Yay! I finally finished the fourth chapter, after spending a week without a computer, and not having enough time for another week... Anyways, here it is!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, it all owns me, or the empty space where my mind should be. Or maybe both...


The elf lying on the ground in E37 regained consciousness, and immediately wished he hadn't. Pain was shooting up and down his body. The tiny movements of drawing in breath were agony. He could tell he had several broken ribs; in fact, he wouldn't be surprised if all of them were snapped in half. It felt as if someone had poured a scalding hot cup of coffee all over him. Everywhere that skin touched the ground or the remains of the suit felt like newly forged knives that had just been taken out of the furnace were stabbing it.

As the pain stopped consuming his complete attention, he became aware of a noise. No, wait… it was a voice, an extremely annoying voice belonging to an extremely happy pixie.

"Hello Commander, how are you feeling?" the voice was filled with mock concern, "don't answer, I already know. You should be in complete agony right about now. I made sure that you couldn't die immediately and painlessly after the explosion." The pixie laughed

Everything that had happened came rushing back to the elf. E37. Scalene. The octobonds. Koboi. Holly, so sure she could save him. The explosion. It had been a trap.

"You see, Julius, I designed a fire shield with just enough strength to make sure you survived the explosion, but I designed it to have enough flaws that you will suffer from extremely severe burns all over your body. The perfect revenge! Commander Julius Root dies a slow death, and Captain Holly Short is now to blame, and no longer among the living to clear her name. It's too bad that she was unable to outrun my bomb and live to see all of her friends dead or die a horrible death herself. Oh well, her name is still the dirt on the LEP's boot."

Root felt the breath leave his body. Holly was dead. No, she couldn't be; not after all that she had survived. She was going to be the first female Major in Recon history. And now she was dead because of him.

Koboi chuckled merrily, "You know, Commander, I don't even know if you can hear my message. I'm recording it so that it will play over and over to be sure that if you become conscious, my lovely voice will be the last thing you will ever hear. Goodbye Julius, I hope you have a terrible death!"

There were a few moments of silence before the recording started up again. Root groaned and covered his face with his hands. Holly had been the reason he got up in the morning: to see her, or maybe talk to her. He found himself calling her into his office with, sometimes, pitiful excuses just to see her beautiful face light up with a fierce determination to prove herself. He always tried to be kind to her, but he always got nervous and agitated and ended up yelling at her for some stupid thing or other. She must have hated him for it. He'd always be in a bad mood for the rest of the day and would vow that he'd try harder the next morning. Very slowly, he got better, but not by much. And now by not listening to her warnings, she had been killed.

He took a shuddering breath and winced. No matter what state he was emotionally, his body needed immediate attention if he wanted to live to prove that Holly hadn't murdered him or even tried to. He found that he could move without too much difficulty. But Koboi wouldn't intentionally leave him the chance to heal enough to get out of there. That was when he remembered Foaly's fire resistant suit; the combination of the suit and shield had given him the chance to live. The pony's invention had actually been worth something. But not enough to save Holly, he thought.

He pushed away all thoughts of her and fumbled at his neck for the chain that held his copy of the Book, and another of Foaly's inventions that had proved before to be useful: the acorn preserved in the capsule. He yanked it off the chain and smashed it against the ground. He gingerly sat up and gasped in pain from the change in position. With shaky hands, he dug a hole and planted the acorn. He lost consciousness as the magic flowed into him and began the healing.

Root sat waiting impatiently, turning redder and redder, doing his best not to think about Holly. He had spent some time unconscious after the healing, and then flew up to the surface to complete the Ritual; he had used all of his magic in the healing. When he got to an abandoned shuttle terminal, he checked the monitors to the surface and discovered that it was daylight outside, morning. He had slept and waited until it became dark enough for him to venture out, and then realized that he had absolutely no idea where he was… He would be even more lost looking for a hotspot. He silently cursed himself for his stupidity, wishing that he had just stayed in E37. He ended up leaving the terminal and stopping a car that was driving by. He got the Mud Man to use his cell phone, and Root called Fowl Manor, saying all the key words that should trigger the alarm on the phone tap.

Root hoped that Koboi had been lying about what had happened to Holly, but he couldn't be sure. He looked up as he heard a gasp from somewhere in the clearing. Finally, the pony had sent someone to investigate. Root cleared his throat and stood up.

An LEP officer unshielded, it was Trouble Kelp. He started shouting, "Commander! You're alive! You're alive!" Root figured out that no one had thought that he had lived.

"Get a hold on yourself Kelp!" Root yelled back at the dancing officer, "Now, if you don't mind, I need to get to a magical hotspot and back to Police Plaza!"

When Root and Trouble arrived back at LEP headquarters, Foaly was waiting for them.

"Julius! I almost couldn't believe that you were alive, it's so great to see you again!" Foaly grabbed Root's hand and shook it happily.

"Foaly, where's Holly?" Root demanded

"Well, Commander… She… um…" Foaly started.

"Then she really is dead, the pixie wasn't lying." Root cut Foaly off, he didn't want to think too much, or he might do something stupid. Foaly probably had all the cameras recording him. He wanted to get back to the privacy of his home before he lost control of himself.

Foaly gave him a worried look, and then brightened as he was struck at least, that's what it looked like to Root with an idea.

"Come on Commander, there's someone that you'll want to see. I have to call… them up first and get them down here…"

"Pony, I don't feel like seeing anyone right now" Root growled; he wanted to be left alone.

"You'll be glad to see them, don't worry" was the only reply Root could force, blackmail, or bribe out of the centaur. The only person that he would be glad to see now was Holly, but that was impossible now. He wished he had had more time to talk to her before the explosion.

Foaly pushed Root into a spare chair in the corner of the Ops. Booth where he couldn't see any of the monitors, and picked up the communicator and set it to a headset. Root mentally groaned; Foaly was trying to surprise him. He must have seen his sadness and was trying to make him feel better. Root would have to get him later.

"Come on! Pick up already" Foaly grumbled to himself impatiently. Foaly stopped muttering as the mystery person on the line answered. It seemed like the person was a bit annoyed at being called so early.

"Sorry, it's really important. The Commander needs to see you immediately in the Ops. Booth." He paused, "Just come right now!" Foaly terminated the link and grimaced. "I'm in for it now" Foaly groaned

Root chuckled quietly. If he got to see Foaly suffer, maybe it would cheer him up.

Foaly watched the monitors impatiently, drumming his fingers. The centaur perked up suddenly, and his eyes followed some movement across several monitors. He buzzed the mysterious person through.

"FOALY! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM! CALLING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!" a very familiar voice bellowed. Root's head whipped around so fast that it hurt. But, hadn't the centaur confirmed that she was dead? Root gasped as Holly stormed past him without a glance, still yelling. Root noticed that her face was a bit tearstained and she seemed really tired. He wanted to run to her and hug her; he was so happy that Koboi had lied to him. He felt like laughing and crying in relief, but luckily for him, he was still frozen in shock.

Root came out of his trance as Holly laughed, and stood up. He loved the way she laughed, it was so carefree.

"You're confusing me. Then what are you talking about?" Holly asked Foaly.

Foaly pointed in Root's direction, and he took it as his cue to say something, "me, of course."

The elf spun around with her mouth hanging open. Her eyes were filled with astonishment and hope. He stepped closer, trying to maintain complete control of himself. Holly's stunned face turned red.

"You… how…?" she stuttered. Suddenly, all the color left her face and she blindly reached out to the side for something to steady herself. Finding nothing, she staggered slightly. Root quickly grabbed her shoulders.

"Are you all right?" he tried not to sound too frantic, but he wasn't sure how successful he was.

Holly crumpled, but Root caught her and held her limp form against his chest.

"Holly!" he shouted. He carefully picked her up off the ground. Foaly was looking on in disbelief and looked like he wanted to start laughing.

"Wow, I never thought that she'd faint. Do I have this on tape?" the centaur wondered out loud. He rushed to a computer and started typing. "D'Arvit! I left the cameras in here off after the maintenance check earlier." He grumbled to himself

"Foaly, this is no time to be laughing and trying to secure a blackmail tape. Your best friend just fainted!" Root could tell that he was turning his famous color. "Captain!" Root looked back at Holly, who stirred weakly but didn't respond. "D'Arvit, pony! Why didn't you tell me that she was alive? You didn't have to be all mysterious!" Root yelled.

"You know me, I like having fun" Foaly replied with a wink

"Well your fun might mean calling in a medical warlock!" Root growled.

Holly groaned and whispered, "No, I'll be fine"

Sorry, that was rushed... I'll try to do better next time, but you have to review first! -big sad puppy dog eyes- Please? And thank you?