Cynthia: You thought this was over, didn't you? It was so hard to keep this a secret from the reviewers that I pm, or is my friend outside of fanfiction. I hope you enjoy it, I enjoyed writing it with Raven. I love you all, you wonderful people! Okay, done being a weirdo.
Couldn't have said it better myself :D it was awesome writing with her, and I love your comments enough to marry them. (Okay that was creepy...) But you get the point! So... the REAL last time I get to say it... Comment, compliment, critique, love, hate. And review! Enjoy! 33 :) J
One of the hardest parts of Holly and Artemis's relationship was even getting it started. But the next tough patch was, after many years, getting people to accept it.
It had been four years since they started officially dating.
Angeline Fowl and Juliet were absolutely thrilled, well, Juliet was more than thrilled. She was planning their wedding.
Butler and Artemis Fowl Senior were accepting too, Holly and Artemis both agreed that they should wait before telling them. Foaly frequently helped Holly get a bit more time off work so she could spend time with Artemis, but not so much that the other officers began to suspect something. Until they told them. Artemis was 19.
There was an uproar. Holly was looked down on from people in lower positions from her, so much that she was eventually knocked down from her position as captain. With too much hate being thrown at her from every single direction, she quit. Though not quite as enthusiastic about it as Angeline Fowl, and most definitely not as much as Juliet.
Myles and Beckett liked it too. Holly was like a big sister to them and they got to tease Artemis relentlessly.
Foaly was happy for them too, for the same reason as Myles and Beckett, the latter one, that is.
The only people who were wholeheartedly against it were the LEP.
Holly and Artemis both agreed that they should wait before telling them. Foaly frequently helped Holly get a bit more time off work so she could spend time with Artemis, but not so much that the other officers began to suspect something. Until they told them. Artemis was 19.
There was an uproar. Holly was looked down on from people in lower positions from her, so much that she was eventually knocked down from her position as captain. With too much hate being thrown at her from every single direction, she quit.
The day she quit, Holly showed up at Artemis' doorstep. And it was raining. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.
"Holly, come in, come in." Artemis ushered his soaking girlfriend inside and put her in a chair in front of a roaring fire.
"What happened?"
"I quit," said Holly in a tone that said 'I can't believe I actually did it'.
"You quit? But I thought you loved your job." Artemis couldn't believe that Holly quit being on the LEP. Well, he actually could. She quit the LEP after they (temporarily) defeated Opal.
She swallowed and nodded, shivering a little. She was warming quickly, though. "I-I did, but I was getting so much hate from being with you... today they even voted me down from captain."
"O-Oh, Holly... I..."
"I got fed up," she murmured, looking down. "So I quit until they can learn to accept it."
"Well, you're welcome to stay here. You can have the guest bedroom," Artemis offered. Hmmmm. Holly being in the same house as the twins and Juliet. Oh, such fun!
Holly nodded her thanks, still shivering. "Thanks. If you don't mind, I'll go to bed now." Holly moved her legs to go upstairs. But there was a slight problem, her legs wouldn't move.
Artemis noticed Holly's efforts to move her legs. "Problem?"
"Uh...yeah. I can't move my legs," said Holly sheepishly. How embarrassing, thought Holly.
"It's fine," said Artemis nonchalantly. "I'll carry you up."
"Okay. Wait, WHAT?"
She was blushing. Hard. But Artemis stayed straight faced with a hint of a small smirk. He stood up, wrapped one arm under Holly's legs, and lifted her up onto his chest. She was avoiding his gaze, but it was difficult.
To cover up her embarrassment, she murmured, "How you are strong enough to carry me I do not know."
He chuckled a tiny bit and continued to walk with her up the stairs.
The next morning at breakfast Juliet said, "Artemis, I found something very interesting."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Juliet paused and smirked. "The guest room was occupied. And by who?"
"Whom, Juliet, it's whom are you still up for those grammar lessons?" Artemis asked in a superior tone. Being a genius was so fun.
"Hahaha," said Juliet dryly. "As I was saying, the person occupying the room was even more interesting, if you can believe it." Being a Butler was so fun.
Artemis looked up. He was starting to get a little nervous, Artemis really did not want it to be announced in front of his Mother, the twins, and Butler.
He swallowed slightly, and Juliet laughed at this.
"It's not like that," he said. "She... quit the LEP."
Now Juliet turned serious and sat down. "Oh... why?"
"She was getting too much hate from being with me and was voted down from captain. So she'd had enough of it and yesterday she quit."
"Wow..." She stood up. "I'm going to go talk to her."
Artemis grabbed Juliet's arm. "What are you going to talk to her about?" Artemis didn't exactly trust Juliet with Holly.
"It's fine, Arty," said Juliet, yanking her arm from Artemis' grasp. "Your girlfriend and I are just going to talk." Honestly. It was as if Artemis didn't trust her. How insulting.
Beckett snickered and leaned over to Myles. "Simple-toon has girlfriend." And proceeded to make kissy faces.
"Simple-toon," Myles agreed.
"May we please stop having breakfast conversations like this?" Artemis asked uncomfortably. It's not that Artemis was embarrassed that he was dating Holly, he just regretted telling the twins and perhaps Juliet, as it was a popular conversation at the dining table.
While Artemis was dealing with his somewhat dysfunctional siblings, Juliet was knocking on Holly's door.
"Holly do you wanna-"
Holly opened the door. "No, I do not want to build a snowman."
Juliet's pouted. "Why not? It's a delightful song from a classic movie."
"It's been out for six months."
Juliet shrugged. Who was she to argue about taste in films? "Forget about that, Artemis told me."
She heard a sigh from behind the door. "Come in."
Juliet walked in to see Holly laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She looked like she was lost. Juliet frowned sympathetically and sat beside her on the bed.
"I-I'm sorry..." Might as well begin simple.
"It's alright. They're happy. And the LEP will probably be better off."
"Holly," she said, "don't think that."
She sat up. "But it's true! I mean, there was so much conflict, and it was slowing us down. We weren't winning as many shootouts as we should've. Without me, they won't be distracted."
Juliet raised her hands. "Stop! Just stop it."
Holly was confused. "Stop what?" What was she doing that made Juliet so upset?
"Stop putting yourself down. You're an amazing captain, don't let anyone tell you different," Juliet commanded.
Holly paused a minute, looking into the other girl's eyes, then turned away. But Juliet saw a slight smile on her face.
"Thanks..." the elf murmured.
"They'll want you back sooner or later," Juliet promised. She stood up. "Now come on, let's eat."
And it turns out that Juliet was right. Four months later of living at the Fowl mansion, she got a call from one of the officers. He said, "Holly, even though we don't accept that you're in love with a mud boy, it's been four months of losing battles and fairy gold. Slowly the LEP is failing... and... we need you."
To this she said, "Why should I? Everyone hates me."
And he responded, "We will learn to get used to it if you come back."
Eventually, she agreed, and was now the captain of the LEP again.
Holly was saying her goodbyes before she left for Haven to be Captain again.
"Miss you, Olly!" Beckett cried, wrapping himself around Holly. He had taken up calling her Olly.
"Miss you as well," said Myles formally.
Holly laughed and ruffled Myles' hair. "Ever the mature one, Myles."
"I'll miss you, Holly," said Juliet. "Hopefully I won't have to trick you into coming here. Nope, not while Arty is here!"
Holly blushed. "Just...don't steal the communicator anymore."
The blonde girl laughed. "No promises."
Then it was Artemis' turn. "I see you're going back to Haven, Captain."
Holly rolled her eyes, "Thank you, Captain Obvious."
"Hey! That's Major, obvious to you."
Holly put her hand up to the side of her face in mock surprise. "Frond! Did Artemis Fowl just make a joke? Miracles can happen after all."
"Don't go insane over it, Holly"
Holly embraced Artemis, "Me? Go insane? Unheard of!" Holly was smiling. Artemis had really changed over the four years. She would miss not seeing him every day.
"Well, I better go," said Holly a little reluctantly.
"Don't let Foaly get a swelled head," replied Artemis in reply.
Holly smiled and then left.
And so the returning officer returned, and earned odd stares along the way. When they announced her arrival and the reason, everyone began to act extra nice to her, which she liked. For a while.
But Holly was not one for people being all "good-happy-day" towards her. So she told her closest officers to act more comfortably around her and they said yes. Probably just because they couldn't have her leaving again, but it was good enough.
Like they suspected, the LEP started winning against their enemies and Holly was usually the cause.
She maintained her strong love with Artemis and her strong friendship with Juliet and Butler. And eventually, of course, Artemis finally got down on one knee and popped the big question. And of course, Holly said yes with as much dignity as she possessed (which mainly involved giving him a snappy retort then accepting).
They lived a happy life, and Artemis a long one, which was surprising considering how much trouble they got into along the way. But all sunrises have sunsets, and they both knew Holly lived so much longer than him. But for as long as Artemis lived, they would always cherish each other's love and in the genius's last moments, he remembered their first kiss and the strange circumstances they were under.
The last thing he heard were four words he'd never forget. Four words that he thought meant for sure that they would never share another kiss when they had returned to his time so long ago. But they had had many, and those words proved that as well. For sure, they would meet again.
"In another time, Artemis."
