A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Ghastly, Gordon, Tanith, China or Valkyrie. Val is still 24, still her POV.

The next morning Skulduggery announced that he needed to go meet Ghastly, but unfortunately on his own. He offered to drop me off at Gordon's and I agreed even if it hurt. Skulduggery tried for an explanation to cheer me up. "I'm sorry Valkyrie, but there are things about the investigation you don't need to know about. Perhaps when you're older..." He'd trailed off lamely. I'd nodded, keeping my face impassive, though he might as well have punched me in the gut.

There it was again. But civilian standards I was an adult, but by his and all sorcerers' reckonings I was still a child, fit maybe to date a man in his fifties. Since he too, would also be a child. The logic always escaped me because it assumed a long life on my part, but I didn't argue. I got out, gave him a wave and entered the mansion. Uncle Gordon had always warned me about listening to bad music when I felt sad, but I figured I had a right to indulge. Strangely I wasn't even sad about my family, it was the impossible gap between me and everyone I still knew.

I knew there was something going on in the investigation they were shielding me from. Maybe it could involve jail time, most likely it did. But it involved leaving me out. Skulduggery would eventually come up with a fancy lie about me being an ace in the hole, but I knew better. I shook myself mentally. I didn't like feeling like this, I hated being sad. Normally I was fine being his partner and only that. But then he'd mention my age and I'd think of him with China and my heart would lurch. The worst thing was I knew he'd see it as a childish love at best, they all would. But to me it was real enough and I realized the worst feeling in the world was to be in love with someone who couldn't love you back.

I almost wondered if Lord Vile would have had any wisdom for me, if I should have kept and wore my armour, but I knew thinking like that was too dangerous. Memories were one thing. Besides I knew he'd have gone on a rampage of carnage until he felt better. I didn't want that, but I didn't want sad either.

I tried putting any thoughts of love out of my head. Tried forcing myself to stare at the idea of being in love with Skulduggery Pleasant of all people until I could see it as the joke it was. I knew I'd recover, people did. But right then I wanted nothing more to do with him. Depressing music sounded really nice right about then.

I'd have rung Tanith instead, but Ghastly had shown a manly wisdom and sent her off somewhere on a task he needed done and avoided telling her anything. Sometimes I hated that man. So I stood in Gordon's study, just staring at the stereo, trying to figure out a music black enough to soothe me. A male voice cleared itself and I jumped. I turned to see Uncle Gordon floating behind me. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." I lied.

He raised an eyebrow at that. "Really. So you normally come in here and look at the stereo with a woebegone expression?"

"Oh, that. I'm temporarily off the case that's all. Blatant agism it is too. Days like this? I want to walk away from it all."

"So your feelings got hurt?"

"I suppose."

"You were going to play bad music in my study, weren't you?"

"Yes." I admitted, finding the floor really interesting.

"You're too much like me. Trust me, it bothered me too, but not in the same way it's bothering you, I think."

"What?" I looked up blankly.

"You've been different lately. The older you get, the more you hope the gap closes and it never does, does it?"

"No. I am seriously considering going away, you know."

"I know. But they are your friends aren't they?"

"Yes, of course."

"Would you abandon them if the situation was reversed?"

"No, of course not."

"Wouldn't you have a natural desire to keep them out of harm's way, given their youth if things were different?"

I sighed. "Yes, but I feel that way now.I, Uncle Gordon. I want to protect them in the worst way and they won't let me. Will you go away now please and let me listen to some depressing music?"

"No, because once you have an idea, you'll run with it. I can see it in your eyes. You'd like to cut and run. You can, but that isn't what a good friend does, no matter how painful staying might be." I nodded glumly and he drifted over to put a hand almost on my shoulder. "I am on your side, you know. You asked me once if I was ever in love and the answer was yes. I stood by her though as a friend and it never got any easier. Not that I think you're in love."

"I'm not in love." We both smiled at the lyrics.

"God! I forbid you to play that song in this study. How about something happier?"

"I got nothing."

"That's a song?"

"No, I got nothing. So, how goes the writing?"

"How goes yours? Skulduggery tells me you're writing. You and I both know I knew, but I feigned polite surprise."

"Not too well. This is the first time I've really been home in two weeks. Remind me to be more selective in what I tell him."

"He's proud of you, you're practically all he talks about."

"Um, that's nice. A little creepy, but nice."

"Why creepy?"

"I've been getting the rather frightening sense from him that he's going all fatherly on me. I mean if that's what makes him happy as his friend I'll accept it, but, it just makes my skin crawl."

"You wouldn't accept him as a father? You could do far worse."

"Of course I would. I'm just, I don't know what I am."

"Confused?"

"Very."

"You'll note I didn't say he thinks of you as a daughter."

"Um, OK-"

"I'll never understand women. I expected squeals of girlish joy over that." I blushed. "Sorry, but the way you feel is obvious. When I mentioned the word 'father' you looked like a train had just hit your car."

"Do me a favor and don't share that information with anybody, OK?"

"I don't intend to. Has he been acting strange lately?"

"Extremely, but in a good way. I think it's the case, to be honest."

"Hmm. He never does anything without a good reason no matter how strange it seems. Just act as you have been acting and ignore any oddness. He'll tell you what he's on about when he's ready. Honestly the last time he was here he was as nervous as a cat."

"Skulduggery? Nervous?"

"Yes, I get it he's not letting you out of his sight much?"

"No, he isn't."

"Hmm, well if he chats with me again perhaps the mystery will clear itself."

"You'd rat on a friend?"

"You're my favorite niece, that trumps friendship any day. Just be careful with him. He needs you by him right now ever if he is acting odd." Gordon smiled faintly.

"I know. Some days I feel like he's the son I never had."

We both laughed. My mobile rang. Ghastly. "Yes, Elder Bespoke?" I said sweetly.

"Don't call me that, it's creepy."

"Of course, your exalted eminence."

"Stop that. I need a favor. The van broke down and I have no idea where we are. I've called a wrecker, but we could use a lift, and the wrecker won't be here for hours. A crash or something somewhere."

"Christine and I will find you. We're opening a ladies' detective agency."

"Cute. We can expect you then?"

"Yes, I'll find you." I rang off and gave Uncle Gordon a wink. It was time to put some of my tech to good use.

I pulled up to the broken down van less than twenty minutes later. It was a hot day, so I had the top down. I knew Christine looked good, even if Skulduggery showed evident distaste. I got out a bottle of unsweetened tea and handed it to Ghastly. He sat in front with me, looking weary to the bone. He nodded his thanks and took a long draught of tea. Skulduggery sat in back, his hat tilted down low over his face, arms crossed. Clearly his was mad about something.

"Hungry?" I asked Ghastly.

"Very, and tired. And the bad guy, if he was nearby, is long gone by now."

I resisted the urge to throw his own advice about two fools in his face. "Right then. Where to?"

"The Sanctuary. Though if you would stop somewhere for take away in pity it would be remembered by the Elders."

I laughed. "I knew bribery would work. Any place specific?"

"No, you pick."

I started the car, and swung around easily to go back the way we came. There were plenty of places on the way to the Sanctuary. "Neither one of you is going to ask how I found you so fast?"

"You called the Sanctuary." Skulduggery mumbled from under his hat.

"Hardly, and why would they tell me where you were?"

"They would in an emergency." He sounded irritable. "Will you please put the top up? You're going to make me loose my hat."

I pushed a button and to seamlessly rose up, protecting us from the wind. I looked at him in the rear view mirror. "I never thought of that." I admitted. He snorted, readjusted his hat and settled back to ignore me again.

Ghastly turned to me. "I know Tanith didn't know, so how did you find us?"

"It wasn't logic." Skulduggery put in from the back seat.

"Look in the glove compartment." I told Ghastly, trying my best to ignore Skulduggery. Ghastly opened it, found the small mobile. He turned it on and a map faithfully showed us leaving his van farther and farther behind.

"You put a tracking device in my van?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes, thought it might come in handy one day. As you can see, it did."

"But you put a tracking device in my van. Where was it?"

"Wheel well." Skullduggery put in.

"Not quite."

"Boot under the lining then."

"No."

"Steering column?"

"Now you're just guessing. Vanity mirror."

Ghastly smiled at me. "You knew a man wouldn't look there."

"Oh, I knew Skulduggery would if it was his car, he keeps her too clean. But I also know he normally sits in the back when other people drive, so I figured the device would be safe. I do worry about you when you go out, all of you."

"Thanks the nicest reason for breaking the law I ever heard." Ghastly said, a wry smile on his face.

"What law did I break? I'm an electronics buff trying a very legal gadget out. Besides that this is the first time I've tried it out. It won't be on much longer the battery in the transmitter has to die sometime. There's a bigger one under Christine's hood. Nobody is taking my baby from me. Are they princess?" Her engine purred in response.

Ghastly snorted and Skulduggery waved an annoyed hand. I turned on the radio, 'Can't Turn You Loose' came on. I grinned, feeling my shoulders start to move to the music. We were making good time, speeding, really, when I saw a small diner on the opposite side of the highway in passing. I checked to make sure that there was no one behind me and no one coming. Eerily, the road was empty. I shrugged, spinning the wheel hard, bringing Christine's back end around. Her tyres screamed on the tarmac and there was a momentary feeling of weightlessness and she completed the 180 spin turn, still moving forward. I then drove across the highway, blissfully ignoring the look on Ghastly's face and pulled in.

There were a few other cars in the lot, and it looked cool and dark inside. I got out, noticed neither Ghastly nor Skulduggery was moving. "You coming?" I asked.

"You do know you are supposed to wait and find a place to turn legally." Ghastly's voice was tight and he seemed to be having trouble letting go of the dashboard.

"There isn't a spot to turn for miles out here." I pointed out. He nodded and got out, Skulduggery following him, but not before shooting me a glare. We went in and Ghastly placed a take away order. I wasn't hungry, so I just waited. The waitress came over, poured me a coffee.

"On the house, hon. That was some fancy driving." He accent sounded Texan.

"Thanks. I love seeing what she can do. My passengers never do though."

"That's a shame, she's a real beaut. 50 Chevy right?"

"Yes."

"You still got the steering on the original side, I see."

"She's easier to drive that way, to be honest."

"I bet she can go. Well, you enjoy your coffee hon. Order will be up soon." She looked at the Chevy again, then went off to wait tables. I attended my coffee ignoring the amused look Ghastly shot me.

"Your passengers would like it just fine if you warned them about sudden turns. Still, she's right, it is a lovely car."

"Hardly." Skulduggery put in. "She's a common car, a mere thing rolled off an assembly line in Detroit, no class." What did he have to be so bitter about? Ghastly's order came before I could retort. We drove the rest of the way in silence and I dropped them both at the Sanctuary before driving off. Skulduggery had muttered something darkly about needing to go over the case with the adults and hoping children wouldn't show up to be babysat so I took the hint. I drove home to Gordon's wondering if that's how he saw me. As common. Most likely he did. I knew the child comment he meant.

Skulduggery came from a world of family crests, I came from, well, I came from the Ancient Ones, but my personality was pure commoner and I knew it. I liked cruising the streets, radio blasting for no reason other than cruising. There were times like this when I wondered how we ever got along or if he even remotely liked me. I'd been told he'd just keep me around so long as I amused him, and apparently his amusement was running thin.

Afternoon stretched into evening and no call came. Well, I had known I'd end up back home some time, hadn't I? I made sure Christine was so clean she gleamed, then strolled about the mansion. It had rooms I hadn't even been in yet. I wondered if there was punishment coming for the trace on Ghastly's van and decided if it did come to play the child role they handed me to the hilt. I might even be off the case for all I knew. I could tell from the continued silence I was not on anyone's good list.

I did make it to Gordon's old bedroom at last and fell into an exhausted sleep. Roaring thunder awoke me hours later. It seems to shake the entire mansion. I looked out the large windows and watched forks of lightning race across the sky. The clock read 4 AM. I checked, no messages. I settled back in, trying to let my mind drift and sleep claim me once more. I was almost there when my mobile rang. Ghastly.

"Yes?" I asked groggily.

"Should that tracer still be working?"

"I honestly don't know. I installed it a while ago, but I think so."

"Can you bring the mobile to my shop? Someone's stolen my van from the garage."

"What? How? She wasn't running."

"She was before they stole her."

"OK, I'll be there as soon as I get dressed and on the road."

"Skulduggery is picking you up. I don't want you driving in this weather."

"All right, I'll meet him when he gets here." I rang off and went down to wait for Skulduggery after a quick shower and dressing. I grabbed the mobile I used for tracing out of Christine, checking it was still fully charged, and pocketed the charger just in case.

The jacket Ghastly had made me years ago still fit and had deep pockets to store things in. I didn't want to wait outside obviously, but I knew the temper Skulduggery was in he's likely refuse to come to the door. My mobile rang. Skulduggery. "Be outside in five minutes." He said coldly, then rang off. I met him, using the air to keep the rain off me. If it impressed him, he didn't say so.

"Seat belt." He ground out, through gritted teeth.

"Are you all right?"

"Am I all right? First Ghastly's van broke down on the way to what seemed to be a solid lead to the killer's location. Said lead, it later turned out, was a poacher who was spotted dressed in tan hunting tweeds of all things. Then, and I love this part, my lunatic partner threw out my back with her deplorable driving skills. I then had to endure an entire day of boring meetings at the Sanctuary where officials presumed to tell me what to do, and didn't see my partner even once. She didn't so much as call and offer to take me home. I had to ride in a taxi, Valkyrie, a nasty taxi. I spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch wondering why my partner hadn't called and why she would abandon me with the officials, and still no call came. So I can presume she didn't miss me. So no, I'm not all right." He snapped.

I ducked my head to hide my smile. "To tell you the truth I was waiting for you to call, that child remark was rude by the way, it hurt."

"I was talking about the officials." He sounded exasperated. "You thought I meant you, didn't you?"

"I am the youngest person at the Sanctuary that I'm aware of."

"You're hardly a child. Those small-minded and overly restrictive men however, need a nursemaid."

I grinned at him. "Tell me how you really feel."

He gave a brief chuckle. "Sorry, I suppose I should have thought to call. Sorry."

"Mobile works both ways, Skulduggery, but you were mad when you got in my car so I left it. I did think about calling you though, and I wondered why you didn't call me. I'm sorry I hurt your back. You could have gotten a Sanctuary doctor to look at you."

"Mmm, I'll be all right after a nice meditation. I shouldn't have snarled, I apologize. Friends?"

"Always. Did you SEE the look on Ghastly's face? I wanted to do a 360 spin turn, then a 180 but didn't quite get there. But still, his face, Skulduggery. It was priceless."

"I had a lot of fun with him about that for several hours while the officials kept us waiting."

"Oh, that's perfect. We have a detective quit and terrorize and Elder on the same day. We'll be getting fired soon."

"No I don't think so. Would you do me a favor? there's just one place on my spine I can't get into place, reach back, no lower, there you go, now push a little up and in. Ow, a little harder." I pushed harder. There was a distinct sound of the bone locking back into place and Skulduggery hissed in pain, his hands locking up on the steering wheel.

But then he stretched and sighed in relief. "Much better. Remind me to just call next time. As matter of fact, that's a new rule. One of us has to call every two hours, no matter how angry we are. I missed you, you know."

"I know, I missed you too."

"Well, of course you would. Everyone misses me when I'm not around. I'm that charming. I'm sure the waitress is longing for my return with bated breath."

"Well, as long as you invite me to the wedding, that's the main thing."

Skulduggery made an amused sound, and soon enough we were in front of Ghastly's. "Into the lion's den with you."

"You aren't coming in?"

"My instructions were to wait here until further notice."

"Since when do you listen?"

"Since now."

"Fine friend you are. Why don't you take it in?"

"Sorry, not my mobile."

I looked at Skulduggery but he stared straight ahead out the windscreen. Grumbling to myself I got out and knocked at the familiar door. It opened and Ghastly ushered me in. I handed him the mobile, and he found the location of the van. He made a quick call then turned back to me, his face drawn. "She'll be picked up soon, apparently that area's abandoned. Young men often drive stolen cars out there to burn them."

"Oh Ghastly, I'm sorry. Maybe she's OK. The tracer's still working."

He nodded stiffly. "Yes, I suppose there's that. I know it didn't make much sense to drag you out here in a storm but-"

"She's your girl, like Christine's my angel. You're taking it much better than I would if she went missing. Why not keep the mobile and charger until you get her back?"

"Why not invite Skulduggery in and I'll make tea if you're up to waiting with me. I hoped you would understand. Women don't, usually, but you've fussed over that Chevy since the day she arrived. The detailing, the custom paint job, the restoration. I figured you'd understand."

"It's like they were just born the day you get them. I'll go get Skulduggery."

Skulduggery seemed relieved to find me in one piece, and he was very sympathetic towards Ghastly. "I'm sure she's all right if the tracer is still working." He soothed.

Ghastly drank his tea and didn't reply. At last his mobile rang and as he listened all the tension left his face. He hung up and smiled at us. "They found her in one piece. Apparently she was stolen for a joy ride and the punks who did it are in custody."

"Would you like a ride to the station?"

"The police are picking me up actually, so I suppose you two should leave. I appreciate the help." I nodded and we left, pulling away shortly before the police arrived.