Day One

Late Afternoon

Why did Holly Short decide to clean? Well, it was more of a decision that she would live here rather than a decision to tidy up her residence. She was stuck in weird world, period. But it didn't mean she had to be stuck in Fowl's place too.

As Holly heaved the last pile of trash in the recycling pit, she replayed the sprite's words in her head for the umpteenth time. Holly was a modern woman, but she was also a fairy. It's common knowledge that warlocks, especially if unemployed, take it upon themselves to "help" other unfortunate souls by showing off their oh so fabulous control over time and reality instead of something really helpful like not tripping everyone with their long robes in the pedestrian or not turning frogs to swear toads.

With the pizza box and the accompanying rotten pizza in the trash can and other things back in their respective places, the apartment was spotless. It was a welcome sight, if not strange. The only times Holly's apartment looked this habitable was when she moved in after graduating and when she moved out after getting married.

"Looking for something?" said a voice. A cold, heartless voice.

Holly reared back from the wall. The human was standing not two feet from her. Artemis had entered the room- heck, the apartment- without a sound.

"Sit, please" He said, eyebrow gesturing to the newly vacant couch.

Holly did not want to sit, please. She wanted to kick the insolent pup in Australia, record his howls of pain and use it as her ring tone. Then, she'll buy another phone and call herself so she could hear her brand new ringtone as often as she likes.

Artemis saw the familiar spark in Holly's eyes. It amused him. That elf had probably mentally conjured more ways of killing him than Opal Koboi.

Her anger also intrigued him. Obviously, he did something to make Holly mad, again. He had assumed Foaly was exaggerating when the centaur called reporting Holly's retreat to what their friends have dubbed the "I hate Artemis" apartment. So, what was it that Holly found out this time? His hoarding of Spud Emporium stocks? The veins of extorted diamond on the wings he had made for her? The accidental bankruptcy of Council Chairman Saffron?

"Getting ideas, are we, Major Short?"

Holly bared her teeth in answer.

Artemis expertly waited her out. Eventually, she would break the silence and explode into a progesterone fueled tirade about morals and whatnot.

A minute has passed. Artemis's prediction proved incorrect. Staying strong, Holly was still glaring up at the human. She decided not to speak to Fowl at all unless it was really, really necessary. And she didn't really deem the present situation as really, really necessary.

Artemis sighed. Only to Holly Short did Artemis Fowl the Second yield.

"Okay, Holly. What have I done?"

Holly turned around and shut the recycling pit. She headed to the kitchen, leaving Artemis behind. To her annoyance, he merely followed her around as she picked up the last clumps clutter. He didn't even try to speak to her again.

"Master Artemis, Foaly is calling you. Master Artemis, Foaly is calling you. Master Artemis, Foaly is calling you. Master Artemis, Fo-" Lily Frond's suggestive voice was cut off as Artemis quickly fished his phone from its special pocket and silenced it. He glanced back up at Holly slowly and carefully. It probably wasn't the best time for Holly to hear the new ring tone he had painstakingly created.

Holly froze. If her hands weren't already fisted, she'd curl them in a ball: a tight, angry ball of pissed off fury. The mud man who was supposed to be her freaking boyfriend in this world has a Lily Frond ringtone. He has a Lily Frond ringtone. A Lily Frond ringtone. Holly had a feeling the ringtone was especially for her annoyance. How Artemis coerced that voice recording, in English nonetheless, from Lily was beyond her. He didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed! Holly's fisted hand twitched; she was tempted to punch that amused smirk off his face permanently.

After a few more minutes of silent fuming and bemused waiting, Artemis cleared his throat and spoke. "We are going to be late for Caballine's dinner."

Holly might've been a wall for all the talking she's been doing, if a wall could visibly steam and mentally gut mud men alive. Artemis sighed.

"Let's go, Holly." Artemis said firmly, amusement gone from his voice. Holly ignored him. "Holly, we have to go."

"Alright. If that's the way you want to play it." Artemis' voice was clipped. "I am retracting your lease on my apartment. I suggest you move all your possessions, including that punching bag with my face on it, out of my property in twenty-four hours if you don't want them withheld."

Holly was more than glad to move out of Artemis' wallet for good. "Fine." She said, finally speaking.

Artemis blinked. She had nowhere to go, even if she had more than twenty-four hours to look for a place. But he never did expect anything but defiance from Holly.

"But I'm gonna need more than twenty-four hours to move my stuff." Holly sighed. She hated giving Artemis something to manipulate her with, but she'd rather not bother Foaly with staying over. For all she knew, she could be back home by tomorrow night.

"No. As your landlord, I am within my rights and yours to grant you twenty-four hours."

"Two days, and I'll be out of your hand-tailored pants, landlord." Holly spat the last word in English.

"I'm going to be considerate," Artemis said. Holly's hopes lifted. "…as you had been considerate to me. Ignoring someone's attempt at conversation is not regarded as considerate in most cultures. Twelve hours it is then. It is the minimum time I can give you, according to fairy laws."

"Yes, twelve hours." Holly gritted her teeth. "If you have a reasonable excuse. And what's your excuse, Mr. I-Follow-the-Law-by-the-Letter-Including-the-Ones- About-Kidnapping?"

"I am going to develop this building into a high-end boutique selling things that have never been inside this apartment, such as women's clothes and conditioner. I need to submit the permits by tomorrow and I cannot do that if the property is still leased." Artemis held back his smug smile. He arranged his features into his evil, but highly intelligent face. And determined. Don't forget determined.

"Fowl, two days." Holly met his glare head on. She can leave, but she rather she didn't have to live off Caballine. The centaur didn't even have underwear she could borrow. She also had to find her phone. It must be somewhere in the large apartment. And she might leave behind something important, like a clue to what in heavens she should be finding. Plus, knowing Fowl, he'll never give her things back.

"Alright. Two days. Take three." Artemis said, suddenly gracious and obliging. Holly blinked. She didn't really expect him to g- "But…"

Of course. Artemis Fowl does nothing for nothing.

"But in exchange, you will get in the car and accompany me to Foaly's dinner. You have to ask him if you can stay over, anyways."

"Fine." Holly grabbed her coat and marched out of her apartment, leaving the triumphant Artemis to stride after her.

Of course, the car was black. But contrary to Artemis' recluse preferences, the car was an ostentatious convertible. As if being human didn't stand out enough in Haven.

Artemis easily overtook Holly's brisk walk. Ever the gentleman, he graciously opened the passenger side's door for Holly. The elf kept on walking, bypassing Artemis. She jumped over the door, seating herself on the driver's seat. No way was she gonna pass up driving the B670 Kirolo. Back in her world, the hovercar isn't out in the market yet. And there was no convertible model.

Artemis entered the door he had opened for Holly and seated himself. By now, he already expects Holly to do the unexpected yet she always managed to come up with new ways to surprise him.

Xxx

Artemis' efforts to uncover the reason for Holly's ire were futile. Holly only spoke to ask him for directions, and that was that. He concluded that it was probably the stolen diamonds on her wings. More than anything, she hated the thief in him. She had made it clear from the start that stealing, killing and polluting would receive zero tolerance. "I'll handcuff you myself." were her exact words. The conversation ended after that.

On the side, Artemis hoped she appreciated his effort. The wings themselves were a work of art. Moreover, freeing five hundred slave miners in Sierra Leone had not been easy.

"Which way is the parking?" Holly asked.

"Just drive up the entrance. There's valet." Of course, Holly thought.

Artemis handed Holly her phone. "You left it at home."

Home? Holly inwardly bristled at the word. She accepted the phone. Holly could barely contain herself, eager to know more about this world. Surely her phone would offer some clues.

An attendant assisted them as they climbed out of the car while another took the wheel and whisked the convertible away. Holly wasn't one to fuss about her clothes, but it's almost impossible not to feel underdressed with all the service running around.

"Good evening, Master Fowl; Major Short. Welcome to The Khaleesi." The hostess bowed, as if her fairy height wasn't enough. "Your room is this way. One of your guests has already arrived."

Room?

The pixie led Holly and Artemis through the tables. As they passed, diners stared at the human and the servers all bowed and greeted. With all the attention from the waiters, you'd think he owned the place.

"Your room, sir." The hostess waved her hands to the open door. "If there's anything you need-"

"We waited two minutes before the valet could attend to us. See to it that Manager Bron fixes it. I will not have half-rate service in my restaurant."

He does own the d'arvitting place, Holly thought.

"Yes, sir." The hostess quickly scurried away.

"You didn't have to snap off the poor pixie's head. I didn't even notice the wait for the valet!" Holly snapped, once they were seated inside the private dining room. When she sat farthest from the human chair, Artemis' frown deepened. "I don't even need a valet! I'm capable of parking a car!"

"Holly, I didn't 'snap off the pixie's head'." Artemis snapped. "I bought this restaurant so I don't have to suffer from nitwit waiters. Having subpar service completely ruins the point."

"I'm Artemis Fowl and I buy restaurants so I can be mean to the waiters. Mwahahaha." Holly mocked, deadpan.

"I'm Artemis Fowl and I bought a restaurant so you can eat out without everyone else staring at us. I bought a restaurant so your picture would stop appearing in gossip columns. I bought a restaurant because I am tired of squatting on a tiny elf chair while I eat pasta. I bought a restaurant so waiters won't have to say that they don't serve meat the moment they seat us." Artemis said calmly, staring straight ahead, as if he was talking to the roof-to-floor window wall instead of Holly.

"That doesn't mean you have to be mean to people. The People hospitably welcome you to Haven and let you buy bloody restaurants and apartments and you have the gall to be rude?" Holly spat out in disgust.

"Why are you being extra difficult today, Holly?" Artemis directed his gaze on Holly. His voice was calm as his eyes were not. Holly's fieriness had its novelty, but usually she knew not to cross the line.

The last time Holly was one the receiving end of Artemis' glare was the kidnapping. She had forgotten. All her witticisms withered back up her throat.

Thankfully, the door opened and in came No1. Oblivious to the broken tension, the demon was delighted to see his friends.

"Holly! Artemis! Hello!" The butt naked imp hugged Holly and the reluctant Artemis (who was still not a hugger) before settling on a chair. "I came from the lavatories. Plumbing is a marvel I will never get tired of. Why is Holly not in her usual seat? Where is Foaly, Caballine, Jake and Mulch?"

"Here. I second the motion, by the way." Mulch said, as he popped in the room. Holly took one looked at Mulch and instantly knew that nothing changed in that department. The department being hygiene.

"What motion?" No1 asked as Mulch seated himself.

"This motion better not involve the motion of your bowel." Artemis commented wryly as he typed on his phone.

"Plumbing is a marvel I too will also never get tired of. Consider that motion seconded." Mulch said.

"Holly, how are your classes? Qwan wanted me to pass a message along." The demon scrunched his face as he tried to remember. "Oh yes. He said if you're still trouble with that Anther student, let him know. I wouldn't get disciplining advice from Qwan though. He lets me get away with everything."

She was really a teacher at LEPAcademy. Holly could barely believe it.

"Excuse me; I have to take this call." Artemis rose from his seat.

"I second that motion." Mulch said, standing up. When Holly and No1 blinked at their lack of comprehension, the dwarf clarified. "Excuse me, too. I have to take nature's call. Consider that motion seconded." Mulch overtook Artemis as he scurried out the room. Artemis followed in the dwarf's wake.

"Wow, he's extra irate today." No1 said as they both watch Artemis close the door with unnecessary force. "What are you fighting about this time?"

"Just general stuff."

"I'm guessing your anniversary date didn't go well?" No1 wiggled his eyebrow runes.

"I don't want to talk about it." Holly said evasively. Hearing that she goes on anniversary dates with the human made her head throb.

"C'mon! I need detes." No1 clearly reads too much teenage girl magazines. "Colloquialism is magnificent, no? So, what did you eat for dinner? Artemis always comes up with the best food, except when he happens to be cooking it."

Holly sighed. "We had pizza." She lied nonchalantly.

"Your anniversary's not until December 24. And you didn't sit on your usual chair. Also, you're magical essence is all grey and boring." The elf froze as No1 pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're not Holly."

"No! No I'm not. I mean I am, but I'm not from here. This crazy sorceress..." An idea lit up in Holly's head. "No1, please. You're a warlock. You've got to help me get back home. I don't belong here. Send me back!"

"You mean, you're Holly from another dimension?" The demon's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Yes. I think. I'm still Holly though, your friend. You've got to help me."

"This is awesome! We took up dimension transfer last month!" No1 clapped his hands in delight.

"Last month? That means you know how to take me back. No1, listen to me. Please." Holly grasped the demon's arms.

"I'm sorry Holly. Only you can do that." Holly couldn't believe she's hearing a only you can sentence again. She let out a frustrated scream.

"Don't be upset, Holly from another dimension." No1 piped cheerily. "You'll come back eventually. That's how it works. Your soul – no,no,no. Soul is a misnomer. It's a different thing. But you get the idea. Anyways, you, per se, are temporarily stuck in the body of this plane's Holly but you're anchored by the warlock's magic in your own plane of reality. Blah blah blah long story short, the dimension transfer can only be reversed once you, well, learn the lesson the warlock wants you to learn. Just like in fables. And Narnia. Really overrated warlock drama if you ask me. I'm kind of stoked to learn it though. I've always wanted Foaly to learn tap dance. I can whisk him away to an alternate dimension where Foaly is a tapdance master, then he'll come back here after a second a tap dance master! "

"No1, how do I get back? I have a life back there! I have children." Holly dragged her hands through her face. The kids must be worried sick.

"Relax. You'll get back on the exact moment you left." No1 said. And then: "Really? A dimensional plane where human and fairies are genetically compatible. Imagine that…"

"Human…What? No. Just- forget it. How do I get back?" Holly slammed her hands on the table.

"I guess Holly is aggressive in any dimension." No1 hastily put his palms up in surrender upon seeing Holly's expression. "Okay, okay. The best thing for you to do right now is pretend to be this world's Holly. The reason you're here is because you need to learn something from yourself. What makes this world's Holly tick. Just be yourself," The imp tittered upon realizing that he sounded like a guidance counselor advising a troubled teen. So he added: "…literally."

Holly sighed. "No1, I can't pretend to be this world's Holly. It's just- Artemis. I'm married! And I-"

"You're not in love with Artemis?" No1 was scandalized, as if Holly crushed all his hopes and dreams. She might as well have told him that Neverland didn't exist or that William and Kate got a divorce. "I can't imagine you and Artemis anything but. That's weird. That's so weird. I don't believe it. How do you live back there? I've always thought love was something that's trans-dimensional, along with total energy mass. Something that's true in any reality. There goes my thesis paper. Qwan said it was stupid anyway."

"No1…"

"Give Artemis a chance, Holly. He's not all bad." The imp caught Holly smirk in disbelief. He sighed. How would he make Holly understand this? "Both of you are like pungent tofu. You're the chili sauce that keeps him from being all bad, and he's the tofu that tames your spiciness. Together, an unexpectedly delicious snack."

"Thanks for the metaphor, No1."

"I love pungent tofu. I hope Foaly ordered it." He responded. He observed his friend and saw Holly confused and disturbed. This Holly could definitely learn something from this dimension's Holly. How to be happier, for one.

"You have a wonderful life in this world, Holly. A life that you and Artemis built together. That counts for something, don't you think? At least try."

Maybe Artemis is different in this dimension. Maybe this world's Artemis is the Artemis of long ago: the one who saved her People, the lonely boy who missed his father, the one who loved his family above all. Her best friend. There used to be a time when she still cared enough to wonder about what became of the boy she thought she had fixed and what would've happened if he didn't commit one mistake too many. Now she was experiencing it firsthand.

"Greetings mud boy, crazy girlie captain and No1!" The door opened, interrupting Holly's thoughts. In came the bustling noise of three centaurs followed by an indifferent Artemis. Holly soaked in Jake. He looked exactly the same as her children's centaur friend. A million play dates and sleepovers and barbeques flashed through Holly's mind. Her previous misgivings about Artemis were replaced by a giant wave of sadness as she missed her kids.

"Aunt Holly," Jake patted Holly as he passed, and then he trotted straight towards the seat across Artemis'.

"Uncle Artemis, did you hear about the leaked blueprints?"

Holly watched as the boy and the human discussed the secrets of the universe. She could see why Foaly was jealous. The foal had eyes for no one else. She was surprised that Artemis patiently accommodated the centaur. It reminded her of the Artemis she knew before. The fixed boy.

"Holly, get outta of my seat!" Foaly whinnied.

"There's still a vacant chair there." Holly said, scrunching her lips to indicate the seat beside Artemis.

"That's an elf chair, Holly, and you're an elf. I'm a centaur, and you're in my centaur chair. "

Holly looked miserably at the elf chair. There was another vacant chair but it was so obvious that it was Mulch's. It had the unmistakable Mulch Diggums look and smell. Should she…? Was it worth it? Foaly followed Holly's gaze.

"Your fight can't be that intense. No way, Holly. Please. Save yourself and save water, and soap and disinfectant lotion. Just sit beside him."

The elf sighed as Mulch entered the room and claimed the seat. She had no choice anyway. Holly rose and bitterly sat down on her designated chair. Artemis thankfully ignored her.

The night went on, surprising Holly with bits of information about the world. It was apparent that they were all still the best of friends. She had missed the old gang and had forgotten the sea of sarcasm that accompanied them when they were all together in one room. Dinner was a delicious and unending affair as servers keep popping up with course after course. Artemis remained a steel wall towards Holly, which was just fine with her.

"Foaly, the announcement!" Caballine gushed during coffee time.

The LEP technician made grand show of clanging the wine glass with his fork. The gesture was useless, as everybody in the room was already listening to them anyways. All it achieved was cracking the glass. Mulch sniggered. Foaly smiled sheepishly at Artemis.

"Sorry for your glass, mud boy."

"I'm putting that on your bill." He replied.

The centaur ignored the jibe and carried on with his big announcement. "Caballine, my beautiful goddess-"

"I'll do it, Foaly." Caballine rolled her eyes. "Foaly, my noble steed,-"

"Hey!" Foaly pouted.

"-has gotten me pregnant again!"

Congratulations and cries of disbelief rose about the room. It took a while to get the uproar to calm down.

"Two centaur children in a century is impressive, Foaly." Artemis commented.

"What can I say? Caballine is just so beautiful, it's impossible not to get her pregnant." Jake, Mulch and No1 made faces simultaneously.

"Foaly!" Caballine said indignantly, covering Jake's ears.

"Well, I suggest you get started if you ever want to beat me in this field, Artemis." Foaly joked. Artemis gave a warning look to Foaly, which the ever pertinent centaur ignored. The human irritably smoothened his blazer.

"Foaly!" The female centaur scolded her husband again.

"Don't worry, Foaly. Artemis has never been one for anatomy." Holly said wryly.

"You know who I bet's good at anatomy? Anna and Tommy!" Mulch joked.

"Congratulations, Mulch. You just broke your own record for the worst joke ever. It elicited no reaction whatsoever so much so that the molecules of my faux steak are actually starting a backward reaction." Artemis said, deadpan.

"Congrats, Arty. What you just said just broke Mulch's newly attained record for the worst joke ever." Foaly added, howling in laughter at Artemis' utter failure at humor. "Holly, please control your mud boy. I thought you told him no more jokes."

"Well, the Lower Elements Centaur Association already contacted us. Apparently, two children in a century is impressive." Caballine said, effectively steering the conversation to proper etiquette grounds.

"Yes. The centaur population in Haven and Atlantis is starting to dance at dangerous numbers." Artemis commented. "They're trying to pass a family planning bill, actually."

"After saving the fairy people with my tech babies, I also have to save the centaur race with my real babies?" Foaly faked a faint. "Do I have to do everything around here?"

"Here I am, one of the race-saving babies! Don't I get credit?" Jake said, not glancing up from his game tablet.

"Hey, I'm doing all the work here, giving birth to the race-saving babies." Caballine retorted.

"Oh! We have another announcement." Foaly said, dodging Caballine's feminist bullet.

"Oh yes!" Caballine took Holly's and Artemis' hands from across the table and folded both in her grip. "We want both of you to be our baby's godparents."

Holly was speechless. Being godmother was a great honor and was rarely bestowed to someone who was not family. In her happiness, she almost forgot that her hand was on Artemis'. Almost.

"What?" cried Jake. "That's so unfair! I want Uncle Artemis to be my godfather too! Why did I get old Uncle Grover? He stinks of enchiladas! That baby's not born yet and already he gets everything?"

Holly saw Artemis throw Jake an amused smile. Whether it was his baby brothers or Jake or No1 (who was still a kid in some ways), Holly observed that the human was fond of children.

"Are you sure you want me for your baby's godfather?" Artemis asked.

"He might throw baby's blood in an alchemy vat for all you know." Holly added, which would have been a completely acceptable jibe if she hadn't accompanied it with an icy glare. No1 gave her look, telling her she wasn't really doing a great job of at least trying. What was she suppose to do? Swoon at every little thing Artemis did?

"Cut me a commission of that centaur blood gold, mud boy." Mulch fake whispered.

"Yes, I'm sure, Artemis. There aren't any other people I could think of who I trust more." Caballine smiled. Artemis smiled back, privileged. It never fails to surprise him that there were people in the world who trust and love him as the people in this room do.

No1 cleared his throat. Caballine laughed. "I trust you too, No1. The next baby, alright?"

Mulch cleared his throat, too. A beetle shot out of his nostril in the process, but his beard quickly returned it to his digestive system. The centaur laughed again. "Not even the hundredth baby, Mulch. Sorry. You can take care of our pet, if we do get one. But only if you switch to vegetarian. I can't risk my pets being eaten"

"On the plus side," Foaly said cheerily to Artemis and Holly. "If anything happens to us, you get to raise our baby together! It's like having the child you never could have!"

Silence fell upon the room as Artemis' already bad mood palpably took a turn for the worse. Foaly clamped his mouth as he realized what he had said. Caballine looked at her husband, ready to roast him alive.

"What Foaly meant to say was that you love and trust each other so much, and it's the kind of environment we want our children to live and grow in when we are gone." Caballine said softly.

It was clear to Holly that children were an issue here. She saw Sage and Rafflesia, her beautiful children, and realized that this world's Holly would never have them. She would never have them, because of him.

The silence ensued as No1 failed again and again to start a conversation. Finally, Holly can't take the tension anymore and beat Foaly in excusing herself.

"I'll be in the washroom." Holly announced. She stormed out of the room.

Foaly facepalmed for the umpteenth time then rose to go after Holly. Caballine held him back.

"She needs space. Giver her space." Foaly nodded, and seated himself again.

"So. There's this mud man show called Doctor Who. It's really up my alley." No1 said.

Xxx

Holly walked past the well-dressed patrons, ignoring their judgmental stares shot at her shirt and Capri. Her eyes flickered around in search for a lavatory. She finally spotted the sign, and head towards it.

The washroom was as pristine as everything else in the Khaleesi, reminding Holly of the owner. Artemis' constant presence was starting to suffocate her. Already she felt her palms sweating frantically and her heart beating erratically.

She locked the door, ensuring her privacy in the spacious washroom. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her distressed brain with oxygen.

Should she bolt? But where would she go? No1 had made it clear that running away won't get her back home. She has to go home, and the only way home was Artemis. She'll swallow her anger up and at least try. So she can get back home to her kids. Holly sighed, turning her back to the mirror. It's been so long since she had a nerve-wracking, crazy, impossible adventure like this. She had forgotten how nerve-wracking and crazy and impossible it could be. Holly had another deep breath of oxygen and sanity. Holly's head was spinning with thoughts as she entered a cubicle.

Xxx

Artemis checked his watch for the second time. Had Holly left? She seemed really upset. Artemis sighed. If she wanted to act like a child, fine. Go run away, Holly Short.

"Where's Holly? It's been thirty minutes." No1 asked. The imp was worried. What if Holly left? That wouldn't help her get home. Not at all.

"Relax, she went to the washroom." Caballine said.

"Thirty minutes is an awful long time, even for me." Mulch remarked.

Guilt was eating Foaly up. Holly had been having a difficult day. Him and his big mouth had yet- a memory suddenly struck him. Earlier, a disgruntled Holly had stopped by their home… and now she was in a comfort room!

"Artemis!" Foaly rose abruptly. "Earlier, Holly was at our house. She said she didn't take her medicine."

"What?" Panic bubbled inside Artemis. "Check this floor. I'll take the second floor. Caballine, call the clinic. No, not 909." He instructed.

He grabbed his phone as he ran. "Bron, this is Fowl. Where are you? Send the nearest personnel to check the ladies' washroom for Holly Short on the third and fourth floor. Have your men check the ones in the basement and the kitchen too, now. Report back. Good man."

Artemis took the stairs two at a time, irritation at Holly totally gone. Only fear and worry remained in his considerable brain. It crept around his heart like a vine. He fervently hoped that Holly really did run away. He'd take that over the alternative any day.

Xxx

Something was wrong. Holly found herself gasping for air again and again. Her distressed thoughts disappeared altogether, covered by a blur that was fogging her sight. All she could see was the four walls of the cubicle and the spinning ceiling, closing on her slowly...

She sat down on the toilet in an attempt to calm herself down. The walls. The silver walls were there, getting closer and closer. The air was liquid, drowning Holly. But she needs air. Holly breathes in the thick air, choking. She dropped to the floor.

She struggled to form a coherent thought. I have to get out of here. Holly struggled and clawed at the cubicle door's lock. She couldn't control her fingers. The latch eluded her again and again, joining the walls in taunting her.

Desperately, Holly banged her flailing fists against the door and the walls. She tried to call for help, but nothing came out of her mouth but gasps for air.

I'm going to die in a metal box, just like mother. She thought. And then, everything was black.

xxx

A/N: What's wrong with Holly?! Also, please tell me how I'm doing writing Artemis. I can't decide if he's too OOC or too rich. I'm really a fan of bow-down-all-you-peasants meanie Artemis so.

Also, I can't remember if the fact that fairies have their toilets in an outhouse is something I've read in cannon or from a fanfiction. I'm sure it's fanfiction, since I remember it from Kitsune Heart fics. But I can't remember if it's also the case in the actual books. I do remember Holly taking a shower in her apartment at book one, so I think they do have normal bathrooms. If not, well then, this is fanfiction anyways.

Guys, listen! I love your reviews but I really would prefer it if you'll say something more than "update soon!" or "I like your fic" Please constructive criticism! Please please please. What did you like about the chapter? What did you not like? Were there grammar errors (English is not my first language and I don't have a beta, but I do edit a chapter five times before posting)? Where do you think the story's going? Where do you want the story to go? Stuff like that. After you tell me that, then you could tell me to update soon. I can't update soon if you don't help me out. But if you're in a hurry go ahead and leave me a short message. I appreciate that too.