Lacrymosa

This is yet another version of what might have happened after the credits and this one, sadly, doesn't have a happy ending. Spoilers! Don't read if you aint' watched!

Enjoy.

Ariadne awoke gasping for breath. She looked about franticly as everyone around her awoke as well. It was the scariest thing she ever experienced and her hand shot down into her pocket to feel for her loaded chess piece.

She felt it and let out a sigh.

In dreams, it weighed nothing. As she pulled it out and held it in her hand, it felt heavy. To make sure, she flicked it over with her other hand and watched it tumble in less than a millisecond. In dreams, it took two counts to fall over. Pocketing her totem, she looked around for Cobb.

He was still asleep.

"Put me back under!" She screamed and her eyes met Arthur's.

"What are you-?"

"Put me back under! I need to get him, put me back under!" She pointed to Cobb.

She was panicking. She looked behind her for Saito, who too was still asleep. Her eyes watered and she screamed for them to put her back to sleep. He promised he'd wake up. If he didn't, this was all for nothing. Arthur yanked the line out of his arm and took two steps to Ariadne.

"Hey, hey, stop screaming!" He said firmly, grabbing her arms to shake her a bit.

"We have to go back," Her tears fell down her face and her voice broke.

"They're gone Ariadne. We can't get them back." Arthur hugged her and she sobbed in his shoulder.

"We can try… please. Just put me back under." She pushed him away and tried to get herself together. "No! Don't!" She added in protest.

He ignored her and pulled the tube out of her arm. Fischer was waking and they needed to get the equipment out of the room before he saw it. While Eames got the equipment out, Arthur picked up Ariadne who continued to scream 'no' and carried her out the room and into the steward area.

"ARIADNE!" He yelled, making her stare at him in shock. "Honey, he's gone. We can't get him back."

She noticed how his voice cracked at the last sentence and her face scrunched together of its own accord but she held back her tears.

"It's not we can't, it's you won't! God damnit! PUT ME UNDER!" She hit him when he hugged her to him.

"Let him rest in peace, Ariadne." He whispered, his voice breaking again. "Even if we put you under, you can't get into Limbo fast enough. It would take too long; he's already gone."

"It's not fair," she whispered back between a sob.

She finally stopped fighting him and let her tears fall. Arthur held her, his head resting on top of hers, his own tears falling silently. Ariadne was right. It wasn't fair. The whole mission was for Cobb and now he was gone. They may have successfully completed an inception, but what was the success worth compared to the loss?

When they landed, they waited until everyone debarked before they removed Cobb and Saito's bodies. It was hard to decide what to do; they weren't dead yet, just sleeping. But they would be dead soon.

Ariadne refused to look at anyone. She never dealt with something like this before and she didn't know how to handle it. It ashamed herself that she took comfort in knowing Arthur, Eames, and Yusuf didn't know either. How could they explain the situation to Saito's employees or Miles?

Explaining the situation to Miles was the hardest thing Arthur ever had to do. Eames volunteered to speak with Saito's employees. Once everything was settled, Arthur went and sat by Ariadne, who was lost in her own thoughts.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked her softly, draping his wrist over his knee he had bent.

"Maybe." She whispered, not looking at him. "Probably not."

He looked down and took her hand in his. He stared at it while he held it and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"He let her go." She whispered. Her eyes were sore but no more tears would fall. "He let her go and for what? To be alone?"

"He's not alone." Arthur told her. "Dom was never alone."

She didn't say anything; she just prayed he was right.

-sad face- This is probably more accurate but damnit, it sucks ass. Oh well, shit happens. I do heart Ariadne and Arthur, I just kinda wish Cobb was there to tell them its okay like they want to believe it is.

Thanks for reading! =)