He had lost her. He hater do admit it, but she was gone. Everyone else had accepted it years ago, but not him, no never him. No-one else had known her like he had. Sure, they might've been friends with her, they might've joked with her, laughed with her, fought with her, but he had seen what was really there. They had made a good team, people had said they were amazing partners. But they had been so much more than that. He hadn't felt so truly happy since his wife and child had died, but when he was with her, he felt he was complete, and it was only now, that he realised he would never, ever feel that way again.

But yet he was still looking for a miracle.

"You're late."

"I'm beautiful."

"You're always beautiful."

"I'm always late, too."

He wanted to let go, he was only staying in case of that miracle. He was sick, he was sick of death. He had seen so many people die, he had killed so many people, some who deserved it, some who didn't.

He had seen his beautiful, beautiful wife die, and his sweet little child die in front of his eyes.

Seen three of his close friends die.

One of his best friends die.

And the other. The one who was destined to destroy the world.

And countless others.

"You're one of his nieces, then? You're not stealing anything, you're not breaking anything so I'd guess you're Stephanie."

It had killed him to watch as their friends slowly abandoned her, viewed her as the enemy. Watched as they started to make planes to kill her. Not save her, but kill her. She could still be saved, but no-one else could see it. And it killed him. He was going to save her.

He had to.

HE HAD TO.

"Until the end."

"Until the end."

He was going to save her.

He was going to.

Because she was his.

Valkyrie Cain was his.

Skulduggery pleasant was going to save Valkyrie Cain.

In honour of The Dying Of The Light coming out in 3 days (ohmygod) I decided to write this.

Its set a few years after Darquesse takes control.

Hope you enjoyed it! :3

(I will be updating my other stories soon. I swear.)