A/N: After a very long hiatus, I am actually uploading a fic. Absolutely shocking turn of events, I realise. This project began some time ago as a glorified writing exercise to practice some more challenging/complex story telling techniques without having to worry about building my own characters (hence Fanfiction as a medium). The core plot concept is also heavily inspired by (which is my euphemistic way of saying lifted from) elsewhere too - a completely different story, in a completely medium, that I was curious to see if I could adapt into a written format and build my own themes around. I'll name the original inspiration at the end, but anyone who has interacted with it will probably pick up on the similarities before then.

This is a full legnth, plot driven story, clocking in at a little under 60k words in total; as it's already written, uploads should be regular. In keeping with the canon stories, it isn't a shipping fic, but there are some overtones of A/H. There is also violence, profanity, and some darker scenes - if you're looking strictly for fluff, this probably isn't the right place for it.

This was more or less finished the best part of two years ago now, and I was initially insure if I would even upload it. But with a little polish, I'm relatively happy with how it turned out - so on the off chance that anyone still reads Fanfiction for a series that ended more than half my life ago, please do enjoy the story.

Finally, I would like to extend thanks to Hunted, who very kindly agreed to beta read this story for me before I uploaded it. Without her help and insights, it would be much rougher round the edges.

-Kio

Chapter 1

Location Unknown, Present Day

There was a fine art to regaining consciousness after having it beaten out of you. As feeling seeped back into Artemis's body, he regretted once again that it was an art he had yet to master.

A concrete floor was cold against his cheek, and something metal was digging into his wrists. Handcuffs, by the feel of things. He tried to remember how he had got here, but the pounding in his head left little room for memories.

Artemis forced open his eyes and pushed himself up off the ground, wincing as his headache went from mere agony to something else entirely. With a low moan, he let his eyes adjust to the gloom: the room was small and unfriendly, with no furniture or personal effects. The walls were equally barren, the chipped concrete interrupted only by a reinforced steel door and what Artemis guessed was a two-way mirror.

An interrogation room, then.

Artemis took in his surroundings again, and this time his eyes lingered on the door. It was small. If he stood up - a thought that made him want to curl up and give up on just about everything - he doubted he could pass through without stooping. In fact, the whole room was undersized, like the sinister basement of a child's playhouse.

This place was built to hold a fairy, he realised. I am underground.

This raised more questions than it answered. Was he being held by the LEP? It wouldn't have been the first time he had woken up in one of Police Plaza's interview rooms, though it had looked a lot different last time. He tried again to recall what had happened at Fowl Manor. Holly had been there, he was sure of that. In fact, her face was the last thing he could remember seeing before losing consciousness. Where was she now? Had she been taken as well?

"He's awake."

Artemis started. The voice was jagged, layered with artificial distortion to conceal the speaker's identity. It did little to improve his monstrous headache. He looked up at the two-way mirror, knowing the speaker was looking back at him through the tinted glass, and glared.

"You are Artemis Fowl." It wasn't a question. "You will do as we say. Do you understand?"

Artemis said nothing, continuing to stare back in defiance. He had no idea who the speaker was, but cooperating with them wasn't high on his to-do list.

"I asked if you understood. Answer me!"

Artemis winced as the speaker's microphone peaked and the last two words reverberated around the cell, every echo driving them deeper into his eardrums. He added the experience to his growing list of grievances that he would make sure to requite when the shoe was inevitably on the other foot.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Where you are is unimportant. What is important is that you cooperate."

"Where is Holly?"

"She isn't here."

Artemis raised an elegant eyebrow, feigning control over the conversation.

"That isn't what I asked."

"You think I give a shit what you asked? Captain Short cannot help you. No-one can. No-one but you."

Artemis kept his expression unreadable, but couldn't ignore the growing unease in his stomach.

"What do you want from me?"

"You will answer our questions."

"And if I do not?"

"You'll find out. I don't recommend it."

Artemis swallowed. That almost certainly meant pain, which wasn't one of his strong suits. Quite the opposite, in fact.

"Who are you? LEP?"

He took care to keep the hopeful note out of his voice. He was far from popular among the fairy police, but at least they wouldn't torture him. Probably.

The interrogator ignored his question. "Will you cooperate?"

Artemis gritted his teeth. "I want to see Holly."

"You do not get to make demands, Mud Boy," said another voice. This one was higher pitched, but similarly harsh with distortion. "You are here to answer our questions, nothing more."

Artemis guessed from the higher register that this second interrogator was female, but he couldn't tell anything else about her. Just who were these people? Why did they feel the need to mask their voices?

He took a deep breath. "What do you want to know?"

"Finally," she responded. "We're making progress. Tell us what you remember before waking up here."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Artemis smiled. "I remember being with Holly. Where is she?"

The first interrogator sounded like he was close to losing his temper. "Forget Captain Short! Tell us what you remember."

"I don't remember anything."

"Do not fuck with me, Fowl! Tell the truth! Why did you kill him? Where are the hostages?"

Artemis frowned. "I didn't kill anyone. I honestly don't even know what you're talking about now."

There was a moment of silence, then the interrogator swore violently. "This is a waste of time. He's too far gone."

"What about Xayah?" interrupted the female interrogator. It took Artemis a moment to realise that her words were directed at him. "Do you remember her, Artemis?"

Artemis was silent for a moment as he considered his position. He knew he couldn't play games forever, and there was only so far the interrogators would let him push his luck. Tempting though it was, he doubted now was the right moment to find the limit.

"Yes," he said eventually. "I remember her."

"Good. Let's start at the beginning. When did you first meet her?"

Artemis took a steadying breath. "Three months ago," he said. "She came to visit me…"

J. Argon Clinic, Haven City, Three Months Ago

"Artemis, look at me."

Reluctantly, Artemis turned to look at Holly Short. The elf sat on the edge of his bed, her expression concerned. She smiled gently as he met her gaze.

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Artemis gave a noncommittal shrug and looked away again. He was already three months into treatment for his Atlantis Complex, and while Holly insisted that he was making progress, he didn't feel much better than he had on the day he arrived. True, there were days when he was closer to his old self, but then there were days like today where it was hard to stay in control. It was no small feat of effort to ignore the voice at the back of his head telling him not to trust Holly.

Holly sighed audibly. "Would it hurt to make an effort? Just once?"

Memories flashed through Artemis's mind. Real memories, he was sure of it. Memories of Holly as a friend. Perhaps even something more. Maybe he could trust her. He forced himself to look at her, properly this time.

"I'm sorry, Holly," he said. "I know it doesn't seem like much, but I am trying. I have good days, but I also have bad days. This is one of them."

Holly nodded sympathetically. "I understand," she said. "I just wish it didn't have to be that way. I miss the old you."

Artemis felt a twinge of guilt. He was hurting her. As usual. "I'm sorry I can't be the person you want me to be. But this… the Atlantis Complex… it's hard, Holly."

Holly patted his leg through the covers. "I know it's hard, Mud Boy. Since when did you do anything that was easy? And hey, at least you're not speaking in fives today."

Artemis smiled. "Yes, that is one of the areas in which I have made the most progress."

Holly rolled her eyes. "He says, in a fifteen-word sentence."

"You really have got good at counting."

Holly's expression darkened a notch. "I've had to, haven't I?"

Artemis didn't say anything for a few moments. "I know it's not easy," he said eventually, his voice soft. "All of this. But thank you. It may not always seem like it, but it means a lot to me."

Surprise flitted across Holly's features, just for a second, but then she reached out, taking Artemis's hand in hers. He resisted the urge to squirm, aware it would only upset her.

"It's fine," she said, giving his hand a squeeze. "Sure, sometimes it's hard, but it's worth it because I know that at the end of it all, I'll get my friend back."

Artemis looked away. "I'm glad one of us has faith," he muttered.

Holly gave another sigh and glanced at her watch. "Much as I'd love to convince you to have faith as well," she said. "I have to go. I'm working early tomorrow and it's already late enough."

Artemis nodded dejectedly. He understood, of course, but apart from Butler, who pretty much lived at the Argon Clinic, Holly was the only person who regularly came to visit him. Though under the shadow of his Atlantis Complex he found himself arguing with her just as often as not, he always looked forward to her visits. He would miss her as soon as she was out of the door.

Holly leaned in and lightly kissed his forehead, then turned to go. "Goodbye, Arty," she said, and made to leave.

Artemis watched her go. "Goodbye, Holly," he whispered once she was out of earshot. Alone once more, his lucidity was quick to begin fading. It grew harder to ignore the voices of madness. To ignore the hissing fours, sneaking up on him. The frayed ends of sanity called to him, whispering across the void. Tempting him to reach out and join them.

He shrank back in bed, almost unconsciously pulling the covers a little closer, and flicked off the light. He should try to sleep, he knew that, but if he did, the nightmares would come for him again. He suppressed a shiver. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to scramble out of bed and run after Holly, to beg her to stay, to help keep the darkness at bay. But he didn't move.

Sleep had once been a refuge, but no more. Now it was just another source of terror, another pit of monsters for him to stumble into. He tolerated it only because it was essential, not only for survival, but also to maintain the necessary strength for treatment. He didn't want to imagine what would happen to him if he became too weak to continue with treatment.

A sound snapped Artemis back to reality. Footsteps in the corridor. Getting louder. Someone was coming, but none of the staff were ever around this late. Butler? No, the manservant respected his privacy at this time, unless there was an emergency. Holly? Artemis's heart leapt. Yes, it had to be her. She was coming back to save him from the shadows.

The door was pushed gently open. In the darkness, Artemis couldn't see by whom.

"Holly?" he asked, fully expecting to get a who else, Mud Boy? in response.

But the intruder stayed silent, closing the door behind them. Artemis tensed, momentarily afraid to move, then reached over to the bedside lamp. He fumbled in the darkness for a few seconds before finding the switch and bathing the room in a soft glow.

Artemis blinked a few times, letting his eyes adjust to the light. The intruder was standing at the foot of his bed, her head tilted slightly to one side, large amber eyes fixed on Artemis. She was an elf, taller than Holly but about the same age, with scarlet hair tickling her shoulders.

"Do you mind if I sit?" she asked, speaking English with an accent that wasn't quite Eastern European. Her voice was soft, but there was steel hidden there, too. An inherent danger.

Artemis hesitated for a moment, then nodded. The elf sat lightly on the edge of his bed, just like Holly always did. Artemis watched her apprehensively.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost," she said, laughing a little. "Am I really that scary?"

Artemis forced himself to loosen up a little bit. "No," he said, briefly wondering why he was entertaining this elf. "Of course not. I'm just a little jumpy as of late."

"That's understandable." She gestured at their surroundings. "Considering your current situation."

Artemis didn't know how to respond to that. The elf didn't seem to mind, offering her hand and smiling at him. She had a pretty smile.

"I'm Xayah," she told him. Artemis shook the hand, feeling suddenly underdressed in his pyjamas. "Of course, I already know who you are. Artemis Fowl, the People's saviour."

"I would hardly call myself the People's saviour," said Artemis. "I was still public enemy number one until fairly recently."

Xayah raised a knowing eyebrow. "I'm LEP, I know what you've really been up to over the years. I suppose I should thank you; I'm pretty sure I owe you my life, one way or another."

Artemis frowned. "You're LEP?"

Xayah nodded. "A captain, actually. But before you jump to any conclusions, I'm not here on LEP business."

"Then why are you here?"

Xayah smiled at him. "As hard as you might find it to believe," she said. "Because I wanted to meet you. I wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for the People, and to say sorry for how the LEP have consistently treated you. I promise, not everyone here thinks you're evil just because you're a human."

"Thanks," said Artemis a little awkwardly. He wasn't sure what else to say.

Xayah glanced at the door, and an emotion flickered across her face, but it was gone too fast for Artemis to place it.

"Anyway," she said. "I don't think I can stay too long." She bit her lip slightly guiltily. "I'm not really supposed to be here. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to Holly or anyone else."

"Sure," said Artemis, before really thinking about it.

Xayah beamed. "Thanks! It was good finally meeting you." She stood up and made to leave, but paused halfway to the door. "I suppose you don't get many visitors down here. How about I come and visit you again sometime?"

Artemis considered it, and realised that even though he didn't know her, he'd enjoyed chatting with her. And it would be nice to have some company from time to time. Once upon a time, the solitude wouldn't have bothered him, but now he felt loneliness creeping up on him more often than he would have liked to admit.

He returned Xayah's smile. "I'd like that."

A/N: I do enjoy the odd spot of non-linear story telling. Questions abound I'm sure - fear not, while I like to raise questions at the beginning of a story, we'll be diving straight into some excitement with the next chapter ;)

If you enjoyed this one or are excited to see more, please drop me a review, I've always loved hearing from people in the community.

-Kio