A/N: Cynthia: Guys, I'm really sorry for the unplanned hiatus. It was my fault, not Raven's. I was irresponsible and let my grades slip. I hope you're not too angry.

What she said… basically. But we're back and we're gonna finish this, we promise! Comment, suggest, compliment, critique, love, hate, review, enjoy and forgive us! :) J&Cynthia with love 3

While Holly and Artemis were making their plans to investigate, something else was happening at the same time, very similar to that...

Butler entered the kitchen, his head still spinning from his conversation with Artemis. Juliet, Foaly and Lilac were letting the gingerbread house bake in the oven, and in the meantime were raiding the cupboards for candy and sweets to decorate it with.

"Darn," Juliet mumbled. "Arty doesn't have anything sweet. Let alone chocolate-y..."

"There's a reason for that," said Butler.

The three bakers turned around and smiled at him. They hadn't heard him come in. "You're here!" his sister exclaimed.

"So I am."

"Take Lilac out and go buy some sweets. Like, little gummy drops or stuff like that. And chocolate!" she told him.

Butler grew warm inside. Take, Lilac out...? Alone...? he thought. But he didn't say anything out loud, and if his cheeks were pink, Juliet didn't acknowledge it. "O-Okay," he said, nodding to Lilac.

Lilac smiled nervously, and they walked side by side out the kitchen door and into the main room. On the way to the front door, they passed Holly, and Butler refused to make eye contact with her. Their shoulders brushed coldly.

"Domovoi and I are going out to get some sweets to decorate the gingerbread house with," Lilac said. "Want to come?"

Holly paused for a few seconds, and then shook her head slowly. "No," she breathed. "Go ahead."

So the bodyguards continued on their way to the front door, and Holly went inside the room she had just came out of to tell Artemis she'd be going out to investigate them, without their knowing.

In the kitchen, once Lilac and Butler were gone, Juliet turned to Foaly immediately. She had something to say.
"Foaly?" Juliet said. "There's something we need to discuss."

Foaly's interest was aroused. "Yes?"

"I-it's about Lilac," Juliet faltered. Oh, how she hated doing this. She didn't want to admit it out loud, but it was becoming too strong to keep to herself. "I'm not sure if Lilac is exactly who she says she is."

Foaly nodded seriously and furrowed his brow in thought. "You might be right. She didn't react to me being a centaur at all. The only person who hasn't reacted to that is Artemis. And we know that there is no one else who is like Artemis Fowl."

"Yeah," agreed Juliet. "But how can we know for sure?"

How could they know for sure? Foaly thought. Maybe they could use some LEP technology? But they could never get away with that. Maybe they could, though. Or better yet, they could temporarily become detectives. Conduct their own investigation.

"We could investigate," said Foaly, voicing his thoughts.

Juliet snapped her fingers loudly. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that? We can be like Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I'll be Sherlock."

"I always pictured myself as Sherlock Holmes," Foaly said, slightly offended.

Juliet waved her hand. "Never mind that. Where should we start our investigation?"

Foaly thought about it for a moment. "We should check out what her activity was after she graduated from Madame Ko's academy."

"Okay. Don't you guys have some sort of... human information center thingy?"

Foaly almost sighed. "Human information center thing... Yes, I suppose we do, but why would it be on there? After all, I don't recognize her. If there is anything there then it'll be classified and even I won't have access to it. Root probably had access to it, but he's..." Foaly, swallowed, not daring to continue.

Juliet didn't press it. "Yeah, you're right," she said. Then a big grin grew on her face. It was obvious; she had an idea.

"You have an idea," said Foaly. "I can see it on your face."

Juliet laughed. "I do, but it's a good one! I'm not guaranteeing it will work... but what if we go to the Academy and ask Madame Ko herself?"

"Yes, that could work," said Foaly. "Just one flaw."

Juliet frowned. A flaw? How could there be a flaw? "What is it, then?" Juliet asked.

"Well, Madame Ko trained your family and other people to be bodyguards that were very secretive, as well as killing machines," Foaly said.

"She doesn't train us to be killing machines," snapped Juliet. "But yes. She does train us to not be easy to read and such. Your point?"

"Well, if she can train you in that, she must be an expert herself," stated Foaly. "So, what makes you so sure that Madame Ko will tell us information like that?"

Juliet tossed her blonde locks over her shoulder. "Stop being so negative! It will work out. Now, when should we go see her?"

"There's no time like the present. We should call up Butler and tell him to drag it out. I'm sure he won't be too disappointed." Foaly picked his phone up off the counter and started to dial.

"Cool! I'll go tell Artemis and Holly we're going somewhere," she replied. Juliet left the room, and was going to meet them in the living room but they met her halfway.

Obviously the two were a bit surprised to see her. "Oh, hello, Juliet," Artemis said, hiding his surprise well.

"Hey! Foaly and I are going somewhere, and it might take a while, so... don't burn the manor down." She laughed at her own joke.

"What coincidence," Holly said. "We were going somewhere as well."

That raised Juliet's eyebrows. She paused, then said, "Oh... Going where, might I ask? To Paris to gaze off the Eiffel Tower in each other's arms?"

Artemis wrinkled his nose in disgust at the idea. Holly, however, glared and blushed wildly. "No!" she exclaimed. "Just... visiting an old friend... is all..."

Hmm, Juliet thought to herself. She had a theory of who that person was. It was a dangerous bet to make... but she went ahead and gave it a shot. "Would that friend... happen to be Madame Ko?" she asked.

Both Artemis and Holly's expressions were a mixture of shock and fear.

"No, why would you ask that?" said Holly quickly. "We're just going out for some Christmas shopping!"

Foaly arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes," Holly said hurriedly. "Artemis and I forgot to get some things on our list."

Juliet exchanged a smirk with Foaly. "Interesting. Well, we don't want to keep you waiting. You better go."

Holly smiled quickly and pulled Artemis by the wrist out the door.

As soon as Holly and Artemis were gone, Foaly turned to Juliet. "Do you really think they're going to see Madame Ko?"

"Yes," said Juliet. "Or something like that. Did you see how guilty they were acting?"

Foaly thought about it. Artemis and Holly were acting strangely, and it was Artemis. Of course he would be suspicious and conduct an investigation, too.

"I'd bet on it," he said. "He's almost as smart as me; I'd be surprised if he wasn't suspicious of Lilac like we are."

Juliet snickered at the 'almost as smart as me'. Foaly was so sure of himself. She didn't say anything about it, though. "You're right," she replied. "Do you think we should go, just in case?"

"Hm... now that's the question..." Foaly thought for a minute or more, but finally responded, "Nah, let's not. Whatever Artemis is doing, he'll take care of it. Not only that, but I'm sure Madame Ko will be much more willing to talk to Butler's principal than either of us. He's got a reputation."

"True. And we have to stay here and keep an eye on the gingerbread house."

"Right!" Foaly walked over to the counter and picked up his phone again. He said, "I'm gonna tell Butler and Lilac to get a Christmas tree while they're out. I'm sure Arty has some decorations around here, right?"

Juliet nodded. "Probably. Then we'll do the Christmas tree tomorrow night." She then became excited, and rocked on her heels, clapping her hands happily. "Yay! This is gonna be so much fun!"

"Alright," he said. "I'll tell you. You'll laugh." Lilac giggled, again, and it made him do the same. But, more manly, of course... Butler doesn't giggle; he chuckles. "I even didn't say anything yet." Lilac was about to laugh again, but she stopped herself.

Butler waited a few moments, and then continued, "Artemis spends ninety-percent of his time on the computer, and the other ten-percent of the time doing something evil. I decided one day to drag him out of his study and get him to learn an important life skill... cooking."

"Oh no," Lilac said, immediately knowing that this would not end well.

"Oh no is right. Chocolate chip cookies are pretty simple, so I thought that'd be a good start. While I preheated the oven we started to mix batter. But before we could hardly start, Artemis got into the chocolate chips, and, well..." he swallowed and looked for a moment at Lilac, then finished, "came down with a third degree sugar rush."

Lilac let herself laugh again. "Oh... wow."

"Yeah. It was terrible. I knocked him out with a frying pan, and I'm sure he still holds a grudge against me for that. So I keep him away from chocolate, just to be safe," he explained.

"Ah... I see. Then... let's not get chocolate."

"Yes. Let's."

Lilac waited a second and then asked, "Well, then, what will we get in its place?"

"I don't know," he replied. "What kinds of candy do you like, personally?"

He was quite surprised at himself for asking that. Usually, he's answer immediately with another type and take her opinion on his suggestion into account. But he'd asked about her preferences... something that was quite unlike him. Lilac blushed, showing that she was just as surprised as he was.

"Um..." Lilac looked around, smiling to herself. "Maybe some butterscotch chips? But we don't have to get that if you don't want to."

"Butterscotch chips will work fine," Butler agreed.

"What else should we get?" Lilac wondered.

"Well, I don't know much about gingerbread houses. So, you can take the lead on this," said Butler.

Butler was surprised at himself. That was the second time he did something out of character for him. Not that he minded when Lilac was around. It always made her smile and laugh. Butler thought she had a beautiful smile and nice laugh.

Lilac was surprised, too. "Really? Okay! Come on, then."

Butler laughed as Lilac pulled him along the aisle, pointing out sweets and decorations for gingerbread houses.