I know, I know. I promised this chapter last week. I am so terribly sorry. Ive just become so dang busy lately, and too stressed out. Some might even call it laziness.

Oh! And before I forget, I just want to thank my lovely co-author and friend CaptainS10 for the Shade parts in this story. Dont know what I would do without her!

Anyway, dont own AF. There.

"What in the name of hell were you thinking?!" Artemis shouted at the alter across from him, anger flaring through the genius' veins.

"My revenge on you." Orion mumbled, looking at the floor before rambling, "Although it didn't really work out that well…"

"You can not be serious!" Artemis said, laughing sarcastically. "Holly is in the hands of some...some psychopath, and your intents are still on killing me by not telling me where he is?"

"What can I say?" The love-struck version said with a shrug, "Gotta go with my gut."

Artemis shook his head, "Well tell your 'gut' this. If you are right about everything concerning this Shade character, Holly is as good as dead, as much as it hurts me to say it." He stopped pacing for a moment, crossing his arms across his chest and looking at the alter, "Would you like to be the reason she is gone and dead? Would that complete your 'revenge?'"

"Of course not." Orion hissed. "The fair maiden had nothing to do with this, you did…" He thought for a silent second, not sure what to do until he took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I'll help."

"Thought you would see it my way." Artemis replied coldly. "Especially after he locked you in the basement."

"Oh haha…" Orion said sarcastically. "Fine…However, he never told me where he was going…"

Artemis sighed. "Alright, so he knows everything that I know, correct?" Orion nodded. "So he will be somewhere that I know about…"

"Correct."

Suddenly, the computer on Artemis' desk lit up. Orion jumped in surprise as Artemis just turned around and pressed the retrieve button calmly.

"What now Foaly?"

Foaly didn't say anything for once in his life. The centaur just stared at the alter on the other side of the room. The other time he had called, Foaly couldn't see him, now he could.

"Artemis, did you clone yourself?!" Foaly accused of the genius. "I thought we agreed that one of you was enough!"

The man shook his head, but Orion cut him off from whatever Artemis was going to say. "Hello, noble steed."

"Orion?! What did you do, Artemis?"

"Why do you assume it was me?" Artemis said, crossing his arms again.

Foaly rolled his eyes. "Because you are always doing something illegal and sneaky." He explained. "Now, how did this happen?" Foaly asked, switching his gaze back and forth from Artemis to Orion, waiting for someone to answer.

Surprisingly enough, it was Orion that answered. "It was my fault. I was incompetent enough to let Shade convince me that I was just a distraction and lock me in the basement. I thought him knocking me out and tying me up was just part of the plan...but he just wanted me out of the way in case I wanted to stop him."

"How did you get your own body?" The centaur questioned.

Orion thought for a moment, trying to sum up a good answer for that. However, after a moment, Artemis answered instead.

"I believe that I know what happened." Artemis started. "A brain can not consciously take on more than one being. A normal brain, that is. A mastermind's, however, could handle more, such as an annoying lovestruck alter. Three separate consciousnesses must have been too much even for me."

Foaly nodded, understanding what was going on. "So there are three of you?!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, and that is also the reason why I disconnected the call so quick a little while ago. The third has taken Holly somewhere. Can you track her uniform?"

"If she still has it on and is still breathing."

"That's not funny, centaur." Artemis and Orion growled simultaneously.

"I wasn't joking." He snapped back, tapping a few keys. "It will take a moment or two for me to get the exact pinpoint."

Artemis nodded, turning and walking to the door. He looked back at Orion before leaving, "Come on." He muttered before exiting the room. The alter rolled his eyes, but followed nonetheless. Butler came up behind him.

Artemis walked to his study, opening the door and sitting in the office chair behind his desk. He watched Orion walk into the room and Butler as well walk in and stand by the door.

"I want you t think long and hard." Artemis said slowly. "You know this 'Shade' character more than anyone-"

"If you are suggesting once again that I know where Shade is after all the times I said I didn't, then my answer is still no."

Artemis sighed, getting up from the chair and starting to pace the room like he was doing in his room before.

"Nervous, loverboy?" Orion teased. The next thing the alter knew, his back was slammed against the wall again.

"Lets not forget that in the greek myth, the greek god Artemis kills Orion." Artemis ground out through gritted teeth.

"One, it is goddess not god." Orion pointed out, but Artemis could detect a hint of nervousness in his voice. "And two, if I am remembering the myth correctly, then Artemis was in love with Orion." The villain smirked, sweeping his eyes over Artemis. "Myths can be wrong."

Artemis fought the urge to roll his eyes as he let the alter go. "Very well. However, when Foaly gets the information, you are staying here."

Orion crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I am not."

"Yes you are. I don't want you bombarding my plans with your own ridiculous crusades."

"I'm not all 'medieval' anymore. I was changed."

"From the DNA of a deranged pixie who wanted to kill everyone who was breathing!" Artemis exclaimed, his voice raising a notch. "You can not be trusted."

"You said it yourself, I am the only one who knows Shade. Holly is in danger, her life is in jeopardy and I am the only one who has the one up. Do you really want to keep me here while you pathetically try to rescue her from someone who loves just the smell of blood?"

Artemis sighed, looking down at the floor, as he knew the alter was right. "Fine. Only because this is the best way to save Holly. However, after we do, you have to go away. permanently this time."

Orion nodded, stepping forward and extending his hand. "Whatever it takes to save the fair maiden. I put her in this position...I messed up. Truce?"

Artemis sighed, hesitating a moment before shaking his head and taking his hand. "Truce."

"Great, now that you two can finally get along, we can talk seriously." A voice came from the doorway. The Fowl's turned to face the manservant in the doorframe. Due to the recent events between them, the two hadn't noticed that he left the room to get some things.

"Here." He said, throwing some things at them. Orion caught it immediately, but Artemis accidentally dropped it. Once picking it, he realized what it was.

"Butler?! What is the meaning of this?" Artemis exclaimed.

The bodyguard shrugged. "I need to know the difference between you two in case a dire situation comes up and I have to save you, Artemis." He said, earning a glare from Orion.

"This is preposterous." Artemis said angrily. "You can not expect me to wear...wear...jeans."

"And the shirt." Orion commented, walking up to him. He had the red suit draped over his arm neatly. "A gift from mother, no?"

"Why could I not wear a suit?" Artemis argued.

"Because, as Orion said, your mother bought that for you a long time ago. You have not worn it once."

"Because I told you to hide it!" Artemis sighed. "Fine, we can not waste much more time."

An hour later, they had the directions from Foaly-not to mention a few comments from the centaur about what Artemis was wearing-and were ready to go.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Holly didn't realize she'd been dozing until Shade startled her into awareness.

"Wakey wakey," the alter cackled evilly, smacking her in the face. She jumped and blinked several times, instinctively trying to get away and frowning when she remembered she couldn't. She settled for glaring at him instead.

"What do you want now?" she demanded angrily.

He smirked and waggled his finger at her. "So much attitude. . I just came to put you out of your misery. This is my thanks." He sighed and shook his head mockingly, sliding behind her and beginning to play with her hair for a minute. Then, out of nowhere, he twisted his fingers into it and yanked her head back. She hissed in pain.

"A-are you going to kill me, now, then?" she gasped out, trying to keep from stuttering repeatedly. "Because I'm guessing that your idea of putting me out of my misery isn't letting me go peacefully."

Shade laughed, flicking open a switchblade and pressing it against the side of her neck. "I'm sure you wish, sweetheart," he sneered.

"Wish what? For you to kill me now or for you to let me go?"

"Probably both," he answered. "At least, you will be wishing for me to kill you soon enough. Unfortunately, I can't let Artemis leave the guilt-reducing evidence on your body that you died almost instantly and painlessly, therefore I have to torture you for a while before I kill you." He shrugged, then smirked again when he saw her face. She had turned pale, the blood draining from her face. "Don't worry, though - it won't be long before I end it, and you. I just have to do enough that the human will not be able to ignore the fact that it happened, and that you suffered before you died, all because of him . . ."

Then it started. Without waiting for a response, Shade jerked the knife down her body, slicing a diagonal line from her neck, across her chest, and over a few of her top ribs. Holly gasped and struggled to no avail. He leaned down and pressed his face to her neck, inhaling deeply, and when he pulled away a little blood was smeared on his cheek. "Blood. . . " the alter whispered vindictively. "How I so love the smell of blood. . "

He raked the knife down her other side, where her ribs where untouched, this time making a deep slice all the way down to her hipbone. She bit her tongue against the moan that threatened to escape, hissing again when her cut skin rippled as Shade tilted her head up. He made a little slice right up under her eye, and then on the other side of her head, he sliced (again a little slice) over her temple. She flinched, but refused to cry out.

Suddenly he took the knife, now covered with her blood, and smeared it across her face.

"What the hell?" she whispered, trying to pull away from it. "What are you. . . ?"

"Making it look worse than it is," he answered. "Unless you want to suffer more?"

"No," she groaned quickly.

"I didn't think so."

Shade pulled back to look at his work. Blood was running down her neck and her sides from the wounds he made there, and it looked like she was possibly cut on the forehead to from where he wiped the blood there. The blood running down the sides of her face was rather gruesome as well. "Perfect," he murmured, smiling at her with genuine happiness at her pain. "I think I can kill you now."

Her eyes widened. "Wait! Can't we-"

"Shh," he insisted, laying a hand over her mouth as he pressed the knife against her stomach, intending to plunge it in momentrily. "I'll make it quick if you're quiet, sweetheart."

He drew back slightly gain speed to plunge it in, when suddenly a voice behind him snarled, "get your hands off of her, Shade."

Shade straighted up, looking at the other two black haired and ivory skinned males. "Orion, Artemis." He growled. "Just the people I wanted to see."

"Get away from her." Orion said, stepping up and yanking him across the room. Butler grabbed him and held him still as Artemis and Orion contemplated in front of him.

"How do we get him back?" Orion asked, looking over at Artemis.

"I have an idea." Artemis muttered. He looked back over to Holly, wanting so much to run over there and help her, but he knew he had to get rid of Shade first. "Go get the switchblade and untie Holly."

Orion nodded and backed away to do so. Artemis narrowed his eyes, stepping up to Shade some more. "You like blood and torture? I'll show you blood and torture..."

The other alter returned, handing Artemis the switchblade and murmuring, "I'll stay with Holly, and try to stop the bleeding."

"Fine," Artemis agreed, taking the switchblade and flicking it open without even glancing at his other, love-struck alter. "Just behave yourself."

Orion didn't even merit that with an answer before he turned and ran back over to Holly. Artemis didn't stop him as he stepped forward and pressed the knife against Shade's throat.

The other man (or shall we say other personality?) just sneered at him. "Go ahead," he taunted. "Try to kill me. See what happens."

Artemis did. He snarled softly as he drew the knife back and plunged it into his stomach, just as Shade was about to do to Holly a few minutes before, then jerked it out and watched him hiss in pain, breathing hard. What Artemis wasn't expecting was the repercussions of his actions just then - there were two, and they were very, very bad.

One was that a sharp pain suddenly went through Artemis's stomach as well, and he hissed and fought to keep from doubling over, almost dropping the knife. The second was that after a few seconds, the alter straightened again and grinned evilly at him. He was breathing hard, and there was blood on his suit, but Artemis saw the other man's stomach and realized that there was no longer a wound there.

Shade's grinned widened at the confused and furious look on Artemis's face. "Told you something would happen," he sneered.

The knife was at his throat again in an instant, but Artemis didn't dare cut him. "What happened?" he demanded. "Tell me."

"You're the genius," Shade replied. "Put the pieces together yourself, Arty boy. Or should I say, Shade."

Then it clicked, and Artemis snarled as he lowered the knife. He understood what happened now - Butler, on the other hand, who was watching the whole thing as he had to stand there and hold Shade still, did not understand. "Did I miss something?"

"Shade is a reflection of my dark, evil side," Artemis explained, as calmly as he could. "He is a part of me. Right now, I want to murder him - that is how he feels all the time. He always wants to hurt people. By giving in to that urge, I just showed that side of my personality, therefore becoming one with it, with him. I just gave him more strength by doing so. That's why he healed, and that's why it hurt me as well when I stabbed him." He took a deep breath. "I can't kill him, or I risk myself as well. I have to fight him differently, and hurt him by not hurting him."

"Of course," Butler responded. "I suppose it makes sense." In truth, the bodyguard was going on what Artemis said, knowing that Artemis had never been wrong before, but he didn't understand a word his charge had just said.

Artemis seemed to sense this as he smirked at his bodyguard. "It's okay, old friend. You don't have to understand now. Just keep a hold of Shade."

The alter growled. "You may understand that, but that doesn't mean anything. You still don't know how to kill me."

"Perhaps I don't," Artemis agreed. "But I do know how to get rid of you."

"Do you?" Shade taunted. "Are you sure?"

Artemis ignored him as he continued speaking, flicking the knife closed as tossing it away. It never touched him, but Shade bit his tongue as if holding back a groan that threatened to escape. "I refuse to sink to your level, Shade," Artemis said softly, his calm demeanor returning. "I am not a killer, or a sadist. I don't like pain, and I don't want to cause pain. I won't. I - "

He was cut off as Shade groaned a little, doubling over - he was obviously in more pain now than when he had been stabbed. Although it looked as it he might have been again, because just then blood started running down the alter's stomach again. He was bleeding, wounded - that meant it was working.

Artemis continued, "I won't give in to this part of me any more. You won't gain any power from me any more. You will lose it. You are going to fade, and fall into darkness again, where you belong. I am not evil. I will not be evil, and I will not act evil. I am done with this. You may always be a part of me - everyone has a dark side, and no one can completely get rid of it - but you will never be a prominent part of me again. I am good now, and you are not. And for that, you will be banished to bare existence. You will never feed off of my cold side again, because my cold side is something rarely shown now, and will be shown even less after this ordeal. I will never let you take a physical form again. You will never have enough power."

His eyes flicked from Shade's now writhing form to his bodyguard. "Release him, Butler."

He did, and Shade fell to the ground on his hands and knees in front of Artemis. He was bleeding more now, and coughing blood. Several wounds were open on him now. If it were in his mind, like the similar ordeal with Orion a few years ago had been, Shade would just be fading, not bleeding. But now, they were in physical form, so the bleeding was symbolistic of his power fading, instead of having a flickering form.

This went on for a few minutes, until suddenly Shade fell to the ground completely, landing on his back. His eyes closed, and he disappeared into thin air. The only thing left was a wisp of black smoke, which swirled silently for a moment, then circled around Artemis's feet and slowly dissipated until it was no more.

Shade was gone.

Orion went back up to them. "Holly's knocked out cold, has been ever since we arrived."

Artemis took a deep breath, looking at the other two men before nodding. He was about to go and take care of Holly further when all three heard a noise in the back of the room. A soft moan.

"I thought you said she was unconscious." Butler muttered.

Holly opened her eyes, moaning again as pain surged through her limbs. However, nothing a trained Captain of the LEP couldn't handle. She got up, her vision blurry from the grogginess and the blood on her face. Once the dizziness subsided , her vision cleared and she looked around the room, getting up on shaky legs.

Even though her vision was clearer than before, the room still spun for the elf. She looked at the other people in the room and smiled, running up and jumping into the arms of the raven-haired man.

"Artemis!" She exclaimed, hugging him as tight as she could. "You owe me a good explanation, mud boy…" She muttered into his neck. Good thing he's wearing red. She thought to herself, Otherwise, I would leave worse stains.

"Holly?" She heard a voice over to her left.

"What's wrong, Arty? Jealous?" Holly could hear the smirk in the voice. The elf lifted her head, looking to where she heard the first voice and blinking a few times.

"A-Artemis?" She asked, shaking her head as confusion drifted into it. "What's going on?" She looked back to one Artemis to the other, blood loss clouding her thoughts.

"Let her go, Orion, this instant." She heard Artemis order, then Holly went tense. Orion?

Orion chuckled and tightened his grip on the elf, pressing the tip of the knife he picked up from the floor to her neck. Holly linked a few more times, and finally her vision cleared wholly. Too little too late.

Butler made a move to go up to the double-crosser, but one nervous glance from Artemis made him stop in his tracks. Orion wasn't in his right mind now.

"If I can't have her, no one can." Orion snarled, moving back with Holly still struggling in his arms. She could have broke free any other time, but right now she was too weak from the blood loss. Slowly, with the knife still pressed to Holly's neck, he went into a back room, closing and locking the door.

He put Holly down then, who was immediately on her feet and ready to fight. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when Orion threw the knife to the side and put up his hands in a surrendering gesture.

"I just want to talk."

Holly scoffed, "Sure. That's why you dragged me in here after...what was it you said? 'If I can't have her, no one can.'?"

Orion bowed his head in defeat, taking a step closer to the elf. She took a step back in caution, which Orion just rolled his eyes at. "Listen, it's not my fault if you ran into my arms instead of your boyfriends, alright?"

Holly glared at the double. "What are you doing here? How are you here?"

The man sighed, "It's a long story. Complicated as well. However, that is not the point. I just wanted to talk about...about saying goodbye."

"What?" Holly asked, cocking her head to the right, confused.

"I am going to go back into Inexistence. I just wanted to have a private goodbye, to let you know I am not all that bad."

"Not all that bad? Coming from you, who just held me at knifepoint?!" Holly almost yelled.

"I know...That wasn't one of my better choices." Orion answered, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You...You actually mean that?" Holly said, disturbed because the alter was usually prideful into everything he did.

"Yes." Orion admitted, eyes wide. "And I really do wish you and Artemis the best in your relationship. I...I know we haven't gotten along that well, considering every circumstance in the past, but please believe me on this."

Holly sighed, looking up into the man's eyes. They were wide and pleading. Something in them made Holly's icy composure for the alter crack. She smiled, nodding.

"Very well. That was all I needed to...err...drag you back here for. So, if you want to-" He started heading for the exit.

"Wait." Holly interrupted. "I know that must have taken some heart and guts to say." She went up to him and tugged on his hand, motioning for him to kneel down. He did, albeit confused.

She hugged him tightly, arms around his shoulders. Hesitantly, he hugged back gently.

"Thank you." She murmured into his shoulder.

"Thank you, fair maiden. For it would not have been you who had pulled me out of the dragon in the first place."

Holly laughed, pulling back. But not before leaning to the right and kissing the alter softly on the cheek. Before she pulled back, however, Orion faded out into the thin air.

Holly stood there for a brief moment before realizing that Artemis was outside waiting. She smiled hugely, opening the doors that was the supply closet Orion had pulled her through before.

Artemis was pacing the room furiously, Butler trying to calm the man down. He was running his hands through his hair, nervously looking at his watch.

"Waiting for someone?" Holly asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Artemis looked up immediately at the start of her voice, sighing with relief and going straight over to Holly, scooping her up into a hug. "I thought I lost you...again."

Holly laughed, "I'm fine." However, right when she said that, she swept a part of her arm that was cut from Shade, "A little banged up." She winced, "But fine."

Artemis nodded, pulling her in tighter and taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. "I love you." He whispered into her neck.

Holly didn't know if it was the stress of the day, or the fact she thought she would never hear that again from Artemis' lips, but the captain started to tear up. "I love you too."

A few long moments of silence went by before anything else was said. Artemis was still holding Holly as she looked down. "Arty?" She asked.

"Hm?"

Holly looked back up at him, quirking an eyebrow. "What are you wearing?" She asked, amusement spread throughout her voice.

What do ya think?