expression. "Hey," she said, nervously. "Why are you up?"

He smiled tiredly. "Boredom. Thirst." He walked to the sink, wincing slightly. She shook her head. "Here, let me help you." Picking up a glass, she poured water into it. He accepted it, and took a gulp. "Thank you."

She looked at him. "Are you hungry?"

He looked the salad and eggs. "Yes," he admitted. "I haven't eaten for 24 hours."

"Right. Sit down."

"OK, Time is up." The Asian-American surgeon smiled at Adam kindly. "We're going to take you down now."

Adam nodded, a lump in his throat. "Mom," he choked out, and his mother swooped down, fiercely enfolding him in a hug. "You're going to be fine," she said, huskily. He nodded, and then the mask was settled over his face. He leaned back, and began to breathe.

As her son was wheeled away, Diane Lerner walked into the biege toned waiting room. She noticed Kyle was sitting next to her husband. The older man's face had the slightly vacant expression she'd grown to accept, but Kyle, she could see, was anxious. On impulse, she reached out, and he took her hand.

"It'll be ok," he said, quietly.

Tears streaking her face, she nodded.

Arthur and Ariadne ate quietly. Then suddenly, Arthur spoke.

"How's Adam?"

Ariadne flushed. "I- he-"

Arthur looked at her. The drugs were beginning to wear off, and he was starting to focus again. "Ari, isn't he in surgery today?"

"I-yes."

Arthur swallowed, and looked at her. "Let me get changed, and we'll go."

"But, I-" she paused. "I-"

"What is it?" he asked, gently.

"Arthur, I don't know if I can stay with him," she admitted. "I think it was...rebound, because I thought you would never come back. But he's ill, and-"

Arthur shook his head. "Don't use his illness as an excuse," he said, softly. "If you love him, you love him. But we need to see him, to make sure he's allright."

Stunned at Arthur's forcefulness, she nodded. He got up, and made his way to the bedroom.

Adam lay, sleeping. The nurse checked his temperature, and smiled.

"Well, the results are-" Dr Lin checked her notes as she approached the family. "They are-"

Suddenly, Kyle paused. "One moment."

Stepping forward, he blinked. Arthur and Ariadne had just entered the foyer, looking at the uneasily.

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