"Someone did this do me?" Arthur asked.

"It looks that way," Eames said.

The four of them were once again sitting around the coffee table. Eames had shared the horror that he'd discovered in the dream. Ariadne and Cobb's reactions had been predictable. Her eyes opening wide, her hand covering her mouth in shock. His body going still, jaw clenching. But Arthur, he simply smiled.

"It wasn't something I did?" Arthur said looking at him.

Eames put his hand on Arthur's knee and smiled back at him, "No. It wasn't you. But it was someone, and we need to know who so we can go about undoing whatever they did."

"Wait," Ariadne said, "Now that he knows these thoughts aren't his, shouldn't the inception unravel on its own."

Cobb shook his head, "It's been there too long. Whatever foreign element was introduced has grown roots," he looked over at Arthur, "It's seeped into every aspect of your mind. That's why all your projections were affected. The idea may have been planted but your mind has fully embraced it."

"Can it... can it even be undone?" Ariadne asked.

Eames' tightened his grip on Arthur's knee but didn't have an answer. It was starting to seem impossible, reversing the inception. They had to find out exactly how it happened. Which means they need to know who did it, why and when. All of which Arthur seemed to have no answers for.

"Yes," Cobb said breaking Eames' thoughts.

He eyes were locked on Arthur's, "Yes. It will be undone. I promise."

Eames could feel Arthur's muscles tensing beneath his hand but he didn't move. He simply nodded his head.

"Okay," Cobb said, "First thing we need to know is when this inception occurred. Can you think of a time you may have been vulnerable? When someone may have gotten in?"

"No."

"When did you first start to notice the depression?" Ariadne asked.

Arthur dropped his eyes, "I don't, I don't know... But... I know the moment I started fighting back."

Two months ago

Arthur deliberately arrived late. The party was in full swing by the time he stepped through the door.

"Uncle Arthur," James said running towards him arms held high.

Arthur plastered a smile on his face, "Hey birthday boy."

James made contact at full speed, staggering him back. The beaming smile on the little boy's face caused Arthur's gut to clench. He couldn't understand how anyone could be that excited to see him.

"Did you bring me a present?" James asked letting him go, hopping up and down.

Arthur froze. Great job, he thought to himself, all you've done is walk through the door and you've let him down. Who shows up to a birthday party without a present. People who've dropped the ball that's who. You let him down, just like Mal, then Dom. Give it a few more hours and you might disappoint Phillipa too. Then you'd have the whole family.

He mentally shook his head. Snap out of it. This isn't about you, it's about James.

"You know I did get you something," he lied, "but I left it at my house."

Arthur watched as the boys face fell slightly before beaming up at him once more, "That's okay. You being here's a good present. Let me show you what else I got."

The second James turned his back and lead him into the backyard he dropped the smile. But he was ready to bring it back the moment anyone looked his way. He couldn't let anyone see how tried he was, especially Dom.

Arthur spent the next ten minutes listening to James merit the pros and cons of all his new presents. Arthur tried to listen, he really did. But as James went on and on jumping from one train of thought to the other, Arthur couldn't keep up.

Arthur hated his lack of focus, this is what he did for a living, processing information. It's because you're tired, he said rationalising it to himself, if you could just get some proper sleep then everything would be better. Though the sleeping pills weren't working and using the PASIV device made the insomnia worse, Arthur was sure that if he could just figure out a way to have a decent night's sleep then all his problems would be solved. Yes, sleep was the only issue. Just sleep.

"Daddy, Uncle Arthur's here."

Arthur was snapped back to reality when Dom gave a gentle slap on his back. He hadn't heard him approach.

"James you're friend Andy wanted to say goodbye," Dom said patting the boy on the head as he ran to accost another guest. He turned to face Arthur, "I haven't heard from you in awhile, was starting to get worried."

"I've just been busy working, you know how it is," he said. Liar, the voice whispered, why don't you tell him the real reason. That now that he's free and you're not you don't know how to stay friends.

"You're looking a bit thin," Dom smiled at him, "Forgetting to eat now that I'm not around to remind you?"

Arthur laughed. Not too much or it's obvious you're faking, he told himself, as long as you look happy he won't question anything.

Dom grasped his shoulder, "It's good to see you."

Arthur felt his chest tighten. He couldn't force any words out so he simply nodded. Please go away, he thought, I could never fool you for long.

"I should make the rounds. Stick around?" Dom said.

"Sure," Arthur lied.

He was ridiculously relieved to see Dom walk away. His eyes scanned the backyard looking around at all the people. Could they tell? That he was barely holding it together, that a two minute conversation sapped all his energy. Could they see how weak he was?

He needed to get away from all the people. He walked to the door leading inside, deliberately slowing his steps so no one would be able to tell he was running away. Once inside the safety of the house he rested his hands on the mantel and hung his head.

What have you done to yourself? This family is all you have left, but you don't want anything to do with them. Without them what's the point?

He raised his head and saw a picture of his family. Dom and Mal, huge smiles across their faces, arms wrapped around Phillipa and James. They were at the zoo, because that's what family's do, they go out together. They don't stay hiding in their rooms alone, afraid to dial the phone in case no one answered.

His eyes focused in on Mal's shining face. Was this what it was like for you? He thought. Living in the dark having your own thoughts betray you. Is that why you did it? To silence the voices? In the end did you look at your children and just know, that no matter what you did you were going to fail. Why try at all right?

Arthur felt a calm wash over him. I understand now, it's not giving up, it's giving in. Living... it was getting harder and harder. Every day he seemed to slip a little bit more. Mundane things required enormous feats of strength. And he was tired... so very tired. If it were to end... the voices would stop. He wouldn't be able to disappoint anyone anymore. He'd be... free.

He could do it. He had enough sleeping pills that if he downed the whole bottle... He'd just go to sleep and then he wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore. Just blissful oblivion.

He was halfway across the room before he saw her. Huddled in the corner was Phillipa. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her shoulders were shaking as tears streamed down her face. 'He's a Jerk' he heard her whisper into her arms.

Her head shot up in surprise as he approached her.

"You okay?" he asked.

Phillipa's face flushed and she looked away. Stupid, he thought to himself, of course she's not okay. Walk away, the voice said, whatever you do it'll just make it worse. What business is it of yours anyway? It's not like you're her real family.

Arthur turned on his heel and took a step away when he heard her breath hitch. That tiny sound sent a jolt to his heart. This isn't about me, he thought. He walked back to her. He slid down the wall so he was sitting on the floor. He didn't say anything, just sat next to her while she cried, her body shaking.

After a few minutes Phillipa unravelled her body and threw her arms around him clinging to his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. He froze a moment before slowly raising his arms to place them around her.

"I've missed you Uncle Arthur," she whispered, "I've already lost mum, I don't want to lose you too."

He felt his eyes prickle. He tightened his grip on her squeezing his eyes shut. A tear rolled down his face.

Hours later when he got home he went to his bathroom and flushed all his sleeping pills down the toilet. He wasn't giving in. Not yet. Not when there was someone who needed him to live.

Present

Eames felt hope rise in his chest after Arthur finished his story. The first seeds of a plan were forming in his mind. From the sounds of it Arthur had been one step away from ending his life. The poisonous thoughts had won. That should have been it. But one little girl had managed to drive them back. Had given Arthur the strength to hold them at bay for two months.

Eames smiled at the man next to him. Maybe they didn't need to reverse the inception, maybe they needed to perform one of their own instead. Inject an antidote to counteract the poison.

He slid himself along the couch and wrapped his arm around Arthur's shoulder pulling him in close.

"Maybe we can't undo it," he said, "but I think I know how we can override it."

tbc

Sorry for the wait, my brother's getting married so it's been busy busy busy.

Please review, let me know what you think so far :-)