A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Ghastly, Uncle Gordon, Tipstaff, or Erskine. Val is still 21, story is still in her POV.


Uncle Gordon looked at me as I packed. I was going to the cabin he owned deep in the woods on a lake hours away for a few weeks. I needed to get away to think, and he wasn't trying to stop me. "You did the right thing you know, though as your favourite uncle I'd like to point out this is very Romeo and Juliet of the two of you."

I turned, startled. "What?"

"You've had a relationship for three whole days, if that, same as in the play. Now it is over and I'm hoping neither one of you is fond of daggers or poison." He was joking, but barely. I shook my head.

"No, you had to step aside with mum, I have to let Skulduggery go to find someone who can make her happy. Maybe she'll find a way back to her husband and child now, Uncle Gordon. I don't know. But I'm actually happy in a way since I'm giving her what she wants."

Uncle Gordon just nodded, saying nothing. I knew he didn't want to be in the middle so I made sure he wasn't. "If she comes here, comfort her, just don't tell her where I am, OK? She needs to find someone she can trust to find her beautiful, to worship her, and that isn't me. Maybe it was a mistake on both our parts. She needs, well she needs a man, doesn't she? To reassure her everything will be OK?" I was trying hard not to cry.

Uncle Gordon sighed. "You don't mean that. You know you don't. I wish you'd stay here so she can get to you, and I know she will want to be with you. She loves you, Valkyrie. You're just getting the fallout of over four centuries of passing herself off in men's clothing because she feels too ugly to qualify as a woman."

I shook my head and grabbed my bag. "I'm sorry, I really am. But I know her too, though not as long as you. She won't change her mind and if she does, she'll never trust me. I can't give her what she needs."

I left, knowing for once that Uncle Gordon was wrong. Skulduggery would not come looking for me. She was far too proud a woman, and besides, I admitted to myself as I put my car into drive, I was no substitute for her family.


The drive had taken about two hours, and the sun was just rising as I pulled up to the cabin. I sat in my car watching the sun rise over the lake, feeling my grief, but refusing to give in. My mobile rang, startling me. Ghastly. I resolved not to answer. I knew that by now all the Dead Men were most likely ready to kill me. Skulduggery wouldn't lie about what happened, but they'd see my leaving as abandoning her. The truth was, had I stayed it would have hurt us both more.

As I was dragging in groceries and unloading the charcoal and other supplies I'd need for the next few weeks my mobile rang again. Ghastly. I sighed and answered. "Yes, Elder Bespoke?"

"Valkyrie? We'll be there in about five minutes. But will you please say something on speaker so Skulduggery is sure you're still alive?" I heard him set down his mobile and realized I was on speaker.

"I'm alive and I wish Uncle Gordon was too so I could kill him for ratting me out. I did miss you though, Skulduggery." I would have said more but the familiar van pulled up and Skulduggery was out and running towards me, dressed in her usual dark blue suit. She tackled me hard and the only thing that saved us both from sprawling in the dirt was a timely assist from Ghastly via air manipulation.

I mouthed a thank you to him and held Skulduggery tightly. I wasn't mad at her, I couldn't be mad. She was trembling, her skull buried in my shoulder and her arms wrapped tightly around me as she whispered my name repeatedly. "Valkyrie, please forgive me." She whispered brokenly and Ghastly stepped away to give us privacy. I stroked her skull gently, unable to speak at first. I tilted her head up and could see she'd been in mourning all night.

"Skulduggery!" I held her tightly to me. "You did nothing wrong, you've never done anything wrong. I love you, you know I do. I went away only because I felt that's what you truly wanted and needed. Do you have any idea how much it hurt to leave? But it would have killed both of us if I'd stayed."

I felt her nod, her head buried in my shoulder again. I realized then my best friend and protector was seeking my protection. She was helpless, something I'd rarely seen in her. "Are you staying?" I asked, and she stood up straight to look down at me, nodding shyly.

"If you'll have me." She said quietly, and I nodded. She smiled then and happiness seemed to flood her. "I'll get my bags." She fairly sang and got several bags out of the back of Ghastly's van then came to look at me, I directed her to what would be our room since I didn't want her alone that night, and she made a pleased sound, promising to return after she'd unpacked.

I looked at Ghastly as he rejoined me. He looked weary. "Could you two time your dramas so poor Elders aren't drug our of bed in the middle of the night?" He was teasing, but he looked worried.

"Sorry about that. How did she convince you to bring her?"

"She was weeping. I've never seen her cry before. You were getting her for company whether you wanted her or not. She loves you, Valkyrie, but she will take a lot of work, and I mean a lot of work. Skulduggery may have the world's largest ego and consider herself beautiful most of the time, but for you? She wouldn't feel good enough to be with you no matter what."

I looked at him. "I had no idea. Uncle Gordon said it was centuries of fallout, that she's never felt beautiful at all. Not as a woman at any rate." Ghastly smiled sadly, but Skulduggery was returning to us and her good mood was infectious.

"I knew you missed me." She said and nodded happily. "I'm too beautiful for you not to miss." She was preening and I indulged her.

"That you are." I turned to Ghastly. "Are you staying? There's plenty of room."

He nodded. "Gordon thought the two of you could use the company. The Grand Mage himself gave us all two weeks off. Of course that came at a price." He said, amused as a sports car came up the dirt road.

Erskine and Tipstaff got out and I couldn't help but grin. Our friends were making sure we stayed together, that we were supported and loved. I didn't even think men thought that way, but they apparently did. Uncle Gordon, well, Echo Gordon, was lifted gently out of the back seat by Tipstaff, Echo Stone and all. He grinned at me, clearly pleased with himself. "We thought you ladies could use protection. Being in the woods all alone, in a cabin I got for next to nothing because of the murders."

We were walking inside and Erskine stared at me. "He's kidding, right?"

"No. Seventeen people all chopped to bits with an ax when the area was a campground. I think the murderer is dead though, so no worries. Uncle Gordon has a framed copy of the article over there." I pointed as we entered and the Dead Men all went to inspect it.

Tipstaff had set Uncle Gordon's Echo Stone down and now he could wander at will thanks to improvements. We were all soon settled in, and the men had taken over the prospect of grilling. I didn't mind as it gave me time alone with Skulduggery.

We sat facing the lake on a bench, Skulduggery having looped a protective and possessive arm around me. "I love you, Valkyrie. I had no idea you wanted held and touched more. I was so wrapped up in how I felt, how ugly I felt compared to you that I couldn't believe you loved me and found me beautiful, but now I do, I swear I do."

She turned to me, her skeletal features pleading for me to believe her, and I did. "I feel the same way when I'm with you, Skulduggery. I only think I'm beautiful because you tell me I am, but I could never be good enough for you in my own eyes. Of course, now you have two weeks to assure me I'm beautiful to you." I purred invitingly. Skulduggery didn't hesitate to take the invitation. She tilted my head up to meet hers and kissed me, being extremely gentle and tender, her skeletal hands caressing my face, then one hand cradled my head as she deepened the kiss and the other grasped my waist gently.

I was just as tender. Removing her hat so I could caress her skull as I melted into her embrace and when we at last parted she sighed happily. We would have a lot of work to do, but a relationship with the woman I loved would be worth it.


Much better!