Author's Note: Wow, this is the first fic I've posted on here in ages... No, I haven't given up on fanfic or this fandom, I've just been bogged down with school stuff. I have actually written a few fics while I've been away, but I only put those ones up on my LiveJournal. They are all on my totally redone website now though. (Anyone who remembers Eye on Fowl - it's back!) So, yeah, you can check them out there if you like this.
Oh, and I recommend that you all check out the Orion Awards, which are awards to recognise the best of Artemis Fowl fanfiction. You don't have to sign up for anything and you can nominate any fics you want. (You don't have to nominate me but it would be nice! Haha.) Link's in my profile, along with all the other ones, as this site seems to eat links in fics.
Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis, Holly, Juliet or Butler. Eoin Colfer does, the lucky wotsit.
Also, apologies and thanks to the lovely Blue Yeti for allowing me to steal the name she gave to Butler before we knew what his name really was...
NO MAN'S LAND
Holly slowly ran her finger along the back of Artemis's hand, feeling the soft skin and the bumps of his knuckles. "What time is it?" she asked, turning away from the quietly babbling television.
He slipped his arm out from around her neck to check his watch. "It's five minutes past three." Glancing up at the closed curtains of the media room, he noted that there wasn't even the faintest light shining behind them yet.
"One hour..." whispered Holly.
Neither said anything for a whole minute. They just sat, curled up on the sofa, pretending to watch an over-enthusiastic TV chef making a spinach and broccoli pizza.
"I wish we had another day," said Holly, breaking the silence. "I wish your parents would decide to stay in Cork for just another day."
Artemis gently ruffled her hair. "But you know they won't. Today's the last day."
"Yes. I know."
They fell back into silence. The chef was now gleefully adding pesto to his concoction.
Artemis was the first one to talk this time. "And what have you decided?" He looked at her and she steadily returned his gaze, hazel eyes locking onto blue, each trying to divine something of the other's thoughts but both finding nothing in the impassive faces. "Will there be a next time? Will you come again, and live with me for a week in this--" he waved his hands around "--midnight limbo? Or is this it, the real end?"
Holly's brows slowly knitted into a frown and she looked away. "I don't like how you talk as if this was only my decision to make."
"It is only yours to make. I've told you, you'd be the one giving up everything - your life, your job, your friends and family, your whole society and species. I'd be the one who gained everything. How can I have a part in that decision?"
"Because," she said, poking his knee, "you'd be what I gained in return for all of that. You can't give up all responsibility in this. Besides, you would give up some things - freedom, peace of mind. We'd always have to be careful, always have to keep what I am a secret."
Artemis laughed softly. "Mulch managed to do that for a year just by being free with his money, and he barely looks fit to be alive, let alone human."
"That's not what I mean. What about in twenty years time, when I won't have aged at all? How do we explain that? That's not all either, there are a lot of difficult things to overcome..." She paused for a moment. "Like for those 'starcrossed lovers' in one of your old human plays, Romeo and Juliet." Then she began to laugh. "You know, I always half-imagined that Romeo would be Butler's first name." Artemis chuckled too, but after a few seconds Holly sobered up. "We can't hope those problems will just go away."
"Holly, Holly," he said soothingly, taking her hands in his. "I'm a genius. If it comes to it, you can be sure that I will find a way to sort out these problems. But first we should work out whether we're going to be in a situation where these problems will arise."
Holly looked down at his hands, and rubbed them with her thumbs. She sighed. "I don't want to talk about this. Not right now. I don't want to go home thinking about this and getting upset - I want to remember the fun we had. Trying out that celery and sausage pancake recipe, you falling in the pool... Even just the times we sat together in silence. Not this." She shook her head, pulling her hands away.
Artemis didn't move for a second, then he reached up and gently stroked her cheek. "Oh, Holly... I know it's unfair of me to say that you should choose, but I've already made my choice: I will stick with you whatever you decide. If you stay, I will look after you. If you go and never return, I will always love you and say nothing. And if you just keep wavering, I will sit with you through these disjointed nights and sometimes ask you those questions, but never need answers."
Holly looked up at him and gave him a sad smile. "Thank you."
Artemis slid has hand into her hair and actually grinned at her. For a whole minute they just sat like that, together, smiling. Then Holly suddenly sighed again, glanced away and quickly looked back. She slipped her hand around Artemis's arm and pulled it towards her to look at his watch. "It's nearly half-past three. I ought to go and get ready." She got off the sofa and made her way to the door.
"Will you be coming back?"
Holly leaned her head back against the doorpost and closed her eyes. "Yes."
"And after that?" Artemis turned and watched the delighted chef serving up his food to a rather bemused audience member. "Will you decide to stay, forever? Will you never come again? Or will we remain in this cycle of noncommittal visits?"
They stared at each other, frozen in their respective places, too full of conflicting emotions and sensibilities to be able to break out.
"I don't know," Holly said finally. She paused, then turned to go and get her things ready for another journey back to Haven.