Chapter 45

Secrets Discovered

RECAP:

"Hmm, you know. I made a new fried too, or rather an old one."

"Really?" I asked. Maybe he had connected with someone he knew from a while ago. I just hoped that they weren't a criminal. "What did you mean by that?"

Artemis smirked at me, his eyes shining brightly with the thrill of a well executed plan. "I think that you know exactly what I meant, Hollinda."

Holly's POV:

"No, I...," I began before the rest of his words had caught up with me. "What did you call me?"

"Your name, of course, Holinda."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Of course, I knew. But at this point I was going into a full-blown panic attack. How had he figured it out? Was I really that easy? Was that the only reason that he was nice to me?

"Hollinda. Please don't play dumb. It doesn't suit you."

"Fine," I sighed, knowing that the jig was up. "When did you find out?"

Artemis grinned with the satisfaction of knowing that he had been right. "It wasn't very difficult at all."

"Artemis, everyone knows that you're smarter than me. Can you please just answer the question without gloating?"

"I apologize for that," he said, not sounding very sorry at all. Not that I really expected him to be."The first thing that made me really suspicious was when you said 'you may want to wipe the drool away," he began.

"What? Why?" It made no sense to me at all. The whole thing just seemed so strange and... random.

"You said the same thing when you called and invited me down here. Don't you remember?"

Okay, now I do vaguely remeber that. Emphasis on vaguely. But still, that shouldn't have set his mental alarm bells ringing. "But anyone could have said the same thing."

"Yes, anyone could have said it, but think about it Holly," he admonished. "I've known you for years, and you're my best friend. I know your intonation and way of speaking, even if the voice is a bit different."

Well, he had a point. I would know his voice anywhere. Even if it sounded differently. "Okay, but that can't be all that convinced you. What else was it?" I pushed autopilot, so that I could actually turn and look at him.

"Then, you chose the name Holinda Briefs. Very similar to Holly Short," he chuckled. "How exactly did you choose that name, anyway?"

"I met Minerva at the mall and had to improvise," I shrugged. It was no big deal. It might not have been creative, but it served my purpose.

"Well, next time please stray farther from your real name. And be more creative."

Grr, I couldn't believe that he was making fun of me. "Fine," I replied cooly. "Next time I'll leave my alias up to you. You have more experience after all."

I could have sworn that I heard him murmer the words: 'so emotional' but even my elfin ears may have been wrong.

I was just about to call him on it when he started up again. "Then there was your gung-ho 'could-have-done-it-myself' attitude."

"Well, I could have," I huffed as I thought of Aiden. Ugh, that man was so slimy and just... disgusting. Which is exactly why humans can't drink with fairies.

"Perhaps you could have, but you didn't." And he treated me with his proud, self-satisfied smirk.

"I was just waiting for the right moment." That sounded like a plausible excuse, right? I think that it did. Not that he'll believe it anyway.

"Holly, can't you just accept my help and be grateful?"

My face softened as I thought of all the times that he had had my back. All of the times that he had saved my life and the lives of the other fairies. "I never really thanked you, did I?" I asked though the question was rhetorical. "Well, thank you, Arty."

"You're quite welcome," he grinned. Wow, Artemis Fowl actually cracked a grin. His white teeth gleamed and he seemed genuinely, happy. At moments like this, I wish that I could pause time forever.

"How many more reasons do you have?" I murmered. I know from experience that he could probably go on all night with these reasons.

"Oh, there are a lot more reasons like how you couldn't drink alcohol and had an affinity for fruit juice." Well, it's true. Even when I'm surrounded by fairies, I'm not much one for alcohol. And fresh fruit juice is one of the best things that I've ever had. "Then there were your comments about gloating."

I interrupted him by laughing. "Artemis, don't flatter yourself," I giggled almost falling out of my seat. "Anyone who talked to you would accuse you of gloating. Sorry, but it's in your nature." He pressed on, ignoring my joking about his gloating. Of course, this wouldn't serve to humble him. Before long he'll start preening himself again. Not that I don't like it.

"Some of the bigger clues were that my subconscious recognized you. That's why I called you Holly. In fact, that's when I really started paying attention to your every move. And of course, you asked if I knew who you were. You were obviously speaking with double meanings."

"Don't I always?" I couldn't help but giggle. A lot of fairies say that I often soulnd like I mean something else. Frond knows that it's gotten me off on the wrong foot with Internal Affairs.

"Yes, you do seem to have a way of putting your foot into your mouth," he chuckled.

"I resent that statement. And before I say something mean, I suggest that you go on." He chuckled, but took my advice and proceeded.

"Of course, there was your immediate dislike for Minerva," he began, but I cut him off with a derisive snort.

"Anyone with common sense and quite a few without would immediately dislike her," I huffed. "She's insufferable and I don't see what you see in her." Sure she's smart, but it's not like she's kind or even somewhat tolerable.

"She may seem mean, but deep down, underneath it all, she's quite nice." I looked at him increduously. Nice? Was he crazy? Had he been taking drugs? He must have if he thought that she was nice.

"Yes. Way, way, way, way deep down and she's still an evil succubus." And the man that she was trying to eat was Arty. But I would never let that happen to my best friend. It had to be a fate worst than death.

"You know, I do wonder what is the reason behind your mutual dislike?" Artemis. He can be so... blind at times like this.

I levelled my gaze at him. Yes, he's a genius, but at times he can be just...ugh. "You know full well why I don't like her."

Artemis sighed deeply. "Let's pretend of a second that I am not a genius and need for you to spell it out for me."

One couldn't resist milking a moment as fine as this one. "Pretend that you're not a genius? How can I ever do something like that?"

"Could you please just answer my question?" he huffed. Ah, someone was getting irritable. I wonder just how long I could spin this out before he got too angry.

"Does that sound like me?"

"Not at all. Though, it wouldn't hurt you to try sometime." It would probably make him a lot more appealing to other people. But he probably would find that to be a turn-off.

"Fine," I huffed. "Repeat the question and I'll answer it." Yes, that was just about as long as I could managed to hold it out. I was much too curious about his answer.

"Why don't you like Minerva?" he repeated with his hand on the bridge of his nose.

"I suppose that you don't remember the ill-fated kidnapping?"

"Holly, you're still angry about that?" he asked. He was disappointed. In me. Like I had done something wrong.

"Hmph," I grumbled, folding my arms against my chest. "Sorry that I can't get over the kidnapping of a sentient being for personal gain."

Artemis started to chuckle, which made me somewhat angrier. "What's so funny?"

"You did just that," he said, trying to regain his composure. Something that I never thought that I'd say when dealing with Artemis. "You do remember how we met, don't you?"

"Of course. You kidnapped me," I replied and it dawned on me. I was using a double standard. "Oh fine, but at least you were apologetic."

"Point made," he acknowledged. Because Minerva had made it quite clear that she had no regrets from her past actions and would not develop any. "Though, you may want to consider the old adage: forgiveness is divine."

"Yes, Arty. Forgiveness is divine, but I on the other hand, am not."

"Now, now Holly. You're just as divine as I am." And he told me that I spoke in double entendres? He obviously does not listen to himself speak.

This was getting annoying. I couldn't tell him the real reason, so we may as well get back to our previous game. "Don't you have more clues to tell me while I pretend to care?"

"Well, there was your confidence that I would choose you over Minerva. If you were a stranger then you should have thought that I would pick the persone that I've known better. Even if she is..." he said, rolling the words around on his tounge adn trying to find the 'right' adjective.

"The evil wicked witch of the West?" I supplied. You know, I was just trying to be helpful, and not insulting. Okay, maybe just a little insulting.

"I was going to say 'less than savory', but I suppose that works as well." He shook his head, but pressed on anyway. Smart mud boy. "There were other things such as your martial arts prowess. Your style may be similar to the human variety, but for someone who had studied both, it is obvious that your form is not human."

"Thank you. I definitely wouldn't want to seem human if I could help it."

He smirked, but chose not to respond. Honestly, he's taking all of the fun out of the smart comments. "You called me, 'Mr. Philispophical,' which is something that only you do. Not to mention your ease at banter. Most people who first meet me, somewhat... intimidated. You showed none of the usual signs of one who had just gotten to know me."

Signs? Really? Artemis was considered to be that intimidating? I just had to ask. "What sort of signs are you talking about?"

"Anger, annoyance, frustration, embarrassment, the usual." He had basically just said that people felt like talking to him was a torture. And all the while he nonchallantly examined his fingernails.

"Obviously, you're not paying attention to me," I chastised. "I happen to show the first three whenever you open your mouth."

"Very humorous, Holly," he chortled. "Almost as humorous as pretending to be someone else in the prescence of your best friend and thinking that he was not smart enough to notice the difference."

"Fine, point made," I grumbled, knowing that he would never let it go. "Continue on."

Artemis smirked again, but I could see that he was getting annoyed. There's nothing Arty hates more than being interrupted midlecture. "Then, there was your evident surprise at my dancing prowess."

"Dancing? You? Anyone in the world would be surprised to see you actually dance well."

He raised one of his perfectly arched eyebrows. "And why is that?" he demanded, sounding somewhat sulky. If one can ever describe Arty as sulky. Though, his bottom lip was somewhat protruding. I'll never admit this, but it looked...adorable on him.

"Well, you're just so... stiff," I giggled as I compared his now rigid posture to the man who had danced with me the other night.

"i beg your pardon? Stiff? Me?" And he really was highly affronted. I'm surprised. He has to know that he's stiff. It can't be a surprise can it?

"Yes you," I laughed again. Much harder this time. "You're stiff, but if it makes you feel any better, then you're loosening up." Slowly, but surely. A little more time with me, and he may actually enjoy life.

"Wonderful," he replied sarcastically.

"Oh hurry up and finish your stupid list," I huffed.

He scoffed, but continued on. "There was your quickness to leave the Phenom with me. Most women in this day and age would have been terrified."

"Even black belts in several martial art fields?" I asked. Though, the women did have the right idea. It was better to be safe than sorry.

"Yes," he nodded with a smile. "Even those women that don't trust strange men."

"Well, then I guess that I'm not like other women," I commented. As if I didn't know that before. If I was like other women then Trouble and I would be dating by now. Shudder.

"Obviously," he said with a glint in his eyes.

"And I trust strange men too," I muttered. "After all, who's stranger than you are, Arty?"

"There are plenty of people who are stranger than I am."

Stranger than Artemis? Yeah, right. "Name five," I challenged. "Name five people that are stranger than a teenaged genius, criminal mastermind."

"Come to St. Bartleby's. The majorityu of the boys there are very much stranger than I am."

"Really?" I asked, curiously. "What makes you say that?" Really, I know how teens are. But how strange could they be?

"It's an all boy's school," he replied, making it obvious that he didn't want to say anything else about it. But I wasn't sure about what he was talking about. So, I plowed on anyway.

"And what's that supposed to mean anyway?"

Arty blushed a bit. "I'd rather not go into it."

But once I get hold to something, I can't let it go. I had to know. "Oh, come on," I pouted, folding my arms across my chest. "You can't tell me part of something and keep the rest to yourself."

He sighed deeply. I knew that he was giving in and that I was going to get my way. Finally. "Please keep in mind that this is an all boys' school and that there are rarely any females around the campus. Some of the residents take matters into their own hands."

The way he said it. It sounded like one of those double meanings that we had talked about. Take matters into their own hands? What could that mean? Matters into their own hands... Take matters into his own hands. "Oh gods,"I said as realization dawned on me. "Literally or figuratively?" I asked and I was not really sure that I wanted to know. Actually, I was sure. I didn't want to know.

"Both," Artemis grimaced. "You'd be surprised at what goes on behind the closed doors of Saint Bartleby's." Something tells me that I wouldn't really be all that surprised. However, you think that the teachers would do something about it.

"I doubt it." Then another question popped into my head. I wanted to know the answer, but was a bit worried to ask. I took a deep breath and asked anyway. "You don't...?" I trailed off. I could ask almost anything, but I did have a line.

"No!" he answered abruptly. "I do nothing of the sort with anyone or with myself for that matter."

"Okay, that's a lot more than I needed to know. Next reason." Though inside, I was secretly happy. It was good to know that he was still...pure, and hadn't surrendered to peer pressure.

"Gladly," he nodded. "There was your quickness to leave the club with me. Most women would have been terrified." And I was sure that he knew that he had already said that.

"True," I nodded, playing along. "I didn't play my part very well."

"No, you didn't," he chuckled.

"I just came to a realization."

"And just what would that be?" he asked in a patronizing tone.

"It's your fault that I didn't fool you," I shrugged, trying not to laugh at the bewildered expression on his face.

"How did you come to that conclusion?" It was obvious that he thought that I had suddenly lost my mind. Of course Arty would never blame himself. But to be fair, neither would I.

"Well, if I didn't trust you so much then..." I began, but was abruptly cut off.

"Then we wouldn't be best friends." I looked at him in astonishment. It wasn't so much what he said. But how he said it. Sure we were best friends, and we had both said it countless times, but never has Artemis said it with such power and overwhelming conviction.

"True," I said. "And I'm glad that we are."

"As am I," he smiled, though for once it didn't look like a smirk. I grinned even harder as we lapsed into silence. We just sat there looking at each other. He was watching me, so I took advantage of this time and did the same. His different colored eyes wre sparkling under his somewhat messy black hair. His stainless white dress shirt set off his pale skin. The shirt was neatly tucked into his pants which helped to show off his thin physique. His black pants hugged his legs and made him look so much taller.

It took me a few minutes to realize that he was staring at me too. I blushed and smiled at him. He smiled back, obviously embarrassed and unsure of himself. I've been in hundreds of awkward situations in my life, but this one takes the cake. Though one thing that I've learned is that the only way to diffuse an awkward situation is to talk through it.

"You should probably hurry and go through the rest of the list if you want to finish before we get to Haven."

"Of course," he nodded, snapping himself out of his trance. "Your negative expectations for my car, disgust with leather and animal products, being an enviromentalist, and your severe sensitivity to cold."

I snorted. Cold, really? "Of course I was cold. It was freezing."

"Only if you're a fairy," he chuckled.

"Which I am," I reminded him. "By the way, thanks for your jacket."

"You're quite welcome. I couldn't let my favorite fairy friend freeze, now could I?"

"Well, thanks anyway. Now keep on going down your incredibly long list."

"My next reasons were the answers to your questions during the game that we played. Your favorite color happened to be green, your love of plants and nature, your belief in magic, your knowledge of me during the Oz questions, your laughter at the way that I described meeting Minerva for the first time, and your understanding behavior about my lack of excitement of being a senior are all contributing factors."

"Wow, I guess that we really do know each other too well." Or at least he knows me too well. At times it's like I don't know him at all.

"It does seem like that at times, doesn't it?"

"Definitely. And knowing you, you have more to add to your list, don't you?"

He smirked mischeviously. "Only a few," he shrugged and I felt like chuckling. A few for Arty was probably thirty to forty more, but I didn't really mind that much. It sure killed some of the long ride time. Besides, talking to him like this was... enjoyable.

"Go ahead," I said for about the tenth time.

"The next was your description of... your family," he replied clearly and paused for a moment to gauge my reaction, but I just looked straight back at him.

"You called your mother Coraline, the base of which is Coral. Then you described her as dying of cancer, which is the equivalent to fairy radiation poison."

He looked at me carefully, but didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Yes, there were tears in my eyes, but I pushed those off. Mom had died a long time ago. I won't cry everytime that I hear or think about her. I can't.

"Then, you called your father Julius and described him as 'ruddy'. Ruddy as in red-colored. And who else do we know named Julius that was red-colored?" My mind involuntarily filled with thoughts. Thoughts of the good times, when he was chewing me out. Or when he actually told me that I had done a good job. But then the bad thoughts came to my mind. His death. Me, pulling the trigger and watching the bullet sink into the machine on his chest.

I forced a smile unto my face, but could feel that the tears were about to brim over as I tlhought of my mom and Commander Root. I turned slightly away so that I was not facing him. I coudln't let him see me cry. I directed my eyes to the windshield and the tunnel walls that were whipping past us.

I heard the slight squeak of the chair next to me as Artemis stood up. Hopefully, he was going to the bathroom to give me some privacy. Instead, he came over and turned my chair around to face him. He got down on his knees so that we were at eye leve. I glanced away, but Artemis grabbed my chin and gently brought my head down so that I was forced to make eye contact.

"I'm sorry about your mother. And.. I miss him too," he mumbled with his voice so full of emotion.

"Sorry to get all weepy on you," I murmered as a tear escaped from my eyes.

"It's fine, I assure you," he assured me as he took my hand and patted it. I felt like he was telling me the truth. Like he really agreed with what he was saying. "Do you... need... a hug?" he asked, still patting my hand. It felt good to be this close to another person at a time like this.

"No," I sniffled. "I know how you like your personal space." Oh, don't I know that. Getting a hug from him earlier was a big deal. Besides if emotional displays didn't make him uncomfortable then invading his space would.

"Don't worry about my personal space," he ordered sternly. "Do you need a hug?"

"No, I'm fine," I assured him. Though at that point, I didn't really know, but I thought that I was fine.

He rolled his missmatched eyes. "I am quite able to tell when you are lying," he reminded me. As if I could ever forget it.

Then, he did something that I wasn't really expecting. He stood and wrapped his arms around me and just held me close. Then his hand slowly and gently stroked my hair. "Psychologically speaking, it's mentally healthier if you let things out," he murmered into my ear. "Just let it out."

His words seemd to act like a key to my tear ducts. Before I knew it, tears were coursing down my cheeks and I was shaking from my sobs. I just sat there crying with Artemis' arms around me. He was just holding me and rubbing small circles on my back. It wasn't like he was trying to quiet me. No, it was more like he was coaxing the tears forth with the occassional 'it's okay' or 'let it out'.

About ten minutes later, I had cried myself out. "Thanks," I murmered as I leaned on his shoulder.

"It's nothing," he smiled.

"It's not nothing to me," I replied. And I meant it. The way he stood by me was something that only a best friend would do.

"I'm glad that you think so. Just remember that you can always cry on my shoulder."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I smiled. "You know, this is pretty comfy."

"Yes, it really is, isn't it?" he replied, surprising me. I know that I'm not tht heavy, but Artemis isn't the type to hold people for long. He's usually too emotionless.

I looked into his eyes and saw a sort of sparkling glow. I couldn't help but look down and see how close his lips were to mine and how easy it would be to lean over and... NO! That thought did not just cross my mind. I literally shook my head which caused Arty to look at me like I was insane. "Nothing," I said, answereing his unasked question.

"You don't seem to think that it's nothing," he muttered, angling my chin so that I was looking right at him again.

"Trust me, it is." I couldn't help but blush as I looked at his full lips.

He sighed loudly. "If you're sure."

I shrugged. "I am." Thankfully Arty's the kind of guy who can take a hint. Trouble could learn a lot from him about that. Too bad they hate each other. Note to self: Ask Arty why.

"Now that we're done with this 'feel-good' therapy session," he smiled at this. "Why don't you get back to the rest of your incredibly long list of reasons?" 'And your chair was implied, but I didn't have the heart to say it, after how sweet he had been to me. Besides, it was kind of nice to share chairs with him.

"The names of your friends were the most obvious clue that you gave to me," he smirked. "Though I do commend your quick thinking skills." As if I couldn't think. I may not be a genius, but I am very capable of things like that.

"Gee thanks. What ever would I do without your approval?"

"Cry yourself to sleep, at the very thought?" he suggested.

"Of course," I giggled. All of the giggling tht he had me doing. It made me feel like an adolescent again. A lot like how I had felt in the past when we had been lying on that car. "So, what made my choice of names so obvious to you?"

"Chiron for Foaly? Really, Holly? Chiron was the centaur who trained many of the more famous heroes in Greek mythology." Okay, so that was somewhat obvious. I will admit to that.

"Callie was married to 'Chiron' so that automatically makes me think: 'Foaly's wife'. Take a few letters from Caballine and you have Callie." Once again, I was painfully obvious.

"Mo had to be Mulch. He actually used that alias once, didn't he?"

"Yes, during the Spiro caper," I reminded him. Ah, I remember that. At the time, I had thought that it was one of my most stress ful endeavors. Though later, I would learn better. "Mo was quite the actor."

"Yes, he was. Ah, the things that dwarved could do."

I rolled my eyes. I had heard this so many times. "This isn't the 'dwarves could rule the planet' thing, is it?"

"Of course not," he huffed, but we both knew that he was lying.

"Suuure," I rolled my eyes again.

"I do wonder what you were thinking about when you made up Doodah's name," he smirked. "Day because his name is too silly."

"Don't mock me. I was thinking on my feet."

"Or rather you were trying to."

I smacked him lightly. "Oooow," he howled.

"Baby," I murmered.

"I suppose I should move on before you do some permanent damage."

"I suppose you should," I said, repeating his hostile tones.

"Next is Apuro, meaning Trouble from the Spanish language." As he said it, a scowl darkened his features. There again was his obvious distaste for Trouble. I wanted to ask, but knew that there would be a better time once we got to my house.

"Well, who knew that you spoke Spanish?" I asked sarcastically.

"You and anyone else who knows anything about me." True. Artemis speaks many languages perfectly. I suppose that comes with being a genius. You have to know as much as you possibly can.

"Next was Ferdinant or 'Ferdy' as you called him. He was obviously supposed to be No. 1. Of course, it was simple to figure out, due to the fact that it is his preferred human name."

"Okay, so another obvious name," I shrugged.

"Lily was described as your 'new friend'. You also said that you had always thought of her as a bimbo. This meshes well with what you said about her earlier. These clues come together to point in only one direction: Lili Frond."

"You know what?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

"What?"

"It didn't sound that obvious in my mind." And it didn't. I had thought that it was clever at the time. Shows that I was wrong.

"Nothing ever does," he chuckled. "Though I must ask you one question."

"Go for it," I replied with more bravery than what I actually felt. I wondered what he was going to ask and how embarrassing it was going to be.

"Alfonse? Really, Holly?" It took me a moment to understand what he was talking about. When I finally got it, I burst out laughing.

"Oh, that?" I chuckled. It was still funny to me.

"Yes that," he replied. "Oout of all of the names that you could have chosen, you decided to choose... Alfonse."

"Yes. I thought that it was funny. Don't you remember where it came from?" I asked. "The bratty teenager from that bank in Munich?"

"Don't remind me," he groaned. For some reason, the fact that he had dressed normally still irkes him. I think it's more the fact that we tend to make fun of her for it.

"You know, if I recall: you wore baggy jeans, an oversized hoody, and even had braces." Ah, I remember how hilarious that video had been and how much I had laughed when Foaly showed it to me. Classic.

"Didn't I ask for you not to remind me?"

"Yes, you did. But I'm not known for doing what you ask me to."

He laughed to himself. "Actually, you tnedto do what I say."

"How do you figure that?" I demanded.

"Maybe it was the several plots, plans, and schemes that I successfully brought to completion by telling your what to do." And he had a point. When he had a plan, we all followed his orders to a tee. Ugh, does he always have to be right?

"You are nerve-wracking," I pouted.

"I try." And succeed. That is something that he never managed to fail at. Though there's not much that he does fail at anyway.

"Don't you have some other clues to rub in my face?" I asked , he has an answer for everything. Always.

"Of course," he smirked.

"Well then, go ahead and finish already."

"Patience is a virtue," he smirked.

"Well, it's a good thing that I'm not known for my virtuous nature," I murmered and Arty chuckled. Though, it wasn't true. I am virtuous and am often patient. Just not at the moment.

He eventually managed to come back to the conversation at hand. "You were claustrophobic, described yourself as a 'loose-canon renegade cop, you loved the rain and the sun, and you hated 'stuck up narcissistic liars'. Then at the hotel, you had to have the last word. Your 'I have all of the numbers' line was very similar to the one that I used on Billy Kong."

At this point, I sensed that he was done with his lecture. "You know, most of those things could have applied to anyone," I reminded him.

"Exactly," he said approvingly. "Seperately, these characteristics were nothing."

And then it hit me. "But together..."

He nodded, proud. "But together they added up to you."

"Well, I know not to try to fool you anymore."

"You should have known better at first," he chided.

"Never mess with a mud boy genius." I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Mud man," he corrected.

"Okay, mud boy," I nodded.

"Why do I even bother?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Who knows?" I asked. He just shook his head.

"You know what? I have another question for you."

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

This question had been bothering me for a while. Since he told me that he knew the truth, actually. "Why didn't you call me on it at first?" I wondered.

He chortled to himself. "I thought that this would be more fun." And he was right. It was fun. For him.

"Jerk," I murmered.

"Well, that was surprising." Yes, right. I'm sure that it was. I usually only call him 'mud boy'.

"What was?"

"You didn't hit me. Are you finally receiving assistantce with your anger managment problems?"

I didn't get the chance to answer because a voice came on over the speaker system. "Please buckle your seatbelts and prepare to dock," said the cool, feminine computer voice from the speakers.

"You heard the voice. Go buckle your seatbelt ," I ordered.

"Yes ma'am," he said, standing up and saluting me. I have to admit that I felt some pleasure at seeing him stumble to his seat. He managed to sit down and buckle up without hurting himself too bad.

"ETA: 2 1/2 minutes," said the cool voice. "Please switch back to manual overdrive."

I grinned as I flipped the switch from autodrive to manual. I phoned the 'gas' which was really electric. The shuttle sped up. Out of the corner of me eye, I saw Arty clawing the seat. This just made me grin more. I was in my element and he was out of his. How much more perfect could life get?

"Sloow down," he ordered.

"Almost there," I called out. Just as I saw that, the entrance became visible and I pulled up.

"Welcome to Haven," the voice said and the doors popped open. I hopped out onto the ground. Somehow, Arty managed to crawl out and staggle unto the ground.

"You enjoy that too much," he complained. Aww, someone's not very happy with me.

"Oh come on Arty," I giggled, grabbing him under his arms. He linked arms with me and I practically dragged him to the door.

"It's very much like a human airprot," he remarked, as he gained the use of his legs again. Thankfully, I didn't want to have to drag him all the way home.

"Where do you think that you got the idea? We've been using this design for a few centuries with a few updates now and then," I explained, feeling like a Haven tourguide.

"I thought as much," he nodded. "It's really very surprising. When you consider all of the things that we have that are similar."

"Not really," I shrugged. It may have been interesting to someone who hadn't grown up with it, but I was unimpresed. "Humans have been stealing our ideas for centuries."

"Obviously," he remarked as I dragged him to the doors that led outside.

"Hmm, I wonder. Do the people know to expect me?"

"Errr, do you mean if they made a public service announcement?"

"I suppose," he chortled.

"Well in a word... no," I admitted, rubbing my neck nervously. I knew that he was looking at me and taking all of this in. So, I just grinned sheepishly.

He raised an eyebrow. "So, outside of that door, is an unsuspecting fairy populace who has no idea that a human is about to come into their midst?"

"More or less," I shrugged. "We thought this would be a better way. If we had told the people then you would have been swamped by a rather large mob."

"Mob?" he asked. It was easy to see that he was nervous. I guess 'mob' might have been the wrong word to use.

"Well, fan-club may have been a better term," I admitted.

"Fan club?" he asked with piqued interest.

"Well, yes," I nodded. "You see, fairies are forgiving. You're no longer public enemy number one. No, you're actually an underworld reknown hero."

"Hero?" he grinned, enjoying his fifteen minutes. "Really?"

"Of course. How many times have you preserved the existance of the people?"

"Point made. Though, I'm sure that there are some fairies that are less than fond of me."

"Yes, but you'll find that those are a startling minority."

"Surprisingly," he murmered. Of course, he always expected people to dislike him. Though to be fair, he was usually right.

"Sooo, are you ready?" I asked, gripping his arm a bit tighter.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he smirked down at me.

I threw the doors open and let the light from the glow-strips in. Arty's eyes widened a bit as he took in everything that was visible. "Amazing," he nodded approvingly.

I grinned in spite of myself, glad that he liked what he saw. For some reason, I really wanted him to. I took his hand and led him out of the door and into the city. "Welcome to Haven!"

A/N:

Whoo-hoo! Another Chapter down. Okay, so I hoped you enjoyed that one. 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