Artemis Fowl is in intense agony. He is dying.

I died. About five minutes ago... while I was crushed under one of the engines. For chrissakes, thank God. It was the most painful feeling I think I've ever felt. I don't believe in sugar-coating things...

I remember pulling that release cord. I remember the gas knocking me out for awhile. I remember waking up to the screeches of the cart. I remember being forced into the railing. I remember the wall- once a good twenty feet from me- being inches from my face...and getting closer. I remember the room getting tight around me, and the crushed seats forcing themselves into my legs, causing my knees to buckle. Then I remember the pain of waking up to the engine sprawled a meer five feet from me- emitting steam that caused me to sweat something foul. God I must look horrid.

I absentmindedly lifted my hand to my hair in attempt to gussy up, almost forgetting my situation. Almost. I was rudely awakened by a paralyzing heat-like sensation that blossomed from my torso and worked its way up me. This of course...was five minutes ago.

I sighed. It was the second time I had to wake up to this crap-hole. Dead or alive, I did not want to be here. Filthy as hell...with its smell of burnt meat...and its littered corpses...me being one of them. I forgot to mention this. I'm staring at- me. Well, rather, what's left of me. Which is punishment I guess... I have been a rather bad boy, haven't I? Still, financial fraud, petty larceny, and abduction hardly seem to justify an eternity of staring at your own mangled and horribly deformed corpse.

'IT SEEMS KIND OF SICK ACTUALLY' I think very loudly and very slowly for the idiot who is responsible for this joke.

After a moment of receiving no response, I sit back and pout a bit. I hate being ignored. I turn back to my lifeless body, soaked with fever; drained. To be completely honest, it doesn't feel as repulsive as it looks. What I mean to say is, even though it's missing a leg, and it's hair is all disheveled, and it was at some point impaled by stray crash metal...it was still me. Its eyes are still open. Still the same blue- black as the ones in my socket now. I think...

I spare a moment to check myself, and what exactly has become of me. To no avail, I look down and I'm not missing one, but two legs...and a torso...and anything else, for that matter. I hear foot falls above me and see a small figure squeeze itself through the collapsed roofing.

Ugh-Don't let it be her!! I scramble to my body and try desperately to fix it up. I'm not going to let her see me like- this! I mean I like it, in a sick kind of way, but I don't think Holly will appreciate an impaled, legless 'me' as reward for all her searching efforts.

I lick the air where my hands should be and place them on the rat's nest of a head I have going on here. Of course, nothing happened. Nothing happening seems to be happening more frequently then I'd like.

xxxxxx

Holly lowered herself into the wreckage ever careful of her footing- and who or what she might disturb.

She absentmindedly ran her hands upon her waist- lingering on the phantom spot where a gun would be.

Artemis.

She took in the damage in through her nose at first- the smell of burning flesh. Then the lips- tasting the ash that gripped and coated the inside of her lungs. What took the longest to register was sight. She blinked furiously to remove the scene from her eyes. The same tactic she used when her eyes rested upon her lifeless corpse of her mother courtesy of human fault.

+ Author's Note: Down boy- you'll find more about this later :p +

Artemis.

She tore through the damage to find exactly what she was looking for. She lowered herself (dropped more accurately) to her knees and studied what one was a human being. Holly moved the hair from his eyes- trying not to look at his lower torso- which she noticed was short a few limbs.

Stupid boy. Holly whispered, smiling and forgetting that the Irishman was indeed dead- forgetting he had died at all.

When are you going to learn, Mudboy? Snapped the fairy. Your little schemes have a tendency to get people hurt!

She awoke to a rude reality- where there was no boy to argue with. Where there was no Artemis. His scheme certainly did hurt someone. Someone he had cared about. She lost her balance and stumbled awkwardly, crawling to Artemis' side. Holly stilled when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

xxxxxx

I backed away from myself letting her steal my position. I have to admit- I'm embarrassed. Mother would never-

Mother.

I focus my attention on Holly. I feel a surge of jealousy in the pit of my stomach. Seeing her hold another man. But- it wasn't technically another man. It just wasn't me. She should be holding me. I don't know what in hell's name came over me- but this love session between her and that thing needed to end. Now. I work my way over to her and outstretch what should be an arm, and push her away from it. She stumbled, slightly loosing her balance. Which is totally inappropriate considering I just flung myself at her. I'm weak but- I'm not that weak.

Holly re-adjusts herself and looks directly into my eyes. Which scared me stiff, when you think about it. I froze. Then relaxed and realized she was looking- but she wasn't truly seeing. If that makes sense. She re-busied herself with the corpse of m- well, with that thing.

"You shouldn't push me you know," Holly said hiding an amused smirk.

"Oh gee. Well, I guess you caught me, haven't you?" I answer never abandoning my sarcasm.

She flicked at its chin.

"I'd really appreciate you asking my permission before you touched me," I said with disgust.

"Jealous?"

"Extremely."

"You know- as if our relationship wasn't hard enough to deal with before? Jesus H. We could hardly be together as man and elf, and where the hell are we at now? Don't talk to me. You're jealous because you know that I can get further with this corpse than I can with you. Whatever the hell you are now…" Holly said never looking up.

"Well I never. Let me just try to erase dying for you." I said smiling at the thought.

"Christ- even when I can't see you I can hear you smiling."

"…So that's why your not looking at me? You can't see me."

Holly looked in Artemis' eyes again. "I guess… I mean. Faintly… I can- I can feel you…"

"You're looking directly in my eyes, though!"



"Look. Even if I could see you- I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to. If that makes you feel any better…"

Artemis sighed and drew his legs close to his chest. There was time something like that would bring him warmth.

Holly concentrated. Very, very hard. Sure enough, a figure- or what seemed like one- was huddled in itself in the corner.

Holly walked over to him and bent down. He was a wash-down of the all of the colors he used to be. His skin- once flawless porcelain was practically transparent. His hair was browner than it was black. His dark-blue polo shirt was powdery. And most noticeable was his eyes- a blue-black had turned the lightest blue she had ever seen. Regardless of the changes it was still Artemis. Such a pretty boy he was before. But now- now he was beautiful.

"Stop staring." He said curtly. "I thought you said you couldn't see me."

She touched his head. It was frigid enough for her to pull back. Artemis looked up. "What are you doing? Didn't I say you couldn't touch me without per-" Holly curled up next to Artemis. He smiled, pulling himself closer.

"Holly," Artemis said tenderly, "What am I going to do?"

His tone broke her heart. He was scared and vulnerable- and made absolutely no effort to hide it.

"I don't know, Artemis," she said glancing quickly at the body that once belonged to the boy next to her, "I just, don't know."