"Aerin? What are you hiding behind your back?"

"Nothing," I lied, too quickly. I knew my aghast face had already given myself away.

"Let me see," he commanded, taking a step towards me.

"No! Cobb, it's-!"

He gripped the wrist holding my talisman and yanked it around so he could see it. Then, suddenly, dropped my arm like it was a flaming poker.

Walking over to a table, keeping his back to us, he took something out of his own pocket. I knew it was his own talisman.

"Cobb, please, stop!"

"We're in a dream, aren't we?" Arthur said expressionlessly.

The others looked over their shoulders suddenly when Arthur said the last. "We're in a dream." It was no longer a question.

Cobb didn't turn around, but continued to bend over the table.

Eames gave a half-laugh, half-snort. "Well, this is a lovely fix you've got us into," he said to me.

I gave him a Death Glare. "I. Didn't. Do. It. For the last time!"

Everyone just gave me hard looks.

"Please, you tell them, Cobb!" I said appealingly, turning to him.

"You got us into this mess. Show us how, or if, you can get us out." His voice, though quiet and even, was harsh.

Ariadne stepped forward, looking almost defiant. "She didn't do it, Cobb."

He finally turned- no, whirled around- and spoke loudly, "She did it, Ariadne! Stop defending people who don't deserve defense!"

Ariadne took a slight step back in shock, and Arthur said, "Cobb. Please, there's-"

"Just leave me alone for once, would you, Arthur?" His voice was back to quiet, but was still hard.

Arthur, too, flinched a little- not in his stance, but in his eyes.

Eames put a word in, "Cobb, why are you so upset?"

The question Cobb had been dreading. The question that only Eames would ask.

"I'm fine." He said quietly. "Aerin, get us out of this mess. Now. You know what could happen."

"Guys," I said, taking a deep breath, "things aren't as they seem..."