Disclaimer: I do not own anything owned by Eoin Colfer or anything to do with the Artemis Fowl books or anything like that. I only own what I own/made up/created/ thought of. Got it?

A/N: Well, it's Friday Night again. I say that every chapter, don't I? Anyway, another chapter written. I read somewhere that you aren't supposed to put personalised answers to reviews in the chapters, but I don't know if it's true, can anyone clarify? Not that that is going to stop me. Oh, and because I'm lazy review replies are at the end of the chapter. Now on with this chapter.

Chapter Seven

Holly was concerned. Julius looked very vague, he was very pale, and he kept staring at her. She wondered briefly why this was, but was more concerned with making sure he was okay. Having lowered him gently onto the bed the medic told her to put him on she asked if she should wait outside.

'That would be great,' replied the medic, 'just in that waiting room out there. We'll come and get you when we know what's wrong. Could be a couple of hours though.'

'I'll wait,' said Holly before she even knew she was saying it. She could have left, she knew it, but for some reason she felt that she must stay and wait, like she cared a lot for Commander Root. She felt she would never be able to explain why this was.

There was one thing she had to do before she settled down to wait, which was to call Trouble and explain the situation just as the chairman had ordered her to. She marched over to the reception desk and picked up the telephone. She dialled Troubled office number and waited while the phone rung.

'Major Trouble Kelp speaking, how may I help you?'

'Hey Trouble, it's Holly. I have to tell you something.'

'Hols, what is it? You sound upset. Where are you? I'll come there right now and you can tell me in person.'

'I'm in the Police hospital. You don't have to come up; besides, it's nothing personal, just something I'm under orders to tell you.'

'It must be serious to get you sounding even remotely upset Holly, hold on; I'll come up there right now.'

With that the phone went dead, and Holly was left holding the receiver. As she waited for Trouble she thought about how lucky she was to have him for a brother. He cared so much.

'Holly what is it?' asked Trouble, arriving in the hospital slightly breathless, apparently having run all of the way there.

'It's Root,' said Holly, 'I was in the Ops Booth talking to Foaly and he came in and just kind of collapsed. We got a medic, then the chairman came in and ordered me to bring him here, and he said when I'd done that I had to contact you and tell you that you would be in charge for however long it takes to fix whatever is wrong with Root plus a week.'

'Oh, so now I'm in charge. Cool. Why are you so worried Holly? I thought you hated Root.'

'I don't hate him, he hates me, and besides, he's my commander, it's my job to be worried about him.'

'Right, well I should get back to work. Do you want to meet me for lunch or something?'

'I'm staying here. I have to be sure he'll be alright.'

'O.K. Fine, you can do that today. Say hi to him from me. I'll see you after work.'

Holly sat down on the horribly uncomfortable plastic hospital waiting chair. Trouble walked slowly out of the building.

Unbeknown to Holly Julius had heard most of this conversation, and had managed to deduce that she didn't exactly hate him, she just thought he hated her. Possibilities began to chase each other around in his head, each more feeble than the last.

Two hours later the medic emerged from Julius' room. Holly, who had been dozing, immediately stepped up to him and demanded to know how he was.

'Step inside, he has given permission for you to hear, I will tell both you and him what is wrong.'

Holly briefly wondered why Julius had given his permission for her to find out what was wrong with him, but she followed the medic into the room. There were no chairs by Julius' bed; he was by now in LEP hospital pyjama's and under the covers, so she sat down on the end of his bed. He nodded his consent.

'Well, Commander Root here has a stomach ulcer,' said the medic, 'this is very serious for a fairy as it causes premature ageing symptoms i.e. grey hair, wrinkles etcetera. Symptoms of a very advanced ulcer include nausea, insomnia and possibly even death.' (A/N: a stomach ulcer is one of those things that cannot be fixed with magic (there are others). There is, however, an operation which can cure it.)

'So I could die?' asked Julius.

'You shouldn't, provided we operate immediately. The premature ageing should be reversed too, within a week. You need to stay in hospital for a week after the operation, and I believe the chairman has ordered you take a week off of work after that.'

'I will not take two weeks off work.'

'Shhh, Commander, please don't argue, you didn't see yourself when you collapsed. You need this time off.'

Both Holly and Julius were surprised by the tone of her voice, it sounded almost pleading. Julius' heart gave a flutter; Holly almost seemed to care about him.

'Fine, I'll have the surgery. At least then I can get rid of this annoying grey hair.'

'Oh, and sir,' said the medic, 'I suggest you stop smoking those fungus cigars for pain relief, they won't do you any good after this.'

'Good, they were disgusting anyway.'

At that comment Holly gave a snort, she couldn't help it. She was also relieved, Julius didn't smoke, another bad thing about him gone.

'What's so funny Holly?'

'Everyone thinks they are disgusting sir, we didn't know you agreed.'

'Well they are. Can you go to my office and throw the box out. Then go home. Tell Trouble I said you could. Send him to see me if he doesn't believe you. Come and see me tomorrow though, hmmm?'

'Sure thing sir, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.'

'Bye Holly.'

'Good luck, sir.'

'Can we get started with the operation now?'

'Yes,' said Holly and Julius in unison, turning to the waiting medic. Holly blushed.

A/N: The end of this chapter. Sorry if they seem a little short but each is 3 pages in Microsoft Word. Now, I said I wouldn't have another growl, but I'm not impressed with those people I am on the favourite and/of alert list of who have probably read this but not reviewed, to the best of my knowledge, once, but I'm not going to say anymore, it is their choice. Anyway, the review replies (oh, a good question was asked by Stiggy -pentannual is every five years, not five times a year (my own invention)).

Review Replies:

sergeantstan - Thanks, a lot. I look forward to the update.

-anon-anon-anon- - I don't know. I'm just confused. I am keeping writing. I refuse to leave a story hanging.

hidden and forgotten - I'm sure you were it is just me overreacting, my fault. Nope, not a heart attack, and yes, that would make the story seem very weird.

lalalalala - yes, it is, I wonder why.

Stiggy - Turnip? But I'm honoured. I don't think anyone will thin you stupid, seeing as a kind of used neologism with that word, but I mean it to mean once every five years, because biennial is once every two years, but pentennial looked wrong, so it's pentannual it is. Good question. Root shouldn't have died in the first place, that is one thing Colfer wrote that I don't agree with. I enjoy ramblings, they are very interesting.

Potter-Dork - eeek. Help, stupid mouse. I'm sure it was beautiful. That's a good idea, but I don't think that will happen because it's a Police Hospital, and we aren't at that stage in the relationship yet… unfortunately. Hmmm, why don't you like Trouble? I like him and I think that TH is a lot more probable pairing than AH, somehow, cross-species disgusts me. Somehow I don't think that I'll be pairing Trouble with Foaly, that's cross-species again, I don't have a problem with gay people or anything, but cross species. I think it is the one of the longest reviews I have ever got, if not the longest, thank-you mouse. I don't mind people ranting about computers, don't get me started on the problems with my laptop. No I'm over the counting reviews thing, I wasn't really counting them, just trying to get those people who have me on their favourites and/or their alerts who don't spare 10 seconds to review (or in your case a lot more). Anyway, thank you for the review, in return I give you a long reply.

Tryptophan - How did you guess? Thanks, but I'm afraid he will get a little OOC character, as I think I said last time. Just a couple I think… naughty Julius…50 years, tut tut. Yes I live in NZ. Aren't kiwi's just so cute? I love the miniturised wings.

Anyway, thank you to all reviewers, and please review, next chapter is next week, unless there are celebratory purposes (speech results come out next week… that might help…) Yes, anyway, till next time.