A/N: This is about as far as I've written, so there will be a bit of a wait for the next chapter for you guys, about a week or so, because there's a lot of schoolwork for me to do before Spring Break. I'll probably have time over break to work on chapters, though I don't know if I'll get on in that time. If I don't get on , I'll at least have the next couple of chapters written so you guys can have something while I bang my head against the wall from writer's block. I probably shouldn't make a big deal out of it, though.

This chapter was a lot of fun to write, so I hope you guys enjoy it!

I do not own any book series/TV series/ movies that may be incorporated/referenced/mentioned in this fanfic.

Chapter Nine

Annabeth

Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. I, for one, am here to help. Throwing that out there.

The voyage only lasted four days, which were, as it usually goes for us, graced with a monster attack or two. However, I'm going to use my turn at the mic to retell an encounter that, before now, I only told Holly. She gave me permission to let the rest of them know, because they witnessed the aftermath of this anyway. This wasn't the first sign, nor was it the last.

So here we go.

It was the afternoon of the second day, and Artemis had left Hermione and me to go through some of the pages that he'd gotten from a photocopy of the book that the boy from Storybrooke had been carrying with him. He'd highlighted it in different colors and Hermione and I were having a hard time deciphering his notes– mainly because half of them were in some code that neither of us knew. So I went to ask him for help.

I was about to knock on his door when I heard him talking. I stopped, deciding to wait for him to finish. Then I wondered who he was talking to. I couldn't hear anybody responding, so he must have been talking on a phone.

I didn't try to listen! I swear it wasn't on purpose. But I was standing right there.

"– it's nothing to worry about, Mother, really," he was saying. "They just want me to stay overnight for a few days… What do you think I'm doing all, day, describing what effect different inkblots have on my mind?" he laughed awkwardly. "I'll be fine, Mother. I'll see you all soon… Tell Myles I'll be able to help him with his experiments when I get back. Goodbye, Mother."

I took that to be the end of the conversation and knocked. "Uh, Artemis?"

He opened the door. "Yes?"

"Hey, we need some help with your notes," I said.

"Ah, of course," he said.

"Was, uh," I felt like I was prying, but I just had to know. "Was that you mom?"

"Yes," he answered curtly.

"Ah," I said. "Does she... Is, uh..." It was very rare that I was at a loss for words.

"She has no idea where I really am, if that's what you mean," he confided, "I didn't want her to worry."

"Oh," I said. Then, "where does she think you are?"

"That is for me to know and for you to not concern yourself with," his expression was challenging, which was a little new to me, especially from a boy younger than me. He was, what, fourteen? Fifteen? I was a whole three or four years older at least. Usually younger kids would respect a daughter of the wisdom goddess- at least, the demigod kids did. But Artemis looked me strait in the eyes, as if daring me to question him. That I didn't like.

"If you say so," I replied. Then, to change the subject, I asked, "How do you get bars on here?"

"I built my own satellite a while back," he explained.

"Oh," I said awkwardly. Of course he built his own satellite. Highest IQ of any mortal I knew of.

"You needed my help?" He pressed.

"Oh, yeah." We walked back to the conference room in a bristling silence.

It wasn't until later that night, when I was lying in bed awake thinking, that I put two and two together.

They just want me to stay overnight for a few days, he had said. What do you think I'm doing all, day, describing what effect different inkblots have on my mind?

Artemis's mom thought he was in therapy.

Apparently she thought he needed it, or she wouldn't buy that excuse. I supposed that maybe she didn't know that the faeries actually existed and thought her son was nuts. I'd heard of that happening to mortals who could see through the Mist. But I would've thought someone as intelligent as Artemis Fowl wouldn't say something to make his mother believe he was crazy, not accidentally. Not that he would do it on purpose; what would that accomplish?

I shuddered as the thought came to me, we're placing our lives in the hands of someone who is most likely certifiably insane.

Response to Reviews

ManfredsAwesomeAdmin

"Totally agree about Hans, but I still ship them for some strange reason."

Hehe. Yeah, I can see where you're coming from.

"Ehehehee, Pan would be another interesting element to the story..."

Oh, he'll be in this. Probably.

chocykitty

"...I feel bad giving you this spiel, but canon trumps all (in my opinion), and Nico being 'gay' is canon."

Actually, thank you for the spiel. I find that when I understand something, I can respect it better, and that helped. Still not going to write that into my fics, but now I understand and can respect your opinion and Riordain's decision.