Title: A Christmas Incident
Author: Annie-morphs
Rating: K/PG
Genre(s): General/Romance
Summary: Holly, Root, Mulch, Foaly, and Trouble are all going to spend their Christmas week with Artemis Fowl and the Butler siblings. Who knows what will come from intertwining the People with Mud Men during the holiday?
Warning(s): There may be OOC ahead, please beware of this. Also, there may be cheesiness here and there.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Eoin Colfer.
Notes: We have reached the last chapter of "A Christmas Incident". I hope you'll enjoy this last chapter, and I'd like to thank you for lasting to the very end of my story
Chapter Summary: Everything knits together in this chapter. Holly finds out what her CD gift is and Artemis checks out the mysterious program. What happens after that? And I bet everyone is agreeing to the chapter title. :PP
A Christmas Incident
Chapter 21: Finally!
Previously:
...Foaly answered, far too calmly, "It's just the morphing tablet. In a little while, she'll be fine and human."...
...Juliet sighed. "I was afraid I'd have to resort to this." She pulled out a thick rope from her pocket...
...Artemis scowled as he shuffled through his options. "I would prefer not to, but it would seem that I have no choice. Juliet will surely use the attack she used on Holly on me if I were to appear as I do now." Artemis took a deep breath. He would do a favor for Holly. To suffer along with her. He swallowed his pride and stretched out a pale hand. "Hand me the costume, Butler."...
..."So it was you." Artemis concluded. He took out the message Holly that had left for him under the Christmas tree...
...And the fairies were off.
The Lower Elements
Holly's Apartment
By the time she reached home, Holly was exhausted from her Christmas day. It was not like any other day she had. Opening presents, resisting to wear that awful Santa Girl suit and being tricked into consuming a morphing tablet.
So now, she dropped off her presents at the side of her bed and dozed off.
Fowl Manor
The Next Day
Awake and with breakfast eaten, Artemis strolled up to his room and settled in front of his computer. Time to figure out how to open that mysterious program.
He stretched out his fingers and typed away.
Holly's Apartment
Meanwhile, Holly was on her computer. Well rested, she had just remembered the CD gift she was given. She wondered what it contained and who it was from.
Popping the CD into her computer, she anticipated what was soon to come.
A file opened and Holly double-clicked on it.
A homemade movie started. Large letters crossed the screen:
...Arty & Holly Moments...
For a moment, Holly stared in disbelief as the words slid across her screen. Then she shrieked into the empty room. "FOALY!!"
Naturally, the movie continued on as Holly fumed. The first image was the mistletoe photo. Immediately, Holly grew red. Her lips and his were pressed together and the photo was taken at the perfect moment. Foaly did this to taunt her, she just knew it.
Then the image was replaced by a moving recording.
Snowy white background, snow chunks flying everywhere. Except for one spot. Holly and Artemis. She was practically on top of him, arm frozen and outstretched to reach for his ice cream scooper. They were staring at each other, breath puffs nearly touching.
And then were was the sunset moment. Occasionally there was a split second of a blink before it returned back to the two figures seated close under the picturesque colors.
As the video continued, Holly was shocked to find that even the bed-comforting incident was captured. Also, between scenes, the centuar couldn't seem to be able to resist putting in comments such as "How cute" or "Whoo, I bet you loved his hands on your hips". Those words just ruined the moment.
Foaly had even caught moments of argument among the two. There was the scene in the limo, in which they were coming back from the mall on the day Holly had been bothered by the boys. Holly guessed that the centaur somehow got Trouble to wear an iris cam for him. The centaur had even displayed the snowman making section of their stay. And she had thought Foaly had been busy with his own snowball. That sneaky little donkey.
But there were also certain scenes that got Holly's heart fluttering. Such as Holly and Artemis's blanket sharing and their moments in the library. She couldn't believe the way she had felt when his arm was around her.
The movie ended a little while later, leaving Holly with mixed feelings. Annoyance for the spying pony, longing for the Mud Boy, embarrassment for being caught in such scenes, and so many more.
The credits flicked across the screen, images of Holly and Artemis in the background. The pictures were mainly frozen moments. Close ups on smiles, adorable ones, and even delicate ones such as eye contact.
Foaly's credits mainly read:
Moments of: Holly Short & Artemis Fowl the Second
Recording: Foaly the Brilliant
Editting: Foaly the Inventor
Words: Foaly the Genius
Timing: Foaly the Master
You get the point. Holly was just about to close the video when suddenly a window popped up. On its bottom right hand corner, it read "LiveCord". It was a recording of Fowl Manor. Artemis's Room.
He was sitting on his bed, fingers to his lips, and he murmured four silent words.
Fowl Manor
Artemis's Room
While Holly was watching the 'Holly and Arty Moments', Artemis had figured out how to open the unknown program.
Currently, he could tell so far that the program was a viewing system. He pressed the fast forward button. It was around the time where they were decorating the tree.
Then suddenly about eight windows hopped onto the screen, each displaying a different room. His own, the guest rooms, and the Butlers' rooms. He inferred that the cameras were motion activated.
The images skipped around while everyone got ready for bed. Then everything was still as they laid asleep.
Except for Holly. Still fast forwarding, Artemis reviewed the scenes in which he went into her room to comfort her. Then the part where they fell asleep in each other arms. Artemis admitted to himself that it had been comfortable.
He watched the clock beside the bed tick before he saw Holly shuffled out of his arms. Artemis pushed the stop button then played everything regularly when he realized Holly was watching him sleep.
Then...then she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.
Artemis sat there, wide eyed. The recording kept on playing, displaying Holly walking out of the room quietly.
Artemis unconsciously brought his fingers to his lips. He was stunned.
The boy had distinctively remembered a peculiar feeling on his lips when he woke up that morning. But he had just dismissed it for morning awakenings.
Artemis gulped, backed away from his seat and stumbled to his bed. Still daze, he trailed his fingers along his lips.
Now he could remember the feel of her lips on his. He had been sleeping back then, but there was definitely something.
Slowly he reminisced on all the other moments he had with her. Close contact had always made his heart hammer, and he enjoyed it when she smiled. Even though he never showed it openly.
Quietly, so that even he could hardly hear it, he whispered four words he never thought he would say.
"Holly...I love you."
Holly's Apartment
Holly sat frozen in her seat not realizing that she was gripping the sides of her chair until her knuckles turned white. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.
She pressed the rewind button and played it over and over again. Foaly's bugs were whisper sensitive, and she knew there was no mistaking it. Artemis had said it for real.
Sure it was to an empty room, but Holly knew there was no time to waste.
Holly dashed out the door and headed for the Police Plaza. Blasting through the crowd, she flew past everyone and went to the Operations Booth. The double pneumatic doors hardly had time to open before she charged through.
Breathless, she panted, "Foaly. Pod. Wings. Now. Please."
The centaur grinned the largest grin possible. "I had a feeling you'd come. It's all ready for you."
Holly headed for the chutes without another word.
Fowl Manor
After several moments of calming himself down, Artemis went back to the screen.
He needed to check something. Fast forwarding all the way to the night before Christmas, he skimmed through everything. Then he reached the part in which Holly went into his room, nervous and stammering.
Now it all made sense. He couldn't believe he hadn't realized it the moment she started fumbling for words. Artemis Fowl the Second was clueless about love.
The recording skidded forward to the moment where Holly got out of bed for the second time that night.
Artemis then played the video regularly. He watched Holly sneak her present upstairs, unwrap it, and replace it with a card.
He gripped the card that sat in his pocket. He still kept it close to him. Earlier he hadn't figured why he did, but now he knew it was because it was from her.
Artemis watched as Holly crept down the hall, finding a hiding spot for the present she had hidden from him.
As soon as he saw where it was hidden, he got out of his room and ventured out into the hallway.
She had concealed it under the frame in which his portrait was.
Now that he looked closer, he noticed that his frame looked as if something were underneath it.
He took his portrait from the wall and placed it on the ground. Underneath his portrait, there was indeed something.
The Lower Elements
Polic Plaza
Operations Booth
Foaly nibbled eagerly on his carrot as his eyes stayed glued to the screen. "Oh, this is great! So much better than soap operas! This is live."
The centaur was happy. Technically he had won the bet. Artemis and Holly had gotten together after Christmas. Which meant that the couple was together, and Diggums owed him five cartons of carrot juice. Life couldn't get better.
Fowl Manor
Artemis stared at the picture framed in a fancy golden frame. This was the present Holly had wanted to give him.
The photo was of the group picture they had taken with the snowman, but it was the frame that caught his attention.
Had he been younger, Artemis would have been thrilled to find that it was golden, but that was not what he was looking at right now.
Right now, he was studying the words engraved in the frame.
Going along the top "Be human".
Holly wanted him to be a warm person, not a cold robot.
Going down the right side. "Smile, have fun".
The meaning for that was obvious. Artemis remembered the numerous of times Holly had told him to have fun and to smile warmly. There had been the moment when they were making their ornaments. She had smiled and said "Nothing. I was just thinking that maybe you should smile like that more often."
Going down the left "Remember you are not alone. You have us".
That phrase was so true. There were many times where they had been there for him. In the Artic, he wouldn't have gotten his father back had it not been for his fairy companions. And during this Christmas, he knew it was the most company he ever had during a holiday. He had Holly and her friends to thank for that.
And finally, the bottom line. "WE love you".
Artemis could clearly see that the 'W' was unprofessional. He figured it had been carved by Holly. Along with the 'W' was the middle horizontal line of the 'E'. He could tell that Holly had tried in vain to hide the original 'I'.
I love you.
That had been her message.
Fowl Manor
Outside
Foaly was generous enough to have given Holly Hummingbird wings. Despite that, Holly had no time to enjoy the easy, silent flying. She hovered around Fowl Manor, desperate to find a way in. Now that she knew how he felt for sure, she had to tell him that she felt the same way.
She had checked Artemis's room first. The window was closed shut and he wasn't inside. Did he have to chose, of all times, to leave?
Butler was in the library, reading.
Juliet was in the living room with the T.V. blaring a wrestling match.
Holly hadn't found Artemis yet. "Where is he?"
She flew along the perimeter of the manor. Then she found him. In the hallway. Staring at the wall. At her frame that had been discovered.
Holly eyes flew wide. She panicked for a moment. He found it...he knew.
The next things happened in the blink of an eye. Artemis dashed to his bedroom.
Artemis's Room
Artemis blew through his door, rushed to his windows and threw them open. Immediately, Holly flew in and unshielded.
Not sparing a moment, she shut off her wings and pressed her lips to his. She was seated on the window – it was the only way she could reach his lips.
There was a dreadful moment where Artemis didn't react. Holly had a painful doubt cross her mind.
Then he responded. He brushed his lips carefully against her's, enjoying the feeling. He didn't care that the cold wind was blowing in. He didn't care that snow was settling on his wooden floor.
All he cared about was making the moment last. Artemis memorized the feel and the warmth of her lips. He moved gently, exploring, sharing.
Everything was clear to him now.
Holly felt a burst of emotions. She finally did it. She was kissing him and he was returning it. She felt light headed, but she didn't want it to end. And she could tell that he didn't want it to either.
But sooner or later they had to take a breath.
When they did, they kept their foreheads touching. Their cheeks were flushed, the tips of their noses brushed, and they gazed into each others eyes.
Holly confessed. "I love you, Artemis."
Artemis allowed a small, warm smile. "I know." And he pressed his lips to her's once more.
Christmas had always been a magical day for him. It was the day he had gotten his mother back. And he had been in the snow when his father was rescued. And Christmas Eve was the day he had kidnapped the one he was now sharing his love with.
It was the day he met Holly.
Everyone had been right about them. This was destiny. And Holly and Artemis were glad about how it worked out.
Author's Note: Haaaa...okay, that was WAY cheesey! But I hoped you guys liked it, and I hoped I didn't ruin the ending or anything. I have another fan art available on my profile. It's labeled as a spoiler for this fic, but considering you guys are already at the end Author's Note, you can check it out :P lol. Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, alerts, and favorites to my fanfic and to me! It means a lot to me, considering you guys stuck around for sooo many weeks! And all the wonderful reviews I got, encouraging me to update soon. I'll miss them, but I'm currently working on another fanfic. It's a Valentine's one. I know I have a very strange habit of writing out of season. Ha...but this Valentine's fic might not be posted until very late, 'cause I'm still working on the plot. Anyway, here's the list of my lovely, faithful reviewers!
JaBoyYa
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Holly Marie Fowl
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holiday55Artemis Fowl ll
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