Authors Note:
Thank you for the beautiful reviews for the last chapter.
I'm sorry I was not able to post yesterday, but I added some more to this chapter in order to make it up to you all.
Please Review!
Chapter 8
Ariadne's eyes were begging to close. She was sitting on the couch, her head situated onto her hands. She hadn't slept the night before for more than five minutes. She didn't know why though. It could be the storm and the fact that it still had not passed. It could be the fact that every time she turned the wrong way on her bed, her stomach wound would send a shooting pain all through out of her body. Or it could be something else. She had to be honest with her self, she couldn't help but think of Cobb.
Moments after she had finally drifted asleep, it had become the break of morning when she heard a running water noise from the bathroom. She had groaned loudly, unaware of the fact that Dom apparently loved early morning showers. Seconds later, she had decided to get up, brush her teeth and go downstairs to sit on the couch.
That's exactly where in time she was. Sitting on the couch, her eyes burning from how tired she felt. But she knew that she couldn't go to bed, the day hours were supposed to be spent awake. Not asleep. Then again, they were in Limbo. They still were technically sleeping.
She yawned briefly, a masculine voice coming from behind her "Good morning." Cobb's voice was filled with confusion. Why in hell was she up so early?
Ariadne didn't have the strength to turn her head around to him so she whispered back, a small smile tugging at her lips "Good morning."
Cobb watched her carefully. She had red eyes that were asking to close. She looked like she hadn't slept at all. He sat down next to her on the couch and questioned "Did I wake you?" He really hoped he hadn't. He had tried to take his shower as quickly and as quietly as possible.
Ariadne opened her eyes as far as she could and turned to him while replying "Not really. I just, I couldn't sleep at all last night."
"Nightmare?" Dom asked, a smirk on his face.
She tried to laugh but it came out shortly while she responded "This entire place is a nightmare." She paused and continued "I cannot wait to just find Saito and finally wake up."
Cobb nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. His eyes went straight to the coffee table and an idea hit him. "You know, I have something that might help you." He smiled and waved his hand over the table, a mug appearing filled with some strange liquid.
Ariadne stared at him for a moment, unaware of what he was trying to give her. He passed her the mug and said "Drink." Her eyebrows raised slightly, baffled by the substance.
"Trust me." He spoke tightly, a grin around his lips.
"Okay, but if I get poisoned-" she stopped as the cup hit her lips. She took a sip and let the substance fall down her throat. It was tea, tea mixed with something sweet like maybe-
"Tea and honey." He smiled and spoke "It will help you feel better." Dom could tell that she was a day away from catching a cold. He had to try to prevent it. They didn't need any more obstacles in the way from finding Saito.
"Thank you." She whispered, taking another sip. He sat on the couch, a new pair of clothes on his body. She still hadn't figured out the clothing trick.
He looked over at the window and sighed "It really is great weather, isn't it?"
She nodded once and chuckled at his sarcasm before asking "Why is it storming outside, Dom?"
He shrugged his shoulders once and replied "I've been trying to figure that out since last night. I have no idea. The only solution that I did think of was that someone in Limbo, has figured out how to change weather patterns."
"Wow." Ariadne breathed out and then continued "I can't even create new clothes."
Cobb chuckled at her statement and said lightly "Yet. I can teach you that today if you want." He looked at the window again, the buckets of rain still poured out the morning sky. They had to distract themselves somehow.
"Okay." She smiled, taking another sip of her tea and honey. She placed the mug on the coffee table and asked "But could you explain 'exaggeration' to me again. I still haven't completely understood it."
He nodded once, pointed to cup on the table and said "Take a look at the cup, for example." He looked over at Ariadne whose eyes were closed. He held in a laugh and asked "Are you still awake?"
She leaned herself back on the couch, her eyes still closed. He smirked and murmured to himself "I didn't know I was that dull." And then he laughed internally, trying not to wake her up. He got up off the couch and looked down at her for a moment, a smile playing on his lips. She looked so peaceful. Well then, he had better let her rest. After all, time did heal all wounds.
xxx
Ariadne could tell that she was dreaming.
She was sitting in the plane, on one of the edges of a round table that was in the middle of the first class cabin. Saito, Eames, Arthur and Cobb were around it as well. And they were all laughing.
There was a bottle of vodka in front of each of them. Ariadne's was close to being full while the others, except for Cobb's, was almost half empty.
"I believe it is my turn, darlings." Eames held the bottle in his hands, Ariadne's eyes averting to Dom's as he grinned. "I've never been to University." He smiled and looked around the table. Ariadne took a drink, as did Saito and Cobb.
Her eyebrows shot up at Arthur who did not take a drink. They were apparently playing the drinking game 'I never' where you were supposed to tell as many true statements as possible while trying to watch the others around you fall deliriously drunk with alcohol. Every time someone took a drink, it was because they have done the opposite of the statement being said.
"Ariadne, its your turn." Arthur spoke, he seemed like he was the most sober of the group of drunks.
She took a deep breath in and spoke "I've never had short hair." She laughed as the entire group took a drink from their vodka bottles.
"Arthur, your turn." Cobb's voice was firm. Ariadne could tell that he wasn't too tipsy. She was thankful for that- for some reason.
"I've never kissed a man." He smiled, giving Eames a small look. Ariadne rolled her eyes and took a drink from her vodka bottle and then Eames did too.
The table laughed as Ariadne asked "Really, Eames? Any good?"
"Yes. Just delicious, love." He chuckled, his voice sounding a little slurred.
Dom caught Ariadne's eyes and he smiled at her direction. She hadn't noticed how close his chair was to hers before.
"Mr Cobb." Saito spoke lightly and continued with a smile "I believe it is your turn."
Cobb took a second and thought about the perfect fact. A sudden smirk appeared on his mouth as he glared at Ariadne form the corner of his eyes. "I've never kissed Ariadne."
Her eyes widened in that instant. She watched Arthur take a sip from his bottle but thankfully Cobb hadn't noticed. He was too busy staring at her.
And then he did something unexpected. He took a long shot from his vodka bottle. 'But he had never kissed her', her mind protested. Why had he taken a shot?
He cupped her face into his and kissed her with wild passion. His tongue parted her lips, before he took a soft bite of her bottom one. She moaned into the kiss, pushing her own tongue into his mouth.
Suddenly, it was just the two of the them around the round table. He picked her up into his arms and pushed her back into the edge of the table. "Ariadne." His lips had fallen down her neck, his hands going up her shirt towards her breasts.
"Oh, Dom." She moaned against him, her hands running up his bare back underneath his dress shirt.
He pushed her straight down onto the table, his voice low as he whispered into her ear "I've never thought about you this way before." And he stopped kissing her neck and reached over to his vodka bottle and took another shot.
She smiled up at him, as he started to tease her clothed centre with his fingers. She moaned again, this time sighing out "Dom, please-"
He chuckled lowly, it had come out so extremely sexy. She pulled on him, grinding against him as she begged "Please."
He sighed, kissed the top of her head and spoke sadly "I can't. There's turbulence." And as soon as he uttered the words, the table tipped over and Ariadne fell- Oh shit. The falling sensation.
xxx
Ariadne opened her eyes quickly. She sighed as she looked around the empty beach house living room. The only thing that she could hear was a faint ticking noise coming from- somewhere.
Her dream quickly resurrected into her memory and she couldn't help but turn red from it. Why would she ever think of Dom in that way? He was nothing but her friend, right?
She got up slowly and noticed that there was a white blanket laying over her body. She let out a small smile realizing that Cobb had probably placed it over her. She removed the blanket off her body and stood up onto her feet.
She looked around the beach house and then out the window. It was still storming outside. She groaned, the weather was so horrible. She had really felt like maybe taking a quick dip into the ocean. Dom had been right, the salt had really helped her cut.
"Dom?" She asked loudly, her ears trying to follow the sound of the faint hammering.
And then she realized that on the white wall to her right, there hadn't been a door there before she had fallen asleep. She placed her small hand on the door handle and opened it. She looked down and saw about a dozen stairs going downward.
"Cobb?" She asked loudly again and descended down the stairs. But there was no answer.
She stepped down the last stair and came to a small and narrow hallway. She walked down to end of it and turned left, at its redirection. She gasped at the room in front of her.
It was an architects dream; no pun intended. It was a large and tall room, all of the walls were chalkboards. It seemed like someone had already started planning out a building layout. That someone probably being Dom. It was beautiful-
"Do you like it?" His voice interrupted her thoughts. He was wearing jeans, a dress shirt that was opened and an undershirt underneath. She nodded, looking at him and then back at the layout.
"It's beautiful" she admitted, slowly walking towards him.
He was holding a piece of chalk in his right hand as he spoke softly, changing the subject "Did you sleep well?"
She immediately blushed at the thought of her dream. She glanced away from him and replied "Yes. Thank you for the blanket."
Cobb nodded once at her and then moved himself towards the building layout and continued to draw. She watched him for a moment, drawing the model with ease.
"Wow, you are really good." She bit down on her bottom lip and walked towards him.
He chuckled and continued drawing, while saying "I'm a tad rusty. I mean-" he took a deep breath, erasing a slight line with his thumb before continuing "I used to better."
"I can't imagine that." She spoke the words quickly and without thinking.
He turned to her, his blue eyes staring into her brown ones before saying "Yes, you should be able to." He smiled, placed a soft hand on her shoulder, "You are much better than I ever was, Ariadne."
He removed his hand from her, making her wince from the loss of contact. She followed him as he walked towards the centre of the room where he had placed a black couch. She sat down seconds after he did and said "I don't think so."
He chuckled at her and replied honestly "Trust me on this one, alright?" It was the truth. She was a fantastic architect and she was so young. She was truly gifted.
"Well, thank you." Her lips curled into a soft smile when she spoke the words. She could tell that something was bothering him. It bothered her.
"Is something the matter, Dom?" She asked curiously, her eyes trying to meet his.
He sighed. He really wished that maybe she wouldn't have noticed. But she did. If he didn't know any better, Ariadne could read this thoughts. She just always knew- "I miss my children."
She bit down on her bottom lip and listened "It's been almost two years since I have seen them." He took a breath and continued "With every second that goes by, I'm afraid-"
He stopped there, becoming extremely quiet. She moved herself closer to him on the couch and asked "Your afraid that, what?"
He looked directly at her, inhaled and answered the question in a whisper "I'm afraid that they'll forget who I am."
Ariadne shook her head at him and said "No. That's impossible."
"Why? Why is that impossible, Ariadne?"
"Because no one could ever forget you, Dom." She replied, the words literally falling off the tip of her tongue.
He was shocked by her statement. It was an extremely kind compliment to receive. Perhaps, the best he had ever gotten. Her brown eyes were looking directly at him and he found it oddly difficult to look away from her.
"You know. I never thought I would be here again." He said the words with ease, his tongue parting his lips.
"In Limbo?" Ariadne asked, her voice low. God, her dream was haunting her. All she felt compelled to do was push her lips onto his. No. It wouldn't be right. She didn't feel that way about him. And she was positive that he didn't feel that way about her either.
"Yes." He chuckled shortly and then leaned his back against the sofa, but his eyes still on Ariadne.
"Well, its definitely my first and last time. Thank you very much." Ariadne laughed and he laughed with her.
"I hope its my last time too." He sighed again and paused for a brief moment before standing up onto his feet and looking around the workshop.
"Dinner?" He asked, remembering that she promised to be his company at the dinner table.
She nodded at him, stood up and asked "What are you in the mood for?"
His eyebrows knitted at the question and she blushed as she realized what she had asked. Should he make her suffer like she had done with the 'pants' fiasco? Well, he couldn't be that evil, could he? Yes, well, maybe he could be.
He took a few steps towards her, his voice light as he joked "I'm not sure, baby. You surprise me." He laughed and she bit down on her lip, trying to stifle a chuckle.
"It's not that funny." She pouted for a brief moment. Cobb mentally noting how cute that pout actually was.
"Au contraire-" he said, repeating the exact phrase she had uttered to him "I find it extremely amusing, Ariadne."
Ariadne rolled her eyes at him and asked, seriously "Honestly, what would you like to eat?"
"You choose." Dom shrugged at her.
"I'm famished. I'll eat absolutely anything." She admitted with a smile.
"You know what? I'll cook." Cobb lifted his eyebrows momentarily and then made his way towards the stairway.
"Actually cook. Or Limbo cook?" She asked, slightly confused as she followed him up the stairs.
"Limbo cook. If I actually cook, we would be sick for the next six weeks." Dom laughed as he opened the door at the end of the stairs.
"Or, we could actually cook together?" Ariadne asked with a shrug. It was just a suggestion. Plus, she loved cooking. She had always found it somewhat entertaining.
"It's up to you." He grinned at her knowing that if they cooked together, that meant, that she in fact would be cooking and he would be watching from the sidelines.
She felt brave in the moment to take his left hand in hers and touch the cut on his knuckles. He hissed slightly in pain as she said "You better cover that up." And then she let go of his hand and turned towards the kitchen, without uttering another word.
xxx
"I've never had home made pizza before." Dom commented, taking another bite of his crust.
"Well, there is a first time for everything." Ariadne smiled at him, shifting her chair slightly towards the table.
He watched her for a moment. Taking a sip of her white wine. He had done absolutely no cooking but he had imagined quite a good wine. He finished the last of his slice and took a sip of wine as well. The room was absolutely quiet except for the rain hitting against the windows.
Seconds later, Ariadne also finished eating. And as she was used to doing, she picked up her plate and leaned over to pick up Dom's. He thanked her with a small smile before she walked over and placed the dishes into the sink. Her stomach was starting to bother her again-
He got up off his chair, holding his wine glass in his hands before saying "You know, you could just imagine new plates tomorrow. You don't have to wash these."
Ariadne turned on the tap, suddenly wondering how in hell there was plumbing in Limbo. But she let it slide deciding that her mind had created the allusion of plumbing. She chuckled and replied "I know but I want to keep myself grounded. And try to keep my life here as real as possible."
He nodded, understanding her completely. He was very surprised at her honestly and just how blunt she was about it. He leaned over her, his front slightly brushing against her back as he placed his glass into the sink. "Do you need some help?" He asked suddenly, realizing that he was being no help at all.
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Cobb." She answered him softly.
She had called him Cobb again. When had she decided to go back to his last name? "Why not? I promise to try not to break anything."
She chuckled at his joke and said "I just don't want your cut to get infected."
Shit. She was right. He had completely forgotten about it. He sighed, and leaned his back onto the counter to Ariadne's right. She finished the dishes and closed the tap. She looked around the room, seeing a left over dry cloth on the side of Dom.
She reached over whispering "Sorry-" to him and dried her hands, trying not to look up into his eyes. She placed the cloth down on the counter and mimicked his actions, leaning her back against the counter. Centimeters away from where he was leaning. She stretched, her stomach hurting her again. She let out a loud groan from the pain.
"Are you alright?" He asked, turning his body towards her. She nodded once and tried to stretch again, this time letting out a louder groan.
"Let me see it." Dom said, immediately positioning himself so that he was directly in front of her.
She took a deep breath in and lifted her white blouse upwards to expose her stomach. She was stuck. Stuck in between trying to keep in the pain and stuck between trying to hide just how embarrassed she was by him examining her.
He bent himself onto his knees and looked at the wound. The threaded stitches he had given her looked fine, but the wound looked slightly too red. He reached out his fingers towards the threads and pulled on one end. Her hands gripped the back of the counter for support, her eyes swelling up from trying to keep the sudden rush of pain inside.
"Ariadne, I think I might have to remove these threads." He looked up at her, a pain hitting his heart when he saw that she was trying to hold back tears.
She took a deep breath in, as he placed his left and wounded hand on the side of the cut. He stretched her wound and she whimpered at the pain. Dom exhaled and said in a firm tone "Hold onto my back, Ariadne."
"What?" She asked, surprised.
"Hold onto my back, Ari." He repeated, his voice tough. He knew that that the wound had gotten infected but he didn't want to tell her yet. And because of the infection, the pain that she was about to get was going to be unbearable.
She placed her hands firmly on his back and waited. She looked down at him, his blue eyes focused on the task at hand. "Take a deep breath." She obliged to the command and waited a few seconds.
He pulled on one the knots, it coming undone. And now for the hard part. He pulled on the side of the string, Ariadne's hands gripping his back for support. Oh. That's why he had asked her to hold onto him.
"Now exhale." He whispered to her and once she did, he pulled on the thread as forcefully as he could. She yelled in pain, her arms wrapping around him from how badly she was hurting. She let out her tears and he wrapped his arms around her frame as well. Letting go of the thread.
"It's okay." He murmured into her hair, standing up but still holding her in his arms. Her legs had wrapped around him then, her head on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, feeling like such a child from the way she was reacting.
He laughed at the apology and responded, in a soft voice onto her neck "It's fine." It was fine. Even though she was crying. He liked how he was finally comforting her and not the other way this time.
He walked over to the living room, still holding her in his arms. He sighed lightly and placed her slowly onto it. Laying her down. She quickly rubbed the tears away from her eyes with her hands, and looked down at her stomach. It was horribly infected. She took a deep breath in decided to try to act more bravely.
Dom looked down at the wound and leaned down onto his knees. "Salt water." He suddenly said, making her eyes go wide. Yes. But the weather outside was horrible. She could not get to the beach in that.
He waved his hand, a bucket suddenly appearing by his side. And then he held out his right hand, a salt shaker appearing. Ariadne chuckled as he poured the salt into the bucket. He laughed as well and muttered "This will have to do."
He needed a sponge, he suddenly realized. But then he thought the situation over. A sponge would hurt her more deeply than she already was hurting. A wash cloth would be more suitable.
He placed his empty hand into the bucket and when he pulled it out, he had a wash cloth in his hands. She watched him, as he leaned towards her and spoke "You have to teach me that trick too."
He smirked at her and leaned his body over her, his left hand holding up her blouse. "Take another deep breath."
She took a deep breath, the wash cloth hitting her wound. He was being gentle with it and it wasn't hurting her too badly. Even though she was in pain, she couldn't stop smiling and watching him. He was being so kind to her by helping. He was-
"Ariadne?" He asked, her eyes suddenly looking straight into his. His head was so close to hers, barely a few inches apart.
She couldn't tell what he was thinking and he couldn't tell what she was either. But Cobb knew what he was thinking and it was hurting him to tell her. "I think you should go back."
Her eyes widened at the statement. "What?" She asked, feeling not only disappointed but angry.
"I don't want you to suffer anymore." He whispered, throwing the wash cloth into the bucket and looking down at her wound.
"Dom, please." She started, cupping one side of his face with one of her hands. "I'm not going to leave you."
He stared at her for a moment with narrowed eyes. Why was she even doing this? How could she be so... stubborn but yet so unbelievably selfless. "You have to go." He was still leaning over her, his eyes watching hers.
"No." She shook her head at him, suddenly realizing that she wouldn't let him stay here alone. She could never abandom him. "I will not abandon you, Dom." She took a deep breath and grabbed the other side of his face in her hands as well, before whispering "I'm staying here with you, until the end. Okay?"
He was speechless. He couldn't believe her kindness and her loyalty to what she had promised. He took her hands in his, removing them from his face. She was hurt by the sudden change of movement.
But what she felt then surprised her. He had bent down again, towards her face and kissed her right cheek. He stayed there for a moment and rubbed his thumb across her cheek before whispering "You are-" and he stopped himself, looking down at her lips.
"I'm what?" she asked softly, the moment was so unbelieveably romantic. She found herself realzing how much she wanted him to actually kiss her. She wanted him. Her heart was fluttering in her chest as she waited for him to continue.
He took a moment and looked at her. She was so- young. He took a deep breath and moved away from her while saying "You're so stubborn." He chuckled shortly and stood up quickly, turning his head away.
Her expression had fallen flat. Stubborn? Her eyes were wide with surprise. But- stubborn? She wanted to yell at him.
"I'm tired" he faked a yawn and left the area while saying "You should get some rest too." And that was it. She watched him walk away from her, not even taking a second to look back.
Authors Note:
I actually like this chapter. I had a fun time writing it and hating myself because I wanted to write a kiss so badly. But no, I wanted to keep him in character LOL Damn it, Dom!
I have a few videos about Dom/Ari on youtube: Just type in 'CopiPan' and you will find them :)
Thank you for reading!
Please Review!