Title: Saved

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Geez... do I LOOK like Eoin Colfer to you?

Summery: Artemis is saved from doing something he would have regretted.

Authoresses Note: I bet you're all wondering if I'm lost or something. Lol. No I'm not. I have actually written a A/H story! (Shock/horror) I was sitting in the bath, just letting my mind wander, when THIS idea came to me! Woo! Hopefully I won't get any flames for THIS! I don't know why I would. It's not slash. So be happy for once...

Artemis thinks nothing but dark thoughts in this. So be warned. It's not a cheerful fic.

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Saved.

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Steam fogged the bathroom, making it hard for him to breath.

The heat of the water burned his skin, but he could no longer feel the pain.

Beads of sweat ran down his face, neck and upper torso.

His face was flushed from the heat of the room. Wet black hair sticking to his forehead.

Blue eyes, rimmed with red stared down at his hands. Lids drooping slightly.

Tears mingled with the sweat and water, running down his cheeks in a steady, never ending stream.

Slender finger's loosely clutching an orange box cutter, the blade edge tinted red.

Artemis sat silently in the large rectangular bath. The water sitting still around his naked body. He hadn't moved in over ten minutes. And he'd been crying for forty. The sobs had stopped a little while ago, but the tears kept coming. Silently running down his flushed face. The water was burning his body, turning the white skin an angry red. But Artemis had stopped caring.

What did it matter? He liked the pain. Welcomed it. It made him feel real. Made him feel like he was still there. Like he still existed.

Nothing made him feel like that anymore. His parents were always away. They never had any time for him. Butler had retired, too old to continue being his bodyguard. Juliet never spoke to him and he had lost contact with Holly and the others.

He was alone.

Alone.

The genius scoffed. He had always been alone. Always. He could be surrounded by a sea of people and yet still feel like he was standing in an empty room.

No one cared about him. Never had. His father had never given a shit. Too busy with the family business. His mother, although kind and overly moral, left him when Fowl Sr had disappeared. Locked herself up in the attic. She left him. She never even cared. It was like he wasn't even there. Like he didn't matter.

Butler had cared. But his job had always gotten in the way.

Juliet had never really liked him. So when she moved to the US, he lost all contact with her.

Then there was Holly, Foaly and Mulch.

Foaly wasn't that close to him, and they never talked anyway. Mulch wasn't a thoughtful person and never talked to Artemis unless he wanted something.

And Holly. Artemis squeezed the Stanly knife tightly, the tears speeding up, clouding his vision. Artemis had lost all contact with Holly a year ago. She had called him late one night in October, squealing that she was getting married. Saying Trouble had proposed to her half an hour ago.

The bottom dropped out of his world when he head those words. They would repeat themselves in his mind every day. Mocking him, twisting the knife deeper into his heart.

"Artemis guess what! I'm getting married!"

He had congratulated her. Just to make her happy. But it was hollow. A lie. He wasn't happy for her.

He got an invite to their wedding a month later. He didn't go. He didn't want to congratulate something he wished wasn't true. He didn't want to see the one person he loved, get married to someone else.

Butler had said Holly was crushed when he hadn't turned up. But Artemis didn't care. Now she knew how he felt. How heart-broken he was.

Holly tried to call him after that. Non stop.

He ignored her.

The calls lasted a few days.

The they stopped.

They hadn't spoken to each other in over a year.

Artemis tried not to think about the red head. It hurt far too much. He could control his thoughts during the day. But at night, when he was asleep. His dreams were full of her. She was in all of them. Always ignoring him. Laughing at him. Leaving him.

It tore him apart. He couldn't deal with this anymore. No one loved him. He was a loner.

A freak.

He was nothing.

A sob broke free from his lips. And he gripped the knife tighter. His knuckles going white with the strain.

With all of his brains. All of his accomplishments. With all of his brilliance. That wasn't enough to make him matter to people. Being a genius had gotten him nothing. All it had brought him was loneliness and jealousy from everyone around him.

The genius chocked out another sob. And he let the blade slide across his skin. A long red line appeared after the knife cut through his flesh. He watched as the coppery red liquid slid down his arm. Dripping into the bath water, mixing with it.

The blood stopped seeping from the wound after a minute.

Artemis, not satisfied. Cut himself again.

And again.

It hurt. God it hurt so damn much.

And it wasn't just the pain of the cuts. It was ache in his heart.

Sobs shook his body. Tears filling his brilliant blue eyes. His vision went blurry and he punched the water in a sudden fit of anger and despair.

Why!

Why couldn't he stop hurting?

Why didn't anyone love him?

Why didn't Holly love him?

"Why." he said horsely, his grip on the blade loosening slightly.

His arm stung. The blood no longer flowing. His head was pounding from all the crying and yet... the tears wouldn't stop coming. His chest was heaving, the steam making it so very hard to breath.

Hate. Rejection. Hurt. Loneliness. All of these emotions were swirling around in him. Taking over his thoughts. His mind. His soul.

Him.

Artemis stared at his arm, then at the blade.

He wasn't worth anyones love. Not anymore. He wasn't worth anything. He was hollow. A shell. He was empty. Nothing mattered.

Nothing.

Artemis's eyes lost their focus and he brought the knife to his wrist.

A dark fog had settled around him. Shutting down his mind. His pain was controlling him now. And it was telling him to end it. To end the hurt. End his suffering.

Just end it all.

The tears still fell. But they didn't matter anymore. He was going to make everything ok. He was going to stop his heart ache.

Slowly, he lowered the knife to his skin. The stainless steel blade hovering over purple veins.

It was over.

Nothing mattered.

Not anymore.

Artemis gripped the blade more firmly and pressed it to his wrist.

The phone rang.

He stopped. Bringing the knife away from his arm. And looked at the intercom system he had installed in the wall of the bathroom.

The... phone?

The shrill sound broke through his foggy daze. Artemis shook his head, turning back to the task at hand.

That voice was still telling him to do it. To make the cut.

Do it. It whispered. Do it and everything will be alright. You'll be free. Free from ALL the hurt.

The phone continued to ring. Breaking his concentration.

Should he ignore it? Or answer.

Ignore it. The voice said. Ignore it.

Artemis looked at the blinking red light of the Line One column and back to the knife, still clutched firmly in his hand.

The ringing wouldn't stop. The person on the other end obviously intent on making him answer.

Ignore it! snapped the voice. It's not important!

Artemis closed his eyes. He couldn't think. Not with all this noise.

The phone continued to ring. Over and over again.

Artemis reached over and pressed the "talk" button.

"Yes?" he said, his voice horse and quiet.

"Artemis?" answered a too familiar voice. "Is that you?"

The genius blinked.

"Holly?"

He could hear her sigh. In relief or disappointment, he didn't know.

"Oh I'm so glad I got on to you! I'm sorry I haven't called you. You must think I hate you right?"

Artemis didn't answer. He hadn't forgotten about the knife. Still clutched in his hand. The desire to end everything was still very appealing.

"Artemis? Are you still there?". She sounded worried.

"Yes." he answered.

"Um... I was wondering. Do you want to do something tonight? Just hang out and talk? I haven't seen you for too long. I miss you."

The genius blinked. His vision clearing slightly. She missed him?

"Really?"

He heard Holly laugh.

"Of course! Look. I'd really like to meet up. What do you say? To catch up."

He didn't answer right away. The fog was clearing from around his mind. The darkness lifting a little. Holly wanted to see him. She missed him. He looked down at the blade. Then at the speaker.

"What about Trouble?" he asked suddenly.

Holly was silent for a moment.

"It didn't work out. We broke up." she said, her voice quivered slightly. "That's one of the reasons I was hoping to talk to you. Please Artemis. I... I really want to see you."

That last plea did for him. The fog was gone. His head was clear. Holly needed him. He set the knife on the side of the bath.

"Alright Holly."

The fairy squealed.

"Great! I'll be over in half an hour!" and she hung up, giving him no time to answer.

He smiled. Though it was half hearted. He smiled. There was still a chance.

A chance to be happy.

Artemis pulled the plug from the bottom of the bath and stood up. Grabbing a towel.

Yes. The fog had lifted. If only for the moment. His heart still ached. And that voice was still whispering to him. But for now. He'd ignore it.

He had something to live for.

Someone.

And she was what mattered most.

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THERE! A nice happy ending! Well I like this. I mean... it was kinda depressive. Funny, because I'm perfectly happy right now. What did you all think? I normally only stick to slash. Was this ok? Review please and tell me what you think!

kiss kiss

ozumas girl