Chapter Two

"Are you all right, Artemis? You seem a bit quiet," Butler mentioned as his master drove them home.

"Yes, Butler, I am great for just being hit in the head with a golf ball by an American girl. I'm thinking, Butler. I'm always quiet when I'm thinking."

Butler just nodded. He didn't need to ask what Artemis was thinking about. It was about a certain Miss Rowan Smoke. Miss Smoke had definitely caught Artemis Fowl's attention. Whether it was good or bad, that question had yet to be answered. For now, it was safe to say she occupied his thoughts.

"She seemed to me that she was new money," Artemis stated as they pulled infront of the gate to Fowl Manor.

"Did she? What makes you say that?" Butler questioned.

"If she was old money she would have called me an idiot for getting in the way of her 'perfect drive.'" The joke surprised Butler. Though Artemis had loosened up in the years since his return from Hybras, his jokes were very few and even farther between each other.

"I see."

Artemis was silent all the way to the car house, and even into the manor. Suddenly, he was rushed by two blurs that hit just below the hip. The attack made Artemis smile.

"Arty, you're home!" both boys said at the same time.

"Hello, Connor, hello, Evander."

Connor looked up at his older brother. "What happened to your head?"

At that time, Artemis' mother came down the stairs. Angeline fowl walked up to her son and brushed the hiar away from his forehead. "Yes, dear, what happened?"

"Stray golf ball, I'm afraid," Artemis told her as he extricated himself from his five-year-old brothers' grip.

"Thank heavens you're all right, did the person apologize?"

"Yes, a lot," Artemis said with awry smile. "It was quite annoying, actually."

"Who was it? Was it McNair's youngest? He was having some trouble on the course last I hear. Or was it-"

"You don't know her, she is an American. Seemed to be new money besides."

"What was her name?" Artemis Fowl senior asked, coming from his study. He had caught Artemis resonse to his mother's question.

"A Miss Rowan Smoke. Her golf drive was really off."

Angeline tutted. "Let's get some ice on it before it swells more. Butler, would you mind?"

"No, ma'am. I'll be right back."

As Butler walked away, Artemis was interrogated for a few more long moments, then retreated to the den to speak with his father about some business. Butler brought in his ice, then left to tend to some behind the scenes work for the young Artemis Fowl.

Rowan was angry. Scared. Tired. The Fowl kid was the last thing she needed right now. Okay. He wasn't a kid; he was older than she was. But he was a target, nothing more.

Rowan wanted to go home. She loved her job, but this one assignment couldn't have come at a worse time.

She couldn't sleep that night. She sat in the sitting room of her suite, listening to David's incessant snoring. The television was on, but she wasn't paying attention to whatever sappy show was on. Her thoughts were on the events of the last several weeks.

"You're pregnant, Miss Smoke," Dr. Peke informed her after the examintation.

"What?" Rowan asked.

"You're pregnant. You have all the signs. You say you've been queasy and vomiting on and off during the day, you're getting weird cravings, but can't eat anything because of the queasiness, and when was you're last period?"

He had a point there. She realized her period was late.

"May I ask who the father is?" Dr. Peke asked, expecting a pleased answer.

"No."

His face looked crestfallen. Rowan didn't feel guilty. He didn't need to know who had gotten up her skirt. No one did.

"How far along, would you say?"

"About three weeks. You don't seem to happy about the news."

Rowan wasn't. She couldn't be. This pregnancy had come at a bad time. She put her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?"

"There are several options. You could keep the child. You could put it up for adoption. If you want, I could always make an arrangement for-"

"No, I won't have an abortion. I don't think." She corrected. Maybe, her mind suddenly said. "I have a big project at work. It's going to keep me busy. If I'm back in time, maybe. But as of now, I won't do it."

"Well, I hope this project doesn't take too long. You only have until the end of the first trimester, which is twelve weeks. And some doctor's won't risk the last two weeks."

"All right." But Rowan wasn't really listening. Not anymore.

That had been two weeks ago. Now, she didn't think waiting until she was done here to get an abortion. She should have had it done right then, right there. He had offered. She no longer knew why she had turned him down. Tears poured down her face and she pressed a hand to her abdomen. Twenty and pregnant. She smiled ruefully. At least she had lasted four more years than her sister did.

The phone rang. She let it ring once more before picking it up.

"Hello?" she asked softly; she was thankful the tears weren't in her voice.

"Miss Smoke, I'm glad you're still up. We need to meet and talk." It was none other than Artemis Fowl the Second.