Valkyrie sat on the edge of the pier, legs dangling over the edge. She remembered teg last Christmas her and Skul had been here.

Valkyrie walked over to the pier Skulduggery and his sleek black Bentley were already there, she grinned and quickened her pace.

"Hey Skul." Valkyrie beamed and the Skeleton sighed.

"This is why I hate agreeing to be given a nickname." He groaned.

"Who says you had a choice?" Valkyrie asked.

"I did."

Valkyrie grinned and leant against the Bentley's bonnet. The Skeleton tilted his skull at her disapprovingly. "What?" Valkyrie asked, knowing what she had done.

"Off my car." He said.

Valkyrie's brow furrowed, "But-"

"Off or no Christmas present."

Reluctantly, she stopped leaning on the car. Skulduggery began leaning against his car. Valkyrie frowned, "Now that's just-"

"My car."

Valkyrie crossed her arms, "I've got you this." She handed him a soft present.

The Skeleton tilted his head as he examined the present that he had taken from his young accomplice.

"Open it!" Valkyrie exclaimed. Grinning mischievously.

The Skeleton hesitantly opened the present. And then held up what was inside. "Hilarious." Skulduggery sarcastically said as he held up the wig.

"I know," Valkyrie grinned, "I saw it in the shop and thought of you."

"I don't know whether to be faltered or..." He trailed off, Valkyrie was staring at him innocently.

"My present?" She asked.

Skulduggery tilted his head at her.

"That's how it works, I get you a present and you get me one back." Valkyrie explained.

"Ah." Skulduggery said and fished something out from his car, he held it in his gloved fist and Valkyrie actually felt excitement rise up inside her. He opened his palm. Inside there was a keychain of a hat and suit. Valkyrie arched an eyebrow. "Merry Christmas."

She looked on the back, it was from Skulduggery's favourite suit store, besides Ghastly. Underneath it said, A FREE GIFT FOR PURCHASING 100 SUITS. Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "It's a free gift from a suit store." Valkyrie said.

"A suit store I love." Skulduggery corrected.

"Wow," she said sarcastically.

"Wow indeed."

"Merry Christmas Skul," Valkyrie said, and he pulled her in close as they watched the sunset.

"Merry Christmas, child."

She hit him on the back of his Skull.

"Merry Christmas, Skul." Valkyrie said as she remembered last years Christmas.

"Y'know talking to yourself is the first sign of Insanity." Came a voice from behind her, Valkyrie jumped to see Fletcher Renn.

"God, Fletcher, you scared me." She grumbled.

"They also say that black spots on your hands are."

"What do you want Renn?" She asked.

"You" Fletcher said and she raise an eyebrow. "To come with me." He finished.

"Why?"

"A new lead on the Skull." Fletcher explained. Valkyrie nodded, they had been looking for Skulduggery's Skull for 2 months now. But still nothing but dead ends and Eleventh Hour decisions.

"Right, When we will head off?" Valkyrie asked.

"About... Now." Fletcher said.

"Now? Okay." Valkyrie got to her feet and strode over to Fletcher. She put a hand on hai shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Asked Fletcher.

"Um, aren't we gonna teleport?" Asked Valkyrie.

"No, Tanith is driving you." Fletcher told her.

"Right, Okay." Valkyrie began walking over to Tanith who had just pulled up.

"But I don't mind if you just wanna touch me." Fletcher called after her.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "You know how to ruin a moment don't you, Renn?"

"That was a moment?" Asked Fletcher as he jogged after her.

Not that sort of moment... She thought. "No," Valkyrie turned around. "A moment where I don't want to punch you in the face." She hopped onto the motorbike and hooked a helmet over her head, they sped off. A part of Valkyrie knew that Fletcher was still watching her. But a part of her liked that.

...

By the way in my version of this story it takes them 14 months to find Skulduggery's Skull. Including the two months that they've already spent looking.