Author's Note: I apologize for the time it took to post this, writer's block is truly a terrible thing.
I took the time in the writing to address a few of the concerns mentioned in the reviews, but overall this is as conceived. It is, after all, my story.
Holly awoke with a start, momentarily confused by the blanket draped across her curled form. Then she remembered that night's events, and how Artemis had given her the blanket. Did he...did he kiss me?She thought, further confused.
Deciding to leave it for the time being, she left the room to find Butler was not at his post outside the door. This meant Artemis had moved to a different part of the house. Wandering around, she soon came across Butler in the kitchen, making tea and putting together a small plate of pastries from a bowl on the table.
"Artemis?" She inquired, cocking her head and examining the plate.
"He woke about half an hour ago, he's been catching up on world events in the last six months." Butler explained, walking towards the exit with his load. "He wanted to let you sleep, you looked like you needed it."
Butler left Holly in the kitchen, knowing she'd want to raid the food stores a bit before talking to Artemis. Resurrections seem to leave people feeling drained, he thought as he walked back to the study. He set the tray next to Artemis and said, as he left, "You've got about five minutes before a very curious elf comes through here." with this, he resumed his post outside the door of the study.
Holly must not have been as hungry as Butler thought. Three minutes after her short conversation with the Eurasian bodyguard, Butler saw her wander down the hall towards his post.
"He's waiting inside, though you may wish to brush those crumbs off of your chin first." He said simply, grinning inwardly as the Holly stopped and spent several seconds making sure there was no trace of her breakfast anywhere on her person. Thus reassured, she walked up to the door, Butler quickly keying the combination and opening it for her.
Holly looked around the computer filled room. So this is where all those attacks on Foaly's "advanced" systems start, she thought, looking at the innocuous network of computers. In one corner of the room was a large desk, and seated before it was Artemis, data streaming across his screen as he took in six months worth of news, technology, and politics. A brief wave over his shoulder was the only acknowledgment of Holly's arrival.
She found a chair and sat, barely containing her curiosity, until finally, rubbing his eyes, he closed the laptop. She didn't know anyone else who could possibly have taken in that much information in a little over an hour, but then, she didn't know anyone else like Artemis Fowl.
"You remember?" She said softly, looking at the tired boy. Despite his earlier quip to Butler, he found himself exhausted despite his claims of rest.
"Yes." He answered, "I suspect my initial amnesia was brought on by my soul spending so much time without a vessel. Bruin Fadda's spell kept me here, but it was just an echo of the magic, not even a fraction of what allowed the Berserkers to retain so much of themselves."
This made Holly realize that perhaps, if circumstances had not lined up just right, the boy would never have come back to the living world. Would she have been able to handle such a reality? No, I don't think so. I barely handled six months of his death.
"So," he said, snapping her out of her reverie, "What has happened in the Lower Elements in six months?"
"Well, initially it was much like it was up here," She said, remembering, "No comms, no transit, barely electricity. Foaly had some tech stashed in his 'in case all hell breaks loose, they won't hang me for these' drawer that saved the day. Some sort of robo-dragonfly that allowed for a rudimentary network. Without it, the LEP would never have restored order to the city. The death toll was big, but it would have been bigger. Foaly even managed to stop a full scale goblin riot with some sort of time bubble."
Artemis took this all in, nodding slowly as he did so. "And afterward? When Koboi had been stopped?"
Holly shivered, unwillingly recalling the time she spent mourning Artemis, or the time spent waiting for his half-cocked plan to come to fruition. "We recovered. The shuttleports were open to the air for a few days, but we got them shielded. A few select mindwipes later and it became stories, like UFOs. Haven took longer, more destruction, you see. It might have taken a few weeks fewer if Foaly put his full attention into it, but I figured Haven could last a few weeks, but your soul might not."
"Thank you for the consideration," Artemis said, sincerely, "I'm not sure if my soul would have lasted much longer. It was . . . peculiar, being non-corporeal." What he wanted to say was "torturous", but he felt the elf needed not know that he spent the time it took her to bring him back in discomfort. She had been through enough already.
Despite this, Holly looked down at her feet at his words. "Artemis," she started, "I'm sorry it took -"
"Don't be," He interrupted, "You have given me life again, and that is enough that I am in your debt, permanently."
Their conversation lasted for several more minutes, until Artemis could remain conscious no longer. Holly panicked slightly when the young genius' head drooped, but soon realized he was merely exhausted. Butler moved him back to his room and this time directed Holly to a guest room, reasoning that the body no longer needed constant observation, and that Holly didn't need another night sleeping in a chair. She had tried to protest, but the bed seemed inviting, and soon she was sound asleep, dreams finally unburdened by the memory of Artemis' death.
-The following morning-
Foaly was back in Haven, having only had a few hours worth of excuse for his absence. He was busy at work in the Ops booth, putting the finishing touches on Haven's recovery. Several areas were actually improved by the disaster. Mirroring the humans in seizing the opportunity for bettering themselves, the people had been hard at work improving Haven. Magnastrips now lay under every road, automating Haven's traffic entirely. The sunstrips in the roof were now replaced by an enormous holographic screen, providing an actual sky and sun during the day, and beautiful stars at night to the citizens of the Lower Elements.
Foaly himself had been finishing the constellations for the night sky, adding in a surreptitious centaur where previously there was none. Let's see if anyone connects the dots, he thought, allowing himself a whinny of self-importance.
A beeping coming from another monitor told him he had an incoming message, and he trotted over to see who was calling him. A few taps later, and Artemis' head filled the screen.
"Foaly, good to see you." Artemis said, as if he had spent the six months on sabbatical, instead of floating around the manor grounds. "I had a few favors to ask you, seeing how I saved the world, once again. They can wait if you need to add more references to yourself in the night sky."
Foaly merely rolled his eyes at this last jab. He had long since gotten used to the mud boy knowing what he was doing on the computer. "If you want me to add you as well, you're going to have to get in line. Mulch and Holly have both been pestering me for weeks." He said, only half joking. Holly may have been sidetracked but Mulch really had been hinting at his want for a more permanent honor. His imitation of the satyr from that silly movie about that Greek demigod was uncanny. What was it again? Heracles? He pushed the thoughts aside as Artemis replied.
"Nothing so grandiose, I merely wished to inquire as to the advancements the People have made in cosmetic surgery"
"Back for a day and you already want to get rid of that eleventh toe, huh?" The Centaur said, having missed the banter he had with the human. "I think you could find a human doctor for that."
"Another time, perhaps." Artemis said, half serious, "No, I was thinking more about . . . changing eye colour."
