Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl.

This is the second to last chapter. *sniffles* This is The Surprise. It was almost done when I posted the last chapter but I had to go through and spell check it and stuff and I was lazy this week, actually not lazy, sick. My replies are short and I use the words "Wait and see" in many replies this chapter because I'm not going to give anything away.

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Replies:

Ryuu-murasaki—Thanks. I tried not to make her a Mary-Sue, but I suppose some Mary-Sue-ness must have gotten stuck in there. As for your request, you'll just have to wait and see.

CaptainRoseShort—Thanks. The ideas come from the little monkeys inside my head, the invisible dragon that sits on my shoulder, and the ceramic Holly mask I made that hangs from my wall and tries to tell me to do my chemistry homework. As for what will happen,, wait and see.

Happynutcase#1—hehe Thanks. Wait and see.

Kelsey—Yes, yes, Holly/Trouble will come but I'm a little lacking on where that will go after the first chapter (which I haven't even started yet)

Wildchartermage—Thanks. I emailed you the info you wanted for Fiddler on the Roof.

Vampygeniewitch—Thanks. Hehe, I know how that is. Hours and hours and it's like "I can't even see straight anymore!"

Artemis's Worst Nightmare—Thanks.

Paul—Wow! Thanks.

LEPrecon captain—Thanks, dude.

Princess Arwen Evenstar 77—Thanks

Elfin Emerald—Me too! I watch Cheers, Three's Company, Fullhouse, Fresh Prince, I Love Lucy, all the old stuff! I don't know what it is but there's definitely something very alluring about the black turtlenecks. Huzzah for those who lack fashion sense! I'm in a uniform everyday too.  By the way, GREAT Jack Sparrow quote. My school is having a V-Day dance with a Pirates of the Caribbean theme. I'm going to be a tavern wench and see if I can talk my bf into being a pirate. The world is quiet here.

Alex—Thanks.

Siriusforeva—Glad you approved. I'm not telling.

SpikeTv58—Yes, there's another story in this series but I can't garuntee much of Alyssa or Arty in it.

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CHAPTER 20: The Surprise

            When they got home, the Fowl family did something that Artemis could never remember doing before. They ordered pizza in and the six of them ate down in the den watching movies. The family never went into the den. The family never ordered pizza. Holly smiled to herself, knowing that this transformation was more than just the positive vibes she'd emitted when she first arrived.

            They finished eating and Mr. Fowl asked them, "Now what are you kids going to do?"

            Alyssa opened her mouth to answer, but Artemis replied first. "I've got something planned."

            Alyssa cocked her head and looked at him quizzically.

            He just smiled. "You might want to go put on something warmer."

            She looked at him for a moment, miffed. He was obviously going to say something he didn't want her to hear. She left, but waited out of sight at the top of the stairs.

            Artemis had anticipated such a move. "Juliet, would you go help her pick something?"

            "Sure, Arty." She followed Alyssa's path out.

            "What is your surprise, son?"

            "Since last night we watched movies, and the night before we listened to music, I thought we might do something more cultured tonight. I'd planned on stargazing."

            "It looked like a fine, beautiful, clear night when I looked outside earlier," said Mrs. Fowl.

            "Butler, put one of the telescopes outside," ordered Artemis senior.

            "Yes, sir." He left.

            "Artemis, I advise you to put on something warmer. This early in the season the air is still quite cool."

            "Yes, Father." He left and went to his room.

            "Timmy, I'm so glad that Arty is seeing Alyssa. She's been so good for him. For all of us, I think. Just what we needed."

            "I often wondered whether he ought to have more youngsters his own age around; whether we ought to be closer to the city and out of the manor for his sake."

            "But that was why we put him in boarding school, wasn't it? To have him around other children his own age."

            "Maybe that was our mistake."

            "How do you mean?"

            "All of his schools have been boys only. Maybe we should have put him in a co-ed one," Mr. Fowl said to her.

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            Alyssa was on the top of the stairs that led out of the den, still within earshot of the Fowl-Butler conversation. Unfortunately, the next words she heard were, "Juliet, would you go help her pick something?" Junior! Alyssa fumed. Maybe Juliet would let her stay hear and listen.

            "Come on, Alyssa," Juliet whispered.

            "No, I wanna stay and listen. Don't you?" she whispered.

            "No. I already know what he's got planned."

            "Tell me."

            "No." Juliet took her by her wrist and all but dragged her to her room.

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            Artemis shook her hand. "It's been a pleasure having you here, for the most part. Come back anytime, though I would appreciate some warning beforehand."

            "An open invitation? I'll be sure to take advantage of it." She smiled, a strand of auburn hair falling on her eye. She pulled him to ward her in a hug with surprising strength. "I think I'm going to miss you, Mud Boy," she told him playfully.

            "The same to you, Captain. Are you clear on what you're going to do?"

            "Yeah, I've got it." Holly had all her things (iris cams, disks, etc.) packed away in the pockets of her jumpsuit. It was a tight fit, but she managed to wear the blackout suit under her LEP jumpsuit. The only thing she was leaving behind (because of its bulk) was her sleeping bag.

            "Thank you, Holly."

            She freed him from her hug and went to the window. She looked back over her shoulder. "Don't let Alyssa slip away. She's good for you. Goodbye, Artemis."

            "Too good for me. Goodbye, Holly," he said softly.

            She nodded and jumped out the window, her helmet tucked under her arm, and flew into the night.

            Artemis stared for a moment before changing into some warmer clothes.

            He went downstairs and found everyone waiting. They all appeared busy doing other things (except Alyssa), but he knew better. They were waiting for him. Alyssa waited with an impatient look on her face.

            Artemis clutched the star charts in his hand, and ignoring his family, opened the door for Alyssa. She eyed him warily and went out. Artemis gave a small smile to his family before closing the door.

            Alyssa held his hand as they wandered along in silence. They stopped at a large oak where Butler had set up the telescope. Artemis placed the blanket that he'd been carrying on his shoulder on the ground.

            "Sit."

            Alyssa took a seat on the blanket and Artemis sat beside her.

            He started pointing out some of the different constellations. He didn't really need the charts or telescope.

            Then they saw it. A brilliant green something flying through the air not fifty feet off the ground and diving not ten yards away. It pulled out of the dive and flew off, disappearing into the cloak of night.

            Alyssa marveled. Flying? The face had been too perfect, even at that distance to be human. Not human? A…a fairy? But everyone knew the Tuatha de Danaan didn't exist, no matter what the stories said. It was just crazy. Besides, whoever heard of a fairy carrying a motorcycle helmet? Whatever she had seen had looked like it had some sort of helmet tucked under its arm. It? Why did she keep saying it? Whatever she had seen was a she; there was no doubt about that. But had she seen her? It was just crazy. Absolutely crazy. She couldn't have seen anything.

            She asked, hesitatingly, "Was that that a…? No, it couldn't be."

            Artemis grinned. "Now who's crazy?"

            Her mouth worked silently for a moment, unable to really form the words.

            He pretended to pout. "And you thought I was childish."

            There just seemed nothing for Alyssa to do. Her mind was boggled. All evidence indicated that she had just seen a fairy, but her brain told her that was impossible. "Junior, I think I'm going crazy. All this time in the countryside this weekend must be getting to me."

            "What makes you say that?"

            "Because I think I just saw a fairy."

            Artemis shrugged. "Personally, I think that in some form or another, magic must still exist in this world."

            They sat in silence for a moment, eyes locked. Then they kissed. It was a longer kiss than either of them had kissed before. Before it had never been more than maybe, 2 seconds, 3 at the most. This was at least a minute of full-on lip-lock. Artemis was surprised. His mouth knew what to do. Even if his brain told him he didn't, his mouth said he did. And he did.

            Alyssa and Artemis broke off the kiss and Artemis was vaguely aware that he had an arm around her. Alyssa felt her lip with her tongue, as though unsure of what had just gone on. Then they kissed again, again longer, maybe two minutes, but it seemed like an eternity.

            After that they just sat there quietly. She leaned her head on his shoulder and they looked up at the stars together.

            Artemis had had no intention of Alyssa's seeing Holly to cause them to kiss like that, he had only hoped she might think she was the crazy one and not him.

            When they got up again, Artemis folded the blanket at picked up his star charts. They held hands again and kissed one more time before walking back into the house.

            His parents and the Butlers had left the living room. Artemis and Alyssa sat in the kitchen for a while. Alyssa made cocoa and Artemis sat on the countertop. Artemis watched her and listened to her voice. He knew that he could not let this girl walk out of his life when she left tomorrow.

            "Alyssa," he said.

            "Yes, Junior?"

            "You know about my background and I'm sure you've researched some of the more dubious things I've done, but what do you think about it? About me? About everything I've done?"

            "Well, we've known each other a month. I don't know everything. I know most of your crimes were corporate and had to do with money or gold. I suppose there are worse things you could do, and from what I've known of you, you aren't completely awful. Have you ever actually hurt anyone physically? Or ordered Butler to hurt anyone without reason?" She sat next to him and handed him his cocoa.

            "No. I don't think so."

            "Have you ever kidnapped anyone?" She looked into his eyes.

            "Once. I held the hostage for ransom for a large amount of gold. The ransom was paid and she was released unharmed. I felt bad afterward and gave back half of it. The entire thing was hushed up. None of it got into the media here."

            "Why did you do it?"

            "I wanted money to keep searching for my father. This was while he was still lost at sea and everyone else had given up help for searching for him."

            "That's noble. So it had nothing to do with your family motto? I've seen it and I know Latin. 'Gold is power'. The truth, Junior."

            "My original goal was to get the money to look for my father. I then got caught up with the gold. I later felt remorse for this and for feeling as though I'd deserted him."

            "Which is why you returned part of it."

            "Exactly."

            "Anything else?"

            Artemis thought about it. Hadn't he spilled just about all his secrets tonight? She'd seen Holly (even if she wasn't exactly sure who or what she was, or even sure that she'd seen her) and now she knew about the kidnapping. "No. I don't think so."

            "Then, I'd say, you're a pretty decent guy who looks as though he's on his way to change for the better. And I care about you a lot."

            "I care about you a lot too." He smiled at her.

            They sipped their mugs of cocoa in silence and they walked upstairs.

            "One more dance?" he asked.

            She smiled.

            He turned on a CD of classical music softly and took her in his arms. They slow-danced as they had on Friday night, but he added some spins and twirls for her. At the end of the song, they kissed and she went off to her room.

            Artemis climbed under his blankets and went to sleep, still thinking about Alyssa.

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Thanks. I hope you review and keep reading! Hee! Did you see that coming?

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