A Series Of 'Ideal' Situations

A series of not so ideal situations that Arthur finds himself in.

Situation One

In all honesty, standing with no weapons while being held at gunpoint by your oldest friend's dead wife, would never be what Arthur could consider an ideal situation. For the most part, he has never had need to worry about working with Dom. The older man is clever, single-minded, loyal, and brave; all admirable qualities to have when working in the difficult profession they partake in.

But this is not good.

From the moment Mal first appeared, Arthur had known this was going to end badly. That much was clear. He knows seeing her face tortures Dom, but the fact is, Mal is a projection of Dom's; in the end, she isn't going to hurt him.

The gun is inches from his temple, and Mal's hand does not shake, despite the weight. Dom's eyes meet Arthur's and an understanding sparks between them, the same understanding that has passed between the pair countless times.

It's a strange feeling, silently pleading with your friend for him to kill you. It's a feeling Arthur will never grow used to, especially when he sees the reluctance in Dom's expression, invisible to most, but not to him. That's when fear turns to anger. The fear that Dom won't do it turns to anger at the thought of Dom preferring to let him be in pain simply to ease his own mind.

Mal speaks, her voice soft and even somewhat gentle as she cocks the gun.

Dom tells her it's useless threatening her in a dream, and Mal responds sweetly.

"That depends on what you're threatening."

Arthur internally thanks Dom for bringing Mal even closer to shooting him just to prove a point.

"Killing him will just wake him up."

Yes it will, Arthur thinks urgently, mind racing as he prepared for the momentary blackness before he wakes from the dream.

"But pain…"

Arthur's heart sinks. He keeps his expression neutral as the aim moves from his head to his leg, but he can't help the scream of agony as the bullet drives straight into his leg. His knee buckles and the body guards holding his arms back are all that keep him from collapsing onto the floor. Mal is speaking again but he can't concentrate, he clings desperately to his sanity, trying to regain his cool. The guards are keeping him upright, so he takes the weight from his injured leg and forces the muscles in his face to change their contorted expression into one of unaffected calm.

Then the gun again. She aims for the second leg and he closes his eyes against the agony. Dom leaps forward and he opens them once more.

Their eyes meet. No more than a second, but they meet. Dom raises the gun and pulls the trigger before guilt can waver his resolve. He must kill his friend to save him.

Arthur sees the chambers of the gun pointing at him, and no more.

Dom watches as Arthur's head snaps back from the force of the shot, a hole in his forehead and blood pools. He is dead.

And for a moment, Dom relives, as he does every time he kills someone close to him, those second between jumping and falling as Mallorie Cobb chose the fate he unwittingly decided for her.

He leaves Arthur's body behind as bullets fly and shots fire.

He's awake now, anyway.