Sorry if you just got a "k" before! I'm new at this and I suck at computers!!!! Anyways, please please please tell me if I should continue with the story.
Time is Always Ticking: Chapter One, Depression
Captain Holly Short launched herself on her queen sized bed, exhausted. Commander Root had kept her busy the past twelve months. In those twelve months, she probably only got a total of three weeks worth of off-time.
Holly owned a quaint little apartment near the LEP headquarters, just in case Root and Foaly had one of their crazy middle of the night missions that just ended up being a drunk babbling about leprechauns and fairies.
Half of Holly was mad at Root for giving her such a rough, busy time at work; the other half was grateful for the overworking. Half of her hated coming home and being so exhausted that she fell onto her bed heavy with exhaustion; half of her love that she had no time for straying thoughts. Tonight would have been no different had she not smelled the piece of charred toast leftover from that morning.
As usual, Holly was running later, though later than normal that morning. Grudgingly, Holly forced herself from the comfy mattress to go clean up the toast that could very well be passed as charcoal briquettes.
As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the motion sensor lights in her small kitchen picked up Holly's movements and flickered on. The smell was profusely stronger there.
"UGH! What a foul smell!" Holly paused at one of the works she had just spoken. "Fowl…," she whispered softly. As soon as she spoke, Holly wished she hadn't.
No! Holly thought fiercely, I WILL NOT think of him! Just relax, they'll fade away… hopefully. Unfortunately for Holly, she was too exhausted from that days work to cope with the mental strain of holding the memories back. Unconsciously walking into her small living room, Holly collapsed on the couch in a fit of tears. This happened last time she had a break – that time for two days. She just had too much time to lolly-gag on that fateful day at the Fowl manor twelve months ago.
Holly still felt terrible about what she had to do to Artemis, Butler, and Juliet. Over and over Holly told herself that she had just acted on Council's orders. No matter how many times Holly told herself that, the other half would always come back saying that Holly could have disobeyed Council's orders.
"That would have done no good to anyone if I refused to mind wipe him! It just wouldn't have me that did it. He would still not be able to remember me and still never would be able to!" Tears poured down her face in remorse and despair as she thought of her favorite Mud Boy. A couple of years ago, her old self would have never believed that she had become friends with a Mud Man, though she would never admit it aloud to anyone. Artemis had changed that. "Sure he could be a little snobbish, stuck-up even, but inside" (deep inside…) "There's still that shred of decency." Holly surprised herself that she could see beneath the faults that she normally saw on other people and focus in on the good side of Artemis. Exhaustion was tugging on Holly's eyelids; tears still poured in silent waves down her cheeks. Sighing a deep sigh before sleep enclosed her, she murmured one word, "Artemis…"
At the LEP Headquarters…
"How can you stand listening to this, Julius!" Foaly cried pulling out a third Kleenex and blowing loudly.
"For the last time Foaly, you are to refer to me as Commander!" Root's typical roar was left at his house in his bed where he should have been at that hour of night.
"But that's not the point J- Commander! The point is that your top agent is suffering! How can you let her suffer through all of this?!" For dramatical effect, Foaly zoomed in on the snoozing, grief-stricken Holly with a camera and microphone hidden in Holly's apartment without her knowledge.
Root's face softened for a split second as he saw Holly's form curled up in a ball on her sofa. "It was ordered by the Elders," Root said calmly.
"Are we talking about the Council Julius? No! We're talking about Holly. Can't that brain of yours comprehend that?"
Root turned his trademark purplish color before hollering, "What was that Foaly?" Foaly calmly wiped the sit off his face and rubbed his sore eardrums.
"It's a good thing this room is soundproof. Nothing Commander. Do you plan on any form of action?" Root's 5'4" (A/N: Is that the right height? My books are at a friends house) frame leaned over Foaly's desk and drummed his fingers close to a pair of buttons that could blow up Haven in a millisecond. "Mind your fingers, Julius. Any response? Foaly asked zooming in on Holly's tear stricken face.
Root gritted his teeth, "You should consider moving into a retail department, Foaly."
Grinning like the idiot that he was (A/N: not that i don't love Foaly…), Foaly leaned back in his chair, "Where's the fun in that? I'll prefer here thank-you-very-much."
"Alright Let Holly take a day of Fowl watch. Not that there's anything to watch. Let her know as soon as possible. G'Night Foaly. Wait good morning."
"Night Julius."
"Commander," Root replied sleepily.