Chapter Four: The Show Must Go On

Fowl Manor, 5:45pm

"All set Artemis."

The boy genius smiled a fang like tooth visible. "Very good, our guest of honor should arrive around mid party."

insert doorbell jingle here

Juliet made her way to the double doors and opened them wide as two or three dozen teenagers poured into Fowl Manor, and they were just the on time crew. She led them into the ball room where food and snacks and drinks were set out on tables. Several large televisions were positioned around the room and loud music resounded off the walls. 'This is going to be so cool!' Juliet Butler watched as the teens separated and mingled and started the party right away, she then turned and walked back up to her room to get Holly, Artemis and her brother.

Holly Short was looking herself over again in the mirror, thinking that maybe this was a bad idea. Her ears had twitched the first time she had doubts, and fairy intuition is always right. 'Something bad is going to happen…what are you planning mud boy?"

"Come on Holly the party's already started!" Juliet poked her head in and smiled. "I already got Butler down there and Artemis is waiting for you at the top of the stairs." Holly nodded and Juliet disappeared. She no doubt wanted to flirt a bit rather than baby sitting an elf that was three times her age.

The Captain sighed and exited the room walking down the long hallway and came to a stop next to her "date" Artemis Fowl Jr. "Hey." She whispered softly to get his attention. He seemed deep in thought but at the sound of her voice Artemis turned around and studied her carefully.

"…….." He was at a loss for words.

'I guess Juliet was right…' Holly waved her hand in front of Artemis to no avail. "Ugh, Artemis." She punched him hard in the right shoulder and glared. "Stop that, you're drooling." Of course Artemis blinked out of his daze and wiped his mouth, finding no drool to speak of.

'Ah she was joking. Well no matter, I'll just have to cover up my momentary lapse…though she does look beautiful.' Then again, Holly had always been pretty, even when he first met her; she had a kind of allure to her. She was dangerously pretty, black widow pretty. He extended his arm which she gladly took. "Shall we?"

They descended the stair case and entered the ball room, immediately being sucked into the party atmosphere. Every which way teenagers were flirting, dancing, eating, drinking, or just in general having fun. Holly's eyes lit up and she grabbed Artemis' hand pulling him into the middle of the crowd where the guests where dancing.

"Holly I think you should know I don't dance." Artemis crossed his arms over his chest and stood at the center of the crowd facing Holly a cold look in his eyes.

"Come on Artemis please? I didn't agree to stay just so I could be a wall flower."

"Then you should find another boy to dance with." He raised a slim eyebrow when Holly poked her finger into his chest.

"Listen mud boy, I have to keep an eye on so you don't go figure out a way to foil the mind wipe AND I don't think it'll kill you to have a little fun."

The mud boy sighed; once again, she had defeated him. "Very well Miss Short."

Juliet smirked and put on a collection of jazz/swing this would make things more fun.

As the music started Artemis groaned. "Juliet……"

"What?" Holly studied his face closely.

'Well…I guess I'll just show her. Juliet will get it for this, but I guess this could work for the plan.' Artemis smiled at Holly as he caught the beat of the music, just what the other boys were doing. "Ok Holly, you wanted to dance, so I hope you can swing." Holly tilted her head about to question what he was talking about when he took her hands in his whirling her around. Holly was shocked that Artemis, the Artemis Fowl, criminal master mind, cold hearted genius, could swing dance.

The music picked up as Artemis and Holly quickly became the center of attention. Artemis was good, he picked Holly up swinging her around with ease and Holly reacted like they were made to be dance partners. The chemistry between the two was perfect and obvious as the other dancers backed away to give them enough room for the more difficult moves. Holly giggled as Artemis lifted her up and swung her to his side, then to his other side and finally under his legs. He pulled her back up fast and threw her a bit into the air, grabbing her round the waist and helping her to land softly. They're faces came close enough for their noses to touch, laughing together as they kicked to the side of each other with opposite feet, jazz hands waving. They came back together and Holly playfully slid down Artemis' leg just as the music slowed. 'Might as well play along.' She thought. The music sped up for the last time and Artemis twirled Holly to get her momentum up enough for his next move.

'She wants to play with me, I'll play with her.' He put his arm tightly around Holly's waist and swung her to his right side, letting go of her hand and reaching around to hook said arm in the bend of her legs pulling her round and round like a hula-hoop. When he was sure Holly was dizzy enough he helped her to her feet by flipping her over his shoulder and setting her down. The song came to an end as Holly, Artemis and the rest of the crowd finished the dance. Juliet giggled as she watched them, they're eyes never left each other, and it took a lot of trust to be swing dance partners. The music switched over to some rock, then to hip hop and finally Juliet put on a traditional waltz, just for Arty. They were cute to watch, Holly teaching Artemis some new moves and Artemis leading the waltz, but Juliet just couldn't resist some more fun. 'Now for the coupe de grace.' She switched the disks again to something a little more….fun. Holly's eyes widened as she heard the Lambada music start up. 'Now this might be a bit much.' But Artemis seemed intrigued.

"You up for one last dance Holly?" The gleam in his sapphire eyes was irresistible.

"You bet." Holly laced her fingers with Artemis' as he pulled her close, his eyes locked with hers and his arm tightened around her waist. Holly smiled; even fairies knew what the lambada was. 'A Brazilian dance, in which the partners press tightly together and gyrate sensually…this, will be interesting.' Holly was surprised Artemis even knew this dance…the lambada was known as "The Forbidden Dance", but it was just too fun for people to stay away from. It was dirty, it was sexual… and she thought that the swing music had been bad. 'I'll make him sweat,' Holly thought a gleam in her eye 'time for the real fun to begin.' But as she thought this, Holly couldn't shake the odd churning in her stomach…could it be her intuition warning her again or…something else?

All the teenagers attending the party were out on the dance floor pressed tightly against someone, you could almost see the heat in the room. Juliet let a wide grin stretch across her face when Artemis took Holly tightly in his arms. Juliet watched them dance, unable to tear her eyes away. Both of them were very good at this and she found herself slightly confused as to why they were good but all thought was lost when Holly slowly slid down Artemis' leg in a much more sensual manner than when they were swing dancing. Her hands running down his chest slowly, as she grinned up at him, biting her lip in a suggestive manner. Artemis blushed slightly and tried to ignore her action, but his mind betrayed him. 'Why does she make me feel like this?'

Juliet found her cheeks heating up as the music continued to drug the crowd of teens. Artemis twirled Holly out and when he pulled her back in he dipped her slowly, so her hair almost touched the ground. 'I'll get her back for that leg thing.' Artemis thought with a smirk. He swallowed the lump of fear in his throat as he slowly brought Holly back up his hand running through her shoulder length auburn hair and down her neck and chest, stopping right at the collar of her dress. Which mind you, was a very low cut v-neck. Holly blushed madly and a shiver ran down her spine but to Artemis and Juliet's surprise she didn't hit him, in fact she smiled and they continued to dance. 'He's insane…' Juliet thought her jaw dangerously close to putting a hole in the ball room floor. The sexual movements and suggestive action continued between the two and the rest of the crowd until the music finally slowed. Just right for one more move, which Artemis took advantage of. He brought Holly slowly down into another deep dip; they're faces only inches apart. Holly could feel her cheeks heating up again her eyes staring deep into his. Their lips came closer and closer together until……

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The crowd screamed and Juliet ducked under a table, Artemis smirked down at Holly bringing her back up fast and spun her around so her back was to him. Butler stood before her and that was the last she saw before she fainted. Whether it was from exhaustion or from fear she couldn't tell.

A/N: Next chapter is the last, sorry again for my lovely cliff hangers