Chapter 7: Unexpected

So chapter 7 has always been a bit of a hump for me to get over, but I got over it! I WILL finish this story! It will get done! I am also going back and re-editing the old chapters so everything will be nice and neat for you guys. Thanks for the lovely reviews and keep them coming!

Chapter 7: Unexpected

She didn't choose this role

But she'll play it and make it sincere

So you cry, you cry

Give me a break

--PANIC! At the Disco Time To Dance

"You look horrible Artemis!" Holly exclaimed as she lightly picked Artemis's right arm up between two fingers. She had taken a shuttle up to the surface to discuss wedding plans with Artemis, only to find him covered in angry blackish, purple bruises.

"What happened to you?"

"Ms. Britva was my gym partner today." He stated plainly. He needn't say more.

"Oh Artemis," Holly sighed and rested both palms face down on his skin. Blue sparks jumped from her finger tips and danced on the surface of his pale skin, healing him in seconds. All that was left was soreness. "Why didn't you just heal yourself?" She asked when she was done.

"I don't have anymore magic in me. Remember?" Artemis said sitting up slowly from his bed and flexed his muscles a bit. "Thank you, for the healing Holly."

She elfin women just laughed.

"No problem, Artemis. But once you have the magic, you never loose it; you just need to do the Ritual."

"I'm human Holly, it won't work for me."

"Of course it will. There's a full moon tomorrow night, and there's a lovely patch of earth right outside the gates." Holly stated casually as she pulled a big white book from a bag she always brought with her now-a-days, and laid it on top of his covers. "Now, are you ready to talk wedding plans or not? I want you to be my maid of honour."

"Holly, I'm touched, really. But that's a women's job."

"No, Mud Boy, it's the job of the bride's best friend."

Artemis was silent for a bit, but a slight smile crept upon his face. He could only picture himself dressed in purple along side all the other bride's maids in frilly dresses.

"Once more, Holly, thank you. It's an honour, to be called your best friend. But speaking as your best friend, I still don't think that you're ready to get married."

The brunette rolled her eyes like an expert and place a tiny fist on her hip.

"Let's not go through this again. I don't want to leave you with more bruise than what you had before I came. Right, so down to business now. We've decided to have the reception at the LEP Plaza in Haven City."

"We're not going to just drop this subject Holly. You never talked to me before about marrying him before. Why now? What's the rush?"

Holly bit her full lips and ran her hand finger through her auburn hair in a nervous way. It grew longer and longer each time Artemis saw her. Her eyes, hazels brown and cobalt blue, were lost in her own mist, lost in the depths of her mind. It was a long moment before she resurfaced, and spoke.

"Well, time travel really does a number on your body," She began, but she kept her head turned towards the window, peering at the birds as they flew from tree to tree. "I though it was all the time jumping we were doing that had stopped my period."

"It's very likely. The time vortex suspense ones growth, thus it's safe to assume that it messes with your menstrual cycle as well. We've only been in this present realm of time for two months. Your body just needs time to get back into the swing of things."

"That what I originally thought, but, Artemis, I've been getting sick, eating a lot more than normal, and the smells! Everything smells! It gives me migraines!"

"Holly….I'm sure this is just some side effect of the vortex…I mean…You're not…You're not pregnant. These symptoms don't show up until about three months afterwards. Unless you're saying it's different for the fairy folk, but I'm assuming not."

"The vortex suspense growth, you said that Artemis. I was pregnant before we jump off TeiPei101. Time travel has slowed down the effects by years, but now… Now the baby is back on track …Nº1 told me that she's due in March."

Artemis nodded taking all of this in. This news was anything but expected. He grip the tiny women by her shoulder and offered her a quick warm hug.

"So this is a shotgun wedding. I see now." He said with a sigh. "Now the rush makes sense. Please know that I think of you as no different as I did just a few moments ago, other than the fact that you are now nuts and one of the bravest women I know. So do you two have a final date yet for the wedding?"

Holly smiled wildly, and opened the big white book, that was almost as big as her body's frame.

"Yes, on Valentine's day. Oh Artemis, I have so many ideas that we have to sort through! We're going to need Juliet in her eventually…"

Holly stayed for hours, going over everything from table settings to baby names. And although she and Artemis never had a relationship like this before, they couldn't help but feel like it was right. She truly was one of his most valued friends. And Holly was finally getting what she had always wanted most- a family. But Artemis still couldn't shake the feeling that there was a curse somewhere hidden in this little miracle of hers.

"Hey Artemis!" Nathan Smith exclaimed as Artemis and Juliet entered the dinning hall the next morning. "You're just the man I've been dying to speak too!"

Artemis raised a pale brow but said nothing as he sat down at the table. David, Roger's oldest friend and Maféia's boyfriend, was also at the table. He looked down timidly as Juliet took a seat to his right.

"About yesterday, Artemis…I'm so sorry, I shoulda been there, to clam her down ya know? You okay?" David asked.

"Yah, yah, he's fine David. He lived right?" Nathan cut in before Artemis could answer.

"But Artemis, I heard that you aren't taking gym anymore. That Xia was going to train you or something?"

"Just for the semester," Said the melodic, soprano voice that belonged to Ida, as she smoothly slide into a chair between Nathan and Artemis. "And only for this circumstance. I can't have anymore 'students'."

"Oh," Nathan said and his face fell a bit. Ida gave him a small smile then turned to Artemis.

"And how are you this morning?"

"A bit better."

"A bit? You've healed right up, I can't see one buries on you! Juliet, you're a miracle worker!" Juliet bit out a slight smile, but she knew where the credit was due.

"Thanks Xia, but I couldn't have my charge looking half dead. It's bad for my image."

Ida laughed lightly.

"Indeed. Well anyways I just wanted to tell Artemis, to meet me in the Rec Hall at the beginning of 6th period. I'll see you all later ok?"

"Oh whoa! Wait a minute there Xia, where's the fire?" Nathan asked, catching her arm as she got up to leave. "Stay and eat breakfast with us! And don't say it's too crowed either. Maféia and Roger aren't here."

"I'd rather not. There are things that I have to tend too."

"Like?" Nathan pressed.

"I actually don't see why she needs to be here Nathan. If it so pleases her to go, I say let her go." Artemis said while stirring the thing in front of him that was supposed oatmeal. Ida raised a thin brow but mouthed 'thank you' nonetheless.

"But Xia, you never stay for breakfast! Just this once, okay? Please?" Nathan did his best take of a sad puppy and failed horribly. Still, his efforts got him somewhere.

"Alright, fine, I'll eat here." Ida laughed at the sad sight and set back down. "So long as I'm here, I might as well campaign for the formal, so I had better see you all there. Including you Mr. Fowl. Who are you escorting?"

"I'm not going to the dance."

"Well why not? With joint efforts from both schools, this dance is going to be the best yet. You don't even have to dance; you'll still have fun."

"I have other plans for that night."

"Oh?" It wasn't a question; she was demeaning in a polite way for him to explain himself. Luckily, Nathan jumped in for him.

"Who do you think is going to ask you Xia?" Nathan peeped up. Xia, however just rolled her brown eyes.

"Just about every boy in the school, like always. You included."

Nathan's face went beat red.

"I…um…well, Xia, you know you're really-"

"It's a yes. You can pick me up at 7."

Nathan let out the breath he'd been holding in and smiled widely. A peg of jealousy ran through Artemis, but quickly dropped. He wasn't going to the dance anyways and it was just a pity date, he was sure.

"Sweet, awesome!" Nathan cheered in a way that would make you think he won the lottery. "Okay I'll be there at 7 and not a minute late!"

"Wonderful, I look forward to it." Ida said apathetically.

Nathan was getting ready to say something more, but then all the commotion of the dinning hall faded into low hushes as everyone turned around, pointing and staring at Roger, who just walked in. He carried with him a bouquet a dozen roses in his right hand. Six white, three pink and three yellow, her favourite colours. In his left hand, he had a bunch of red and white balloons with a big heart shaped one in the middle, and a shinny red bag. He made his was over to the dinning table where his friends where and Ida smiled. She knew what was up. Everyone else just stared in awe.

"Hey, Artemis, David. Do me a quick favour and hold this stuff for me ok?" He said as he passed Artemis the flowers and David the balloons. Then he pulled from the shinny red bag a pink and white fuzzy teddy bear, and got down on one knee, holding the bear close to his chest.

"Shakespeare wore a whole bunch of beautiful words. But perhaps, the most beautiful of all was 'Juliet'. And quite frankly, I want to be your Romeo. Being honest with myself, I know I could never protect you, but I still wanna try. I want to be the one who make you happy when you're sad, the one who makes you laugh when you're mad-"

"Roger this is not a wedding proposal…" Artemis muttered.

"Arty, shut up and let him finish, I enjoy being flattered." Juliet replied simple "Now, go on and continue Roger."

"Like I was saying, Juliet, I think I'm in love with you. But if I'm to get into relationship with you, I wanna do it right. Juliet-" he pressed a tiny button on the teddy bears paw and his voice came out through tiny speakers "Will you go to the dance with me?"

Besides Artemis, everyone in the dinning hall was amazed at the performance Roger put on. Juliet squealed and hugged Roger tightly and pecked him on the cheek.

"I'm not saying yes to a relationship; we'll see about that in time, but I'd love to go to the dance with you!"

The entire dinning hall erupted in cheers and whistles. Roger smiled wildly and held her hand tightly.

"Well that makes two couple paired for the dance then!"

"Oh so you already knew that Xia and Nathan were going to go together?" Juliet asked.

Roger looked shocked by that information.

"Xia, you're going with Nathan? Oh, wow okay, then I guess we have three official pairing then. I was talking about Artemis and Minerva."

"As in Paradizo? Artemis, I thought you weren't going?" Hurt burned in her eyes, but only for a second.

"I can assure you, I'm not. Roger what are you talking about?"

"Well I told Minerva that you wanted to go to the dance with her."

"You did what?"

"Well it seemed like a good idea at the time, but now judging by your reaction…"

"This is just about the stupidest thing you've ever done."

"Hey, now, that isn't nice, I did this for you!"

"You're an idiot."

"No, I'm not. You obviously like the girl, I just kick-started things."

"Oh, excuses me, I forgot I have to work on the ballot design for the Homecoming queen and king vote. See you all in class." Ida blurted as she began to get up again.

"What? Xia you haven't even eaten yet!" Nathan declared

"Those ballots can wait until later Xia, Come on and stay." Roger waved her back lazily.

"I don't have my prep period anymore remember? Plus, I want to get them out early. See you." She said smoothly and then left the table, making a quick bee-line to the door.

"Oh Artemis, you're right. I am an idiot. I forgot that Xia and Minerva don't like each other! Now Xia is going to be pissy all week…"

"Roger, I don't like Minerva."

"Well then, it looks like we have a bit of a problem here then doesn't it?"

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Next time….

"She is absolutely, without a doubt, the most horrible person I've ever met!" Ida stormed in a way Artemis had never seen before. "She forced me out of my home, and jeopardized my life! All over a fucking science competition we were in when I was nine! So, Artemis, tell me; now that you 'know' me, are you afraid too?" she asked, looking at him with a cool glare.

Artemis was just able to keep his wits about him, but his eyes gave nothing away.

"Why on earth would I be afraid of you?"