Chapter 12

They stopped off at Police Plaza so that Holly could change out of her torn and bloodstained uniform. She disappeared into the building for several minutes, reappearing wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and a pair of low-cut black trousers. She climbed back into the shuttle, irate, and threw a pair of wings onto a spare seat. Trouble started the engine ant they set off again.

"It was all I had in my locker" she grunted at Artemis. The boy hurriedly closed his mouth. The pink scar on her stomach was evident in that outfit, but that wasn't why he'd been staring. He'd never seen her wearing anything other than her LEP uniform or that suit she'd found in the wardrobe when they'd time travelled. He'd tried very hard not to look at her in her one-piece. She obviously wasn't wearing a one-piece now, as there was a strip of flesh visible in the gap between her top and trousers. That had been what he'd been gaping at - he'd never seen her in anything so, well, feminine.

"What are you staring at, Artemis?" she asked him. His gaze was well below her face, and she was tired of getting this reaction. Just because she generally wore stuff that covered her figure, didn't mean that all the males in the vicinity had to stare when she wore something the slightest bit revealing. Artemis blinked and transferred his gaze to the shuttle port they were now arriving at.

"Nothing. Your scar is showing."

She looked down, so missed Butler's smirk.

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They arrived back at Fowl Manor at half past six in the evening. It was just getting dark, and the sun cast red and gold patterns onto the clouds. Holly stepped out of the Bentley, smiling at nature's display. Artemis walked around the car to her side.

"Holly? Are you coming inside?"

"In a minute." she replied, her eyes not leaving the sunset. Butler led Artemis back into the Manor, then went directly to his room. He'd been awake for far too long, and though he could ignore sleep deprivation he preferred not to have to. Artemis went into his study, grimaced at the broken glass on the floor, and picked Holly's helmet up from the floor. A voice from behind him nearly made him drop it again in shock.

"Hey, nice one, Fowl. The People owe you one."

Artemis turned to face the grinning centaur with as much dignity as he could muster. Foaly manipulated the webcam perched on top of the computer to look around the room. He winced at the glass on the carpet.

Artemis put the helmet down on the desk and smiled at the screen.

"The People owe me nothing. It was my fault that Opal escaped in the first place."

"Artemis admitting he's at fault? D'Arvit, why aren't I recording this?"

Foaly chuckled, then continued.

"That's not what I meant, though. I meant saving Holly."

"Oh. No problem."

He thought about Holly's response months earlier after saving his life when he'd been mauled by a gorilla.

'Of course I saved you. I couldn't do without you.'

He sighed. Damn hormones to hell.

Foaly couldn't quite figure out why the boy looked so confused, but decided that it didn't matter. He reached out to terminate the contact, but stopped what Artemis spoke.

"How come Holly woke up so quickly? It took Butler about a week to come to."

"Firstly, Holly's a fairy. We have a higher level of reaction to magic than humans do. Also, she had a full team of warlocks working on her. Butler just had one untrained - though skilled - elf."

"Her hair still grew, though." The boy sounded worried.

"Side effect of the healing. All major healings use a little of the host's energy - for mortal wounds, a little of their life force. By the looks of it, Holly's lost about two months or so. It shouldn't really affect her."

The look of relief on Artemis's face was completely out of character. Then again, so was him kissing Holly on the cheek (Foaly had watched the whole episode through Trouble's helmet camera). He did a lot of odd things - for him, at least - in Holly's presence.

Trouble barged into view behind the centaur, yelling at him to get the equipment for a mind wipe ready. Foaly winced and muttered a farewell to Artemis. The screen went blank just as Holly entered the house. Foaly heard her voice as the connection closed. Arty?

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"Arty?" Holly called up the stairs.

"In the study." he called back. She walked up and went in to see him leaning against the desk. She picked her helmet up from the counter and tucked it under one arm.

"Well, I'd better get going. Reports to write."

"You're going back to work?" Artemis asked incredulously. She nodded. He shook his head.

"Holly, you've just been seriously injured. Surely, they can cope without you for a few days."

She sighed.

"You sound like Trouble."

She ran a hand through her hair, grimacing at the extra length.

"Besides, I need to get a haircut."

"I like it." Artemis said without thinking. It had a slight kink to it, sticking out a little from her head. Holly dropped her hand and a hunk of it fell in front of her eyes. He smiled and brushed it out of the way, only realising after how close to her this movement put him. He looked into her eyes from centimetres away. She frowned.

"Artemis? Are you ok? You look funny."

He nodded, still looking into her mismatched eyes. It no longer felt odd to have his own eye looking back at him, it was just part of Holly.

"I'm fine."

His hand was still on her cheek, but neither of them made to move it. He took another step towards her, and she dropped the helmet. Neither of them noticed. He hesitated for a moment, then bent down quickly, before he could lose his nerve, and kissed her. He'd been aiming for her cheek, but somehow found her lips instead. For a moment she didn't react, and Artemis tensed for the punch that he was sure would come. She raised her hand and pulled him closer, eyes closing as she kissed him back. She raised herself onto tiptoe and out her arms around his neck. He twined one hand in her hair, the other found a home on her waist. They parted for a second, and he whispered into her mouth.

"I love you, Holly."

It was a lot easier to say than he'd thought it would be. She smiled, and muttered back.

"Love you."

For the time being, she neither recalled nor cared that it was forbidden, just enjoyed the moment. And she was totally happy.