Disclaimer: Don't own Rosie or Crane. (Although if I were Artemis Fowl, I would find a way to steal them. (grin))

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry everyone! I've been unbelievably busy…(sigh) Stupid homework.

Anywho…here's chapter four! Probably the chapter that made me laugh the most…well, besides the fluffy chapters at the end—oops, I wasn't supposed to say that! (twiddles thumbs and whistles)

Chapter Four: Trying

"Good morning," came Crane's overly cheerful voice for six in the morning (or so it seemed to Rosethorn).

"Go away," she mumbled, slumping over the table, her tea sloshing over the edges of the cup and onto her rumpled clothes. She didn't really care.

"Lark obviously woke you up. Did she tell you where we're going?"

"Forest."

"Good. Well, come on then."

"Tea."

"Oh."

"Have it," she grunted, still extremely sleepy.

"Um…right," he said, uncertain as to what she meant but unwilling to show it.

"Have it!" she said again, half-waving her arm. Crane frowned in thought, but said nothing. Which, apparently, was the wrong thing to do.

"Have it!" she snapped, moving her arm more violently. Well, as much as anyone could snap when they were half asleep.

"She means, you should sit down and have some tea," explained Lark, grinning as she entered the room.

"Why doesn't she just say that, then?" he asked, frustrated.

"She's too sleepy."

"Am not," said Rosethorn. "Fine. Not tired. Cold. More."

With a grin at Crane, Lark took her friend's cup and poured more tea into it.

"There you go, Rosie," she said, trying not to laugh.

Crane, on the other hand, looked quite disgruntled. "Can't she wake up more?"
"Awake!" said Rosethorn loudly.

"Okay, okay! You're awake," he said, surprised.

She sighed and took another sip of tea, barely managing to keep it all either in the cup or her mouth.

"Well, Crane. You heard her," Lark told him. "Sit down. Have some tea. Relax."

He shook his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and obeyed. Lark poured him some tea, and he drank it slowly, watching Rosethorn thoughtfully.

After a while, her voice startled him. "Crane? Are you ready to go, or have you gotten hopelessly lost in dreamworld? Should I find you a map?"

"Ah. You're awake. Really awake this time," he added with a grin.

"Er…sorry about that. I'm always grumpy in the morning. And my brain does fine, but my mouth just can't seem to cooperate."

"In the morning?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

She smiled sheepishly. "Okay, all the time."

He grinned at her. "Shall we go?" he asked, gallantly offering her his arm.

Grinning back, she took it. "Okay. Let us be off, then, kind sir. Farewell, dear friend, and pray we shall meet again soon!"

"Farewell, milady," said Lark, laughing. Going to the door after them, she watched as they disappeared along the spiral path. Then she went back to the table.

"They make a good couple," she murmured with a smile, pouring herself more tea.

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"So," said Rosethorn, settling herself on the ground, "what flowers are we observing?"

"Whatever you want," Crane replied. She was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that he was sitting only about an inch away from her. She almost moved away, but decided not to hurt him, and sat there forcing herself to remain calm. After a moment, she saw him notice her discomfort. He smiled at her. Then, half to her relief and half, surprisingly, to her dismay, he scooted over a little bit. She gave him a weak smile in return, and he went back to rummaging in the bag that he carried.

"Here," he said, pulling out a notebook and pencil and handing them to her. He got more for himself, and then sat with his back against a tree, looking around, occasionally making notes or sketches in his notebook.

Rosethorn tried to do the same, but she couldn't concentrate. It was too loud. She'd thought it was supposed to be silent in a forest. It had always been silent the times she'd done this before (when she could get Briar to be quiet, that was). But now she heard the wind rustling, the birds chirping, the leaves shifting—all abnormally loudly, she thought.

Finally she couldn't take it anymore. "TURN IT DOWN!" she shouted.

Crane jumped and looked at her in surprise. "Turn what down?" he asked, confused.

"Turn the stupid nature sounds down!" she said furiously, and then realized how ridiculous she sounded. "Um…"

But he was grinning. "Should we move?" he asked pleasantly.

She looked at the ground, embarrassed. "No. I just…never mind. I'm fine."

"Okay," he said with a shrug. "If you're sure." Then he went back to his observations.

Again, she tried to follow suit. Unfortunately, it now seemed too quiet. She had scared all the animals away with her yell, so there were no leaves shifting or birds chirping, and the wind seemed to have died down. She couldn't think.

After a while, she gave up. "Oh, this is no good!"

He looked at her in surprise. "Something wrong?"

"I can't hear myself think!"

"But it's practically silent out here."

"Exactly!"

He began to chuckle. "You know, you're not making any sense whatsoever."

She glared at him. "I know."

"Here, let me help," he said after a moment. Moving back over towards her, he put his arm around her. She stiffened, but then relaxed.

"Now," he said, pointing. "Look there." Her eyes followed his finger to a strange-shaped plant.

"Hmm…" she said. "I wonder what that is?"

"Draw it," he told her. "You're a better artist than I am, anyway. I think you're better than most plant mages, actually."
She looked away from the plant to squint at him suspiciously. "Was that a compliment?"
He grinned mischievously. "Maybe," he said, and busied himself with his notes.

She watched him for a moment, then sighed and began to draw.

A/N: Um…review please. And other than that…if anyone has read the most recent Artemis Fowl book (The Lost Colony) and wants to join my upcoming I Hate Minerva Club, please let me know so I can put you on my IHMC list!

BANZAI!!!

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