A/N: NEW STORY. BOOM. *imitates explosion, then Godzilla comes in and roars and smashes everything* Hehe sorry. Just saw that movie the other day. It's awesome, btw. Picture by Aqane in the AF fanforum online

Cynthia: We're back and better than ever, baby! This fanfiction is dedicated to betsey01freeman-at least I hope it is. I didn't actually consult Raven on this-for asking me during Girl's Camp for another fanfiction. Here it is! And yes, there will be Hartemis.

Yup! So I hope you like it. The acronyms of the story spell RACT XD. There will be a reference to something that happened in Adventures in Picnicking… so if you haven't read that… you probably should… it's another thing Cynthia and I wrote together. Our first story, actually. *sigh* memories… now this is our THIRD! :D So, comment, suggest, compliment, critique, love, hate, review and enjoy our Darlings and Ravenlings! :) J&Cynthia

"So, when is Juliet getting here?"

Artemis asked this impatiently while sitting on the couch in his living room. His legs were crossed, and his expression read irritated and bored. His arms were folded over his chest, too. Next to him was Butler, and on the couch across from him were Holly and Foaly.

Holly shrugged. "Don't know. She'll get here when she gets here."

"It's making me nervous," Artemis mumbled. He shielded his face from the side where the fireplace was burning; his cheek was getting hot. "I still don't know what she has planned... But, knowing her, it won't be good."

"Don't be a baby about it," Holly jeered.

"Don't pick a fight with me," the human countered.

Holly opened her mouth to say something else, but Foaly broke in and said, "Hey, hey, chill, you two! We can't have you at each other's throats before Juliet gets here!" He chuckled slyly. "She'll want to see it."

Just as Foaly said that, the said girl came bounding in the room.

"What's this I hear about a lover's spat?" Juliet said, cheekily.

"Juliet..." Butler warned.

"Fine, fine. Lover's quarrel, then?"

"That's not better," Butler whispered. Nobody paid attention to that, though.

"I'll ignore the 'lover's' part to that," Holly grunted. "Just for now."

"Well I won't," said Artemis. He sat on the edge of the couch. "Juliet, we have told you numerous times, and we will tell you again. Holly. And I. Are not- and never will be- lovers."

"Shh..." Juliet put a finger on his lips. "Just wait, Arty... Just... wait..."

Artemis didn't like the sound of that, and gave her a wary look before Juliet took her finger away from his face.

"Okay, I have a lot planned for Christmas and Christmas Eve. Artemis, Holly? Will you please go up to Artemis' room to get a list for me?" Juliet asked, a bit too innocently.

"Of course," Artemis obligated, which was rather unusual for him. "But first, Butler? Be a good man, and check for mistletoe first, before Holly and I go up."

"Mistletoe? I'm very insulted. You don't trust me!" Juliet said.

"I'd trust you with my life, if it came to it. Just not with things like Holly and I alone upstairs during Christmas," Artemis explained. "Come now," Artemis said when he saw Juliet's face. "I'm not stupid."

Juliet paused for a second seconds, then pouted and looked away. Artemis knew she had just admitted to the mistletoe, and he glanced towards Butler. Butler nodded, understanding the look, and stood up. He walked to the stairs to Artemis's room.

"It won't be anything too extravagant, will it?" Holly asked. Her tone was partially concerned.

Artemis sighed. "Do you even know Juliet? Of course it will be."

"He's right!" Juliet exclaimed. "But it's not all things that will annoy you. There are some normal Christmas traditions that I want to do too."

"Like what?" Holly asked warily.

"Oh, you have no idea!" Juliet exclaimed. "We're going to decorate our Christmas tree, we're going to, um, sing Christmas carols around the neighborhood, and-"

"Wait, stop for a moment, please," Artemis interrupted. "What did you say about caroling?"

"Yeah." Juliet nodded. "We're going to go caroling on Christmas Eve. Is something the matter?"

"Yes, actually, there is. I don't sing," Artemis stated.

"Ohhh, I get it." Juliet nudged Artemis with her elbow. "You're one of those people who say they don't sing, but end up having an amazing voice! Come on, let's hear you, then."

"I'm serious, Juliet. I really don't sing," Artemis protested.

"Just sing 'la' or something! Doesn't have to be too much!" she insisted.

"No," he said sternly. "I-"

Right on cue, Butler came down from the stairs. He was holding a list... and mistletoe. "Your suspicions were correct, Artemis," he said, slightly grinning.

Juliet pouted more, and Artemis glared at her. "It almost worked..." she mumbled. "Just gimme the list."

Butler nodded, walked over to her, and set the list in her hand. After that, he stood between Holly and Artemis, who were on either couch, holding mistletoe. He looked at both of them. He started to smirk.

"Butler..." Artemis said slowly, "put... the mistletoe... down..."

Butler looked up. "Hm... should I?" he started to smirk.

"With great power comes great responsibility," Holly told him sternly. "Put it down..."

All eyes were on him. Juliet and Foaly were silently routing for him to not put it away, but they didn't say anything. Then, slowly and hesitantly... Butler set the mistletoe down on the table next to Artemis. Both Holly and Artemis let out long sighs of relief. Then Artemis snatched the mistletoe, and threw it towards the fireplace. It landed in the middle of the flames. Juliet cried out, but it was too late. The mistletoe's leaves were starting to melt.

"There, now that that's dealt with, we can continue as usual," said Artemis.

Juliet gave Artemis a dirty look before reading off her list.

"Make gingerbread houses, make cookies with Myles and Beckett for Santa, Secret Santa, and one last surprise on midnight of Christmas Eve." Juliet finished, with a gleam in her eye.

"What surprise?" Artemis demanded. "Why are looking at me like that? Juliet!"

"Sorry, Arty. Can't tell you. Or it wouldn't be a surprise anymore," Juliet said, with a suspicious smile on her face.

Holly sighed and mumbled, "I think I already know what it is." No one responded to that, whether they heard it or not.

"Cool!" Foaly said enthusiastically. "So, what's first?"

"Hm," Juliet thought aloud, "I don't know... let's have a vote! Take a few seconds to choose between making gingerbread houses, cookies, starting Secret Santa, or getting a Christmas tree!"

The group started to think silently, mentally running over the different options. Then, a minute, later, Juliet exclaimed, "Alright! Oh, and, Arty, you can't never raise your hand."

Artemis glared, and then looked away, pouting sourly. "That's a double negative," he hissed.

"Now... all in favor of gingerbread houses?" she asked. She spoke like she was a TV host.

Only Foaly and Juliet raised their hands. But, considering that there were only five people there, that was actually a pretty good ratio.

"Cookies?" Nobody raised their hand. "Secret Santa?" Butler and Holly voted for that. "Christmas tree?" Nobody.

Juliet glared at Artemis. "I said that you had to raise your hand for something!"

"But you didn't name the last one," he told her.

Juliet blinked at him in confusion. "Huh?"

Artemis raised his hand, a casual expression on his face. Nonchalantly, he said, "All in favor of playing chess?"

"That's not an option!" Juliet snapped.

Juliet sighed. "Artemis you have to vote either for Secret Santa or gingerbread houses. The other two are ruled out at the moment."

"What's wrong with chess?" Artemis asked.

"It is not a Christmas activity!" Juliet said, frustrated.

"It is a brain stimulating game of strategy," argued Artemis.

"Get it through your thick skull. We are not playing chess!" Juliet shouted.

"What did you just say?" Artemis said in that eerie voice of hiss.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," said Juliet, hurriedly.

Now, Artemis had a growth spurt. So that, he was taller than Juliet. Barely, but still taller. And that gave him the advantage.

So he stood up, and growled, "You and I... we're going to play chess. Maybe not right now. But soon."

Juliet smirked, playing along. She stood up too, even though she knew she was shorter- and she was. "Is that a challenge, Arty boy?"

Artemis nodded. "Yes, yes it is."

"I accept!"

Artemis chuckled like a villain about to smash his opponent into the pavement. "I will destroy you."

Holly gulped. "Um, Arty, Juliet, we don't want any fights..." Her voice faded as she spoke, and right after her sentence finished, a sound rang throughout the house. Everybody stopped what they were doing, and looked to the front door, where it had come from. It was the doorbell.

Artemis looked at Juliet. "Did you invite someone else?"

Juliet shook her head. "No; everyone's here."

Butler got up from the couch, and walked into the other room. "I'll get it."

Artemis rose off of the couch too, and followed his bodyguard. By the time he was in the entrance hall, Butler had already turned the doorknob.

At the front door was... not who he had expected. Well, they really didn't know what they did expect- maybe an LEP officer, or something of the sort- but it certainly wasn't what they found. A girl with striking red hair over her shoulders and a fair face was standing there, holding a creased paper in her hand. She was quite beautiful, and Butler found himself staring into her emerald green eyes.

The girl blushed, and asked, "Um... is this... the Fowl Manor?"

Butler nodded dizzily. Artemis was looking from beside him at the girl, but his face held no reaction besides confusion of why she was there. "Yeah..." the bodyguard said. "Um," he turned to his master, "are you looking for my master, Artemis?"

The girl glanced to Artemis, but shook her head no. "No, I was looking for the bodyguard, actually... Domovoi Butler." She looked up at Butler. "Are you... him...?"

Butler nodded again. "Y-Yes... who are you?"

The red head gulped, and blushed across her face. "U-Um... I'm... Lilac Bloom..." She smiled. "It's nice to see you again... Domovoi..."