Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me. All readers and reviews appreciated, thank you!

Arthur walked down the stairs, his heart pounding. He felt a tear start to roll down his cheek, and angrily brushed it aside.

"Lying little bitch," he muttered, furiously. Grasping the handle of his case more tightly, he continued to walk. Suddenly, his cellphone shrilled. He stiffened, and fished it out of his pocket. Cobb was the caller id.

He slid the phone open. "Hello?"

"Arthur." Cobb sounded angry, and worried. "Arthur, where the hell are you? You've-"

"I've what?" Arthur repeated, tonelessly.

"What's going on? Why are you behaving like this?"

"You incepted me."

"Arthur-"

"You lied to me. You all did. Especially her."

"Her. You mean Ariadne, a young woman who never did anything except adore you."

"Adored. Past tense."

"Arthur, listen to me, you need to-"

"I don't need anything from you, Dom." He snapped the phone shut, and jammed it in his pocket. Taking a deep breath to gather his composure, he walked out of the building, only to be greeted courteously by a driver.

"The Imperial Hotel."

"Very good, Sir."

Ariadne felt numb. Curling up on the bed, she swallowed, and felt the tears oozing out of her eyes.

He'd gone. Simply walked away. She began running through their confrontation, wondering what she could have said or done to make him see reason, see sense. Eventually, she came to a deadening conclusion.

Nothing she could have said or done would have convinced Arthur to stay. He had gone. Shivering, she pulled the covers around herself, and closing her eyes, tried to drift into sleep. An image of Arthur floated into her mind. He was holding her, and as they pulled apart, she saw that he was smiling.

Choking with sobs, she pressed her face into the pillow.

Dom clicked off the phone, trying to resist the temptation to hurl it onto the street. He looked at Elise, who was sitting next to him. They had left the clinic, and were outside the warehouse.

"Well?"

Cobb glared at her. "He's gone. Or rather, he's going."

She swallowed. "Dom, I didn't-"

"Save it," he said curtly. "You've got a choice. You either help us in bringing him back, and I mean completely – or you go. And if you go, do not ever contact any of us again."

Elise paused. "Dom, I'll help you. I'll help you find him."

Cobb looked at her. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." Getting out of the car, he let the door slam with force. She winced, and regaining her composure, followed him.

Arthur swallowed as he walked into the hotel. Expensive and tastefully decorated, he could tell that the place oozed money. He walked to the reception desk.

The young woman behind it blushed as he approached. "Yes, sir?"

"I'm here to meet Mr Ichiro Saito."

"Certainly. Your name?"

"Arthur Ogilvie."

She nodded. "Mr Saito is in suite 310. There's an elevator directly opposite."

Arthur smiled, and watched as she melted slightly. "Thank you." He walked to the elevator and pressed the button, holding his shoulders straight. As he got in, a woman stepped in, and lowering her sunglasses, smiled at him. "Hey."

He blinked in shock. She was not the type he was usually interested in – her tan was a little too orange; her skirt a little too short. He scrutinised her face, noting her slightly gaunt look. She smiled again.

"Hey," she said, clearly trying to be pleasant. He cleared his throat. "Hey."

"So, what are you up to here?" It was clearly meant as a flirtation, and Arthur felt his mind go slightly blank.

"Business," he said, crisply.

"I figured," she replied. "A guy like you in a suit…and no ring," she commented, her eyes wandering to his left hand. "Are you all work and no play?"

He smiled slightly. "I could be…"

"Could be what…?" she asked, seductively. She walked towards him and put her hand on his chest, pushing against him slightly. Arthur felt himself stir.

"Tempted," he breathed, letting her pull him into a kiss. Then with a jolt, he broke it off, and stepped back. She looked surprised, then irritated. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Arthur said, trying to gather his jumbled thoughts. "But this isn't…for me." He swallowed.

"Let me guess," she sneered, "you have some plain little girlfriend tucked away."

He glared at her. "I don't know you. Goodbye."

As he left the elevator, he realised his hands were shaking.

"Dom!" Eames got up as Cobb walked in. His jaw dropped slightly as he took in Elise. "What-?"

"Arthur got taken to the clinic," Cobb said, flatly. "They pulled a form of extraction. He knows he's been incepted."

"Bloody hell," Eames breathed. "He knows?"

"Yes, and he could be anywhere right now." Cobb exhaled. "Eames. Go to Ariadne, find out where she is, and if she's ok."

The Forger nodded. "Of course." Grabbing his keys, he ran out of the door. Elise looked at Cobb. "What do you-"

"You're going to find Saito," Cobb informed her, coldly. "And if Arthur's with him, you'll let us know."

She swallowed. "Cobb, that could be dang-"

"You should have thought of that before you involved yourself again."

"Arthur!" Saito opened the door, and smiled. "Good to see you. Come in."

Arthur nodded. "Thank you." As he entered, his jaw dropped slightly. Inside the room was a room service trolley, loaded with all several types of desserts. The Point Man felt himself begin to salivate.

"Are you hungry?" Saito asked. Arthur swallowed, letting himself become lost in the intoxicating scent of sweetness. He tried to steel himself. "No, I'm not."

"Really, Arthur? Are you sure?"