The Gist of Things, a skulduggery pleasant series fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the SP characters.

Some OOC. Please read and review, constructive criticism is appreciated! This is a oneshot, just to clear that up.

Enjoy!

Rose and Anton stood outside of the Midnight Hotel. For the longest time she had been in love with him but she distanced herself from him by calling strictly by his last name. Every now and then he'd look over at Rose but when she glanced to see if he was, he seemed to be gazing into the distance.

"You know..." He said breaking the silence between them.

"It's been almost five months since you moved in."

"Yeah..." She said remembering it. Rose had moved into the Midnight Hotel after her uncle had used her body for his science experiments.

Rose lived with her Uncle Constantine. He was a scientist that was on the verge (at least he thought he was) of discovering how to control a person without the need to find out their true name. He used various magical treatments and scientific equipment on her body. He waited until he thought her body was strong enough to take the pain. Rose was burnt, weak and tired. All she wanted to do was get away from him and give her body a chance to rest and heal. Rose was in her room in a dreamless sleep when her friend (also one of her uncle's lab assistants) woke her.

"Rose, I'll help you escape."

"I've tried Xavier. But last time he caught me and gave me this," she said showing him the scar she got from when her uncle ran a scalpel down her arm. He held her hand.

"I've figured out a way to get past him. I'll get you out of here don't worry about that. Once you're out look for the Midnight Hotel."

The next day Xavier told Rose's uncle about a Dr. Nye. Her uncle knew about him and left straight away. Rose put on a dark hoodie and walked out of the room. When she walked down the corridor, she was faced with a type of cleaver that he had created. 'CRAP!' was the only thing Rose could think of before she was attacked. Rose fought hard which only caused her to waste her energy. Xavier stepped in.

"Go Rose! I'll take care of him. The Midnight Hotel is about 2kms away and you've only an hour and a half to get there."

"But Xaiv-"

"Just leave! Now! You don't have any time to waste!" He snapped.

She pulled her hood over her head. Rose didn't want him to see her cry. She ran for the door, tears streaming down her face. She knew she was so close to freedom but at the cost of her best friend. Rose ran as fast as she could until she finally found it. She walked past a girl with black hair and a skeleton in a suit and went straight to the front desk. Rose pulled back her hood revealing her battered face.

"I need a place to stay. I can't pay now but I will once I'm... ab...le" she managed to choke out to the man at the front desk. Rose then faded out and collapsed.

She smiled at him.

"Thank you for taking me in Shudder. I appreciate you didn't ask any questions about me or my past."

"You're welcome Rose. Besides, your paintings really decorate the place up." He smiled back. They both went inside. Rose was unaware of the sight of another man on her as she entered the hotel. As Rose was walking up the stairs she could hear Shudder talking to someone.

"Welcome to the Midnight Hotel." Rose took no mind to it until she heard a voice that sent icy chills down her spine.

"My name is Constantine Zanthier. I'm looking for my niece. I've heard a rumour that she is taking residence here perhaps you'd know. Her name is Rose Willow."

"Yes I'll just get her for you."

"Thank you." She was frozen in fear and jumped when Shudder touched her shoulder. He could see the fear in her eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-n-no. I-I'm fine." She stuttered and put on a fake smile.

"There's a man here for you. Says he's your uncle." Rose nodded and knew she had to face him.

"Hello Uncle Constantine."

"Ah, there you are my precious girl. I hope you had fun on your little vacation. Let's go home now." She shook her head.

"No Uncle. I'm a grown woman now and I can make decisions by myself. I've decided that I like it here and I want to stay."

"Very well. But don't you think life would be better at home?" She suddenly felt weird.

"You're right Uncle. Life would be better at home," she said. Rose felt like her body wasn't her own. Then a horrifying thought occurred to her. 'He had a breakthrough in his research!' she thought panicked. Shudder realised something was wrong and narrowed his eyes but kept his mouth shut as you left.

Shudder

It had been almost five months since she had come into Shudder's life. He remembered that day well. It was basic day (except that Skulduggery and Valkyrie were snooping around) when a figure in tattered jeans and a black hoodie stepped through the front door. The figure walked up to the front desk. Using trembling hands they pulled back their hood. It was a woman in about her twenty's but Shudder knew looks could be deceiving. She had tangled short brown/red hair. Her face was bruised and bloody and her rosy cheeks were tear-stained but she was still very lovely.

"I need a place to stay. I can't pay now but I will once I'm... ab...le" She managed to say in a broken voice before she passed out. He let her get back on her feet but by then he had fallen hard for her. He didn't want her to leave. She was a fantastic artist and in a way paid him with her artwork. He desperately wanted to be on a first name basis with her. He looked over at her, studying he delicate features. He didn't want to get caught staring at her and turned away when she glanced at him.

"You know..." He said breaking the silence between them.

"It's been almost five months since you moved in." He said.

"Yeah..." she replied. He noticed that she seemed to be thinking about something. They walked inside. Shudder attended the front desk and Rose went up stairs. A man walked through the front door. He had a few features similar to Rose's.

"Welcome to the Midnight Hotel." Shudder greeted.

"My name is Constantine Zanthier. I'm looking for my niece. I've heard a rumour that she is taking residence here perhaps you'd know. Her name is Rose Willow."

"Yes I'll just get her for you."

"Thank you." Shudder went up the stairs to find Rose half-way up them. She jolted when he touched her shoulder. Already Shudder could tell she was un-easy.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"N-n-no. I-I'm fine." She stuttered. She smiled but Shudder realised it was fake.

"There's a man here for you. Says he's your uncle." She nodded.

"Hello Uncle Constantine."

"Ah, there you are my precious girl. I hope you had fun on your little vacation. Let's go home now." She shook her head.

"No Uncle. I'm a grown woman now and I can make decisions by myself. I've decided that I like it here and I want to stay."

"Very well. But don't you think life would be better at home?" She had a weird look on her face.

"You're right Uncle. Life would be better at home." Shudder knew that something was wrong but he also knew he couldn't do anything so kept his mouth shut. He had his rules and as long as she was leaving of her own will, he couldn't stop this man from taking Rose away from him.

Rose

Upon returning Rose's uncle slapped her face.

"You insolent girl! How dare you leave the premises when I'm so close!" He then smiled cruelly.

"No matter. Your little friend was quite helpful in tracking you down." She looked at him in horror.

"What did you do to Xavier?" she yelled.

"When you escaped my artificial cleaver stopped him but by that time, you were too far away to capture. As a result, he became my new test subject and well..." He smirked. "There's only so much the human body can take before secrets slip out. His death was no loss. However, he did provide me with some useful data. I'm so pleased the experiment was such a success." Her look of horror started turning into one of rage.

"Don't look at me like that my dear. Now about that boy that runs the hotel. Shudder was it? I think he would make an interesting test subject and I want you to bring him to me."

"I would never let you hurt another person like have done to me Xavier!" Rose shouted. He only chuckled at her outburst.

"You don't have a choice. You belong to me now and you no longer have free will"

Shudder

Shudder had been thinking about Rose ever since she left.

"Hi Shudder. Where's Rose?" Valkyrie interrupted his thoughts.

"She left with a man I think he said he was her uncle." He replied. "Although she did look like she was afraid of him. One minute she was telling him she wanted to stay, and then she got a strange look on her face." As he finished, Valkyrie and Skulduggery exchanged looks.

"Shudder did this man tell you his name?" Shudder paused and thought for a minute.

"I think he said it was Constantine Zanthier."

"Shudder, this man is wanted for illegal experimentation on people. The reason why Rose would have been acting weird is because she would have been under his control." Skulduggery explained with concern in his voice. Now Shudder was really worried about her.

Rose

Rose was locked in her room until he found the hotel. When he did find it, he sent her there. You walked in the door. Rose's eyes on the brink of tears as her uncle's instructions rang through her mind. Rose walked past Skulduggery and Valkyrie knowing they'd have to take her in for what she was about to do. Another boy with ridiculous hair also eyed her with suspicion.

"Rose! I'm so glad to see you!" He said. Rose walked up to him, the hand holding the knife shaking and stabbed him the chest. What will she had left allowed her to miss his heart. Rose's eyes filled with tears as her uncle walked in.

"Good girl. Now weaken him and bring him to me." He smirked.

"Constantine Zanthier" Skulduggery said "by the power endowed unto me under the Sanctuary Rule of Justice, I am placing you under arrest for the illegal experimentation on other human beings." Constantine snarled and dodged a fireball Skulduggery threw. He jumped through the hole in the wall it had left and the two men began fighting. Valkyrie jumped in assisting Skulduggery. Rose swung another attack that Shudder successfully avoided and ran outside. She kept swinging and missing unable to control her own body. Despite the fact Rose was attacking him, he failed to defend himself by throwing punches of his own. She paused for a minute catching her breath.

"Anton I want you to kill me."

"I can't do that Rose." He replied.

"Please! I can't take this suffering any more. I don't want to continue hurting people by my uncle's choice."

"Shut up!" Constantine told her. As he said that her arm holding the knife cut deeply across her shoulder to her chest causing Rose to cry out in pain. Shudder cringed and gritted his teeth.

"Alright. I'll do it." He said begrudgingly. He let his gist attack Rose and she screamed in pain as her body was torn apart. Her uncle Constantine was apprehended as she blacked out.

Shudder

Shudder picked up Rose's lifeless body. She was still breathing but barely. She also had a low pulse. Shudder could never kill her, but he was so close to losing her. 'Damn it! Why did I have to use my gist to hurt her?' he thought.

"Fletcher! You have to take me to Kenspeckle." He said panicked. Fletcher immediately teleported to the Hibernian Cinema. Kenspeckle tried to help Shudder first but he insisted that Rose get healed before him. As he healed he noted a couple things about her.

"I'll need to drain the poisons from her body. They've absorbed all the magic in her. I'll do what I can but I'm not sure if she'll ever fully recover." He told Shudder. 'That could be why she never used any magic to attack me.' He thought dolefully.

Rose

Rose woke up laying in what appeared to be a hospital bed.

"Hi Rose" Tanith smiled at her. Tanith had become her best friend.

"What happened?" Rose asked her.

"Shudder attacked you. He couldn't kill you but he came close."

"Oh..." she murmured.

"Kenspeckle drained all toxins that were in your body that were harming you. I have a good feeling you won't be hurting anyone ever again" she smiled.

"Tanith... Do you know anywhere I can stay? I can't keep living at the hotel. Not after what I did to him," Rose said shamefully. She nodded.

"I do. Don't tell Val this, but I rented an apartment in Haggard so I can keep an eye on her. There's an extra room, so you can stay there as long as you want." Rose smiled weakly at her.

"Thank you. I don't where else to go."

A couple of days later he bought Rose back to the hotel. She stayed in her room and avoided Shudder as much as she could. He was really hurt by her actions but he was too strong to admit it. One night Rose snuck into his room. Seeing he was asleep, she sat on his bed. She brushed some of his raven locks from his face. Her thumb caressed his face for a moment before she ran her hand down his neck and placed it on his chest. Rose felt his steady heartbeat and the gentle rise and fall of his breathing. She took a deep breath.

"Silly isn't it? I can't stand how much I hurt you and that's why I have to leave you." She leaned in and kissed him on the lips for a minute. Rose pulled away, hovering above his face for a moment.

"Good-bye Anton." You breathed before walking out of his room and closing the door behind you.

Shudder

Ever since that day Rose had been avoiding him. Every time he tried talking to her, she'd make up an excuse and go in the other direction. One night she snuck into his room. Seeing it was only Rose, he pretended to remain asleep. He felt her sit down and brush some of hair out of his face. Her thumb stroked his cheek before she ran her hand down his neck and placed it on his chest. Her light touch was driving him crazy.

"Anton. I'm so sorry for hurting you, and I don't just mean stabbing you. I know how hard it is for you to hurt an acquaintance, much less a friend. At least I hope we became friends. And I hoped that one day, you'd come to love me as much as I love you," she said. "Silly isn't it? I can't stand how much I hurt you and that's why I have to leave you." He felt her lips on his. 'No'! He thought. 'No Rose, please don't leave me again!' He longed to kiss back, to pull her on the bed, beg her not to leave. But sleeping people don't do that.

"Good-bye Anton." She murmured. She then walked out the door, closing it behind her. He sat up as soon as she left; just staring at the door she just left through. The next morning he went to her empty room. There he found her sketch-book. He flipped through it, finding most of the sketches were of him.

"Rose..." he murmured touching the page.

Shudder searched for over a week, using as many sources as he could dredge up, and even deigning to visit those whom he had not parted with on particularly good terms in the hope that they might have heard something. Anyone could see that he was desperate. As a last-ditch attempt, he decided to pay a visit to a sensitive.

"Yeah, I remember that chick," Finbar sighed. "She was the one with the sad eyes, yeah?" Shudder arched an eyebrow and Finbar hurriedly continued. "A-anyways, she came in here a while ago, got some sort of pretty message from a friend tattooed right here." He tapped his hip with a slender finger before sliding it into his pocket. Now he was curious.

His thoughts wandered unbidden to the feel of her flawless skin beneath the touch of his fingers, the irrational urge to press his lips to her own delicate lips... Shaking his head slightly, he banished the thought before it could complete itself.

Rose

A week had passed since she left the hotel. Rose was sitting in the apartment Tanith let her stay in when she heard a knock on the door. As she was in a tank top and short-shorts, she answered the door hiding behind it.

"Shudder!" Rose said coming out from behind the door. He looked her up and down making her blush.

"Do you, uh... always wear clothes like that?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"N-not usually. I'm more comfortable when I'm alone." Rose felt her cheeks burn even more and ducked her head, trying to hide the blush. "She's not here."
"Who?"
His response startled her into glancing upwards, before returning her gaze to the floor. "Tanith's off training with that dark-haired girl, Valkyrie I think. You're here to see her, right?"
Shudder cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly. "Well, no actually. I'm here... um, that is to say, I wanted to see..."
"Oh?" Rose straightened, matching his gaze. "What?"
"You!" He blurted, his cheeks deepening to an even more brilliant shade of red. "I'm here to see you."

"Oh, well... Come in," she said. Rose turned around showing him her family crest that she had tattooed on her back.

"So um... What's the story behind those tattoos?" He asked clearing his throat again. He hung his jacket on the back of a chair before listening to her intently.

"Well..." She began touching the rose wrapped around a willow branch on her left breast. "I got this one after I adapted my new name. The one on my back I got fairly young because family has been important to me." Rose then touched the one on her right hip that wrote 'Never give up hope'. "And I got this recently in honour of my friend Xavier."

"Were you close to him?" she smiled remembering him.

"Yeah. If it wasn't for him I would have never escaped my Uncle's lab and met you." You looked away from him ashamed. He looked her up and down taking in all of her. When she glanced back, he looked away with natural embarrassment.

"If you've come to ask me back, you're wasting your time."

"But why? I was the one who was injured. It's up to me to decide if I want to be around you or not!" He shouted standing and knocking the chair over.

"I think you should leave Shudder."

"No! Why should I?"

"Because I hate you!"

"Then why did you kiss me?" She was taken aback by his question.

"How did you-"

"I was awake when you left me. What hurt me most of all was the fact that you weren't even going to say goodbye while I was conscious." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Shudder, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she sobbed, holding her head in her hands. "Once I left, I nearly couldn't live with myself. I hated how I hurt you and then up and left. I'm so ashamed. I can't let you take me back to the hotel. Not with what I did."

"Then let me change your mind." She looked up as he gently lifted her chin and his lips pressed against yours. It took a few moments to register what was happening but then she finally realised what was going on. Rose placed her hands on his strong shoulders and kissed back. His tongue lightly glided her lip and she allowed him entrance into her mouth. He tenderly explored every inch of her mouth. His hands made their way to your hips. You both pulled away for air. Shudder began kissing your neck. A gasp escaped her lips as he kissed a certain spot on her neck. He spent more time kissing it.

"A-Anton..." she moaned quietly. Before she knew it, he forced her against the wall.

Shudder

Shudder knocked on the door of Rose's apartment. When she opened the door she hid behind it.

"Shudder!" She exclaimed opening the door wider. She was wearing a tank top and short-shorts making him look her up and down. She blushed and looked away. He noticed the many scars on her body, thinking of the pain she was put through.

"Do you, uh... always wear clothes like that?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"N-not usually. I'm more comfortable when I'm alone." She blushed a deeper shade of red and ducked her head, trying to hide the blush. "She's not here."
"Who?"
His response startled her into glancing upwards, before returning her gaze to the floor. "Tanith's off training with that dark-haired girl, Valkyrie I think. You're here to see her, right?"
Shudder cleared his throat, shifting awkwardly. "Well, no actually. I'm here... um, that is to say, I wanted to see..."
"Oh?" She straightened, matching his gaze. "What?"
"You!" He blurted, his cheeks deepening to an even more brilliant shade of red. "I'm here to see you."

"Oh well... Come in." She said. She turned around showing him her family crest that she had tattooed on her back.

"So um... What's the story behind those tattoos?" He asked clearing his throat once again. He hung his jacket on the back of a chair before sitting down and listening to her intently.

"Well..." She began by touching the rose wrapped around a willow branch on her left breast. "I got this one after I adapted my new name. The one on my back I got fairly young because family has been important to me." She then touched the one on her right hip that wrote 'Never give up hope'. "And I got this recently in honour of my friend Xavier." 'That must be the one the sensitive was talking about'. He thought.

"Were you close to him?" She smiled.

"Yeah. If it wasn't for him I would have never escaped my Uncle's lab and met you." She looked away from him ashamed. He looked her up and down taking in all of her. When she glanced back, he looked away with natural embarrassment. He couldn't help himself her clothes were just so... revealing. He might be a gentleman but he still was a male.

"If you've come to ask me back, you're wasting your time." Her abrupt comment shocked him.

"But why? I was the one who was injured. It's up to me to decide if I want to be around you or not!" He shouted standing and knocking the chair over. His temper got the best of him. He was sick of her blaming herself for physically hurting him.

"I think you leave Shudder."

"No! Why should I?"

"Because I hate you!"

"Then why did you kiss me?" She was taken aback by his question.

"How did you-"

"I was awake when you left me. What hurt me most of all was the fact that you weren't even going to say goodbye while I was conscious." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Shudder, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She sobbed, holding her head in her hands. "Once I left I nearly couldn't live with myself. I hated how I hurt you and then up and left. I'm so ashamed. I can't let you take me back to the hotel. Not after what I did."

"Then let me change your mind." She looked up and he gently lifted her chin and his lips pressed against hers. It took a few moments for her to register what was happening but then she finally realised what was going on. He felt her place her delicate hands on his shoulders and kiss back. His tongue lightly glided her lip and she allowed him entrance into her mouth. He tenderly explored every inch of her mouth. His hands made their way to her hips. They both pulled away to catch their breath. Shudder began kissing her neck. A gasp escaped her lips as he kissed a certain spot on her neck. He spent more time kissing it.

"A-Anton..." She moaned quietly. That was it! That was all he needed to hear. He had to have her now. His lust overcame him and he forced her against the wall.

Rose

Shudder had pushed her against the wall. He spent a considerable amount of time on that particular spot which she knew would make a mark.

"Anton... what are you doing?" He smirked at her.

"Just marking what's mine." His dark tone of voice caused the blood to rush to her face. His lips returned to hers, making Rose forget her embarrassment. One of her hands went to his neck, the other tangled in his hair. His hands made their way from her hips to her thighs, lifting Rose around his waist and she wrapped her legs around him. Rose felt him tugging at the hem of her top and broke away to allow him to pull it off. Her hands worked on the buttons on his shirt. He shrugged off his shirt and she allowed her hands over his toned chest and abdominal muscles. She felt him pull at her shorts but she stopped him.

"Wait, Anton..." Rose saw his smirk drop a little. "Not here..." she winked. He let her down and she guided him to her room. He kept Rose close to him, whispering things into her ear, making her want him even more. They continued kissing when they entered the room, their tongues in a battle for dominance and he skilfully un-hooked her bra with one hand before laying her down on the bed. He regained himself for a moment, looking lovingly into her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this Rose?" He asked. She nodded.

"Shudder, I'm at least over one hundred years old. You didn't think I was a virgin?"

"I would hope not. I just thought with your uncle-"

"Shhhh." Rose hushed him by placing a finger on his lips. "I did have a life before then." She grabbed the back of his head by his hair and returned his lips to her body. He attacked the soft spot on her neck much to her delight. The remaining clothes were quickly removed and his hips grinded against hers. She arched her back towards him, loving every bit of this moment he was giving to you. Every time she called out his name, it was like a new signal for him. It was as if it she had found out his true name and were using it to control him. She didn't know if it was due to his gist or high testosterone levels but he really knew how to please a woman. Eventually, Rose flipped over so she was on top.

"Don't hog all the fun," she said giving him a devilish smirk. After a while she was forced to the bottom again.

"You were saying?" He panted, returning the smirk.

After what felt like eternity Rose was too tired to continue. Shudder collected his clothes and dressed. She tried to stand up but her knees felt weak. Shudder collected her remaining clothes and she got dressed. Shudder put his jacket around her and picked her up bridal style. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled gently and fell asleep, exhausted in his arms.

Shudder

About two hours later they stopped. Shudder collected his clothes and dressed. Rose tried to stand but her legs felt weak. He collected her clothes for her and she also dressed. Shudder placed his jacket around her shoulders before sweeping her up bridal style. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him before falling asleep. Shudder looked down at Rose in his arms, feeling a little smug that he had exhausted her. He took his phone out of his pocket.

"Fletcher, its Shudder. I found her. I need you to come pick us up."

"What? You found Rose? Tell me where to go."

"Do you know where the apartment block near the port in Haggard is?"

"Yeah. It's about a block away from Valkyrie's place. I'll meet you there."

"Wait out the front."

"Right. See you in a few seconds." Shudder closed the phone. He locked the door, before carefully carrying Rose down stairs and out the front.

"What happened to her?"Fletcher asked his voice full of concern.

"She's just tired that's all. Very tired." Shudder smiled to himself feeling, a smug sense of accomplishment. Fletcher made a quick realisation and didn't ask any more questions. They teleported back to the hotel. Shudder thanked him and he rapidly went away. Shudder took Rose into his room and gently laid her on his bed, lying next to her. He softly touched her face and ran his fingers through her silky brownish-red hair. He watched her sleep until he himself drifted off. He had her, he finally and her, and he was never going to let his precious Rose go again.

Rose

Rose slept the best she ever had since she had first escaped from the lab. As she awoke, she felt strong arms around her and the scent of a man. She opened her eyes to find herself laying next the very man she had loved for so long. Rose looked around to find herself in Shudder's room. He woke up a few seconds later. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"So... Will you stay with here?"

"Sleeping with the inn-keeper? Isn't that a bit clichéd?" she giggled. He only grinned.

"Don't worry. You'll get the gist of it."