Until Twenty One

Mr Bliss had taken Skulduggery to one side after the Sanctuary meeting. Skulduggery went off with Bliss who began talking with a serious look on his face. At one point, they both glanced over at Stephanie, who felt the usual blush creep up her neck whenever Skulduggery looked at her. She knew why, but couldn't stop it. It was as essential as her heart beating or as breathing.

As she blushed, Mr Bliss turned back to Skulduggery and raised his eyebrow, arms crossed. Skulduggery stood there, hands in pockets, not speaking.

When Bliss finally seemed to be done, Skulduggery skulked back to Stephanie. "Let's go." Stephanie hurried to his side. "What did Mr Bliss want?"

"Nothing."

"Why was he talking to you?"

"Nothing."

"Skulduggery, that's not even a proper answer to what I said."

"Sorry. Just talking about things. Catching up with each other." Stephanie stared at him incredulously. "You're expecting me to believe that?"

"Yes."

"Seriously?"

"Uh huh."

"Right..." She walked along in silence then asked, "What are you hiding from me?" He looked at her with his empty eye sockets. "Just trust me."

"Just trust me." Those words I say and she believes me so wholeheartedly. She trusts me so much. And I can't betray that. Bliss was right, I just can't. She's so young. She means too much to me; she is everything to me. I will not lose her. And I will never let her down.

Stephanie decided to trust him. If he wanted to tell her, he would say in his own time. They strode towards the Bentley and got him, driving off towards Haggard

It was evening when they got back, and Skulduggery decided to walk Stephanie up to the house. Just in case. As Skulduggery opened his door, he glanced up and saw Stephanie smiling at him. "What?" he asked.

"It's just... being with you, I see all this cool stuff, and I never really say thanks. It's truly amazing being with you." Of course, she wanted to say more, but what would that do? Nothing, except ruin what they had now.

Skulduggery was so happy when he heard, but didn't let on. "I am pretty amazing to be with, it's true."

"Oh shut up," she said, but was smiling, and playfully hit him on the arm. He watched her leap up into her room, wave goodbye to him and close her window. Skulduggery turned back to his Bentley, and drove off to his home.

Skulduggery lived in reclusive house on the outskirts of one of the magical communities just near Dublin. He unlocked the door and strode in. It was one big room, with separate areas for different things. In the back left corner was his bed, immaculately made, as he never used it. In the opposite corner to the bed, was as he liked to call it, the Library. There were about twenty bookcases filled with books on fascinating subjects. He didn't tell people, but he had a shelf or two solely on books about him. Between the bed and the Library, was a large wooden wardrobe. He hung up his trench coat, scarf and hat, and saw all his other suits. He missed Ghastly. Turning away, he strode to the kitchen area. It wasn't much, just a counter with some stools. There was an oven, fridge etc, but as he didn't eat, he didn't use them much. In the other corner was the bathroom. A small screen divided it from the rest of the room. The rest of the room was living space, arm chairs and sofas. Skulduggery changed into his pyjamas, then flopped onto the bed, thinking of Stephanie.

"She's too pretty for her own good," he thought. "Too damn pretty. And charismatic. And amazing." How many nights had he lain awake just thinking of her?

"I've got to get away, before I let her down."

The Bentley drove away down the road then fell into darkness. The wardrobe was empty. Skulduggery Pleasant was getting away.

Stephanie was worried. She hadn't seen anyone for weeks. Anyone magical, she meant. And no Skulduggery, either. That was what was bothering her the most. He hadn't come for along time. She'd waited by the pier for him, Pining away her days on the pier, wishing and waiting for him, sending her reflection to do her normal life, but when he hadn't come once, she'd decided to resume what she'd left behind. Only for a little while anyway.

But he 'little while' had stretched from weeks to months to years. And he didn't come. She'd tried to find people, gone to the Sanctuary and everything, but no one had heard anything from that reclusive Skulduggery Pleasant. She missed him. Every time she took a breath, it hurt a little that Skulduggery didn't know she was breathing, and every time her heart beat, it stung that he didn't care to come and see her. She practiced her magic, but it grew slowly, as her visits to China's library were limited now. She enrolled in martial arts classes, so she would be on form if he came back

When he came.

If he came.

When he came. She had to believe it would be when he came. She had to.

If.

Stephanie was now twenty, the eve of her twenty first birthday. She'd moved to college, left her parents and Haggard behind. Had she left the magic behind? She wasn't sure. She still looked young due to the magic, but she was drawn, and slowly fading.

She'd loved him too much for him to go. And it was slowly killing her that he wasn't there anymore. But she still got up every day and kept up her normal life, and cried at night, when no one could see. God, she missed him so badly. Her stomach hurt from pining and her heart hurt from waiting. Today was no different, though. She got ready for her party and lived as people had expected of her, laughing and smiling, her mask impeccable.

She had cried herself to sleep that night. More than normal. She'd wished Skulduggery could see her grow older, how mature she was, how much she missed him.

But then she woke up. She wasn't sure why, or how, but she had. Settling back into her blankets, she felt something cold resting there. Something hard. Something bony. A skinny arm was draped around her waist, and the other was tracing her face and her hair. A cold chin was resting on her head. Skulduggery had come back.

"Skulduggery?" she breathed, not wanting to look yet. Just in case.

"I'm here, Valkyrie," he crooned, his mouth flitting to her ear. "I'm here. And I'm never going again. Trust me." She twisted her body round to face him. He looked the same as she remembered, the man from her childhood, her magic man. Wrapping her arms round his waist, she kissed his forehead. "When did you know? How I felt, I mean."

"The second you did. You are so obvious." The old banter was back, but the mood didn't change.

"And why did you go?" she breathed, whilst stroking his skull.

"Because I was waiting for this night. When you were twenty one, an adult, and free to leave. I couldn't take you from your life then, like this-" he stroked down her neck with one long finger- "but now you can come." He leapt over Stephanie, and landed by the window, head tilted to one side. "Come with me?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." They jumped in tandem out the window, holding hands, leaving the mundane behind. "Never leave," she murmured, as they drifted down the ten story block of flats.

"Promise. I love you, Valkyrie Cain."

"Skulduggery Pleasant, I love you too."

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