Disclaimer: Inception does not belong to me.

Arthur stretched, and looked at the young woman lying next to him. Ariadne was still asleep, and he leaned over, kissing her forehead. Deciding he needed water, he pushed back the covers, and began to walk towards the kitchen.

He bit his lip. Uncertainty was starting to grip him, in how the rest of the team would react. Feeling tremors of uncertainty, he walked into the hallway, only to hear the voices of Eames and Trent, softly rising and falling in discussion. Unwilling to volunteer his presence, he entered the kitchen.

Cobb was sitting at the table, his totem held between his fingers. Before Arthur could move, he spun it, only for it to abruptly stop, and fall. The younger man watched, unwilling to interrupt. Suddenly, the Extractor looked up, and noticed him.

"Arthur." His lips curved in a smile. "Are you going to sit down?"

The younger man walked across the floor, and poured himself a glass of water. He sat down, opposite Cobb, who studied him.

"You know, you really don't look well," Cobb said, gently. "Really."

Arthur swallowed. "I'm not handling things too well." He looked into the glass, then at Cobb. "Its a case of feeling as though you've let your team down, feeling as though you've let everyone else down-"

Cobb blinked in astonishment. The younger man's face was quivering, and he reached over to him. "Arthur-"

"I- I-" His voice cracked, and before the Extractor could move, tears were streaming down his face. Shocked, Cobb leaned over, and put his arm around his shoulders. The Point Man reciprocated by lying his head on his shoulder, sobbing. Cobb breathed gently, and held him close.

"Its going to be ok," he said, suddenly feeling angry with himself for the triteness of the statement. He looked at Arthur, suddenly becoming aware of the desperateness of his situation. He looked at him. "But, Arthur, you have to-"

"Undergo treatment," Arthur said, looking fearful. "I know."

"But first, I have to extract." Cobb studied his expression, carefully. "I have to extract from you the inception we planted. Thats the only way the treatment will work."

"But I know that you planted the idea." Arthur brushed the traces of tears from his face. "Doesn't that count?"

"It would, but any treatment you receive will be battling with what's in your subconcious." The only way to really deal with this, is to remove the inception."

"Which means you have to admit you failed." Arthur rubbed his face.

"Its not the first time." Cobb looked at him. "Its not the first time I've nearly destroyed someone."

Arthur leaned back. "So, what are you suggesting?"

"What I'm suggesting is..." Cobb took a deep breath. "That I extract all of this. All of it, Arthur. The memories you have of your times with us, your work as the Point Man-"

Arthur got to his feet, his expression becoming increasingly bemused. "You can't mean that," he said, his voice hoarse. "What about Ariadne? What about her?"

"But if the two of you meet on a more equal footing-" Cobb swallowed. "I mean, if you meet, and you're recovered, and you have no memories of all this-"

"So you're going to extract from her as well?" Arthur glared at him, his expression furious. "If you want to violate my mind Cobb, you've done it before. But to hurt her-"

"Its not meant to hurt anyone." Cobb swallowed and tried to stand his ground. "But, Arthur, do you really want to continue like this for the rest of your life?"The Point Man fell silent. "Bingeing, purging, being chased by-"

He swallowed. "No," he said, honestly. "But Dom-"

"Yes?" The Extractor looked at him, his concern beginning to merge into relief. "What is it?"

"I don't want you to extract." He shook his head. "I want Ariadne to do it."

"What?" Cobb looked at him, astonished. "Arthur, are you-"

"I won't let anyone else inside my head," he said, firmly. "Its my head, Dom. Mine. And if you want someone to extract all of this from me...I'd rather she did it."

"Why?"

"Because-" Arthur could feel his composure beginning to crack again. "Because she loves me, thats why. And I think she'd be receptive to doing so. She wants me to get better."

Cobb looked at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Arthur nodded. Getting up, he walked back into the bedroom. The Architect was just beginning to stir. He sat down, and ran his fingers through her hair. She looked up at him, and he placed his hand on her cheek.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hey," she responded, letting him cuddle up next to her. "You ok?"

"Ari." He spoke, then paused. She turned her face to him. "Arthur? What is it?"

"I need you-" he swallowed - "to extract from me."

She looked at him, and shook her head.

"No," she said, softly. "I won't do it."

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