A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Tanith or Ghastly. Tanith is back and Remnant free. The character description of Tanas Leap is based on an old OC I made years ago and never used. Enjoy! PS Yes, there's an extra vowel in his name, think about it...

I was so excited to be coming home at last. Four years of University behind me and I was going home to Ireland. I'd heard from my friends from time to time, but the one I missed most of all, Skulduggery Pleasant, had been silent for months now. I'd ask Ghastly or Tanith and be told he was working on a case, but this wasn't like him, I knew.

I caught a taxi home to Gordon's mansion and barely made it up to his old bedroom before sleep claimed me. The next morning I awoke to the insistent buzzing of my mobile. I flipped it open. Tanith.

"Hey, college girl, good to be back in Ireland?"

"Hey, sis, and yes! I never want to leave again. Whoever thought of studying abroad should be horsewhipped."

Tanith laughed, God, I'd missed that laugh, sure I heard it just fine in America, but it wasn't the same as being home. "Well, hey. Ghastly and I want to take you to lunch. Can you be ready in twenty?"

"Yes! Civilian clothes or work clothes?"

"Mmm, whatever you like best. But if you gained the freshman fifteen-" She teased.

I laughed and we rang off. The old clothes Ghastly had made me still looked as new as the day he'd tailored them and the fit was perfect. I was glad for that. I'd done my best to keep in shape, and there were places in America, even near the University to train, but nothing like Ireland.

I met them outside, Ghastly's old van rumbling up gently as I walked to the curb. Tanith got out and enveloped me in a hug, Ghastly nodded as I got in.

"Valkyrie." He said.

"Elder Bespoke."

"Don't call me that, it's creepy. You're getting as bad as Skulduggery, who, before you ask, is out of Ireland on a case."

"Oh."

"But you still have us." Tanith put in cheerfully from the front seat.

We drove for a while, stopping at a small restaurant I didn't remember. Tanith confirmed it was new, well two years old, which to us was new. What are two years when you have centuries to live?

Tanith stopped me in the dimly lit entryway. "Uh, look. We're also meeting a friend. He's been through a lot, and he won't say much, since he can't speak. This sounds odd, but do your best to pretend he's not there. New people are too much if they speak to him. But we thought getting him out might do him some good. He's been in seclusion for months now, not speaking to anyone."

"OK, does this friend have a name?"

"Tanas Leap."

We continued to the booth, in a darkened corner, I noted. Tanas, I assumed it was him, was seated in the deepest shadows. I could make out his black shirt and tie and grey suit trousers as we sat. But his face was hidden, giving only the impression of tightly curled hair that fell long and free to his shoulders.

Tanith got in first, and I studiously ignored Tanas, even though I could feel his eyes on me. He sat forward briefly to adjust his position and I caught black hair, a strong jawline and a sharp, long face. I think his eyes were brown but it was hard to tell when flicking my glance up from the menu at his movement.

Tanith and I ordered steaks, Ghastly and Tanas ordered the same. There was something about his name Tanas Leap. Sounded vaguely like it should be Irish, but there was something about it. Like it had one too many vowels in it. Now that was an odd thought. Tanith interrupted my musings.

"Thinking about something?"

"Not really." I lied.

Ghastly gave a polite snort of amusement. "Probably Skulduggery."

"Was not." I said, truthfully. He waved his hand. "Actually Skulduggery wanted us to do some detective work for him while he's away from Ireland, and he hopes you are well. There were three things he wanted to know, and they are important to your partnership, all right?

I nodded and he continued. "Question one would be if you want to be partners with Skulduggery. Keep in mind at twenty four you could choose to work alone, or choose not to come back to the Sanctuary."

"Of course I want to come back. I want to be his partner. I don't recall it being my idea to go to University, you know. Now I have a useless piece of paper I intend to burn or make a paper airplane out of, maybe both."

Ghastly sighed. "But four years abroad helped make you the person you are now."

"Yes, a person who wasted four years of her life she'll never get back when her Uncle Gordon could have taught her to write faster and easier. But I'll forgive all of you for shipping me off, some day."

The steaks arrived and we ate. Even though I wasn't supposed to be looking at Tanas, the detective in me wanted to know more. I saw how precisely he moved as he did anything and felt a stab of longing to see Skulduggery again. His long and tapered hands I noted, had the same graceful movements. But I flicked my eyes back to my steak a moment before I felt his eyes on me.

Ghastly looked over at me once or twice, but nobody spoke until the plates were cleared. I looked at Tanith because it had to be a world record for her. She talked almost as much as Skulduggery, but without his sudden lapses into silence.

I felt the mood at the table was tense, as Ghastly spoke again. "All right then, second question: if you do come back as a partner is there anyone Skulduggery should be aware about? He'd be taking you on cases for weeks at a time like before, and boyfriends tend to get prickly over that sort of thing. Skulduggery would rather you consider that now instead of later."

I shook my head. "I didn't even date or see anyone over there, ever. I had a writing scholarship, remember? That involves endless hours of fun, fun, fun research and living in libraries. The last thing I needed or wanted was a boyfriend. Besides I wanted to get back to-"

Ghastly smiled. "You wanted to get back to Skulduggery." He waved my protest away. "Fair enough, and he wanted you back. For four long years I've endured a basket case of a detective. He misses you, Valkyrie, more than you know. He'd taken to looking for you out of the Sanctuary windows before I made him stop."

Tanas shifted again. I did my best to ignore him. "I used to threaten he'd see me walk into the Sanctuary one day, years early. He'd fuss and tell me no, but all I wanted to do was come home to him. Fine, I said it, I missed him every day and twice on Sundays."

I heard a faint sound of amusement from Tanas and chose to ignore that too. The mood at the table seemed lighter, but I got the idea the third question was the most important. Though knowing Skulduggery it could be rude and insulting just as easily.

"Right then, final question. If something had happened to Skulduggery, if he looked different, would you still feel the same about him and want to be his partner?"

"Of course I would. No offense to Skulduggery, but that's the most thickheaded question I've ever heard. He's my partner and best friend. I don't care how much the outside changes, he's still Skulduggery all the same."

Ghastly nodded then got up and I let Tanith out. "Fair enough. Get dessert if you like, it will be on the Sanctuary. Tanas will see you home. Oh you can talk to him now, by the bye." With that they left, Tanith looking back to wink at me.

I didn't even glance over when I spoke. "I hate them both so very much right now. I can get a cab, it's no problem."

Tanas shifted in his seat, slid over into the light where Tanith had been sitting. His brown eyes held mine, his thin mouth tilting up into a Cheshire grin. He sipped his coffee, then looked back at me. He just wouldn't stop staring and it was getting creepy.

"No offense, Tanas, and I'm sure you're a wonderful guy, but I don't like being stared at. I'm aware you've been through a lot, but if you don't find somewhere else to look I'm going to be forced to hurt you."

He grinned, revealing slightly crooked teeth. Teeth that looked so familiar. Then he spoke, and everything clicked into place. "My, my Valkyrie. Four years have done nothing to curb your violent tendencies." The easy amusement in that velvety voice, the way his head tilted now to study me.

"Skulduggery?" I breathed.

"The same, well not quite, but yes it's me. I look different, don't I?"

"That's an understatement."

He finished his coffee. "Shall we walk to the Bentley? I'll drive you home if you like."

I nodded, dumbfounded. He rose, collecting a neatly folded suit jacket I had missed, and a grey fedora. He shrugged into the jacket elegantly, then tilted the hat at a rakish angle on his head. He adjusted his tie, the whole time staring down at me in amusement.

"Ready?" He didn't bother to hide the teasing note in his voice.

I nodded again, not trusting my voice. I was fairly sure I would have squeaked.

We walked out to the Bentley. Skulduggery leaned against it and looked at me before speaking. "Disappointed?"

"What? No, never, Skulduggery. You just look so different."

"Better or worse?"

"Not better or worse, just different. Is this some sort of illusion?"

He caught hold of my hand gently in his long fingers and placed it lightly over his ribcage in a silent answer. I could feel from the beating of his heart he was excited, waiting for a final answer. a confirmation we were partners.

"Wow."

"Wow, indeed."

"Well, what say you, are we partners still, Valkyrie Cain?" He titled his head again, then held out his arms in invitation. I think if he hadn't had the Bentley behind him I would have knocked us both the the ground when I tackled him.

"Of course we are, Skulduggery Pleasant. We always will be."

And so it begins. I'd forgotten how much I loved this story.