Author's Note: 61 reviews! Holy crap! I know the dialogue in the fight scene wasn't the best, but I tried to keep it paraphrased. It would take longer to write new dialogue, and Artemis wouldn't know what to say. And that little Greek part…heeheehee. I thought of that since I had to have something happen while they're in Mantua. And besides, I'm Greek. Lol. One of my reviewers, PrincessBob I think, said that I better have an awesome ending. And honestly, I'm ashamed to say, I have no idea on what the ending should be. I have ideas, but they all seem too dramatic, or already used. Lol. Maybe you should send me ideas to maybe make some ideas less dramatic or different. Chapter dedicated to –anon-anon-anon-.

Thanks EricaL, Agivega, chocolate smudge, Zarroc, -anon-anon-anon-, PrincessBob(I don't exactly understand why I suck…unless you were being sarcastic. I dunno, its really hard to use sarcasm on a computer. lol), Rock 4ng3l, and ShadowMagicks.

Recap

The two walked in silence, Holly enjoying this bittersweet moment with Artemis. The rustling leaves in the summer breeze, the birds chirping, the wispy clouds in the sky, were enough to almost overcome what had happened, and what was about to happen.

End of recap

After dropping Holly off, Artemis doubled back to the town square, not thinking for once. If a thought did cross his mind, then it was about the upcoming scene. Killing a person was not on Artemis's to do list, but it had to be done. The only thing that made him even think about doing it was that he would die if he did not kill. And Artemis did not want to die at thirteen.

Mercutio and Benvolio were right where Artemis had left them a couple

hours ago, amazingly, still practicing their swordplay. While Artemis stood at another food stall to ease his hunger, the person the two had been waiting for all day, Tybalt, arrived, taunting them.

"Gentlemen, I need to speak with one of you."

"Only speak?" replied Mercutio, "Words aren't enough from a Capulet such as you, attach a blow to it."

"If you keep talking like that, then you'll get your way." The men had formed a circle, the two sides separated by at least three feet, but a circle nonetheless.

"But it's your way as well, considering that you're the one who loves fighting the most among us."

"Guys, you realize we're in the middle of the town square? If we are going to fight, couldn't we do it elsewhere?" Benvolio, the calm one on the Montague side, reasoned.

"I'm not moving until he does," Mercutio replied stubbornly.

Artemis gulped down the rest of his food and walked towards the group, feet moving without his consent.

"Fine then," said Tybalt, "here comes Romeo, he'll settle this mess."

Artemis looked at the man he would have to murder. He wore red, all red, which to Artemis indicated bloodshed, especially in a time like this. It was the Capulet color, but Artemis still didn't like it. The man was tall, over six feet to Artemis's five seven, and muscular. He had a look in his eye that said "Don't mess with me," and his sword hand was close to his belt, ready to grab it if necessary.

"Tybalt, you must be an idiot if you think Romeo is on your side."

Tybalt lunged forward, but one of his servants pushed him back. "Romeo," he growled, "the love I feel for you says this: you're a villain."

"Tybalt, the reason I have to not hurt you excuses my rage from such a comment." Artemis said calmly.

"This doesn't excuse the injuries you've given me. Therefore draw your sword."

Artemis gulped. This was it. He was about to watch someone die, then kill someone himself. Or maybe die instead? But he couldn't die. Could he? "But I never injured you," he said nervously, "so why should we fight?"

"Tybalt, why do you pick on Romeo so?" Mercutio said in rage. "I'll fight for him, and kill you as you deserve. So what is it, boy, shall we fight?"

"What would you hope to receive out of our fight?"

"One of your nine lives, cat. Fight, coward!"

"All right."

Tybalt drew his sword swiftly, too quickly for Mercutio, and Mercutio seemed to be on the defensive side, while Tybalt made repeated attempts to kill him. Tybalt struck Mercutio on the cheek, leaving a shallow slice there, and on the thigh, ripping black pants and dripping blood. Artemis felt sicker than he had in ages. He had to at least try to stop the fight, but he wouldn't be the one to do the dirty work.

"Benvolio, help Mercutio, help him! Sirs, the prince has banned fighting in the streets, he will kill us all if he catches us in such a brawl."

Artemis ran in front of Mercutio, defending him, but Tybalt struck Mercutio one last time, though this time right above the heart under Artemis's arm. It was a fatal wound, and Mercutio fell to his knees, wincing in pain. "Ow, that hurts! Damn you all! Did Tybalt leave me here like this, with no way to end the pain?'

"What, you're hurt?" asked Benvolio stupidly.

"No, no, not at all," the man replied sarcastically. "Someone go fetch a doctor."

"Be strong, Mercutio, it can't be that bad," Artemis replied, knowing it was worse but trying to cheer him up.

"Tomorrow I'll be dead, the wound is enough to kill me. Why did you try to stop us fighting, Romeo? I could've killed him."

"I thought it was the best option."

"Help me get to a hospital, Benvolio, help me ease this pain. Damn you all!"

Benvolio put his arm around Mercutio and assisted him out of the town square, Mercutio still muttering "Damn you all!" Meanwhile, Artemis was about to hurl, and he did so, not just because of the bloodshed, but because he knew what was next. He despised violence, and here he was in the midst of it. After about five minutes, Benvolio entered, out of breath and white faced.

"Romeo, Mercutio's dead!"

"All at a Capulet's hand, too, instead of old age or illness."

"And here comes the bastard Tybalt again, probably to gloat. And Mercutio wasn't even a Montague, just a friend of the Montague house and of the Prince."

Tybalt walked back into the town square, with a strut in his step and a smirk on his face.

"Tybalt," Artemis said, "You must die for your action, avenge Mercutio's soul!"

"You'll be the one dead, Montague."

"Really?" Although Artemis was shaking, he drew his sword and brandished it. A whole new air replaced his nervousness. He was Artemis the hunter, and he would win this fight. Tybalt drew his sword as well, and they fought. Artemis was on the offense, stabbing at the Capulet. Tybalt got his sword past Artemis's own twice, once on the shoulder, and once on the cheek. Tybalt paused for breath, and Artemis closed his eyes and thrust his sword where the murderer was.

Merely seconds later, he heard a voice amid the blackness. It was Benvolio's voice, and he was urging him to leave. "Romeo, you have to leave! They will kill you if they find you there."

"But why would he kill me if I killed a murderer who killed the Prince's kinsmen?"

"Go!" Benvolio shoved Artemis out of the town square and towards the Friar's monastery. And Artemis ran, running for Romeo's life, which now was intertwined with his own.

Holly had walked up the mansion's steps after Artemis had dropped her off, and she had to admit she was worried. She spent the good part of an hour fearing for his life, and wishing their goodbye had been better.

"So will I ever see you again, Artemis?"

"Of course you will. I am named after a hunter, which should help me."

Holly managed a smile. "I hope it's enough."

"It will be. See you in a couple hours."

Artemis turned, heading for the town square, but Holly still had one more question. "Artemis? What are we going to do in Mantua for over six months?"

"Who says we have to stay in Mantua? As long as we're near that chute by the end of the two hundredth day, we can go anywhere. The United States is not an option, nor any America, but maybe we could see some part of Europe. Greece, maybe. I've always wanted to see my namesake."

"Not even Ireland?"

"I know it well enough. And we can see that any day. When would we see Greece unwesternized like that in 2003 or 2004? Ok?"

Holly nodded. "Bye then."

"Bye."

Holly kissed Artemis on the cheek and looked at those blue eyes one more time, and watched as he retreated towards the town square. Would she ever see him again?

Her last thought as she saw him for maybe the last time was still flashing through her head. Will I ever see him again? Or will his time here be in a coffin, or a mausoleum? If he did die, could Foaly bring him back? Or would he be stuck here, while the world wondered what happened to Artemis Fowl the Second? And his family wouldn't know what happened to him either. After a while, during winter break or something, they might expect him, and he would be missing. They would call the school, or the school would call his family, unless Foaly hacked into their computers and sent an email he was somewhere else or mesmerized them. Someone would figure out he was gone. But what if Foaly can't bring either of us back? The Foaly now might now have built it, but he would freak out if a human entered Police Plaza. It would be the first time, centuries earlier than expected. And would he believe us? Or would he send me to an asylum and him back to the surface to die?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Juliet, I have important news. Can I come in?"

Holly paled, but she replied, "Of course."

The Nurse walked in, pale as well.

"What's the news, nurse?"

"Oh, he's dead, gone and gotten killed, dead for the rest of time, dead to his family except in memory, dead!"

Someone's spazzing. "Who? Who's dead?"

"I can't believe Romeo, Romeo, it's just impossible, who would've thought Romeo could do such a thing?"

"Romeo?" Holly inquired, dumbfounded. "Romeo's dead? He can't be dead! Don't tell me Romeo killed himself, or got killed, please don't."

"I saw the wound, right in the heart, no scratches anywhere else, just that one wound which did so much damage."

"No! Not Art-Romeo! He can't be dead, there's no way!" Tears filled Holly's eyes. Artemis couldn't be dead! Not at thirteen with a life ahead of him!

"Why did Tybalt have to die?" the nurse wailed. "Oh, Tybalt, your cousin, killed before I die, Tybalt whose age was more than half of mine. Dead!"

"So Romeo's dead, and Tybalt as well? It can't be!"

"Tybalt dead and Romeo banished, which is as good as dead, my lady."

Banished? So things went according to plan then? "Romeo killed him?"

"Yes, Juliet, yes! Shame on Romeo, that he could have such a deceitful seed in such a handsome face, who would have thought?"

"Who would have thought he killed someone? Romeo, that gentle soul!"

"Will you speak well of someone who killed Tybalt?"

"Will I speak ill of my husband? No! Not after only three hours of marriage! I would rather have a husband then my cousin who loved violence as much as Romeo loves me, and as I…" Holly paused, realizing what she had just said. It's all acting, girl, all acting. You mean your love as much as Artemis does.

"Will you go see him?"

"I will, and cry over both Tybalt's death and Romeo's banishment."

"Go back to bed. I'll go find Romeo."

The nurse left, tears falling from her cheeks, and Holly had a split mind. She was happy he was alive; just not exactly, ah, ecstatic at the fact that Romeo was spending the night with her. At least they weren't doing anything though, because Artemis was going to sleep on the floor on the other side of the room.

Artemis was exhausted by the time he had gotten to the monastery, and would have liked nothing more than a long twelve hour siesta on a bed with an actual mattress. Here, he was in a little room with an uncomfortable cot with no blanket nor pillow. The friar had left to bring him some water, and when he returned had a look of curiosity on his face. He had bandages on his wounds now, but it did not heal the wound created by killing someone.

"Romeo, tell me what happened. Ever since you married Juliet, calamity has erupted in Verona's streets."

"Tybalt killed Mercutio and I killed Tybalt, now my kinsmen through this marriage. Any news, friar, any good news?"

"No good news, and for that Romeo, I pity you. You know as well as I do, maybe better than I do, the prince's punishment for brawlers in his streets."

"Am I put to death?"

"No, banished."

"Exile is more painful than death."

"Why is that? You can see the world, boy."

"I cannot see my family, my wife."

"But in time, you can. Surely this is better than death?"

"Its torture to live without either for a long period of time. A day would be hard without sight of them, and even harder without contact. How can I live without seeing-"

The friar interrupted his short-lived rant. "Let me speak, Romeo."

"You'll speak of the advantages of banishment, though, wont you?"

"Banishment does have its advantages. Listen here, I have a plan."

"A plan to bring me back? Or bring someone to me?"

A hard, rapping knock echoed throughout the small monastery. The friar whispered, "Hide. They'll find you if you don't."

Artemis scrambled into another hidden room, and listened to the conversation.

"I'm coming!" the friar said to the persistent knocking. "Who is it?"

"I come on an errand from Miss Juliet Capulet, seeking your help."

The nurse! "All right, let me open the door."

Artemis heard the door creak open, and the nurse rushing in. "Tell me, Friar Lawrence, where is Romeo? He cannot be in Mantua already."

"In that room there."

He listened to the jingling of keys, and the door opened, and Artemis stumbled since he had been leaning against the door to listen in on the discussion.

"Romeo!" the nurse exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"Fine, I guess."

"Fine! While she is there, depressed and missing you, staring out the window muttering your name?"

Artemis was taken aback. Was this really Holly doing this? She's a really good actress. Maybe I should improve my own acting skills. "Nurse! Is Juliet alright? How is my wife? What does she think of today's events? Does she think of me as a murderer? Does Hol-Juliet still love me?" Much better, the boy genius told himself.

"She weeps, and stares out the window with tears in her eyes." Of course, the nurse was exaggerating; Holly had never done anything of the sort except when she thought Artemis was dead, and even then only had tears in her eyes.

"All for a name! Why do our families have to hate each other so much? There's nothing in a name except for mere letters and sounds, which mean nothing except to separate people from others. I would die for a different name, and maybe, Friar, I should." Artemis drew his sword, and pointed it at his heart.

"No!" The friar looked at him as if he was crazy, and looked mad because of it. "You are a man, Romeo, you will learn to deal with pain. You killed Tybalt, and by doing so, you banished yourself. You made the decision to do that, and you, Romeo Montague, will have to deal with the consequences."

"But I-" Artemis tried to interject.

"No, Romeo, you will listen. If you slay yourself as you just attempted to, you will kill more than yourself. You will kill your wife, and in turn tear up both families. Maybe it will break the feud, but it's too big of a chance to take. Would you risk the life of your wife, that you love, for that cause? The death of Tybalt and something I have in mind might stop that. Go to Juliet, comfort her, and then in the early morning at dawn, go to Mantua. Bathasar will take you. Nurse, go tell Juliet Romeo is coming."

After saying "Finally some good news!" the nurse departed.

"Do you feel any better, Romeo?" the friar inquired.

"I feel enlightened by both the speech and the prospect of seeing my lady again."

"Good bye then, Romeo."

"Bye Friar."

Artemis walked off into now what was dusk and watched the stars as he meandered along Verona's streets for one of the last times.

Author's Note: Please review and tell me how I did!