Chapter 34: The gentle words of a mother

Author's note: Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Artemis Fowl.

Holly moaned quietly, shifting on the soft mattress. She suddenly realised that she was above ground in one of Fowl manor's guest rooms. She heard someone's quiet breathing. She abruptly opened her eyes, blinking in surprise when she saw Artemis lying next to her, curled up into a ball. The room was partially lit thanks to the light creeping out of the corners of the closed curtains. His chest rose gently up and down. Holly stared at his face. His mouth was slightly open, revealing the top row his front teeth. His eyes were fluttering beneath their lids.

She couldn't believe how open he was becoming with her. She thought about the days before, ever since they had kissed. He had been acting so differently, and as of late, it had become substantially more obvious. The way he looked at her with so much passion, his body language around her, the way he hugged her, was so impossibly affectionate. Artemis's eyebrows suddenly pulled together, his body becoming stiff. His lips quivered, and his hands tightened around his knees.

"Arty?" Holly murmured worriedly, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder.

His frown deepened, and a shaky breath escaped his mouth. "Holly," he mumbled almost indiscernibly, his voice pained.

Holly leaned, putting her lips to his ear. "Artemis, wake up," she whispered against it.

She felt his body pause and then relax, and she leaned back to see his gentle blue eyes looking at her, a slight hint of nervousness in them.

Holly smiled, shaking her head in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" she asked quietly, sitting up slowly. Artemis blinked, sitting up with her. He looked at his hands on his lap. His midnight hair was dishevelled, swaying forward over his hung head.

"Well-I just … I came t-to see you … because I couldn't … sleep," he stuttered, feeling his heart hammering in his chest, feeling Holly's eyes on him. He concentrated on keeping his breaths even.

"What did you dream about just then," Holly asked worriedly, her voice gentle.

Artemis hesitated, feeling Holly's finger hook under his chin, pulling his head up. She moved forward snuggling into his lap, laying her cheek on his shoulder. Artemis's eyes widened in surprise, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"About … It's nothing, Holly."

Holly frowned, leaning forward to kiss his jaw, right under his ear. She felt his breath hitch before continuing again, although slightly faster. "It's not nothing, Arty," she murmured, stroking his pale, exposed collarbone with the fingers of her left hand. Artemis looked at her, his hand coming to rest on her right cheek. He had a resigned look in his eyes, and Holly knew that she had won.

"About … losing you," he admitted quietly, unable to tear his eyes from hers. "About my parents hating me …" His hand fell back to his chest.

Holly's hand paused, before moving to his cheek. She smiled sadly. "You silly boy, Fowl," she whispered gently, her voice fond as she stroked his right cheek. Artemis smiled shyly, a rosy red colour touching his cheeks. He looked down in between them. "Your parents love you so much, don't you know that?"

Artemis nodded slowly. "I know …" he whispered. He paused, looking up again, his eyes worried.

"Tell me what was bothering you last night," he pleaded.

Holly looked down and then hesitated before looking up again, removing her hand from his cheek. Artemis frowned. "It's just … I thought about the alters …" Artemis nodded, his eyes calm. Holly sighed. "Artemis, I love you … don't get me wrong … I guess I just … miss them a bit. But they're part of you, so technically I shouldn't—"

Artemis suddenly chuckled, leaning in so that their noses were touching. He smirked. "Is that all?" he asked, cupping her cheeks softly. Holly blushed, averting her eyes. "You're the silly one," Artemis murmured, his breath touching Holly's lips. He hesitantly closed the gap between their lips, slowly moving his against hers. Holly grinned against his lips, making him pout.

"Am I that terrible a kisser?" he mumbled against her lips.

"Shh!" Holly hissed under her breath. "I thought you were good at keeping secrets."

"Am I, Holly?" he asked, Holly feeling his eyebrows rise against hers.

"Well," she giggled. "You could use some practice."

"Perfect," Artemis whispered huskily. It took Holly a while to realize what he meant, but the thought was blown away as his lips came back to hers, and his hands tangled through her hair, tugging at it softly. Holly grabbed his collar, clutching at the material tightly, letting him kiss her instead of the other way around. Artemis poured all of his emotion through his gentle lips, kissing her softly but passionately. Their lips broke apart when they heard footsteps in the hall.

They stayed silent as the sound echoed off. Artemis sighed, pulling Holly off the bed with him. He kneeled down so that they were eye level, holding both of Holly's hands in his. Holly frowned at his serious expression.

"Holly," he said calmly. "I want to tell them. I'm going to tell them."

Holly nodded slowly, feeling her eyes glass over. Artemis froze.

"Hey, what's the matter?" he asked worriedly, pulling her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Holly took a deep breath, breathing in his ever so familiar scent.

"Come on, Holly, tell me," he murmured.

"Artemis, I love you," she whispered.

"… I love you too," he replied, shocked by her sudden burst of emotion.

Angeline sat at the table with her husband and Butler. Juliet and the twins were outside, playing around in the massive garden.

"Were they acting like this in the clinic?" Artemis senior asked quietly, his elbows propped up on the table.

Butler sighed. "Not at the start, but they started acting quite close later, I noticed." He looked between Angeline and Artemis senior, his eyes nervous. Angeline looked down, her eyes sad.

"Arty," Holly whispered as they walked downstairs.

"Yes?" he asked gently, his hand resting on her shoulder as they walked.

"… Nothing," she said, looking back ahead as they walked down the hall.

Artemis thought about asking again, but as soon as he heard the sounds of hushed voices from the kitchen, paused, the hand holding Holly by the shoulder tightening, keeping her in place. She looked back at him, her eyes gentle

"Artemis," she mouthed, "Come on."

Artemis being Artemis shook his head, looking at her in a way that silently said, "I'm not going to listen to you."

Holly raised an eyebrow, shrugging his hand off. He frowned at her in confusion.

"They can't be together," the quiet voice of Artemis senior said, making Artemis eyes widen and shoot to the wall of the hall that the room was behind. "How old is Holly, and how long will she live? It's impossible. My son will die before she comes close to the same fate."

"Artemis!" Angeline hissed quietly. Artemis knew that his mother only called his father by his real name when she was really angry.

"But it's true, is it not?" Artemis senior snapped.

Silence.

Artemis looked back to Holly, his eyes sad but determined. Holly started to shake her head. Artemis leant over and grabbed her face, looking firmly into her eyes. His deep blue eyes shone with emotions. He leaned in, pressing his lips to her ear. "Why won't you even try?" he whispered under his breath. "Please," he breathed. She nodded slowly, placing a hand on his chest. He looked at it, grasping it in his own.

"Mum, Dad, Butler," Artemis's voice sounded from the archway. Everyone at the table flinched, looking towards him and Holly.

Angeline sighed. "You heard," she said simply, seeing the hurt look in Artemis's eyes that he was trying so desperately to hide. Artemis blinked in surprise. Holly just stared at the ground in front of them, unable to meet their eyes.

"Yes," Artemis said, his voice calm, despite the anger he felt

"And you love her, darling," Angeline murmured, ignoring the shocked looks she got from Butler and Artemis senior.

Artemis nodded curtly. "Yes," he replied quietly.

"Artemis, you're different species," Artemis senior said, his eyes wide.

"I am aware, fath-dad," Artemis said firmly, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

Butler knew how upset Artemis was in inside, as well as Angeline, them being the only people that could really see through him. Butler looked down at the table top, not sure how he would cope if he had to see Artemis's hurt eyes.

Artemis senior leaned forward in his seat. "Think, son. You know this is impossible."

Artemis's tightly closed lips twitched, his cold stare faltering. Holly could hear his uneven breathing from beside him. She was trying desperately to restrain from crying, standing stiffly by the young man she loved.

Angeline grimaced, gazing at him sympathetically.

"The decision is mine," Artemis said stiffly, staring flatly at his father.

Artemis senior shook his head. "No, you're blinded by love," he said, shaking his head.

Holly couldn't do it anymore. She abruptly walked out of the room, covering her face with her hand. Artemis kept staring at his father, his eyes glassing over. Angeline felt her own eyes grow wet, feeling the pain he felt. Butler didn't dare to look up, knowing he would cry too. Artemis senior's expression became worried, and he felt instantly guilty.

My little Arty.

Tears slipped relentlessly down Artemis Fowl the second's cheeks, his expression becoming miserable.

"The first time I truly feel happy, and you come and crush it," he said slowly, smiling hysterically in rage. His eyebrows pulled together, his deep blue eyes full of pain. "You crushed it!" he shrieked, surprising everyone at the table. "I love her with all my heart! No one ever pulled you away from mother! No one!" Artemis ran out of the room, crying. He went for the door, seeing it open and realising Holly must have run out, but through his clumsiness and his blurred vision, he tripped over, falling to the ground with a loud "thud".

He heard his mother gasp from behind him, heard her run towards him and lean over him. He cried into the carpet, hearing a pained sound coming from his mother's mouth. He felt her strong arms lift him up. He slowly got up with her. His eyes widened.

"Moth-mum, what are you doing?" he demanded, holding onto her forearms.

Angeline reached up—Artemis's hands letting her arms go—and stroked his cheek. "I love you, sweetheart. You can be with Holly. You're father's scared, don't you understand?"

Artemis looked down. "... I do," he admitted quietly.

Angeline smiled gently. "You're a smart young man, Arty, and this is your life."

Artemis looked up, his eyes shocked. "Mum …" he whispered, leaning up to cup her cheeks. Angeline's eyes widened.

"Yes, dear?" she asked softly.

"Did you just say that I could be Holly?" he asked, new tears slipping down his already wet cheeks.

Angeline smiled. "Darling, I'll love whoever you become, whoever you chose to hold close to your heart."

Artemis smiled, suddenly throwing his arms around his mother's neck, surprising her. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much."

Angeline felt her vision blur, felt her salty tears crawl down her face. "I love you too, Arty," she murmured. They stayed in each other's arms for a long time before Angeline pulled back, smiling at Artemis. He smiled hesitantly back, wiping his face.

"You go get her, and never let her go," Angeline said, pushing him softly towards the door. Artemis hesitated, looking back at her, before nodding, a small smile gracing his lips. He turned around, walking briskly out of the manor, Holly on his mind.

Not finished yet. Thanks for reading! :)