Remember Me [An AF OneShot]

The smell was terrible. It smelt like death, like sickness, and Holly felt like she might bolt. She'd never gotten used to hospitals. She never would, if she could help it.

But she was here for a reason. Shielded, she hovered over the nurses and doctors, trying to think. What room? Urgent, he'd said.

She knew what he meant.

After flying around for a bit, lost, she came across room 105. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open, not really caring if mud men were on the other side.

Thankfully for the People, the room was empty, minus the patient. The emaciated man had so many tubes sticking out of him, so many machines-

Snap out of it! Holly told herself. Cautiously, she made her way over to the man's bed. He didn't look old, really, more sunken, diseased... Holly placed a tentative hand on his arm, and his eyes slowly opened. She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Hello Artemis."

The man smiled back, before coughing into his sleeve. "I hate it here, Holly," he complained, sitting up and resting his weight on his elbows.

Holly nodded, a silent 'me too'. "Urgent?" she inquired, nervously.

Artemis forced another smile onto his face, taking her hand in his. "I wanted to say goodbye, properly."

Holly stared at him, blinking back tears. "You're not going to die. You can't die."

"Yes, I am," he said firmly. He jerked his hand back when he noticed the sparks playing around it. "I am one hundred and eighty-three years old. We have been doing this for over eighty years now Holly!" He drew in a slow breath, and one of the registers made an odd spike. "I should long since be dead."

Holly paused, trying not to cry. She wouldn't, she wouldn't... "Why call me? Just me?"

Artemis chuckled, albeit rather weakly. "Can you imagine Mulch's bedside manner? Or Foaly's?"

Holly smiled. "True." She took his hand again, not healing it this time. "So...what now?"

Artemis coughed again, and for one heart-stopping moment, Holly thought that was it. But then he spoke, and Holly allowed herself to breathe. "First, I'm leaving any money to you, Foaly, and Mulch, including gold. Use it how you wish. Everything else goes to... Whoever is of the Fwl descent right now. Myles' grandson, I believe? Or his great-grandson..." Artemis furrowed his brow, annoyed. His mind was failing him. He leaned back, tired of supporting his weight.

Holly opened her mouth to say something, but a loud BLIP from behind her interrupted. She whirled around, looking for the machine that was doing it. BLIP.

"Well, that's not good," remarked Artemis, as though they were discussing the weather, "Or is it?"

BLIP.

"Artemis, what does that mean?" asked Holly, turning around to face her friend. He simply smiled at her, more blissful than his smile had been in years.

"Goodbye, Holly," he whispered, squeezing her hand. BLIP. "Don't forget me." He drew another, painfully slow, breath. BLIP. "I love you,"

"Artemis, no, no, no!" said Holly, tears flowing freely now. She leaned in closer, trying to get his attention, to save him, to do anything! In response, he struggled up and kissed her forehead. BLIP. "Artemis, stay with me, please, please, please." BLIP. Magic completely forgotten, Holly shook her friend's hand, and he leaned back. BLIP.

Artemis's eyelids fluttered closed.

BLIP. BLIP.

"Remember me, Holly." he muttered. BLIP. "Remember our adventures together. Don't..." BLIP. BLIP.

"Don't what, Arty? Don't what?" Holly's voice cracked, and she held Artemis's hand like a lifeline. BLIP.

"Don't be sad. You... You have so much time left." BLIP. BLIP. BLIPBLIPBLIP. "Just promise you'll remember."

"I promise, Arty, I promise," choked out Holly. BLIPBLIPBLIPBLIP-

Suddenly, only a whining noise was left, without break. The machines all around stopped spiking, stopped reacting...

Flat.

Artemis's hand went slack in Holly's, and his breath stopped.

"No!" screamed Holly, dropping her friend's arm and shaking him like a rag doll. "Artemis, WAKE UP!" When there was no reaction, she let him drop, sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh, gods, Artemis..." She buried her head in her arms, resting them on the pillow that once belonged to Artemis Fowl the Second.

Remember me, he'd said. Remember me.

Holly never forgot.