I'm getting a bit sad now. I am on the verge of tears.Yes, you've got it. It's coming. The end.

neutralgal: What's so incredible:)

siriusly137: No, actually, I'm not a ghost writer. Just stupid, fourteen-year-old me that's typing away some terribly nonsensical story... It's nice to hear that, to think of it, the AF trilogy isn't exactly pragmatic.. Love your ID!

baudelaireobsesserVFD: I knew that one-eighty twist would make a few people upset. Actually, more like seven-twenty degrees, I've had so many twists already I can't even count them.

number 423601: Thank you for your lavish compliments, you always glorify me. No. Honestly. I'm actually blushing, and I don't blush much. Best Artemis fic on the site? You've gotta be kidding me.

sue: I guess so. It doesn't exactly say that in the EC book, but they erased the scars from the face lift, so the finger scar must have been erased too. Excellent discovery of one of my numerous contradictions. I don't think anyone's pointed that out, they've been too blinded by my so-called 'ingenuity' which I don't even possess.

cybergurl:I had to kill Spiro, because that was my intention before I started this. As I carefully folded the EC book after I finished it, I just thought 'I gotta kill Spiro!' But I have to say I improved his character a lot, I guess he's cool in an insane sort of way.


Epilogue

Fowl Manor. Dublin, Ireland.

It was dusk when they arrived, which gave Artemis ample time to figure out what he had been exactly doing for the past few weeks. He was on a business meeting in America, gave the businessman he was meeting plenty of time to consider, and while doing that Artemis himself stayed at a hotel. When the entrepreneur finally emerged with his decision, it turned out to be negative. Therefore the deal was unsuccessful, Artemis had quietly withdrawn, and here he was again, back at home. Very unlikely indeed, but he was certain his parents would fall for it.

The reason he couldn't receive the calls his mother was making on his cellular phone was because his business partner had snapped it in disagreement; after all, his parents did not know what his mobile phone was made up of. He had wanted to give a call, but there simply wasn't much time, and he didn't want to be in any more trouble than he was now by calling up and telling everyone the truth.

"It's Arty!" Angeline had burst with excitement when she saw her only son at the front steps of her home. She had hugged him tight while bursting into tears, which made Artemis actually quite flustered. His father was always the sensible one; he simply eyed him with cool eyes that were uncannily identical with his son's and asked for an explanation. He said his long string of lies, and of course their parents believed him; after all, they hardly presumed that their beloved son would frolic along with fairies living underground.

"But Arty," Angeline had asked with round brown eyes as Artemis had only just finished his story. "Didn't it occur to you once that we might have been worried silly if you'd just gone missing?"

"Nonsense, mother. You should have assumed I was all right. After all, I was with Juliet." Artemis had assured her soothingly.

And now here they were, on the patio of the manor overlooking the twinkling stars with a cup of Earl Grey tea on the table in front of him. The wind was getting quite rash as it was mid-December, but none of them noticed the cold. Even Butler, who was eyeing Artemis with a subtle smile on his face, could see that the Fowl family was enjoying each others' company.

"Let's go inside, Arty." Angeline said, beaming.

Artemis did not answer. Truth be told, this night reminded him of the particular Christmas Eve when he was in bed, content with the triumph of the success in his kidnapping but meanwhile worried about what would become of his mother tomorrow. Would she really be all right? Would she be able to recognize me? That night was when it all began, he realized; back then he only knew that it was the end of something.

Perhaps, he thought. Perhaps, even though tonight I believe that this is the end of all time, in the far future, maybe I would be able to reminisce this day and think that it was the beginning of something. Just as I am doing now…

He jerked his head in a rapid movement to somewhere amid the branches of the tallest tree in the yard. He could swear he just saw a slight ripple in the air, but he chose not to say anything. He waved acknowledgingly at the tree, and slowly slid open the door to the house and stepped inside.

Just then, a flame of red hair was seen against the moonlight, but disappeared just the same.

THE END


Special Thanks To:
-God, as always, for everything
-Eoin Colfer for inventhing this wonderful world of mysteries
-my anonymous friend for managing to encourage and criticize me at the same time
-the owner of FF for inventing this site and constantly updating it
-Microsoft Word for being my beta reader
-Most of all, every single one of my reviewers that have given me continuous approbation, critiques, and occasionally objective judgement. Thank you so much. You know I love you:
cybergurl, TrunkZy, sugaCraZie, plughole,ahnigurL, darklight ascendent, QQuagmire, neutralgal, VampirePeaches, buffyvh, Tiger Stalks, FaSHioNaBLe(how could I ever forget you), Dr. F. Roy Dean Schlippe, Amy Shadows, Travithian Axile, Princess Arwen Evenstar 77, PeanutButterOreoCookieGirl, Trinity Day, lil bishi hunter, hehe, ruusa, Lils Evans, RaevanDawn, Teya Yashitoda, Miko Yamaguchi, number 423601, Artemis Fowl II, booksrule39, jess, iceteawriter, darklink231, froggiesrcool, brownpaperbagswithcherries, Raefel, Kama Nanashi, Wolfgirl Silver Suicune, baudelaireobsseserVFD, siriusly137, sue
-Last but not least, my two robust hands for typing away my ideas, which brings me to my BRAIN for actually giving me ideas, good or bad...
-This is truly the last. Mom & Dad for giving birth to your somewhat abnormal daughter.

Whew! Thanks, y'all!