Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters owned by Eoin Colfer, I don't own anything I didn't create, but I own everything that I made up/created/thought of.

A/N; I'm so sorry. I didn't mean this update to take so long. I got a little side-tracked writing my other story, which I decided to finish before I posted it (it only took me three days, honest). This turned out to be a better idea than what I'm doing with this story. But I promise I will not abandon this, I WILL finish it. I'm determined to. This chapter is shorter than the last one, but I hope it will be long enough.

Thank you so so so much to all reviewers, I have fifty reviews. Yay, celebrations! I'm so very grateful to everyone who reviews.

Review replies:

Sweetdeath04: poor, poor Holly. I'm sure it would be. The gay hairdresser is just there because I felt like it; it really has no overall significance to the story. Thanks.

lutefa: You would want a hair straighter if you had a afro, trust me. Sushi is good isn't it? You pronounce Xanthe's name Zan-thee.

The Dark Empress of Eternity: Don't we all, the poor elf. I'm the same, except for the short hair. I'm too lazy to go to the hairdresser so it just grows and grows. I got the name Xanthe because I realised that a lot of the names in the story had to do with plants - Holly, Root, Kelp for example. There used to be this programme on TV here in New Zealand that gave people's gardens makeovers. The person that dealt with the plants was called Xanthe, but I'm not sure if that's how you spell it, I just kind of made that up.

-anon-anon-anon-: Thanks. And I will.

refloc: Have fun in Texas.

refloc: Thanks. Have fun.

fish stix satay: Thanks. No problem. I hate people who read but don't review, even if they hate what they read. I have no problem with people hating the country they live in. I have a problem with people hating New Zealand. Sorry about that, I over-reacted because I'd just got back from Australia and people there seemed to enjoy kiwi-bashing. I know the feeling of living in one of the little towns, but I live in Auckland now, it's not much better, you can't go anywhere without seeing someone you know, and the traffic is horrible. Oh well, it's still New Zealand, and I love my country. Whoops, another rant. Sorry.

Summer Raindrop: Thanks. And I refuse to stop. I know, why isn't there much Holly/Trouble? It makes sense, and Arty/Holly is just wrong.

Sir Pent: Probably, I've never been psycho-analyzed, so I don't know. I like exams though, I enjoy them. What is wrong with me? Good question.

Random Box: Thanks. I like the name too. Oh yea, I should probably change that. I try to update soon, it just never seems to work that well.

sergeantstan: Thanks. I try to update this one soon, but it doesn't work that well.

----- - hehe, Holly with make-up, I couldn't resist that, considering it is never going to happen. There is another update, thanks so much.

FetishFemale: Thanks. No problem.

froggiesrcool: yes, he is

froggiesrcool: she doesn't like it. It will be fun. Hehe.

teresalu: how does that make you girly?

Chapter Twelve: The Earrings

Trouble's POV

Commander Root and I basically just sat in his office all day. He told me that Holly and I hadn't really missed any important stuff and it should be easy for us to make up the credit that we had missed out on. We probably wouldn't fail unless we did really badly from this point on.

Like I really cared. I was just over the moon that Holly was alright. I would have been devastated if she hadn't been. I had never really realised before this happened just how much I cared about her.

I was excited now. I really wanted to see what Xanthe would do to Holly. Whatever it was I was sure Holly wouldn't like it. From the brief time I had spent with Xanthe I had learnt that she was Holly polar opposite, quite literally. It definitely explained a lot about Holly to me.

'Cadet, are you listening to me?'

'What?'

'Obviously not. Why do you care so much about her?'

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How had Commander Root managed to realise that I was in love with Holly? Or had he, did he just know that I cared about her. So what if every second word out of my mouth these days is about Holly? It isn't that obvious, is it?

Commander Root's POV

Cadet Kelp obviously isn't listening to me. He has been different ever since the start of the year when he saw Holly again. I'm quite sure I know what this is about. He has developed a slight obsession with Holly. I'm not exactly sure how but I think they have fallen in love.

I'm beginning to get worried about Holly and Xanthe. I have never managed to work out how girls can spend so long doing something as menial as shopping. I'm pretty sure this lengthy shopping trip was Xanthe's idea. I would be surprised if it was Holly's.

Trouble's POV

I'm getting nervous. Oh so very nervous. I can't wait to see Holly. Yet I dread what I will see. I know she will look absolutely wonderful in whatever she is wearing. But I don't know if I will be able to stop myself declaring my undying love for her the minute I see her.

There is no more time to worry now. I hear Xanthe and Holly talking outside the door. Holly is pleading with Xanthe. I feel like rushing out there, consoling her, telling her she doesn't look horrible. Which wouldn't be a lie. There is no way Holly could ever look horrible.

Finally one of them finds the courage to knock on the door.

'Come in,' calls Commander Root from behind his desk.

The door slowly creeps open with a slightly nervous looking Xanthe standing behind it. She reaches back though the door and grabs an arm belonging to someone who must be Holly. Xanthe drags a very hot looking Holly in though the door.

Holly looks amazing. Her look was totally different to Xanthe's but it suited her. Right down to the earrings dangling off of her ears.

Holly's POV

I pleaded with Xanthe. More than anything I didn't want Trouble to see me like this. What would he think? Would he think that some random girl had randomly taken over my body?

She wouldn't listen. She opened the door and pulled me though. I saw Trouble and Uncle Julius staring at me.

Xanthe's POV

I knew Holly was scared. But I had to take her in. She didn't know how good she looked and more than anything I wanted her and Trouble to get together. He was so hot. I wasn't attracted to him or anything; I would never do that to my sister. They were perfect for each other. In the one day I had spent time with Holly I had come to care about her so much. She was the best sister you could ever want.

Kelp and the Commander are typical males. They just stood there staring at her flabbergasted. Trouble had his thoughts almost written across his face. Of course, being a male of the species the next comment that came out of his mouth wasn't exactly bright enough to turn on a light bulb. It was worthy of a goblin.

'You have holes in your ears.'

Holly looked scandalised, like she might burst into tears, but I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. It was just so funny. The look on Holly's face when he said that was priceless. Commander Root looked like he was barely able to stop himself cracking.

Holly's POV

Trouble had to make the worst possible comment. Didn't he?

'You have holes in your ears.'

How could he? How could he say that? I let Xanthe drag me around a shopping centre to try and impress him and all he says is that I have holes in my ears. I thought he was different. I honestly thought he was, the way he was at the hospital, how he helped me out of the forest. Everything.

I must have been wrong. I struggled to stop the tears from coming. I would not let that insensitive jerk get the better of me.

'They're clip ons,' Xanthe managed to say from behind me. The bitch, she found this funny. She must have known that Trouble didn't like me like that, she must have been in on the joke to humiliate me. Even Uncle Julius was laughing. No, not Uncle Julius, Commander Root. I was wrong. You can't change, you can't open up to people when you have been hardened.

I began to shake. I couldn't help it. I would burst into sobs in a few moments, I wouldn't let them see, not one of them. I took off the earrings ad threw them to Xanthe, then I walked swiftly towards the door of the office.

I had to get out of there. I didn't know where to, but away from that office.

Commander Root's POV

Typical of Kelp, I couldn't help laughing though. The girl he so obviously loves walks into the room and the one thing he can do is tell her that she has holes in her ears. Her sister isn't much help either, she just cracks up, and Trouble looks thoroughly confuzzled.

I understand when Xanthe explains that the earrings are clip on. But Holly still looks like she will burst into tears. It's scary, I have never seen her look like this before, she must really really like Trouble. She takes off her earrings and throws them to Xanthe. Then she storms towards the doors.

I stop laughing. This is more serious than I thought. Holly really took this seriously. I rise out of my chair.

Xanthe's POV

I didn't realise how seriously Holly would take this. She really did look like she was going to do something stupid. Even after I explained the situation to Trouble. Comprehension dawned on his face, but it turned to panic as Holly yanked off the earring and threw them to me, before proceeding to storm out of the door.

Trouble's POV

How can I be so stupid? The first thing I say to the girl that I care most about in the whole world is that she has holes in her ears. I am officially an idiot. I can't work out why Xanthe is laughing, until she tells me that the earrings are clip on.

I suddenly realise what I have done. I must have insulted Holly so badly. I know she would never agree to have holes cut in her ears. She wouldn't do that. Now she's going to think that I am a total idiot for saying that. She'll think I don't care about her.

She takes off the earrings and throws them to Xanthe, then storms out of the door.

I am panicking now. What have I done? Have I ruined my one chance to impress her?

We let her go. Not one of us realises what is happening. The three of us left in the room stare at each other in shocked silence. Finally Commander Root breaks the silence. He snaps at me.

'What are you standing there for you idiot. Go after her.'

Finally something clicks. I begin to race out of the door.

'Good luck,' whispers Xanthe as I pass her. I'm going to need it.

As I burst out into the hallway I see Holly's sobbing form walking down it - towards the exit. She can't leave, I won't let her. I love her.

'Holly,' I yell, racing down the hallway after her.

A/N: The end of this chapter. Mainly because I can't decide what is going to happen next. I'll update when I have an idea. I'm almost suffering from writers block, I swear it. But I will continue to write. Thank you to all who have reviewed the story, and please review this chapter. The next update will hopefully not take as long as this one.