A need to save everything that was lost

[loadedparadox]

Who: Arthur and acleandive
What: Continued on from here
Verse: Love Stories

Arthur moved around the loft, ensuring all windows were locked, the bars still on the windows. It had been for his own safety before, but now there was the worry about what would become with Mallorie trying to leave, to return to Dom.

After a bit she curled up in the corner and he was okay with that. He could handle her if she wasn't near the door, wasn't fighting him. Yet even as she dozed, he couldn't. He'd fall asleep, wake with a start. Come to and then drop off again. I was going to wear thin quickly but he hadn't had time to think when he realized what was to come, only react.

He watched her, never once truly looking away from her, even when his eyes fell shut. Always he was oriented on her.

Comments

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

Mal sleeps fitfully, half formed dreams of her real reality that she knows she should get back to. It will be hard, she knows, now that she's here, hard to escape the sad looking projection of the boy she loves, but Mal is willing to try, willing to wait like a snake poised and coiled until she can escape, because she has to.

When she wakes again, it's without a sound, just the slow coming to awareness of her that brings her back into consciousness. She doesn't move from where she's curled, just studies the room around her, desperately forming plans.

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

When she comes to Arthur is awake. He is working on fortifying the windows, knowing he can't trust her in the house. It isn't a thought he enjoys but one he has to face. If he wants to keep her alive, he'll have to be vigilant.

Turning for the upteenth time to look at her, he gives a soft smile. "Are you hungry," he asked softly, knowing that not much else will be wanted or appreciated. Not when she believes he's her imagination.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

Mal stands, drawing herself up into her usual full height, the only weakness in her obvious for the way she cradles her arms around herself. She moves a little further into the room, turning on the spot and letting her gaze drift around the room once, before settling on Arthur.

"A little," she replies, voice soft, lilting.

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

Worried eyes watched her, following her every move with his gaze. "So, for my own information, how long before you turn on me, Mal?" He asked it with such sadness, not trying to hide his pain from what was bound to happen.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

Mal tilts her head to the side like someone trying to understand. How could she turn on Arthur? Her Arthur? Her immediate answer is to deny it for she never would, he's as important to her as Dom ever was, and sure this projection should know that. She would never harm the real Arthur.

Instead of answering, she simply smoothes her hands over the side of her dress, composing herself, building herself up stronger, "Will you tell me where I am?"

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

Despite the look she gave him, he knew it was bound to happen. Eventually she would get angry, decide to throw herself out of another window, and they would fight. It hadn't even happened and it made his heartbreak to think about it.


"Somewhere safe, and that's all you need to know for now,' he said, starting to put together a fruit plate and the makings for omlettes.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

"You cannot keep me here forever," Mal replies, calmer now, more calculating, "My husband will be looking for me. I need to get back to him before he is lost in here for good."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"Eventually we'll find out how to reverse what he's done and make it better, Mal." He looked at her, sorrow in his eyes. "Yes, he will be. Looking for you. I almost wish..." He stared at her a long time, considering.

"I almost thought to shoot myself to show you that if you die here, you're gone for good." But if it didn't convince her, then she would be the next to die.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

"It would be a trick," Mal points out calmly, as if it's obvious to her, "A ploy to keep me here."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"Why?" He turned to face her, deadly serious and voice hard. "Who would do that to you? Why would they want to?"

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

"Because it's in their nature, the need to control, to keep me here. You'd help the dreaa trap me."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"Whose nature," he challenged. "Who is the dreamer than their only goal would be to keep you prisoner and away from me all this time?" He was angry and it showed.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

[She crosses her arms over her chest, watching him with the hint of distrust, angry and afraid again] Je ne sais pas. Je ne sais quoi faire.*

[ooc: *I don't know. I don't know what to do.]

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"That's why you have me, Mallorie. I have always been the one to know what to do, to fix the problems." He glared at her, but his eyes showed pain.

why do I alwaaaaaays mess up what html we're using? :O

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

Mal throws her hands in the air, muttering to herself in quick french before sitting, picking at the edge of her dress with sharp fingernails and avoiding Arthur's gaze entirely.

Because we have a million threds going on all different?

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

He watched her, sadness in his eyes as he turned, working on the breakfast for them both. "I couldn't let you die and leave me,' he finally managed, not quite looking at her though he was aware of everything she was doing.

that is true

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

Mal stills when he speaks, fingers curled around the cloth in her hands. He sounds so sad that it strikes a cord in her and she stands again, moving closer to lean around and watch what he's doing.

"Very well," she replies, stays in his space and it's a form of trust in itself, "I'll listen to your judgement for now."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

He works with an economy of movement, quick and easy. Straightening slightly when she comes so close, worrying she'll take up a knife, a fork, and then she'd be gone and dead before he could stop her.

"I only want you alive and well, Mal. How could you think I would want anything else?"

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

"Because I don't know if this is the mask or the face, mon amie."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"Why would even a projection want to see you hurt," he asked, turning to face her slightly.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

"Because that's what they do, Arthur my darling. I have not forgotten the nature of the dream, I am not easily taken in."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"And what would I do if this was real," he asked, turning to fully face her. "Tell me, Mal. You know me. You know me better than anyone I can think of. If this isn't a dream and Cobb incepted you to believe it was, how would I react finding you on that ledge," he demanded to know.

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

"Frightened," Mal replies quietly, thoughtful in her own way, "Very angry and very afraid, I believe."

[loadedparadox.livejournal.com]

"So you can't deny that I could be real, because this is the way I would react to knowing the woman that I care most for in this world nearly killed herself in front of me."

[acleandive.livejournal.com]

Mal falls silent, watching him for another long moment before her hands fall to her side.

"I am very tired," she admits a little slowly, "I do not know how to see what is happening to me. I just want -" Another pause, "I'm tired."