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DISCLAIMER: I own... uh... frown who DO I own!?!?

Lawyer: shrug dunno.

Review or I kill you.

Lawyer: You REALLY shouldn't put that in writing. If one of your readers ends up dead, you are the prime suspect!

Bubbly

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Fifteen minutes later, Holly stumbled out of the room and straight into Butler.

"Steady on," he said, holding her upright. "He's ok?"

Holly mumbled something indistinct.

"Pardon?"

"He's fine," Holly repeated loudly.

"Good. He's waking up?"

"Slowly, but yeah."

"Glad to hear it."

"Uh... do you have somewhere I can wash off?" she asked, holding up her blood- covered hands.

"This way," Butler led her to a bathroom. Led in every meaning of the word, considering the elf could hardly walk.

Holly watched the bloodied water splash down the drain absentmindedly, before going with Butler in the direction of the living room.

"He'll need to complete the ritual, then get checked out by a medic just in case," Holly said.

"You should get checked out by a medic yourself," Butler said.

"Me?" Holly was visibly taken aback. "I'll never understand you mud people."

"And I'll never understand you fairies," Butler said brightly. "But you don't look so good. Something troubling you?"

Holly giggled at the unintentional pun. "No."

Butler frowned then opened his eyes triumphantly.

"The ritual."

"Nope," Holly lied quickly. "Nope," she repeated.

Butler smiled slightly.

"Don't lie to me, Captain Short. You're forgetting I had a little sister to live with."

Holly frowned. "I'll ignore you."

"Weirdo," Butler muttered, shaking his head as they entered the living room.

Trouble still laid there, his face still and calm.

"He'll be out for a while, yet," Holly said.

"Good. It'll give Juliet a chance to recover," Butler said grinning.

Holly laughed.

Half an hour later, everyone was sitting in the living room. Holly was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Juliet, playing their seventh game of chess. Artemis was reading an extremely

thick book, and Butler was sitting reading a magazine. Trouble was still asleep in the next room.

"Checkmate," Holly said tiredly, moving her bishop.

"You win," Juliet said, pouting. "Again."

Holly shrugged, uninterested. "Logic."

Juliet growled something under her breath and began to reset the board.

"Ok. I'm black again."

"Again? I'm sick of being white. I want to be black!"

"Oh quit moaning, mud girl. Just play the damn game."

Juliet scowled. "Mud girl?"

Halfway through the game, Artemis leaned down and whispered something into Juliet's ear, his eyes scanning the board. Juliet grinned wickedly and moved her castle. Holly,

glaring, moved her knight. Artemis licked his lips and looked on the board thoughtfully. Whispering again to Juliet, he looked extremely smug. Juliet moved her bishop. Holly

growled, moving her

pawn. Artemis, pausing only to glare at Holly, scanned the game possibilities. He whispered again to Juliet and Holly glared yet again. Juliet flinched. Artemis was using all

his willpower not to look away. Juliet hurriedly moved her knight, after a reminding nudge from Artemis. Holly thought for a while.

"Take your time..." Juliet muttered sarcastically.

Eventually, Holly moved her bishop.

Artemis smiled. "Nice tactics, Short."

"Back atcha, mud boy," Holly returned. "Now quit your stalling and get on with the game."

Artemis laughed. "You know me so well."

Artemis grinned triumphantly before whispering again into Juliet's ear. Juliet nodded, smiling, sliding her castle several squares. Holly laughed.

"Come on, Fowl. I would have thought you'd be above that one."

"Artemis is above nothing," Juliet said.

Holly grinned. "Like kidnapping someone for ransom, and later cutting off her finger and using the rest of her magic?"

Artemis rolled his eyes. "You just CAN'T let go, can you, Holly?"

"Cutting off her finger?" Juliet exclaimed.

"OH!" Holly cried in mock surprise. "You mean you didn't tell her? It got reattached, naturally."

Juliet suddenly grabbed both of Holly's hands.

"HEY!!" Holly pulled away in shock.

"Can I see the scar then, Ms Smarty-daks?"

"Short," Holly corrected, grinning. She held out her hand and pointed to her index finger.

"Artemis!" Juliet cried.

Artemis shrugged. "It wasn't directly my fault..."

"If that's what you need to believe," Holly said in mock gentleness. "Now are we playing chess, or are we wagging chins?"

"Your shot," Juliet said.

Holly thought and moved a pawn, taking the opposition's bishop.

"King me!" Juliet yelled.

"Uh... Juliet?" Holly and Artemis said uncertainly. "We're playing chess..."

Juliet grinned sheepishly. "My bad."

Holly cocked her head to one side, furrowed her brow. She got to her feet and began to leave the room.

"Holly..."

"What?" she turned for a moment.

"Is there any point in asking where you're going?"

"Kelp's waking up."

"And you know this... how?"

Holly turned to him confusedly. "Didn't you hear?"

"Hear... what, exactly?" Butler looked up.

"You're all deaf," Holly muttered, shaking her head and leaving the room.

The three, confused, stood and went after Holly. Butler knocked on the door cautiously.

"Yup," they heard Holly call. "Sleeping Beauty's awake, now."

Then there was a thump, a few muffled curses and a "HEY!"

Artemis raised an eyebrow and opened the door. Trouble was half sitting up, and Holly was on her knees on the floor, rubbing her left ear. Artemis decided not to ask.

"Okay. Just when you're ready, Kelp," Holly said, still rubbing her ear resentfully.

He nodded groggily. "Just give me a minute."

Holly shrugged. "Take your time... you piece of vermin."

"I've been meaning to ask you," Trouble said, furrowing his brow. "How'd you make me fall asleep?"

Holly grinned. "Pressure points."

"Uh... Captain Short?" Juliet said curiously. "Why are you rubbing your ear?"

Holly glared at Trouble and jabbed her thumb at him wearily. "Him."

Juliet stared confusedly, and didn't ask any more.

Holly looked at Trouble, the strain and anxiety showing on her face.

"There's something we don't know about," Trouble said, seeing the concern and worry etched into her features.

"Sort of..." Holly said, chewing her lip.

"What do you mean SORT OF? Is there, or isn't there?"

"Well... there was..." Holly looked at the floor. "You had been shot... three times... twice in the back, once in the right shoulder..."

Trouble swore and his head dropped into his hands. After a moment, he looked up. "Weapon?"

"Unidentified. I've never seen wounds like these before. It's new, is my guess."

"Has Foaly had any new weapons recently?"

"Not for a while and we've seen the tests for all of them. Nothing like this has come up." Holly grabbed the backpack and rummaged through it for a bit, eventually pulling out a

black case. Trouble had closed his eyes, and Holly crept closer to him. "Talk to him," she mouthed at Artemis, Butler and Juliet. Holly pulled out a syringe and put the liquid into it.

"So, er... Captain Kelp, is it?" Juliet began. Trouble opened his eyes.

"Yeah..."

"How do you like the LEP?"

"Huh? Oh... um... its ok, I guess..."

Holly was still getting ready. She mouthed, "Keep going!"

"What area are you in?" she asked.

"LEP Retrieval O- AGHHHHHH!"

Holly had jabbed him in the arm with the injection. She pulled it out and grinned apologetically.

"Hehehe..." she said. "Tetanus... health safety... LEP regulation 95..." she trailed off, Trouble still glaring at her.

"You need one, then?" Trouble asked, rubbing his upper-arm.

"Uh-huh..." Holly muttered, passing the case to Trouble. He discarded the used needle in a small compartment, and pulled out another. He slowly filled it with the liquid, and Holly

eyed it, swallowing. She didn't like needles.

"You've gone green!" Trouble said, laughing. "You look like some sort of sprite..."

"I have not," Holly snapped.

"No," he said, examining her face. "It's more of a blue..."

"Kelp!" Holly cried.

"Hee hee!" he yelled joyfully. "Now you've gone red!"

"What are you on abo-!?!?" that turned into a slight whimper of pain as Trouble pricked her arm with the needle.

"Oww..." she rubbed her arm. "Ok... we're done, here."

Juliet left the room, and entered a moment later, with two glasses of ice water. She passed one to each of the elves, and they accepted them gratefully.

"Thanks, Juliet," Holly said, taking a drink.

"Yeah, mud girl," Trouble said.

After a while, Trouble nodded. Holly stood and helped her colleague to stand. He had an arm around her neck, and they started to walk, looking like some sort of lopsided

creature.

"Lean on me," Holly said.

"Ok."

"I said lean on me!"

"I AM!"

"You most certainly are NOT, unless you are some sort of featherweight! Lean on me!"

"I TOLD you! I am!"

"No you're NOT!"

"I AM!"

Holly half turned, and brought her foot back, before digging it hard into Trouble's ankle. He swore and half fell, groaning with pain.

"That's better," Holly said optimistically, beginning to walk again.

Artemis and the Butlers looked on with morbid fascination, mouths hanging slightly open.

Trouble swore again, now limping and leaning heavily on Holly. "Bloody Holly..." he muttered.

"Let's go get you cleaned up."

He moaned.

"What is it now?" Holly snapped.

"Of ALL the officers they had to send, it had to be like... the ONLY female," he said, going slightly pink.

Holly turned to him. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind so much if it was Lili Frond," she said dryly.

He laughed. "You are sooo waaaaaaaaay off, Holly."

"Oh really?" she asked him, eyebrows raised. "I've seen the way you look at her, and the way you talk to her."

He rolled his eyes. "As if. I prefer brains rather than beauty."

Holly scoffed. "Like she has beauty anyway! She's a blonde with nothing in her head!"

"Most men like that," Trouble said, realizing a millisecond later how dead he was.

He closed his eyes and ducked, covering his head with his hands. Holly kicked him.

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LOAD OF STUFF THAT YOU SHOULDN'T READ, BUT PROBABLY WILL REGARDLESS

TA DAA!! Like this chapter? It was sort of random, but I like it. Um... about the email address? It isn't properly set up or anything, so I haven't got any emails, nor can I reply... SORRY!!! I've never used it before, coz it was only to register... Please review! Ooh... speaking of reviewers, a special thanks to all the people who have reviewed so far.

Nearby stone: YOU ROCK!

Thankyou to: The Toaster: Thanks a heap for the reviews!! hugs YAY!! Phire Phoenix: Aww!! blush Thanks a bundle! Loving you!! Happynutcase: Don't get lost in the looney bin! Thanx for the reviews... you make ME a happynutcase!! Caspian Nyghtvision: Thanks, Cas!! Loving the reviews!! Sorry haven't replied, yet. Computer virus... very painful. CMII: Yo!! Loving the reviews! HUGS AND KISSES!!! Tahn: Love ya!! Mmm... chocolate... QUIT HARASSING ME!!! AHH Grub Kelp: Sorry! I almost forgot you, then... thanks for the reviews!

My friends liked the bits where Holly kicks and attempts to kill Trouble... hee hee! Fun...

The injection part was inspired by our vaccinations at school. One of my best mates passed out, and another friend was hyperventilating... me, though. I can't ever have ANYTHING interesting happen to me. Instead, my arm swelled up like a balloon, and I have a mega gigantic bruise...

The next chapter will probably have some plotline to it. Not TOO much, though. I'm not the best with plots. I don't wanna BORE you to death. Do I?

Quis- Thanks a heap for helping me to write... you're very inspiring! Candy- GO CANDY!!! Mmm... drool candy... thanx 4 helpin' me... I LIKE U!! Sneeze- you never actually heard this, but it's the thought that counts, hey? Ooh... are there any male sheep? Random Insane Person: on the off chance that nobody's told you this, you're a random insane person!! Love you! Keep Smiling!!! Cookie monster II- Thanks. Really, just thanks. You've helped me a lot. Don't worry, we'll take over the world someday, dude. Just when we don't have as many assignments... Nat-rat- you rock, and you listened to this. Thankyou, gal! you always thought they were pretty funny. Deli- even you helped with this. Thankfully you're not AS obsessed as you used to be. Bug- Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries... but, despite your strange upbringing, you still managed to help me. Thanks for putting up with me. Poz- not that you'd be caught dead on ff.net, but thanks for making me write this, if only to spite you... but we're cool now... hug Tahn- You've helped me no end with this! Sort of... thanks heaps. Your salad's leaking! Dee- You only half listened to this... thanks, though! It's great to have somebody to listen to me drone... Ziggy- they're not that bad, are they? Candyman, girl. Candyman. Duck- you rock! Don't ever change. Thanks. You're a hell of a lot nicer than you'd like to be... only not... I'll miss you when I die!

I love you all!! Now I doubt you'd be bored enough to actually be reading this, but just in case... Thanks to all of you.

Tawkie neol,

Bubbly

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