Alright! So, if you haven't read it on TBR2, then I will say it again.
Today is my 2 year Anniversary on Fanfiction! In honor of that, I am going to be updating multiple stories, including this and Xmas!
Hope everyone has a wonderful day!
"We need you to come down...Something's happened to Holly."
The words rang in Artemis' ears as he rode in the shuttle down to Haven. Foaly's voice was full of worry and hurt. The genius wrung his hands nervously as he awaited his arrival to Haven.
He was alone, which was unusual for the man, but had been asked of him. After 25 years, Artemis felt naked without Butler by his side. Especially if what happened to Holly is Opal or being kidnapped by any other villain out there that was trying to kill all of them.
It was a fair amount of time before the shuttle stopped and Artemis looked up from his thoughts.
Foaly was waiting outside the Haven shuttle port, looking more scared and paranoid that Artemis had ever seen him. "What's wrong with Holly?" Artemis asked, not even bothering to say hello as he walked up to the centaur.
Foaly sighed, shaking his head as he tapped a few times on the digi-pad in his hands. Once a workaholic, always one. "Come on." He muttered, turning around and starting to walk down the almost deserted streets. Artemis scrunched his brows in confusion, but followed him silently nonetheless.
"Holly had an assignment to detain some rogue goblins who had infiltrated an abandoned government building in southern England."
A lump formed in Artemis' throat, "Did they take her? Is that why I'm down here?"
The centaur shook his head and Artemis realized that Foaly hadn't looked in his eyes yet. Not once since he got to Haven. "No, she captured them successfully." He walked into a large white building to their left. When Artemis walked through the crystal clear sliding doors, the scent of rubbing alcohol and medicine became evident.
"Artemis…" Foaly sighed, looking at the ground as they walked through the hospital. "We knew that the goblins were there, but we thought they were hiding from the LEP. They weren't." His voice was soft, but full of concern and sadness. "The goblins had set up a chemical radioactive storage-for what we are still investigating."
"Where's Holly?" Artemis asked lowly, stopping in his tracks. The genius was confused and worried by what Foaly was telling him. "What are we doing here?"
"Calm down." Foaly insisted, whirling around to face the now-panicked Mud Man. He looked around the emergency room, the faces of fairies staring at the centaur and Mud Man. Sighing, he grabbed Artemis' arm and forced him to follow down the extremely bright hallway.
After a few twists and turn, the bright lights seemed to get dimmer and dimmer until the two were standing outside a hospital door in a solemn darkness.
"What the hell is going on, centaur?" Artemis demanded to know, his voice deep with uneasiness.
"Artemis, like I said, you need to calm down. I'm not going to allow you to see her if you don't." Foaly's voice was deceivingly calm as he spoke to the genius. However, Artemis knew something was up. His voice was just…Too calm. Nonetheless, he took a giant breath in order to suppress his sudden anxious feelings.
"Why are we here, Foaly, if we are here to see Holly?"
"That mission to the goblins on the surface. The chemicals…Gods, Artemis, I don't know how to tell you this." The centaur wrung his hands through his hair. "Holly got hit. It's just like a repeat with her mother."
Artemis stopped breathing, "What are you saying, Foaly? Is…Is she dead?"
Foaly shook his head sadly, "No. Not yet. But she will by daybreak. Artemis, the reason I asked you to come down here is because…Holly wanted to see you. She asked for you specifically. You need to be strong for her, because you are going to be the last person that she ever sees or talks to."
The Mastermind nodded, not trusting himself to speak. This didn't seem real, it felt like a dream. Holly was right through those doors, dying. And all she wanted was to see him.
The centaur clicked his tongue, "Alright, then." He stepped aside and clapped a hand on the Mud Man's back. "Be strong." Foaly reminded him, before leaving down the hallway again.
Artemis took a huge breath to collect himself before opening the door.
The room was dim, but not as dim as the dark hallway. It would have been, if not for the machines that whirred and beeped with screens and lights on them right beside the hospital bed. They were all connected to the elf on that bed. Holly looked terrible, her skin paler than Artemis had ever seen it, and even in her sleep, the Captain was shaking from the chemicals in her system. The sight of all the machines, pumping new blood, magic, and saline into the elf almost made Artemis sick with how many wires and nodes were on and in her.
Holly woke a moment after he walked in, groaning heavily. She was obviously in pain, and what fairy wouldn't be? Her magic was fighting her at the moment, eating her body away. Obviously, the doctors were trying to get more magic into her to counteract the radiation, but it was not working. Nothing seemed to be working.
"A-Artemis?" Holly's voice was weak as she spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah." Artemis breathed, walking up to her and kneeling beside her bed. He grasped her hand in his, "It's me. I'm right here. Foaly told me what happened."
Holly tried to sit herself up, but whether it was all the wires connected to her or because the pain she was in, it took a lot of effort for her to move. Artemis grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back onto the mattress. "Don't move, okay? I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere."
Artemis grabbed the bedside chair with his free hand and dragged it over to him. It was fairy-sized, but a night in pain and uncomfort didn't seem like anything if he had to go and leave Holly to find a human-sized chair. Either way, it was not as though he would be getting any sleep tonight.
But before he sat in the small chair, Holly tightened her grip on his hand. "No…" She started, "I…I want you to sleep here…With me."
"I am, Holly." He replied gently, stroking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm not leaving your side-"
"No! I mean…Here, in bed. It's probably more comfortable than the chair. I told them I wanted a bigger one. I-I want you to hold me, Arty."
Artemis sighed softly, "I cant do that, Holls. Not with all these wires."
"Please!" She started struggling weakly in her state, twisting and turning while lying down on the bed. "I hate these things! Why-Why cant I die in my house, in my own comfort! I'm dead anyway by morning, with or without all this junk on me!" She was sobbing by the end of it, over her breaking point. And to be honest, who would be?
Artemis was about ready to break down with her. "Alright." He breathed, "Okay, calm down. I'll take them out." One by one—even though he knew he shouldn't be doing it—the genius took off the IV's and everything on her body until there was nothing left. He also turned off all the machines, their noises stopping instantly.
"Thank you." Holly muttered as Artemis lay down beside her.
Artemis smiled and looked at her next to him; she tried her best to smile back, but was apparently a bit too weak. "Oh, Holly…" He murmured, wiping the tear-streaks on her cheeks away with his thumb, cupping her head with the rest of his hand. Artemis looked into her eyes, and he didn't know if it was the sadness of losing her, or the fact that he wanted to comfort her at the moment, but he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
Holly gasped, feeling his soft lips on hers. Her heart rate sped up, and she leaned forward as well, deepening the kiss. She clung onto him for dear life, which it felt so much like. Artemis groaned against her lips, feeling her kiss back. Gods, how he wanted her. With trembling hands, Holly started to unbutton the shirt beneath his suit jacket.
"W-Wait." He panted, leaning over her as the genius pulled apart. "Are you sure you are up for this? Holly, you might be too weak."
Holly nodded, "I'm sure, Artemis. I want this more than anything. I…" She looked away from him almost bashfully, "I love you."
Artemis smiled again, kissing her deeply. "I love you too." He replied against her lips.
"Well, it was about time you two said that!" A voice appeared on the side of the bed. Instantaneously, Artemis and Holly separated and looked over. "Honestly, I was getting a tad worried."
"Who are you?" Artemis asked, since Holly seemed like she couldn't catch her breath as she stared at the strange man with wide eyes.
He smiled a pearly white smile, his shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest and his golden hair combed to the side perfectly. "Holly knows."
"Artemis…" Holly acknowledged breathlessly. "This is my great-great-grandfather, Eros."
Eros gave a bow to them and another dashing smile. "God of love, at your service."
The Mastermind knitted his eyebrows together in thought, "Wait…Are you here to help Holly?" His eyes flashed with hope, and Artemis looked down at Holly to see hers flash with that as well. "Can you fix the poisoning?"
Eros gave a small, sad smile. "I can not undo what the radiation has done. However, I can make it so you live past this day…In love."
"What do you mean?" Holly questioned. At this point, she would take anything to live another day. Another day with Artemis.
The God sighed and walked up to the couple, "I talked it over with the Gods, my mother in particular. She talked to Hades, the God of Death, and they made an agreement."
"What agreement?" Holly and Artemis said together.
Eros chuckled softly, "I can guarantee Miss Short a plentiful life. However, she has to become human-" He raised his hand to silence the two as they opened their mouths. "And her life is going to be connected to yours, Mr. Fowl. When you pass, she will pass moments after."
Holly nodded. She knew what he meant. It was a great sacrifice, but it was a sacrifice for love. She would be with Artemis for all of his life, but his lifespan was a blink of an eye for her. That, and if she was human…She most likely would not be able to stay in Haven, instead living on the surface with Artemis."
"Holly." Artemis breathed, tucking her hair behind her ear to get her attention. They locked eyes. "It is your decision, and I don't want to influence you in it, so do not ask me to tell you what to do."
The elf nodded again, never breaking her eye-contact with him. "Artemis, I love you. Even if it was one more day and I would have to live as a troll, I would still say yes. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Eros grinned, "Alright then." He commented softly before snapping his fingers, "Good bye, Holly, Artemis." He disappeared from sight.
Golden sparks flew around Holly at the snap of his fingers. Enough for Artemis to have to shield
his eyes. When they died, Holly's feet were at the end of the bed, right next to Artemis'. She wasn't pale or trembling anymore. In fact, she felt great. She was human…But she felt wonderful.
"I love you, Arty." Holly wrapped her arms around Artemis and embraced him.
Artemis hugged her back, burying his head in her soft, red hair. He loved her so much, and couldn't believe he was so close to losing her. "As do I, Holly. So much, I don't believe you understand. So much…It's beyond human or fairy words."
CURRENT CONTEST!*ACTIVE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE*
You have all read this story, now let's see how much you really know The Biggest Rescue!
Two years ago: I joined FF. The first week, I wrote the first chapter of TBR. I was young, I was foolish. I did not know how to title shit!
Two years later: I am regretting the title. But alas, I can not think of anything! SO! I'm holding a contest for you guys to help me!
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Either in a review or a PM, tell what YOU think TBR should be renamed! You can post multiple titles! I will pick my favorite and then I will start the editing and rebuild of this FanFiction once TBR2 is done.
The winner will not only have the pride of naming this infamous story, but also one of my Cover Arts or Profile Pic! Plus, I will PM you the new plot for the third installment! (Unless you are a guest, then I can not help you unless you put an email in a review. And that is very dangerous.
Contest ends when TBR2 is completed! Good Luck, y'all!