Authors Note:

My goal for this story is to be as 'realistic' as possible. So, the development of their relationship will not take one chapter, but a few.

I really think that they had a strong connection in the film and I am writing this because I really think something could have happened between them.

Please Review. Thank you.

Chapter 1

He had finally made it home.

He had finally seen his children's beautiful faces.

"Daddy," they had both cried out as they embraced him with a love so powerful and so eternal. He was just so happy in that moment. So happy that he just knew it had to be reality. And when the three of them had walked back into the kitchen, to see that the spinning top was no longer spinning. He started to cry. He had finally had his happy ending.

It had become hours later and the sun had already set on the horizon. He watched the sunset's colors brighten in the evening sky, as his kids were playing with the sand in front of him.

Memories of her resurfaced. Dom sighed to himself. Memories. That's all they ever could be.

He started to picture her holding him in her arms and kissing him briefly on the cheek. But he shook his head, realizing that he should no longer be trapped in the past. He took James in his arms and kissed Phillipa lightly on her forehead. This was his present. And it was beautiful.

He smiled at them as they laughed, their childhood innocence shinning through their bright eyes. He knew that this was reality. This was where he belonged. No matter what. And not even a dream projection of Mal could ever convince him otherwise. His wife was gone and it was time to try and let her go.

Ariadne. She was the one who had helped him wake up to reality. He owed her almost every happy emotion that he was feeling in his body. He was here… playing with his children because of her. Dom sighed again, this time more forcefully and Miles, who was standing behind them, noticed.

"Dom," his smile lessened before he continued "is there something wrong?" Dom looked back at him and averted his eyes once more to his children before shaking his head. But there was something wrong. He had never thanked her for saving him. He had not even said a proper good bye.

And then the door bell rang.

Miles walked back into the house, his eyes shifting to the still top, before smiling. Dom had finally done it. He had finally made it back to reality. He was very proud of him. However, he knew that his thirst for Mal couldn't be replaced for very long. He would be dreaming of her every night and waking up to only find out that she was gone. And he would be heartbroken.

Miles opened the door.

Dom was still playing with his beautiful children. Phillipa and James were tickling him and he was laughing and pretending to struggle at their little strength. But then Miles' voice came from the door way, "There is someone here to see you, Dom".

For a second, Cobb froze. Maybe it was Ariadne and he could finally thank her for all that she had for him. He got up off the sand, telling his children the he would be right back and then he walked back into the house.

"Well, it looks like you're happy." Arthur's voice rang through his ears. It wasn't Ariadne and for some strange reason, the situation pulled on his stomach.

"Oh, it's you." Dom spoke, trying to hide the shift in his voice.

Arthur smiled and asked quickly, "Expecting someone else, Cobb?"

Dom shook his head, as Arthur took a sip from the coffee in front of him. He was sitting in the exact same spot Mal had in Limbo, seconds before he had snapped back into reality.

"What are you doing here, Arthur?" Dom asked, completely confused. Hadn't they seen each other just this morning?

Arthur took a small yellow colored envelope from his jacket pocket and threw it over to him. Cobb caught it and examined it for a second before asking, "What's this?"

"Open it."

And Dom did just that. He pulled out a piece of paper from the envelope and read the imprint. It was a cheque. His eyes widened at the amount and he gasped before shaking his head. "No, no, no. I told you that I didn't want the money."

"But it's your share." Arthur interjected.

"But I don't want it."

Arthur stood up from his chair and walked over to Dom to take a good look at him. "What's the matter with you, huh? You have a family to support, Cobb. You need this money."

Dom looked at the cheque once again. This cheque could help him and his family live well for a long time. But he just simply stared at the piece of paper.

"How did you convince Saito and Yusuf to give me my share?"

"I didn't." Arthur explained, turning his head away from him. "Ariadne did."

Cobb's eyes widened. Why would she ever do something like that? And as if Arthur could read his mind, he answered, "She thought that you would be bored working at some office for some lousy corporate company. So she convinced them to give you your share."

Dom smiled. "She said that?"

"Well, it was actually more like-"and then he heightened his voice to imitate her "-what is the matter with you two? Don't you understand that he needs to be his kids? Not working at some stupid office job, away from them. And then she went on and on about it. It was really quite a performance on her part."

Dom laughed. And he really laughed. For the first time in a long time.

"Yeah, that sounds like her."

"Yup, she is very stubborn and brave, that one." And Dom couldn't agree more.

Arthur made his way towards the front door and Dom called out to him "Hey. Tell her thank you for me, okay?"

Arthur stopped for a second. His hand merely being placed on the door knob before he stated "Tell her yourself."

Arthur opened the door and continued "She said she would drop by tomorrow morning to see you. You can tell her then."

Cobb swallowed hard as the door shut. The thought of Ariadne being in his real home burned his throat.

Well, at least he could thank her.

He walked back out into the outdoors, sand coming in around his ankles. And he watched his children play and call out to him.

This was all because of Ariadne. He smiled again. Yes, he knew exactly what he was going to say to her tomorrow.

Authors Note:

Like it? Please Review to let me know if I should continue. Thank you.