(A/N: See end of chapter)

Artemis stared at Jarlaxle. He searched his face for… something, anything that would make sense. All he found in his "friend's" expression was earnest excitement and sincerity.

Artemis took a deep breath, placing his hands on his hips and looking down at the polished wooden floor, and then letting it out slowly. "If you think that I'm going to just accept this pleasantly and play house with you, of all people, with Drizzt while you somehow profit… Then I don't know what mind-altering substances you've been imbibing this time," Artemis said, struggling not to shout.

"I promise I haven't been on anything," Jarlaxle said. "At least not recently…" He added under his breath. Drizzt began to stir in Jarlaxle's arms, only to be hushed gently by him. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to lull Drizzt back to his peaceful slumber and his eyes start to flutter open. His eyes met Artemis's before he noticed his foreign surroundings, confusion settling on his young features.

"Hm. Looks like our little guest has woken earlier than I wanted." Upon hearing Jarlaxle's voice, Drizzt snapped out of his sleep induced confusion and began to struggle.

"Where am I?!" Drizzt asked angrily. Because of his kicking feet and flailing arms, Jarlaxle is forced to constantly shift his grip on the upset child. "Where is Catti-Brie? And my friends?"

"Now, now, don't worry about them. You'll see them in plenty of time. But right now, you have an important role to fulfill for me," Jarlaxle said, using a patronizing tone to try and placate Drizzt.

"Take me back. Now!" Drizzt yelled.

Jarlaxle looked to Artemis helplessly. "A little help here?" Artemis crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby wall.

"No. You can deal with him," Artemis said coldly. "I have been since you left."

Jarlaxle huffed lightly, but did not ask Artemis for help again. Drizzt continued to shout at him, occasionally falling into speaking Drow when Common couldn't adequately express his dismay. All of Jarlaxle's attempts at calming Drizzt failed, from patting his back to trying to speak to him gently. Just as Jarlaxle started to consider using magic to shut Drizzt up, he went quiet. It was abrupt and coincided with Drizzt going still.

"Drizzt?" Jarlaxle asked, looking down at him. What Jarlaxle saw was not surprising but also not expected so suddenly. Drizzt was biting his lip, tears forming at the corners of his eyes, his breath becoming shaky. His small hands fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

Before Jarlaxle could say anything, Artemis stepped forward, reaching for Drizzt to be handed to him.

"Give him here," he commanded. Jarlaxle obliged happily.

Once in Artemis's arms, Drizzt buried his face into Artemis's chest and sniffled quietly. Artemis rubbed his back and slowly rocked from side to side, glaring at Jarlaxle the entire time. Drizzt's sniffles slowly died down to quiet snores as he fell back asleep. Artemis brushed past Jarlaxle into the bedroom through the open doorway. Now that he was in the room, he could see that the bedroom was more of a suite. There were two beds with a small sitting area separating them. One bed was clearly Jarlaxle's as it was not only unmade, but the covers were also twisted every which way and halfway off. Artemis scrunched up his face at the sight. He turned away toward the other bed and laid Drizzt down, tucking him in. Drizzt relaxed, a stray tear or two leaking from his closed eyes. Artemis brushed the tears off Drizzt's cheeks before walking back to the main room where Jarlaxle sat reclining on a plush chaise. Artemis closed the door behind him.

"How long do you plan on using Drizzt?" Artemis asked neutrally.

Jarlaxle shrugged. "Not long. The two of you will be back to finding a way to restore Drizzt in no time."

Artemis nodded with an inscrutable expression. He knew that he wouldn't be able to stop Jarlaxle, and if he tried he would only end up with both Drizzt and Jarlaxle missing for an indefinite amount of time. The most he could do now is wait for either Jarlaxle to get bored, or for profits to run dry.

You just have to make things more complicated than they should be don't you Jarlaxle. Sometimes I think you do it just to test how far you can push me before I go insane. Artemis thought bitterly.

Drizzt awoke to the sound of muffled talking. He was in a big bed. The spot next to him was still warm, and he could tell that whoever was sleeping there had not gotten up too long ago. A quick glance around the dark room revealed that he was in yet another foreign location, but the similar color scheme and furniture told him that he was not far from where he awoke last time. His memories of the past night replayed in his head, and he felt anger and fear bubble up inside him again. Drizzt pushed his feelings away as best he could before slowly climbing down from the bed. He followed the sound of voices (Artemis, Jarlaxle, and a third unfamiliar person) to the only door in the room. The door was cracked and light streamed in. He peeked out, but from this angle he could only see Artemis. The conversation continued, and Drizzt could finally hear what they were discussing.

"So… you're certain that the effects are permanent? I don't want to pay for a faulty product," the unfamiliar voice said.

"Of course! And to assure you further, I have someone who used it here with me, albeit he used too much, but the point stands," Jarlaxle said from somewhere out of sight to Drizzt's left. "Artemis, why don't you go get Drizzt. He's slept enough."

Drizzt reeled back and rushed to the bed, but he couldn't climb back up. Behind him, he could hear the door open and suddenly he was being picked up. Artemis turned Drizzt to face him, and Drizzt noticed how tired Artemis looked. He was still in his nightclothes, his hair messy and his face unshaven, and subtle dark bags under his eyes. He looked more human than Drizzt had ever seen him before.

"'Treri-" Drizzt started only to be hushed.

"Just shut up and let me dress you in silence," Artemis said.

Drizzt didn't speak another word while Artemis manipulated his arms and legs into fresh clothing with care. Artemis took his time with the simple task. He straightened out a wrinkle here, he re-adjusted a crooked vest there, until Drizzt was dressed. Then, to Drizzt's surprise, Artemis brushed through Drizzt's hair with his fingers, moving the wild mane out of his large eyes and pulled back into a low ponytail. For such usually rough fingers they were so… tender. Drizzt relaxed into his touch, but Artemis pulled away. He scooped Drizzt into his arms and carried him out. However, Artemis stopped at the door. Drizzt looked up at him inquisitively.

"If you cry again, I'm just going to leave you to the mercy of Jarlaxle," Artemis threatened. "Got it?"

Drizzt nodded slowly after a moment, a warmth settling on his cheeks where a blush would be visible if his skin was not so dark. As soon as Artemis received confirmation from Drizzt, he strode into the main room. Drizzt could now see the owner of the unfamiliar voice: a harsh looking ancient man wearing wizard's robes. He had a deep-set frown dominating his features. Something about the man felt off to Drizzt, but he couldn't figure out what it was that felt off. Artemis plopped Drizzt down in front of the man before lounging next to Jarlaxle. Before Drizzt could react, the old man started to inspect Drizzt, and he could feel intrusive magic wash over him, causing him to shudder. Looming over him, Drizzt saw a perfect opening.

Whack!

Drizzt's head connected with the old man's face. Ignoring the dull ache on the crown of his head, Drizzt ran behind the man and pushed him, causing him to stumble forward. The magic that had invaded Drizzt's mind retreated instantly. He turned to run, but was grabbed from behind before he could make it two steps. The tight grip on him revealed the amount of trouble Drizzt was now in. Realizing that there wasn't much more he could do to get in even more trouble, Drizzt tried to pry the fingers holding onto him. His efforts at resistance were met with a swift smack to his rear-end and a growled-out sentence.

"Stop, or I'll make sure you can't sit for a week," said Artemis.

For the first time since the first few days of traveling with Artemis after being regressed, Drizzt felt legitimately in danger of harm from the assassin. Artemis dropped Drizzt onto a chair near the door leading to, what Drizzt assumed, the outer hallway.

"Don't move from there until I say you can," Artemis instructed Drizzt before turning back to Jarlaxle and the old man.

Drizzt glanced to the door right next to his seat.

I could reach the handle from here. If I could open it without them noticing… Drizzt allowed his thought to trail off. Then I would be alone in an area that I have no information about, and I could get killed. If I avoid getting killed, then I'll die anyway from not being able to take care of myself. Bitter and resigned, Drizzt sat still in the seat, looking down at his lap and fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

Drizzt barely noticed the old man leaving in a huff. Out of his hearing, Jarlaxle and Artemis argued quietly across the room. Drizzt couldn't hear what they were saying, nor did he care at that moment. Eventually they went silent and Jarlaxle approached. He crouched down to Drizzt's eye-level, his face unusually serious.

"Why did you hurt that nice man, Drizzt Daermon N'a'shezbaernon?" Jarlaxle asked quietly, lacing his voice with guilt-inducing tones. Drizzt flinched at the use of his full name. It had been a very long time since he had been called... that. He looked up at Jarlaxle, his eyebrows quirked and his mouth forming a small frown.

"How do you-?"

"Know your true name? I have my ways," Jarlaxle answered his unfinished question. "Don't try to change the subject." He repeated his question, and Drizzt flinched at the sound of his name again.

"He was using magic. I didn't like it," Drizzt said slowly, struggling to come up with the words he wanted to use.

"Was it hurting you?"

"… No."

"Then why did you hurt him?"

"I…" Drizzt's mind whirled. Why did he react so violently? He didn't like the feeling of invasion into his mind and-

Oh. So, that's it. The feeling reminded him too much of a probing illithid, even though that man was clearly not an illithid he must have used a spell to detect his thoughts.

Jarlaxle chuckled and shook his head. "You aren't even making this any fun," he said. "Can't you at least play some kind of word game with me? Or has your mind been too rattled by the water?"

His tone was mocking. Not only had he kidnapped Drizzt and shown him off to some weird old man, but now he was going to mock him as well? Drizzt glared at Jarlaxle, and Jarlaxle matched him with an even, if a bit amused, gaze, challenging him. Drizzt couldn't take it anymore.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Drizzt asked far too calmly. Jaraxle smiled.

"Doing what?"

"Why did you kidnap me? Why did you take me away from my friends, when I was finally close to turning back to my proper age?" Drizzt voice rose as he spoke, but he was not yet shouting. He stood on the seat of the chair. "You… you just can't leave people alone! Why can't you?!"

Jarlaxle sat back on his heels. He, seemingly, contemplated Drizzt's questions. Drizzt was now standing over him, and he felt that maybe he would get an honest answer. And he did.

"Because you can't stop me."

Drizzt deflated instantly, slowing slinking back into a sitting position, his knees pulled up to his chest. He couldn't deny it. He couldn't stop Jarlaxle, not like this. Hell, sometimes he wasn't even sure if he could face Jarlaxle as an adult. Jarlaxle stood and turned away.

"You can mope there until you're ready to behave like a good little boy," Jarlaxle said, twisting the knife of his words.

Artemis had the urge to roll his eyes but he pushed it away.

"Are you done messing with him now?" Artemis asked. "Honestly, you act like more of child than he ever has."

Jarlaxle shrugged at his friend. "Are you defending him, Artemis? Getting… attached?"

Artemis turned away without a word, disappearing into the bedroom. After a few minutes, Drizzt climbed down from the chair and followed him. The bedroom was empty, and the window was open. Drizzt sighed right before he realized something.

Why does he always run away when faced with emotions?

(A/N: Wow. It's been awhile… I honestly didn't think that I would come back to this story, but I recently received a surge of interest in my email. It encouraged me to want to come back and finish this out. I'm not going to do it halfway either; I'm going to take this story seriously (well, as seriously as I can while also not slacking on my classes and work) and I am going to go back through the other chapters and polish them up to the quality of writing that I am now capable of. I will try to update in some way monthly, depending on how much free time I have.

I believe all you readers deserve to have an explanation for my unannounced hiatus. There are two reasons: 1) I cross-posted this fic to deviantArt and I received a comment that made me feel like what I was writing was festish-y. That is not my intent. I just wanted to write a sweet little story about Drizzt and Artemis growing closer together through extraordinary circumstances. And 2) I got frustrated with the quality of the writing. I felt like this story was being horribly written and I didn't know what to do to improve, so I gave up.

Now, however, I have improved in writing so much and I want to give you a wonderful experience in this fic. There is not a lot of stories like this so I made one of my own, and I'm so happy that so many others like it too. Enjoy.

-Adrainea)