Song used: Nothing Lasts Forever - Maroon 5

It is so easy to see
Dysfunction between you and me
We must free up these tired souls
Before the sadness kills us both

Holly glanced at him sitting next to her.
“Sorry about earlier. You know, the thing.”
“The kiss?” Artemis was content not to look embarrassed. Artemis and Holly were sitting on top of the hood of a car, parked in McGraney’s farm, in Tara, Ireland. It was the dawn of a new day. Slits of orange spilled out over the dark canvas of blue.
“Yes. I don’t know what’s happening to me. We’re not even the same species. And when we go back, we will be ourselves again.” Holly covered her face with a free hand. Holly felt so young and free, like a teenager, and Artemis on the other hand, had grown to be the size of a seventeen-year-old. Ever since Holly and Artemis had gone through the time stream, they felt like a couple of teenagers, losing their selves in love with each other.

I tried and tried to let you know
I love you but I’m letting go
It may not last but I don’t know
Just don’t know

“It wasn’t you, Holly,” Artemis blurted, his forehead hot, his calm cracked.
Holly’s smile froze, still there but puzzled. “What wasn’t me?”
Artemis did it now. There was no way out but the truth. Artemis knew that Holly would probably hate him for saying it.
“You didn’t infect my mother. I did it. It was me. I had a few sparks left over from the tunnel, and I made my parents forget I’d been missing for three years.”
There was sudden silence and then Holly’s smile was gone. “But you … and I thought …” she paused letting the truth complicate the entire situation. Artemis was determined to explain himself. He knew he just ruined their relationship. And just when things got so great.

If you don’t know
Then you can’t care
And you show up
But you’re not there
But I’m waiting
And you want to
Still afraid that I will desert you

“I had to do it, Holly. Mother is dying … will be dying. I needed to be certain of your help … Please understand …” Artemis had confessed.
Holly would help no matter what the conditions. Artemis had blackmailed me, and he knew it, Holly thought. How cruel.
Artemis trailed off, realizing that there was no explaining away his actions. He gave Holly a couple minutes to fume. What had he done?
“If there had been another way, Holly, believe me.” No reaction. Holly’s face was carved in stone. She did believe him, that he was a liar. A true Fowl, thought Holly. Now she knew for sure that Artemis Fowl would lie or even conspire just to save family. She witnessed this twice already.

Everyday
With every worthless word we get more far away
The distance between us makes it so hard to stay
But nothing lasts forever, but be honest babe
It hurts but it may be the only way

“Please, Holly. Say something.” Artemis pleaded.
“Fifteen minutes are up,” she said. “Time to move out.”
How’s that for saying something, she thought. Every image of Artemis she was seeing was right through him.
Artemis thought back earlier, when Holly had healed him, and their little conversation:
“Holly,” he said when his vision had cleared. His smile was sincere and grateful.”You saved me again.”
Holly was laughing and crying at the same time, tears spilling onto Artemis’ chest.
“Of course I saved you,” Holly had said. “I couldn’t do without you.” And because she was happy and flushed with magic, Holly leaned down and kissed Artemis, magic sparking around the contact like tiny fireworks. Artemis missed that moment dearly.

A bed that’s warm with memories
Can heal us temporarily
The misbehaving only makes
The ditch between us so damn deep

Extraordinary, thought Artemis. What have I lost?
There was nothing to do but trudge after her.
Artemis got into the shuttle for Morocco, along with Holly and Mulch.
Holly had just finished telling Artemis the explanation she will tell the LEP because of the mysterious shuttle that disappeared.
Artemis was determined to give the mission every chance of success. So if a question had to be asked, he would ask it.
“Will that work?” he finally asked. Holly shrugged. “I doubt it. There’s probably a smart missile waiting for us on the other side of that door.”
“Really?” Artemis asked stupidly. “No. I’m lying. Not nice, is it?” Holly said purposely to make Artemis feel guilty.

Built a wall around my heart
I’ll never let it fall apart
But strangely I wish secretly
It would fall down while I’m asleep

Artemis shook his head miserably. He would have figure out a way to make it up to Holly.
“And can we fly without a paddle?”
Holly and Mulch shared a rudely loud laugh and a couple words in Gnommish too fast for Artemis to catch. He did think he heard the Gnommish word for moron.
“Yes, Mud Boy. We can fly without a paddle, unless you’re planning to scrape some residue from the tunnel walls. Usually we leave that to the robots.” Holly said, seeming to enjoy it.
Artemis had forgotten how crossing Holly could be with people, or in this case mud men, she wasn’t fond of. This moment was going to sting for a while until Holly could forgive Artemis.

If you don’t know
Then you can’t care
And you show up
But you’re not there
But I’m waiting
And you want to
Still afraid that I will desert you, babe

Mulch sang a few bars of the old human song “You’ve lost that love feeling.” He crooned at Holly, clutching an imaginary microphone in their fist.
Holly lost her smile, and suddenly Mulch realized now was not the time to tease Holly.
Holly decided it was time to end the chitchat.
“Buckle up, boys,” she said, then suddenly dropped into a steep dive, down an enormous hole, like dropping a peanut into the mouth of a hungry hippo.

Everyday
With every worthless word we get more far away
The distance between us makes it so hard to stay
But nothing lasts forever, but be honest babe
It hurts but it may be the only way

Holly tried hard to enjoy the experience of flying and forget everything else. Being a pilot for the LEP was what she had dreamed since childhood. As she cut yet another corner with inches to spare, and felt the shuttle strain to its limits in her hands, the tension drained from her body as though absorbed by the craft.
Everything she thought was now forgiven, in her mind that is. The lies Artemis told were only for his mother. He is truly just a boy who wants to see his mother live. Holly would have done the same thing to save her mother, including manipulating her friends. She could understand what Artemis had done - even though she felt it was unnecessary - but that did not mean she could forgive him yet. And how could she forget it? It felt as though she had completely misjudged their friendship.

Tough we have not hit the ground
It doesn’t mean we’re not still falling,
Oh I want so bad to pick you up
But you’re still too reluctant to accept my help
What a shame, I hope you find somewhere to place the blame
But until then the fact remains

Artemis knew by reading Holly’s body language, that she was depressed. And there was a way to make it up to her. There was someone she did not get the chance to say good-bye to. Artemis wondered if there was a field holograph pack on one of the storage rails. At the moment the Holly from the time period they were in, since they traveled back from the future, was working on her Hamburg assignment. Holly called Root from the era they were in, and thanked him for being her commander and said good-bye. She cried during the call but assured the commander that it was interference in the holograph to avoid suspicions. She knew once she got back to her own time, that the commander would be long dead. When the holograph call ended she hugged and kissed Artemis until he was blushing all over. Artemis was sure he was back Holly’s good books now.

Everyday
With every worthless word we get more far away
The distance between us makes you so hard to stay
Nothing lasts forever, but be honest babe
It hurts but it may be the only way

Everyday
With every worthless word we get more far away
The distance between us makes it so hard to stay
But nothing lasts forever, but be honest babe
It hurts but it may be the only way

Some other stories by BabyGrouch:

• PROMise Me
• Cry For You