Doubt

"Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real,

and your just a reflection of him?"

Calvin and Hobbes

Ariadne was jolted rudely into the waking world. The bright lights of the hospital and sounds of Yori calling her name made the screams of her children seem very far away. She was breathing hard as she saw Cobb and Saito waking up as well. Both men looking panicked at being back in the real world. She looked to her left and saw Arthur. He met her eyes and reached for her hand. Almost reluctantly, she took it. His warm flesh making familiar contact with hers.

"Hi." he said simply. She smiled back and him, tears falling from her face.

"All of them have escaped the dream." Morpheus said. Circe gave a defeated laugh.

"I knew they would." She said sadly. Sybil watched her mentor wander the stone maze alone. The Control stayed beside the Tall Man.

"What will you do now?" She asked him.

"Nothing." Morpheus told her honestly.

"Will you leave us alone?" She asked. He turned to her. His unpleasant smile gone. "If that is what you wish." He said.

Eames had been wandering the maze since he fell into the dream. It felt like months had past. He sensed Sybil and Nolan were close. Yet, he could never reach them. A wall opened up to him. Circe appeared.

"Hello." The Forger called softly to her. She looked up from her own worries to see him.

"Hello." She called back to him. She lazily sat on a fallen tree nearby as the wall closed behind her. Eames sensed something was different about the Witch.

"What is, Darling?" he asked ruefully. He straddled the failed tree next to Circe. The Witch looked up and smiled a gentle, genuine smile at him.

"Sybil and Nolan are fine. They were always fine." She told him. He nodded. Accepting the truth. "So is your Team. I'm afraid I had to be rather bad to get Sybil to pay attention. I had to train her you see. To protect her. To protect all of you." Eames didn't understand the Witch's meaning. But trusted her anyway.

"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm dieing." She told him simply. He said nothing to this. "I had to keep Sybil safe. Her abilities are greater then mine. I can't let others take her into the dream world. Like I was taken, and left. I've taught her all I know. It's all I can do now. I think she will be safe. I think she can protect all of you." Circe sighed as Eames took her hand. "She is very special Eames, promise me you'll keep her safe."

"I will." Eames promised.

"You know, Nolan, he loves her. Young love is so honest isn't it? You can trust him to care for her." Circe told him. Her vigor was leaving her body. Eames sensed the time had come for Circe to finally leave the dream world. She looked so tired.

"I know I can." Eames said with a smile. Circe seemed to grow so weak. Eames found himself holding her to his body.

"Will you stay?" She asked sadly. "I don't... I don't like to be alone."

"Of course I'll stay." Eames said gently.

"I'm glad you came back Mr. Eames." She said in almost a gasp. Her breathing labored. "you have been so...so very... interesting. I'm... I'm sorry we could not... have more time together." He held the Witch as though she was a child. Circe rested her head against his chest and breathed out one last breath.

The three of them awoke to the sleeping hospital. They were attached to the PASIV and the Keepers were leaving the room. Eames was the first to snap awake. He stood and walked over to the shrouded hospital bed.

Circe, mighty and formidable in the dream world, was a painfully thin creature. No hint of her full hips, breasts and beauty was written on her now. Her skin was gray and waxen under the skeletal frame. She grossly resembled a Holocaust victim, even so close to her death. She surely had known her time was near.

"Percy?" Sybil said to the American Point Man. The Control had given Eames time to look over Circe's body as she reached out to make sure Nolan was awake. He looked at her in surprise and looked away. He seemed embarrassed. Sybil had to smile then. The memory of his own dream still in her mind.

"Are you alright?" Nolan finally asked her. She nodded. Eames turned from the hospital bed.

"Let's go home." the Forger said sadly.

England

The safe house Arthur had obtained months ago was an large family estate with vast property surrounding it. The house had belonged to some long dead Earl or Duke. His family had decided to stop living in the home. It was to far from Town. It was to large to keep up. It was perfect.

The house had been fully updated by the Point Man after Hecate's kidnapping. Arthur had hired contractors to put in new wiring and security. Not losing at all the lovely old world charm he and his wife so loved. He had also taken the liberty of having it completely furnished and move in ready. A decorator had been hired and instructed to furnish the home according the the style of the old house. Nothing new or fashionable. Indeed, the home looked like it's inhabitants of a century ago had just left for a walk.

James and Phillipa cared nothing at all for the large brick house. They ran wild over the mass of gardens and screamed at their father to get them a dog. Sybil and Eames wandered the rooms on the third floor. Selecting their own spaces. Their feet making loud noises across the well worn wooden floors.

"Well?" Arthur asked his wife. "What do think?" They were in the parlor of the grand home. A large ornamental fireplace beckoned of warm nights as a family before it. The whole house seemed to wake up with the new blood infusing it.

"It's beautiful." She whispered. She held Alexander in her arms. The Baby was itching to be put down and be free to explore his new territory. Arthur leaned down to kiss his pretty wife. She was finally starting to show her condition. He placed a firm but gentle hand on his soon to be daughter.

"We can have the entire East Wing if you want. Cobb and the kids can have the West. It's three rooms each on the second floor. A study for me on the ground floor. The third floor has four bedrooms for Eames and Sybil. Also for guests." He explained still trying to sell her on the home.

"Arthur," She told him "It's perfect." He smiled.

"I had the builders install three more bathrooms." he continued. "I know you didn't want to leave Saint Cloud... but..." He let the sentence drop. She smiled at him and put the baby down. Finally free, Alexander waddled happily around the parlor. Unimpressed with its high decorative ceilings and fine pedigree.

Upstairs, Eames and Sybil wandered the four simple but spacious bedrooms.
"I think I'll take this one." She called out to the Forger. Eames poked his head around to see a charming room. Faded pink paint on the wall. It was rustic and feminine. It would suit Sybil perfectly.

"It will be a long drive to Town from this place." He told her.
"I was thinking I could just rent an apartment in Town while I'm at school." She reasoned. "Come home on the weekends."

"That will be expensive." Eames told her inspecting the closets.

"I have all that money Fischer left me." She told him. The Forger looked back at her.

"Who told you about that?" He asked

"Circe." Sybil said simply. Eames shook his head.
"We didn't want you to know about that. We didn't want..." he tried to explain

"I know." She told him. Eames reached out and gave her a hug.

"How is Percy?" he asked changing the subject.

"Back State Side." She told him. "I didn't tell him where we are. I don't think he would say anything about what happened with Circe or all I can do. I think it would be best to only contact him in London and leave everyone else out of it."

"Smart girl." Eames said proudly.

Ariadne was exploring the kitchen as Arthur and Cobb minded the children's vigorous play outdoors. All of them would sleep very well tonight. She watched them playing in the late summer sun. The large window letting in a generous amount of light. Arthur saw her there, he waved at her and she waved back. Alexander was wadding carefully though a nest of wild flowers. Curious about the strange, colorful plants.

She could like this house. Maybe even love it. It felt broken in. Like a home should be. New homes were so generic and tasteless.

This home spoke of generations of loved ones. Eating dinners together. Bathing little ones at night, reading them stories. Evening rituals.

She stopped in her thoughts. Images of the white house in the forest coming back to her. She shut her eyes as it came over her again.
"Mommy!" Tomas screamed. Ava crying in her crib. Her eyes snapped open and the sunlight in the window was gone. Dark water was outside her window. The perfect summer day had been swallowed up by the flood. She was dry and protected in the house as she watched toys belonging to Tomas float by. She heard them, Tomas screaming for her. The baby's frightened wails. She gasped in horror as she saw a white crib float by. Empty of it's precious cargo. The crib now being tossed recklessly by the swirling water.

"Ariadne?" Sybil's voice broke her out of her hallucination. She turned to the Control. "Are you alright?" Sybil asked. The Architect smiled and nodded.

"Yes." she lied. "I'm fine."

Thank you all for the reviews. I keep this story up for you guys. I love Circe and hated to kill her off, but the time was right to do so. But remember, just because someone is dead, doesn't mean we will never see them again. I killed Braker and he came back. So we may see her again soon.

Speaking of Braker, you kept telling me how you HATE Braker and then your like "oh no! We never hated him!" Make up your minds! LOL!

This will not be the last of this series. I'm not sure how it will end. I very much enjoy creating this world. I hope that you enjoy it to.