I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last chapter, despite the horrible loss...thanks for sticking with me either way! We're starting to get more into the action, and hopefully soon we'll see a happier side to Arthur and Ariadne...as well as the rest of the team! :D So read and review this chapter. It's a little more of a filler, but I hope you like it anyway. Let me know what you think should happen!

I wish I owned Inception...


Eames stood outside of Ariadne's room waiting. Dom had told him that he was going to take Brendan back to the hotel, and Eames decided he'd wait outside and give the couple some privacy. He sighed and sat in the nearest chair, thinking about Ariadne and what he'd do to Brendan now.

He knew that there was something off about Brendan; he just didn't know what it was. Eames had a suspicion that maybe everything Brendan was doing wasn't really all his fault. However he pushed that thought back for now, not wanting to bring it up unless he was absolutely sure.

The only thing he did know was that he wouldn't let Brendan's actions go unpunished. Even if Cobol is behind everything, Ariadne's miscarriage was all Brendan's fault.

In the room Arthur began to stir and sighed, rubbing his eyes as he woke up. He turned his head to look at Ariadne, who was still sleeping peacefully. A frown quickly formed on his face and he stroked her cheek softly.

He couldn't help but wonder how things could go so horribly wrong in so little time. He was going to be a dad, Ariadne was going to have a baby, their baby. Now all of that was lost.

"We can try again." Ariadne whispered softly, somehow answering what he was thinking. Arthur, startled by Ariadne's voice, jumped slightly and looked her in the eye.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Arthur asked, turning his head curiously.

"Because it's what I was thinking." Ariadne replied sadly.

Arthur nodded and waited for Ariadne to say more.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to have a family?" Ariadne finally asked.

"I promise you, we will." Arthur told her, his tone convincing. Ariadne nodded and let a few tears fall. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, it isn't your fault." Ariadne told him, wiping away the tears and sniffling.

"But I had my hand on the gun." Arthur protested.

"Yes, but so did Brendan, and Brendan pulled out the gun first. It was not your fault." Know that." Ariadne told him, taking his head in her hands and looking him in the eyes.

"I love you." Arthur told her and she smiled, leaning forward and kissing him.

"Me too."

There was a knock on the door and Arthur stood up quickly and opened the door. Eames was standing on the other side looking hesitant.

"Eames." Arthur ushered him in and closed the door.

"What's going on?" Ariadne asked, sitting up and gasping in pain. She was still sore from the gunshot wound. Arthur looked at her anxiously, but she just shook her head and turned her gaze back to Eames.

"Nothing, love. Just checking up on you." Eames told her, grinning. Arthur frowned and eyed him suspiciously.

"Where's Dom?" Arthur asked.

"Ah, He's on his way now. He just had to drop off…" Eames glanced at Ariadne and saw her nod for him to go on. "…Brendan. He says we have some things to discuss."

"Yes, we have a lot to cover." Dom's voice came through the door as he walked in. The three of them looked at him and Dom smiled weakly.

"Maybe we should wait until you're feeling better Ariadne." Dom told her. Ariadne grunted and crossed her eyes.

"Hopefully I'll be out of here soon. I hate hospitals and I'm tired of being here." Ariadne grumpily complained. Arthur shook his head and Dom and Eames chuckled.

"Alright. We'll go over the basics then." Dom told them, pulling up a chair and sitting down. Eames followed suit and Arthur walked to the bed and sat on the edge of it, rubbing Ariadne's hand.

"Ok, so Arthur dug up Brendan's past. For some reason it's been erased. There were bits and pieces he was able to find though."

"What?" Ariadne asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. "What exactly did you find Arthur?"

Arthur sighed and began to tell her what he found. "The records say Brendan was killed with your parents in the car accident."

"What? No. That makes no sense." Ariadne exclaimed. "What else?"

"Cobol hired him a few years ago, around the same time is when all of his information got erased. There was a patch from Cobol left behind that was found by the body at the crime scene. Police claimed it to be his. He has traveled a lot, through Cobol. He's been all around the world. He's been especially careful to stay away from you, Ari. I don't understand why, but if he's working for Cobol, it doesn't matter." Arthur told her. Her gaze was hard and he could tell she was trying to figure things out.

Arthur turned to look at Dom and Eames. He noticed Eames looking a little uneasy.

"Eames? What's wrong?" Arthur asked urgently.

"Well, uh, I don't know if you've heard of this, but there have been a few cases that I was aware of. Anyway, there have been certain companies that have been able to go into someone's mind and plant a 'virus' if you will. This virus allows them to have total control over the person. Brendan has all the symptoms of it, but for some reason he has a strong will to fight it. I don't know if I'm right, but if I am, we can easily go in and destroy the virus." Eames explained. Dom paled, he had heard of it before too, but he hadn't come across a case.

"I think you're right." Dom agreed.

"So what, we go in and destroy the virus? Then what? Cobol will still be after us." Arthur reasoned.

"Yes, but if we can destroy the virus and get Brendan to work with us, we should be able to find a way to clear our charges." Dom replied.

"No. I will not work with him." Arthur stood up and paced.

"We have to. Besides, everything he's done could be because of the virus. He may not have any control over what he does. It would be like a computer chip inserted into your brain so that you have to take orders." Dom reasoned.

Ariadne bit her lip. She was still extremely angry with Brendan and she wanted nothing to do with him. But if this were the case, she really did want to help her brother. It didn't mean they would be a happy family or even talk to each other afterwards, but she wanted to help him.

"Arthur, we should do it." Ariadne finally spoke up. Arthur turned to look at her, shock and anger evident in his features.

"What?"

"I mean, I don't want to be one big happy family with him, but I don't want to leave him in the hands of Cobol, he deserves better than that. And if he is under their control, maybe he didn't mean what he did…" Ariadne trailed off.

"No. Ari, he's done too much to destroy our family." Arthur raised his voice.

"I know Arthur! I know just as much as you do! I am the one with the whole in my stomach!" Ariadne pulled the sheets and gown away, revealing her bandaged stomach. Arthur looked away painfully.

"Arthur, please. We need to save him. I can't just leave him like that." Ariadne whispered.

"Alright, but if he does anything, and I mean anything, I can't guarantee I won't shoot him and send him straight to limbo." Arthur threatened.

"I second that." Eames piped up and winked.

"If I don't do it first." Dom mumbled.

Ariadne looked at the three of them and nodded, "Just be nice to him, I'm the one who's allowed to be angry and mean with him."

"He shot my wife, I'd say I have a right too." Arthur argued.

Ariadne sighed. "I know…" Her gaze fell back to her stomach and Arthur frowned.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. We can't keep dwelling on the past. Plus, I know we'll have a family someday…" Ariadne told him.

Dom and Eames felt like they were intruding on a private moment, but Eames decided to joke with them.

"Yeah, I know how much fun you two had the first time around."

Arthur glared at him and Ariadne blushed. Dom slapped his forehead and groaned. Eames chuckled and winked at Arthur and Ariadne.

"Oh come on, don't lie. You know you did."

"Eames. Shut up." Arthur said through clenched teeth.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a twist." Eames raised his hands in surrender and smirked.

"I'll find out when you can be released. As soon as you can leave, we'll start planning, but I don't want you to overwork yourself." Dom informed them and looked pointedly at Ariadne.

"Alright." Ariadne shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious. You take it easy or we won't let you in the dream." Dom said.

"Okay, okay. I'll take it easy." Ariadne surrendered.

"Eames, with me." Dom called.

"Are you sure you want to do this? We don't have to. Brendan deserves what he gets. He got into this mess, he should get himself out." Arthur told her.

"Arthur, he may be the only way for us to be able to live a real life. And if he was brainwashed by this virus, it's not his fault. Yes, I'm still angry with him. It's his fault we lost this baby, but he's my brother. And I've always heard the phrase, 'blood is thicker than water.' He's my blood and he deserves my help, whether or not we think he deserves it. I promise, he won't have any part of our lives after the job." Ariadne said.

"You can't promise that. You may change your mind." Arthur pointed out.

Ariadne looked troubled for a moment. She was having conflicting feelings. After discovering this possibility about Brendan, her view on him did change.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Ariadne replied.

"The doctors say you can be released today. They just need to do another check up and give you strict instructions for the next couple of weeks." Eames gleefully replied as he walked into the room, not caring if he interrupted anything.

"Finally!" Ariadne grinned, raising her hands above her head.

Arthur smiled and turned to Dom. "Is Brendan at the hotel?"

"Yes. Saito is watching him now. We'll get Yusuf to drug him and create a sedative for this particular job."

"Alright." Arthur nodded as the nurse walked in and began to inspect Ariadne. Dom and Eames left until Ariadne was fully dressed and ready to go.

"Let's get to this!" Eames exclaimed.

So this was a shorter chapter...but I wanted to get something up and start getting this ball rolling...what'd you think? Leave a review so that when I wake up in the morning I will be excited and hopefully be able to right more tomorrow!