When Valkyrie awoke screaming, none of the other Dead Men seemed surprised. She supposed it was because they knew the feeling all too well.
Valkyrie had been catching a couple of hours of sleep, just outside of the firelight while the Dead Men continued to talk into the night when the dreams of Darquesse returned. Dreams of her destroying everyone she loved often haunted her but she had hoped they would leave her alone while she was overwatched by the old soldiers beside her. But, even though the only partition between them was a small log, the nightmares had crept through her defences and caused her to wake up, crying out Alice's name while tears streamed down her face.
Valkyrie tried to keep the sobs into her curled up body as quiet as possible, but it was obvious she had been heard when two thin legs appeared before her.
Skulduggery sat down beside her, leaning against the log.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly so the others couldn't hear. Valkyrie let out a small laugh.
"Everything's just peachy," she said.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not until you lied down, I hate talking up to people," she said simply.
Valkyrie uncurled from her ball and laid flat on her back, looking up at the stars. Skulduggery did the same beside her.
"Now that everything is as her majesty pleases, does she want to talk about it?" Skulduggery queried, his hands folded on his non-existent stomach. It was always funny to see Skulduggery lying down (not that it happened often as he didn't need to sleep) because his suit sunk around his bones, showing his true skeletal figure.
Valkyrie laughed, Skulduggery was always able to make her smile. "I'm not that fussy," she said. He turned his skull to look at her and she knew if he had had eyebrows they would have been raised questioningly.
Valkyrie sighed. "There's nothing to talk about. Just the same-old same-old nightmares of Darquesse destroying everyone I care about."
"Then what's the point of my presence?"
"I don't want to be alone…" she said, pausing, "Can I sleep with you?" She almost laughed at herself. She sounded like a small child after a bad dream.
"Do you want a warm drink of milk too while I'm here?" He asked, unmoved by her question.
"If you happen to have one on hand."
"Unfortunately now."
They were both silent for a moment.
"So how is this going to work?" he said, "I don't exactly sleep."
"I know," Valkyrie said, "but you can meditate. You haven't done that for days. You deserve a rest."
"Hmm. Alright then," he conceded, "I do need one night not keeping watch for that lot."
Valkyrie smiled. She reached down and grabbed his wrist, lifting her head to put it behind there. She rolled on her side and moved in close, shutting her eyes.
"I can't imagine how that's comfortable," he said, "I'm probably harder than the ground."
Valkyrie snorted.
"Just shut up and meditate," she replied.
Valkyrie felt Skulduggery shift onto his side, his other arm going around her waist and as she snuggled against his chest she felt him rest his chin on top of her head.
He was right.
It was far from comfortable, but it was full of comfort.