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This fanfiction was inspired by a simple question, one that came to me while stacking wood (so when people told me manual labour was good for me, they actually meant it), and that question was, to put simply, what if? And there are many answers to this question, as many, if not more, as there are endings to that very question. And the answer to my question is this fanfiction, which I humbly present to you as my tenth fanfiction. So I present to you What If, a Skulduggery Pleasant fanfic brought about the question of what if... Skulduggery's wife and child never died? What would Skulduggery do, and what would happen to Valkryie, if someone managed to find a way to save Skulduggery's wife and child? All these questions and more, answered in this fanfiction.

-llamalovesdragons

P.S Disclaimer: The characters in this fanfiction, unless made up, belong to Derek Landy and Harper Collins UK publishers and any similarities to actual events or people, real or fictional, are purely coincidental and come from the mind of llamalovesdragons. She only owns the characters she made up. But you are welcome to use them. Just let me know and I'll check out your fanfic ;)

P.P.S I use the same name in all my Fanfics for Skulduggery's wife, Moon Ivory. Just letting you know.

P.P.P.S I write really long author's note. Think of it as a way I try to connect to you. So please don't ignore them. If I have any interesting moments with my personalities, it generally shows up in my author's notes. Or they reveal little answers to questions people ask in their reviews. But they normally aren't so long in the rest of the chapters. Just the first one.

P.P.P.P.S Speaking of reviews, please review. I actually like being told what I'm doing wrong. It allows me to improve the way I write, and you get a better story out of it. It's a win-win situation. So please review.

1

A Surprising Twist to a Regular Day

"I love accusing people of murder," Skulduggery Pleasant said. He wore a tanned face, with short cut black hair and blue eyes.

"You still haven't told where we are going," Valkyrie Cain replied. She yawned.

"I think it brings people closer."

"Or it makes them hate you, especially if you're wrong about it. Like Scarab," Valkyrie pointed out.

"Who?" Skulduggery asked, clearly not listening.

Valkyrie scowled."Skulduggery, Darquesse learnt how to resurrect the dead and released all the ones still alive, and now every bad guy we have ever fought is walking around, plotting how to kill you and let Darquesse take over me, as well as bring the back the Faceless Ones and destroy the Sanctuary."

"Accusing someone of murder brings about this instant connection. Like falling in love. Or seeing someone fall over." Skulduggery prattled on, oblivious to what she was saying.

Valkyrie took a deep breath. "Skulduggery, I'm pregnant with your child."

"Murder's have allways interested me. The story you can read behind the scenes tells you more about a person than anything else."

Valkyrie glared at him. "You aren't even listening to me, are you?"

"Of course. Every bad guy we ever fought is wandering around, looking to kill me and release Darquesse, and you're pregnant with my child," Skulduggery said happily.

"Why didn't you react?" Valkyrie asked.

"We're partners. I leant how to realise when you talk crap."

"But what if I was serious?" Valkyrie pressed.

Skulduggery shrugged. "I figured we could beat everyone again if we had too, and I'm a skeleton. To put it delicatly, I don't have any organs. The chances of me getting you pregnant are almost as bad as us getting sent back in time."

"I don't quite know what to say to that," Valkyrie said. Skulduggery smiled and got out of the Bentley. Valkyrie followed him as he led her around the side of the house. Something clicked as the walked past a rockery as high as Valkyrie's hip. She stiffened and looked around. Skulduggery searched around while Valkyrie checked out the rock pile. She ran her hands over the rocks at the bottom when something gave underneath her hand. The ground started to shake, and Valkyrie stepped back as a ball of purple energy hovered infront her. Valkyrie cursed and dived out of the way. "What did you do now?" Skulduggery called to her over the rumbling.

"I don't know," she cried back. The ball of energy grew larger, and Valkyrie could barely see as her hair whipped around and her clothes snapped in the wind that had suddenly sprung up. She could feel a pull, like a magnet, and Skulduggery walked over. He touched his collarbones and his face melted away, revealing gleaming white bone. The pull got stronger, and Valkyrie felt herself being pulled towards it. Skulduggery grabbed her arm, but now they both were being pulled slowly towarsd it. Skulduggery's hat flew off his hat, and he cried out and snatched at it, but it evaded his fingers. The sphere was as tall as Valkyrie, and growing as the pull increased. Valkyrie stepped back, rigth into a patch of mud, and her legs flew out from under her. The sudden movement loosened Skulduggery's grip and she pulled him off balance. Valkyrie grimaced and curled into a ball and felt the pull fade. Valkyrie uncurled and landed hard on dusty ground. She coughed as dust flew up. She looked up to see Skulduggery standing, looking around. "Valkyrie, you might want to forget about what I said before. Appearently there is a better chance of us going back in time than me getting you pregnant."

"What do you mean?" Valkyrie asked, getting to her feet and standing beside him, brushing the dust of her clothes. She looked around. The area was dusty and flat, and a smudge on the horizon caught her eye. "What is that?" She asked, squinting. Skulduggery bent and picked up his hat, which lay at his feet. He brushed the dirt off it.

"You won't recognise it, but we've gone back in time."

Valkryie caught sight of flashes in the smudge. "Is that a fight?"

"To put it simiply, yes. But it might be bit more than that."

"Skulduggery."

"Valkyrie."

"Is that a... Are we in the war?" Valkyrie asked.

Skulduggery hesitated. "Yes."

Something you should know about me. I am not Valduggery. I am Chinduggery. I cried when I met Derek Landy on his Down Under Tour (2012) because he told me had heard about one of my FanFictions, A Bad Birthday. I won second prize on the same night by dressing up as Valkyrie in a costume competition. I had, and still have, a stick with a red ribbon on it. I am a fan who would do anything for Derek Landy. So don't forget to review.