A/N: I Don't own Skulduggery or Valkyrie. Val is about 40 here. This series contains spoliers, obviously.

I hunkered down outside the darkened castle. All the people I cared about were in there. Ghastly, Tanith, and Skulduggery were being held in the highest tower and the magical sigils that guarded the castle were strong. They would kill me instantly if I touched them. But then again, they kept everything living outside the castle or trapped inside it. They didn't work on the dead. So there was no choice really. I reached out and touched one, and I was outside my body as quickly as that.

I flowed upwards to the tower widow, settling my invisible body on the ledge. The would-be gaoler looked fairly ill. He couldn't get food in since no humans could reach him, and he couldn't undo the magic he'd used to seal up his sigils. Only the dead could do that. I watched as he paced and Skulduggery chained to the wall though he was, hurled abuse at him. "You just never thought this through, did you? What was your big plan, anyhow? World domination?"

"No, I just wanted to prove I could do it." Their rat-faced captor whined.

"Well, you've proven that. Now unlock these shackles and free us. I can still get us out of here by undoing the mess you've created."

"I threw the key out the window!" The captor said proudly.

"You what?" Tanith raged. "How bloody stupid are you? Now none of us will get out of here."

"I don't care! You want my real reason? I wanted to die and you all get to come with me." I could see by the light in his eyes he meant it. I slipped into the room to stand behind him. I leaned forward to breath on his neck.

He screamed, jumping forwards, then turned wildly to stare at me, but of course he didn't see me. "Who's there?" He quavered.

I gestured and the wooden table he'd set up to eat at smashed into the wall. He yelped again and ran to the door, but I swiftly slammed it shut through another gesture, jamming the lock. He yelled and ran to the window stopping to sink down in despair. I didn't dare laugh because I didn't want my friends to know it was me just yet. I could have appeared as well, but something stopped me. I knew they'd put me back into my body and I didn't want to go.

I'd waited for over two decades for something I was never going to get, so I supposed the fun I was having now would have to compensate me. I allowed the rat-faced captor to think I'd left. He stood up, shaking. "I'm not afraid of you, whoever you are." He managed to say. "I want to die!"

I gestured and the knife he used for his meals flew at him, the point narrowly missing him. He screamed and ran. I started throwing things at random. Books, plates, but always at him. He screeched, ran to his prisoners for protection.

"I don't want to die!" He wailed, pulling uselessly at Skulduggery's shackles. "Do something, save me!"

Skulduggery cocked his head at him. "And how do you propose I manage that?" He asked.

I gestured and his shackles feel free, as did Tanith's and Ghastly's. All three converged on the rat-faced weasel of a man. Skulduggery produced his cuffs, slapping them on the weasel's wrists. "Noxious Black, and that is a terrible taken name by the way, I place you under arrest for the unlawful imprisonment of Sanctuary agents."

The rat-faced man started to cry. Skulduggery made a disgusted sound. He turned to Tanith and Ghastly. "I can only work the sigils if I can get close to them. I can certainly fly to the ones outside, but the castle is riddled with them, and of course that genius there made sure they must all be deactivated or it won't do you two a bit of good. There's also no way to those rooms since that genius also sealed up all the entries to the castle and the only door to the room is hopelessly jammed."

I gestured and the door groaned, then opened with a screeching protest, the jammed lock bursting. Skulduggery looked at it in surprise.

"It seems we have a friendly poltergeist on our side. Well then, Ghastly, if you two will keep an eye on the prisoner I'll see to the sigils. Though," he turned and spoke to the room in general, "if I had someone to get the ones in the dungeon my work would go that much faster. You might not be alive, but those two don't have much more time than he does. Do you agree to help? You only have to touch the sigils to break them."

I swung the broken door slowly. Skulduggery nodded. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

He left to work on the sigils in the rest of the castle and I swiftly flowed down the twisting halls to the dungeon, breaking all the sigils there. An hour later Skulduggery returned at last to the tower room where I'd kept watch over Tanith and Ghastly. They were weak after so many days without food, so I kept the prisoner pinned to one wall. Even Skulduggery looked weary.

"There we are. I'll take the prisoner if our spectral friend will get the last sigils outside. I let the prisoner sag and flowed out the window. I touched the sigils, but not before hiding my body. It was cold and dead already, I was not going back into it, ever again.

I rose back to the tower where my friends awaited. I supposed I'd miss them, but I could always visit, unseen. Skulduggery watched a plate slowly skitter across the floor and nodded. "Good. Well then, we can all exit, though there is still only one way out, and since my shackles were designed to keep me from meditation I don't have the strength right now to break through anywhere."

I picked up the chalk and slate the prisoner had brought in for some unknown reason. Follow. I wrote. I showed the slate to Skulduggery and he nodded again. I swiftly left by the door, hitting it with air on my way out on purpose. They followed as I knew they would, and I banged on the walls occasionally to lead them to the former front door. I gestured and the bricks exploded outwards, setting them free. I drifted back into the darkness of the castle, not willing to see them leave.

Apparently Skulduggery had managed to phone the Sanctuary because two vans of Cleavers awaited them. Tanith and Ghastly continued walking, but Skulduggery turned back to me. "I know you're there. Let me see you." I hesitated, then shrugged. I couldn't be made to live again. So I appeared to him, my form slightly shimmering and pale white.

"Valkyrie!" He breathed, taking a step forward. "Valkyrie, what's happened to you?"

"There was no way for the living to enter, but the dead could. I touched a sigil and could enter."

"No! How long have you been out of your body?"

"Several hours I guess, why?"

"You have to get back in, this is unacceptable."

"No, I don't Skulduggery. I like being this way. I'm free now."

"You're not listening Valkyrie, you HAVE to get in your body now!" Skulduggery raised his voice, clearly angry.

"Why? What do I have to go back to? What? Give me one good reason to live again."

"Because I want you to!"

"Not good enough, Skulduggery!"

"Because I need my partner with me!"

"Still not good enough!"

"Then I'll make you go back in!" He gestured and somehow he had me, trapped, pinned against the wall. "Where is your body, where is it?" I shook my head. "Blast you, Valkyrie Cain, you answer me, now! Where is it?"

"I have nothing to live for, Skulduggery!"

"You have me!"

I looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"I know the though repulses you, Valkyrie, but you have me. Aren't you the lucky one, having a skeleton in love with you?"

He suddenly let me go. He gestured wearily. "I suppose now you want to run. Go ahead, I don't blame you. But, if you did stay-" He shook his head, refusing to go on.

"Skulduggery." I floated over and touched his shoulder gently. He looked up, startled. I touched his skeletal face gently. I could always read his expressions, and he didn't know, couldn't possibly tell I could see the rapture on his face. "I'll stay. But I think it's been too long-"

"Don't even say that. Take me to your body." I led him to it, and he sighed to see it hidden.

"Oh, Valkyrie. Were you that lonely that this seemed preferable to being alive?"

"I needed to rescue you, but yes, I wasn't going back."

"Valkyrie. Touch your body, will yourself back in."

"Wouldn't you prefer me like this? I'll never age, I'll never die, obviously. Forever young, forever at your side if you want me."

"Valkyrie, I WANT to see you age. I want to be there when you do cross over, naturally. I want you to live out your life beside me. I want to be able to raise children with you. Please, I need you back with me." I touched my body, and entered it. I entered as easily as I left, and I blinked up at Skulduggery in surprise. He took me into his arms, his body shaking with ragged sobs of relief. I'd never seen him cry before, not like this.

"You will marry me?' He asked in his velvety voice.

"Of course I will."

He hesitated, then kissed me softly, his teeth hesitant on my lips. I responded to his kiss, drawing him in, but gently as he was so weary. I broke off, and helped him rise. Or we helped each other rise. My body was sluggish, still cold, and stiff to move. We went to the waiting van and the Cleavers bundled us inside with Ghastly and Tanith.

"Where did you come from?" Tanith asked.

"Long story." I replied.