Hello everyone! Yes, a new fic! It's a lot different than the other fics I've written, I hope you like it all the same.

I'd like to give a VERY special thank you to happynutcase (Shannon) who helped me with all these ideas, planned the fic and started this, unfortunately, she couldn't write it with me, but without her, this fic would never have been written. I also want to thank all the reviewers I have for my other fics, and future reviews I will (hopefully) get for this fic. You all rock!

Now, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl

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Deadly Temptations

"Really Butler, is there any possibility we could go faster, this business meeting could cost me."

Butler gritted his teeth.

"Sorry Artemis, these roads are horrible, it's best to go slower and avoid injuries."

Artemis scowled. Injuries, it was all Butler could ever think about. They were on a deserted road and his business meeting was is ten minutes, yet his bodyguard had to make sure everything was safe. It'd been like this since the day young Artemis was born, and he was almost tired of it. Being protected everyday wasn't anything special anymore.

"Artemis, I think there's a railway about 7 kilometers away, we may have to stop."

"Butler, this is the Fowl affairs we are talking about. I'm quite sure you can make it past a train, every minute I'm late is another square of my trust lost from old Barren."

Butler sighed, something he would rarely do around his employee. He stepped on the gas pedal and they sped up with a jolt.

"Artemis, I know Barren is a rich man, but money isn't worth a life."

Artemis stared coldly through the windshield.

"Perhaps someday Butler, you will see the power of money."

Butler almost snorted, again, something he would never do around his employee. He squinted while focusing on his driving.

"I see the railroad ahead, there must be a distant train, they're always carrying shipped products through here, we'll really have to step on it to make it."

Artemis didn't say anything, but continued to stare at the railroad tracks.

The Bentley was approaching the tracks quickly. A drop of sweat rolled down Butlers face, he was right, there was a train, you could hear it distantly form in the car as it approached at great speed.

"Artemis-"

"Just keep driving Butler," Artemis said, hardly nervous.

They were so close to the tracks, when Butler realized something, they wouldn't be able to beat it.

The Bentley's middle collided with the speeding train and crunched under the sharp wheels. There was a large gasp from Artemis before the whole front end was gone and the train tipped over on top of the Bentley, and Artemis' vision blacked out.

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Artemis crawled slowly from the wreck, his bodyguard nowhere in sight. He heaved in a gasp of breath and collapsed onto the dirt road, wondering; Where's Butler, where's Butler...

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Months later, here sits Artemis Fowl II, criminal mastermind; minus one.

After days in emergency, Artemis was in his father's study, forming another scheme. Not a money scheme, a scheme to retrieve his lifelong companion. Butler did not survive crash, and since that fatal day, Artemis had felt nothing but guilt, no desire for money…only determination to retrieve his bodyguard. Juliet and his mother had gone on a spa cruise, while Artemis Sr. was on a business trip in Canada. They had given Butler and Artemis a few months alone, so Artemis could focus on school more. Artemis had used the time to steal money, that was before Butler had died, now his mind was focusing on something different. When the family got back, Butler would be standing right beside Artemis, not in a graveyard.

Artemis vowed this, and he had less than a week to make it happen, his brain had never given him up, and it wasn't about to happen anytime soon. He rubbed his hands together and booted up his PC.

Hello hello all, yes I'm back…. With another fic –sigh- this one is probably the most IN character story I have yet. I hope you all like it…I know it's not long…but it's more of an intro… or a Prologue, please review! I SWEAR I'll update this one more often –shifty eyed- and I promise the chapters to be LONGGG or longer at least….

Yours until ducks go bald…

.::The Oddbird::.