Hello my lovelies! Here's another chapter. I like it, and I hope you do as well. I'm pushing myself to complete this story, I've got the outline for the rest of the tale down on paper, and I think you will all be happy with the final product.
I have to thank all of you for joining me on this crazy ride, it's been a lot of fun, and I love to read all of your reviews and messages. (Seriously, I write every day I get a review, it's kind of a fun obsession with feedback as the primary perk. Love it.)
So here's the next installment in the world of Arty and Holly. Hope y'all like it.
Artemis stretched his arms, looking for the person thought would be there (he ignored the fact that he was so used to finding her in his bed every morning). One quick reach across his 1000-count sheets told him that he was in the bed alone. He allowed himself a moment to frown, a rare indulgence. He knew his first thoughts should have been pointed toward why she wasn't there, where she could be, ect…but for a moment, he wanted to savor the idea that he missed her. He was actually a bit upset that she was not in her bed, where she should have been.
He looked down, smiling. Such a change she had created in him. He blamed her entirely, but not the kind of blame where one holds it against a person; more the kind of blame where you can't help but to thank them for the changes made that allow such blame.
He could have been mad, he could have been upset that he did not wake up to his world as it was expected to be; instead, he reminded himself the he was dealing with a huge inconstant, and that he loved her for her inconsistencies.
He rolled on his back, recalling the events of the previous night.
She had been so stunning in the costume he had helped design. He had never counted on his heart racing so much when he saw her. He knew that a good part of his reaction could be explained by the simple science of attraction- when he sees something that attracts him, his heart races, pulse rises, ect. He knew it could be attributed to simple science, but he had to admit that it might be, and probably was, more than that. He adored that little creature, no matter the form she took.
He admired her spirit, her spunk, stubbornness. He loved that she was loyal to a fault. He loved how awkward she was when she was complimented on anything other than her ability to captain a shuttle or shoot a gun…and how he loved to make her feel that particular kind of awkward. He loved to make her blush, make her squirm, make her just a bit uncomfortable with the level of attention she was receiving.
He had to admit it, he thought, as he lay on his back, spreading his arms out, accepting that he was the only one in the bed, he loved that little elf.
He wasn't sure how certain things would work out, physically, at least, or even environmentally. But he, Artemis Fowl II, was willing to put a bet in that somehow it would all work out.
He silently chided himself for his incredibly romantic notions. Three years ago, he would have thought himself too grounded to think of any situation in terms of romance…but then she got in his head…became a specimen he couldn't and would never want to explain. He still wasn't totally sure why this was, but he was past the point of asking questions.
He loved her, and he knew that. It wasn't some adolescent obsession, some silly addiction. He'd already attempted the generally accepted methods of aiding with those particular types of problems…nothing managed to stick. The only explanation that worked is that he really, truly, honestly cared for this person. And, even though it scared him witless (not that he'd say this aloud), he wanted it. He wanted her. No matter what it took. He wanted this small creature that could probably snap his neck in two seconds if she chose. He wanted this sometimes irrational being to be in his life.
He loved her, and he no longer cared who or what knew it.
With that final thought, and a small smile on his face, he sat up and headed for a shower. He would let her have her space. She would come back when she wanted to do so. She wouldn't be able to find any information that would damage the Plan, so it was just fine if she wanted to wander.
Her thoughts carried her to the Greenhouse room Arty and the twins had created. Holly drifted among the flowers, bushes, lilies and ponds. She took deep breaths in attempt to calm her racing mind. She found a little corner with soft light and what could have been a fairy-sized rock with moss growing on it. She curled up and sat, rocking slightly. She again rolled her neck and shoulder muscles, preparing for what she knew needed to happen next.
A few moments later, she pulled out a Com and dialed Foaly.
Belowground, Foaly debated acting surprised when Holly's name flashed across the plasma, but decided that she would probably see through it.
He blacked out the screens allowing the hallways to view in and pulled out a headset so he could hear her quietly.
He hit the button to accept the call.
Holly forced a weary grin as Foaly grabbed a carrot. He had kept a bucket around, expecting this conversation.
"Hey Holly," he whinnied, "How's the vacation with the Mudboy?"
The quip worked. Holly smiled, a real smile.
"I thought you'd know all about how it was going, since you have a back channel into all of Arty's surveillance."
He let out a horsey-laugh. He had missed Holly's wit. He tried not to think about the fact that he wouldn't get to hear her snide remarks as often if Arty's plan worked.
Holly, it seemed, was too gloomy to notice the momentary flash in his eyes. He had to be thankful for that. He also needed to find out why she was the least bit gloomy when she was supposed to be floating in happiness. He had his suspicions, but he wanted to have her confirm it.
They sat quietly for a moment, the only sound on the Com that of carrots flying down the centaur's gullet. He knew that Holly needed to be the first to engage this conversation.
"Foaly, I'm about to say something I haven't said or even thought since I was underwater in a crappy, luxury shuttle with the nitwitted Orion whispering Shakespeare and running into things." She took a shaky breath.
"I'm scared, Foaly. And it's not a kind of scared I know how to deal with. There is no enemy, there is nothing I can shoot or punch or arrest or smack with a baton. I'm scared and there is no clear out, no exit strategy. I mean, there could be, and I know there could be, but…" she trailed off, letting her thoughts run rampant.
"But what, Hols?" Foaly prompted.
"But I don't want out," she blurted, suddenly. Hearing herself say it, everything seemed clearer.
"I don't want out, Foaly," she repeated. "And that scares me even more." That part came out quiet, small, very unlike her.
Foaly took a deep breath and swallowed the remainder of his current carrot.
"You know, it's alright to be scared, Holly. A lot of things are going on, a lot of things are changing, including, I think, and don't chew my head off for this, you."
Holly's breath hitched audibly. She shook her head and looked into Foaly's eyes through the Com.
He took that as a sign to continue.
"You have been happy, Holly. You are happy up there, with Artemis. And when you aren't there, when you aren't around him, you aren't as happy. There is nothing wrong with that." Foaly held his breath, waiting for an elf-sized explosion.
Instead, he heard something he would have given every bar of gold for every patent in his arsenal to never hear again: Holly was crying.
"Holly…Holly, what's wrong?" Foaly was getting a bit panicked. He didn't like it when women cried. His wife used that fact against him occasionally, and it worked like a charm. This didn't bode well if Holly started asking questions he wasn't supposed to answer.
He got lucky, the answers Holly wanted right then were ones he could answer.
She took a breath, calming down.
"Am I betraying everyone? Root, Vinyaya, my parents? We are raised to hate humans; we are taught that they are the greatest enemy to The People. But here I am…" she paused, "caring for a human. I'm caring," she paused again, "maybe more than caring." She stopped, closed her eyes, and breathed.
Foaly gave up on the carrot.
"Holly…" he prompted, eyes wide open.
She shook her head, refusing to follow that line of thought right this moment.
"Am I betraying The People? Am I a monster?" she blurted quickly, almost yelling, eyes open wide. She knew she was shaking, she could see Foaly's face blurring slightly and knew it wasn't the connection.
The carrot hit the floor.
"Have you lost your little elfin mind?" Foaly snapped, totally forgetting that he had planned on listening and being careful with her. He was suddenly very concerned that she might need to get into Dr. Argon's electroshock therapy room, now.
"What?" she yelped. She wasn't expecting that response from her furry friend.
"Holly, do we need to come get you? If you have gone bonkers, we need to get you below ground, now."
Her mouth fell open in shock, which quickly got replaced with furious indignation.
"What are you talking about? How dare you accuse me of that? I'm sitting up here, freaking out because I think I might be betraying MY WORLD and you say I'm going crazy? How dare you, you little pony!"
"Oh good," he responded, suddenly much calmer, "there you are."
"There I, wait, what?" she snapped, not noticing that her free hand was digging into the moss below her.
"You sound like yourself again, so I'm hoping that means you aren't actually going crazy," he said bluntly.
"Buh," she spat out. She sat back, crinkling her face. She drew a breath and rubbed her eyes. Foaly grabbed another carrot while she got herself under some kind of control.
"What are you even talking about, donkey-boy?" she asked, feeling like a deflated balloon.
"Holly, listen to me," he said, waving the carrot at the screen, "I don't know if you've noticed, but you are a highly decorated hero to your People. You have negotiated multiple peace missions, stopped a megalomaniac from destroying the entire planet more than once, and stayed fiercely loyal to the people you respect and care about. How are you worried about being a traitor? You have a bigger fan club than I do down here, and that's saying something."
"Well, that's because you actually encourage people to join your little 'club,'" she cut in.
"That's true," he conceded, "but it also reflects my point. During the last public smearing of your name, the entire Police Station got creamed in the news. Little elves and pixies nearly raised arms in your support. There are young female fairies all over Haven who have posters of you on their walls. Classes on peacefully working with humans are popping up all over the Academies, using your mission tapes as evidence that such things are possible. The Council has even-" he stopped, before he said too much.
"The Council has approved something, you can't tell me what, but it's big and it involves Artemis and The People," she finished, quietly.
Knowing that lying to Holly would be a big mistake, Foaly agreed.
"Yes, that's exactly right." He paused, finished off the carrot he had been waving around his Lab, and continued. "Holly, the human race is off the list of 'natural enemies of The People' for the first time in centuries, and it's because of you. Think about that."
"I.." she breathed, "I didn't know most of that." The racing thoughts had been replaced with clouds, a change she wasn't sure she welcomed or resented.
"Of course you didn't," Foaly retorted. "You spend your life wanting to be better than the best, which is very difficult for you because YOU ARE THE BEST. You are the best operative the Force has seen in decades, including Root and Vinyaya. No one will tell you that because you'd never believe it, but it's true. You are decades younger than either of them were when they rose through the ranks, and everyone but you seems to know it. You can have anything you want, Hols. Anything. And no one below ground or above it can honestly call you anything less than an asset to The People, no matter what decisions you make."
She had stopped shaking. She was a good deal shocked. She had never thought of her actions, or the effects of her actions, in those terms.
From somewhere on the other side of the room, she heard someone, Artemis, calling for her.
"Foaly, I need to go," she said. She looked down to the Com screen and he saw the start of more tears, but a different type of tear than the ones she had been shedding earlier.
"Okay, Holly," he said. "I'm here when you need me."
She nodded, wiped her eyes and stood up, calling out to Artemis. She had some thinking to do.
Anyone surprised by the events? By the idea that Holly is a hero to her people, and that she never really realized it?
What do you think The Plan is/want it to be? What do you think the next Gift should be? I love the feedback!
Peace, Love and Dolphins,
BlueQueenBee