A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Ghastly, Valkyrie, or Wreath. Val is about 24 here. Um, this gets kinda angsty and Val cries, a lot. But I was feeling pretty depressed when I wrote it. That's what I get for listening to sad music when I write. Spoilers, obviously.
I was approaching Ghastly's office when I heard it. That wonderful velvety voice I loved so much. Only today it sounded irritated. "I just wish she'd grow up and learn to stand on her own two feet, Ghastly. I'm so tired of having to deal with her childishness." I stopped, frozen. Surely Skulduggery didn't mean me? But who else could he mean? I turned on my heel and left the Sanctuary, getting in my car and activating Plan B. Plan B was for when I knew Skulduggery no longer wanted to be partners. I'd always knew the day would come, but that day of all days? The day I planned on telling him how I felt for him? As least he has spared me that shame.
Crying, I found it a little hard to drive, but I got back to the mansion and grabbed the bag I had packed and waiting. I tossed my mobile on the driveway outside, then smashed it with my heel. I was cutting all ties, for as long as it would take.
Now I was somewhere, I wasn't even sure where, I'd changed so many planes. The US, I figured from the grating accents all around me as I disembarked. I got to my hotel, and only then did I let the tears come, feeling just like the child Skulduggery had called me. No, he had said I was childish, and I supposed crying because I'd lost him was childish. Didn't adults cry? It didn't help that I'd been in love with him, and very ashamed of myself for years because of it. I saw the way he looked at China and other women his age. Like they were women, like he desired and loved them.
But me? He'd get a fond smile on his face like I was a pet he was rather fond of. That's right, Valkyrie, the cute little puppy to follow Skulduggery around. I started to cry again, hating myself for my weakness. Skulduggery Pleasant didn't love me and that was all there was to it.
I spent four months, just traveling aimlessly, letting go of Skulduggery, letting go of the Sanctuary, letting go of being a detective, all of it. I still didn't want to go home to Ireland since I had nobody there to be honest. All my friends were really Skulduggery's friends. I felt like crying when I realized I was truly alone in the world. I'd given up my family to be his partner and work at the Sanctuary. They wouldn't even know me now if I tried, the Sanctuary had seen to that to protect magic. Magic, I hated magic. I hadn't used it in four months and I didn't feel all that different, though I knew I was.
I was standing on my own two feet, and I was alone, truly alone without friends or family for the first time in my life. I had the money to go anywhere, to be anyone, but I didn't want to be anywhere but home, back in Ireland. I sat in my lonely hotel room that night and cried. I could never go home because I could never look at Skulduggery again, knowing he'd always see me as a child and not a woman to be loved. I was in Canada now, in Niagara Falls. I went to my window and studied them. Who would even care if I leapt? Not one person.
No, not true, I would. But as I huddled into myself I wondered if the misery and pain would ever end. I left my room and walked down to the falls, watching all the tourists enjoy them, watching families and lovers and newlyweds. Why couldn't I have that? Was I that terrible, that childish that he'd never see me as a woman? I was angry with myself now. I had to let go of the past and start over. I wondered if it would hurt to fall that distance, to slam into the water would be like hitting concrete. There had to be better deaths that this.
I turned away, knowing I was still very much a child. I hadn't stopped wishing in all that time, not even for a moment that somebody, anybody would have come to my rescue. The Sanctuary had to know where I was, I knew they did. They just don't care, I realized. Skulduggery had no doubt made a grand speech about how my running off proved I was a child. So be it. I'd never go home to Ireland again, never use magic. I almost ran into a man with dark sunglasses and his collar turned up and skirted him.
I no longer paid attention to people as Skulduggery had taught me to because I didn't care anymore if I was attacked. I wouldn't even defend myself, just let the end come. I felt the man start to follow me and led him away from the crowds, away from safety, into the dark night, dangerously close to the river's edge.
I heard him approach and something inside me snapped. Fine, so Skulduggery didn't love me, fine, I was feeling sorry for myself and having a grand sulk, but nobody in this world was worth dying over, certainly not a man who didn't care if I lived or died. I turned on the man who had followed me in a rage, massing my shadows and not caring if a mortal saw them because they'd be the last thing he'd ever see. I lashed out and he brought up a wall of his own shadows. A Necromancer then.
We fought to a standstill and I realized there was something about him that was familiar, but off at the same time. Of course the way his hands moved, the way he fought. But he was wearing a ring, like mine, not wielding a cane. "Hello, Wreath." I growled and he laughed in delight, removing his sunglasses and lowering his collar.
"Fancy meeting you here, Valkyrie. Where, oh, where is your precious Skulduggery? Don't tell me he turned his back on you? I could have told you that would happen, but no, you were loyal to a selfish, self-centered, egotistical-" I slammed a wall of shadows into him, catching him by surprise and he screamed as he tumbled backwards into the water. A few seconds later horrified tourists were screaming as the body of a man tumbled over the falls, showcased in a dazzling light show as it fell. I laughed and returned to my room finding a message waiting for me.
I was to call a number immediately. I recognized the number for the Irish Sanctuary and crumbled it up in my room then let it burn in a summoned flame. If they didn't care about me until they needed me they could join Wreath for all I cared, every last one of them.
Note: At one time you could get fairly and dangerously close to the falls, trust me on this one. And I am really sorry about killing Wreath but I needed a bad guy here.
