No. These are moments I regret. Moments I turned into dreams so I could change them.
Ariadne’s fingers move across the buttons — stop at the “B."
ARIADNE
What’ve you got buried down there that you regret?
Cobb pushes her hand away. Hits the third floor button.
COBB
There’s only one thing I need you to understand about me…
INT. KITCHEN, COBB AND MAL’S HOUSE — MOMENTS LATER
Ariadne follows Cobb into the kitchen. A THIN MAN is there, standing by the table. He holds a FOLDED PIECE OF PAPER.
ARIADNE
This is your house?
COBB
Mine and Mal’s.
ARIADNE
Where is she?
COBB
She’d already died.
The Thin Man offers Cobb the piece of paper. A CHILD’S SHOUT — Cobb TURNS. Ariadne follows his gaze to the garden. A small blonde boy faces away from them, crouched on his haunches to look at something on the ground.
COBB
It’s James. My boy. He’s found something. Maybe a worm.
A slightly older girl RUNS into view.
COBB
And there’s Philippa.
She crouches beside the boy. Their FACES ARE AWAY FROM US. They point and discuss whatever is on the ground.
COBB
I thought about calling out, so they’d turn and smile those incredible smiles… but I’m out of time—
The Thin Man thrusts the paper into Cobb’s hand.
THIN MAN
Right now. Or never, Cobb.
Cobb nods, turns from the window—
COBB
Then I panic that I’ll always wish I’d seen them turn, that I can’t waste this chance…
Cobb TURNS BACK to call out — but the children RACE OFF…
COBB
But the moment’s passed. And whatever I do, the dream’s always the same… When I’m about to call… they run.
Cobb watches them run off, calling for grandma, FACES UNSEEN.
COBB
If I’m going to see their faces again — I’ve got to get back here in the real world…
Behind him, Ariadne SLAMS the grill shut. Cobb TURNS.
INT. CAGE STYLE ELEVATOR — CONTINUOUS
Ariadne hits the BASEMENT button. The elevator starts to DESCEND. ariadne STARES, fascinated as glimpses of floors slip past: Mal’s childhood bedroom, a thundering wall of freight train… The elevator STOPS. Through the grill Ariadne sees a HOTEL SUITE. She pulls open the grill, steps cautiously out into—
INT. ELEGANT HOTEL SUITE — CONTINUOUS (NOW NIGHT)
DISHEVELED bedclothes, UPENDED room service table, STRAWBERRIES across the floor. A STRUGGLE. Ariadne steps forwards — SMASH — she looks down to see that she has kicked over a CHAMPAGNE FLUTE. Ariadne feels a draught. The CURTAIN BILLOWS.
MAL (O.S.)
What are you doing here?
Ariadne TURNS. Mal is there.
ARIADNE
My name is—
MAL
I know who you are. What are you doing here?
ARIADNE
I don’t know. Trying to understand.
MAL
How could you understand? Do you know what it is to be a lover? To be half of a whole?
ARIADNE
No.
Mal moves slowly towards Ariadne…
MAL
I’ll tell you a riddle. You’re waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you don’t know for sure…
Mal glides around Ariadne, looking her over.
MAL
But… it doesn’t matter. How can it not matter to you where that train will take you?
COBB (O.S.)
Because you’ll be together.
Cobb is standing in the elevator. Mal nods. Looks at him.
MAL
How could you bring her here, Dom?
ARIADNE
What is this place?
COBB
A hotel. We spent our anniversaries in this suite.
ARIADNE
What happened here?
Mal picks up the BROKEN STEM of a champagne flute…
INT. CAGE STYLE ELEVATOR — CONTINUOUS
Cobb PULLS Ariadne into the elevator — Mal THROWS herself towards Ariadne — Cobb SLAMS the GRILL — Mal SMASHES against it AGAIN and AGAIN like a WILD ANIMAL — Ariadne FLINCHES—
MAL
You PROMISED! YOU SAID WE’D BE TOGETHER!—
COBB
We can. We will. But I need you to stay here for now—
MAL
YOU SAID WE’D GROW OLD TOGETHER!—
Cobb pushes a button and the elevator starts to rise.
COBB
I’ll come back. I need you to stay here on your own for now. Just while I do this job. Then we can be together—
MAL
WE’LL BE TOGETHER — YOU PROMISED!—
Mal THROWS herself against the grill, and we—
CUT TO:
INT. WORKSHOP — NIGHT
Ariadne watches Cobb sleeping. His eyes gradually flicker open. He sees her watching him.
ARIADNE
You think you can just build a prison of memories to lock her in? You think that’s going to contain her?
The LIGHTS COME ON: Saito and Arthur stand in the doorway.
SAITO
Maurice Fischer just died in Sydney.
COBB
When’s the funeral?
SAITO
Thursday. In Los Angeles.
COBB
Robert’ll accompany the body Tuesday at the outside. We have to move.
Cobb gets up. Ariadne comes over to him.
ARIADNE
(low)
I’m coming with you.
COBB
No. I promised Miles.
ARIADNE
The team needs someone in there who understands what you’re struggling with. If you don’t want it to be me then you need to show Arthur what I just saw.
Cobb looks at Ariadne. Turns to Saito.
COBB
We need one more seat on the plane.
INT. DEPARTURE GATE, SYDNEY — DAY
Saito stands looking out the window at a 747. Cobb arrives beside him. They watch a COFFIN being loaded.
COBB
If I get on this plane and you haven’t taken care of things… when we land I go to jail for the rest of my life.
SAITO
Complete the job en route, I make one phone call from the plane… you will have no trouble clearing immigration.
INT. FIRST CLASS CABIN, 747 — CONTINUOUS
The luxurious cabin has only ten seats. Cobb finds his- sees Ariadne in the seat behind his. They do not acknowledge each other. Behind her is Arthur, looking out the window. Eames enters, STUFFS his bag into the overhead bin, BLOCKING the passenger behind: ROBERT FISCHER, standing there, patient, bag in hand, wearing black.
EAMES
Oh, sorry.
Eames SQUEEZES up against his seat to let Fischer BRUSH PAST. Fischer moves to his seat, directly in front of Cobb. Eames TOSSES Cobb a PASSPORT. Cobb flips it open: Fischer’s. Pockets it. Yusuf and Saito enter, take their seats.
EXT. RUNWAY — MOMENTS LATER