I really like this chapter, I'm not sure why...Thank you to the many people who have reviewed this, by the way. Theoretically speaking, I love you all. Especially those who watch it with an avid passion, hehe :)

Artemis brushed off his jacket and stepped from the Bentley. Imagine, the great Artemis Fowl II getting a speeding ticket, and he was barely above the speed limit. The cops must have been extremely bored or grumpy to give him a ticket. Artemis shook of his indignation. He could easily pay the hundred dollar fine and there were greater problems at hand.

Artemis helped Finn out off the backseat. The six year old ran off as soon as he was free of his car seat. Artemis sighed. He had never been so carefree.

He locked the car up and entered the Manor, close behind his hurricane of a son. Finn had left his sandy shoes on the carpet, staining it with mud and dirt. It would have to be cleaned later.

Artemis placed the shoes in the closet after knocking them off outside. As he did so, Butler came up behind him and placed a hand on his charge's shoulder.

"She's in your study."

Artemis nodded. "Thank you old friend." He changed his own shoes so as not to track mud through the house, then made his way up to the study. He pushed the door open silently and saw a startled Holly for a moment before she shielded.

Holly sighed with relief when she saw that it was Artemis. She dropped the shield and looked at him woefully.

She sat curled up in his desk chair, leaning against the back. Artemis noted that her eyes were red from crying and she looked disheveled, like she had been attacked.

Seconds later, Artemis was by her side. He knelt in front of the chair.

"Are you alright Holly? Did someone hurt you? You could have told Butler, you know and he would have gone after whoever it was."

Holly shook her head. "You don't understand Artemis."

"And I never will if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Holly stared at the opposite wall, over Artemis's head, for a moment, before jumping off the chair and flinging her arms around his neck. "Oh Artemis," she moaned. "I don't know what to do!"

He hugged her back. It felt as though he was hugging Finn. She was so small, so breakable…

"About what?" he asked quietly.

"About Trouble," she said. She pulled away enough just so that she could see his face. "Artemis, he proposed to me!"

Artemis was shocked. Had they been engaged? Not to his knowledge. Why would Trouble do that? Unless…

"Holly, does he know about Finn?"

Holly shook her head. "I don't think so."

Artemis contemplated it for a moment. He knew that Trouble had always had feelings for Holly; maybe he was finally taking advantage of that fact that she hadn't Artemis in over four years.

"Holly, he loves you, doesn't he?" It was a blunt question, but he had to ask.

"I-I guess so," Holly muttered, looking at the floor.

"Maybe he's finally taking advantage of that fact that we haven't seen each other in four and a half years."

"But I don't love him Artemis. He's like a big brother to me. I love you and only you." She took a deep breath. This next part was going to be hard for her to say. "But I can't help but wonder if I should accept."

Artemis blinked, pulling away from her a bit. "You want to marry Trouble?"

Holly caught one of his hands. "Artemis, he's a fairy, I'm a fairy. You-you're a human. You know it would be best."

Artemis pulled his hand out of Holly's. "I thought you said-"

"I know what I said," Holly cut him off. "But think about it. If I married Trouble, I could take Finn down too, and there would be no danger of him being discovered, no danger to him or you. I couldn't stand for something to happen to either of you. I could lie and say he's…I don't know. Say he's Chix's kid or something." Even as she said the words, they burned her throat, constricted her breathing. She saw the haunted, hurt look in Artemis's eyes and she hated herself for it. She was killing him with her words.

"You-you want to take Finn from me too?" Artemis asked, his breathing labored, like there was a weight on his chest. He was beginning to look panicked, something Holly had never seen before. The pain she was putting him through with just the suggestion of her taking Finn…

Artemis struggled to his feet and backed away from her like she was some sort of monster. He had prepared himself for her rejection, but he had never thought that she wanted to take Finn from him too. He had raised Finn; he belonged more to Artemis than he would ever belong to Holly.

"I won't let you," he whispered.

Holly took a step towards him, but he stepped backwards again.

"Artemis," she pleaded.

Artemis shook his head and continued backing up until he tripped on the edge of the carpet. He stumbled and fell backwards, hitting his head on a table behind him, his head snapping forward. Holly heard a crack and then Artemis was on the floor, his lips parted slightly and his eyes wide and unblinking.

Holly's eyes widened and she stared at Artemis in shock for a moment before running over and kneeling beside him.

"Artemis?" she asked frantically, finding his pulse to make sure that his heart was still beating. It was, but it was a staggering, broken beat. Holly was shocked. What had she done?

She looked around anxiously before calling for the only person who could come to her mind. She needed help. She wasn't running on hot.

"BUTLER!"

Only a minute later Butler broke down the door, gun in hand. "What is it?" he growled. He looked around the room with a frightening expression on his face, then he saw Artemis. He dropped the gun and ran over.

"What happened?"

"He tripped, fell backwards, I think he's broken his neck," Holly sobbed.

"Well, can't you just heal it?" Butler demanded. "There isn't much I can do."

"I would, but I'm not running hot. I didn't think I'd need all my magic anytime soon."

"Well next time, think harder fairy girl," Butler growled, the sight of his charge on the floor making his words steely.

Holly pushed strands of hair out of Artemis's eyes, her tears dropping on his shirt. His neck hadn't broken completely, but the force of the fall had been enough for it to be severe. She sent what magic she had left into his neck, making the bones a little sturdier, but not much. All too soon the sparks fizzled out and Holly felt drained. How could she have been so cruel?