A/N: Goddamn, it's been a while. Life's just been a bitch lately, and I haven't really had the time to write anything worthwhile. I'm supposed to be writing a cracky fic for some friends, but I'm so blocked up right now, I can't even look at it.

So, I think this'll be a multi chapter fic, buuuut the updates will be sporadic because I tend to get into funks, my schedule is crazy as hell, I like to eat, etc.

Hope you enjoy what I've tried to do here. (:

Disclaimer! I do not own Inception.

Step one: Loss

It was just another afternoon.

Arthur's car crawled down the congested streets as he contemplated where to go for lunch. The previous events of his average workday had been excruciatingly silent, and he was more than willing to leave the warehouse. Both Eames and Ariadne had left about an hour before he had, and he expected them to be around to keep the warehouse protected.

After the job with Saito, the team (what was left of it after Cobb went home) moved their affairs to Chicago. It was a decent city with plenty of things to do, but Arthur constantly felt like something was missing. Ariadne started taking classes downtown, working when she had the time. Eames and Arthur picked up small jobs, but nothing terribly exciting. Every day was the same; it was slowly driving Arthur insane.

Arthur's mental lunch debate was quickly postponed as an ambulance went screaming past. Its pulsating red lights caught Arthur's eye, and he watched it zoom down the busy street. He didn't give it much thought. It was just another ambulance.

In fact, when Arthur reached the sandwich shop a few minutes later, the ambulance had completely left his mind. By that point, he was excessively irked and hungry. The tv in the shop blared with the afternoon news, and the toddler in front of him was screaming as he tried to climb out of his expensive stroller. Arthur tried to ignore it all, but was relieved when the family and their toddler left, making it his turn to order.

Little did the point man know that as he was debating over roast beef or turkey, Ariadne was receiving a call.

When the idiots behind the counter finally prepared his sandwich, Arthur thanked them and headed to the table closest to the door in case another screaming child entered. That way, he could make a break for it.

On the TV, a perky news reporter started indentifying traffic as Arthur took a bite of his poorly constructed lunch.

"And there's a nasty crash on State Street involving a minivan and a semi-truck."

Arthur lazily glanced up at the television to see a light blue minivan completely smashed between a tree and the front of a neon red Coco-Cola truck. There were ambulances and fire trucks all over the scene. Arthur knew the drivers of the minivan didn't make it even before he heard the rest of the report. He sighed heavily and returned to his sandwich.

"To make matters worse, Mr. and Mrs. Mires leave four children under 18. The youngest is only 22 months old. Such a shame."

Arthur's head snapped up in recognition. He knew that last name…

Just as he began to flip through the phonebook in his mind, Arthur's phone buzzed in his pant's pocket. He jumped a little, but quickly fished the phone out.

He checked the caller ID, and everything became eerily clear.

"Ariadne?"

"Arthur, p-please… I… I'm scared."

Arthur was already out the door.

Blah, short first chapter is short.

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