A Twist of Fate

Author's Note: Egad! Sorry the previous chapter was so short and abrupt, I'm really bad with endings. People have been asking me why I update so fast (although not as fast NOW as compared the first few), well, that's because I'm on a roll. I hate to leave my readers hanging (I've experienced that before, it's really annoying), so that's why I update so fast. Thank you for all your reviews - I've read them and they've helped me improve. I'll try to make things less confusing, but remember I'm a progressing writer, so continue to review! (It's my dream to reach 30 or more someday...OH WHO AM I KIDDING?)

Disclaimer: All belongs to Eoin Colfer.

Chapter Five: Complicated

(Trouble's point of view)

Trouble took a deep breath, trying to work up the nerve to knock on Holly's door. It was roughly about seven in the evening now, and Trouble had found out from Foaly how upset Holly had been when she had found out that she was not working for the LEP for the time being. He wanted to cheer Holly up. If truth be told, he didn't really know why such a move could upset Holly so much, but from what he had heard, it seemed as if Holly couldn't do without at least punching a few enemies every day. Furthermore, she faced a bigger risk of losing her job for good because she was a female, and discrimination still ran rampant in the LEP council.

Trouble smiled. He really didn't know how anyone could discriminate against a wonderful girl like Holly. Well, except for that I-think-I'm-God's-gift-to-women Chix Verbil. Trouble made a face. That kind of guy was undeserving of Holly's attention. Trouble was glad Holly had the right presence of mind to reject that egotistical sprite.

Or maybe it was just because Trouble liked Holly. Trouble didn't really know when the feeling had started. All he knew was that her sarcasm and sharp wit never failed to impress him, and her feisty ways made her stand out among the other female fairies. Not to mention, she could throw a mean punch, and yet maintain a seemingly ethereal beauty. The mischievous smile and twinkling hazel eyes worked better than the mesmer, and Trouble hated being corny, but it was these things in Holly that made her so special.

Returning to the 'task' at hand, Trouble wondered if Holly would accept the bouquet of flowers he had carefully picked out for her. It's funny how Holly had never realized he always felt something more for her. Maybe his little displays of affection weren't obvious enough. Well, tonight, these flowers were going to be more than obvious.

Knocking lightly on the door, Trouble's heart pounded erratically as he tried to remember what he would say to Holly, and how he would work in the 'I like you' into the conversation. He waited for the door to open, but it never did. For a moment Trouble wondered if he could have gotten the wrong address.

"Don't be silly," he muttered to himself. "You just came here yesterday."

Trouble tried again. Maybe Holly hadn't heard him. The possibility that Holly wasn't home hadn't occurred to him, because Trouble was sure that Holly would be at home. Where else could she go? She didn't have an assignment from the LEP and Holly never seemed to be the kind who would go shopping until late at night in order to cheer up.

Trouble started to worry. Running lithely to the glass windows, he noticed that the curtains were drawn and the lights were out. Could Holly have been asleep already?

"Holly...HOLLY!" he yelled, wondering if he could hear her. There seemed to be no response. He tried to figure out where her bedroom windows were located. Then he could peer in and see if Holly was asleep. But Holly -- asleep?! At seven in the evening? She couldn't be that depressed, could she?

Skimming over the grass, Trouble ran to Holly's bedroom windows and peered in from outside.

"Empty!" Trouble exclaimed to himself. In fact, it looked untouched, as if Holly had made it up in the morning but had never returned. Where could Holly have gone?

"HOLLY!" he screamed. "HOLLY, ARE YOU IN THERE?!"

Silence followed his yells, and a growing sense of dread began to gnaw at his brain.

"Oh gawd..." he murmured, and dropped the flowers.

Please be safe Holly....please be safe...he thought as he began to comb downtown Haven for a certain red-head.

~*~

(Back to the normal point of view - Holly's)

For some reason, Holly couldn't sleep. Although it was relatively late at night, Holly's eyes stayed alert and awake. Holly didn't believe that it was insomnia, and decided that her body's system was probably thrown out of whack, what with the irregular fainting fits and all. Her body probably already had enough rest, and Holly, having nothing to do, decided to get up and walk about.

Who cares if this isn't my house? It's Artemis' fault that he just had to bring me here, Holly thought, realizing with a shock that she had called him Artemis, instead of Fowl. In fact, when she had fainted in front of him, her first words were 'Artemis'. Did that mean...?

Preposterous, Holly thought. No way could I like that filthy Mud Boy. Maybe I'm just grateful to him for saving my life, that's all. I wonder why he did that though? Are we friends? Does he still remember the coin incident four years ago? Arrrrgh, shut up Holly.

Holly mooched around the bedroom for a bit, before creaking the door open and pattering lightly down the oak staircase. Fowl Manor was still at this time of the night, and by Holly's estimations, it was about eleven in the night. Mud Boy probably needs his beauty sleep, she thought scathingly, chuckling to herself at how spoiled Artemis could be. Holly opened the door quietly, trying not to wake up anyone. As much as she loved to disturb Artemis, she wasn't sure if it was wise to face the wrath of Artemis Fowl. Since he always kept his true feelings to himself and didn't show his emotions openly, Holly deduced that if Artemis were to one day let it all out, all hell would really break loose, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to die.

As Holly stepped out, she breathed in the scent of the fresh air. A chilly breeze swept around her and toyed gently with her auburn hair, making her feel cool and relaxed. She threw caution to the wind as she sprinted lightly over the dewy grass, her legs telling the story of her ethereal beauty.

She felt more free than she had ever been in her life. Ever since the 'voice' incident, she had begun to lose herself - the strong, undeterred Holly everyone (even herself) knew. The incident had caused her to appear just as vulnerable and emotional as anyone else, and for a moment, she had let her defences down, exposing the true Holly for everyone to see - even her rival Artemis Fowl. For a few days she had lost a little of the sarcastic part of her, except for the time that she had a conversation with Artemis.

Now that the voice no longer bothered her for the moment, she felt as if her freedom had been given back to her, and she could safely be the determined girl everyone else knew. No one could push her down unless Holly's will weakened and she surrendered to them - but the people who knew Holly knew that that day would never come.

Skipping almost childishly to a small hill nearby, she whistled in her joy, but abruptly stopped when she noticed someone else sitting on the hill. Her feet skidded to a stop as she contemplated what on earth someone else could be doing on a hill at this time of the night.

The person turned around, and Holly groaned. Just her luck.

"Mud Boy. What are you doing here?"

Artemis smiled coolly as the wind ruffled his dark hair. A book lay open in his lap, and he appeared to have been writing in it before she got here.

"Why can't I be here, Captain Short?" Artemis asked curiously.

"You don't own this piece of land."

"Actually....? I do," Artemis replied. "You're forgetting who you're talking to - the richest man in all of Ireland - perhaps in the whole world."

"Cocky little piece of filth, aren't you, Artemis?"

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say. And you slipped by calling me Artemis again," Artemis smiled.

Holly was stumped. How did he notice the littlest things about her? she thought, as she bit her lip. Usually by this time she could reciprocate with one of her biting remarks. Was she losing her touch?

"I thought it was time for a little Mud Boy like you to go to sleep," Holly replied.

"I'm seventeen, I'm not a boy, I don't have a curfew, so I don't have to go to sleep now," Artemis replied calmly. "But I see that your brain has not processed this vital bit of information."

Holly seethed with anger. She would not let Artemis get to her; she would not, she would not!

"What exactly are you doing here, then?" Holly said sweetly, trying to be civilised.

"You obviously have not been using your eyes enough. Can't you see I'm writing?" Artemis replied.

"Yes, I know that, Artemis - I mean, Fowl. Isn't eleven o'clock at night a weird time to be writing? And writing what for D'Arvit's sake? A list of my bad points?" Holly said sarcastically.

"Do you really think I'm that unscrupulous?" Artemis had dropped his smiling act now, and instead looked up into her eyes. He seemed deadly serious.

Holly felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine, and she quickly looked away from Artemis' piercing blue eyes. It was strange how with one look like that, he gave the impression that he could see right through her, right through her "I'm-so-strong" facade, and right through her heart. She noticed that her heart was beating erratically, and she blamed it on the shock Artemis gave her - how he could be so sarcastic one moment, and then turn so serious the next.

"Do you?" he challenged, his hand reaching out to turn her face towards him. Holly's hazel eyes met a sea of blue once again, and she felt like she was drowning in them, trying to find herself, reaching out for a saviour...

Holly couldn't answer that question, and looked down. Artemis was too scary - he seemed to be the only person who could take her seriously, who could see what she was thinking without even having to ask. From the way her heart continued to pound irregularly, Holly decided she liked him better when he was sarcastic. Wait, correction, I don't even like him, I meant I preferred him better when he was sarcastic.

Artemis sighed and turned away from her. "Never mind," he muttered, while he picked up his pen and began to scribble frantically in his book. Holly assumed it was a journal of some sorts.

Holly waited for herself to calm down before she spoke to him again. By this time, Artemis seemed to be lost in his own world, murmuring to himself as his pen skimmed quickly over the pages. She dared to look over and realized he was writing poetry.

"I didn't know you were such a poet," she said softly, quietly impressed. Her pride would not let her tell him what she thought of his poetry.

Artemis chuckled. "I may be a genius, but I'm not only into computers."

Holly was tempted to roll her eyes, but decided it would look too childish for Artemis. She had done it once, yes, but that didn't mean she had to do it again. Suddenly, she realized, she was scrutinizing her character - and all for who? Stupid Mud Boy Artemis Fowl. It was too strange. Did he put some spell on her?

"You're so self-centred," Holly snickered.

Artemis merely smiled. "It appears you don't know me very well."

Holly was aghast. "I don't know you very well?! You kidnapped me when you were twelve, collaborated with me when you were thirteen and after having been through so much, if I don't know you well, I ought to be killed."

Artemis shook his head. "Tell me what you know about me."

Holly smirked. "You're a sly, scheming, lying, unemotional criminal. Why, you're Artemis Fowl."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Really."

Holly smiled back. "I'm telling the truth."

Artemis shrugged. "If that's how you want to portray me, I have nothing to say."

Holly snorted. "Oh, please. You're making it sound like you're so innocent."

Artemis blanched. "I admit I'm not entirely innocent, but if you only knew."

"Knew what?"

"That's the point. It's for you to figure out. It appears your perception of me is based entirely on your own coloured and prejudiced views. Have you asked Butler what I really am? Have you asked my mother? Have you asked my father? How about Juliet? I know I may not have many friends, but have you ever asked yourself why? Why are you so quick to judge, Captain Short?"

Holly fumed. What an unfair accusation! Holly thought angrily. The nerve of stupid Fowl to accuse me of being judgemental!

Yet, the truth hit Holly like a stone. She realized that he had been right. Just how much exactly did she know about Artemis? She felt like she knew less about him each time they met. Was it because he kept too much to himself, or was it because she was too busy looking out for his bad points? Artemis had been right again, but she wasn't going to show how he had hurt her pride. Instead, she gave Artemis the silent treatment. She deduced that if she didn't talk, he couldn't put her down. Therefore, no one would get hurt.

"Ignoring me, Captain Short?" Artemis' words cut through the air like a scalpel, startling Holly.

"Hmmph," Holly replied, refusing to entertain him.

Artemis sighed and closed his book. "Holly...would you look at me, please."

He called me Holly! That's so weird.

"Why should I?" Holly said snottily. Artemis is too strange. What's up with him? We try to have a civil conversation, and we end up fighting. Then after that he wants to make up with me? Then after we've both let it go by, we start back at square one.

"Holly...I'm sorry, okay?" Artemis sounded tired. "I'm just not very used to socialising with people, so when I talk I tend to be rather blunt. Then I give the impression that I'm arrogant. I just...."

He sounded so miserable that Holly turned around, and instantly, she was drowning in the sea of blue again.

When will he stop reading me? When will he stop doing that? Holly thought irritably.

Artemis....why do you have to go and make things so complicated?