I own nothing it all belongs to dearest Derek Landy

Dexter sat on the stairs outside Valkyries home at 2 in the morning , it used to be Gordon's but Val inherited it. It was about two weeks after the war and they had all moved into her house because it was big enough. Everyone in the house was feeling rather depressed that day due to the release of the amount of people killed during the war. It had shocked them all to the core, especially Valkyrie.

He couldn't believe Erskine Ravel, an old and trusted ex-friend, had betrayed them and tried to kill Ghastly and Anton. They were still recovering from their wounds and it hurt Dexter everytime he looked at the scars because he had trusted that man with his life and the lives of those he cared about. God he wished Ravel was alive so he could kill him personally.

He continued to smoke his cigarette, a habit he'd picked up after being sold due to stress, and thought about the nothings of general life.

His mind wandered and took him to thoughts of his past, thoughts of his childhood, his abusive mother and the tortures he and his little sister had to endure. He didn't know if she was alive, if she had escaped or if she had been sold like he had. It broke his heart to think of what she could be enduring at the hands of Neachan, his mother.

Dexter looked down and his left forearm, where a massive, lumpy scar mutilated his skin. It was the last injury he revived from his mother as a 'brand' of her ownership before he was sold. Luckily he was bought by a gentleman who taught him everything he needed to know about his powers. Dexter would never forget him, just as he would never forget his sister, Torn Venite.

Dexter flicked his cigarette butt into the ashtray on the step beside him, kissed the necklace that Torn had given him, she had the exact same one, and turned to go into the house to take a nap. He figured he should sleep at some point .

Xxxx

Valkyrie had woken up screaming again. Like the rest of the house, she had nightmares, possibly worse than the others did because of Darquesse.

She was wiping the tears from her face when she heard a quiet knock on her door before Dexter entered and came to sit beside her. He took one look at her face before he swept her up into a hug holding her to his naked chest.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep Skulduggery poked his head around the door and, since she wasn't quite asleep yet, Valkyrie glanced up and stared at him then burst into another onslaught of tears.

'So the nightmare was about him' Dexter thought as he stood up and let Skulduggery go to her instead.

Dexter left the room with the intention of going back over to his room a few doors down but something stopped him at the stairs. He heard the floorboards creak in the room beneath him and, not one for taking any chances, summoned his purple energy in to a hand and slowly padded down the stairs.

Dexter peeked around the corner and saw a shadow - A Saracen sized shadow. He smiled. Dexter sauntered into the room letting his energy disappate and went to stand beside Saracen, who had a large glass of whiskey in his hand and was swaying slightly, obviously drunk.

For all the confidence Saracen had, very few knew that he was affected by the wars too, more than he let on. Dexter was one of the few who had seen Saracen break. He had been there when he was crying, when he was screaming, when he was throwing things around the room, and talking to figures who weren't there. Dexter knew that Saracen was affected by this just as much as everyone else.

Dexter took the glass from Saracen and sat him on the sofa before going and getting blankets, a pillow and a large glass of water along with some painkiller leaves. Dexter lay Saracen down and sat on the other sofa with a book to keep his best friend company.

An hour later Dexter looked up from his book to see that Saracen had fallen asleep and had managed to throw a cover onto the floor. Dexter smiled, much like a parent would over a child, and stood up and stretched his aching muscles. He picked up the blanket and covered his friend once more whispering, "Sweet Dreams, Buddy." Before quietly taking himself off to bed once again.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The next day was attacked with renewed vigour by all in the home. They were all brighter eyed and bushier tailed and eager to put everything behind them.

Dexter walked into the kitchen to see Ghastly draped over Tanith and talking to Valkyrie and Skulduggery about what to do that day.

"How about we go ice-skating?" Dexter suggested from the doorway. He hadn't been ice-skating in a while and it reminded him of his sister - it was one of the few things she was allowed to enjoy freely. Valkyrie nodded,

"That's not a bad idea Dex. But would you two be up to it?" She asked looking from Ghastly, who shrugged and nodded saying he'll try it, to Anton who had just arrived at the door frame, also saying he would give it a shot.

"Well that's that then. Ice-skating it is. Also has anyone seen Saracen?" Skulduggery asked after noticing that he was the only one not there.

"Yeah, he was drunk last night so he's asleep in the study or at least should be" Dexter replied. "I'll go check on him."

He sauntered into the study whistling to himself and found Saracen on the sofa still asleep. He shook him gentle and when Saracen murmured Dexter said "Get up Idiot. We're going ice skating." And with that he left Saracen to get up and dressed.

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Two hours later, The Dead Men were bundled into the back of Ghastlys van, chatting excitedly about ice skating. The chatter continued all the way to the rink.

They paid to get in rented their skates and were soon on ice.

Twenty minutes later the dead men were all crying at Skulduggery. Ten minutes in, he had demanded that Dexter take him to the middle of the rink which, he had said, would force him to learn quicker. It hadn't worked.

Currently his arms were flailing wildly, almost hitting anyone that came to close. His legs were almost out from under him and he kept alternating between running backwards and forwards. Every so often he would manage to get his balance then try to take a step and it'd start all over again.

On the jouney back home he stated that "Even though I had trouble being upright I still had more grace than all of you put together." To which he got smacked hard.

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They were in their respective rooms when the door bell rang. Valkyrie shouting that'd she'd get it left them all to do what they wanted. Those downstairs heard a faint conversation and after heard the door shut and more than one pair of feet walk into the living room. Two minutes later they all heard Valkyrie shouting "Boys get down here. We've got paying customers."

Naturally the word "paying" had them all intrigued so they wandered down to see.

Dexter was the last to arrive and hadn't looked up from his phone when Valkyrie said "So who is it you'd like our help with?"

Dexter tucked his phone away, pulled up his jeans, looked up and froze. The young woman across from them was small, muscular and heavily tattoos. She had long golden curly hair and shocking green eyes, dressed in black leather and high heeled boots, with a red backless top, she was ethereal.

She looked to where Dexter had stopped moving in shock. Her eyes widened then she smiled. "Dexter so good to see you after 300 years." She stood and smiled at him shakily.

"T.. T...Torn?" He stuttered and charged at her pulling her into a bear hug before breaking down in tears. Shocking every person in the room the siblings wept and didn't let go like they were forced to all those years ago.

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Ta for reading let me know if you want more xxx