WARNING: CONTINUES DIRECTLY AFTER BOOK 8!

Well, I finished The Last Guardian almost exactly 24 hours ago, almost in one sitting. I would've had this (my first fan-fiction to post here on ) uploaded hours ago but I couldn't decide how I wanted to end it. Originally it was just going to be a one shot but I think I'll keep if going if anyone requests that I do. I'll probably be posting this on DA as well, so I guess we'll see. ^.^

DISCLAIMER: This shouldn't be hard to figure out, but I do not own Artemis, Holly, or any other AF cast members. I am a high school senior from Alabama, not a published author living in Ireland. (However, I am a published poet...that's beside the point.)

ENJOY!

"Tell me," Artemis said, his voice still weak. "How do I know you?"

And so Holly began her story: "It all started in Ho Chi Minh City one summer. It was sweltering by anyone's standards. Needless to say, Artemis Fowl would not have been willing to put up with such discomfort if something extremely important had not been at stake. Important to the plan…"

Artemis listened intently as the petite girl told her story, despite the heaviness in his limbs and eyelids. Parts of it sounded familiar—faces flashed before his eyes at the mention of different names, only to disappear when he tried to hold them in his view—but it all sounded too fantastic, too dangerous…to exciting. But she—Holly—assured him constantly that it was true.

An he was riding on the back of a centaur…who was apparently called Foaly.

iWhat an odd name for a centaur. There's absolutely no originality in it./i

Holly and Butler—he vaguely remembered his body guard but had no idea why on earth he would need one—were just telling him of the troll that had attacked as they were passing through the front door.

Artemis's eyes were wide as he tried to see what they were describing…but it was no good, as he heard something hit the floor. Hard.

He looked around and saw a man who looked oddly familiar…lying on his back on the floor. iFather,/i Artemis thought. He turned back to look at Holly.

"What were we planning to do if my family saw a man/horse hybrid?"

The elf shrugged, trying to hide a smile. "You're the planner, brain boy. I just shoot things and heal people with my mystical fairy powers." Then she really did smile.

"Well, lil Arty," the centaur said, heading into a sitting room and stopping so that Artemis could be helped to sit on the couch. "Somehow I don't think he was looking at me. We haven't gotten to this part yet, but maybe we should skip ahead. You were dead—"

"Missing," Holly interrupted.

Artemis frowned at her tiredly. "Missing?"

"But presumed dead," she assured him, a little wild-eyed. "You were gone for six months. I'm sure your parents never thought they'd see you again."

"And you three just magically found me…in the front yard?"

Holly smiled at a spot an inch over Artemis's left shoulder. "I iam/i magical, remember?"

"Timmy?"

Artemis jumped at the sound of his mother's voice. "Mother?" His voice was quiet, strained.

"Timmy, what happened?"

Artemis Senior muttered something unintelligible and Artemis Junior stood shakily. "Mum?" Artemis called out, his voice cracking.

He tried to head to the door, to his parents, but he stumbled. Holly caught his elbow and kept him upright.

"Arty, I wouldn't just yet—"

"Arty?" Angeline Fowl called hysterically, searching for her son.

She appeared in the doorway and froze, shaking her head. "No. It's not…possible. Arty?"

Artemis nodded his throat dry. He had a feeling that it was not like him to get emotional, but he felt a tear run down his face. "Moth—Mum, I'm home."

Angeline shook her head for a moment more before running to embrace her son, her slight frame shaking. "There's no way—it can't be—"

And Angeline saw the red-haired elf whom Artemis himself had described so perfectly—Why, it was Holly! …And she was shaking her head. iDon't say dead,/i her eyes seemed to say. iHe doesn't need to know that./i

Angeline pulled away from her son and caressed his cheek, felt his forehead, looked into his eyes. "Arty? How can you really be home?"

Artemis smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I just woke up…and there were people in my face."

"Angeline?"

Artemis Senior stumbled into the room and stared at his oldest son, eyes wide. "Oh my God…"

Angeline turned to her husband and sniffled, trying to smile. "I'm not the only one who sees him, right? Come and feel him. Dear, I think our Arty's really come home, this time."

Artemis (the son) frowned but swallowed his questions, deciding to leave them for a later date.

His father staggered around the sofa and sank to his knees beside his wife, in front of his eldest son, his expression disbelieving but his eyes trying to mask his last shred of hope. He reached out and touched the boy's shoulder, his face, his hair. "Your eyes…they're back to normal?"

Artemis frowned some more but nodded. Then he decided that he couldn't take it anymore. Memories were flooding back, some more hazy and vague than others—but he idid/i remember up til dragging Nopal to the rendezvous with Opal and he was suddenly so glad to be alive, to be with his parents, and to have his dear friends so close by. He threw his arms around both his parents and sobbed for all he was worth, not caring about the calm persona he'd always commanded or the reputation he'd so carefully created. For once, he was going to be just a boy—not a juvenile genius—who had missed his parents…and who had almost died…a few dozen times.

Holly smiled at the sight of the Fowl Family reunion, however incomplete it was without the twins. She decided that she would leave mesmerizations for later—and hide Foaly now before Artemis the First regained his vision. Her ears could be hidden by her now-longish hair but Holly didn't think that today would be a good time for Mr. Fowl to meet a centaur. They'd already had too many close calls and Artemis's return from the dead should be enough for anyone for one day.

"Foaly," she hissed, pushing her quadrupedal friend toward the door. "Go back to the shuttle. I'll be there soon."

"Oh, sure. I better not be waiting long—"

"Go!" she almost shouted, her frustration evident.

Artemis Senior looked up just in time to see Foaly's tail swish out of the room. His eyes fell on Holly and she hurriedly checked to make sure her ears were covered. iMy hair's gotten so shaggy… It's no wonder that Trouble's only given me menial assignments lately. I've been so out of it./i

"You," he said uncertainly. "You and Butler brought him home?"

Holly nodded, not trusting herself to speak. iYou're a LEP recon captain. Stop crying and take care of business./i

Arty's father reached out his large hand and shook Holly's. This man's grip made her feel like a child, made her realize how much taller Artemis could still become.

"Thank you."

Holly nodded again and tried to back out of the room. iWhy haven't I gotten out of here already? I'm breaking so many regulations right now./i

Butler put a hand on her shoulder and led his tiny friend out of the room and down to the kitchen, where he began to fix breakfast. It was only five in the morning, but somehow he felt that no one would be going back to sleep. He couldn't wait to see Myles's and Beckett's faces when they saw their older brother.

Butler glanced over at Holly. "Why did you lie to him, Holly? He'll figure it out sooner or later—probably sooner. Will it be any easier then?"

Holly shrugged, avoiding the man-mountain's gaze. "I'll fix it. His father's not supposed to know about us, so he can't know what really happened. Why should Artemis, if he doesn't remember?"

Butler sighed and shook his head. "All this will do is cause more confusion later on," he mumbled to himself. Aloud, he asked Holly "Will you be staying for breakfast?"

Holly shook her head. "Foaly's waiting. I need to go. And besides, I'm a vegetarian."

Butler nodded. "Well, make sure you say goodbye to Artemis before you leave. He may have some more questions."

Holly sighed. "We're supposed to be in Haven right now for Mulch's ceremony. Will you tell him for me? Tell him…that I'll be back tomorrow, if I can."

Butler nodded. "Take care, Captain Short."

Holly smiled and saluted before shielding and stepping out the back door.

Let me know if anyone wants me to continue. I'm so swamped with summer reading and band camp preparations that it might take a while but I'll do my best. Have a nice day/night/etc.!

~A. J. Dawes