Chapter One

Holly felt a sadness somewhere deep inside as she watched her best friend, maybe former best friend at this point, shift uncomfortably under the combined gaze of almost everyone he used to care about. He searched each of their faces, looking for any sign of the dismissal Holly new he wanted.

It had been nearly three months now, since that day he resumed his clone. But he had left something behind. Something Holly wasn't even sure life was worth living without.

His memory.

She stood up suddenly, bringing all eyes to her. She could feel Artemis's curious gaze on her, and it took all her self control not to look up at him.

"I-I have to go." She stuttered, leaving before a response could be given. She just couldn't take this anymore.

Artemis watched her retreating form with concern. She didn't seem like herself, at least not the Holly he knew from the few experiences he had managed to recollect. It had started with one, the moment in the gorilla's cage when they went back in time, when she'd kissed him. He felt it as clearly as if it had just happened. The pressure of her lips on his, then the immediate shock as she pulled back, allowing him to think clearly again.

It had kind of mushroomed from that.

Slowly, he had regained each memory, piece by piece, second by second. Now, so much later, he could recollect almost that entire back in time adventure, even through the hazy patches. He figured he should probably tell someone this, but he didn't really know who. Holly was the only one he felt like he could really trust. And she seemed more than a little sensitive right now. Artemis really didn't want to get her hopes up for might end up as nothing.

But isn't hope better than certainty? He asked himself, for the first in his life completely clueless. I feel like she might be happier if she knew. But what if it all comes crashing down? She'll be worse than when she started.

What would the old Artemis do?

Ask Holly. Right.

His eyes flickered from Juliet to Butler to Foaly and back again. "Can I go now?" He asked tentatively, almost afraid the others might be as sensitive as Holly.

Butler sighed. "Yes, Artemis. That's fine."

As soon as he left the room he could here the conversation reach an escalation. He could've stood there and listened, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't force himself to hear them argue about him. It was just too much.

He passed the door to the guest room and froze. A soft sound was coming from behind the closed door. He blinked in surprise.

It was Holly. She was crying.

The realization shocked him into reality.

He took a deep breath. It's now or never, Artemis.

And he entered the room.

Holly's tears streamed uncontrollably off her cheeks and onto the sheets. She was sitting on the bed in the guest room, over come with emotion.

And worst of all, she couldn't understand why.

It was Artemis, somehow. She couldn't be around him and think he new nothing, nothing about the People, nothing about her. But why did she care so much?

Naturally, Artemis himself chose that exact moment to walk in. Perfect. Holly thought bitterly. The last person she wanted to see.

He looked at her with a strange mixture of confusion and...concern?

"Holly?" He asked, stepping instinctively forwards "What happened? Are you okay?"

No, She thought sourly, Does it look like I'm okay?

But all she trusted herself to say was. "I'm fine." She noticed the slight hitch in her voice and prayed Artemis didn't. No such luck.

"Holly," He put force on the word, leaving no room for escape as he sat down beside her. "Tell me."

She glanced up at him then, worry deeply etched in his features. He held her gaze steadily, and she just couldn't bring herself to look away. They sat in silence for an immeasurable amount of time, simply staring at each other. Finally Artemis spoke.

"You're not okay. Say something, please, Holly."

And so she snapped.

She stood abruptly, causing Artemis to jump. She turned on him with fire in her eyes. "Oh, what do you know?" She practically shouted at him. He flinched, opening his mouth to speak.

She didn't give him the chance.

"No. Don't say anything. There's nothing you could say, anyway." She was shaking now "Stop pretending like I mean something to you. Like any of us do. It just makes it all so much worse."

Her gaze was like ice, freezing Artemis to the bone. A small shiver crawled up his spine, but he refused to acknowledge it.

"Forget it, Artemis. You don't know me, you probably never will, and you don't care."

Her last words echoed over and over in Artemis's head, swirling around in a complex, overlapping pattern. He felt a sensation like an electric shock pulse within his body, and he couldn't hold back a gasp.

Holly frowned. "Artemis?" She said, anger fading rapidly from her voice.

But he could barely hear her.

He fell to his knees on the floor, clutching his burning midsection and letting out a small whimper. A flash of images darted in front of his vision, taking him further from reality.

Suddenly, he was cold. There was snow everywhere. He had just enough time to recognize Holly in the edge of his vision before the picture changed.

He was looking at a strange object, a small square. The C cube. He thought instinctively. But how do I know that?

Picture after picture rushed past his vision, faster and more confusing with each passing second.

But every image had one thing in common; Holly. She was in all of it, somewhere.

Then, with a startling pulse of white light, it was over. Artemis was laying on his back on the floor, looking up at his ceiling.

Holly leaned over him, wide eyed and terrified. "Artemis?" She whispered, putting a hand under his elbow to stabilize him as he sat up.

"H-Holly," He stammered, pushing back the last remnants of the fire across his form. He looked her straight in the eyes, shocked expression meeting shocked expression. Then he spoke, his voice barely audible in the silence. But there was no mistaking what he said.

"I remember everything."

So...This is my first Fanfic, and I'm not really sure if it's going well.

I need reader's help for this.

Continue? No?