A/N: This is my first story on this site. It's actually one I posted on a different site, but then it got deleted, so I'm retyping it here. This is three years after Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox and there may be a prequel of sorts to explain the time gap…if I get enough positive reviews…Enjoy.
P.S. The whole thing isn't in italics, so don't not read it just because of that!
Chapter 1: Mrs. Fowl
Holly woke sitting in a metallic chair at a matching desk. Actually, sitting would imply that she had a choice in the matter. In fact, the phrase 'tied to a chair' would do the situation more justice. She was in a large white room lit only by a few ceiling lights. The corners and walls of the room faded into darkness as only the lights over the cold, shining furniture were lit. She heard a faint clicking noise behind her; it grew louder as the footsteps approached.
"Good morning, sleepy-head," a female voice said.
"Opal," Holly snarled as she felt the pixies' presence behind her chair.
"Yes, it's me- or 'us' I should say," There was no distinction between the present and past Opals' voices, but there didn't need to be. Holly knew neither of them could resist partaking in revenge.
"What do you want?" Holly demanded, with more courage than she felt.
"What do we want?" came the response, in a shriek. This was obviously the present Opal, who had been imprisoned by Artemis and Holly twice before. "How can you be so daft? After all we've been through, we don't even get the dignity of two seconds of your thought to consider what we want? What is wro-"
"Calm yourself, Opal," the past Opal said, interrupting herself. "We wouldn't want to give her a fright."
"But isn't that the point, my dear, innocent self?" the present Opal asked, unusually calm after being interrupted.
"Speaking of points," Holly said, intervening before the two began a full blown conversation, "let's get to it so I don't have to listen to you two maniacs flapping your lips all day."
"You want points, Fowl? You got points," the present Opal snapped, circling the desk and pulling a large kitchen knife out of a drawer. "How about this point? Is this point good enough for you?"
"I know what you're thinking," the past Opal said, and Holly could hear her heels clicking as she paced the floor behind her prisoner. "A kitchen knife? How cliché. But this is not just any kitchen knife. We borrowed that blubbering demon Abbot's trick so that your magic won't work. This will kill you. And you will stay dead."
"You won't win. Artemis will stop you," Holly said, praying this wasn't a hollow threat. She had been stabbed with an enchanted blade before and didn't relish the thought of repeating the experience. Artemis had saved her then, but surely this was something even the great Artemis Fowl II couldn't prevent, wasn't it?
"That sorry Mud Man excuse of a husband you have?" Present Opal said, squealing with delight. "Please, even his beefed-up bodyguard couldn't save you now."
"Enough talking," Past Opal snapped, impatient for revenge on someone who, technically, hadn't even wronged her yet. "Let's get this over with so we can take care of the others."
The Opal from Holly's own time walked back to her side of the table, savoring the moment. She pressed the knife to Holly's neck.
"Goodbye, Holly."
Holly sat bolt upright in bed, panting and slightly sweaty, though the shirtless Artemis next to her could have caused this. He too sat up, concern weighing heavily on his features.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered, when her breathing had slowed. "Just another nightmare."
"The same one? Again? You've been having that one for about a week," he said, after she nodded at the first two questions. He smiled at her suddenly, wonder in his eyes.
"What?" she asked, smiling back.
"Oh, it's nothing," he said, twining his fingers together behind his head and laying back on his pillow, but he knew he was caught.
"Please, Arty, tell me," she said, turning her voice to velvet tones. Even though it wasn't the mesmer, her voice had the same effect. He zipped and locked his mouth with an imaginary key, then threw it away.
"Come on," she said, so close now that with every syllable her lips brushed his. "It'll be our little secret."
"That's not fair," he protested, though he knew he had been beaten. "I was just wondering how such a beautiful girl can be so paranoid about a pixie that she has dreams about her," he finished, a smile dancing on his lips.
"Hey," Holly said playfully. "What happened to the Mud Boy who used to say 'Holly, you're so amazing,' or 'I love you, Holly'?" Artemis laughed.
"He's on his honeymoon," he said with a smirk.
"Well I want him back," Holly said, closing the distance between their lips. Artemis broke the kiss first, but did not pull away her face. He spoke slowly and softly.
"I love you, Mrs. Holly Fowl." She smiled at the use of her name.
"I love you too, Artemis."