Author's note: At the beginning of this tale, Artemis and Minerva have been going out for about two months. Now, this is my first Artemis Fowl fan-fiction and I am a rabid A/H fan. Please be merciful.
Chapter 1
Two Phone Calls
Artemis Fowl sat at his desk, drumming up the nerve to make a necessary, but probably unpleasant, phone call. He had reached for the phone a half-dozen times in the past quarter hour, now he reached for it once more.
Dialing the number he waited two rings before a decidedly feminine voice answered.
"Hello?"
Artemis took a deep breath, "Good evening, Minerva."
"Artemis? Is that you?"
"Certainly."
"This is odd, I was about to call you."
"Great minds think alike." Artemis chuckled slightly. "Pardon my pun, but why?"
"Well… About us… I mean…" Minerva cleared her throat." I think you know I like you as a friend but… It's not working."
"You don't want to be the girlfriend of the most brilliant boy on the planet? Many would jump at the chance."
"Yes, that is it." There was a long pause, then a sharp intake of breath was heard on the other end of the line. "Oh, I'm so sorry; I didn't want to say it quite so bluntly! Did I hurt you?"
"No, you didn't hurt me. That was the self-same thing I was calling you about."
"You don't want me for your girlfriend?"
Nervously Artemis replied, "Yes… I kind of think I like someone else."
Another pause made Artemis wish he could take back his words.
"Are you still there? I dropped a bombshell didn't I?"
Minerva answered, sounding quite relieved. "No, that was not a bombshell… But I do have to thank you."
"Why thank me? I just dumped you."
"I like someone else also. Someone you might know."
"Alright, who is the lucky fellow, since I might know him?"
A small, slightly embarrassed, voice answered back. "Dom Butler."
"My bodyguard? You're kidding! He is twice your age."
"No, your bodyguard's son."
"He has no son."
"Then I know more than you. Good Evening, Artemis." The phone clicked and fell silent. Artemis stood holding the dead receiver for a long time before he finally laid it back down in the cradle.
Butler has a son… thought Artemis. And I thought I knew everything.
- - - - - - - - -
Holly Short awoke to the sound of her LEP communicator beeping. She groaned and rolled over, picking it up. This had better be good.
"Hello?" She asked in a slightly sleepy voice.
"Answer the door, please." said an all-to-familiar voice.
"Artemis!" Holly came completely awake. "What are you doing in Haven, and if so how did you get through? You're human."
"All will be explained if you will just open the door." And indeed there was a knocking coming from the vicinity of the front door.
"I'm coming, hold on." She turned her communicator off and slipped out of bed. Throwing on her thick robe, because her home was rather cool at night, Holly hurried to the door.
She opened it to find, not Artemis, but a fellow fairy with an uncanny resemblance to the human genius.
"Do not say a thing, Holly. Just let me in."
Dumbfounded Holly did so, and closed the door behind him.