A/N: More apologies for the gap between chapters, and thanks to those of you who have put up with my constant procrastination. I believe this to be the penultimate chapter of this story, but I have ideas for more. These characters are too good to simply leave.
On with the show.
Holly was out of magic. She had put everything she had into Artemis' bloodied form to little affect. No. 1 might have been able to heal the wounds, or at least stabilize him until a more permanent healing could be achieved, but Foaly had sedated him to prevent him killing any friendly officers.
Spent, she fell back against the debris she hid behind. She looked into Artemis' face, momentarily glad to see he was conscious again, only to feel a pang of guilt, knowing he could feel the pain of his wounds again. After a moment, she was able to choke out a semblance of speech.
"You'll do anything to try and shock me, won't you." She said, tears falling onto his battered jacket, "Always so melodramatic."
Artemis did his best to grin, but couldn't quite manage it. Slowly, and with a bit of help, he brought his hand up almost to her face.
"My love," He said, his fingertips brushing her face, "I haven't even begun."
With this, he opened his hand fully, and a single smooth stone fell onto his chest.
An instant later, an explosion pushed Holly back against the pile of rubble, simultaneously pushing Artemis away. A golden chain spread from the stone on Artemis' chest to points on his arms, legs, and torso, the areas burning away to reveal more stones. Suspended in this magical cage, Artemis' wounds began to heal, his body jerking and his pores steaming as the magic cleansed and tested his body. He let out streams of gibberish, words from every language, as light poured out of his eyes and mouth. Finally, with a second explosion, the stones fell to the ground, red hot from magical overload, and a healed, though quite naked Artemis fell to the ground.
Holly scrambled forward, ducking from the renewed onslaught as the explosion gave away her position. She grabbed Artemis and pulled him back to her hiding spot, noting that it was starting to disintegrate. Holding up his head, she noticed that he was once again unconscious, a side effect of a massive magical healing.
Before she had time to breath a sigh of relief, she was lifted from the ground. After a moment of struggle, she found herself face to face with the demon she had blasted, the one missing a horn.
"YEARS OF PLANNING!" he bellowed, shaking her, "YEARS OF PLANNING AND PATIENCE, RUNIED BY AN ELF AND A MUDMAN! ONLY TO HAPPEN AGAIN!"
Before Holly could decipher his meaning, a scuffling noise from behind her distracted both elf and demon. Below, Artemis was pushing himself against the slab of concrete, chastely covering his nudity with his hands. As he moved, he spoke.
"Leon, I presume," He stated, matter-of-factly, "Or N'Zall if we want to be particular."
"Yes," The demon replied, "The fool was prepared to transfer me to No. 1, and when he failed I used the spell in the stone to transfer myself into his vessel. A temporary measure until I pry your soul from your body and take yours."
At this point, Holly attempted to say something. I say attempted as, being held by the neck at this point, in order to free a hand for N'Zall's gesturing, she was not quite heard. For the record, the words she was not heard saying where "Over my dead body".
Holly pulled her guns from her holsters and, flicking them both to full power, fired two twin bursts of power into N'Zall's chest. The neutrino charge traveled through his body, frying the outer layers of his skin and knocking him unconscious. It also traveled along his hand into Holly. Though her suit absorbed the bulk of the charge, burning out instantly, it was enough to send her flying from his grasp, landing some 30 feet away.
A few moments later, she saw Artemis' face hovering over hers.
"My love," he said, looking over his shoulder at the slightly smoking form of the once demon king, "If I am ever caught monologueing in such a tasteless manner, I fully expect the same treatment."
Holly didn't quite have time to respond before she blacked out.
-Police Plaza Infirmary-
When Holly awoke, she was staring at the same head, though from a different angle, and the burnt out sunstrips of the battlefield had been replaced with bright fluorescent lights on a white ceiling.
"Wake up, Captain Short," Artemis said, the head moving farther away as he stood, "Or I guess I should say Major, even if it's not official yet. Apparently they can't have the ceremony without the receiving officer."
Holly smiled as she recognized her surroundings. There were a surprising amount of flowers surrounding her bed.
"I see you've noticed your little garden." Artemis said, looking around the bed, "The big ones are from No. 1, I understand they've been extinct for some time now. The ones on your left are from Foaly, he tells me they won't wilt for at least another week. The ones on the right are Trouble's, he keeps replacing them so he can compete with Foaly."
"What about the others?" Holly asked, gesturing to what was at least five other bouquets in various places around her bed.
"Mine, of course." Artemis said, as if she needn't ask, "A Fowl is never outdone, not even with flowers. Now, about your injuries." Artemis shifted in closer to her bed. Holly noticed his clothes were rumpled in a way she had never seen. He must have slept here, she thought.
"After your neutrino blast knocked you out, the battle ended quickly. Foaly and I brought you here immediately. You were out of magic, and No. 1 wouldn't infuse you until your neural pathways had healed naturally first." Artemis paused here, and stiffened slightly. "You've been unconscious for some time, I was starting to worry."
The statement, which might have seemed cold or observational to anybody else, was to Holly full of emotion. For the great Artemis Fowl to admit something so unprofessional as worry was rare.
"I haven't heard that tone in your voice since that parking lot in London." Holly said, remembering Butler's accident at Artemis' hands.
Rather than respond, Artemis leaned in and kissed her lightly.
A/N: Short, I know, I'm sorry, you all deserve more for your wait. At least it's not a cliffhanger! The last chapter of "The Next Adventure" will be up soon (I promise!), and the next story is currently in the outlining phase.