A/N: This is set post-Death Bringer. If you haven't read Death Bringer yet and do not like the idea of spoilers, PLEASE GO AWAY NOW. Seriously. This set of drabbles has spoilers for Death Bringer. Not the hugest spoilers there can be, but a few things will be spoiled. So, you know ... if you don't want to get spoiled, you have now been warned.
There was a knock at the door.
China put down the book she had been staring at for the last two hours. She didn't need to check who was on the other side. She'd recognise his knocks anywhere.
Bone on wood, even if it was bone encased in the finest leather, sounded just a little bit different than fingers on wood, fingers of flesh and blood.
So that was it, then. A few more precious moments; then the door would fly off and she would meet her end. And it wouldn't be pretty, or quick, or painless.
She wouldn't run.
xXx
"China?"
Why hadn't he broken the door down? Would she really have to go and open it for him? Invite him in, engage in small talk, offer him a cup of tea – no, not much point in that – and then wait gracefully for him to mete out the punishment she deserved?
"I'm not here to kill you." His voice was resigned. "I know that you will find this difficult to believe, but I'm here to tell you that you can stop hiding."
She blinked. Not kill her?
Curiosity got the better of her. She stood up and opened the door.
xXx
He didn't take the seat she offered him. His suit was rumpled and there was mud on his shoes, but his gun was tucked away, so she assumed his unusually unruly appearance had something to do with something else, not with a wild chase around the Irish countryside in order to find her.
"You mentioned that you're not going to kill me."
"I did indeed."
"Why not? Not that I'm complaining, you understand, but…"
"But you're puzzled."
"To be honest, yes."
He tilted his head. "Good. And no, I'm not going to tell you. My reasons are… personal."
China smiled.
xXx
"You understand, of course, that I'm going to find it difficult to trust you ever again."
She let the smile grow a little, making sure to put just the right amount of coquettishness into it. "You've never trusted me."
He stayed silent.
"Oh."
"Yes. Oh." He raised his head and looked into her eyes. "Don't mistake this for me forgiving you. Or for me forgetting it. You and I… It's all in the past now."
China laughed; a delicate, if bitter, sound. "It's all been in the past for a long time. I've known for years now. With Valkyrie around…"
xXx
"Valkyrie has nothing to do with this."
China sighed. "Valkyrie has everything to do with this. You may lie to me, if you wish, but don't lie to yourself. How is Valkyrie, by the way?"
"Healing. She dumped the vampire, you know. Into the sea."
"Oh. So it was Caelan."
"It was."
"I suppose you would say it was a lesson she needed to learn."
"I would. And she did."
"And Fletcher?"
He shrugged. "He may still be harbouring hopes; I wouldn't know. But it's over."
"And what are you going to do about it?"
"Nothing."
"Skulduggery…"
"Leave it, China."
xXx
He brushed a leaf off his hat. "I didn't come here to discuss my relationship with Valkyrie with you. I came here to tell you that I've been doing some thinking and as a result of my brilliant mind, I've decided to not kill you. If that's all—"
"She needs someone she can look up to."
He was silent for a moment. "Then she has to look elsewhere."
China sighed. "She needs someone amazing."
"And what do I need?"
"Someone to remind you what life is about."
He put his hat back on and opened the door. "Goodbye, China."