Author's Note: I was doing more planning, to see how many chapters it will be, and a couple things changed. I'm still aiming for fifty thousand words, but it won't be as many chapters, I think. I really don't know chapter wise, because I try to keep my chapters in one act and using only one or scenes from Romeo and Juliet. It will also be hard once I'm off using the play and onto a completely different setting and stuff. Yes, it will go on past where Artemis and Holly "kill themselves." They still need to go back, don't they? I'm not saying any more though, you'll have to read –and review so I update- to find out what happens. This chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, but everything in here is important: either to the Romeo and Juliet part of the play or to past that. It would be considered filler for now, but it will be important later. 36 reviews!

Also, I wont be able to write very much due to a death in the family. Please don't threaten me to "update soon" because, well, I can't. I'm also working on writing right now, up until the last part I had written it already before I was banned, so now I'm kinda in a race between the reviwers and how fast I can type.

Thank you to Knight of the Eternal Darkness, -anon-anon-anon-, yamapi, sweetcandy, ShadowMagicks, Zarroc, and dark of the moon. I love you guys!

Recap

Holly took a last glance at Artemis as she went inside. He was slowly climbing down the wall, fear stricken. She allowed a small smile as Artemis left, and she walked into her room. The nurse poked her head in and said, "Go to sleep," and Holly, more than tired, collapsed on the bed. She didn't care that her dress must have weighed thirty pounds; all she wanted to do was sleep, even if dawn was only two or three hours away.

End of Recap

Artemis walked away from the Capulet estate stifling a yawn. He had dealt with lack of sleep before, but that was when he was planning, or rewiring a computer, or something that dealt with technology or schemes, not with actual physical exertion. It wouldn't be so bad if he could rest, but he had to stick to the plan. It also happened to be that he hadn't been able to sleep or even relax after the incident with Spiro, he had been sent straight to Haven and almost a day later he was here. He needed to sleep more than anything, but he had stuff to do.

He walked to the edge of the town, looking for some sign of a church or monastery. He saw a cross above the buildings, and slowly made his way towards it. Taking in nothing, he lost himself in thought once again. God, I'm so tired. You would think, after all I've done for them, the fairies would at least let me sleep a little. I did save their world from a megalomaniac, prevent a goblin rebellion, and returned half of the gold I stole from them even though it was rightfully mine. A small voice in his brain, maybe his conscience, said in response, but you did steal it. And kidnap Holly. He ignored his small self righteous self and went back to his complaining. I may kind of regret kidnapping Holly, but I don't regret meeting the fairies. Without them, I would have never become who I am now. I would still be even more evil than I am now. I don't think I'm that evil now, but I still am considered a criminal. I need to plan. But we have kind of planned it out. It's just not perfect yet. And it's also pretty good that I came up with that on the spot. God, I love my brain.

Obviously Artemis wasn't too tired to still be conceited. Soon the cross was above his head and he strolled inside. No one was there, so he walked out the door to what looked like a garden. The early dawn was highlighted in the garden, plants and features arranged to show the pretty sunrise. The sun was just peeking out of the horizon, pinks and oranges blending together to form an artist's palette. The garden was well tended, and flowers and vegetables covered mounds of soil. Grass surrounded the mounds, and it could have been a garden feature on television if there was a sprinkler or some form of irrigation. A stone fountain was the center, vines creeping up the column. Cobblestone paths were laid, archways covered with vines over the pathways. Artemis saw a tomato and grabbed it. He was starving, and the red juices filled his mouth as he gulped it down. He heard a noise behind him and he whirled around.

An old man was watering the flowers. He was old, his movements touched by arthritis and brown robes covering his hunched back. He was talking to himself, possibly praying for something, and hadn't noticed Artemis. Artemis ate several more little tomatoes, then turned to the monk, who had to be Friar Lawrence, who played a considerable part in Shakespeare's play. The friar turned and noticed Artemis.

"Hello, there, Romeo," he greeted.

"Morning, Friar."

"It is nice to see someone your age up at such a wonderful time. But after hearing the tales of your late sleeping, I wonder why you came. What ails you? Is it Rosaline?"

"No, Friar."

"Does it have to do with love then?"

"I suppose, father."

Artemis knew he had to pretend he loved Holly in order for the plan to work. He wasn't a born actor, but he had to be convincing for the Friar to allow certain things to happen.

"Well, who do you love?"

"Holl- I mean Juliet Capulet, daughter of my parent's enemy."

"Why do you love her?"

Oh, shoot. Artemis thought. Think, boy, think. "Well, uh…" Artemis blushed. "She's, ah, very beautiful and has a wonderful personality. She lights up the room with her presence." He knew it wasn't very convincing word wise, but he tried to hoist a look of daydreaming and hope on his face.

"And what do you want me to do about this?"

Oh, God, kill me now.. "I need you to marry me and Juliet."

"Very well. I will ponder it."

The old man left, leaving Artemis to chide himself over his horrible performance. He walked out of the monastery and the garden, and headed for the center of the town.

Gosh, that was horrible. You would think a genius could be smart enough to think up something that would make him seem like he was in love. Oh, well. He said he'd think about it. That's good enough, I suppose. What am I supposed to do now? Artemis paused, thinking about the play, recalling pages of pages of text with his photographic memory. Oh, my God. I have to fight. And kill someone! Wait, but first… Artemis remembered what happened first, and grimaced, but couldn't get his mind off of the fact that he, Artemis Fowl the Second, had to kill someone.

Artemis remembered the conversation with Holly he had with her about Spiro.

"I'm not a cold blooded killer!" he had said.

"Give yourself a few years. You'll get there."

The conversation had gone something like that, and now, merely three days later, he would have to kill someone. And another person later. People he had never met, people he didn't know anything about.

The thirteen year old soon found himself in the center of the town. Mercutio and Benvolio were there, talking.

"Bonjour, Romeo, bonjour! See, Romeo? I can speak French."

God, they're so naïve. But one's dying soon. "Hello, gentlemen," he replied.

"Come on," Mercutio said, "Let's practice our swordsmanship. I heard Tybalt was coming through this way, and a fight'll probably happen, knowing him."

"Yes, yes" Artemis replied nervously. He had never used a sword, let alone touched one. He would need all the practice he could get.

Benvolio took out a sword from his belt, and Artemis did the same. They clanged their swords, Artemis doing alright for a first timer, but still realized he would not last in a real battle like the one that was coming up.

"Gosh, Romeo, what happened?" Mercutio asked. "Are you so tired from last night you forget how to fight after we had taught you so much?"

"Extremely tired. Exhausted."

"Here, let me show you how to block. You're forgetting." Mercutio showed Artemis a complicated move, which he tried to copy, failing dreadfully. If the genius wasn't so worried about what was coming up, he would have blushed.

Artemis continued practicing, butterflies fluttering about his stomach as the time drew nearer for him to fight. He heard footsteps in the distance and mentally prepared himself. Soon though, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was the Nurse, accompanied by a young boy, maybe ten. No one would fight and kill in front of a lady, and this scrawny ten year old couldn't be Tybalt. And Tybalt wouldn't come before…

"Hello, Romeo" she said.

Artemis waved Mercutio and Benvolio away, waiting until they left before returning the greeting. "Hello, Nurse. Why have you come?"

"To talk, sir, about the woman you love."

"You mean Juliet?"

"Ah, yes."

"Could you please tell her something for me?" Artemis inquired.

"Yes?"

"Could you have her meet me at the monastery of Friar Lawrence this afternoon, maybe around three?"

"Why is that?"

"I cannot say."

"I have my suspicions, Romeo, and let me warn you. Do not break this girl's heart. She's thirteen, she has great potential in this world. If you break her heart, I promise you that you will pay."

"I won't."

"Good."

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"Bye, then." The nurse said. "Come on, Peter," beckoning to the scrawny boy who was looking through a window."

Artemis stood there, preparing himself for what could be hell. He was safe, for now, but soon he would become what Holly had predicted: a cold blooded killer.

Holly, currently sleeping like the dead, had no idea about Artemis. She wasn't even thinking about Artemis, in fact, she was dreaming about being back where she was born, back in Haven, where she had her pointed ears and shorter height.

Walking through the streets of Haven, the Captain Holly Short was on patrol. It was strange, since normally they had Corporals to do this work, but yet there she was. She wasn't directing, though. No one was around, just her. It looked the same, save for the lack of people and noise. Except…the headquarters weren't there.

Curious, the Captain turned the corner, and the same situation was upon her. Silent shadows in this deserted area, and there wasn't a sign of a single fairy. Except for her, of course. No lights were on in a single building, even though this area of Haven had many apartment complexes, town homes, and in turn had a high population.

She glanced at the sky, or what counted as the sky when you lived five thousand feet below the surface. It still had its lights, mimicking the sunlight of where the fairies used to reside.

She walked away from headquarters, away from what was so desolate, hoping to find something that was normal. She tried to figure out what had happened to cause a city with a population of over three hundred thousand to become this way. Holly realized there must have been no one there, for it to be so quiet. Homes weren't that soundproof, with her helmet magnifying every noise there must have been something heard by now, if there was anyone there.

After several minutes of the only noise being her almost muted footsteps, finally she picked up something. Voices, blurred together, probably because they were some distance away. Holly guessed the noise was to the east of her, to her left, since she was heading south. She started to run towards the voices, hoping for some life beyond hers, hoping for something to become normal.

Cutting through yards and jumping over fences, she ran to the voices, looking down and only glancing up to situate herself. But then, when she looked up, once again on the road…

There was wreckage, there was destruction. A building, bombed by the looks of it, was collapsed on the ground, concrete foundations broken and scattered across the street. Glass shards, broken bricks lay among the wreckage.

"D'arvit," she whispered, eyes wide from the shock of seeing something like this.

Once she had stared and taken it all in, she remembered the voices. Maybe they would tell her what had happened, maybe they could tell her why no one was here. Were they dead? Sick? Or just somewhere else, hidden?

She heard the voices again, this time coming from the southwest. The people were moving, and Holly had to catch up. She had to figure out what was going on.

Sprinting towards the unknown, finally Holly paused for breath. The voices were close, much louder now, and Holly, being the agile runner she was, could easily catch up; they were in walking distance now.

"Hello, there," a deep voice said.

Holly looked up. There was a human, there, staring at her. He was at least six feet in height, looking menacing, and had blond hair and green eyes. It wasn't Artemis, or Butler, or a Fowl. Humans were never supposed to be here, let alone know about the place, with the exception of Artemis, Butler, and Juliet. He was there, and surrounded by other humans.

"Who are you?" Holly asked, trying to keep a threatening tone in her voice, but failed. Her voice was shaking.

"Someone. But the real question is, what are you?"

"Someone else," Holly replied. Two could play at this game.

"Well, Miss, ah, Captain Short, surely you are wondering where everyone else is."

"Who are you, really?" Holly inquired, no longer nervous, but angry. "And how did you know my name?"

"Let's say I have my connections. But, to cease your wondering, let me tell you this. You, Miss Holly Short, are the only fairy alive. And I, one of seven billion humans alive, am here to make a deal."

"Why did you kill us?"

"Who said I killed them? Gases killed them, and yet, you survived. How?"

Holly recalled that she had been at Fowl Manor the previous day. She had taken a pod home, and then she was here. Of course, this was all in her dream, but she didn't know that. To Holly, this was reality. Nothing this clear could be a dream. Not when she could smell a scent of smoke, not when she could hear her footsteps, her heavy breathing so clearly. No dream was that realistic!

"Why do you care?" No one had a right to kill fairies! No one had a right to even know about the fairies! Rage coursed through her, and she had to make this right. She had to make sure this wasn't real, even though to Holly it was.

"Oh, believe me when I say I care. Now tell me, what do you prefer?"

"What are you saying?"

"Let me finish. Help me, or suffer the consequences." He bent down to her level. "Surely you know what the consequences are?"

"Fill me in. And why would I help a Mud Man, anyway?"

"I wont be the Mud person," he said, an evil glint in his eye. "You'll be the one six feet under, buried in the Mud."

"You're going to kill me then?"

"Or would you rather help me?"

"I'd never help a Mud bastard like you," Holly answered defiantly, hands on her hips.

The man pulled out something black, something with a trigger. Holly had never liked to run away from a situation, but now she could. She couldn't though, there was a large gold piece on this gun. Mesmerizing gold. Brilliant gold. She couldn't take her eyes off it.

"Like my gun then?" the Mud Man asked, pulling her to it, her head pressed against the barrel.

Holly, who now couldn't see the gold, realized she had to get away. But she couldn't. The Mud Man's grip was too strong. Struggling, all the while the Mud Man chuckled, cocking the gun. He pulled the trigger- - - -

Holly sat up, drenched in sweat, ready to scream. She saw the canopy surrounding her bed, and she remembered where she was. Thank Frond that was a dream. It was so real though, but it wasn't. She was still alive, and still apparently Juliet Capulet from Verona, Italy, thirteen in 1397. For the first time, she was happy she was a human. But this dream made her wonder. Was something happening back in the year 2003? Was the fairy world in turmoil? Or even worse, dead? If she went back, would she and Artemis find a Haven deserted and bombed?

The girl shuddered. In that dream, one of her worst nightmares had occurred. The fairy world discovered by humans, the fairies all dead, and she the only one left. She had had dreams like that happen, but not like this. Holly had never, ever in her eighty three years of life had a dream like that so vivid. Not one that she could remember, anyway. And vivid dreams are the ones you remember. Man, she thought, why can't my good dreams be vivid? Like the one-

"Juliet?" the nurse asked, not even bothering to knock, just walking in and opening her drapes. "It's noon, and you're still asleep?"

"I was, until now," Holly grumbled.

"Well, I'm glad you're awake. Guess who I had a conversation with this morning?"

"Who?"

"Romeo."

Author's Note: I did stop here, not for a cliffhanger, but for another important reason. The next two scenes of Romeo and Juliet are in the next chapter(and those of you who know the play well know what's coming up ;-) and those who don't, well, even more suspense. Lol) And what's in between the acts is after that. Please review! A ffnet writer writes faster, and better when they review, even if its criticism. Criticism, constructive criticism anyway, helps writers improve their story. And yes, that dream Holly had was important. Not for a couple chapters anyway, but soon. So please review!