Okay, here's ch 3! Yay!

"Audrey?"

"Holly!" The girl dropped the weapon and ran over to the fairy. The two sisters hugged, and then Holly pulled away.

"Audrey, please tell me how you got a gun, a gun of the people to be exact, and why you are pointing the barrel at Artemis's head."

Audrey looked at the mud boy. "Artemis? Artemis? You know him by first name?"

"Yes, and we both will be staying with him for a while."

"Oh my god. I just pulled a gun on my host." She turned to Artemis, "Sorry," she said.

Before Artemis had time to respond, Holly spoke again. "Audrey, where did you get the gun?"

"Geez, I don't see you for how long? Five years? And all you can think to ask me is how I managed to..."

"Audrey, the gun is a danger of exposing the people, exposing the people! You can't just waltz around with the gun! Didn't the airport pick it up?"

"Relax, Holly! It couldn't be seen by the radars! And I wouldn't shoot anybody!" She eyed Artemis. "Unless I thought that they kidnapped you, and even then I don't know if I could pull the trigger."

"But where did you get the gun?"

"A specific centaur gave it to me." Audrey said this slowly.

"Foaly." Holly could have guessed. Audrey and Foaly had gotten along better than anything. No doubt they would have become best friends if Holly hadn't...

No. Holly would not think of all this as her fault. Audrey had won a scholarship to a boarding school in the US, and Holly had been poor so of course Holly had sent her. Not being able to see her was... unfortunate. But, she was here now, and Holly could...

"... come inside." Artemis had said something.

"What?"

"It looks like it's going to rain soon. I'll get Juliet to make sandwiches, and we can talk. I'll take it you are somehow related, either that or I'm not the only mud person you talk to. You can grab your bags and please, come inside." Audrey had repeated Artemis's sentence, word for word. He stared. "My memory's phonic," she said. "I can remember anything you say."

"And it's gotten her into trouble, too," Holly added. "And yes, we are related. Audrey is my half sister. My mother, after the death of my father went to the surface and fell in love with a mudman. They were married, and had Audrey. Two months after she was born, my stepfather, Audrey's father, died. Audrey lived underground for years untill our mom died. Then, there was a big case for me to adopt Audrey here. Along the way, her memory got her into trouble.

flashback flashback flashback flashback flashback flashback flashback flashback flashback

"Her sister's paycheck is very little."

"She loves Audrey, and they'll manage." Foaly was talking to a strange man. "There is no doubt in my mind that..."

The strange man cut him off. "Holly is a girl, and will never make it hire than corporal in the LEP. That is not enough to help two people live."

"Holly will find a way."

Audrey was listening in the corner. She turned to run, tears streaming down her cheeks. Foaly saw her run. "Audrey!" he yelled, Audrey!"

He caught up to the eleven year old. "Audrey, what is it?"

She hugged the centaur, burring her head in his shoulder. There, she just cried. Then, she repeated a conversation she had heard Holly and Trouble Kelp say the night before.

Trouble: How are things going with Audrey?

Holly: as if you care.

Trouble: Okay, maybe Audrey and I didn't get of on the right foot...

Holly: You hate her!

Trouble: and she hates me!

Holly: I'm starting to see why! (cries)

Trouble: Sorry Holly, really.

Holly: I don't know what to do! My salary really isn't enough...

Trouble: How's the case going?

Holly: Not very well, they seem to think that I wouldn't be a suitable parent, but where would she go if not to me? They'd mind wipe her, and then send her to some human family. But, Underground is all she's ever known.

Trouble: That would really hurt her IQ

Holly: She's not very smart, but it could take away her memory abilities.

Trouble: Yeah.

End flashback end flashback end flashback end flashback end flashback end flashback end flashback end flashback

"What did you do?" Artemis asked. They were inside eating sandwiches. Good ones too.

"I might have the next day gone and punched Trouble Kelp in the nose," Audrey said calmly, "But he deserved it."

"Maybe, but they used that ageist you in the case!" Holly said, suddenly. "I almost lost you because of that!"

"You told him I was stupid!"

"I never said you were stupid!"

"Oh I'm sorry, She's not very smart means what?" Holly had no retort for this. What could she say? It means that you're a genius? No, Audrey wouldn't take that. She's so sensitive!

"Thought so." Audrey grabbed her bag and walked upstairs, choosing an empty room at random. Holly put her head in her hands.

"Artemis, I need to talk to Juliet. And Butler, but that can wait."

"Holly, if there's anything..."

"Anything you can do to help blah blah blah. No, it's okay. I just need to talk to Juliet. Oh, thank you so much for letting us stay here; I'm sorry it was such a rush. I'm on vacation now, if you can believe it." She gave a faint smile." No, I guess you can't believe it."

Artemis summoned Juliet. "Holly wants to talk to you," he said.

Juliet smiled. "I think Foaly missed a part with my mind wipe. Just seeing you was like stepping into something... Oh I can't describe it."

"That's alright. Juliet, I was wondering if you could do me a favor..."

YAY! Okay, I know nothing happened in this chapter, but that's okay. Props to anyone who likes it, and does not kill me with flames! Flames are okay, but drowning in flames is not good!
Oh well. Audrey hates trouble kelp. Muhahahah. lmao.

RR!