Stone Heart

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl (although he is not featured in this fic). Nor do I own any other of Eoin Colfer's characters.

A/N: Ok, this fic is slightly Out Of character, and pretty mixed up. I have it all planned out, even the ending! Please don't die of shock. Anyway, although this features the characters of previous fics (Holly, Trouble and Amber) it is in no way related to them. It also gives the receptionist mentioned in Changes (her name is Jennifer if you can remember that far back!) a bigger part.

Originally Amber was written as a baby for this fic, but I thought it was time she got a bit older.


Police Plaza, Haven City

Jennifer yawned, exposing two rows of cosmetically whitened teeth. She was bored. And that was an understatement. She tapped her manicured nails on her desk. At least there were only ten minutes left of her shift. She leaned back in her seat, why had she applied for this job?

Several Retrieval One officers strode out of the LEP personnel lift, towards the double doors. They looked extremely menacing. Their visors were down, and their weapons drawn. Obviously there was some crisis in the city centre.

The receptionist sighed. There was her answer. The guys. One guy in particular…


Captain Trouble Kelp strode down the fourth floor corridor, in the direction of the Recon cubicles. His twelve-hour shift had just ended, and he was going to see his wife before leaving. Usually the pair would leave together, but today Holly had two hours unpaid over time to work. It was her own fault. She had been late three times this week, and although Root had understood at first, he had soon lost all his patience with her.

Holly sat in her cubicle, gazing into space. Nothing was happening. At least nothing she was involved in. Four Retrieval One officers had been sent out to investigate a suspicious break in, down town. She had to sit back and watch them go. That was the joys of Recon. Nothing will happen for ages, and then everything happens at once. The trouble was; the latter didn't seem to following through lately.

She looked once again at the stack of paperwork on her desk. She couldn't drum up the enthusiasm to bother with it. And she had several reports on her laptop that needed filing. But hey, she had a whole two hours to do that in. Five minutes to herself wouldn't hurt, surely?

Fate didn't seem to agree with Holly, as two minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Holly, convinced it would be Root coming to check up on her, tried to look busy.

"Come in," she called, her head bent over a sheet of paper. She heard the door slide open, but didn't turn round.

"Holly, have you got a neck ache? You're all hunched over." Trouble walked up to Holly's chair.

She laughed, straightening up. "Nope, I was trying to look busy."

Trouble raised an eyebrow. "You're going to have to try harder. You've got the paper upside down!"

Holly grinned. "Let's just say, I'm not cut out for hard work! Any way, I'm sure you haven't come to do this paperwork for me."

It was Trouble's turn to laugh. "No, afraid not. That's what your overtime's for!"

Holly rolled her eyes at him. "Ha ha. So funny!"

Trouble smiled. "I know. No, I'm going home, Helen will think we've forgotten our own daughter. Okay?" Helen was the babysitter that Holly had hired to look after Amber on the days that her and Trouble worked clashing shifts.

Holly nodded, "Yep. I'll see you later."

Trouble kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Bye Holls."

Just as Trouble was about to leave, the door swung open. Commander Root marched in, looking extremely annoyed.

"You're not distracting another officer are you Captain?" He asked Trouble, a scowl on his face.

"No sir. I was just leaving."

"Well hurry up and go Captain. Short has paperwork to do."

Trouble nodded. He hurriedly left the cubicle, which was beginning to get pretty cramped anyway, and pulled the door closed behind him. He groaned when he saw the lift doors close. He could've just waited for another one, but he didn't really have time to waste, so he took to the stairs.

When he reached the lobby, the first thing he noticed was an overly large gnome arguing noisily with the new receptionist.

"Sorry sir, but I'm afraid I can't grant you access to the building. You need an appointment." Jennifer was standing up, but the petite pixie still wasn't much of a match to the gnome.

"Who says I need an appointment girly?" he waved a finger in her face.

Trouble groaned. Why were some civilians so obnoxious? He walked up to the gnome. "I do." he said, his retrieval acorn insignia winking on his jumpsuit.

The gnome took the hint. "Okay, I was just asking. No need to be like that." He backed out of the door; looking extremely thankful the Trouble's neutrino holster was empty.

Captain Kelp turned to face Jennifer. "You'll get used to the civilians. It takes time but you will." He turned on his heel and strode from the lobby and onto the main steps. So that was the pixie all the officers in the locker room swooned over. She didn't seem anything special to Trouble, just another female. There was something about her that didn't quite ring true, but he couldn't put his finger on what. He shook his head. She couldn't really bother him, so why bother about her? He checked his moonometer. Ten past eight. He had twenty minutes to get home before Helen would start to get anxious.

Jennifer watched him go. She gathered her things together. Gods, Trouble was dreamy. Married though; to Holly Short, the show off in Recon. She thought she was so great, but being the first female in the squad wasn't that important. Obviously Trouble thought so. Oh Well, no accounting for taste.


The Kelp Family Apartment, Haven City

Trouble put his electro-key (the fairy version of a standard key. It does the same job, except it's electric and more secure) in the door, just as Helen pulled it open. She smiled at him, "Hey Trouble. Amber and I were beginning to think you weren't coming home!"

Trouble laughed, pushing the door closed after he'd stepped inside. He hung his LEP helmet on one of several wall hooks concealed in an alcove.

"Amber's in the living room, she's got a surprise for you."

Trouble smiled, and went down the hallway and into the living room. His small red haired daughter rushed up to him, clutching a sheet of slightly crumpled paper.

"Dad!" cried the ten year old (she's about four in mud man years), "Look what I've done!"

Trouble crouched down, arms outstretched, "Let me see then sweetheart," he said, as Amber leapt into his arms.

He set her down lightly, onto the wooden floor. Amber handed him the paper.

It was a drawing of three people, a tall male figure wearing a bright green outfit, a slightly smaller, female figure with a shock of red hair, and an even smaller female figure wearing the same green and sporting the same hairstyle.

"It's me, you and Holly." Amber explained, jabbing her index finger at each figure in turn. She never called Holly, Mum. Holly didn't want to be classed as one of the other mothers. She had pointed out that they were nothing like her, and Trouble had to admit she was right. Holly was very young to be a mother and she had kept her slim figure after giving birth.

Helen grinned in the background. "You spent ages on that didn't you Amber?"

Amber nodded her head vigorously, her sapphire blue eyes sparkling. Trouble laughed. "I can see that. Well done sweetheart, we'll have to show Holly when she gets back." He turned to Helen, "She's already paid you for this week, hasn't she?"

It was Helens turn to nod. "Yep," she checked her moonometer. "I'd better go, See you on Monday Trouble, bye Amber." Helen turned into the hall. Trouble heard her shut the front door behind her.

Amber yawned loudly. "I'm tired," she announced, stifling another yawn.

Trouble smiled, "Time for bed young lady." He picked her up and cradled her like he used to when she was younger.

When Amber was tucked up in her bed, Trouble set about making dinner. He had a feeling that Holly would not be in the mood to cook when she got back. He'd make a sweet potato salad. Nice and simple. Neither Holly nor Trouble ever seemed to be bothered with complicated meals. There never seemed to be the time.

He'd just started washing the salad when the doorbell sounded. He raised his eyebrows. Typical. It was too early for Holly; she'd be over an hour. It was probably some sales elf. Usually he wouldn't have bothered answering it, but the insistent ringing was bound to wake Amber. He left the salad, and headed to the door.

When he pulled it back, he was astonished to see Jennifer leaning against the door frame, smiling eerily. He raised an eyebrow, "Jennifer! How can I help you?"

Jennifer stretched her smile, parting her red coated lips even further. "I wanted to thank you for earlier. I can't seem to get any of the civilians to listen to me." She said it as if she herself wasn't a civilian.

"Anytime…" he was interrupted by Jennifer producing a bottle of sparkling wine.

"Take this, as a thank you." She handed him the bottle.

"There's no need; I was just helping out. But thanks all the same." Trouble accepted the gift.

Jennifer turned to leave. He swallowed. He knew he'd regret this later. "Look, why don't you come in and have a glass?"

The receptionist had to fight not to punch the air. Fireworks seemed to explode behind her eyes. On the outside she appeared cool, calm and collected. "Ok, but not for too long, I can't really stop. I just came by to say thanks." Ok, this was a lie. She'd spend all night with Trouble if she had the chance. That was highly unlikely though.

Trouble stood back to let her pass by him. She tossed her mane of curly dark hair, and walked confidently through the door in her high heels. When she'd passed, he pushed the door closed, sealing off the outside world. "Make yourself at home," he called, going into the kitchen to open the wine.

Jennifer slid onto the sofa, leaving plenty of space for Trouble to sit beside her. She looked around, casting her eyes upon several family photos. One of which was a wedding photo. She grimaced. Holly wasn't even pretty. What did Trouble see in her?

In the kitchen, Trouble was pouring two glasses of wine. Something in his head was nagging at him, but he couldn't think what. He picked up the wine glasses and walked carefully back into the living room.

Jennifer was sitting on the sofa, her bare legs crossed. He handed her a glass and watched sip it delicately.

She looked up at him, "Aren't you going to sit down?" She asked, sounding hurt.

Trouble sat down next to Jennifer, as far away as he could be and still be polite.

She was talking, asking him questions. His mouth rattled off text book answers. They weren't necessarily true, but Jennifer seemed satisfied. Eventually she got bored of talking. She gradually moved closer to Trouble, until she was so close she was almost able to feel his breath on her cheek. He made to stand up, but she reached out and closed her fingers around his hand. Her extravagantly long, manicured nails dug into his palm. Trouble opened his mouth to protest, before the words had a chance to pass his lips, Jennifer leaned closer to him, her free hand pulled him towards her. She kissed him, straight on the mouth.

Holly left Police Plaza with an extremely bored expression on her face. Root had made fill in every form and file every report. Was Recon really worth all the paper work? She had no intention of quitting though. That would only prove everyone right. They all said females wouldn't be able to cope. That was a load of rubbish, and she knew it. She checked the moonometer in her visor. Five to ten. Hey Root had let her leave early. That was a first. Perhaps he too thought she couldn't cope. She wasn't bothered about that now. She was exhausted. A fourteen hour shift really took it out of a fairy. She headed down the packed street towards the thoroughfare. If she hurried, she could get home by ten fifteen.

Trouble instinctively pushed her away, but she didn't seem bothered. She tilted her head, smiling coyly. "Come on," she taunted, "You know you want to."

Trouble rolled his eyes. Was this an official chat up line? Females seemed to swear by it. "No I don't. I'm married. You know that. And even if I wasn't, I still wouldn't be interested in you."

Jennifer pouted, "You'd rather have Holly over me?"

"Yes. She's my wife and I love her. She's the mother of my child. What are you to me? None of those. Now you should go."

Jennifer ignored this. She kissed him again. Longer this time.

Holly's feet pounded up the second flight of stairs. She reached into her pocket for her electro-key. She inserted it into the lock. Okay, she could've just rung the doorbell, but Amber would be asleep around about now, and it wouldn't be fair to wake her.

She pushed open the door, stepping inside and shutting it silently behind her. She pulled off her helmet hanging beside Trouble's. She strained her ears, certain she could hear something. There it was again. She headed towards the living room to investigate.

What she saw knocked the air from her lungs. Trouble was there. His back to her. Kissing someone else. The someone else was Jennifer, the Police plaza receptionist.

Jennifer opened one eye, instantly seeing Holly. She winked saucily.

Trouble felt Jennifer tense slightly, and used this as an opportunity to push her away. It was then he noticed something.

Holly.


A/N: So? What did you think? I want people's opinions. Is it worth continuing with? Let me know.

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