A/N: I do have a longer Artemis/Holly piece that I'm close to finishing. In the meantime, I thought I'd post this to amuse a few people. It was written to fulfil a pre-Christmas request on my LJ from pocketcucco. The prompts were "eagle" and "banter."

Prey

When Artemis woke, he was not surprised to find a pair of eyes – one hazel, one blue – fixed on him. The only illumination in the room came from the floor's mood lights, dimmed at this time. The normal bustling of the Argon Clinic had stilled as the staff left for their homes, and the visitors – what few there might have been – had left after the end of visiting hours.

"Isn't it past your bedtime, Captain?" he said.

Holly sat with her feet propped up on the railing of his bed, balancing on the back legs of the chair. "Tomorrow's my day off," she replied, dropping her chair back onto all fours and smiling at him. "I figured you'd wake up eventually."

He'd had a session of electroshock therapy late in the afternoon and it had worn him out. His eyelids had been leaden by the time he'd been returned to his room.

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "And you decided to busy yourself by watching me sleep?"

He had expected a sniff or a sharp retort. Instead, Holly considered him for a moment before saying, "I was trying to decide what you are."

"Not who?"

Holly shook her head, her lips quirked. "I know it's you, Artemis. Orion isn't... subtle."

"I'm afraid I must agree with you on that point," Artemis said, heaving a sigh. He'd had to suffer that fool's presence in his skull for far too long as it was. "So tell me... what am I, Holly?" He'd been expecting something along the lines of a thief or a schemer, and for the second time in as many minutes, he was surprised by her answer.

"Some kind of bird of prey. A hawk maybe or an eagle." He raised an eyebrow. Holly shrugged. "I was thinking about something Foaly said once – this was years back, mind you. He told me you can't be friends with a viper."

"Referencing me, of course. Foaly would choose to speak in zoological metaphors. So, not a viper then but an eagle?" Still lying back in his hospital bed, propped up by a pile of pillows rather too small for his human form, he smiled his vampire smile. "Eagles are seen as a symbol of power in many cultures."

She sniffed. "Is that so." It was not, in fact, a question. Her brow was marred by a slight crinkle as she leaned closer and brushed a few unruly locks of dark hair from his face. "You're due for a haircut. You're starting to look like you've just been through a romp in the time stream."

But like any bird of prey, Artemis was not easily distracted. "It's one of the most common animals to appear in heraldry for that reason. It has been associated with ancient gods such as Horus and Zeus. To bear the emblem of an eagle was to be judicious and ingenious, a true man of action and character."

"Did I say 'eagle'? I meant peacock."

"Oh come now. I do have some good qualities."

"Humility not one among them," Holly muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Are you aware, Holly, of the origin of the word eagle?"

"If I said 'yes,' would that prevent you from explaining it?"

He continued on as if there had been no interruption. "The modern form of the word comes into English from the French 'aigle,' which in turn originates in the Latin 'aquila.'"

"Dark-coloured," she said, as the gift of tongues, natural to all fairies, supplied her with the translation.

He brushed back a strand of black hair and then went on. "They have other notable qualities. The most studied species typically mate for life." He raised an eyebrow. "They're also known for their elaborate and dangerous courtships."

"Just what every girl wants to hear."

"I should think you'd be bored with anything less."

Even in the dim illumination of the mood lights, he could see the slight curl of her lips. "Maybe." She leaned back into her chair. "You're certainly enjoying this avian metaphor."

"The fowl in me, I'm afraid," he said and Holly did crack a smile at this. "Eagles are considered noble animals in most cultures."

She peered at him appraisingly for a moment. "I'm not sure their prey would agree."

"Ah, but I've been known to release my prey – on rare occasions."

He caught her gaze in the darkness. He could still remember the first time he'd done so. She'd been trying to convince him to give himself up before the LEP could launch a bio-bomb on Fowl Manor and he'd looked into those big hazel eyes of hers and assured her that he had a way out of the time-field. Now he possessed one of those hazel eyes, and he found himself staring into one of his own blue ones, a part of himself looking back at him through Holly. It should have been unsettling, but it was oddly comforting.

Holly glanced over her shoulder at the sound of footsteps in the hall outside his room. "That'll be one of the orderlies coming to scold me for staying late."

"Or more likely to order me to sleep as if I were small child."

Irritation sparked through him at the interruption. He had few enough good hours during which he was free of the obsessive symptoms of the Atlantis Complex and not forced to share his psyche with Orion. Doctor Argon was fascinated with Artemis's alter ego and allowed him far more free reign than was necessary, as far as Artemis was concerned. I am the patient; Orion is only a symptom of the disease. He refused to allow his moments of true lucidity, of being fully himself, to be wasted, especially on the order of Argon's low-wage lackeys.

Holly stood to go and Artemis's hand shot out to grip her arm. "Stay." Holly's eyes fell to his hand, grasping her wrist, and for a moment she did not speak. His hand fell away. "Or go if you have to," he said quietly. "It's late. I understand."

The door to his room slid open and the orderly, a plump sprite with deep scowl lines carved into her brow, waddled in. "If you're not getting your rest, Master Fowl, we'll have to give you a sedative. Now–" She broke off as she noticed Holly standing over Artemis's bed. "Oh. Captain Short. It's past visiting hours."

Holly drew herself up to her full height. "This is an LEP matter. I need to clear up a few things with Artemis."

The sprite grumbled something about police interference and clinic regulations and turned on her heel to march back out of the room. Lips quirked, Holly watched her go and then sat back down.

Artemis raised a questioning eyebrow. "I thought you were about to flee the hunter's clutches.

When she caught Artemis's eye, she laughed and reached out to squeeze his hand. "I never did know enough to run when given the chance."

The End