Set after the events of "Arthur's Betrayal". Arthur and Ariadne must try and save their marriage after his failed inception.

Dream Collapsing

1.

~ "Alright, so you can take the kids to school in the mornings and pick them up after. On Fridays, you can go to Daniel's parent play time." Ariadne said as she laid out a large and intricately worked calender on the dinning room table.

Her estranged husband, Arthur, scowled over the markings. Pink for Darcy, Blue for Dominic and green for Daniel.

"I think we should go to Daniel's parent play time together." He said.

Ariadne sighed.

"The whole point of a trial separation is that we actually separate." She said.

Arthur said nothing. His brow angry and his eyes dark.

"I will go to Daniel's school on Wednesdays for parent play time. I've already cleared it with my new job." She told him. "I only have to work Monday's and Tuesdays. Then Thursdays and Fridays. They're really flexible with working mothers."

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. If we keep working with Cobb, our hours are much more flexible."

"No." Ariadne said stiffly.

She didn't have to tell him why she had left dream extraction. She could no longer do the work now that her mind had been invaded by the person she trusted so much. She told Cobb it was wrong to violate people's minds like they were doing and she would no longer be apart of it.

"You don't even have to work." Arthur told her as she outlined a generous visitation schedule for him and their children. Time when she would be at her new job, or time when she planned to be out of the house so that Arthur could enjoy a dinner with the little ones.

"Arthur." She said irritably. She didn't want to have this fight again.

"I can more then pay all the bills. You don't have to work. In fact, I would prefer it if you didn't. That way, you can be with the kids more." He told her.

Couldn't she see he wanted to take care of his family? It was his job as husband and father. Why couldn't she let him?

"I want to work." She told him. "It's what I went to school for." She told him.

They said nothing as she silently made adjustments to the schedule. They didn't talk about how Arthur had moved out last week and into a hotel. How Sadie had broken up with Eames when she found out about how the Forger had gone into her mind. The leggy spider woman distraught over what he had done.

How Ariadne had stopped working in dream extraction and how their children were always asking when Papa was coming home.

"So, about the bills. I was going to cover the nanny, the house dues, Daniel's school, Darcy's summer dance camp, Dominic's school." Arthur sighed and thought. "The cell phones, the electric, and I'll cover your credit cards for anything else. Like groceries or things for the kids."

"Arthur, that's everything." Ariadne interrupted. "I can pay for things."

"I've already been paying for them. I've got the accounts set up. It's easier this way. I don't want to make a bunch of changes because of a temporary living arrangement." He explained.

"Arthur, it might not be temporary." Ariadne said sadly.

Arthur said nothing. He stepped away from his wife and put his hands in his pockets.
"I can pay the house dues. It's only fair since I'm living here." She said at last.

"No." Arthur said. "No. I bought this house for our family. It's my responsibility to provide a home for my family."

"Arthur, I don't want to owe you anything." She said growing angry. "I can take care of my children."

"I know you can! Believe me, I know you're dieing to prove how you don't need me!" He barked angrily before walking away.

He hated that calender. Hated setting a schedule when he could see his children. How he couldn't see them when he wanted to. How he had been sleeping in an empty bed in a hotel room since he moved out. How she rarely returned his text messages or didn't even answer her cell when he called.

"Arthur." She said gently. "I'm trying to be fair here. I don't want to hate you. I don't want our children to suffer over this. Lets come to an arrangement, so we don't have to call in the lawyers."

Arthur said nothing.

He wanted to to be angry at her. For being so unforgiving. For sending back the jewelry and roses he had sent her as a means to an apology. For quietly hating him for what he did, but never yelling or hitting him. He would know what to do with that. Anger would mean she still loved him. This was a void of existing that had no emotion.

"Arthur, I don't have to give you any visitation." She said when it looked like he wouldn't compromise. "You know that. The police have it on record you hit me. I don't have to let you see the children at all."

Arthur threw his wife an angry look.

How he had loved her so much once. Not so very long ago, she was the light in a dark world. Now, that light had changed. That light had changed and his world was darker then ever before.

"Alright. The house dues. I'll get the paper work. Fridays will be fine for Daniel." He said in helpless defeat.

"Good. Parent play time starts at 8 and lasts till 3. It's good, it incorporates the people from his world at school and the people from home so the skills will transfer." Ariadne said handing him the calender.

"I'll keep my cell on. Please don't text or call me unless it's about the kids. No more flowers or gifts." She said.

Arthur looked at her hands. She was no longer wearing the blue sapphire engagement ring he had given her. No longer wearing the silver bangle bracelet. She never took that one piece of jewelery off. She wasn't even wearing the silver locket from Tiffanys that he gave her after Daniel was born. A picture of their children tucked inside.

"You wedding ring. You took your wedding ring off." He said numbly. He was transfixed as he looked at her hands.

She said nothing and didn't look at him.

It felt like his heart had been ripped out and he was forced to eat it raw.

"You don't want to be married to me anymore?" He breathed. He felt emotion was in his voice and he didn't care. He knew he was close to crying. The last time he had cried was when his mother died. Or was it when he found out about Becky and his father? He wasn't sure.

"I didn't say that, Arthur." She whispered. Still not looking at him.

"Ariadne, I'm sorry. I'll make it better. Tell me what I have to do to fix it, and I will." He suddenly begged her. "Please. I don't want to lose you."

He had moved closer to her. Wanting to take her into his arms.

The Architect moved away from him.

Something between them had changed. A scratch had appeared in their marriage that marred it beyond repair.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said realizing he had overstepped his bounds. This woman was not his wife anymore. She was his estranged wife. On trial separation. She could quite possibly be his ex wife very soon.

He composed himself quickly. His hands readjusting his suit. An action that comforted him.

"Alright, so Fridays with Daniel. Pick the kids up at their normal time and bring them back home. Every other weekend with them starting this weekend. Sounds good." He said as he took the calender she made for him.

"I was thinking if Darcy get curious, we just tell her that you've been busy with work. It won't be strange to her if you tell her you're gone so much because of work." Ariadne said.

"Darcy's smart. She'll figure it out." Arthur said glumly.

"For now, I'm telling her you're busy with work." His estranged wife said stubbornly.

Arthur waited for her to say more. For her to say she wanted him to come home. For her to hug him and kiss him. For her to say she was still angry, but they could work it out.
Ariadne said nothing and Arthur left.

~ "Can someone die from sexual withdrawal?" Eames asked.

Cobb thought about it.
"I'm not sure, Eames." He said. "And I don't like the direction this conversation is headed." He added throwing the Forger a worried sideways look.

"It's just that with Sadie, I don't know, I guess I got a little addicted to all the sex. She's a very hot blooded woman. Now that we're not together anymore, It's like withdrawal from a drug." Eames confessed.

"You can get addicted to anything. How did the break up go, anyway?" Cobb asked.

"Surprisingly civilized. That worries me." Eames confessed. "Normally, when she's mad at me, we fight till the neighbors call the cops on us. Or if she's really mad, she burns all my clothes or burns me. This time, she didn't say anything. She just told me to get my things and leave. She even said please." Eames said.

Cobb looked at the Forger.

"Ariadne was right to tell her what you've been doing. It was wrong to go into her dreams like that. If you didn't want to have children with her, you should have said something." Cobb scolded.

"I know. We were just so compatible on everything else." Eames confessed.

The Forger sighed.

"I was hoping that she would call me by now. She could never stay away long. She wasn't wearing makeup when I last saw her. She looked awful. I hope this isn't too serious." Eames said.

"I think it's serious." Cobb said.

The two men heard the groan of the lift as their Point Man arrived.

"Arthur!" Eames said cheerily. "How is everything?"

The Point Man threw the Forger an angry look.

"We're still working on the job for Richards?" Arthur asked in an angry voice.

"Yeah." Cobb said sadly as they got to work.

None of them mentioning again the turmoil of their home lives.