All belongs to the Golden God, Derek Landy!

Set inbetween The Faceless Ones/Dark Darks

Valkyrie sat at her desk, despairing. She'd reached a dead end with the search for Skulduggery, and couldn't work out where to go from the false lead she'd been following. Feeling hopeless, all she could do right now was wait until they could find something else.

She was in school: she'd never previously thought that there were hardly any people wanting a 14-year-old to solve their cases, simply because she always imagined Skulduggery by her side. She'd been learning Necromancy with Solomon, but whenever she improved he'd give her this piercing stare that made Valkyrie uneasy and would make visits further and further apart. She still learnt combat fighting with Tanith, but much less so. This, all in all, meant going to school more.

Valkyrie admitted school was a good distraction from it all, but now, during the break, all she could think about was Skulduggery, hoping he was still alive. She needed him, as a partner, a mentor, a friend. She felt like crying sometimes, but was good enough at hiding her emotions that she could wait until the darkness of night blinded the outside world to her tears.

She spotted a boy...a boy with chestnut brown hair that...a boy who had stained trousers, ragged expensive brand trainers, and a squad of puppies wishing for a mummy to take care of them. Well, okay, a group of fangirls. The girl with dark hair smiled menacingly. A distraction. Great. Taking careful aim, she raised her arm, locking into autopilot sorcerer. Feeling the air, solid, impossibly, on her statue hand, she imagined carefully all the particles, ones that could be influenced, to help her, and to annoy Gary Price. She flicked, pushed, and waited; a shout of surprise travelled to her ears, the smile curled upwards. Gary had fallen dramatically on the swampy ground, fresh from Irish rain, with everyone watching! Feeling triumphant, the thought-to-be Stephanie moved away from her spot.

The best way of putting a smile on your face, Valkyrie thought cheerfully. Yes, her classmates seemed to prefer the reflection more, but she didn't care. Besides, she had friends now: Tanith, Skulduggery and... Fletcher. She couldn't really understand her feelings around Fletcher. She always seemed to brighten up when he smiled, and was becoming a little kinder to the people around her when he was there.

Valkyrie pointedly ignored a blonde-haired girl as she started talking rapidly to her. Her name was, what? Oh yes. Melody... It seemed as if someone had put on a slow motion effect on her as she noticed her 'friend' turn away and start whistling. Looking offended, she stalked away. When did she start talking to Valkyrie? No matter...

...Geez, it was boring. Such an ordinary school!

"Bah humbug..." She muttered to herself.

"Someone's unpopular at school?" Valkyrie almost jumped out of her skin. She turned around with a killing look on her face. Fletcher stood in front of her, wearing a grin too big for his already giant head.

"You!"

"Knew you'd be glad to see me, Val," he remarked casually. Fletcher slouched on a wall, looking curiously at his now found companion.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Valkyrie asked, putting her glaring down a notch. She had been in a combat stance, bent at the knees and arms raised protectively in front of her. She only just noticed, and straightened up. "This is my school. Go away! You're probably too stupid to be anywhere near an institution for the instruction of children or people under college age."

The boy paused with an endearing confused look on his face. Not endearing. Nothing like endearing, more like...mock-worthy. "A school?" He then smirked, slowly raised his hand as if realising something. Pointing, he declared: "You're really sad. I'm sure I've read that in a dictionary. You need to start getting out more." Valkyrie was all ready pent up from the not-endearing look and lashed out with her arm. Fletcher had been expecting this, and teleported onto her shoulders. Not expecting this weight to appear, she stumbled and fell over. Fletcher, again, teleported out of harm's way. Valkyrie got up, horribly disgruntled.

"Look! If anyone saw you doing that, what do you think would happen?" She said quietly, though it was obvious she was holding back rage.

"They'd think they imagined it, and not ask any questions." Fletcher responded evenly. "Now, calm down."

"I've already asked this...What are you doing here?"

His eyebrows lifted, and he leaned over her with his mouth practically touching her ear. He whispered, "Well, I've wanted to see my favourite gal for a while now..." It tickled, making her shudder, secretly a little pleasantly. Heart! Stop beating so fast, he's right there! Fletcher straightened up, all the while smiling.

"Wow. Didn't know I had that effect on you Val..."

She covered her terror with a scowl fit for something no one wanted on the carpet. "I was disgusted. Do not do that again!"

"Sure..."

"You wouldn't be so carefree if you had your head stuck in the rails, covered with mince and ten angry Rottweilers barking at you!"

"No, but I think you've forgotten I'm a Teleporter. What do think I would do when in a situation that could land me in a heap of pain...?"

"Oh, that's right. You'd run away. Like when the entire world was in danger from a race of evil Gods?"

Now it was Fletcher's turn to scowl, though he'd never reach the level of the extreme expert, who happened to be standing right in front of him. "I came back. And I really epically saved the world, if I do say so myself." But now he smiled. "Hm. Luckily for you, I'm going to have to leave you now. Just came for a quick visit... Have fun, Ms Unpopular!" And with that he was gone, leaving Valkyrie distracted from the bell signifying the start of English.

And so ends my first fanfiction. Actually, I've edited it so that it makes me look as if my first fanfic ever was AMAZING. Hah, that's such a lie. I have NO self-esteem, so I need you, lovely reviewers, to either make me feel like I'm actually a good writer, or make me an even BETTER one. Or else you can tell me what an idiot I am for liking this couple/series, I don't mind flamers.

But all I really want to say, is I'm glad you've read my story, hope you liked it.