And here I thought she'd have needed elf raising flour...Seeing as what she lacks in height she makes up for in attitude...Okay I admit...bad pun... bad pun...

Chapter 5: Teh Forbidden Romance (Yes that is a Teh)

Normal POV

Haven City, Police Plaza

She wasn't doing this, she told herself. She wasn't.

Which is exactly why she found herself walking towards the operations booth.

Trouble had been no trouble at all -pun indeed intended- she was already on leave and sometimes lying just came too her so easily...hmm...Why was that? Oh yes...Bad influences of late...

So weaselling permission out of Trouble had easier than fooling a goblin it was Foaly she had to worry about... The paranoid pony was going to need a careful mix of lies and truth to convince before she could leave. Or rather not leave.

Because there was no way on earth...or under it that she was actually doing this.

She had tried; there was no way to say she hadn't. But that 'kiss' lay like a stack of bricks in her mind. A heavy, guilty, embarrassing, niggling stack of bricks. She called it the 'tingle' because every time she thought of it her lips tingled.

Why? Why me? Was her constant plea to Frond. She'd only saved both human and fairy races a couple of times. Perhaps a few lives directly, maybe everyone else indirectly. Only served as an officer for the last good few centauries? Didn't she deserve some sort of a break?

Apparently not.

She'd be having a perfectly normal day and then something, some little action or event would trigger it and her thoughts would stray...And then she would cringe as a whole flood of memories were inflicted upon her. Holly wasn't one to dwell but in this instance she just couldn't put it out of her mind.

Maybe she'd carried some of her younger self back from the past... err... forward from the past?

She really needed to have a serious talk with No.1. That imp had a whole lot to answer for. Not only was she jittery, jumpy and strung-up, she was constantly conflicted.

There was absolutely nothing for her to do on leave! Holly wondered when life had become duty. Didn't she have hobbies? Things to do when she wasn't on duty? Didn't she own a set of ferns? They were rotting away in her apartment's kitchen now, even though she was at home.

Holly sighed. Lately all she did was try to un-remember the humiliating memories of the past. Or stress over what Opal could be planning. She didn't have any time for herself.

She sighed again, a singular thought making its way into her mind "Little boys are idiots..."

As soon as the thought made itself apparent however she was back to being irritated. Oh that stupid mudboy was going to pay for making her so worried about him! For dragging her to the past and ...and whatever else that followed. She wouldn't think about it! No!

She wasn't completely sure what she intended to do but shouting and generally making his life miserable featured heavily. Maybe giving the stupid genius a piece of her ever frying mind would help her clear things up? And in her many fights with herself over whether she was actually going to go through with it or not. One thing became clear.

She had to see Artemis or this tempestuous cloud of frustration would never go away. Somehow that singular though linked in to all her problems. Seeing Artemis and yelling a bit would make everything better. She would finally get over this silly nostalgia (no more dwelling on that kiss), she wouldn't have to worry about acting her age and then she could finally go home and water the ferns!

She just had to see Artemis. That's all. Which is why she was stood at this moment out side the operations booth altogether too edgy? Right?

Wrong... She wasn't really doing this... well that's what she told her frantically beating heart. Frantically beating heart? Since when? Ooh... A certain imp was in big trouble...

Okay so it was now or never. She raised a hand to open the sliding door but before she could it opened on its own accord.

"I've been watching you stand there for the last twenty minutes Holly." She heard Foaly from deep within the caverns of the booth.

Had it really been that long? Telling herself over and over exactly what it was that she wasn't doing? Why? Why had she done that? She shouldn't do that! She shouldn't let some silly boy waste her time...just thinking about it.

"What's wrong Holly? Usually you're not this lost for words?" the centaur asked turning in his swivel chair.

"Nothing...I was just contemplating whether I watered my ferns or not this morning..." she replied dryly regaining her composure, what...? It was the truth after all.

"Oh har-har... So what do you want? Usually you don't visit little old me unless the world is in impending doom or you want something?" Foaly crossed his hairy arms and returned to his monitor.

Holly sighed not for the umpteenth time "Sorry Foaly... I've just been kinda out of it you know... time travel takes a lot out of you..."

"Uh-huh ..." He nodded not looking at her, choosing instead to tinker away at his plasma screen. "But you still need something right?"

"Wings." She admitted grudgingly.

Foaly turned to look at her sharply.

"I need to complete the ritual..." She supplied meekly.

"And would you're little jaunt to the surface include the Emerald Isle?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I figured... Since I was going... I might as well."

"Might as well visit an unscrupulous little mudboy?" Both eyebrows were raised now, the hint of a smirk visible on the centaurs lips.

"I wanted to warn him about Opal..."

"In person?"

"It's good to keep an eye on him...now and then you know that devious mind of his... Frond knows what he's up too..."

"I keep two of my eyes on him..." Foaly stated.

"I'm bored Foaly...work has been slower than a gnome with rheumatics... I need my friends..." she defended.

Foaly sighed in mock depression. "Oh go then! Here are the wings... just don't expect me to lend a shoulder when he dies..."

She looked at him.

"He's gonna die way before us Holly... he's only human..."

She shrugged in response, in her mind Holly was smirking with glee, she had convinced Foaly and without any suspicion either. "Foaly..." She smiled walking backwards "Come on... you know you're my best friend too..."

The centaur began to smile too "Be sure to tell me how the new scanner works out...Once you're finished with your date..."

Holly rolled her eyes at him, knowing any other response would give her away. Give away what? There was nothing to give away... she wasn't DOING anything...

"Oh and watch out for that new movie poster..." She could hear Foaly chuckling after her.

Ten minutes later Holly walked into the E1 shuttle port and was greeted by a blaring movie poster. A whole wall had been dedicated to the image which depicted a very pretty elf in LEP gear gazing adoringly at a mudman. A very handsome looking mudman, clearly a very bad replica of Artemis albeit computer generated. At first she just felt like rolling her eyes. Not another one. Wasn't the last movie where Opal had some sick love interest in Artemis bad enough? Or the one before that where Commander Root was supposed to be her biological father?

Holly shuddered and then looked at the caption beneath the poster.

"The Forbidden Romance" it read. She froze. Wait. Her and Artemis? Were they serious? How in the name of Frond?

Then she felt the blood boil beneath her cheeks, thankfully her dark skin prevented it from being visible. Her eye twitched and she felt the usual cascade of anger. Oh but this was absolutely ridiculous!

Stupid stinking scheming companies...She stared at the poster again and shuddered. Of all the farfetched movies made about her this had to be the worst.

'Or maybe not' said a small voice in her mind.

But it was only a very small tiny voice and Holly shook her head pushing it away.

The fury built up again, this time for a different reason. But why should she care? She didn't care? She wasn't even doing anything wrong? There was absolutely nothing wrong with visiting a friend right? He just happened to be human. And perhaps she planned on rolling him over coals but still. Besides she wasn't actually going anyway right? Wait what?

Great now she was confusing even her self...

Alright perhaps denial was the first symptom said the small voice again only it wasn't so small any more. Symptom? Symptom of what? She battered away the little voice. No she refused to have an argument with herself!

Pushing all these thoughts away she looked around only to see Grub Kelp standing beside her. Seemingly he was on desk duty but instead stood beside her ogling the new movie poster.

"They had a sprite play me..." He grumbled "Imagine... Of course I'm going to complain..." He said it as if it were of the utmost importance. Holly couldn't help but roll her eyes and wonder how many film companies now had miles of paper work thanks to Grub.

"What I want to know is where the D'Arviting hell do they get off with that idea..." She muttered darkly, pointing to the poster and its eyes socket burning myriad of colours. She couldn't help but give it a shivering glance as they moved off towards the terminal gate.

"Oh but I thought you and Artemis were together..." Grub wondered looking up at her as he processed her visa and gave her above ground clearance.

"He's fifteen... and a mudman." she said from between her teeth annoyance showing through on her face.

"Oh eh...well you see..." Grub floundered for a bit as Holly walked to the gate. It closed behind her and the fairies rushed into the shuttle.

"Oh... I'm sorry but the interview they had me do asked if you were dating... and I..." his voice was lost to Holly as she was moved further away with the cram to get into the shuttle but the meaning was clear.

Grub was a dead fairy when she got back.

Holly ground her teeth and tapped her feet, standing up to let an elderly sprite sit. Finally admitting that she actually was going to Fowl Manor she promised herself that this was going to be the last trip in a long-long while. The poster flashed by the window and Holly involuntarily shuddered adding as an afterthought. At least until he was done with puberty any way.

Laurry: X_X I is very confused...

Lilly: (sobs) Give me a break! Apollo died!! T_T

Laurry: For those who don't know she is referring to her pet mouse, Apollo who passed away last Wednesday, watched by his brother Artemis. Yes, we name our pet mice after the Greek gods...

Lilly: (sniffs) Anyway people... sorry if this chapter came out a little confusing...Holly is basically having an argument with herself but it's not one-sided...it's not even two sided...it's un-sided! (Begins to sob again)

Laurry: Right....

Lilly: Oh he was too young! Too young! I mean we only got him this week... He used to eat his little mice food and drink water from his little bottle and it was soo cute...and then he died...and I watched him... helplessly...(sniff sniff) Because there nothing you can do for mice..No vaccine...Nothing...I told them we should get rats but nooo! My brother had to go and get mice...so cute with their whiskers and little paws...(Bawls eyes out)

Laurry: On another note... Hope you like the update however confusing it was... you may get only one or two more chapters before our exams in June... after which this fic will be updated every week! ^-^

Lilly: Oh Artemis you'll be a genius for Mommy wont you? You'll grow up to be a big bright mouse and help Mommy discover a cure to mouse fever? Won't you? (cuddles Artemis the mouse)

Laurry: =.= Mice have a two year life expectancy Lilly... Anyhoo reviews peoples!! We want at least ten reviews by the next chappie! ^-^

Lilly: Oh! Cruel World!! T_T