This is it!

And if you've read this far, I suppose you must think I'm okay at this, so thanks. :D

Trouble regained consciousness just in time to see yet another angry face leaning over his.
Holly had come just in time, Trouble was just waking up.
Artemis roused at the right time, indeed a moment he would gloat over later, Holly very nearly about to knock Trouble out cold.

But Artemis knew he had to intervene before things got ugly, and Holly hit someone, even if that someone was as despicable as Trouble Kelp. Artemis groaned and groggily sat up, "Holly, please listen for a moment. You don't-"
"Shut up Artemis, you're suffering from trauma. It would be best if you don't speak right now." Holly was shocked at how professional she sounded, despite the non regulation inclusion of the phrase 'shut up'.
Oh gods, They're turning me into a robot. What's happening to me?
Truth be told, Holly has recently been reading the LEP handbook and she was stunned at how she had been offered the position of Major all those years ago, considering the guidelines for promotion. Holly snapped back at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Holly! Thank goodness you're alright!"
It took Holly exactly half a second to analyse this sentence and decide the best course of action would be to punch the speaker in the jaw and worry about the repercussions of hitting a superior officer later. So she did.

Artemis was too slow to avoid Holly punching Trouble, for he was too preoccupied with the possibility of his own trauma being significant enough to cause him to not think rationally, and as he had just deducted, since he was still able to recite several famous gnomish poems in his mind, complete with a translation, Artemis thought he was fine. Still, he ridiculed himself for being so completely sidetracked, that he didn't avoid Holly probably loosing her job again. "Holly!" He cried as soon as Holly had dealt the blow, "Why did you do that?" A line, that would probably do more harm than good. So again, Artemis cringed at himself.

Holly shot Artemis a venomous glare, the likes of which would've sent a troll running to his momma, if only Holly had considered using it in such a time of crisis. So you would probably imagine what Artemis felt when he saw one of his best friends look at him like that. But then Holly processed what Artemis had said, and what she should say in return, and the expression dropped as soon as it occurred. "Because.." Holly's voice faltered, "because he.." Holly very nearly said hurt you but decided on a more diplomatic approach, "Because he was in league with a notorious pixie on the loose."

Artemis sighed, "Holly, it was my idea for Trouble to hit me."
Holly widened her eyes, "Fowl, are you sure you're thinking rationally? You better lie down or something." Which wasn't such a smart thing to say, considering Artemis had been sprawled on the floor just a few minutes before.

The human tried not to sigh in exasperation yet again, but couldn't resist a good punch line (No pun intended).

"Speaking of the event of people not thinking rationally, I think you better listen to me. It was my idea for Trouble to hit me because that was the only way you would be able to free Trouble and I, not to mention apprehend a notorious criminal. The bond would've told you the way to Opal's hideout. It was a strategic way to capture Opal using the resources we had at the time, and I can see that it worked. So Holly, please apologise to Trouble, and let's get this ordeal over and done with."

Holly remained speechless throughout the typical Artemis-explanation, which annoyingly enough, made absolute perfect sense. Her thoughts included, He's lost his mind. Typical. That makes perfect sense. and D'Arvit, I have to apologise to Trouble. in that order. When Artemis had finished, Holly nodded glumly and heard a voice she'd rather not hear, "It was still a good punch." Foaly added from the crack in the door, and then, "Yeah, great punch." Which was Trouble as he massaged his rapidly swelling jaw. Holly barely blinked at this comment, instead deciding to briskly jump up and feint punch Foaly in his horsey mouth. He frowned, and added, "I'll be supervising Opal," before closing the door and avoiding any actual damage. By supervising, Foaly of course meant taunting, annoying, tormenting, and any other synonyms of the words you care to think of. Holly stood there for a moment, then turned to Trouble, a simple "Sorry," barely audible, and she followed Foaly out the door. Trouble turned to Artemis, "You could've let her kill me," He commented causally.

Artemis tried a half hearted smile representing a vampire grin, "I think of the repercussions, not of the pleasure of the action."
Trouble snorted, but stared at Artemis, seeing through the shaky demeanor of the child prodigy, and thought that he'd either speak fast, or not have the courage to later, "Armpit lice, I saw how she looked at you. I am sad to admit you won."
Artemis replied with a more genuine smile, It still felt strange to do it so often. "What, the venomous glare?"
The Commander laughed, Fowl wasn't such a hardheaded ass when you got to spend a bit of time with him, even if you were locked in a cellar. "No. After that, and before it." His voice dropped to a whisper, "Every time before it."

Artemis stared at the concrete-like floor, "Why, I don't believe there was a contest to win."
Trouble winked, "You know there was. There always is."

A young elf police officer stepped into the room, "We're securing the area. Time to move out, um, Commander." Artemis stood up, followed by Trouble, the latter whispered, "And never mention that conversation. Ever." Artemis nodded, bound by the guy laws that were the same, no matter what age, species or intellect you were. He turned into the main room, and smiled at the sight of Holly parading across the room and ordering everyone around.

No1 patiently explained to Trouble and Holly how he needed to mind wipe Opal and send her back to the past. "It's already happened. Opal was always in her right time, that's how we apprehended her the first time." Holly shook her head, "Opal killed Julius." she hissed, "I say we kill her." No1, the most gentle creature you would ever care to see, shuddered. "It doesn't matter, we still need to send her back." Artemis placed his hand on Holly's shoulder. "If Opal never existed. I would still be a cruel boy. You wouldn't ever need my help, I would probably be mind wiped." Holly tried to hide her emotions by backhanding her face for a second. She only succeeded in brushing away tears. "I want revenge!" Holly cried out hopelessly. Artemis suddenly had an idea. "Holly, how about this?"

After a minute of explanation, the elf had a smile on her face.

2 days later

The tribunal silenced when the elf that had replaced Vinyáyá stood up, and started to speak, "Opal Koboi. We find you guilty of countless crimes, including murder, torture and attempted exposure of the people. I now proclaim your crimes only punishable by a sentence that involves you, to use a mudman term 'reap what you sow'. Death. The tribunal have not decided on an execution of this punishment," the elf winked "pun intended. We have however, given that power to a certain Captain Short, whose decision will reflect herself as an officer, and the pain you have inflicted on her." Short and sweet. (Again, no pun intended).

Holly shakily stood up. She hadn't expected this to happen. It was Artemis' idea to let the Opal of the past watch her trial and punishment, then be mind wiped and then sent back. It had seemed a good idea at the time. She swallowed and stared at the crowd of fairies and one human assembled around her. Holly's heart rate increased, she locked eyes with Artemis, he too looked strained, but managed to smile at her. One of the old Tribunal members coughed politely, and Holly jerked her head up, she had a decision to make.
"I.. believe that.." her voice failed, "death is not something to talk of lightly, and I accept the Tribunal's decision, but.. Opal Koboi has killed one of my closest friends. Jul.. Commander Root, and her crime deserves a just punishment." Many faces in the crowd were nodding encouragingly, waiting her to get to the point. The execution of a criminal was something that would be broadcast throughout Atlantis and Haven. Exciting to say the least. Holly swallowed again, "I decide that Opal Koboi will be executed by a quick shot to the heart. Short and almost painless.. Although.. it was the part of me she nearly broke. Do the Tribunal accept my decision?"

Another elder member of the Tribunal stood up, "We accept Captain Short's decision, yet, we beg to ask who will do the deed?"
Holly exhaled sharply, "Up to you."The tribunal looked at her expectantly, wanting an explanation. Holly stared in horror at each member of the Tribunal, "How can I choose something to become a murderer? I would never specify someone to kill. It seems unimaginable, how am I meant to know what they think of the matter? I would never have the heart to."
"And yet you tell us that someone else must do it?"

Holly couldn't bare it any more. "No. If they don't want to, then I will do it myself."
A collective gasp came from the audience as the old Opal forced herself up. "No!" She shrieked, "I will repent! I will-"
Holly shook her head sadly, devoid of anger. "No Opal. It has already happened."

The Tribunal murmured for a moment, then the new member stood up again, "Captain Short, the Tribunal has decided that you have proven your worth again and again." The elf winked yet again, "So congratulations Major."

Holly stared, both Opal shrieked, Trouble smiled, Artemis let out a very un-Artemis-like whoop, and Foaly started spontaneously clapping. Soon all the fairies in the room were cheering, and so were all the others glued to their televisions in numerous cities. The combined impact of the applause recorded as two simultaneous earthquakes of magnitudes 3.4 and 5.2 in Ireland and somewhere in the ocean, pinpointed to near the Atlantis Trench. Just a coincidence was what the leading scientist mud men concluded. Typical. For the most superstitious race, humans were so boring sometimes.

Back with the main protagonists: Holly stood up in front of the Tribunal, her friends, and indeed most of the fairy population. "Thank you." She uttered, clearing unsure of what else to say, and then her gaze drifted to Artemis, he was smiling. "Well done Holly." He put his hand on her shoulder. Just a friendly gesture to anyone who saw. To Holly, it was warmth and love, the kind that only two people who knew each others feelings could feel. Unable to deny it any longer, Holly turned to Artemis, and in front of all the aforementioned people, plus the rest of the population due to the frequent TV replays and multiple magazine covers, they kissed.

Holly broke a few records that day. Firstly, the quickest time to be demoted from a promotion, 1 minute 54 seconds. The second was winning most popular moment of television ever in Dixie's Pixie Magazine. The third, well, recorded in the minds of all the Tribunal as the most memorable moment of their career. And, last but not least, well it wasn't that day, it was a year later, first fairy engagement to a human. But that's another story.

The End