Mrs. Fowl was talking about her husband and how he'd come back soon. Nadalia was listening with curiosity, her romantic side close to tears, her cynical one scornful at the woman's hope as she suspected Mr. Fowl had run off with a Russian hottie, though kept these thoughts private. In a corner, sitting close together Butler and Artemis exchanged a glance every few sentences the older woman said as she continuously hinted at family secrets without realizing, so happy to have found someone to discuss her pain and worry with.

Both men were impressed with how aptly the newcomer listened and how she seemed genuinely concerned, and interested, though that was worrisome to Artemis. Eventually the sad story came to an end. Angeline had started at the beginning, all the way back to how they had met and their convoluted courtship. There was a friendly silence in which Nadalia realized how late it was, using the black shade of the sky as reference. Yet not wanting to be the only asleep, she decided to suggest a game.

"Any one want to play a game?"

"That would depend," Artemis quickly replied. "What does it involve?"

"We each hold up ten fingers and go around a circle saying things we have never done and if you say something that someone else has done, they put a finger down. The goal is to be the last person with fingers up, so you try to get as many people down as you can with each questions."

"Very well, I will try this with you, anyone else interested?" The others nodded and moved in closer so the sat around the upturned flashlight, casting deep shadows on everyone's faces.

"I'll start," Nadalia stated. "I have never...permanently resided in Ireland."

"That was low," Butler cheerily told her while putting a finger down with two others around the circle. She grinned at him. "I know, sorry." Going counterclockwise, Mrs. Fowl went next. "I have never eaten sushi in America." Both Butler and Nadalia took away a finger. Artemis was next. "I have never been thirteen." Nadalia didn't put a finger down. They all looked to her, waiting.

"Prove that I'm not twelve," she dared them.

"You're not," Butler stated firmly, made a pointed glance to her chest and reached a hand out and pushed a finger down. She blushed even at his platonic touch but laughed happily. "Very well, i won't lie." It was Butler's turn to say a never. He took a long while. Artemis suddenly realized why.

"I think you'll have difficulty with this game, friend, as there is very little you have yet to do." Butler gave a smile. "Exactly. Well, I have never been a girl." Mrs. Fowl and Nadalia booed.

"I have never been involved in criminal enterprises." Both males immediately put a finger down. Angeline hesitated, but all Artemis had to say was, "Mother", reminding her of the times she had been and unsuspecting partner in her husband's work and she shrugged, taking a finger away.

"In order to get revenge on my dear servant, Butler, I have never been a boy." The two who lost a finger groaned.

"I have never received nor given flowers," Artemis stated. Nadalia didn't put one down at first. Then guilt won out and she did. "It's so tempting to lie playing with you all because you can't prove that I am, but i won't," she promised. Butler had been thinking of his ahead of time.

"I have never considered pursuing a career other than body guarding." Three fingers went down.

"I have never been to opera where the ceiling didn't collapse." The adults laughed and even Artemis cracked a smile. Nadalia would admit that made her proud.

"Did you just assume we'd all been to an opera before?" Artemis asked.

"Yes, just like you assumed we'd all either received or sent flowers before."

"I'm surprised you didn't just decide I was stalking you," Artemis said, unable to resist another insult. "I'm surprised you didn't realize I have higher reasoning skills than that," she mocked. Mrs. Fowl quickly continued her turn before their exchange had the opportunity to turn nastier.

"I have never been set on a single career." Angeline was surprised when they all put a finger down. "You too?" she ask the girl she was beginning to think of as a daughter.

"Yep, ever since fourth grade."

"What do you want to pursue?" Butler asked, curious what career could entice and keep the interest of a child so young.

"A prosecutor," she answered, looking straight at the active criminal in the group. He gave a wolfish grin. "I'll remember your name then, in case we should meet again some day."

"I can assure you I'll do the same," she replied, a delicate yet meaningless threat.

"I have never had a sister," Artemis continued deducting a finger from them all.

"Now that was you stalking me," Nadalia joked. He shrugged.

"I recalled there was four in your party and she was either your sister or cousin, so I took a gamble." Nadalia made an expression of acceptance. She was surprised Butler had a sister, though she wasn't sure why. Perhaps because he didn't seem the familial type.

"I have never grown up in the age of technology." The two of the younger generation put down their fingers.

"I have never parachuted," she said, unknowingly knocking Butler out and leaving Mrs. Fowl with one left. "Sorry, it's just that I don't know much about you, but I do know you parachuted on your honeymoon," she said, referencing the love story Mrs. Fowl told her earlier.

"I have never walked into a school within the past year," Mrs. Fowl said, putting her son at an awkward position. He could either lie and put a finger down or be honest and keep it up, admitting to his mother his exploitation of her illness. Butler watched with interest what his charge would do. Slowly he lowered it.

"I have never bought high heels," he said looking at Nadalia's hands. She made the noise of a buzzer. "Incorrect, though i appreciate the guess," she told the disappointed boy.

"I have never..." she trailed off looking at his hands, the two fingers up compared to her solitary one, knowing she had to say something he had done. Then she saw the gleam of his fingernails and grinned. "I have never gotten a manicure." She looked up into his shocked eyes. He was sputtering while leaving himself with one finger.

"Arty!" Mrs. Fowl nearly yelled. Butler forced himself to keep a straight face, he, the only one who had actually know about the monthly appointments had not revealed his principle's guiltily pleasure to his mother, but a stranger who had met the boy only a few hours ago.

"I told you those things can give you diseases!"

"I know, mother, but they make me look so much more professional," he whined, something Artemis Fowl the II rarely allowed himself to do. While they continued their family scene, Butler leaned over and whispered to her. "How did you know?"

"I saw the gleam from the flashlight," she told him, turning to face his dark, piercing blue eyes that set her heart fluttering. He chuckled as the argument was being wrapped up.

"Anyways," the boy said, cheeks slightly flushed at his new enemy's knowledge of his secret, "I have never lived in the United States. There, I win," he said bitterly. She shrugged.

"All that means is you're the most inexperienced," she countered sweetly. In a move extraordinarily unArtemis-like his eyes bulged and his mouth opened, but no words lashed out. He blinked a few times and then shut his mouth.

"That game was harder than I expected it to be," Mrs. Fowl said, erasing the silence.

"Yah, it's pretty difficult if you don't know the people very well, but I think it's more fun that way because if forces you to be creative." The adults nodded but Artemis angrily turned away."I know about a whole other race of people," he muttered. "How's that for inexperienced," he grumbled, only his bodyguard discerning the words, luckily.

Mrs. Fowl yawned expressively and glanced at her stopped watch. "As fun as this has been, I would like to sleep, and I can understand if others don't want to sleep yet, but I would appreciate if we could keep the volume down."

"I agree, i just need about 15 minutes of silence, and then people can talk again," Nadalia suggested. Butler and Artemis agreed to say quiet for that long and Mrs. Fowl fell asleep almost instantly from the taxing day she had compared to the previous ones she had the past year. Nadalia took almost the fifteen minutes but due to the terrifying day she experienced the exhaustion caught up quickly with her.

"Are you all asleep?" Butler asked into the cool air. There was no response.

"I think that is a strong yes," Artemis told him, his voice sounding especially cold in the dark.

"I thought you were also asleep," he told him, the hair on the back of his neck still raised by the surprise anyone responded.

"No, I decided not to. I needed to speak with you about my mother. And Nadalia's affect on her." For a heart stopping moment Butler thought Artemis was going to speak solely about the captivating women asleep near them, but relaxed when the sentence was completed and there was a purpose to the discussion other than Artemis' dislike or potential crush.

"It seems my mother has been snapped out of her depression, yet I don't believe that occurred from the accident, my hypothesis is that Nadalia has affected her positively in some way. Whatever this afect may be, should she leave, I suspect the effect will fade and my mother will return to her previous state. That...is not something I would like." The young boy finished and his bodyguard felt a stab of pity for him.

"So what are you thinking?" he asked the mastermind, worried he may have concocted some devious plan that would involve illegally forcing the girl to stay with them. "Kidnap?" he questioned

"No," then he hesitated, thinking. "No, of course not, nothing so barbaric." He bodyguard raised his eyebrows, remembering the events of three months ago. Artemis ignored this and continued.

"I was considering asking her to stay with us, at least until her relatives are discovered, either dead or alive. Where else would she have to stay, the logical person would see it was the correct choice. From a security standpoint, do you find that acceptable?"

"Yes, I believe you would be safe in her presence. Are you sure you could manage to tolerate her company?" He waited a while for a response.

"Knowing it was helping my mother, yes, most defiantly. In fact, I may grow to enjoy it. We shall see."

"You should sleep now," his father figure told him.

"So should you," relied the boy. Butler shrugged.

"It is my job to keep watch."

"From whom? If I recall correctly, as I should as the conversation I am making reference to occurred only moments ago, you stated you trusted her."

"I do, I'm watching against outside threats. I'll sleep in the morning," he promised and the young boy fell slowly drifted to sleep.

*sorry this chapter is kinda boring, I'll admit most of it is filler and self indulgent, but i needed time to pass but for them to develop bonds and get to know each other. Please forgive me and continue reading, I promise there will be more action soon!*