Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl. Or Holly. I'd love to get my hands on some of Foaly's gear, but that's not mine, either. It's all Eoin Colfer's.
A/N: This takes place at the part in The Time Paradox when Holly finds out that Artemis lied about how his mother contracted Spelltropy. It's sort of an alternate scene. Just so you know what's going on.
"You lied to me," Holly accused. "You caused your mother's Spelltropy and told me that it was my fault. You made me disobey orders and you manipulated me, but, worse than that, I was tortured by guilt at having done something so terrible to your mother—to your family, to you. You played me for a pawn without even caring what it did to me. It was all about what you wanted and what you had planned; you never for a second thought about what it did to anyone else! It was your own fault in the first place that the lemur was extinct, it was your fault that your mother had Spelltropy, but you couldn't just solve the problem by yourself. So what did you do? You lied to me, manipulated me, broke my trust, and exploited the fact that I, unlike you, have a conscience!"
A tortured look filled Artemis's eyes, and then his entire face, as he saw Holly's fury. His stance was embarrassed and his tone, when he spoke, was consumed with regret. He was well aware that Holly felt completely betrayed—that he had, in fact, betrayed her. "I'm sorry, Holly. I really am. If—if I could have thought of any other way . . ." His voice broke, and he faltered. In apparent anguish, he lowered his head into his hands, though Holly just might have seen a tear before he managed this. From behind this manual barrier came another, muffled, "I'm sorry."
Holly desperately wanted not to believe the remorse of the human standing in front of her. But she'd been through nearly every experience known to fairykind with Artemis, and she knew him like she knew the back of her hand. She knew how convincing he could be when he was pretending—indeed, she had a great deal of very recent experience with this, and she was fully aware of how capable he was of lying his way out of nearly any situation. This show of remorse could have easily been just another act. But she'd watched Artemis grow up over the past several years, and he'd matured into the sort of person who (whatever she had said earlier) really had a conscience. Lately, he'd only manipulated people when he had no better option. Thinking back to the time when she had lost her mother, she couldn't guarantee that she would have done any differently if presented with similar choices. So, hovering in front of Artemis, Holly felt her rage flood back out of her. "I know," she allowed finally.
"You what?" Artemis demanded from behind his hands.
"I know why you did what you did. And I know you're sorry."
"Holly—" He sounded reluctant, like maybe he thought he were unworthy of forgiveness. Good, Holly thought. He should.
"I didn't say I forgive you. I don't. But I know why you did it."
"I'm sorry," Artemis repeated.
"We've got to get to Tara. If we survive, we'll fight or make up or do whatever it is we're going to do later. But, for now, let's move," Holly snapped, suddenly businesslike.
Artemis nodded, but his hands were still covering his face.
"Oh, and Artemis?"
"Yes?"
"I already know you're crying, so there's no point in keeping your hands up."
"Oh."
It was a very quiet run to Tara.
A/N: What did you think? Reviews are lovely!