Salve. Um, so I'm early on this. I meant to update a little sooner, but hey, this works. Band camp starts soon, August 2nd to be exact, so I won't have much time to write. I'll try to update as soon as possible, though. Oh, this chapter has a mention of alcohol (but nothing too big) and some spoilers for the 100th episode of Bones.

Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl or Bones, but really, did you honestly think I did? (shakes head) People amaze me sometimes…

Chapter Six

"Have we met before?" he asked her. She rolled off of him and pulled sheets over herself, turning to look back at him. But it was far too late for modesty.

"I don't think so, but. . ." her words died in her throat. He wouldn't understand.

"There's something familiar about me?" he finished, with an ending smirk.

"How did you—"

He leaned over and kissed her gently. There it was again! That same spark, that they were supposed to be doing this. No, she thought. This is not lust. . .that dies quickly for me. This man was magnetic. Something was drawing her to him. As he continued to kiss her, all thoughts scurried out the door. My plane is in the afternoon, anyway, was her last thought.

1 3 8

She was giving him one of those dead stares. Her noodles, hanging off of the chopsticks, held halfway up to her mouth.

"Why are you staring at me?" Artemis asked.

Holly gave him a look, then set down her white box of noodles. "You don't know how to hold chopsticks at all."

"Obviously. I've never had Chinese food before."

"As I can tell," Holly said, moving his hands into the proper position. Artemis tried it like this, but still, he failed. Holly sighed and grabbed a fork from her kitchen. "I am not in the mood to teach you how to use chopsticks."

Saying this, she dropped onto the couch with her box of take-out and expertly maneuvered the chopsticks to eat. Artemis stared at her for a second, before he realized that she was watching him to see his opinion on the food. "Go on, Artemis."

Artemis lifted the fork to his mouth, hesitating.

"I haven't got all night for you to eat, you know," Holly commented.

He opened his mouth and shoved the fork in his mouth. He kept his face blank as he chewed, knowing it was driving her insane.

"And?"

Artemis shrugged. "It's okay." He grinned, letting her know it was more than okay. Holly leaned back against the arm rest, satisfied. "I told you so."

"Oh, that's not childish."

"I never said I wasn't childish at times," Holly admitted, wolfing down the food in her container. "FBI agents practically live on take-out," she informed him.

"And alcohol," Artemis guessed.

Holly nodded. "Most do, but I haven't found a lot of drinks that I actually like."

"I'd figure you more for a beer kind of girl."

"Nope," Holly said. "Wine."

"Dry or sweet?" Artemis asked.

"It depends on the wine. I like both. I can do either white or red, but red is healthier."

Artemis nodded, impressed. He himself had a taste for fine wine, though it wasn't five or six dollar bottle that she probably got at a gas station.

Holly went over to her fridge and pulled out a bottle. She uncorked it and poured some of the dark red liquid into some wine glasses. "This is one of my favorites."

Artemis studied the glass of wine in his hand, sniffing it.

"Go on, it doesn't bite. It might not have cost over a thousand dollars, but it's still good. Just because it's under ten dollars doesn't mean it's bad," Holly said.

Artemis sipped it cautiously. "That is actually not bad."

"That's what I thought," Holly said, sipping from her glass. "Hmm," she muttered, and set the glass on the table, where it remained untouched the rest of the night.

Both finished eating rather quickly. Holly was curled up on the couch next to Artemis. "We've been so busy trying to figure out my memories…But what about yours? If we've met before, surely you'd know."

Artemis looked at her steadily. "I have been examining and re-examining my memories, trying to see if I have, and I most definitely have not."

Holly frowned. "Then why do you care so much about me getting my memory back?"

"I just do," Artemis shrugged. "I've been thinking."

"Oh no," Holly said, grinning.

Artemis ignored her. "A lot of people seem to have a theory about thinking you know someone, when in fact, you don't."

"If you say soul mates, I swear to God…"

Artemis grinned. "I'm just pointing it out."

"We were not made for each other. This isn't a crappy teenage romance novel."

Artemis moved closer to her, his face just inches from her own. He brought a hand up to her face and stroked her cheek. "Well, something is different. That much is for sure."

"I'll agree with that. Lust doesn't last this long." Holly leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, pushing him down so she was lying on top of him on the couch. Artemis's hands wound around her waist, pulling her closer. For the night, they were lost to the world.

1 3 8

"Booth, that man is staring at you," Brennan said, elbowing Booth gently from where they sat together on the park bench.

"I know, I was just ignoring him," Booth responded, glancing up at the man in the uniform. The man had been bugging him all week. He felt the letter in his jacket pocket digging into his chest.

"Why?"
"I already know what he wants."

"What?"

"I-" he paused, trying to figure out how to tell her. He reached up to retrieve the letter, which he then handed to her. Booth nervously watched her gray eyes move over the paper, widen at the news, then automatically correct themselves. God forbid she ever show emotion.

"They want you to train soldiers in Afghanistan." Her voice was flat. Her eyes lifted to meet his. "Are you going?" There was no beating around the bush; it was always straight to the point. In the field, he appreciated the attitude, but here, when it was personal, it was unwanted. She gave nothing away in her tone. Did she want him to go so she could go to the something-or-other islands?

"I haven't decided yet. I'm probably not going to go."

"Why not?"

"I like being an FBI agent." I like working with you, he mentally added.

"You are waiting for me to decide whether or not to go to the Maluku Islands, aren't you?"

Caught in the act. There wasn't a way around this one.

"Don't feel like I'm holding you back," Brennan said. "I think I might go."

If Booth had been drinking, he would have choked on his coffee. Stupid, he thought. I should have seen this coming. "Well, don't let me hold you back," he said.

"You're just saying that. You don't want me to go," Brennan accused. How was she reading his thoughts so accurately?

"You're right. I don't. What are they going to do without us? We were made for this job, to work together."

"To work together or to be together?" she demanded, referencing his confession a while back.

"Do you have to bring that up?"

"Yes, I do. It's affecting your judgment and holding you back from actually helping other people. You know perfectly well that if we leave, Holly and Artemis can replace us," Brennan said.

"They have nothing to do with this, with us."

"Maybe they do, Booth. Maybe we just need a break," Brennan said. "To think."

They were both standing up now, inches from each other.

"There it is. The minute you get too close to someone, you run. The minute something is as perfect as this, you leave. I won't ever leave you, Bones. Never. Why don't you understand that?"
"I-I-" she started backing up, eyes bright. "I have to go."

And she ran.

Booth sat down on the bench and held his head in his hands. He never should have admitted he was in love with her—not to himself or her. The only thing it did was scare her and cause him pain. It was amazing how three little words could make or break everything he cared about.

End Notes: And that's it…Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think!

Love and Skittles,

Holly Marie Fowl