Chapter 43

Packing Day

Artemis' POV:

"Aaaartemis," A voice called from the hall. This seemed to be happening more and more as time progressed. I started to remain silent, but thought better of it. After all, there is no reason to be petty.

"In here, Butler," I called back. Less than a second later, my door crashed back against the wall. I winced involuntarily but did not raise my eyes from what I was doing. "Was that really necessary?" I asked.

I glanced up at Butler who looked somewhat repentant. Though not enought to really sway my opinion of his action. "Sorry, Artemis. But you know that I get nervouse when I can't find you."

"Of course," I agreed. He was my body guard after all. Not only that, he was one of the best in the business. As such, I can respect his need for security even though it is often very annoying.

"You're usually in the study by now," he reminded me as if I didn't already know my normal routine. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Yes, Butler, I am well aware of my normal activities. But as you know, I leave for Haven tomorrow," I replied in annoyance. Honestly, how could he be so forgetful?

"Ah, so you're packing?"

"Yes, I am. Hence the open suitcase and clothes that are spread about."

"Need some help?" he asked with a slight smile.

"Yes, if you please, Butler." Now, I'm quite able to pack a suitcase. However, Holly instructed me to 'dress casually'. Our forms of casual dress are quite different. Casual for her means jeans and a t-shirt. Yet, casual for me means a dress shirt, dress pants, and a nice pair of loafers. However I knew exactly how that would work out when we came into contact.

I had laid out a pile of possible clothes, lying next to my now empty suitcase. There were a few different types of dress pants and many different colors of shirts.

Butler held up a pair of navy blue, silk pants for inspection. "Somehow, I don't think that this is what Holly meant when she said 'dress casually,'" he commented.

I chuckled a bit to myself. "No, I don't think that she did. Though I'm sure that she knew the battle was lost before it even began."

"True," the manservant acknowledged. " I suppose that we should really get started with this packing."

"Yes, we should," I agreed while Butler folded up the pants and added them to my suitcase.

"Hmm, I wonder what Holly would think of this?" he asked with a cheeky grin. I glanced up at him, and my race turned as red as the Armani boxers that he was holding. The same ones that I happened to be wearing during our jaunt to the past.

"Butler!" I protested, sounding like an affronted teenager. To think, Artemis Fowl sounding like an average teen. Just the idea is laughable.

He chuckled much more loudly than what was average for him. "It's not like she hasn't seen them before, if memory serves."

"Yes, but that was under extenuating circumstances," I blushed remembering that day. I was as red as my boxers and Holly was standing in her one-piece. Thankfully, she was as embarrassed as I was. If not more.

"Of course," he smirked. "Do you think that she'll see them during your little vacation?" Honestly, at times, my bodyguard could be as chatty as any teenaged girl. Especially when it came to romantic things.

"Butler! Absolutely not!"

"Of course not," he chuckled, folding the offending underwear and placing them in the suitcase.

We stood there, packing with Butler occasionally holding something up fo my inspection. However, Butler had to interrupt our amiable silence. "Are you going to tell her?" he asked out of the blue.

"Tell her what?" I snapped irritably. I knew what he was going to say and I didn't want to hear it. Time and time again, he had pointed this out and it was still no more true then it had been then.

"That you're in love with her," my manservant replied as patiently as he could.

"Butler, how many times must I repeat myself? I am not in love with Holly." And once again, I am not in love with her. We are the best of friends, but nothing more. We could never be more.

"Fine," he surrendered. Or pretended to. Butler is the type of man that will never surrender to anyone for anything. "But Arty?" he asked, compelling me to look back up at him. "Don't make the same mistake that I made."

Obviously he had been in love before. Which is one of the many things that I had never known about him. "What?" I demanded, my eyes snapping up to him.

"Don't make the same mistake that I did," he repeated.

"So, I take it that once upon a time, you were in love," I commented dryly.

Butler smirked a bit, but his eyes went back to the past. "Yes, I was." I waited for him to say more, but he didn't.

"What happened?" I asked, hoping that perhaps this would not be too deep. I have become better, but still tend to feel embarrassed where emotional displays are concerned.

"Her name was Zelda Hershall," he began. "She was beautiful. Her skin was tan and she had amazing chestnut hair that hung all the way down her back."

"She was the strong type. Tall, pretty, and intelligent," he murmered with a smirk. "I met her at Madam Ko's."

"She was the only female there at the time. If you think that Juliet's something then you should have seen Zelda. She was a rreal spitfire. We became the closest of the alcolytes. We ended up going together on several missions together. She graduated second in the class. Though second only to me," he grinned.

"Shortly after graduation, but before this job, we went on several dates. By this time, we hand known each other for about five years and I was in love with her. So in love that I finally asked her to marry me," he continued, his voice growing sadder and sadder with each word.

"What happened?" I demanded. I had been drawn into the story and could not be free until I knew what had happened to Zelda.

He smiled sadly. "I asked her to marry me. And... she said that she needed time. I had waited too long and she was 'officially' seeimg someone else. I missed my chance," he concluded. "Don't you do the same."

"Ah, but Butler you were in love with her. I am not."

"Artemis, I was just like you. I had no clue until she started seeing him. Johnathon Mason."

"I don't feel that way for her," I promised, though my face was a bit red. Note that it was not from lying. It was more like actual humiliation. Holly is my closest friend and I have no such feelings for her. Our relationship is purely platonic.

He sighed heavily. "And I had been so hoping that you would be honest with me." Obviously he was disappointed and hoping to guilt trip me into saying what he wanted me to. But I am Artemis Fowl and will not be brought into things like that.

"I have been nothing but-," I began indignantly but he interrupted me.

"Of course, Artemis," he replied, shaking his head. "I should probably leave so that you can rest for tomorrow. Thankfully, by this point, the bags were packed and zipped shut.

I could tell that Butler didn't want to talk. "Good-night, Butler," I muttered, trying to grin a bit.

"Good-night," he waved, going back towards the door. I was about to move my luggage, but Butler spoke again."Artemis?" he called.

"Yes?" I asked, looking up from what I was doing.

"You'd better be thinking about what I've said. And think quickly, because tomorrow you'll be in Haven. You may be a genius, but you are going to have to choose," he said and walked out of my room, leaving me puzzled.

I stood there for a moment, somewhat unsure of what to think. I glanced down at my watch. Midnight. It's definitely time for me to go to bed. I quickly changed into a pair of silk pajamas and laid down in my bed. I stretched out, luxuriating in the warmth. But even the warmth couldn't keep my mind off of what Butler had said.

However, I stubbornly refused to be exhausted tomorrow. When I was a child, I found it impossible to sleep when I had something on my mind. Though every since I began puberty I have found it to be exceedingly easy to shut my brain down. One of the few perks that I have experienced.

I did so not and felt darkness slowly descending on me. The last thought I had was that Butler had been in love with a woman once. Zelda Hershall. She was the last thing that I saw before my eyes shut for the night and I gave way to the darkness.

A/N:

Whoo-hoo! Another Chapter down. Okay, so I hoped you enjoyed that one, because the next few chapters will be in Holly's POV and in diary form.

Anyway, I plan on updating soon. Note that this is my main focus at the moment and that I have a ton of stuff all ready written for it. Yes, the Haven parts are almost done at the moment.

So, yeah, thanks to all of my reviewers and people who added me or this story to favorites. I love you reading and I'll keep writing. Oh and remember to review. Flames are welcome. They're what keep me warm and toasty at night. ;)

Remember: Reviews = happy camper. Happy camper = quicker updates. Quicker updates = you reading more. It's a cycle. Keep it going!

Yours truly, madly, and deeply,

Einstinette