Author's Note: Okay, so this (not so) little one-shot's been in the making since the second I finished the last update. :D I just couldn't find it in my heart to kill him off again… ;D

Also: The first name I used for Eames is 100% AimlessGirl's idea because she's amazing like that…Man, that is the perfect name….

Disclaimer: I don't own…but I wouldn't be completely opposed to finding Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Tom Hardy at my door tomorrow… :D

"'Ello?"

"Eames? It's Dom."

Hell. If Dom was calling at this un-godly hour, something had to be wrong. Yusuf, Ariadne, and even Saito's drunken calls at four in the morning were a common occurrence. But this was Dom. Something was wrong.

"Cobb? Why the hell are you calling me at four in the morning? We're not even on a job right now!"

There was a sigh from the other end of the line; it wasn't frustrated, but Eames couldn't place the emotion. "Eames…I need to talk to you—"

"Well can't it wait? Jesus, Cobb!"

"—about Arthur."

Eames froze. "What about him?" His tone was soft, nervous. He immediately regretted snapping at Dom.

"Eames…Arthur, he…" This was not good. This was not good.

"Out with it man!"

"He's been shot."

"…"

"Eames? Are you alright?"

Nothing.
"Eames?"

"What hospital?" Eames was already dressed, car keys in hand.

"Excuse me?"

"What bloody hospital is he in Dom?"

The extractor sighed again. "Eames…listen, you're in no shape to drive—"

"How the hell would you know?"

"…I can hear it in your voice…" Eames knew he was running a tired hand through his hair without actually being there to see it. "Listen, I'll drive you. I'm just around the corner." Dom

hung up.

The ride there was silent. Eames was too worried to make conversation. Cobb saw no reason to bother with frivolous words that would be forgotten the second they reached the revolving glass doors of the hospital.

Eames gingerly pulled shut the door to room 734, careful not to wake the man full of bullet holes inside. He found Cobb in the ghost-town-esc waiting room, pacing near the wall of glass windows. "Well?"

"He looks like hell, Dom. What happened to him?" Eames fell ungracefully into a chair. His voice echoed slightly in the large room.

What had happened to Arthur? Eames had never seen him so…broken. Vulnerable. The IV's and heart monitor were like something from a nightmare.

Unfortunately, Eames had already checked his totem.

Cobb cleared his throat. "It was a freak thing." When the forger shot him a look, he shook his head. "No, really Eames, that's the scary part; nothing to do with the job at all."

Eames's brow furrowed. "It just—it doesn't make sense. If it were a hitman from another team…I'd get it. But this? Just a senseless shooting? It's just…hell, Dom. It's hell." Eames looked up at his old friend. "Do they know when he'll wake up?"

The extractor shook his head. "I have no idea."

Eames looked back to the floor. Arthur had just gone down the street to grab a drink and talk about another job with Saito while the businessman was in town. Eames had been offered a seat with them, but he'd declined saying he needed to get some sleep, he'd been up to late last night. A flirty wink at Arthur had followed the line and Eames had gotten a healthy kick to the shin.

Arthur had been walking home from the bar when he'd been attacked, alone. Had Eames gone with him, what would have happened? Surely, nothing. They wouldn't have attacked two grown men. Surely not. If Eames had gone…

"Excuse me?" The two dream team members looked up to find a middle-aged nurse standing in front of them. She was beautiful with short blonde hair and a slim figure, but you could tell the long hours and stresses of the job were beginning to age her. "Are—are either of you a mister-" She flipped through her files. "—A Mr. Alex Summers?"

Eames shot up. There was no way Arthur could possibly be awake; the timing and luck was nearly impossible. "That would be me, miss." It was their assumed names in this city.

The nurse smiled softly. "Mr. Hunter is awake. He's really not supposed to have any visitors, but I think I can bend the rules for you."

The forger's eyes widened. "How did you—"

"I've worked with a lot of people, Mr. Summers, I can tell when some ones lover is the waiting room." She turned on her heel. "Follow me."

Eames spared Dom a glance before racing to catch up with the girl.

"Arthur? Arthur, love, are you awake?" Eames winced as the door squeaked open to reveal a roomful of shadows. A slight form rested on the hospital bed.

It shifted slightly. "E—Eames?"

Eames gasped at the broken response. He spun around to find the lights and slid the light bar up slightly, just enough to allow him to make his way to Arthur's bedside without crashing into anything. He took in Arthur's appearance again, subconsciously frowning as he did so. The point man was so pale. His eyes were already bloodshot.

He sat on the bed at Arthur's side. "Arthur…" He sighed when the other man grabbed his hand gently.

Arthur's mouth turned up at the corner and he chuckled, but stopped immediately, wincing in pain. "Eames…I'm fine. I'll be okay." He stopped when he saw the other man wasn't looking at him. "Eames, look at me…There."

Eames shook his head. "I just—I just didn't expect this to happen."

Arthur visibly tensed. " Nathaniel Eames. You are not going down this path."

Eames said nothing.

"Eames, stop it. There's no logical way you can think that this is your fault." Arthur squeezed the forger's scarred hands. "It was a freak accident. There was nothing anyone could do. Had you been there, you'd be in the bed next to me. It wouldn't have made a difference, and I'm not going to let you think otherwise."

They sat there in silence for a moment before the point man spoke again. "What are you thinking about?"

Eames looked at the other man lovingly. "You." He adjusted himself so that he was lying back next to Arthur, the other man's head on his shoulder. "When you get out of here, I'm taking you to London." He sighed and closed his eyes.

Arthur grunted. "Why?"

"Because that's where my parents are, love."

"…And?"

Eames scoffed, his eyes still closed. "It'll be easier to explain to them who exactly I'm marrying when you're actually present, darling."

Arthur blinked a few times. "I—I wasn't aware I was getting married, Eames." He paused. "Not—not that I'm opposed to it, I just…why now?"

Eames opened his eyes, turning his head to look in Arthur's eyes. "Because this…incident…scared me. I thought you were gone." He paused to place a hand on the side of Arthur's face.

"And I'm never leaving your side again, Arthur. Ever."

Author's Note: Okay, so I still love that first name for Eames…It's perfect…And I actually really like this. I'm proud of it. -*Bursts into the song "Proud"*-

Peace, Love, Mark, and Iggy.

Kierstin.