Sorry for the uber-long wait for this chapter. I was preoccupied with a few other fandoms. This story's so old… seriously, read my newer stuff.
Holly told Artemis about the third and final warning. She also timidly reported that Myles and Beckett were both prisoners.
"It must have been a trick," Artemis said firmly, though his eyes looked worried.
"I checked with the special video feed processor Foaly gave me (SVFP for short)," Holly told Artemis heavily. The human looked heartbroken.
"We'll make a deal with their captor, we must work something out," Artemis growled. If we can contact him, I can trace the link and find my brothers."
"Artemis," Holly said, breathing a bit faster than normal, "wouldn't it be easier if I… gave in?"
Artemis simply stared at her.
"I mean, I could fight my way out, and it's me this guy really wants, not your siblings," Holly continued.
"Holly, be reasonable," Artemis said, half laughing out of frustration. "We've gone all this way, if you gave up now, it would be a complete and total waste! This man seems smarter than, say, Spiro, and a lot nastier."
"Artemis, I'm putting all of you in danger!" Holly snapped. "It's breaking my heart to watch Juliet cower in Fowl Manor, or to see your little brothers cry at the mercy of a maniac!"
"If you haven't noticed, Holly, I care about you as much as Juliet or my immediate family!" Artemis snapped back. "And I will not let you give up, I will not let this man win!"
Holly was flooded with conflicting emotions, and made her decision. It was time, and she knew it.
"Artemis, we've been friends for a while now," Holly said awkwardly. Artemis paid no attention.
"Yes, Holly, thank you for pointing out the obscenely obvious," he said sarcastically, packing furiously.
"Yes, well," Holly plowed on, "This guy is like no other villain we've faced before. He will obviously find me, and I don't really know how much longer I have…"
"Oh, stop being so dramatic, we'll defeat this man like we've defeated all other villains," Artemis said dismissively. Holly was finding this harder than she thought it would be.
"Artemis…"
Holly broke off as Artemis looked up, an eyebrow cocked in interest.
"Yes?" he said, kinder. "What is it, Holly?"
Holly got on her knees so she was face to face with Artemis. The boy had been such a part of her life, it was like they were connected at the hip.
"D-do you ever think of us as… more than friends?" Holly stuttered, losing composure and wishing she could disappear. Which, technically, she could, but shielding would be rude.
"Yes, of course," Artemis said, his face impassive. Holly's heart leapt, until Artemis added, "I think traveling through time and space has bonded us so that we are more than friends, more like partners."
"Yes," Holly said uncomfortably, "but…" She looked into Artemis's mismatched eyes, seeing a part of herself in the boy. He was off limits, forbidden, a different species, not to mention younger, but fate had joined the two. His eyes stared back into hers, showing emotion for once.
"Don't you remember when we traveled to the past?" Holly blurted. Artemis nodded. "And when you were almost killed by that gorilla?"
Artemis looked scared. "Where are you going with this?"
"I healed you, and…" Both knew what happened next.
"Of course I remember," Artemis whispered. "How could I forget?"
Holly must have taken this the entirely wrong way, for she did something she would never have usually done; caught in a storm of bursting emotions, Holly leaned forward and kissed Artemis full on the mouth.
The kiss lasted minutes. Neither broke it; it was too incredible. The romance was forbidden and wrong, but it felt so right to be breaking these laws. Holly's mind was flitting through years of memories. She remembered standing atop a hill, presenting Artemis with a golden coin, a bullet hole in its center; watching Artemis being mind-wiped; defeating Opal Koboi; dying in Hybras, calling Artemis's name; and, of course, their latest kiss.
Artemis broke the embrace, pulling away from Holly as though she was diseased.
"What are you doing?" he shouted. Holly was taken aback.
"I thought…"
"You thought wrong, Holly Short!" Artemis snapped. "I thought you kissed me because of the teenage hormones! You told me we would start over!"
"Artemis, I…" was all Holly could stammer.
"Holly, you know I care about you, but we are friends, colleagues!" Artemis muttered, running a hand through his hair. "This is forbidden, this is wrong."
"Artemis, I may not have very long, even if it is forbidden…" Holly began, but Artemis held up a hand.
"Holly, you seem to be under the impression I feel differently about you than I actually do," Artemis said, his voice hard. "As painful as it is to tell you this, I have never felt that way about you, and doubt I ever will."
Holly looked around, begging the gods this was a hallucination. She could not believe the fates would be so cruel as to let her humiliate herself like this.
Artemis seemed to read her mind. "No hallucination this time, Holly," Artemis said quietly. "Face reality."
"We better get some sleep, we can move out tomorrow," Artemis finished, turning his back on the shattered elf. "And, Holly? Try to control yourself, for both of us."
Once Artemis was asleep, Holly staggered as far away from the tent as possible, heaving great sobs. She was humiliated, she was heartbroken, and she had probably lost her best friend forever.
Holly didn't understand it. All that time, even when they had been at the stream… she had been sure Artemis felt the same way about her. It took years for her to realize how she felt about the human, and just hours ago, Holly had acted like a lovestruck child. She felt stupid.
Holly curled upon the hill, crying. Artemis, she realized, was involved in every aspect of her life. Work, social, etc. For some reason, her small crush on Artemis had grown over the past few days; she didn't know if it was just her emotions or if the golden chain was now affecting her heart.
Holly felt a terrible wave of emotion wash over her. Artemis would never take her seriously again, but now that she thought about it, he never really did. Sure, she wasn't a genius, but she wasn't an idiot.
How would she ever talk to Artemis again? How would she ever look at him? For some reason, at that moment, he was her reason to keep living. But she had never felt this strongly about him before; she had never needed him so.
Holly held up her left arm; sure enough, the golden chain had snaked out of her enchanted wound and was curling itself around her shoulder and neck. Holly couldn't fight it; it was impossible.
A voice was whispering in her ear; to her astonishment, Holly realized it was her own voice, yet twisted and cruel.
"Artemis Fowl," the voice hissed. "The thin, vampire-like genius boy who captured both you and your heart so many years ago. Why does he mean so much to you, eh? What about the Fowl boy catches your attention so?"
A flash of blinding, conflicting memories began playing before Holly's eyes. Her eyes watered, both from the bright lights and from the sadness and hopelessness overcoming her.
"A match made in heaven," the voice mocked. "He was always the hero, you always the sidekick. It worked, did it not? Artemis gets the spotlight, and what do you get?"
Holly climbed to her feet, clearing her eyes. Standing before her was an exact copy of herself. Everything about this 'Holly' was identical to her own features, except the copy's expression. It was cold and cruel, merciless and pitiless. Though this Holly's hair shone like the moon, and seemed far more beautiful to Holly.
"You have really let yourself go," The fake Holly whispered. "Look at yourself."
And a mirror appeared from nowhere, showing Holly's disheveled features.
"It doesn't have to be this way," the clone whispered. "Come with me, and it will all end. I shall make it end. And Artemis will mourn you, and wish he had you back."
"I'm not a selfish brat," The true Holly spat, though her contemptuous voice sounded less intimidating then normal. Her clone stepped towards her.
"Artemis shall never love you. You knew that from the start, didn't you? Even now, he dreams of Minerva, the smart, pretty human who caught his eye all those years ago."
The clone twisted her slender fingers, and a projection appeared before the two. It was Artemis, sleeping in his cot. A thought bubble, looking comical and cartoon-like, popped from Artemis's head. A dream began to play in the bubble; Artemis and Minerva, in a candlelit room, kissing as Artemis and Holly had never kissed before. His hand was at her back, her hands in his hair. Holly cried out, her fist traveling through the projection, distorting Minerva's pretty features.
"What will you be to the boy if you go back now?" the clone said softly. "Why don't we see?"
A new projection appeared. It showed Holly at the door of Fowl Manor, ringing the bell repeatedly. Artemis appeared at the door, an arm around Minerva, the pair laughing.
"Oh, it's you," Artemis said, sounding disappointed. "Well, don't just stand there!" he hissed. "The neighbors will see you!"
And Holly felt her stomach drop as Artemis led her inside, knowing the human was both embarrassed at and disappointed in the elf.
The projection dissolved, leaving the two Hollys staring at each other in the cold, crisp air.
"You could turn into that," the clone said thoughtfully, "Or you could be like me."
Trouble Kelp appeared next to the fake Holly, and immediately wrapped his arms around her. "Come now, Holly," he spoke to the real Holly, "don't be stupid."
Holly watched as the two terrible copies embraced, their love strong but selfish, only wanting an equally attractive and powerful lover. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. The chain snaked round her neck, addling her brain.
"Leave him, and this is your future," a small voice said in her ear. A movie seemed to play in Holly's mind, showing the elf as Commander of the LEP, married to Trouble, and looking incredible. Artemis Fowl was a nobody to The People, who cared only for Holly. Fifteen minutes of these scenes later, Holly was dazed and very suggestible.
"Come," a voice whispered, and Holly, still very punch drunk and thinking of nothing but Artemis Fowl's flaws, took her copy's hand and disappeared from the night. The hand squeezed hers tightly, the nails cutting Holly's palm, bringing her to a place of no escape.