Wake Up Music

"Without the Darkness, how would we recognize the light?"

Tuvok , Star Trek: Voyager

~The days fell away. Ariadne felt better and more clear headed with the cure of time.

Fedor had to be placed in a psychiatric hospital until his people could be located. He mumbled constantly about needing to wake up. His face never lost it's troubled, haunted look. It filled Cobb and his Team with a new respect for what could have happened to Ariadne.

The Architect was still in the hospital but it was mainly till Cobb and the others could decide on what to do next. They were off the grid for now. Only a few people knew where they were. Saito had far reaching powers. The Business Man was able to hide them safely from the world.

Saito had been overly generous to Ariadne. Her hospital room was large and opulent by any standards. Her care staff, professional but never doting. He had arranged a personal shopper to provide her with new clothes. Even having an assistant go to Paris to retrieve her more personal articles. Ariadne didn't want much. An old leather carry all. A few photographs. Her sketch books. Her journals. She felt much better being dressed in her usual style and started to return to her old self.

~A knock on the door. She came out of the bathroom in her hospital room, and Arthur was there with flowers. She smiled when she saw him. All of the fears and nightmares from before had faded away. How could she believe for a moment that he could hurt her?

"Are those for me?" She asked pointing at the beautiful arrangement with a shy smile. He didn't say anything as he sat the vase with the overly large flora on her little table.

"Anyone in the hospital, should get flowers." He said. "Cobb is to busy running around with Saito and Eames is to busy running around." he sighed as he straitened his suit. "So it fell to me."

"What a horrible chore." She teased sadly looking over the stunning colors. "Their perfect." She said softly.

It felt like she should embrace him then, but the air hung between them. To many things had happened. It seemed they couldn't go back to the easy flirting they had shared before. Arthur looked embarrassed.

"Do you have any plans?" He asked finally. Awkwardly.

"I don't think I'll go back to Paris." She said packing her old leather carry all the assistant had brought back from her apartment.

"COBAL is still out there." She sighed and looked at him. "It's not safe."

"I'm sorry" Arthur said sadly. "Cobb and I... we never meant any of this to happen to you."

"I know." She told him quickly. "I knew this kind of work would have it's consequences."

He nodded then. The silence between them spread out.
"Saito has offered us work here." He said brightly. "We would be his personal extraction Team. Teach his engineers to defend against extractions and the like. An occasional extraction or inception. Cobb is planning on bringing his kids in from the states next week."

"Dose he think COBAL can you here?" She asked.

"Not likely. We took their fancy PASIV. Yuseff said it was a prototype. Without their Extractor, they have no Team and he is long gone." Arthur told her taking a seat. "You know...can always-"

"Hello Gorgeous!" Came a friendly Australian accent. Ariadne turned to see Braker standing in her door with a big smile.

"Hello Handsome!" She laughed as the Australian Forger scoped her into a bear hug. Ariadne's face became bright and happy at seeing her fellow capture up and about again. They had both recovered very well from their shared experience of being taken and drugged by COBAL.

"You did really good back there in the dream. Proud of you." He said still holding her up. Her feet never touching the ground. Ariadne smiled.

"You get tired of running around with these Americans you can come to Sydney with us. Our Architect is rubbish compared to you." He cut his gaze to the flowers Arthur had brought. "Nice flowers." He added as he dropped her back down to the floor. She laughed as he let her go. Arthur looked uncomfortable, and annoyed.

"Umm... Arthur you remember Braker?" She said slightly embarrassed by the Australian Forger's show of affection.

"Yes." The Point Man said curtly.
"Darling, you didn't tell him about us did you?" Braker teased as Ariadne gave him a swift slap to the chest and smiled.

The Australian Forger was dressed in worn jeans and a T shirt. It was a far cry from the style of Arthur and the rest of the Team, but it looked rugged and handsome on him.

"You look really good." She added looking him up and down.

"I have to say Love, I like Japan. Never thought I'd take a shine to Sushi but it's really grown on me. Might even stay here and eat it all the time." Braker said.

"And get really fat?" She asked.

"Naw, it's alright. I'll just become one of those Sumo blokes." He told her.

Arthur could only watch in horror as the Australian Forger made himself at home in the Architect's privet hospital room. Ariadne didn't seem to mind as he stretched himself out on her bed and turned on her T.V.

"It's a shame were leaving today. I've enjoyed the vacation. We could have stayed up all night again with another Zombie movie marathon." Braker said flicking through the channels.

She laughed and looked at Arthur who's face remained grave. For no reason at all, he suddenly hated Braker.

Braker flipped off the T.V. and stood up to walk out. "Well Gorgeous, I gotta get back home." He went out into the hall and retrieved a paper bag. "Something to remember me by, Love." he said giving it to her.
"What's this?" She asked with a smile as she opened it. Inside was a very nice camera.

"Since you want to stay in Japan to work for Saito. Study all the old architecture and what not. Thought you would need a good camera." he said slyly.

"Thank you." She said and gave the Australian Forger a big hug. Braker let her go and headed for the door.

"Call me anytime, Love." He said with a big smile. "Have fun you two." he added before he was gone. Arthur looked at the Architect in surprise. Ariadne shrugged.

"Saito wants me to stay on Cobb's team. I can study architecture here in Tokyo. Even work as one if I wanted to." She shrugged. "I took him up on the offer." She said innocently.

Arthur smiled and stood up.

"You didn't say anything." He said walking over to her. Ariadne straitened his tie and smiled.

"I know." She said with the same smug expression he had given her, when he kissed her in the dream.

It was suddenly easy again. To be with her. To talk to her. To be her friend and her teacher. To be more. His hands were around her waist. His nose in her hair, her chest to his.

"I was so worried about you." He said in a fearful whisper. "If I had been there..."

"I know." She said into his chest. "I know you never would have allowed them to take me. I knowthat." His hands were on her back and he kissed the top of her head. "It was that knowledge, that memory, that helped me to come back."

"Now that Fischer has dissolved his father's empire, Saito is certain COABL will be the next to fall." Arthur said softly lacing his hands though her hair.. "You could go back to your old life. If that was what you would want."

"No. There will always be people looking to steal a good Architect." Ariadne reasoned. "I'm better off with you guys."

Arthur smiled, and held her closer. Held her for just a little longer.

"Saito owns an apartment building not far away. It's very nice." he said finally releasing her and taking her now packed bag. Ariadne took a smile silver key from her pocket.

"He came by earlier today to drop off my key." She smiled mischievously.

Arthur had to crack a smile as she took her flowers off the little table and her new camera. The Point Man took the Architect's hand and smiled.

"Let's go see our new home." He said.

~Thank you to all my fans who have read and left reviews for this series. Next in this series is "Bliss". I don't think I will re-post "Bliss". I only Re-Posted this story because it was my first story and I was not sure what I was doing and where the story would go. So it's nice to go back and "add things".

I wanted to have more about Braker. How close he and Ariadne were... before. You'll have to read more to find out what went on with Braker. LOL.

I plan to do more Fan-Fic soon. ~