A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Ghastly, Tanith, Anton, Darquesse, Dexter, Saracen or Erskine.


Abby was thrilled that I was coming home and cuddled into me tightly. "I knew we'd find you! Will you teach me how to be a skeleton too?" She asked excitedly.

"Only as a last resort." I said, kissing her forehead fondly, then handing her back to her mom, our mom I guessed, but I was still wary.

We'd reached Ghastly's van and he looked at me before unlocking the sliding door. "I've never had to hunt down a war hero before. Don't you pull anything like this, ever again." He said, drawing me into a tight hug.

"Yes, Sir." I managed and he gave a satisfied grunt, then let Tanith grab me in a tight hug of her own. "But war hero?" I asked as she released me and my brothers mobbed me. Skulduggery, watching the whole thing with an amused smile, nodded.

"Yes, to recap: Darquesse saved Ireland, she's a hero, and magic has been exposed after a machine we won't discuss activated most mortals' latent powers. Darquesse took care of that too. She did a lot of things to help people, including some rescue missions." He said fondly.

"And now everyone has been hunting for her. They want her as an Elder or Grand Mage." Dexter said, trying not to laugh at my instantly horrified look.

"You have a lot to get caught up on, Valkyrie Cain. And as always it's good to see you again." Anton said. He hadn't mobbed me like the rest, but had waited with considerable dignity to come forward to hug me, smiling gently at me. There'd been a warmth to his voice that caught me off guard and I tried hard not to blush.

We loaded into the van, but we stopped soon enough at a rest area. Skulduggery, well, Dad decided to indulge his family in the snack machines. "You can eat again?" He whispered through his teeth. I nodded. "Good. And no, I didn't forget my disguise, no need. Especially with heroic skeletons saving fair mortal damsels in the woods." He said louder, snorting laughter. I elbowed him one in the ribs and he whined good naturedly.

I noticed people staring at us. No, not at us, me. I checked my reflection in a glass front of a snack machine, confused. "You're a hero to all of Ireland, Valkyrie." Anton said at my elbow. "You saved us, then the world. Most people are magical now, so you have quite the fanbase." He said, clearly amused, and I wanted to hide. But at least people kept a polite distance, some of them waving shyly.

Back in the van I had a lot to think about as Abby kept up a running commentary on things that had happened after my disappearance. I listened, nodding, but swore I felt Anton looking at me. He never was when I looked, but the feeling persisted until we at last dropped him off at the Midnight Hotel. I watched him as we drove away, wondering why.


At last we were home, and it was a chance to bond as a family. Most of my unease was gone as my new mom was doing everything she could to treat me as a daughter. She walked me out to the small porch. "You'll have your room, Skulduggery had an addition put on for us and Abby has her own room, but she'll likely want to be with her big sister for one night." I nodded. "Are you thinking about Anton?" She asked and I looked over at her and shrugged. "He was certainly looking at you in the van." She smiled warmly, and I knew she was trying her best.

"Dad would kill me. He's over twenty times older than me." I said, thinking that would take care of that. Mom just smiled and shook her head.


That evening Abby and I were camped out in my room. "So you aren't mad I stayed in your room?" She asked wide-eyed and I shook my head. Looking at her was like looking at me, exactly, at her age. We could have been twins. She continued, hugging her plush purple bunny to her. "I would have stayed in mine, but I wanted my big sister here to protect me." She sniffed and I pulled her into a tight hug.

Sadly, even Darquesse couldn't save my birth family, so I knew just how precious a little sister was. I vowed then and there to never let anyone harm her if it were possible. "It's OK, Abby, I know you were afraid and sometimes that's a good thing. It keeps you out of danger." I said and she nodded sadly. "Hey, cheer up, pretty soon you'll be meeting cute guys and going on dates." I said ruffling her hair and she giggled.

Then of course since I ruffled her hair I had to brush it, and she brushed mine and then we were doing all the girly things together I'd never got to do from going out on cases. She was braiding my hair for me, chattering away at a million miles a minute as usual. "Is Anton your boyfriend?" She asked and I laughed.

"Anton? No, he's sweet and he's a good friend, but not a boyfriend. Why do you ask?" I asked.

"He really likes you. I made up a test. I figure a good guy won't mind being asked if my sister is his girlfriend, right?" She asked.

"Clever girl." I agreed.

"Well, Saracen called you a little sister, so did Dex. And I know Ghastly's like another dad to you, to me too." I smiled, nodding.

"You're quite the detective. So what did the others say?"

"Erskine smiled and said you were too decent for him. But Anton smiled and said he wasn't that lucky."

"Wow, you are a detective." I said, turning to smile at her.

"And would the lady detectives care to join their mom and dad for popcorn and a movie?" Mom asked from the doorway. I nodded and Abby squealed happily, racing ahead of us.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Mom asked, coming to sit on the floor beside me. "I know she chatters like a songbird, but she worships you, sweetheart."

"No, it's good having her here. I- Part of the reason I ran, besides thinking everyone wanted to kill me was that I'd lost my own family. But having a new one helps, a lot." I said, smiling faintly at her. "Do you mind?"

"No, I always wanted an adult daughter to talk to. Well, come on, before your father sends out a search party." I laughed and followed her downstairs. Luckily the sofa fit all four of us. I was a little sorry Darquesse hadn't been able to help dad be alive again, but he at least could eat and was making up for lost time.

We all had bowls of popcorn, coco for us girls and coffee for our parents. The movie was a romantic comedy, and Abby, sitting beside me nudged me when the young movie star staying at a small inn fell in love with the innkeeper. I snorted laughter and nudged her back. "Girls, behave." Mom said, but she was laughing at the resemblance the man bore to Anton too.

We weren't doing it to be mean. Anton was a cute guy. And a nice one. But the idea of us falling in love was silly. Only dad seemed lost, and grumpy that he didn't get what was so funny. But when the movie was over and Abby was racing back upstairs to bed, he stopped me in the kitchen. "I hope it was good laughter I heard tonight. I wouldn't like to think of you being cruel to Anton, I raised you better than that."

"What?" I asked, shocked. "No, we just were being silly. Dad, Anton's very sweet, and he's always been kind to me, but he's so not in love with me. I have no idea where Abby got the idea he is-" I faltered at the look on his skeletal features and crossed arms. "Oh."

"Oh indeed. Do you love him?" He asked more gently. I shrugged. I wasn't sure how I felt about Anton, to be honest.

"I don't know. Maybe? I'm confused, to be honest."

Dad hugged me to him. "Confusion is good, sometimes. I think you do love him, Valkyrie. At least as a friend. And you're wondering how it happened. You grew up. You're not the selfish, spoiled, self-centered child that only went on good looks and for hot guys anymore. You're a woman now, and you deserve a good man. Just take your time, sweetheart, how you really feel about him will come to you."

I nodded and went upstairs and got ready for bed. As I did I wondered how I really felt for Anton. Did I love him? Was that why I blushed when he talked to me now? Was that why I'd been thinking about him all day, trying to figure out why he'd been watching me? Or was I just happy to see a good friend again? I sighed and went to bed, finding Abby already fast asleep on her side. I stared up into the darkness for a long time, then decided I had a little sister, a family and a vacation at the beach to look forward to, and how I felt for Anton really didn't matter. And eventually, I fell asleep, but in my dreams Anton was on the beach with us and I couldn't have been happier.


Yeah, I know. I can see poor Skulduggery getting buried in the sand myself. Poor guy.