AN- Another Holly/Trouble story (don't let that put you off!) I thought of when I was supposed to be revising yesterday. Hope you like it, please let me know what you think!
Trouble Kelp sat down at his desk and crossed off another day on his calendar. One thousand and ninety five days; three years today. He opened up the internet program on his new computer, going straight to the Haven News homepage, although if anything had happened, he knew he would have heard about it. The headline on the top of the page nearly mad Trouble fall out of his (specially modified, according to Foaly) swivel chair: 'Holly Short Declared Dead'.
Trouble felt shock pulse through his veins as his mind put two and three together; the Lower Elements Courts were required to declare a fairy legally dead if they had been missing for three years, one thousand and ninety five days.
A phone ringing in the corner of the office brought the Commander out of his stupor. He crossed the small room quickly and picked up the phone, not surprised to find Foaly on the other end.
"You've seen the news, then," Trouble said, but was quickly interrupted by the centaur.
"Commander," Foaly began, and Trouble was confused; Foaly only ever used his rank when something official had happened... or when he was drunk, but it was eight in the morning. "Commander? You need to get here as quickly as possible."
"What? Why? Where are you?"
"We're just getting back from Tara- we'll be there in 5 minutes."
"Tara? What-" Trouble was even more confused by now.
"I can't tell you anything else; I'm not even supposed to tell you this. I have to go, see you in a few." The line went dead, and Trouble picked up a jacket as he ran for the bus to the E7 terminal.
The bus was late as usual, but Trouble was pleased to find that the radio was playing a half decent song for once, even if it was by a Mud Man band.
I will race you to the waterside
And from the edge of Ireland shout out loud
So they could hear it in America
It's all for you.
This was one of those days when it hit him just how gone Holly actually was. He thought about her when he woke up, and when he went back to sleep again. His speech on being appointed Commander, about three weeks after her disappearance, had been inspired by her, and now Trouble realised, as the bus jolted to a halt at the E7 stop, that there was something more than friendship enslaved in his feelings towards Captain Holly Short.
Being a male, naturally, he simply didn't know what it was.
Since being appointed Commander of the LEP, Trouble Kelp had acquired a level of respect from civilians which now included the opportunity to be sent to the back of the longest queue, and the privilege of paying extra tax on his groceries. Normally, he would accept this with a smile and a deep breath, but today of all days he really was not in the mood.
"Look, could you just let me through to the landing bay, please?" he repeated as he waved his badge impatiently at the young gnome ('Greg', according to his badge), who grunted reluctantly as he pointed towards the blacked out room where he presumed Foaly must be.
The radio broadcast over the terminal was still playing the song from the bus, and Trouble had to take a breath to steady himself as the lyrics hit him once more.
The planets bend between us
A hundred million Suns and Stars
He knew Holly was alive, no matter what the Courts said, and he would find her one day, where ever she was.
"Trouble?" Came a voice from the doorway.
AN- So...what did you think? Anyone who can guess the song name/band gets a...ummm...some sort of prize :)