Valkyrie smiled with anticipation as she turned the dial on the cd player so that the music was blasting through the house. Within seconds her little sister came squealing into the room, waving her arms excitedly. Valkyrie laughed at Alice's antics and started to dance along to the beat. Alice yelled and giggled, and soon the two were jumping up and down, doing their craziest dance moves, each trying to outdo the other, causing hysterical laughter in the process. After half an hour, both were ridiculously out of breath, and Valkyrie collapsed on the sofa. Of course that then meant that Alice had to jump on top off her.
"You're pretty heavy for a five year old you know!" Valkyrie said, pretending that all the breath had been driving out of her. Alice shook her head wildly, causing her pigtails to whip from side to side, and yelled "No!" giggling nonstop. "No?!" Valkyrie said with mock outrage. "I'm your older sister, if I say you're heavy then you're heavy!" Alice shook her head again, grinning like a loon. "Right that's it! Come here!" Alice screamed with laughter as Valkyrie hoisted her younger sister in the air by her ankles, dangling her over the floor and pretending to drop her.
This went on for a minute or so before Alice started shouting "Skul! Skul!" Valkyrie put her sister down and watched as she ran over to where Skulduggery was leaning against the door frame, wrapping her small arms around his waist. He tilted his head in a smile and rested his hand on the top of her head. "Hello Alice" he said with some amusement.
Suspicious, Valkyrie asked him "How long have you been stood there?"
"Oh, not long" he said airily. She narrowed her eyes at him playfully "Uh huh, sure" she said, unconvinced. After a pause, he couldn't contain himself any loafer and spoke.
"Well Alice, I don't know about you, but I would say that you're much better dancer than your big sister there" Valkyrie rolled her eyes as Alice yelled her enthusiastic agreement. "I knew you were lying" she said, rolling her eyes. Alice giggled and pulled Skulduggery away into the kitchen to show him her new toy. Valkyrie followed at a slower pace and copied Skulduggery's earlier stance, leaning against the door frame and watching the two together, Alice explaining in great detail the life of her new teddy bear. Looking at them together like this, she could almost see what he must have been like with his own child, all those years ago.
Smiling gently, she walked into the room and joined them.