AN: Bonjour, my lovelies. I am back with another chapter of this story. This, my darlings, is not my proudest moment but I needed to get this chapter out because it may be a good few days before I update again as I'm going on a little trip. It was a bit tough writing this part because I'll admit, I have only seen the film once and the details are hard to get right every single time, but I did my best. Also, try listening to the song Blue and Red by Sky Sailing, it has a dreamy theme about it and I think it matches up beautifully with the entire Ariadne/Arthur ship. Let me know what you think! xx Scarlet
She was nervous. Arthur could see it in the way she held herself that morning, the way she simply nodded or shook her head, never uttering the words. Her hand was gripping the totem with such force that the skin in her hand was turning white; her fingernails were leaving indents in the wood.
"We're going to be okay, right?" she asked him in the car as they drove to the airport, "we're going to be okay."
He didn't respond, which probably worried her more then he'd like but he couldn't lie to her and tell her they were. He wasn't even sure himself that Cobb had everything under control, but he'd tried as hard as he could to push that thought to the very back of his mind.
They met Cobb, Eames, and Saito at the airport and were whisked through security efficiently. Minutes before boarding the aircraft, Cobb ushered them to a corner and explained hurriedly, for one last time, the task at hand.
"We're going to have to be as quick and efficient as possible; it's unknown as to how much time we may have on our hands. Remember, we're dealing with multiple layers of the subconscious here, so we have got to stay on task."
Arthur felt Cobb grab his arm. "Do you have the pill?" he snarled into his ear. Arthur nodded curtly and in a moments time they were ushered onto the aircraft by a pretty blonde stewardess. Once aboard the plane, Arthur took a seat two rows down from Fischer, behind Cobb and beside Ariadne.
The cabin was large and roomy, with creamy leather seats. The mesh holder in front of him was stocked with magazines like Italian Vogue, Esquire, and Time. He pretended to absently flip through one while sneaking glances at Ariadne. She looked scared, she looked terrified, actually. She was leaning against the window, her cheek leaving a mark in the frost. The bright morning light shone through her window at him, making him squint at his magazine.
We're going to be okay, right?
-x-
Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has now turned the seatbelt sign on...
Oh god. She doesn't know if she's ready for this. She wants to back down.
We request at this time that you put any tables up, magazines or other personal belongings in the pouch in front of you, and any carry-on luggage under the seat before you.
Please no. She wants to tap Cobb on the shoulder, tell him she's out. Maybe she could ask the stewardess, from the way she's been looking at Cobb they obviously already know each other.
So, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy your flight. Please refrain from using the restrooms or getting out of your seat until the captain has turned the seatbelt sign off. Thank you, and thanks for flying wi...
She can't even hear it anymore. She hates flying, especially in these circumstances. She can see Arthur beside her, looking calm and collected. God, if she could only sit beside him, hold his hand. She knew he would know how to calm her, he'd know just what to whisper in her ear to stop the erratic beat of her heart.
The plane was now on the runway, standing by. She took a sharp breath in, then out, then in, then out. It began to roll forwards, slowly at first, but gaining speed quickly until the view outside was nothing but a blur of color and she was pushed back into her seat.
She shut her eyes tightly and kept them shut as the plane's wheels left the runway, her body instantly tilted upwards. She didn't open them until the plane was thousands of feet in the air and they were no longer tilting upwards.
-x-
Arthur watched from behind as Dom tapped Fischer on the shoulder,
"Excuse me, sir; I think there's been some kind of mix up. They gave me your passport."
"Oh... yes, well, thank you."
"I, er, couldn't help but notic..."
Dom and Fischer had engaged in conversation. Arthur slid a hand into his pocket, the cool fabric of his pristine black pants felt nice against his skin. He felt his fingers run over the tiny box that held the sleeping pill, next to his loaded die. Why was he so nervous? They had done this a million times before.
He studied Fischer. He was only middle-aged, but his face was weathered. Deep lines and wrinkles that told stories of regret and worry and stress. He imagined life had to be hard for Robert, especially considering all of the research he'd done.
It wasn't long before Dom turned around and whispered urgently that he needed the pill. Arthur removed it from its box and placed it in Dom's hand. He watched Dom drop it into the tiny plastic cup of water and give it a little shake before handing it to Fischer.
-x-
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Cobb was shouting, gesturing wildly with his hands. The blonde stewardess was rushing into the cabin, struggling with the heavy machinery, "let's go, everybody. We've got no time to waste."
Six hands reached towards the machine, each grabbing a wire. Once they were connected, Cobb gave them one last, pleading, threatening look.
"This is it."
He pressed the button and they were instantly transported into Fischer's dream. Arthur felt as though he had been holding in his breath and he was finally his lungs deflate. It would have been relaxing, had he not been about to attempt the most challenging task he had ever been handed in his life. They were driving in a van, Cobb behind the wheel, Ariadne beside him in the passenger seat. Arthur sat directly in the middle, uncomfortably close to Saito and just plain uncomfortable next to Eames.
"Where are we headed?" Cobb demanded, looking at Ariadne. He'd startled her, and she was frantically looking around, her eyes big and wild.
"T..there should be a hotel! It's really big, all brassy and it's on the corner of the street, you can't miss it!" she pleaded with Cobb. Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat, turning to peer out the window. The sidewalk was crowded with their projections. The backseat windows of the van were tinted, but he felt a bit uneasy knowing that the projections could full well see Ariadne through her window.
Arthur, Eames, and Saito stayed quiet while Cobb cursed under his breath and Ariadne gave him hurried directions. The van swerved through the streets, weaving in and out of traffic. They could hear shouting and honking, screeching and the chatter from the concerned projections that swarmed the sidewalk.
"Over there!" Ariadne shouted, pointing to a magnificently tall, bronze-coloured building on the corner. As she did, Arthur felt a lurch in his stomach when he noticed the projections whip their heads around to look curiously at the van.
With a violent turn of the steering wheel, the van jolts sideways into the parking lot of the hotel, narrowing missing a stone median. Cobb rips the keys out of the ignition and is sliding out of the car door in a matter of seconds, the others quickly following behind him.
As they're dashing into the entrance of the hotel, Arthur glances back at the pedestrians who had stared at Ariadne through the car window. Ariadne's behind him, she can't hold the pace of the men. He makes eye contact with a pretty young woman with red hair who's staring at him intently from across the street. She breaks it only for a moment, to fish around for something in her purse. He turns back to catch up to Cobb and the others but the air is shattered by the sound of a gunshot.
"STAY LOW!" Cobb's voice breaks as he shouts.
They're rushing through the hotel doors now, clambering up the staircase. Arthur holds the door open for Ariadne as she rushes through to safety, but the sleeve of her dark green cardigan gets snagged. She gives it a good tug and it rips the material...but she's a moment too late.
Three more gunshots ring out. One of them hits the glass above the door, and millions of tiny iridescent pieces all to the ground. She screams and it pierces him right in the chest. He's grabbing her sweater, tugging her by the sleeve towards safety... but he's a moment too late.
She heaves forward as the second bullet hits her on her right shoulder, crying out in anguish as the third pierces her just underneath the previous one. Her eyes clamp shut and she's falling towards the ground, her limbs splayed out like a helpless doll.
Arthur watches as the green material of her sweater is stained red before his eyes. He feels dizzy, and he's got no idea where Cobb and the others are by now but he can't leave her. The projections are coming; he can hear their footsteps approaching quickly on the pavement outside. He's choking back tears as he picks her up and runs as best he can, one on the small of her back, the other on the back of her head.
-x-
She opens her eyes. She can see Arthur, they're moving. Quickly. He's crying, and she can see he's frustrated. It breaks her heart to see him this way. He's looking down at her and then back behind him and down at her again. She closes her eyes.
They're open again. Her vision's starting to blur but she can make out the shapes of Cobb and Arthur. She can hear screaming but she can't comprehend what they're saying. Her eyes drift shut.
This time, when she opens her eyes she doesn't see anything at all.