In her apartment, Ena bathes and slips into a simple slip gown. The color a deep emerald shade of ancient forests, her only concession to designer clothes because they are an environmentally conscious, sustainable and organic. That being said her sister would still scoff at the price tag: Under a thousand? What a joke, I wouldn't wear it to bed. She's sure her sister's dress, which she will wear once and discard, is worth thousands.

Ena sighs looking in the mirror, she applies a little mascara then considers wiping it off. Then puts her diamond studs in her ears, a gift from her mother when she first got her ear's pierced when she was little and the only earings she will wear. She fingers the worn out medallion on her vanity, not liking to leave it behind. She found it years ago in the Irish countryside and made it into a simple necklace which she has worn ever since, a talisman to remind her of her love of the earth. She leaves it there with her plain silver claddagh ring, leaving her hands and neck bare. Next she styles her short hair back away from her face and slips into a pair of flat sandals, her dress covers her feet anyway. She heads to the hotel where the benefit will start. Knowing she's early, she shows up to help finish setting up, which isn't expected but they are never surprised when she arrives and asks what she can do to help. The fundraiser is to raise awareness and funding to eradicate domestic abuse, primarily but not exclusively of women and children.

By the time the benefit starts Ena is ready to leave. She doesn't want to see her family destroy the goodwill of the good people who arranged the event. Luckily her family is late to everything and she has a little bit of peace before they arrive. She mingles a little, speaks with a few like minded people mixed in with the idle rich. Mostly she wanders the periphery asking if there is anything she can do to help, wanting to disappear into the background. Everyone tells her to go have a good time. She sighs feeling quite alone. To her surprise she sees the man she pulled from the cyclist's path early that day mingling among the rest of the guests, his hulking bodyguard never far away. When she first sees him she catches the quick dart of his eyes away from her as if he didn't want to be caught staring. She's still looking at him, contemplating the icy blue shade of his eyes, when he glances back at her, he can only hold her eyes for a moment. He looks away just before another man steps in front of Ena breaking her line of sight. Cormac stands unnecessarily close, his hand on her elbow before he's even addressed her.

"You've been ignoring my calls." he accuses.

"You've been ignoring my requests for you to stop calling me." she counters. A scowl takes over his charming grin.

"Have dinner with me after the gala." he says, less asking more commanding.

"No." she replies without hesitation. "Una will be here any moment you should really be asking her."

"She's not serious about me, she's not serious about anything." Cormac dismisses.

"She still has feelings." Ena pushes his hand off her elbow and suppresses the gag reflex he's triggered. Then her family arrives. Her sister's disapproving look finds her immediately. Cormac doesn't have time to escape.

"What on earth are you wearing, an old sleeping bag? Where's your make-up? Where's the necklace I gave you like two days ago specifically so you would have something to wear to this party?" her sister talks too fast in her exasperated squeaky tone. The absurd necklace Una gave her has probably already been pawned by the single mother of four she handed it to living in a relief shelter because her house had burned down. That's the usual fate of Una's gifts. Una yanks up Ena's dress.

"Really? you couldn't even have bothered with real shoes?" Una sighs mildly disgusted. She pulls a matching necklace and bracelet out of her clutch and a tube of lipstick, forcing them onto Ena. Ena stands patiently waiting for Una to finish. Una promptly forgets all about Ena and begins to fawn over Cormac.

"Lovely" her father says, trying to encourage sisterly affection. Una's gifts are just cast off's she doesn't want any more, and Una can't stand to be seen with Ena so consistently 'under-dressed'. She shows her family around, introducing them to some of the fundraising coordinators. With Cormac distracted by Una, Ena makes her escape disappearing from the benefit altogether. She lets herself into another party room for rent upstairs that isn't in use. She doesn't bother with the lights not wanting to draw attention. Instead she moves to the window and looks out over the city lights.

Sighing she turns away from the light and looks at the dark room behind her. Not far away from her is a piano. She hesitates but approaches it and throws the cover off. Sitting at the keys she tests the sound with a few notes tentatively before setting to work riddling out the melody of the song in her head. When she thinks she's got it right she lets herself sing, softly at first mostly to herself before being swept up in the melody and letting the notes soar the way they were intended. By the time the song is over she feels better, the stress melts away and her spirit is lighter. She closes the lid to the keys, not wanting to push her luck and draw unwanted attention. She doesn't notice the figure lingering in the dark by the door.

She returns to the window and throws it open. Leaning out, she closes her eyes, taking a deep breath of the cool night air. Her peace is disturbed a moment later by a pair of twin boys maybe 8 or 9 years-old. When she turns around she notices the man from the street earlier that day leaning in the doorway, the little bit of light from the window making his pale skin practically glow in the dark. He wears an immaculately tailored black suit with a gunmetal grey dress shirt and black tie. The boys draw her attention, one slightly stockier than the other, is tugging on her dress. She kneels down to his level and smiles at him. He has a fistful of napkins that obviously haven't been used to wipe the hors d'oeuvres from his face. Removing the bulky gold bracelet from her wrist she offers it to him.

"Trade." she suggests. He promptly drops the fistful of napkins in her lap and makes off with the shiny trinket. She laughs and wipes the lipstick off her face, feeling better without the oily wax coating. She stands up again, he hasn't moved from the door.

"You traded gold for a bit of trash." he points out.

"A bit of trash to you maybe." she counters. "I hate lipstick." she adds under her breath, crumpling the red stained napkin in her hand. She can't retreat with him blocking the only exit. "Are you enjoying the benefit?" she asks attempting to make conversation.

"No, not particularly. I'm not fond of crowds but my parents are having a wonderful time." he replies trying to let her down easy. She tries to smile a little but it just feels insincere so she stops. She turns back to the window, wishing it offered escape but it's too far to drop. She realizes how ridiculous it is to be considering jumping out the window to run away and sighs.

"I think it's about time I return home." she says a little absently before turning back to the man whose name she still doesn't know. "Thank you and your parents for their patronage. Try to have a good evening despite the crowd." she puts on her most patient smile and breezes past him and his bodyguard, ignoring the fleeting warmth of his closeness and the gaze that follows her. The bodyguard calls to the twin boys to come to him.

"Do you have a car waiting?" he asks.

"No, I prefer to walk." she replies. She can hear them following her back to the benefit. The moment she enters the brightly lit room her sister descends on her.

"Ena! I see you've met our new friend Arty!" she squeaks. Ena renews her patient smile, Cormac has obviously escaped Una as well and is nowhere to be found.

"I'm sorry Una, we actually just ran into each other by accident. We haven't been formally introduced." Ena clarifies. Una's face crinkles a little.

"Where's your lipstick?" she asks distracted for a moment by her disappointment.

"I'm actually feeling a little under the weather, Una, and our new friends here offered to give me a lift home. Go back to the party and have a good time, tell mum and dad I'll call tomorrow." she says gently. Una backs away a little.

"You do look pale, maybe that's best I don't want you to give me a cold I've got a busy weekend. Find me when you come back I have to tell you all about our new ferrari!" Una says looking to the black and white stranger in her wake. Ena tries not to wince, forces a smile instead and makes her way to the door. She throws away her lipstick covered napkin and frees herself out into the brisk night air followed by 'Arty' and his manservant.

"I am so sorry, I suggest leaving if there is no one richer than you inside or she will bother you the rest of the night." Ena warns. His expression is amused. "Have a good night." she repeats before turning away.

"Artemis." He calls after her. She turns back.

"I'm sorry?"

"My name, it's Artemis."

"Not Arty?" she laughs a little. "Thank goodness." Then the name strikes her. Fowl? Artemis Fowl? No wonder her sister is interested. He sees the recognition color her face. Artemis Fowl, in fact, has been watching her since he arrived. Struck by her simple appearance in her green slip dress, honey colored waves cropped short and falling away from a lovely face unencumbered by makeup. She looked so real, so vital in a sea of frills, fluff and glittering wealth. He watched her make polite demure conversation with the few sensible people in attendance, then retreat looking for something to do, unable to stand around idly. A wave of jealousy catches him off guard when he sees another man take her by the elbow.

When she slips away from the crowd, he immediately goes in search of her. It isn't difficult to find her once she begins to sing. Listening at the door, her voice fills him to bursting he's frozen in place outside the door. Her eyes are closed and he's watching the honesty of her expression. He's suddenly too warm, equally drawn and repulsed by the hypnotic quality of her voice. He closes his eyes to try and quell the storm building inside, but his mind brings her face back to him. He can feel her close to him, feels the barely there brush of soft lips. The prospect of her touch creates a panicked feeling but he can't move. Once her song ends the panic and the intensity of her presence subside. He had to stay close to her, that much was clear.

"Where should I go, if not back inside? I'm not very familiar with the city." He asks. She considers him for a moment.

"I suppose that depends on what you like." she begins. "Saturday night you can go anywhere. Restaurants, bars, nightclubs." She spies Cormac hanging around the corner waiting for her. Artemis catches the direction of her gaze and follows it, glancing over his shoulder, and frowns.

"Friend of yours?" Artemis asks.

"No, that's not what I'd call him." she replies. Before she has a chance to make a run for it, Cormac has spotted her and makes his way towards the three of them. His insincere charming grin invades his face. He gives Artemis a cocky glance as he passes him. Cormac has a few inches advantage over Artemis in height and a broader build but Artemis isn't cowed. Cormac takes her elbow again.

"I didn't think you'd leave so soon, change your mind about dinner?" he gloats.

"No." she replies very plainly and steps away from him to sever the connection. Artemis suppresses a grin of his own and makes a small show of looking at his timepiece.

"We must go or we'll miss our reservation." he announces. "We have a lot to discuss if we're going to do business together." He offers his arm, a calculated foil to Cormac taking her elbow. She smiles at him gratefully and takes his arm without hesitation, adding a layer of authenticity to his lie.

"Have a good night." She says as they turn to walk away, Artemis winks at Cormac over his shoulder. Cormac scowls after them. Butler follows after them just a few steps behind. "Are you actually hungry or is this just a ruse?" she asks, a laugh of triumph behind her words.

"If you will join me, I'll have dinner." he says diplomatically.

"Well played. Generally I don't go on dates but because you rescued me I will have dinner with you." she replies equally diplomatically. "How do you feel about french food?"

"I enjoy French cuisine."

"Then we're making a left at the corner here." she instructs. Once they turn the corner they are out of Cormac's sight. "Thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome. May I ask who he is?"

"That's Cormac. He's been attached to my family for a few years now. Sort of dating my sister, Una, he wants her money. For the past year he's been making unwarranted passes at me, I'm not really sure why that started. He's difficult to ignore when he shows up everywhere I go but I do make an effort to ignore him anyway." she replies plainly. He's relieved to hear Cormac isn't an ex. Relishing the weight of her on his arm, he breathes deeply her sweet scent of fresh rain and Gardenias.