Author's Note:

Howdy, it's been a long time since I've posted to this site - I couldn't even tell you what my username back all those years ago. I've been lurking though, and was finally inspired to take up writing fanfiction again. Special shoutout to WolfButler for the encouragement. I won't beg for reviews but I would definitely appreciate them!

Basic Summary: Artemis Senior reflects on his past and the people he's lost as he deals with his own current insecurities regarding his family and friends. More action involved than it sounds. Descriptions of violence and other adult themes, but nothing too graphic.

So let's jump right into this.

Note: Edited on 12/19 because of course I noticed some glaring errors after publishing this.

April 14th, 1968

Fowl Manor

Adults were hard to understand, Artemis Fowl, not yet the First, thought to himself.

He was standing at his bedroom window on the tips of his toes, looking down at the grounds below. His mother could be seen in the rain sodden garden, pacing back and forth, her raven hair unusually untidy and her rather expensive shoes getting more and more ruined by the minute. She was paying no mind to the cold droplets clinging to her skin and dress, too busy muttering under her breath, with her thin arms crossed and shaking. His father could be heard in his study, his angry shouting echoing throughout the halls, which was no small feat in such a large manor. Artemis imagined he was pacing too, and was suddenly startled by the sound of something smashing against the door frame, most likely the ornate porcelain vase that had sat on the small telephone table near the study door.

When I'm in charge here, he thought, once again to himself, I'll soundproof the study.

His parents had been arguing for days; what had started in a passive aggressive fashion had slowly built up to the screaming match that preceded his mother's angry stampede into the cold rain. The argument was over his father, Aodh Fowl's, supposed friendliness towards his mother's pretty and affluent friend, Ms. Walsh, who had been spending more and more time at the manor as of late. Artemis was unsure why his mother was so upset- his father rarely got along with anyone except for his business partners, and even that was usually feigned politeness out of necessity. Shouldn't she be glad that for once her husband wasn't chasing away someone she cared for?

But she was most certainly not, and she had made that more than clear to her husband and every other resident of the manor. His father had ignored her at first, but patience was never his virtue, and soon he started snapping back at her.

Artemis usually did his best to stay out of his parent's business, which was his father's preference and his bodyguard's relief, but he couldn't shake his concern for his mother. Though often busy keeping their family in good social standing with the other aristocrats, Sophia Fowl was always ready to comb her delicate fingers through his hair and ask him how he was doing whenever their paths managed to cross during the day.

"Are you reading anything exciting, Artemis?" she'd ask, straightening his shirt and lightly patting his back. "Have you been doing well with your piano lessons?" She would smile slightly and rest her hand on his shoulder. It was the most physical and emotional affection he'd receive at home.

"Too sentimental," his father would gripe. "We're trying to raise a man, for God's sake."

Aodh was an imposing figure, tall and trim, with dark eyes and a no-nonsense scowl. He radiated power and importance, and his son wanted live up to his expectations. There was no excuse for stupidity or frivolity in his father's mind. A man worked hard, planned carefully, and put himself first. A man took what he wanted, however he had to. Artemis thought he wanted to be his father's idea of a man. But he was torn.

He also wanted to live up to his mother's expectations. Sophia Fowl was determined her son would be a gentleman, and had been trying to steer him towards far less vulgar things than the dirty money and shady politics that funded their family's wealthy lifestyle. She made sure that Artemis knew his manners, how to treat company, especially female company, and how to carry on a proper conversation. Piano teachers and ballroom dance instructors were brought to the manor when her husband wasn't home, which he often wasn't. It was a lot for a five year old boy, but so far Artemis had proved to be no ordinary boy.

He was not yet in school, but he had been quietly gathering information as soon as he was old enough to walk. One morning, as the family all sat together at the breakfast table in a rare moment of togetherness, he had pointed to the newspaper his father was browsing and read the headline out-loud to his parent's surprise.

Roger Casement Honoured with State Funeral, Reburial

At barely three years old, Artemis did not know who Roger Casement was, but it didn't matter. He could read with no trouble whatsoever, when he had barely spoken a word beforehand. His father was somewhat satisfied, his mother was distraught.

"No more newspapers, darling, let's find a nice book instead." she'd said, shooting a worried glance at her husband. Said husband had different ideas, however, and made sure to place the paper at his son's place at the breakfast table after he'd finished his own browsing. Artemis loved learning and reading, but hated his mother's downcast look when she caught him with a paper in hand. She was much happier with the picture books that had simple rhymes she had filled his nursery with, even though he was instantly bored of them. At the same time, he craved the slight look of approval his father would give him whenever he saw him with his nose stuck on an economical manual, or a political essay.

It was confusing to be caught between two people's conflicting desires.

Resolving to ask his bodyguard and his closest companion The Major about the complicated state of adult emotions later, he turned away from the window, intending to get back to his current book on Ichthyology and do his best to ignore his father's current tirade. The ocean and its inhabitants were fascinating to him, and he often thought of how much he'd like to take a boat far out into the ocean to see what creatures he could find. He had just settled into the small chair across the room with the book on his lap when an ungodly scream erupted from the garden below, and all hell broke loose at Fowl Manor.

The Major himself was, moments earlier, standing stiffly outside of Mr. Fowl's study, prepared to as his employer's own Butler put it, "run interference" should Mr. Fowl's temper continue to rise. He was concerned about Mrs. Fowl who had run out unaccompanied moments earlier, and even more concerned about his young charge in his bedroom, where he had holed up once his parent's argument hit shouting levels. A damn shame it was, he thought, for a five year old to feel the need to hide from his family.

"Too sentimental," Madam Ko would have scolded. "It's not your job to protect a charge's emotions, only his life. Getting too close makes you make irrational decisions at the most dangerous moments."

But despite years of training and the tattoo on his shoulder, The Major found himself unable to not care somewhat for the small child who's life rested in his hands. Artemis was quiet and curious, and would often come to him with book in hand and a question on his tongue.

There was the sound of something heavy slamming to the floor, and The Major, though not intimidated by any means, was relieved that he was out in the hall while the senior Butler was in there with their employer, presumably to keep him from hurting himself in his outburst. Aodh had always had a terrible temper.

In true Blue Diamond fashion, he did not jump when porcelain hit the doorframe suddenly. He waited to see if another crash would follow, or if Mr. Fowl would suddenly charge out of the study to find his wife. Neither happened, though, so he continued to wait.

Then the ungodly scream from the garden reached his ears.

Instructions to stay put outside the door were immediately forgotten. The Major drew his pistol from its shoulder holster and raced towards his charge's bedroom. He heard heavy footsteps behind him going towards the stairs- the senior Butler would be heading towards the grounds to assess the situation and try to contain it. The junior Butler would join him later- his primary task was to secure his own charge.

Reaching Artemis' room, he paused long enough outside the door to make sure no signs or sounds of danger were present, and then threw it open. His charge was stock-still at the window, fingers clinging desperately to the glass as he looked down below. There was no color in his already pale skin. The only other thing out of place in the room was a large book laying spread open on the ground, as though someone had hastily thrown it down. The bodyguard quickly crossed the room and grabbed his charge around the middle, pulling him away from the window wordlessly and out of the pathway if any possible stray gunfire from below, even though he had yet to hear any. He ignored the instinct to look at what was causing the commotion below, instead heading carefully out of Artemis' room, checking every visible doorway and corner for hostile movement as he went.

Artemis snapped out of his shock induced stupor once they had rounded the first corner, thrashing wildly but ineffectively in his bodyguard's grip.

"My mother!" he yelped, unusually shrill for this particular five year old. "My mother, Major!"

The Major ignored his cries for now, focusing instead on getting his charge into the safest place possible at the moment. Fowl Manor had plenty of secrets, and with the boy tucked to his side, he strode quickly but quietly towards the third floor stairway, gun at the ready. Staying close to the walls while shielding his charge with his body, his eyes rapidly scanned the hall as he reached the top step, ears perked for any sound of life. Nobody so far had crossed their path; the manor's generously paid security team was functioning correctly and had moved strategically to secure all the entrances. No footsteps on the stairway other than his, only the faintest of echoes down in the entrance hall. Good.

He heard a familiar voice too, harsh and commanding. Aodh Fowl had left his study, intent on following his Butler down to the grounds, and was giving out orders to the security team that trailed them.

"The gate!" he shouted, his voice only somewhat strained from his earlier tirade, "Don't let anybody in or out!" Unnecessary directions, really, as the security team had been drilled by the senior Butler thoroughly and knew very well where they were supposed to go. But nobody would be talking back to the man who signed their paychecks. Instead they kept their focus on the situation on hand.

Where and how was our security breached? The Major wondered briefly wondered, before clearing the thought and focusing on his main objective - removing his charge from danger and securing him in a safe location. There would be time for investigation later, provided something didn't kill them all.

Another pained scream erupted from the grounds, though at their height it was nearly impossible to hear. Nearly. Artemis stiffened under his arms, but The Major did not pause or even slow down until he reached his destination. He tripled checked his surrounds, ensuring once again that they were alone. He reluctantly holstered his pistol for the moment in order to effectively do what he needed to.

Pulling back a large, almost garish Turkish rug away from the floor of a rarely used guestroom, he allowed himself the briefest second of relief. A hinge-less door panel that was near invisible to the naked eye had been hidden in this room over a century ago. It was just big enough to conceal a small child, and even had a small slot at the bottom of the nook to keep it from being airtight and suffocating it's occupant- anyone looking at the ceiling in the second floor storage closet for whatever reason would only see a small hole in the wood, not unusual in any old building.

Running his fingers down the slight seam, he quickly found the minute dip that allowed him to lift the panel and carefully but firmly placed Artemis in the nook. The boy was tense, but to his credit did not cry or reach back for his bodyguard's hulking form.

"Stay here, sir." he said, resting a large hand on the young boy's shoulder. "Be quiet and don't move until someone lets you out of here."

Artemis was not crying, but he was breathing heavily, fingernails digging into his arms, which were crossed across his chest like a small corpse in a small coffin. "My mother, Major!" he choked out.

"Sir," The Major repeated firmly, not letting go of his shoulder. "I need you to be quiet, and I need you to stay here. You remember what to do if someone happens to find you, correct?"

Artemis looked up at his bodyguard, trying to mirror the calm on the face above his, willing himself to be quiet. There was nothing he could do, he realized, but leave it to the adults. He nodded slowly, closing his eyes and calming his breathing as The Major had once taught him to do. Momentarily disturbed by the sight of his charge in such a state, his bodyguard squeezed the boy's shoulder in the most comforting gesture his instilled professionalism would allow, and carefully placed the panel back down, replacing the rug, and triple checking to make sure nobody was around.

Grimly, he walked back towards the hall and quickly down the stairs, his entire body on alert, pistol redrawn. The Fowl Family portraits were the only eyes on him as he descended. He made no sound.

I will be back, Artemis, he thought as he rounded the corner of the stairway, heading to the first floor and then towards the kitchen entrance-way. He checked to make sure he was clear, and then headed stealthily out of the rear door and towards the horrid commotion in the side garden, making sure nobody trailed him. Everyone who wasn't guarding a doorway or gate was headed towards the garden that laid below his charge's window, and The Major steeled himself for conflict.

Whatever happens, Artemis, I'll come back.

On the manor's third floor, laying still in the darkness of his hiding spot, Artemis Fowl, not yet the First, tried to think about anything besides his mother and her blood scattered on the barely blooming dianthus.

Author's Notes:

For those wondering about my timeline here:

Taking into account Artemis the Second's birthday in Sept. 1988, I wanted to place Artemis Senior around 25 then, so I've made his birthday Feb. 1963. The Major will be in his early twenties, at this time, fresh out of Madam Ko's academy. Angeline is a bit younger than her future husband.

The "Present Time" of the story takes place in the time period between The Opal Deception and The Lost Colony, so no Fowl Twins at this time. It's the early 2000's still - Artemis is not yet 14. Artemis Senior is coming up on 40, Angeline is around 36. I will stick close to cannon but there may be a divergence here or there - Colfer himself was prone to changing some details when needed.

Things are a bit unstable in Ireland during the 60's 70's when Artemis Sr. is a child and teenager, and there's no way the Fowl family ain't involved with their high status and criminal background, so expect references to the civil issues at that time.

Anyway, thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated, and I'll do my best to update in the next couple of days.