Hey...YEAH YEAH YEAH. I KNOW. I am sorry i didn't update. There has been ALOT of family issues at the moment...ANYWAY. Lets NOT dwel on that, lets get to the story...

"How come it was easy for me to get 3 men to go shirtless and it took you the same amount of time to get one shirtless?" Tanith questioned her friend as she sat with the shirtless boys. All seemed ALOT hotter.

"Yeah, Cos Mr Pleasant here is so stubborn" Valkyrie replied.

"Good. At least that tells me that you won't be dragging me off to the Rolls Royce in 5 seconds" He nodded.

Her eyes widdened. "God no."

"Good" He smirked.

"...Did you want me to?"

It was Skulduggery's turn for his face to fall. "NO!"

She nodded. "Thats good"

Skulduggery raised his hand and smirked at her. She didn't understand what he was doing and gave him a puzzled look.

"What are you doing?"

"Look behind you" He smirked and a wall of water crashed into her back as she looked over her shoulder. She froze for a few seconds, Glaring at Skulduggery who was laughing before growling and getting up. Picking up a handful of sea-weed and threw it at him, It missed as he bent down whilst running to pick up his cigarettes. He turned to her and stopped running, That dark hair blown across his devilish face as he lit the ciggarette.

"You said you were going to STOP!" Tanith yelled at him.

"Soon" He finished. Taking a drag of the ciggarette as Tanith glared.

Skulduggery didn't pay any attention to the glaring Tanith. He was too busy grinning devilishly at Valkyrie.

Valkyrie charged at Skulduggery and he tried to dodge, But she cought him and they both crashed to the floor.

Skulduggery yelled when Valkyrie began burrying him in the sand. He pushed her off, Still holding his ciggarette in his hand. She couldn't stop giggling at Skulduggery as he tried to brush himself down. But the sand stuck to him.

He looked up at Valkyrie to see her rolling about the floor laughing. "Argh! Val! I hate you for this!" He growled. Valkyrie laughed harder and Everyone laughed at him.

"This stuff has gotten everywhere!" He cursed.

"Ugh!" Valkyrie yelled. "Something i did not need to know!"

"Your fault!"

"Your one flirtatious dick, Skulduggery" Ghastly told him. Shaking his head.

"At least i bloody got one!" He yelled at him.

"Not so sure about that"

"Why?"

"You haven't got the balls to tell-"

"Okay shut up now" Skulduggery said. Doing his best to brush himself down, But failing epicly.

"Good boy for agreeing with me" Ghastly smirked.

"Shut your face"

"Never" Ghastly grinned.

xXx

Everyone piled into the door after a afternoon of the beach. Valkyrie and Skulduggery still giggling at eachother for when they had dragged eachother into the sea. Fletcher was winding up Tanith and Ravel was punching Ghastly and the boxer looked like he was about to throttle him.

"Y'all want to meet down her at 7 for dinner?" Skulduggery asked.

"1-" Valkyrie grinned. "Your picking up the American accent-" He glared when she said that, But she only grinned widder. "2- That would be fine aslong as you clean yourself"

Sniggers came from everyone, But Skulduggery just rolled his eyes in response.

"We all better get up there," Tanith smiled. "Its 6:15, Now"

As they walked past the lady at the desk, Ravel muttered under his breath. "I'm a loner"

Skulduggery laughed. "I thought you had their numbers?"

"They trashed my phone"

Skulduggery laughed again. "One thing you never do, Eskrine" He pointed. "Is let a girl have your phone"

"Damn well true, That is" Ghastly agreed and Tanith giggled.

They began climbing the stairs."But letting a boy have your phone is worse" Valkyrie said, Elbowing Skulduggery.

"What did i do?" He asked innoccently.

"You tried to steal my phone whilst i was having a private conversation with Tanith" She accused.

Skulduggery stopped dead and everyone almost ran into his back. They had almost reached the top of the stairs, But Skulduggery wasn't going to let them past.

"What private conversation?" He said after he turned. Sucpicion in his voice.

"Nothing that would concern you" Valkyrie said. She tried to walk past him, But his arm came out infront of her to stop her.

"Something tells me a secret is going around" He smirked.

"No, I told you. Its just school" She lied. She HATED lieing to Skulduggery, Especially when it involved her feelings.

"Whats going on in school?" He asked, Raising a eyebrow.

"Friendship issues. Okay?" Tanith thanked god when Skulduggery turned and continued walking up the stairs.

Skulduggery walked into his room with Valkyrie following behind, Ravel went into his and Tanith put a arm around Ghastly's shoulders and opened the door to their room.

The walls were white with black and red swirls decorating them. The bed frame was black with a red bed sheet. Red leather chairs were in the far end of the room and like Skulduggery and Valkyrie's room; Vibrant colours of fish swam across their ceiling. Tanith fell backwards onto the bed, Her blonded hair spread out around her.

"That was close" Tanith said. Ghastly looked at her whilst he was shrugging off his jacket. A eyebrow raised at her.

"That it was" He replied.

She sat up. Ghastly knew Skulduggery better, That way she would find out what he was like when it came to a situation like this.

"Would Skulduggery ever act on Valkyrie with his feelings?" She questioned.

"No. He keeps telling himself that its wrong. I didn't approve of it at first, But when you told me Valkyrie had the same feelings for him I softened and if there is one thing for certain-" He sat down on the end of the bed. "-He will never act on her unless there is proof that she loves him. Someones word is not enough for him."

"Oh.."

"What were you thinking?" He demanded. A grin playfully lit up the scars on his head.

"I thought if i told Skul' then maybe he would talk to her, But.."

Ghastly chuckled. "No, You would need evedence for the detective"

"But.."

Ghastly gave her a questioning look.

"...Her phone"

"No." Ghastly barked.

"Why not?"

"It would be like chinesse flippin' wispears. Let Skulduggery find out by himself."

"That could be disastorous"

"I know. But it will turn out to be alright in the end."

"Sure. But they really should get together"

"They will. Skulduggery maybe telling himself not to love her, But I bet you that if he could, He would have her in his arms."

"He is scared of rejection"

"Precisely" Ghastly said, He walked into the bathroom and freshened himself up. Tanith did the same once she was able to get in.

Once she came out, Ghastly put his arms around her and kissed her. "It will happen" He murmured against her lips. Making her smile.

xXx

Skulduggery washed himself off from the sand in the shower. He could see it collecting in lumps on the floor and slowly drifting towards the drain. The soap from his body mixing with it.

He ran a hand through his drenched hair as he lent against one of the shower walls. Usually, Valkyrie would of reacted with ease to his questions. But 15 minutes ago she awnsered with a...A fear in her eyes. Now he thought about it, He had looked at Tanith. And the woman had a worried look on her face...

BUT. It was nothing of his concern. Tanith was Valkyrie's friend. The girl she shared things with. Not Skulduggery. He was far to nosey for his own good.

Skulduggery opened the shower door and was taking the towel off the radator when the door began to open.

"Skul-" Valkyrie began. But was cut off.

"CLOSE THE GOD DAMN DOOR BEFORE YOU SEE ME NAKED!" Skulduggery roared. Valkyrie closed it, But he could still hear her in fits of laughter in their room.

"YOU COW!" He yelled whilst grinning. Putting on his clothes.

"I thought you were dressed!" She yelled back.

"Why did you think that?"

"Because your always telling me how fast and graceful you are!"

Skulduggery sighed and shook his head, The girl was still in fits of laughter.

"Thats because i am!" He yelled and walked out of the bathroom. Valkyrie looked at him giggling.

"Come on giggle bag" He said, Taking hold of her arm and leading her out of the hotel room.

xXx

Valkyrie sat down next to Tanith at the table in the cafetiria. There were people all around them but none taking notice of them.

Skulduggery was sat directly infront of her. Next to Ghastly and Ravel sat by the window. Fletcher sat opposit Ravel by the window.

"Whats everyone havin' then?" The waiter asked them. She was a tall woman with thick blonde locks that fell over her shoulders. The classic waitresses dress outlined her thin figure and her small notebook and pen were at the ready.

"Salomon sandwich" Skulduggery smiled at her. She seemed a little love struck by him. But got back to her job in a second.

"Bowl'a soup" Tanith grinned and shrugged when everyone gave her a weird look.

"Just a ham sandwhich for me" Fletcher smiled.

"Cheese and tomato baguette" Ghastly said.

"Salad bun" Ravel said. He only glanced to the woman. Quickly moving his eyes back to the window.

"Just a tuna sandwhich, Thanks" Valkyrie said. Not taking her eyes off Ravel. Once the waiter was gone, She placed a hand on his arm.

He looked at her questioningly. But didn't say a word.

"Whats up?" She asked.

"Nothing" He said. He wasn't the usual Ravel. This Ravel was a tired man who looked like he was close to tears.

He sighed. Giving up on all the eyes staring at him. "Fine! My mother died. And i wasn't even there to hold her hand. You all happy now?" He turned away. Head in his hand.

Valkyrie got up. The waitress had come back with her meal and she gave a small indication to put it down. She did that and Valkyrie put her arms around Ravel. Pulling him gently into a hug. Ravel pulled her ontop of his knee and she gave him another gentle hug.

All said that they where sorry for his loss. But Skulduggery remained silent. His fist clenched on the table and his mind livid with jelousy. He managed to calm himself down and look away. His meal was placed infront of him, But he didn't feel like eating it anymore.

Valkyrie got off Ravel and took a seat infront of Skulduggery. He refused to look at her and poked at his sandwhich. Ending up taking a small bite.

Everyone was tucking into their meal when Valkyrie said- "I walked in on Skulduggery earlier"

Everyone gave her puzzled looks. And she explained that she had opened the door when Skulduggery was in the shower, Thinking that he was dressed and about to come out. Making everyone laugh.

Skulduggery didn't pay any attention. He was in a bad mood. He didn't know why he was jelous of Valkyrie sitting on Ravel's knee. But he still was.

Tanith looked at Skulduggery with a grin plastered on her face. "Really?"

"Yeah.." He said. He wasn't in the mood at the moment for laughing.

"Whats up with you?" Valkyrie asked. A eyebrow raised.

"Nothing that would concern You." He grumbled and stood. Walking out of the cafetiria with his head held high. Not bothering to awnser to the voices behind him.

xXx

Skulduggery lay there on the bed with his right arm behind his neck and his ancles crossed, In his pijammas and watching the fishes swimming above him.

He had calmed down. Now seeing himself foolish for walking out on them like that, But he didn't care. Why he had let himself get worked up over something as small and pointless like that he didn't know.

HAAHAA! His mind laughed at him. Your just like a hormonal TEENAGER!

He muttured a curse under his breath and took out his phone from his trousers he had placed on the floor next too him. Glancing down at the three missed calles from Valkyrie.

Oh. So she DOES care. His mind pointed out.

Skulduggery sighed and put his phone back into the trouser pocket. He didn't feel like talking. It wasn't because he thought he would look stupid, It was because he felt depressed. Falling in love with someone and then going crazy because they sat on someone elses knee was something that made him depressed. Yes, He was like a hormonal teenager.

The door to the appartment opened and Skuduggery didn't glance. Already knowing it was Valkyrie. She came over to him and layed down next to him. Staring at him.

He couldn't take those eyes on him any-longer and turned to give her a full scale glare. She gave him a look and got up. "God, your grumpy. Ain't you?" She said as she picked up her pijammas and walked into the bathroom. Quickly getting changed. She emerged, Looking at Skulduggery. His eyes where fixed on the wall infront of him.

"Whats wrong?" She asked him. Sitting next to him. Her hand rested on his arm and she loomed over him. His eyes where still fixed into a deadly glare infront of him.

"Its nothing, Val" He said. Taking his arm away from her hand and bringing up the covers around him. Turning away from her.

"..Night then.." She said. Pulling the covers around her and only getting a small "Night" In reply from the man next to her.