Here is the next chapter. It's not as rushed and I'm happier with this one...more than the last one for sure. Thank you for all the kind reviews. This chapter is indeed the beginning of the end of the story. There won't be too many more chapters, I'm hoping to wrap it up soon, I have another story in mind, but I want to finish this one first. So please review and let me know what you think!
I still don't own Inception...
"Sit down Arthur." Ariadne gently guided Arthur to a chair and he sat down, sighing. Eames chuckled and leaned against the table, waiting for Ariadne to explain just what exactly was going on.
"Ok, so Dom and I decided that it would be a good idea to trick Brendan into thinking that I'm leaving with him." Ariadne looked nervously at Arthur, knowing he probably won't like the idea. He stiffened, but nodded for her to go on.
"So for the next few days I'm going to 'give in' and finally agree that leaving with him would be what's best for me. I will also convince him that I'm leaving not only to protect myself, but you guys also."
Eames scoffed and Ariadne glared at him. "Sorry love." He raised his hands in surrender and Ariadne shook her head.
"Arthur, we're going to have to make a scene in front of him. Fight or something. Make it believable. You think you can improv?" She asked. He raised his eyebrows at her and she laughed. "Right, of course you can."
"Ari, are you sure this is what you want to do? There are other ways around this." Arthur told her. Eames stared at her intently and shifted.
"Arthur's right. We can easily do something else and still complete the job."
"I know, but this way will be more effective. I will leave with him in Saito's limo. His water that I'll give him will be drugged, and he'll fall asleep. When he 'wakes up' in the airport he'll actually believe we are there. It makes perfect sense. That's when you guys can show up, if necessary. I think you should stay hidden for as long as possible." Ariadne stood up taller as she spoke, wanting her to look like she was holding her ground.
Arthur grinned and stood up. "You're a fast learner, kid." He kissed her forehead and she grunted.
"Kid? I'm no kid." She crossed her arms and looked at him. Eames laughed and walked up to her.
"To me you are." He patted her back playfully. "And probably to Arthur too. Seriously, how much older are you than her? Robbing the cradle much?" Eames poked fun at Arthur.
"For your information I'm 23." Ariadne protested.
"Ah, so Arthur must be well into his thirties then. Huh?"
"I'm 29, Eames. Twenty-Nine!" Arthur emphasized his age.
"Really? You do look quite old for your age." Eames feigned shock.
"Watch it mister!" Ariadne playfully poked him in the chest. "How old are you?" She asked defiantly.
"An Englishman doesn't reveal his age." Eames told her. She rolled her eyes and turned to Arthur.
"He's 33." Arthur replied, smirking as Eames glowered at him.
"I feel so betrayed."
"You are OLD!" Ariadne dramatically told him.
"Well Dom's 35! Now that's old!" Eames sneered and walked off, mumbling something about being ganged up on.
Ariadne giggled and turned to Arthur once Eames was gone. "How are you feeling?" She asked seriously.
Arthur smiled weakly at her. "I'm fine Ari. I've been in way worse situations. Ask Dom." He chuckled quietly. She nodded and smiled at him.
"I'm glad you're back."
"Me too. I missed you." He replied, kissing her softly on the lips. She smiled and sat carefully on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they sighed in contentment.
"Hey lovebirds. Dom wants to meet with us." Eames called. Arthur and Ariadne sighed and stood up, walking to Dom's room.
"Hey guys, sorry to interrupt your reunion, but we have to discuss a few things." Dom smiled sheepishly.
"Ok. What's going on?" Ariadne asked. Dom motioned for her to come over to the table, she conceded and glanced at the model he had finished already. "You already finished the second level?" She asked skeptically.
He nodded and pointed to her what he thought they needed. "We need this to be a good maze. If he figures out at all that he's dreaming, which I don't doubt that he will, we need to be sure that we'll be able to lose his projections in the maze. And I know how you are with mazes, so I want you to design it." Dom grinned and she blushed.
"Ok. Any other features you want me to add?" She asked, picking up the model and looking it over.
"Well we need an alternate escape route or shortcut, just like the one we had in Eames' level when Fischer had to get to the safe quickly." Dom told her.
"Ok, I'll get to work on that." Ariadne turned to walk to her worktable, but Dom stopped her.
"Wait, we still have more to discuss."
"Eames, get started on profiling now. We don't have much time." Arthur turned to Eames and he nodded, making his way to his desk and opening up his laptop to start watching their video footage.
"Arthur, is there anything important that we need to know about the second level?" Dom asked him.
"We need to make security cameras and details as precise as possible. Specificity is key here. Especially in the second level. This level we need him to actually believe he is there. The third level doesn't matter so much. There we will be destroying the virus." Arthur told Ariadne and Dom. Yusuf walked in and tilted his head sideways.
"Who's going to be hacking the computer?" Yusuf asked.
"How good are you with computers?" Dom asked.
Yusuf shook his head. "Not too good."
"I'll do it." Arthur turned to Dom. "I practically live off of my laptop, I will hack into the system."
"Alright. Ariadne, you'll have to distract Brendan ok?" Dom looked at her, silently asking her if she would be able to do it.
She nodded and looked from Dom to Arthur. "What will you be doing?" She asked Dom.
"I'll be lookout and backup. If something goes wrong, I need to make sure I get you all safely out."
"Shouldn't Eames do that? You do have a family to get back to." Ariadne reasoned.
"I have to stay in the second level darling." Eames reminded her.
"Right, because you'll be Mr. White." She remembered. "And Yusuf will be in the first level. Who's going to be up top?"
"Saito. He'll monitor everything since we'll be in his limo." Arthur informed her. He walked to his desk and opened his laptop, wincing as a sharp pain shot through his leg and arm.
Ariadne noticed this but kept quiet. "Ok, so it sounds like we have things figured out, we just need details and a practice run of the levels. I need to talk to Brendan again tomorrow. Arthur, I'm going to need you to come in tomorrow in the middle of my conversation with him and we'll argue and I'll tell you that I want to leave you. We have to make him believe it though." She kept his gaze as his piercing eyes looked her over. He nodded curtly and turned back to his laptop.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road." Eames clapped his hands and rubbed them together.
Later that night Ariadne collapsed next to Arthur on the bed, exhausted. "My head hurts! So much information!"
Arthur laughed softly and pulled her close. She yawned and snuggled close to him.
"I'm sorry about what I'm going to say tomorrow." She quietly apologized.
"Hey, it's ok. I know you don't mean it." Arthur told her. She nodded and closed her eyes.
"I just want all of this to be over." Her voice was becoming quieter by the minute. He hugged her closer and kissed the top of her head, listening for her breathing to become softer and even.
His last memory before he fell asleep was her muffled "I love you" into his chest.
Ariadne's eyes fluttered open as the sun streamed in through a small crack in the curtains. She sighed and rolled over to find Arthur's side of the bed vacant. She sat up and looked around.
"Arthur?" She called, her voice cracking.
Arthur walked out of the bathroom without a shirt. Ariadne frowned as she looked at his bandage.
"Good morning. Did you sleep ok?" Arthur asked as he walked over to her and leaned in to kiss her. She nodded and ran her hand over his wound gently.
"How are you feeling?" She asked. "Is your leg alright?"
Arthur chuckled and looked at her, his eyes softening. "I'm fine Ari, really. You don't have to worry about me. I've been through way worse, this is nothing compared to some of that stuff."
She eyed him warily and nodded. "Ok."
"You better get ready, today is going to be a long day." Arthur told her, pulling her up and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into his embrace and sighed contently.
Ariadne walked out of the bathroom an hour later, dressed in a blue t-shirt, jeans, and a light blue scarf. Her hair was hanging loosely and she walked to Dom's room, mentally preparing herself for the conversation she knew she would be having today.
"Hey. Are you ready?" Dom asked when she entered the room. Everyone turned to look at her and she nodded.
"Yes. Is he here?"
Dom nodded and motioned for her to follow him. "Did you want me to bring him to your room?"
"No, if he sees all of Arthur's stuff he'll be suspicious. It's best if we do it in another room."
Dom led her into an empty room, one that Saito gladly let them use. "In here, I'll have Brendan be brought in."
"Ok, thanks." Ariadne whispered nervously.
"Hey, it'll be fine." Dom put his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm just not too thrilled about having to say such awful things to Arthur when he comes in." She sighed.
"He understands and he knows you don't mean it." Dom told her, looking in her eyes.
"It doesn't make it any less painful." She reasoned.
"Yes, but Arthur knows you love him and this has to be done." Dom reasoned back.
Ariadne nodded and smiled at Dom gratefully. "Thank you Dom, bring Brendan in and tell Arthur to come in around thirty minutes later."
"Ok, good luck. We'll be in the other room, call when you're ready."
She sat on the bed and fiddled with her scarf, thinking about what she would say to Arthur and Brendan.
"Hey sis." Brendan's voice broke through her reverie.
"Brendan, hi." She smiled and stood up, walking to him. She hesitated for a second then pulled him into a hug.
"I thought about what you said, and you're right." Ariadne whispered to him. Brendan pulled back, looking at her suspiciously.
"Are you sure? Before you were giving me a hard time about even suggesting it."
She nodded. "Brendan, you're right. We're all we have left. We have to take care of each other and if taking care of each other means leaving them, I will do it." It pained her to say these words, but she had to in order for them to get the job done.
Brendan grinned and pulled her into a hug. "Have you told them yet?"
"No." She sighed.
"You better tell them, they're not going to be happy about it though."
"I know. They'll want to shoot you, but if I tell them not to, they'll listen to me." She said.
"And you're willing to leave Arthur?" He asked skeptically.
"If you promise that when we leave you can make sure they get away safe. At least give them a head start so they can go into hiding." She stared at him, her eyes telling him not to disagree with her.
He nodded. "Ok. You better tell them then."
There was a knock at the door and Ariadne's heart dropped. This was the part she was dreading.
"Ari?" Arthur opened the door and looked at her and scowled at Brendan. "Everything ok in here?"
"Yes." She replied, turning to look at Arthur, her eyes apologizing.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"Arthur, I'm going to leave with Brendan." Ariadne told him, her voice firm and final.
"What? No, you can't!" Arthur rushed towards her, faking shock. She pulled away from him and internally flinched.
"Arthur, Brendan's right, he's all I have left. We need to take care of each other, and if I go with him now, you'll be safe." She told him, avoiding his touch.
Arthur pulled back from her, hurt. "Ari. You can't do this. I love you."
"I don't love you Arthur." She whispered and looked down. "I'm sorry."
Ariadne couldn't look at Arthur's face. The pain in his eyes would be too much for her and she wouldn't be able to go through with this.
"You're just saying that to get me to leave." He told her. She shook her head.
"No, Arthur. Go. I can't live this lie anymore. And Brendan's right, how can I live with a criminal. Someone who will be a fugitive for the rest of their life. I can't. Just, go. Please go." She whispered, holding back tears.
Arthur slumped and turned around. "I still love you." He told her before exiting the room.
"It's for the best sis." Brendan tried comforting her. She nodded and turned to him. "And now you can finish school. Have you talked to your professors?"
"No. I haven't been in contact with Professor Miles in a while. He's probably wondering where I am. I'll get a hold of him when we get back." She told Brendan.
"You better tell the rest of the team." Brendan urged her. "The hardest part is done."
"I'll do it on my own. I'll be right back." She whispered before leaving.
Arthur was waiting for her in Dom's room. The plan was for her to pretend to tell them about going with Brendan, then she would go back to talk to him, and after Eames would take him back to Saito.
The door opened slowly and Ariadne walked in. When she saw Arthur she hugged him. "I'm sorry Arthur. I didn't mean any of it."
"Ari, I know. It's all an act. Don't worry about it. You had me convinced for a moment." He joked lightly. She pulled back and smiled softly.
"I learned from the best."
"Why thank you darling." Eames said.
"I meant Dom and Arthur." She joked and looked at him.
"Hey!" Eames placed a hand on his chest, feigning hurt.
She laughed. "I learned from all of you. When I go back in there I have to tell him that you guys didn't take it well. Eames, go easy on him, but make it believable when you take him back to Saito. He has to think you guys are angry."
"Well that won't be too hard to do." Eames replied and looked at Arthur.
"Where's Dom?" Ariadne asked, looking around the room.
"He and Yusuf went to visit his kids. Dom also has to call Miles. He needs to let him know what's going on, he's been left in the dark for so long now." Arthur informed Ariadne.
"Oh. Well I'll see them later. Give me five minutes." Ariadne turned to Eames. He nodded and he and Arthur watched as she left the room.
"She's a trooper." Eames told Arthur. Arthur nodded and smiled proudly.
Brendan was sitting on the bed when Ariadne walked in.
"How'd it go?" He asked, standing up.
"As good as it could I guess." She shrugged and frowned. "They're coming in to take you back to Saito. I told them not to do anything bad to you. I can't guarantee they won't though."
Brendan nodded. "I can't believe you're actually going to do this."
"You were right. And I can't lose you again." She said.
"Times up. Let's go!" Eames roared and barged in as he grabbed Brendan.
"I'll see you tomorrow, they're going to let us go then!" Ariadne called out.
Eames tugged Brendan and when they were in the car he punched him. Brendan clutched his eye and frowned.
"Ari said you wouldn't hurt me."
"That was just talk, you deserve to be punched, you deserve much more. But for her sake we're going to let you live." Eames growled.
"She's not going to be happy about this." Brendan said.
"Well she'll get over it. She'll be with you." Eames made a face and turned to look out the window, not wanting to look at Brendan right now.
Ariadne sighed, glad that this part was over. Tomorrow they would be going inside his head and hopefully after that everything will be over.
She walked into Dom's room and to her surprise Yusuf, Dom, and the kids were in there.
"How'd it go?" Dom asked, his face grave.
"Good. I think he believes me. It should make it easier for us tomorrow." She replied.
"Auntie Ari!" James ran to her and grabbed her leg.
"Hey James." She chuckled and patted his head.
"Where's Arthur?" She turned to Dom.
"He went to your room I think."
"Ok. He mentioned you called Miles."
Dom nodded. "Yes, he wasn't too happy that we didn't tell him what's going on, but he's just glad we're safe. He said that he'll make an excuse for you to the other professors. You should be able to go back and finish up school."
"Thank you." Ariadne smiled. James was still clinging to her leg.
"James, let Auntie Ari go. She has to go talk to Uncle Artie." Dom told him.
"Can I come!" Both James and Philippa asked and looked at Dom with eager eyes.
"Let them have time to talk, they'll come back to play with you later." Dom told them.
They pouted, but nodded. "Okay."
Ariadne mouthed a thank you to Dom and left the room. She opened their door slowly and looked around. Arthur was laying on the bed. She grinned and made her way over to him. She crawled on the bed and cuddled next to him.
He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Hey."
"Hi." She looked up at him and kissed him. He pulled her closer.
"Tomorrow is going to be dangerous. If Cobol finds us, they'll kill us all, maybe even Brendan." He told her.
"They won't find us. We'll be ok." She said, convincing herself more than Arthur.
Arthur nodded and looked at her. Slowly leaning in, he kissed her softly, she pulled him closer to her and their kiss became more passionate. Feeling the pain in his arm and leg, Arthur flinched. Ariadne stopped, but he pulled her back, shaking his head and ignoring the pain. Ariadne was hesitant at first, but soon gave in once her senses decided to take over instead of her mind.
When their clothes came off, they didn't remember. It was a time of desperation and love. Anything could happen tomorrow, and they wanted time together before the job.
So what did you think? Good? Bad? The next chapter will be the first layer of the dream! :O Review please!