A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Anton, Gists, Gordon or Skulduggery.
The Gist continued to emerge, a spectral double of Anton with slightly longer hair and eyes that were jet black orbs above a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth. He was more muscular than Anton, and as he floated forward the bands of energy that connected him to Anton streaming behind him, I realized the Gist was now solid enough to kill me with one swipe of his deadly claws.
But I forgot all that when I saw the haunted look in his eyes, the fear he had of being rejected. He looked at me sadly, then seemed to remember something and turned to dip one taloned hand into Anton's jacket pocket. He came up with a dried daisy, which he presented to me. I realized the good side of Anton had been too terrified to give it to me, but his bad side felt he had nothing left to loose.
I accepted the flower, then entwined my fingers with his. "Thank you, I'll save it forever, I promise." I reached out and touched his face and he closed his eyes, tilting his head into the sensation. But we didn't have much time.
I leaned forward and kissed him softly, trying to put all the love I had for him into that single kiss. "Anton." I murmured, stroking his face gently. "You know I love you." The Gist drew back, surprised, then retreated willingly. I went to Anton in concern as he opened his eyes. He looked tired, but not nearly as bad as he usually did when the Gist fought. "Are you all right?" I asked helping him sit down.
"Yes, it didn't even take much effort, he felt like being agreeable for once. No, let's be truthful, I did. I'm sorry if I frightened you." He apologized, gladly accepting his shake when I handed it to him.
"Hush, get some calories into you and rest. I'll do anything you need me to. The only thing that frightens me is the idea of that half of you taking over and loosing the you I fell in love with. But I do love that side of you, Anton. And I wouldn't leave you, even then." I said and he smiled gently but wearily.
"And I love you, Valkyrie Cain. Your dark and your light. We're still going out to dinner. You have about two hours to do as you wish. I'll get some rest, I promise." I nodded, then leaned down and kissed him softly, allowing myself the luxury of bunching his long black hair in my hands. Anton seemed surprised, but returned the kiss tenderly. I could feel how tired he was but knew better than to refuse going out that night. I just hoped he wasn't pushing himself too hard to please me.
In two hours he looked a lot better and seemed energized. "You look lovely, Val." He murmured. I blushed. I'd put on a caramel and black swirled popcorn shirt over jeans and flats, but the compliment made me feel beautiful. I was glad as he embraced me in a friendly gesture that I'd remembered to put on perfume as well.
Anton had put on cologne, and the scent combined with the wool of his good suit was heady. "Thank you. You look very handsome tonight, Anton. New suit?" I asked and he nodded.
"Let's walk." He suggested and I agreed. It had cooled off and it wasn't that far to a small place right on the beach. We walked arm in arm, Anton seemingly content to stroll easily, admiring the Victorian-style beach houses we passed and he perked up when we reached the small white-washed brick building that was lit outside by fluorescent bulbs.
Anton pondered the menu. "Hmm, you do like seafood, don't you?" He asked looking at me and I nodded. "Then what about the fried clams and the shrimp with fries? I could use the calories." He admitted.
I agreed. "Sounds lovely, actually. Might as well go for Cokes as well. It isn't like we intend to eat like this every day."
And so we did and found a nice picnic bench to sit down at. Anton smiled at me. "I'm glad you appreciate simple things like this, Valkyrie. I don't have the ability to take you to four-star restaurants on a regular basis. I can keep you in comfort, but not luxury." That sounded like a proposal and my heart sped up.
"I don't want luxury, Anton, I want you." I said, taking his hand. "And this is wonderful. You can't beat the view."
"But you're facing away from the ocean- Oh." He blushed and laughed softly. "I can't say I've heard that too often. I frighten most people. You don't think I dress like a funeral director, do you?" He asked and I shook my head no, wondering who'd be tacky enough to tell him such a thing.
"No, I think you're a very handsome man who wears well-tailored yet practical suits. And is kind enough to build sand castles with little sisters and feed fries to seagulls." I said fondly, watching him break one in half and give part to a gull and one to a tiny sparrow who boldly fluffed herself up at the gull. Anton smiled back.
"I like animals. Never as a live-in companion, but I do like them."
"Anton, you're a man after my own heart. You didn't say pets."
"Mmm. I don't believe in owning a living thing, Valkyrie Cain. So you know there are no strings attached. You stay as long as you want. I don't own you and you aren't my property. If you choose to stay it has to be of your own free will. I love you too much to hold you prisoner." His lips twitched slightly and his eyes danced. I'd forgotten how endearing his odd sense of humour was.
We walked on the beach after, our arms looped easily around one another, then at last back to the hotel in the moonlight. Anton was a much happier man now. I knew that just like I knew it was hard for either one of us to express our feelings. We'd have to work on that, but now we knew we'd have time because I'd agreed to stay.
Abby, having waited up, took the news well. "I knew you would. Night, Sis." She said sleepily.
"Night." I said, wondering what reward I could possibly give her for being so brave. And a week later I knew what to give her. On the morning she was leaving I woke her up after the breakfast buffet was laid out and led her to the beach.
"Abby, you've been a very brave little girl over the last few weeks, really brave. Exploring with me, swimming in the ocean and everything else. So I know you're the right person to watch over Midnight for me." Her eye widened in awe.
I called him to me, then handed her a small necklace with a horse pendant. "He'll be inside here, whenever you need him. Just think of him being inside or outside and he will be." I said and she hugged me tightly. "Just no taking him to school or having him in the house or dad will blow a gasket." I said, and she promised.
I stood up and petted Midnight's velvety nose. "You be a good boy and take care of her. Go inside now and you listen to her." He pricked his ears forward attentively then chuffed softly and nuzzled into me before fading from view. I had to remind myself he wasn't real and that I'd be silly to miss him, but then I'd given him to Abby to protect him from being hurt in battle.
When we had seen the last of our guests off later that morning Anton looked at me with a gentle smile. "Two full days in Ireland so we can retrieve whatever you need from the mansion and Skulduggery's house." He said, and I knew he was trusting me to stay with him.
"Sounds good. We might as well go to the mansion first. We can restock our kitchen from that one." I said, startling us both. But it was our kitchen now. I had a home in the Midnight Hotel as long as I wanted it, and I had no intention of leaving it and possibly loosing Anton forever.
When we'd filled up the boot with canned goods and other supplies, and I'd packed plenty of clothes we made our goodbyes to Uncle Gordon, or his Echo at any rate. "You two make a good couple. Take care of one another." He'd said kindly and I'd blinked back happy tears.
At home we decided we had everything we needed. I'd leave my things at dad's house. And as we settled on the sofa, I looked at Anton, making a decision. "Do you want to leave at midnight? Be off to wherever we need to be?" I asked. He looked touched.
"You realize we won't be back for a very long time, Valkyrie? I want you with me from now on and although there will always be stops in Ireland I can't give you up, not now. If you come with me it's to stay."
"I know, I want to stay." I said, cuddling into him.
Anton smiled and stroked my hair gently. "Then how about we go to Africa at midnight and you can see the sun rise on the plains? Then Hawaii at noon, and anywhere else we choose to go. In a week or so, when we are ready, we reopen as a bed and breakfast." I turned to look at him.
"That sounded like another proposal. You do know rings are usually involved, right?" I asked and he smiled gently.
"I just needed to know you wanted one." He said softly, then slipped a sliver ring graced with a heart-shaped blue topaz on my finger. "Valkyrie Cain," Anton said, getting to one knee, "Will you do me the honour of marrying me?"
OMG, girl, say yes!
