Chapter III

Butler couldn't help but feel a little guilty as he opened the elevator's control panel. He switched off several of the switches and sighed as he closed the door. But before he had a chance to reprimand himself for what he was doing, Juliet came towards him. She was pulling Artemis along by the sleeve on her left side, and Holly along on her right side. They both didn't look very happy.

"Juliet, what are you up to?" Artemis inquired, frowning slightly. But she only smiled at him sweetly. That didn't reassure him much.

"We're testing the elevator; it doesn't seem to be working." Of course, this lame excuse aroused many questions, but before they had a chance to ask any, they were thrust into the elevator.

Now the control panel was on the wall outside the elevator, which wasn't a great thing for Artemis and Holly, when the elevator managed to stop between two floors. They were thrown forward with the abrupt stop.

"Butler! This isn't funny! Juliet!" Artemis shouted. Holly came up behind him and touched his shoulder, making him jump. This made her smile slightly. "It's just me, silly."

He glared daggers at her. "Yes, so it is. I was expecting an assassin or something." He replied sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. "Is there an exit on this thing? No telling how long we'll be here."

He nodded and pointed to the ceiling.

She smiled in satisfaction. "Lift me onto your shoulders."

His eyes narrowed.

"For Frond's sake! Just bend down!"

He obeyed, and she climbed up onto his shoulders. She was able to reach the secret panel, but sighed in frustration when she noticed three lines of keys. "What's your password, Fowl?" She growled.

"Why should I make it so easy? Guess." He smirked.

She groaned. "Fowl, when I get down there-" He folded his arms and waited.

Holly sighed and examined the keys more closely. The first row had five keys, the second, eight, and the third, six. What would Artemis use that no one besides Butler knew about? Suddenly it clicked, Lower Elements Police! She typed in the code, but the door didn't budge. Holly sat thinking, but Artemis looked confused.

"Didn't you type in, Lower Elements Police?"

Holly nodded, now wondering why Artemis would be concerned about the name when it didn't seem as though it was the password. "Yeah, why?"

Artemis looked thoughtful. "That's the password. . .Butler must have changed it."

Holly groaned and hopped off his shoulders. "So I'm stuck here with you?" She slid down into a sitting position and hugged her knees. Artemis sat down and did the same. They were silent for several moments.

"Artemis-"

"Holly, no. Please no." His voice was pained and desperation was written over his pale face. He turned away.

"Artemis, we would make it work! Nothing else matters!" Hurt was evident on her pleading face; she was on the verge of tears. Artemis struggled for the right words, but none came to mind. He turned back to Holly, distressed to see her so distraught. He regretted ever having hurt her, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

She leaned forward and clung to him tightly. It surprised him, but he didn't push her away. Instead he stroked her auburn curls as she sobbed on his shoulder. Tears slid down his cheeks and he held her tighter. They didn't know how long they sat there, it didn't matter anymore.

Artemis finally pushed her away gently when she had quieted down. Before he knew what he was doing, he pressed his lips tenderly to hers, in a soft, but firm kiss.

A moment later, he pulled away, his eyes widening with the realization of what he had just done. He noticed the elevator moving, and jumped to his feet, alarmed at himself.

"Forget that ever happened!" The elevator door opened and he walked quickly down the hall, never glancing at the startled siblings.

"Juliet, please entertain Captain Short. I need to lie down." He called without looking back.

By now, Holly was standing and she smiled weakly at Butler and Juliet. "No, I think I'll go to the study for a while." Without a backward glance, she hurried down the opposite hall. Juliet looked at one to the other and frowned, looking several years younger than she really was. She was about to go after Holly, when Butler caught her arm.

"I'll go. Occupy yourself until I return." He said.

She sighed as she watched her brother's retreating back. But she soon smiled when she suddenly remembered that the match between 'Daddy O', and 'The Ring Master', was going to begin in only a few minutes. She then retired to her room,(more like running down the hall, throwing the door open, grabbing the remote, and hopping on the couch, but then again, you get the point.)