11.

~ Ariadne heard voices coming from her bedroom and walked in on her husband and their nanny. Corrine was naked except for the glittering diamond necklace Arthur had given her for her birthday just after Dominic was born.
"Arthur?" Ariadne breathed as she saw the Point Man kissing the nanny.

Her husband jumped away from Corrine. Her beautiful body, obviously surgically enhanced, stood proudly at being caught. Corrine didn't cower away at being so obviously discovered.

"We didn't want you to find out like this." Corrine said with a shrug.

Arthur looked scared at the sight of his wife and the nanny standing naked. The situation didn't look good for him.

"Save it, Corrine." Ariadne said lazily as Arthur stepped away from the nanny.

Corrine's face fell slightly.

Ariadne shrugged.

"Arthur told me." The Architect said as she approached the pretty nanny. "He told me everything. How you've been trying to seduce him."

Corrine stepped back and jumped at the feel of Arthur's hands on her neck. The Point Man easily unclasping the heavy necklace and sliding it off her.

"I've already reported you to your agency." Arthur said. "It'll be an interesting footnote that you were going though my wife's jewelry."

"Arthur." Corrine said hostilely. The nanny was trembling in rage.

"I never wanted you, Corrine." Arthur said stiffly as he slipped the diamonds into his pocket. "You come into my home and think you can replace my wife?"

The Point Man shook his head and looked disgusted.

"You could never replace my wife." He said coldly.

"You wanted me to replace her!" Corrine hissed. "Don't try and deny it!"

"What I want; is for you to put your clothes on. I don't want to have to call the police and have them arrest you naked." Arthur said in reply.
Corrine turned to Ariadne.

"He fucked me. You need to know that." Corrine said bitterly. Ariadne's face didn't even flinch. "We've been sleeping together for months now."

Ariadne rolled her eyes. She didn't need to look at Arthur. The Point Man didn't even need to shake his head.

"No, he hasn't." The Architect said lazily. She knew her husband too well. He may have let Corrine kiss him, but he would never go so far as to bed another woman.

Arthur had retrieved the nanny's clothes from the bathroom, and gave them to her.

"Get dressed, and get out." He said coldly.

"Our friend, Mr. Eames, is looking through your things right now to see if you've been handling any more of my valuables." Ariadne said as the Corrine dressed in front of them. "Something tells me this isn't the first time you've done this. I doubt you could afford the breast implants on a teacher's salary. Or the liposuction. Or the caps on your teeth." Ariadne said looking over Corrine's perfect body in disgust. "My guess is you've blackmailed men before."

Corrine glared daggers as the Architect.

"I wouldn't waste your time with a lawsuit either." Arthur added as Eames casually strolled into their bedroom. The nanny's bag in his hands.

"Her things were clean." The Forger whispered looking over Corrine.

"Thank you." Arthur said taking her bag and giving it to Corrine.

"I'm not a rich as you may think. I was, that's true. But since I found out about my real paternity, I've had a change of heart. Since Darcy is the rightful heir to the company, I've put it in her name. I'm nothing more then the trustee till she comes of age. You can try to sue, but I don't think you'll get much. You'll most likely go broke trying." Arthur said casually.

The Point Man stood by the Architect's side as the couple created a united front.

"Also, think about what it would do to your reputation. Nanny tries to seduce family man who's son is blind and daughter has cancer? You'd never win in the eyes of the media." Ariadne added scathingly.

Corrine looked murderous as she shouldered her bag and stormed out.

"She was a piece of work." Eames said as he appreciatively watched Corrine slammed the front door after her.

The Forger walked away from the couple humming Kanye West's Gold Digger.

The Point Man sighed and looked at his wife.

"That went well." He sighed.

Ariadne took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair.

"Better then I thought. I forgot how well we work together." She said with a small laugh.

She looked appreciatively up at her husband.
"I'm glad you told me about this. I don't know why I didn't see it before." She whispered to him.

"I was scared shitless to tell you." Arthur chuckled as the couple shared the private moment. "I thought you might believe the worst."

Ariadne shook her head.
"I promise, I won't do that again." She said as her husband kissed her forehead and held her close.

~ "So, when will you tell Darcy's she's a millionaire?" Sadie asked as she casually flashed the heavy engagement ring Eames had given her.

The leggy spider woman used any excuse at all to show it off. The Forger finally proposing to her and begging her to take him back. Up until the proposal, Sadie had consented to use Eames to resolve carnal needs only. But she resigned to take him back at the sight of the ring and promise of a changed man.

"We're not sure yet." Ariadne said as she smoothed Katie's blond hair back with one of Darcy's hair clips. Cobb's youngest daughter had hair the color of sunshine and she was smiling all the time now she was back with her father.
"Aren't you worried all that money might warp her?" Sarah asked. Like girls playing dolls, Sarah had Drew and Ariadne had Katie. Both women playing dress up with their girls.

"I guess. But we won't have to worry about it for a while." Ariadne told her.
"You just gave away financial security." Sadie scolded. She fanned herself with her ring hand. The diamond too heavy to lift.
"We agreed, that money was more trouble then it was worth." Ariadne told them. "Ever since we inherited it, it's been nothing but a disaster. It's a relief to be done with it."

Sadie shrugged and Sarah held Drew closer.
"Thank you so much for looking after James and Phillipa while I was gone. I don't know what I was thinking, leaving Dom." Sarah admitted.
"I just wish we could have been there, for the wedding." Ariadne said.

"I don't." Sadie chimed in. "I watch reality TV. American weddings are so tacky."

"Well, the ceremony was really very nice. We were married in the same little chapel my parents and grandparents were married in." Sarah told them. "Just a small ceremony. My dad gave me away. Everyone in the family just loves Dom to death."

"That's good." Ariadne said.

She didn't ask why Sarah left. She didn't need to.
"As soon as I left him, I knew it was a mistake." Sarah said regretfully. "I missed him everyday I was gone. Then he comes into town, practically on a white horse, and swoops me off my feet." She laughed. "I never knew he cared so much."

"We're so glad you're back. That you're both back." Ariadne laughed. She started kissing Katie's cheek and the baby giggled.

"Well, you have the money from that stupid video game you designed. I still can't believe it did so well." Sadie said in disbelief. "I mean, video games? Who knew?"

"I never thought it be such a hit, I think it even surprised Seth. He's in California now promoting it. He already wants to get to work on another game." Ariadne smiled. "But it might be awhile before he gets back to Paris."

~ "Now Daniel, Dominic, we keep our backs strait and our writs off the keys when we play." Albert said with his endless patients. The boys sat on either side of their grandfather. These days, it was best to keep them apart.

Daniel liked the fancy grand piano Arthur had bought for his Albert's visits. He had no idea until recently that Albert Castus was a world famous concert pianist. The Point Man only following modern classical music vaguely. He never put it together that a lot of the beautiful pieces were written and composed by his father.

"Now, deep breath... and we start." Albert said as he played the single notes for Greensleeves. Dominic looking at the keys and mimicking him. Daniel, like Arthur before him, wanting to play whatever he wanted.

Albert played the simple song again and guided Daniel to the right keys. The blind little boy able to play, and enjoying this big instrument that produced a lot of noise with little effort.

~ "So, how are the wedding preparations going?" Arthur teased Eames as Darcy and Phillipa played in the living room.

The Forger looked sweaty and nervous.

"You're going to be someone's husband now." Cobb joined in on the teasing as he showed of his own new wedding ring.

"Wives won't let you do all the things you used to. Forget jumping on a plane to Brazil or anything like that." Arthur added.

The Point Man and Extractor were having a bit too much fun teasing Eames.

"Enough, Sadie isn't going to be like that." Eames protested.

"She might be worse!" Arthur laughed.

Eames shook his head as the men laughed.

"So, tell me how this nanny tried to seduce you. I've known you for ten years now and I've never seen any woman try to seduce you." Cobb said turning on the Point Man.

"Right, I want to hear about that to." Eames added. "I still don't understand what Ariadne sees in you, much less sexy McBoobies."

"It was the money. It's all she cared about." Arthur grumbled. "I'm just glad you and Sadie were here to help me with the kids till Edwina could find a new nanny.

Eames and Cobb exchanged looks.

The new nanny, or MANny, was a lovely man by the name or Ross. He was obviously very gay, but he was loving and caring to the kids. He was a modern hippie who cooked vegetarian dinners and was teaching the kids to paint. His first day working with the family, the boys got into a fight and Ross made them hug and tell them they loved each other. Then the mannny cried.

"Ross is working out fine. We don't have to worry about his seducing anyone." Arthur protested. "The kids love him, and he's very good with them."

Eames rolled his eyes. Cobb looked ready to laugh.
The men looked at Darcy and Phillipa playing. Arthur's daughter looked adorable in her Peter Pan costume she had refused to take off after the recital. She had recovered almost fully from her cancer. So much so that she had been cast as the title role in the dance academy's production of Peter Pan. Her short blond hair coming in handy as she sang on stage and danced. The family, and extended friends had all turned out for her first performance since her cancer.

"Edwina is coming by with her new boyfriend." Arthur reminded everyone. "Ariadne says we have to be on our best behavior."

The Point Man looked over at Albert as he continued to teach the boys to play. It had been nice having Albert around. Arthur slowly seeing little things he had in common with his natural father. Not just the way they dresses and their physical mannerisms, but they liked the same foods and had the same taste in movies and music.

It was interesting to hear stories of his mother from this man. How Ariadne's blue sapphire engagement ring had been a gift from Albert to Audrey when Arthur was first born. Arthur's mother never able to tell him the truth about the stone. Albert was happy to see the stone made into an engagement ring for his only son's wife. Glad it was now a family heirloom.

Ariadne was glad to have Arthur's father around as well. The older man proving so charming, that Arthur teased his wife that he might have to worry about competition.

"I don't think I've ever seen those two sit so still for this long." Cobb commented as Dominic and Daniel sat and played the piano keys. "How are things going with you and Albert?"
"Really well. He was there when I told Ariadne about Corrine. Helped us think of a good plan. He really seems to care about us." Arthur admitted.

"He's been through a lot. I couldn't imagine how hard it would be to not be able to raise your own son." Cobb sighed.

"That why you went to America, guns blazing, to marry Sarah?" Eames asked.

"Yes." Cobb snapped. "That, and I love her."

Arthur was smiling as the door bell buzzed. He strode confidently to get it as Ariadne and Sarah came back into the living room to put their babies in the shared play pen.

~ The Architect looked over her large mantle piece that was crowded with pictures. Some old, some new, some new to them.

A lovely photo of Arthur and Ariadne on their wedding day. The standard picture of their kids, cleaned up, dressed up and well behaved. Darcy in her ballet costume before she got sick. Her blond hair, wild as ever. Then there were new pictures. A black and white snap shot of Albert and Audrey when Arthur was little. The future Point Man looking happy as his mother and real father posed with him. Audrey Daniels was decked out in her elegant ballet costume. Albert holding Arthur up in one arm. The little boy, at age three, was small enough to be easily lifted. The secret family looking happy. Captured forever in the world of black and white.

There were also many pictures of Cobb and Sarah. Sadie and Eames. Ordinary candid shots of Arthur and Ariadne when they first began dating. The both of them looking so much younger in the days just after the Fischer inception.

In a small frame, tucked almost out of sight, was a skinny boy with missing front teeth and dark hair. He looked a lot like Daniel, but his eyes were the same doe like shape of Ariadne's. The Point Man insisting that the have place on the mantle for her long dead little brother. All skeletons shaken out of the closets now.

"Cobb, Eames, you remember my secretary, Edwina Sharp." Arthur said nervously as the tiny little woman stepped into the room.

Cobb Eames and Ariadne snapped to attention at seeing the hipster boyfriend Edwina was about to introduce them to.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend." She said in her nasal voice.

"Specks!" Ariadne gasped in shock.

~ END ~

This may be the end of this FAMILY series I've worked so much on. I'm not sure where else I can go with them. LOL. They have a happy ending... for now.

I may pick it up again, I may not. This is a good ending no matter what I decide to do.

I wanted to assert that not all marriages are the same. No marriage is perfect. Everyone has problems in a marriage but it takes a lot of courage an love to overcome them. It's easy to leave a guy because you think he's an asshole sometimes. It's easy to give up on a wife because she's not the girl you feel in love with.

Love take a lot of work.

I speak from personal experience that my own marriage had difficulties. Just like any other. My husband and I managed to hold on, but looking back, I wonder how.

I think people have unreasonable expectations on how a marriage is supposed to be. That its all about love, and sex and good things. Most of the time, it's day to day. It's easy to think it's not worth it, but it's always worth it.

I got a lot of groovy feedback from you guys. Most of you wanting A&A together. One review made me laugh. Said Arthur was and ass who made Ariadne into a baby machine. LOL. It was just funny to me. That's my bad I guess. A lazy writing ploy to cause more drama for them.

Technically, they only had three kids and an adopted daughter. Dominic was wanted by both of them, as was Daniel. Drew was the only one who was... controversial. LOL.

But I wonder; if it had been Ariadne that tricked Arthur into getting her pregnant, would he have been as mad as she was? Or is it a double standered?