Well, here is chapter 24...Wow! This story is going way fast. Hope you guys like it. By the way, I think that I'm going make Holly around five feet tall or maybe five foot two. How does that sound to you guys?

Artemis woke that morning feeling better than he had in years. Finn was jumping on his bed, occasionally stepping on Artemis's leg. But it didn't bother him. Most things seldom bothered him anymore. Besides, the boy couldn't have been more than fifty pounds, it didn't really hurt.

Artemis glanced out the window, noticing that it was slightly ajar as the sun slanted through it. Holly must have gone out that way. Artemis looked at his clock and saw the number ten glaring at him. Ten o'clock. He rarely slept in.

He smiled and suddenly grabbed the unsuspecting Finn's leg and pulled him over. Finn yelped and landed on his back on the bed. He glared at Artemis for a moment, then started laughing.

"I thought you were still asleep Daddy. Butler told me to come wake you up. Breakfast was ready two hours ago. I already ate."

Artemis laughed too. "I guess I was tired. And you certainly did wake me. I will tell Butler that you did your job well."

Finn grinned and scrambled off the bed and out of the room.

Artemis smiled and got out of bed. He wondered if Holly was back in the Lower Elements yet. He was sure that it didn't usually take that long to get there, a few hours at the most.

Artemis combed his hair through with his fingers. The beginnings of a beard were growing on his chin. He supposed he would have to shave again. Artemis didn't like beards. They reminded him of scruffy, undistinguished woodsmen who didn't have a shred of decency or efficiency about them. Artemis wasn't one to stereotype, but sometimes his thoughts were generalizations. He was sure that there were some very dignified men with beards, just not any that he knew, and Artemis Fowl knew a lot of people.

But enough about beards. Artemis went to the bathroom to shave the beard in question, then he got dressed and descended the stairs to get some breakfast before Butler decided he was going to put it away.

Butler stood in the kitchen, hacking away at some vegetable, no doubt getting a head start on lunch. Artemis felt sorry for the vegetable. Butler looked up when his charge entered.

"I was beginning to worry that you'd been assassinated Artemis. You've never slept past eight in your whole life, except for maybe a few days when you were especially tired."

"I supposed I was especially tired this time Butler," Artemis stated, picking up a plate of food and shoving it in the microwave. "I didn't get to sleep for a few hours last night.

Butler nodded understandingly. "Is Holly gone?"

"Yes. Early, as she said." The microwave beeped and Artemis removed his plate. He began to eat standing up, too absorbed in his thoughts to sit down.

"Everything alright Artemis?" Butler asked, noticing Artemis's distraction.

He nodded absently. "I was just wondering what in the world, or below it, no pun intended, would possess Trouble Kelp to propose to Holly. And what would stop her from accepting?"

"Trouble probably decided to take his chance while he still could. I know he didn't know about you and Holly or Finn, but my guess is that Holly was acting a bit distant and he decided to try. You can always ask Holly what she thinks when she comes back." Butler paused. "As for what would stop her from accepting, you know very well why she turned him down. She's in love with you Artemis."

Coming from a sixty some year old bodyguard who had never married, Artemis thought this simple statement was rather insightful.

"But why? After all I ever put her through, I would think that she would prefer to just stay with Trouble. At least she wouldn't have to get any alterations done, there wouldn't be any complications and it wouldn't be practically illegal."

Butler sighed. "Only she can explain this to you Artemis. The female mind is particularly complicated. They have so many different emotions and reasons for doing what they do. Ask her when she gets back."

Artemis shook his head. "This is so…difficult."

"No one ever said falling in love with a fairy would be easy. There isn't even a book written on it," Butler stated.

"Maybe I could write the first one," Artemis muttered darkly.

"Brighten up Artemis. You should at least be happy that she did pick you."

Artemis frowned for a minute more, the creases in his forehead prominent, then wiped the expression off his face. "How right you are old friend. I shouldn't even be thinking about this."

Butler nodded. "There we go. Now you should do something useful, like grab me that bag of potatoes over there."

When he was twelve, Artemis would have seethed at Butler asking him to do something. Now he just laughed and got the potatoes for Butler before leaving the room and heading up to his study. Just more evidence on how much Artemis Fowl really had changed.