Dream Collapsing

"Reality is wrong, Dreams are for real."

Tupac Shakur

~The fall was so high and jarring, it bolted them both out quickly. They awoke out of the dream to the Australian team giving them worried looks. Cobb and Braker quickly woke as did Eames and the Russian.

"Time to go." The Australian Extractor said as they helped Braker to stand. Arthur put an arm under Ariadne as the moment she stood her world started to spin.

"It's the compound." Yuseff told them, it will wear off soon."

Cobb and Eames held onto Fedor as his heavy body required more support.

"I don't know the way out." Ariadne said sadly.

"Don't worry Darling." Eames said with a smile. "We do." Ariadne looked over her shoulder at Jim still asleep and taped in the dream.

"What are you doing?" Cobb asked as Yuseff unhooked Jim from the PASIV.

"We can't let COBAL keep this technology." He said wrapping up the device and holding it close to his body.
"It will wake Jim up." Ariadne said sadly.

"No," Arthur said "He's gone."

~The two teams lead their precious cargo up to the roof of the building where a large helicopter was just landing.
"Saito and his pension for neatness." Eames said with a laugh. Saito opened the passenger door and waved them in.

Everything seemed frightfully sharp and real to Ariadne as Arthur helped her to take a seat and buckled her in.
"Hey, look at me." He ordered. She met him in the eye as he said. "Were out."

She trusted him.

~The 13 hour flight to Japan was grueling. Ariadne and her fellow captives had begun to sweat and shake with the sudden withdrawal from the drugs they had been given. The drugs were in the food and they had to eat something during the months they were being held.

She had started having thoughts of jumping from the chopper to wake up and felt frightened of Cobb and Arthur sitting beside her. Arthur tried to give her some comfort but her agitation only grew.

The lights of Tokyo were bursting in the sky making night into day as the chopper landed. A medical staff dressed all in white with their faces covered were waiting. Arthur helped her lay on the stretcher. She saw only the ceiling as she was wheeled inside.

~The hospital was bright and everyone spoke in quick tongues. It took her a long time to finally realize they were not speaking English. Then a woman in a lab coat was standing over her and talking softly to her. Asking if she knew where she was. She had to wake up.

'None of this was real.' She told her self.

Only one escape.

~Doctor Yori met the men in the small waiting room.

"She has been heavily medicated with a mixture designed to not only make her believe anything someone told her but to subdue her as well. It's very dangerous. We think we can help her. She was not exposed as long as the Russian." Yori said

"What's going to happen to Fedor?" Eames asked. Yori shook her head.

"I am afraid he was exposed to the compound for too long. He is no longer sure what is real and what is not. He has a very high chance of... trying to wake himself up." She explained sadly.

"You mean he is going to try to kill himself?" Cobb asked, although he already knew the answer.

"What about Ariadne?" Arthur asked. The Point Man was feeling his blood run cold.

"She is more likely then the others to come back. She was told by her captures that you hired people to kidnap and kill her. That this was what happened to your last architect." Yori explained. "With the drugs, it was easy to believe this lie." Yori politely excused herself and she and Saito conferred outside the hall.

Arthur felt his blood turn even colder as he sat down. How could Ariadne believe such a thing? His mind swam over their time together. Surely, surely she had to have known they cared about her. Not just himself, but the entire Team. The Point Man felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Cobb.

"We should go to the hotel, we can't do anymore here." Cobb said gently after a long repose. "The Australian Team is with Braker and we can take shifts with Ariadne."

"Doctor!" came a nurse and Yori hurried into Ariadne's room.

The Team quickly followed her to find Ariadne awake and screaming for help. She was sweating profusely and her eyes were sunken in, giving her face a sickly look. She was in a rage as the nurses tried to subdue her.

"No!" She screamed. She tried to kick them away, fighting demons only she could see. Her gaze suddenly fell on Arthur and the others. Her haunted eyes grew wide at the sight of them. She screamed louder.
"No! Help me! Their going to kill me!" She looked to the nursing staff to help her as Doctor Yori called out.

"Get the restraints!"

At this a nurse ushered the men out of the room and shut the door.

Ariadne suddenly screamed as the staff put restraints on her arms and legs to keep her from hurting herself.

From the hallway the men could here her pitiful scream for help. She cried for Arthur to help her.

"Arthur! Please, Don't let them do this! Arthur! Don't! Arthur! It's not real! Please Arthur! Please help me!" She screamed. Her cries echoing through the hall.

Cobb and Eames had to physically keep the Point Man from going back into her room. It seemed as brutal for them to listen as it was for her experience.

~ Days passed. The Team stayed at a nearby hotel. They went to see Ariadne everyday but she was usually asleep. Her face looking drawn and tired. When she was awake, she looked right through them.

Yori recommended that they stay away from her hospital room. That the Architect was experiencing a terrible withdrawal from the drugs. Soon enough, they would try to bring her back to reality.

Cobb, realizing there was nothing more he could do to help Ariadne, made a brief trip home to check on his children. Eames and Arthur stayed in Japan. The Forger pretending to have only a casual interest in Ariadne's well being. Arthur knew Eames was very worried for her.

For the Point Man, things were happening to slowly. The weak little creature in the hospital bed held no resemblance to the Ariadne he knew. His concern for her was something he did not attempt to hide. Not from Eames or the Australian Team.

"So how long have you two been together?" The Australian Extractor asked. He and Arthur were in the family waiting room. The Point Man looked up in surprise at the question. He face betrayed the sleepless nights he had endured.

"Oh..." He said trying to think. "No, were not a couple." He said sadly. "She's just our Architect."

"Sure she is." The Extractor said kindly. "That's why your always here, waiting for her to wake up." He smiled softly. Arthur shook his head.

"Were not together." The Point Man said firmly.
"Well, maybe when she's better." The Extractor offered. Arthur allowed the pleasant idea to enter his mind.

"Maybe." He conceded. Arthur let his tired mind wander over thoughts of he and the Architect. Of what they could be together... if she would only come back to him.

~He daydreamed of them together. In her small apartment in Paris. Her rustic furniture. Her comfortable looking bed. He imagined them hiding from the daylight under the covers all day. Talking about simple and easy things. Maybe they would venture out of bed to eat or drink something. They would listen to music, look at her art books. Night would come over them. Perhaps they would make love. An act that was comfortable for them. Easy. They would come up for air in the morning. Go outside into the city. Eat, and enjoy the sights. He would hold her hand. She would smile. Her face healthy and her eyes bright. Arthur found himself smiling softly at the thought.

~The Architect was unsure how much time passed. Her body was spent. She was too tired now to cry out. To exhausted to fight the staff. Her restraints were removed. Her arms and legs were limp.

When Ariadne would wake up, a nurse would give her water and she would sleep again. She was alone in her room except for the silent nurse who never spoke and only gave her water and made sure she was comfortable.

She had strange nightmares. They came and faded away, leaving no memory that they were even there at all.

~ Finally, she woke up to daylight. She body was so tired. She looked at the foot of her bed. Cobb, Eames and Arthur were sitting there with no expressions on their faces. Saito was standing in the corner beside a large window that presented a exceptional view of the city. A Female Doctor was standing beside her bed.

"Ariadne?" The Doctor said in perfect English. "I am Doctor Yori." Ariadne nodded and tried to not think about her head hurting. "I need you to tell me and these men here," She looked at the Team "What you know to be real."

Ariadne nodded and tried to find her voice.

"I...I'm in a hospital." She croaked. Her voice sore from being silent for so long. She looked out the window at the city.

"I'm in Japan." She said recognizing the architecture. "I... I worked with you." She nodded at the men. They said nothing and looked strait ahead. Nothing about their faces let her know if she was right or wrong.

"I... umm... I was kidnapped. Men broke into my home and..." She stopped then, not wanting to remember to the attack. The falling flowers.

"I was in a dark place...I was there for a long time. They told me that Cobb, had told them to kill me." She said.

She was half afraid Cobb would stand up and yell, but her remained seated. His face a deep scowl.

"Then, I was rescued. I was taken out of that basement. I was in a hospital. They told me Cobb and Arthur always had their Architects killed. My mind wasn't working right... I was... lost. They had me build for them. Braker and Fedor were with me. I dreamed-"

"No." Yori interrupted gently. "Tell us what you know is real" Ariadne nodded and tears fell down her face.

"I built for them. I was scared not to." She started to cry. "Then, I was taken out of that place by Cobb and Braker's people. We all left together."

"Do you believe these men are trying to kill you?" Yori asked.

Ariadne shook her head.

"Why not?" The Doctor said. "Why don't you believe it?"

"Because I know it. I know it's not true." Ariadne said at last. She cried then. Ugly ripping sobs.

Then, Arthur was holding her. Eames was rubbing her back. She let them comfort her till she felt relieved and could sleep again without any fear.