RE-POSTED! Or…sort-of… I didn't want to get this deleted so I altered some of the lyrics to make them my own… It's still the same tune… and the words are almost EXACTLY the same… still… I felt it might be necessary…

Original a/n...with a few minor changes: I'm sorry guys. I felt really sad when I was re-reading the eternity code and This is how a heart breaks by Rob Thomas came on the radio when Butler was getting shot and it made me cry. Yes, cruel little me wanted to make all you guys cry so I wrote this. Its not original in any way, I just had to get it off my chest. Read it if you want, but review it or Spiro will kill you too. And I did read the rest of the book but it's still a sad scene.

Disclaimer: All of the speech and the characters are Eoin Colfers. The song tune is by Rob Thomas. I now own the lyrics! Well…no…but don't tell… I only screwed around with a few words…

This is how a heart breaks.

Don't you want to go for a ride

Artemis sat at the table, heart beating faster than normal. He was in a business luncheon with Jon Spiro, who had just snapped his fingers. Although he did not show it, Artemis was somewhat skeptical as to whether he could make it out of this situation. However big Butler was, he could not protect the boy from every person holding a gun. Which unfortunately happened to be every customer in the restaurant. He studied the old lady with the revolver, his peripheral vision noting Butlers clenched fist.

Just keep your hands inside

Spiro tipped over the salt shaker in an imitation chess competition.

"Check and mate. My game, kid"

Artemis started to sweat. He could not see any way out of the restaurant. Would he die like this? Hungry, at the hands of a bistro waiter? He now regretted the way he had treated the waitress earlier; she might hold it against him with the power of a folding-stock machine gun in her manicured paws.

Spiro started saying a painfully cliché monologue. He grabbed the C Cube and walked towards the door.

"You got six minutes, Arno. A dream come true, eh? You get to be the guy who took out the great Butler." Artemis felt terrible. How could he let Butler, his only real friend; a friend since he had been born, be killed so carelessly? The boy wished he had stayed in his hotel room; in his mothers' womb.

And make the most out of life

"Oh, and by the way. 'Artemis'--- isn't that a girls name?" With that, Jon was gone, the door being locked behind him. Artemis had no idea whatsoever what to do. He figured he might as well try what he was best at doing. He got up and started to negotiate with the assassins.

"Now ladies and gentlemen," He said with more grandeur than he felt. "I'm sure we can come to an arrangement." Butler silenced him; Artemis could no resist asking what he meant. He was rewarded with a hand clamped over his mouth and a brief explanation about bargaining with professionals. Almost immediately, Butler tried to connive with Arno Blunt for a one-on-one fight. Hypocrite, Artemis thought treasonously.

Now don't you take things for granted

Artemis was positive that he was going to die. His brain froze, his body tensed up. He regretted ever entering the crime world. I'm too young to die. He thought, on cue. Suddenly Butler started to speak, Artemis raised his head hopelessly and listened.

"Richard of York gave battle in vain." Artemis suppressed a grin. All was not lost. Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet, he recited the colors of the rainbow in his mind to suppress the tension. Blunt made a gibe about how Butler was loosing his mind, the man chose to ignore it. The two concentrated on the old woman that was remembering her childhood. Fowl and Butler waited in anticipation while she talked, slackening their jaws as they listened.

Life is like a mean machine

It made a mess out of me

It left me caught between

Like an angry dream I was stranded

"… the colors of the rainbow." Butler grabbed Artemis in a bear hug, protecting him from the devastating effects of the detonator.

"Stay here," Butler had taken out his Sig Sauer after inspecting the destruction of the restaurant. "I'm going to go check the kitchen." Artemis did what he was told, sitting back down in his chair. A flood of emotions ran through his body. The most prominent was relief and gratitude towards Butler. A profound kick was delivered from his sub-conscious to his honor for allowing Jon Spiro to trick him. He sat in silence for a few moments as his mind started working again, ragged breaths shedding adrenaline from his body.

And I'm steady but I'm starting to shake

And I don't know how much more I can take

Artemis heard a noise. He didn't bother looking up, Butler was back.

"Butler, we really must talk regarding your salary …" A second rush of adrenaline came when he realized that it was not Butler, but Arno Blunt.

Artemis caught his breath, how he had gotten past the detonator? The little yellow cylinders sitting in the bodyguards left palm quickly answered his question. Artemis's eyes landed on the silencer pistol in Blunts other hand.

"You first, then the ape." He cocked the gun, aimed at Artemis and fired.

This is it now

Everybody get down

Butler appeared and jumped. Artemis widened his eyes, realizing what was happening. Butler landed on him, momentum ricocheting them both into a desert trolley. It amazed the boy to see Butler fire six shots helter-skelter in the direction of Blunt. He was somewhat irritated when the man did not make any move to get off of him for several seconds, however, but said nothing, instead concentrating on the desert trolley.

This is all I can take

This is how a heart breaks

Finally he decided to move himself. He slid, with difficulty, out from underneath Butler's weight. It took him a moment of pointless gibbering before he realized that Butler had been shot. He felt his head spin dizzily. He tried to work out the facts while suppressing the shock. Butler. Shot. No. Not true. What? How? Oh. No. Bad. He had to repress the urge to sob over the man. How could he save him?

"Artemis … is that you?" It pained the boy to hear his life-time guardian speaking in such a torn voice.

"Yes, it's me." He could not keep the tremble from his voice.

You'll take a hit now, You'll feel it break down

Makes me stay wide awake

This is how a heart breaks

"Don't worry. Juliet will protect you. You'll be fine." Artemis felt the tears pushing against his eyelids.

"Don't talk Butler. Lie still. The wound is not serious." How had he been afraid for his own life just minutes ago? It was Butler that needed help. And fast. The bodyguard tried to laugh, it was a hard feat for someone who just taken a shot to his heart.

"Very well, it is serious. But I will think of something. Just stay still." His brain raced. What could he possibly do?

"Good-bye Artemis," he said, raising his hand. " My friend." Artemis did not care that tears were streaming down his face. He caught the hand and said good-bye.

"Artemis, call me Domovoi." He corrected his principle for the last time. Artemis started sobbing. Butler was going to die.

Yeah, once we were so fine

You and I

Why you got to make it so hard on me

It's hard on me…

"Good-bye, Domovoi," His mind was fogged with grief. "Good-bye, my friend."

And I'm sorry but it's not a mistake

And I'm running but you're getting away

His hand dropped. Butler had died. He was gone.

This is all I can take

This is how a heart breaks