A/N: I don't own Skulduggery or Valkyrie.

"Seatbelt." Skulduggery said as we got settled into the Bentley. I did as I was told, my hands starting to shake as the reality of him being back hit me. "Ah. I wondered when that was going to happen."

"Am I going insane?" I asked as he drove. "I am, aren't I? I'm insane and in a cell in the Sanctuary as we speak."

"I've always told you to embrace your insanity, Valkyrie." Skulduggery said happily. "Do you want some coffee? I want some coffee." I blinked at the sudden shift in the conversation.

"Um, yeah, sure..." I trailed off. It suddenly occurred to me that he'd completely lost his mind this time. "But how are we going to get coffee in the middle of nowhere?" I asked.

"Magic."

"Really?" I asked, sounding excited in spite of myself and he looked over at me through his disguise for a beat then laughed.

"You still believe everything I tell you, don't you?" He asked fondly. "But yes, really. I'll just remove the air manipulation and you should be able to go from there." He gestured and the heavenly aroma of coffee filled the Bentley. I unbuckled and twisted around to find two to go cups of it behind my seat on the floor in one of those trays they give out in coffee shops.

I got both, handing one to Skulduggery. If he had gone crazy enough to think he could eat and drink again I didn't have the heart to tell him not to try. "Thank you kindly." He said, slipping his scarf down low enough to sip his coffee and he did actually sip it. He glanced over at me. "I got some upgrades. I drug my bones over and did some work on them over there. Got rid of the old façade, got something better. Hold this."

He handed me his coffee then tapped his collarbone with his gloved hand. A façade flowed over his face, but it kept going and I could see the mass of a slim yet powerful body appear underneath his clothes. I was impressed, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "You shouldn't have done that, should you? Taking your bones over and bringing them back again?"

"Probably not. But the important thing to remember is not to panic."

"Something's after you, isn't it? That's our case?" I asked and he nodded. "And you decided to stop for coffee while something is chasing you down? What happens if it catches you?"

"I'd have to go back. Oh, dear." He said and I followed his gaze out the windscreen. There was a rider all in black on a coal black steed charging straight towards us. Even as he rode he drew a bow from his back and cocked an arrow, letting it fly straight for Skulduggery who had stepped on the accelerator. He veered and the arrow missed the Bentley.

"Hold on!" He ordered then turned the wheel hard just before we collided with the rider, slamming the back end of the Bentley into- Nothing. The horse and rider were gone. Skulduggery, who had managed to hold onto his coffee smiled over at me cheerfully. "That's the Huntsman, and he wants to take me back, but I'm not going."

Skulduggery just loves to take Val on exciting adventures, doesn't he? The Huntsman is my OC, of course.