I Could Smell The Roses

The Trusty Time Paradox

Holly POV

I glance down at my hand the next day and stare. This is the hand that held Artemis' on the way home last night. Guilt covers my mind like fog. No. Artemis is the wrong person to fall in love with. He's human. He used to be Public Enemy No.1. He's a mind boggling genius. I can't. But I think I am. Artemis walks beside me, oblivious to the emotional trouble he's causing me. But Artemis Fowl is rarely oblivious. I mustn't let it show or relax, or he'll smell a rat. We are going to an artificial weather park today. I feel like cold weather and Artemis wants to learn how they do it, obviously. Armed with sachets of hot chocolate and blankets, we are off. The weather park is near empty, since the holidays are over. Students would be sitting in their desks studying. The exam season is coming. Artemis has no such qualms, as he lays out the blanket and heats drinks up. And I sit and tell him "today's story " as I call it. I don't leave out a detail, but when I get to the parts in the gorilla cage, I hesitate. Artemis prompts me on with an amused face and looks even more bemused when I finish the bit. He only regains his memory when I mention the sentence.
"Jay jay donated his brain fluid." Then he remembers. And he is no longer amused. In spite of myself, I laugh at the rueful face he's making. Then we stroll around the park. It's built to resemble a winter human park, complete with leave less trees lining the fields of snow. Artemis and I walk under the trees and he sighs,
"I miss Ireland." I don't reply for a minute or two.
"Artemis..." I say hesitatingly. He holds up a hand.
"I think I know what you're driving at." I frown.
"I doubt it." Artemis shrugs.
"If you don't believe me..." And very quickly he grabs me round the waist and kisses me. It's only for a few seconds, but it's enough to warm me to the core. When he steps back, the calmness on his face is gone. He looks worried, lost, like a guilty child got caught stealing lollipops.
"I shouldn't have done that" he whispered. And faster than I've ever seen him move, even when chased by a hoard of goblins, he took off running.
"Artemis!" I called desperately. He ignored me. I wonder what I would have said if he had stopped. I decide not to go there. I sit back and lean against a tree to steady myself. I sit there for ages, just mulling over what happened turning over the kiss in my mind. I decide I need to talk to Artemis. I gather the things and set off on a much slower journey than the way there. When I get home, I just sit for a few minutes and catch my breath, before calling out.
"Artemis! Artemis! We need to talk..." I stand up and wonder over to his room.
"Artemis?" I say uncertainly. I go over the house with a fine tooth comb, and come to one conclusion. Artemis is certainly not at home. I take a deep breath and pick up my communicator. I need to chat with the LEP. Foaly answers, he must know something.
"Foaly, there's something wrong." I say, getting straight to the point,
"Artemis is missing, he may be sulking, but in case-"
"Holly, I know." Foaly interrupts unhappily. I stare,
"How?" The familiar voice of Commander Kelp butts in,
"Holly Short, get your sorry ass over to Police Plaza this instant. We know Artemis is missing because we've got a message. A ransom message. No prizes guessing who's kidnapped. Now get over here before I hire Mulch Diggums to sit in a room with you for a day."