The man smiled and three more people stepped out behind him.

"Skulduggery," the man said, the sickly sweet smile still on his face, "Why are you leaving so soon? We were having so much fun together."

"The time of my life," Skulduggery said warily, "I should have guessed it was you."

The man laughed. It was a carefree thing, smooth and twittery. It reminded Valkyrie of a flight attendant.

He shrugged. "I was slightly surprised as well. But I guess you were slightly otherwise preoccupied."

"Why did you steal The Piano?"

"Oh, I didn't steal it, and its not me who wants it."

"Then who?"

The man looked at Valkyrie. "I'm sure your partner knows."

Valkyrie stared straight back. "Jason Crusade?"

Skulduggerys head turned to her. "How do you about him?"

"Mist," She replied, not taking her eyes off of the man.

He small led his sticky smile again. "Yes. And I do believe he haven't met. I am Gloom. Nothing else. And you must be Valkyrie Cain." He turned his head back to Skulduggery. "I'm afraid you cant leave. We need you."

Dexter cut in. "But I'm afraid he cant stay. Now will you kindly move out of the way."

Dexter moved to slip past the but the two hunks behind Gloom stepped forward.

"I see," Dexter looked at Skulduggery, "Can you stand on your own for a second?"

Skulduggery nodded and moved over to lean against the wall.

"Alright. Who is going to make the first move?"

The hulk on the right stepped forward first. A garbage can came flying at Dexter's head out of nowhwere but Dexter ducked before it hit him. The man grunted and the can swung around coming back for another blow.

Dexter lunged forward, rolling underneath and twisted, his hand glowing and sent a blast of energy that blasted both apart.

The second hulk came up behind him to try and get a hit in, but Dexter spin around and blocked, and swung, starting a close combat match.

The third hulk moved toward Valkyrie and she ducked under the first punch and responding with a kick to the knee. He grunted and punched and she blocked and was met with a kick to the stomach. She landed on her back and the man went to crush her head with his boot but was blasted off his feet.

Valkyrie turned her head to see Skulduggery had his hand raised. He caught her looking at him and he nodded, limping over. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," She grunted. Valkyrie glanced behind him and saw three more people bolt around the corner. She clambered to her feet and clicked her fingers sending twin fireballs at the oncoming assault. The first was dodged the the second hit one of them squarely in the chest. He went down screaming and tearing at his shirt.

She punched the first man that got close. He snarled at her and she ducked low, aiming a kick at his legs. His hand darted out and caught it, swinging her around and crunching her against the wall. She was aware that Dexter was now fighting Gloom and Skulduggery had picked up the third. She barely blocked the punch that would have broken her nose, struggling against the hand that held her against the wall. She wasn't going to be able tto fight her way out so she did the only thing age could think of.

Her boot crunched inbetween his legs and the mans eyes grew wide and his grip slacked and Valkyrie pushed at the air and he flew back hitting the wall with a crunch. He didn't get up.

Valkyrie turned to see Skulduggery finish off the woman he had been fighting and then to Dexter who was still fighting Gloom. Gloom glanced over and his eyes narrowed and he moved away from Dexter. His eyes traveled over each of them, and he turned on his heel and ran, pushing off the wall and bolting around the corner.

Dexter moved to follow him, but Skulduggery put a hand on his shoulder. "Hes going to get reinforcements. We need to go now."

Dexter looked at him and nodded, once againg lending Skulduggery his shoulder and they moved into the room and into the tunnel. There progress was slow due to Skulduggerys condition and the right spaces, but soon Valkyrie saw light ahead and they emerged into the night air. Moving as fast as possible, they reached the car, and Dexter pit it in drive and sped off towards their rondevouse point.

x

Arrant and Gillan were already at the Sanctuary and looked very happy to see them alive. Dexter filled them in as they escorted Skulduggery to the medical bay and Valkyrie was now sitting in a chair outside the double doors.

Skulduggery had been taken care of immediately and had been being worked on for over an hour now. Valkyrie had moved from inside to her current place because his painful moans had started to get to her. Arrant sat to her left and she was watching Dexter speak to Ghastly.

Thebdiors to the wing opened and Nye eased its way out the door. "Detective Peasant is done. He should stay for at least a day. I expect you to make him."

Ghastly nodded. "Continue with you work."

Valkyrie stood and walked down the rows of hospital beds to the one at the end and pulled back the curtain. Skulduggery was sitting up and on top of the covers. His jacket was hanging off the back of the chair next to him and the sleeve of his right arm was pushed up to the elbow showing them the thick brown sludge that covered the bones of his arm. His head turned to her as she stepped in, The others staying and the opening.

"How are toy feeling?" He asked jesturing with his non sludge covered arm to her own wrapped wrist. She raised an eyebrow.

"Your asking me how I'm feeling? You're the one in the hospital bed."

He shrugged and she laughed. "My wrist is fine. Just a minor sprain. It will be gone in about an hour." She walked to the side of the bed and sat in the chair. "How are you?"

Skulduggery shrugged again. "Somethings are painful, some are not, and others are gone already."

"What was wrong?"

"A lot of things. Broken arm, leg and more than a few ribs. I had fractures, dislocations, scratches, and cracks. It was painful."

Valkyrie looked at him. "Wow."

"Wow indeed. I would have been in worse condition if you hadn't come for me. Thank you, by the way."

Valkyrie shrugged. "You wouldn't have left me."

They sat in silence and Ghastly nudged Arrant and they left, Dexter following.

Valkyrie looked away and thought about how to ask her next question. "Was it bad," she said slowly, "Being back there?"

Skulduggery paused, then leaned back against the headboard. "Yes," He said, "It was. It was exactly the same as it had been the last time. Same chair, same carvings, same torture. The only difference was that I was resucued. Last time I didn't have a partner like you. Or a friend like you. I didn't have anyone that had enough incentive to save me. And look how I ended up." He looked at her. "I seem to be captured a lot."

"And I save you a lot." She said with a smile.

He laughed. "I get in too much trouble." Skulduggery went to swing his legs out of bed, but Valkyrie stopped him. "You're supposed to stay the night. Ghastlys orders."

He looked at her. "And since when have I followed Ghastlys orders?"

"A long time," She admitted, "But now I'm telling you to stay. You have to listen to me."

She glared at him and his head tilted down slightly and she knew he was gglaring back. He sighed finally and leaned back again. "This is so boring."

Valkyire grinned. "I think its hilarious."

He grunted.

"I mean, you're the one getting prefer around and I get to sit her and do it. This is awesome."

"And its not going to happen very often."

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why not?"

"Because its not fun. And it makes me look bad."

"Well, we cant have that, can we?"

"You can stop mocking me."

"Your the one digging tho hole."

"I'm doing no such thing."

"You're an idiot."

Skulduggery reached acrossed and pressed a button on the head board. It beeped ad he spoke into the little microphone. "I'm being harassed. Send two Cleavers down please."

Ghastlys voice came through. "I think your fine."

Skulduggery sagged. "What are you doing?"

"I volunteered to take this nurses place while she went on break," Ghastly replied, "It seems to be very amusing."

Skulduggery lifted his finger from the button. "This," He said, "Will be fun."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That little button Skulduggery pushed is the call button for help, if you've ever been in a hospital.

Hope you enjoyed!

-Arcane