A/N: Thank you of so much for being so very patient. I wrote this on the way to Florida because I was in a car with my grandmother for two days, and I CANT STAND HER! Anyways, to reward and/or punish you for waiting so long, this chapter is very long. Well, longer then usual. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, blah blah blah, I am worthless, Eoin Colfer owns everything.

Fowl Manner, 11:25pm, Same Day

Artemis and Holly lay sleeping, wrapped in each other's arms. After a few hours of consoling one another, they had both fallen into an uneasy sleep. (I've got a weird mind, I know.) Artemis III lay sleeping in his crib, unaware of the trauma his parents were facing.

It wasn't much later that the window opened wide. Three dark figures entered, waking the baby. He looked at them and tried to say something, but one of them hit him with an odd red laser, and he immediately fell back to sleep.

The other two picked up on of the bodies, leaving the other one.

The three figures left as suddenly as they had come, leaving a poor soul to awaken to the lose of their lover.

Fowl Manner, 6:00am, Next Day

Ivory sat in the cell, tears rolling down her cheeks. She glanced at a sleeping Juliet, then burst into silent sobs. This whole mission was pointless! These stupid morons didn't want her help, so why should she stay locked in a cell for an entire day? It wasn't fair. Life had never been fair. Its like it's a damned joke. She thought bitterly. I've been alive forty-nine years and the only damned luck I've had so far is getting saved by the damned HBR.

&Flashback&

She was wrapped tightly in her father's arms as him and her mother walked along the starlit dirt road. Her father was a tall, strong man, with dark green eyes and short blonde hair.

Her mother was short and brunette, with icy blue eyes and a slim frame. She was three feet tall and had pointed ears. "I don't think this is a good idea, Curtis. They'll find us again. We have to find a place to stay."

Her father held her a little tighter. "Where? Where can we possibly stay, Rose?" He stopped and sat down on a large rock.

She sat down next to him and smoothed their daughter's hair back. "I don't know. But we can't stay here. Let me hold her."

He allowed her to take the small girl from him, and wrapped his arms around both of them. "Why is she still a baby? Its been five years."

She smiled as the baby wrapped a tiny hand around her finger. "I told you. Elves grow differently. Ivory will grow like an elf."

He nodded, tightening his arms around her.

She closed her eyes and sang softly, "Sleep, my darling. Don't be afraid. I shall not leave you, a promise I've made. So sleep, my young one, close your eyes. I shall protect you from rejection and lies." She repeated the song in gnomish, then in English again.

Suddenly two short figures in helmets flew down and landed in front of them.

He stood and started towards them, but one of them pulled the trigger of a gun, sending a long blue beam into his chest.

She screamed, and turned so she was protecting her daughter.

The second figure shot her, making her fall to the ground. "What should we do with this one?" He asked through his helmet, pointing at Ivory.

"Just leave it." Said the first. "We're not allowed to kill half-breeds above ground. Besides, it'll be dead my morning."

They activated their wings, and flew off.

Ivory crawled over to her mother and pulled at her hand. "Mommy?"

She smiled, tears running down her cheeks. She wrapped a weak arm around her daughter. "Sleep, my darling. Don't be afraid…I shall protect you, a promise…I've made." Her weak voice trailed off as her heart stopped.

"Mommy?" She touched her mother's cheek. It was already cold.

Another figure appeared, this one taller then the others. It reached down and took her from her mother's cold arms…

&End Flashback&

Ivory sighed and looked back at Juliet. She frowned slightly. "HELLO! WAKE UP!"

She jumped to her feet, and grasped the buzz baton. "Wha-oh, its you. What do you want?"

"I want you to untie these damned-OUCH!" She yelped as Juliet hit her with the buzz baton. "What the hell was-OUCH! -That for?"

Juliet smirked. "The first one was for saying 'damn', the second was for saying 'hell'."

"Hell isn't a swear-OUCH!"

"Yeah, it is."

"Says who?"

"Me."

"Well, I say it isn't."

"Well, I have the baton, and you don't."

"Bitch-OUCH!" Ivory winced. "Stop that!"

"Artemis told me to. Plus its fun."

"Bite me. OUCH! That wasn't a swear!"

"Its an insult."

"So?"

"It could be slang for a swear."

"How?"

"I dunno. But it could."

"Can I have a gag?"

"Why?"

"So you wont be able to hit me with that damned baton-OW!"

"Hmmm…nah. I like it like this."

"But I want a gag."

"Too bad."

"Then can I have something to eat?"

"Why?"

"Because I haven't eaten since about noon yesterday."

"Aren't you afraid I'll poison it?"

"Not really."

"Tell ya what. When I'm done eating, I'll bring you the scraps."

"Screw you-OUCH!"

"How old are you anyways?"

"Forty-nine."

"You cant be that old! You look really young."

"I'm about fourteen by human standards."

"That would explain it."

Ivory opened her mouth to retaliate, but she was interrupted by Butler and Holly bursting into the room.

"Where is he?" Holly shouted. Her face was pale but determined, and her eyes were filled with the deepest loathing.

Butler leaned over his baby sister. "Go into the lounge." His voice was calm, but angry.

Juliet jumped and ran out of the room, slamming the cement door behind her.

Ivory sighed. "So, they took the mud boy? Shame. He was pretty cute for a human."

"Where is he?" Butler growled.

She shrugged, trying her best to look innocent. "How should I know? I'm just a bitchy little-OUCH!" She winced as Holly hit her with the baton Juliet had dropped.

"Where is he, half-breed?" Holly snarled.

Ivory frowned. "First of all, my name is Ivory. Second, hitting me with that thing is not going to get you your answer any faster. And third, theres no point in me telling you because by the time you get there he'll be dead."

Holly's breath caught in her throat. "Where is he?" Her voice shook with mingled fear and anger.

She sighed. "Look, these are your options. A; you take your baby and run for it. Find some deserted area and raise him. B; you give him to the HBR and run as far away from here as you can. Your best bet. C; you, by some miracle, get your lover out of the LEP holding cells and live a life of fear and secrecy with him and your baby."

Holly stared at her for a while, then sank into the empty seat in front of her. "You know where he is, don't you?"

Ivory exploded. "WHY DON'T YOU GET IT!" She shouted. "IF YOU TRY TO GET HIM OUT, YOU'LL BE DEAD FOR SURE! Just get the hell out of town, hand the kid over to the HBR and forget you ever had him!"

Holly froze. "The HBR? What's that?"

Ivory sighed. "The HBR. The Half Breed Refuge. It's a secret organization that protects half-breeds. Like me, and your son. They keep track of the hybrids born and send a messenger to offer to take the kid. It's the only place people like me are accepted."

Holly was silent for a few moments, then she spoke. "C."

"Huh?"

"I chose option C. I want to try and find Artemis, even if it means death."

Ivory groaned. "Why do they always pick C? It brings nothing but trouble. Oh well, I might as well help you. I do know where it is. Untie me and I promise I'll bring you there."

Holly nodded. "Good. But first, I want you to bring me to this refuge. Just in case."

A/N: Well, what did you think? I'll have the next one out as soon as we get unpacked and I find my stupid headphones. I need to listen to music while I type. Oh no, almost out of battery. Review!