A/N: First, thanks everyone for the reviews! And no, this isn't my first fic, it's my fourth, I deleted my third one and the other two were badly written (as my reviews stated)…This one, I hope, will be a glorious work. Second, the only reason I update this the day after I wrote the prologue is because it's a weekend and I'm not busy. So generally I update about once every week or once every two weeks depending on my schedule. Sorry about that Also, this fic isn't going to have come huuuggee conspiracy plot, and it's mostly going to be some pointless bonding theme or whatever, and sorry about that too but as I'm not good at doing conspiracy or action stories…fluff it shall have to be. With a little bit of trouble.

Chapter One

Holly Short, three feet tall, with auburn hair and a sharp, pretty face, was currently very worried. Extremely worried. So worried it is impossible to describe how anxious she was, and thus the author uses this description: she was worried.

Now, why would a Captain of Section 8 in the LEP be worried? Not that there wasn't plenty to be worried about. Goblin gangs were stirring up trouble as usual. And of course there was the always looming threat of the Mud Men discovering their existence. The threat of Trouble Kelp developing a crush on Holly was also rather worrisome, especially as she only considered him a friend. And her ferns were rather in bad shape, and Holly loved her ferns. But these were fairly typical things. No, what she had to deal with was Artemis.

Artemis Fowl – Holly's arch nemesis once, and now one of her closest friends. And he was a Mud Boy, at that. Holly would've grinned if she hadn't been so worried. Odd how these things work out.

But Artemis was currently in bed sobbing his heart out, and what had been an innocent venture to visit her favorite Mud Boy was rapidly becoming a rather messy situation. Holly was supposed to be on vacation – she hadn't even packed her stylish black suit or a helmet, or even a buzz baton for that matter. All she'd brought were her favorite clothes, and her fairy communicator – just in case.

She decided to use that communicator to contact Foaly. But would Artemis appreciate her meddling? He'd cried in front of Foaly before, or rather when Foaly was listening in – in the Arctic, for a whole minute. But that was normal – his father had just been rescued, after all. But now there seemed no plausible reason and she doubted that Artemis would like Foaly seeing him weak. But Artemis had also evolved into a very charming (and good-looking, Holly's mind grudgingly added) companion, quite different from the cold twelve-year old who'd kidnapped her. Well, it didn't really matter what Artemis thought. Holly would call Foaly, and ask for help to see what was wrong, and really, it was for his own good.

Holly wasn't in Artemis's room anymore. She was trying to avoid Butler, avoid his questions and inquiring eyes – even though she knew he meant the best. But right now something traumatic was going on. Her instincts were on red alert. Holly had silently padded her way into the bathroom, and was now staring in disgust at a toilet with the chemicals that had – as she had once put it – took the fertile out of fertilizer. She activated her fairy communicator and put Foaly on the channel.

"Foaly."

"Holly?" The centaur stared. "What are you doing? Where's Artemis?"

"I don't know," Holly said, trying not to let her concern show. "He's – um – he's crying. In bed."

"Why in the world would he be crying? Artemis Fowl, crying?" Foaly snorted. "You're pulling my leg."

"No, I am not! He is seriously in bed crying. We were just talking and then he crawled into bed and started sobbing."

Foaly was silent. "By Frond, you're serious, aren't you?"

Holly nodded. Foaly pondered a moment. "I'm a technical engineer, Holly, not a psychologist. But I'll give it a shot. What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. How people were underground, the swear toads, your girlfriend…"

Foaly suddenly looked excited. "You were talking about my girlfriend?"

"Uh, yes, Foaly, we were. Now, any enlightenment?" Holly let a bit of impatience creep into her tone. Foaly looked like he was on the point of exploding with laughter.

"Holly! It is so obvious! You were talking about my girlfriend in a room alone with Artemis. Artemis, who after all has technically just begun puberty, is struck by hormones and realizes…" Foaly took a deep breath. "Holly Short, congratulations, you are the victim of Artemis Fowl's first crush!"

Holly burst into laughter, then quickly stifled it. It wouldn't do for Butler to hear, though he was undoubtedly in Artemis's room. Then she sobered up. "Seriously, Foaly. Artemis is just not that kind of person, and besides, I'm an elf. It wouldn't work out, and Artemis knows that. There's something else going on." She chewed her lip. "But what?"

&&&

Butler briskly blinked away his own tears. Seeing Artemis crying was a very heart-wrenching thing. The younger brother he had never had, the Fowl heir – Artemis was supposed to be a rock, someone Butler could always trust to be the same cynical genius. Now, he was crying.

The young man's pale face had tears all over it, and his thin chest heaved with sobs. His dark hair was a mess, and his polo shirt was creased and crumpled. His face wasn't red, though, but Butler never really saw Artemis cry, so he wouldn't know if that was normal or not. Besides, if Artemis was always cool and collected not crying, it seemed logical he wouldn't look as messy as other people when they cried versus him sobbing.

But thinking off in tangents wouldn't help Artemis any, and Butler knelt down by the bed, and stared earnestly at Artemis. "Artemis," he said urgently, "what's wrong?" Artemis shook his head, and Butler saw his charge's eyes wide with fear. Fear? Why would Artemis be afraid?

But the fear was still there, and Butler had no answers to his questions. Very important questions, as it would turn out.