Snap Shot:

"Please…Artemis, don't…." Holly Short shook her head. She put her hand to her forehead, gently caressing her temples. Why did he have to do this to her? Didn't he understand? Couldn't he understand how hard he was making it for her to say no?

"Holly, why? I don't understand you. Is it the age difference? The species difference? Is it because…I'm human?" Holly glanced up at her human partner for an instant; she regretted it. She'd never seen Artemis look so young. So weak. So vulnerable. His mismatched eyes, wide and pleading, betrayed his youth, and it broke her heart to see them so distraught. She bit her lip, wishing she could feel nothing, be nothing. At least for Artemis's sake.

"Holly," he murmured, doing a very un-Artemis-like thing by taking her hand in his own. "I'm not asking for you to love me or give yourself up to the human world. I just wish you'd give it….me….a try." Holly took another deep breath.

"Artemis, do you have a photo album?" Artemis blinked. This was not the come-back he'd been expecting.

"Holly, I don't see what this has to do with-"

"Just get it for me. Please, Artemis?" The confused mortal nodded once and stood. Holly took the time he was gone to compose herself mentally and physically-she would need the strength soon.

Soon the Mud Boy was back, a small album in hand. Holly took it from him, carefully undoing the ribbon binding it together, leafing through its contents. Artemis watched her, perplexed, wondering what she was thinking. When the elf stopped at a particular page Artemis leaned over to see what she was staring at. It was a photo of Artemis's grandfather, sitting in a leather chair, smoking a cigar.

"Did you know that I was born around the same time this picture was taken?" the elf said, her eyes never leaving the page. "I was an infant." She turned the page and came across another photo. "Is that your mother?" she asked suddenly. Before Artemis could respond she replied, "And when that was taken I was barley in High School." She turned the page again. "Your parents' wedding. I was just staring collage." Another flip. "Your birth. I was just starting my term at the LEP!" Another flip. "Your ninth birthday. In human years that was the day I turned twenty-five." Holly's voice broke then, a single tear falling down her cheek.

"But what does any of that matter?" Artemis whispered, whipping the tear away.

"It's everything. Don't you understand? Whole lives go by in the time it takes one of my people to grow up! Humans are so…mortal. You live and die, and it feels like I've barely had time to breathe. Your lives are just…snap shots. Moments in time for me. That's why Artemis." She turned her face up to look at him. "I don't want to let myself love you…because then I'll have to let you go in an instant."

There was nothing the young human could think of to say to that as Holly's tears continued.