Missing Scene: The Wedding Reception

A bit quicker with the upload this time. This is the final missing scene, hope you likie.

Just a disclaimer (forgot to put this last night) the song featured is 'I Still Care For You' by Ray Lemontagne, none of those lyrics belong to me, i'm not poetic enough. Also, as a side note, another song that can be used as a companion is 'Someone Like You' by Adele, completely different lyrics but the same kind of theme that runs throughout this scene, both songs are highly recommended.

Eames watches over the dance floor as he sips his beer. He's at the bar and this has been his first drink in months; being preoccupied with trying not to be preoccupied with Ariadne had caused his loss of liquid appetite. He watches her attentively as she dances with her dad to some cheesy 80's pop song that no doubt takes her back to her youth, Eames cringes as her dad's dancing is the definition of bad but she must like it because she's laughing away without a care in the world. He spots Arthur dancing with her mum and notes that she is just as bad as her husband. No wonder Ariadne's moves are restricted to the foot shuffle, who knows what atrocious moves she's inherited. Eames smiles when she gets twirled so her dress imitates a cloud puff; he thinks to himself she looks beautiful, although she always has done.

Yusuf sidles up to him - drink in hand and watches too. His eyes carefully dart between the dancing Ariadne and Eames' expression; he knows his friend is in love with their Architect, he has done for a while. They've never spoken about it; Yusuf never found the right opportunity to ask him as Eames disappeared for a time. But now that they're here together, he's here for Eames if he needs him.

"She's lovely, isn't she? Arthur's a lucky man." Yusuf takes a gulp of his Coke and hopes that Eames can hear the intent of his words.

"Yes he is." Eames tears his eyes away from her and looks at Yusuf with a candid expression.

"Are you ok?"

Eames takes a large mouthful of beer and looks back at the dance floor where she's now dancing with Arthur to some mushy love song that probably means something to them both. He nods in reply to Yusuf's question and the Chemist takes that as a conversation closer, he says no more and heads to the buffet.

Once the song is finished, Ariadne catches Eames looking at her and she makes her way over to the bar where he's standing. As she hitches up her billowing white skirt and petticoats to walk towards him he spies a pair of white high top converses, he chuckles to himself. Only she would put comfort over style.

"Dance with me?" she asks with an outstretched hand and a beaming smile. Eames can't refuse her with that smile, he almost wishes he could dance all night with her, but that would mean he was the groom instead of Arthur. He takes her petite hand in his own and they make their way over to the mahogany flooring. He twirls her for good measure, just to watch the cloud puff again and she giggles before they resume a proper dancing position.

A slow evocative intro saunters from the speakers into the atmosphere and Eames knows what song it is instantly. It's almost as if someone knows this is his song for her.

Hear me out
Day follows day
Light turns to clay in my hands

There hasn't been a day that's gone by where he hasn't thought of her and the intimate time they shared together. Every time he's wondered; maybe he should've told her that he is in love with her; maybe she wouldn't have married Arthur if he had. But he knows two maybes is two too many for his no bullshit attitude with life. They're fine as they are, even if she has seen through him and knows the truth. It seems everyone but Arthur does, and for that he is grateful. Although he may look skinny, Arthur is well built under his lithe exterior. He could possibly pummel Eames in a fight which is the last thing he wants; he'd rather suffer in silence forever than take a onetime beating.

Ariadne rests her head on his chest as they sway on the spot; she almost looks like she's dreaming with her eyes closed.

Eames takes a quiet gulp. How can he stop loving her?

How to explain,
So pristine the pain
It was kindness made the cut so clean

"You scrub up well, what designer is it?"

"Gucci." He chuckles; she knows he has a weakness for labels. It doesn't make him gay; it just makes him feel classier than everyone else, not that he isn't already. "Let me guess, you're in a designer dress?"

She smiles shrewdly in return as she looks into his eyes. She still has butterflies, just like the last time she was this close to him over two months ago. His lips are just as plump and kissable as they were then; maybe a little more weathered as he's been travelling so much, but sexy all the same. His face is now smooth instead of stubbly; she remembers the soft scratch of his whiskers against her skin as they kissed that one night. But his eyes – they're exactly the same; they still haunt her dreams and probably will in years to come.

"It's a Caroline Castigliano, on Arthur's insistence. I was happy with something cheap and simple but he wanted me in something amazingly gorgeous and expensive, so this is what we agreed on. Apart from the skirt I can't walk in to hide my horrible legs I don't think it could be any more perfect. Arthur didn't get a say on the shoes though."

"I noticed. I don't think I've ever seen a bride in trainers; this may well be a first. Either way, you don't look so bad yourself."

"Thanks."

They sway a little bit more and he twirls her again like a professional. As she returns to his body Ariadne bites her lip, she looks up at him guiltily and hesitates before deciding on her next thread of conversation.

"It's in the past Ari, let it stay there too." Eames says without her breathing a word. He always seemed to know what she was thinking, sometimes even before she thought it. They had been so close; it hurt that they hadn't been in the last two months.

"I'm sorry about what happened. I never meant to hurt you, Eames. You're my best friend and I love you, I do, but I love Arthur more. That night, it wasn't a mistake, I promise, but it made me realise what I wanted out of my life. I want marriage and kids, and a stupid three bedroom house; like the one that we used to laugh at and despise because it meant living in a conformed society. I want to settle down and be a grown up, Arthur will give me all that stability. I know none of it is for you."

Eames takes a deep breath and replies "So long as it wasn't a mistake I'm happy. He'll make you happier than I ever could, I'm certain."

I still care for you

Hear me out
You wanted to me to be
Less your love than a mirror

She knows it takes him a lot to say so Ariadne decides to change the subject.

"I've missed you, a lot. When I'm back from my honeymoon we should go out for dinner, or maybe a movie or something, it'll be my treat. It's been so long since I've seen you"

"Ariadne, I'd love that but I can't promise anything at the moment. Work has really picked up lately; I haven't had any time for myself in an age, I had to turn down work just to come today. If I can find time once you're back we will definitely do something, but for now, can we just put it as tentative?"

It hurts him so much to lie to her but he has to. Now she's married he can't be a part of her life like he used to be, not when he still loves her as much as he does, he'd only be hurting himself in the process if he sticks around.

Can't you see
What you mean to me?
(even promises may bleed)

I still care for you

Ariadne isn't naive; she can read between the lines. She knows how he still feels without having to verbalise them. It's too hard for him right now and she hates it because it's different for her, she's in love with Arthur and he loves her back. She can't imagine the strength it takes Eames to pretend everything is ok without telling any one how he really feels.

Underneath all his pain and anguish they both know he will appear again, their relationship is too strong to just cut and run from. She wants, needs him, in her life to keep it in balance. She knows it's incredibly selfish of her, but Eames is selfish enough to still want to be near her when really he should stay well away.

Eames drops a kiss lightly to her crown and takes a deep breath to memorize everything about this moment before he leaves again. She is perfect and will remain perfect; he's a lot more fractured than he ever was before.

The hours grow
Heavy,
And hollow,
And cruel as a grave

Open
Me
You'll find
Only bones burned to glass.

The song is coming to an end and Eames feels her tiny grip tighten around his hand and waist. It's as if she knows he's planning on disappearing as soon as this is over. He can't take any more of this emotional agony and as much as he wants Ariadne to come with him, he has to leave her here, where she belongs.

Her wedding band feels like it's burning his skin through his suit, and as much as he wants leave, he deals with the pain in his heart; it's all in his head, he knows. Each foot shuffle begins to feel heavier and his throat feels like its constricting, like it's choking him from the prospect of departing. Eames feels fragile, that his heart is cracked; one move away from her will shatter it, but now its time to go.

He steps away, but keeps her hand in his to place a delicate kiss on her soft skin; he grows a little bolder and places one more lingering brush on her warm cheek. This is as close as he can get to her lips, as much as he wants them that'd be overstepping the mark. This is the only way he can convey his bittersweet goodbye. He walks away from her without looking back; the only way for him now is forward.

Ariadne watches him retreat into the shadows and a tiny piece of her heart breaks. That would be the only time she'd ever admit out loud that she loved him.

Arthur has their next dance; she buries her head into his chest, to stop herself from looking for Eames in the crowd. Ariadne instantly feels a difference to the body she had buried her head in before. Arthur places a kiss to her crown, (coincidentally in the same place Eames had), before whispering in her ear that he loves her. She almost wishes it was a different voice.

She almost wishes she could've heard Eames say it instead.

I still care for you

Eames escapes from the reception without anyone coming after him and hails a taxi; he asks the driver to go straight to the airport. He'd had his passport and airline ticket in his pocket the whole evening, his suitcase had already been sent to the airport by the hotel. Eames had arranged a week ago to go home to England for a while. It'd be the last place anyone from the team would look for him.

As they pull away in the car the song is still swimming around his thoughts; it will haunt him till the day he dies. The whole memory will. Because he still cares for her.

Reviews are love :)