Ok, listening to this song at the moment and felt like writing this, my first songfic so be nice and review with suggestions for improvements... please? One shot, depressing angst probably.

I own nothing... at all. The characters are Eoin Colfer's and the song is "The End of the World" by Vonda Shepard.

---

The light shimmered off the waves, rainbows glowing in the spray raised up by the leaping dolphins. The beauty did nothing to make her feel any better as she hovered above the water, silently adding to it. The dolphins were so free, so beautiful, a perfect embodiment of the hope that had been drained out of her soul.

Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?

"Holly? Holly...? Holly talk to be darlin'" The centaur cared and that hurt her more, because he didn't.

"Captain Short talk to me... I'll have your badge." the commander's voice faded into a feeble plea.

"Holly, you must talk, you'll destroy yourself with this silence. And us." Artemis words were dead to her.

"Holls... you've got to talk, please, we need you to be well. I need you to be well. Holly please. Talk to us. Talk to me." The on;y response Trouble had was a slight shudder as a wave of new tears washed her cheeks.

None of them understood. The couldn't. He hadn't cared, it had all been a myth, every part of it. All her life he had lied to her. Pretended to her. And he died before she knew the truth. His death had nearly destroyed her, and all for nothing. He didn't love her. He didn't care. A perfect charade.

Don't they know it's the end of the world
'Cause you don't love me any more?

She switched off the sound. She couldn't listen to them, it hurt too much. Their love and friendship was too great, she wouldn't hurt them with her weakness, not in ten thousand years. He had lied to her

The calls of the dolphins drifted off into the distance, they wanted to know what was wrong, but they had to reach warm waters before the cold or their pups would die. They cared for their children. They called for her to come with them, some had even pushed her feet with their noses, trying to force her to see sense. But she wouldn't budge and eventually they had to leave their efforts and move on.

The stars smiled on her face, their light refracted by the water clensing it. There was no warmth in their glow, only a dead resignation and pity tempered with remorse. They were too far away to help and she wouldn't even acknoledge their efforts.

Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?

They let the clouds cover their radiance, leaving the fragile elf alone in the darkness as she wished. Only the moon remained, unable to leave her child alone in the world to face her deamons alone. Not that the moon could help her, just warm her, and give her hope if she wanted it. Helplessness is a bitter thing.

It ended when I lost your love.

He had never cared for her. The words of the letter echoed in her mind. She mouthed them silently and tears flowed into her mouth.

Julius,

You loved my wife, I know it but that girl is my child. DNA doesn't lie. Seeing as there is no way out of this, I thought that I might as a favour on behalf of my ... ahem ... deceased wife. Holly wants to go into policing, don't understand why, but I brought her up well. It fitted the charade you see. Anway, my daughter doesn't have a clue concerning my past and current affairs, and as this is a secret arrest I ask, on behalf of my wife, that no one tell Holly my true character. You see. I actually loved my wife (much as it may surprise you), she just got in the way, never marry a clever fairy! Well, you're officers are here now I shall probably kill a few before they get me. I shall look out for your cousin, please give him a good funeral. Just time to wish my daughter goodbye... I can phone her in time.

Yours

F. T. Short

Holly hadn't said a word to the commander since reading that. He had found it open on his desk. She didn't know how much he had cursed himself for not destroying it, the last insult from his childhood friend. She didn't know the tears he had shed when they found her note or the threats he had made to the centaur if he didn't find her. She hadn't spoken to anyone for 3 days and taken the first shuttle out that she could, today.

Each day had been a torment. Trapped in the world that didn't know the truth. A city filled with beings who still loved, cared and hoped for better things. Held hostage by other people's joy in life and annyance at it's pettie difficulties. The coffee machine broken, a witness missing, more paperwork...

I wake up in the morning and I wonder
Why ev'rything's the same as it was.
I can't understand, no I can't understand
How life goes on the way it does

She was free now, free from anyone. Free from their sufforcating love. They didn't understand. They couldn't. They didn't know the truth. Except for Julius and he had lied to her too. He had loved her mother. He had lied to her, just like her father.

She could do what she wanted now. Do anything...

Or nothing...

He entire life had been someone elses lie. She had lived it for them. It wasn't her life. It wasn't true.

The water swirled underneath her, a mixture of deep blue/black and glittering silver, ripples over a sheet of silk. The hidden depths were as mysterious as the life she had never lived. The life that had been stolen from her. She didn't have to live his lie for him.

Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when you said goodbye

She opened the connection, "Goodbye"

Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when you said goodbye.

The water was cold around her, enveloping her, protecting her, saving her from a life that wasn't hers. She heard someone call her name before the connection short-circuited. She wasn't sure who it was, but that didn't matter now.

The lie was over.

It ended when you say goodbye.