This is my first Skulduggery/China story. Tell me what you think. = )

Ink…

Grab the Future

China groaned. Today had been absolute hell. She had gone to seven meetings today, to talk with the different Sanctuaries around the world. All of them were reeling from the assassinations, and Darquesse. It would take some time to lick their wounds and heal again.

She sighed and leaned on her throne. The Irish Sanctuary still hadn't elected two other elders to rule beside her. She sighed. The door echoed as it opened. Tipstaff spoke to her.

"Skulduggery Pleasant is here to see you now."

She nodded. "Let him in."

A few minutes later, Skulduggery entered. "China."

"Skulduggery. How's Valkyrie?"

He tilted his head in what seemed to be sadness. "She's still not coming home. Her last letter told me that she wasn't ready to come out yet."

China nodded. "It's been what? Five years since Darquesse?"

Skulduggery nodded.

"You miss her."

He nodded. "She's my partner."

China smiled. "Just is crime?"

Skulduggery titled his head, his voice laced with confusion. "Sorry?"

She sighed. "Never mind. I was just teasing you. It seems that Valkyrie and you have a special connection. A bond, you could say." She kept all traces of jealousy from her voice. She had no hold on Skulduggery. She destroyed that hope when she destroyed his family.

Skulduggery nodded. "You wanted to see me?"

China nodded. "I want you to rule by my side as Elder. I can't stand dealing with these idiots by myself. Don't you dare say that you're busy. I know for a fact that you've been declining cases ever since Valkyrie left. The only ones you take are ones that truly intrigue you."

Skulduggery sighed. "I can't deny the truth of your spies."

China smiled at him. "Will you accept?"

"No."

She pouted. "Why?"

He sighed. "Because, I can't stand being in your presence."

China froze. She slowly, forcefully made her body relax into the throne. "Oh…in that case you can leave now."

Skulduggery sighed. "China, you disappoint me."

She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "How so?" Her voice was a touch cold.

He chuckled and approached her lazily. "You suffer from a deplorable lack of curiosity."

She stiffened as he came closer. "Why…do you say that?" She was becoming more and more aware of how close he was getting to her.

"You didn't ask me why."

She sighed. He just loved mind games. "Very well, why?"

He stood over her on dais and bent down, resting his gloved hands on her armrests. "You make me feel the one emotion I hate the most."

She tried to lean further into her headrest. Her eyes trained on his sockets, imagining what he used to look like before her betrayal, before Serpine. "What emotion is that?" Her voice was growing fainter.

He leaned closer. "Guilt."

She stared at him in confusion. He tapped his collar bones, and his old face slid up. She gasped in surprise. Her student must have done that for him. He kissed her, gently, firmly, showing her exactly how much she was his.

It was some time before the kiss was broken. "Guilt to my former wife, because I am in love with her murderess." He kissed her again. China let him lead her. "However, I'm willing to let go of the past, and grab the future."

China held back a gasp when he grabbed her waist and pulled her off the throne. She slipped her hands around his neck and kissed him again.

They didn't notice the door open. They didn't notice Dexter Vex and Saracen Rue enter the room.

Dexter smirked. "Never would have paired them together…"

Saracen chuckled. "Called it."

His friend glared at him. "How could you have possibly seen this coming?!"

Saracen just smiled sweetly at Dexter. "I know things."

Dexter rolled his eyes.