A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Gordon, Kenspeckle, China, Darquesse, Lord Vile, or Valkyrie. Right then, Val is still 24, story is still in her POV.

Cú Sídhe had apparently had his fill of mortal food because he turned his head with a disinterested grunt when Skulduggery offered. I looked at Skulduggery and he shrugged, then pulled a box of take away out of the fridge and set it before me. "I think he wants to go out hunting, to be honest. But there aren't a lot of places he could find rabbits unless you are up to going over to Gordon's today to explore the library."

"You're letting me out of the house?" I asked surprised.

"I honestly don't want to, but I can see you getting restless. That doesn't bode well for you living here in the future, you know." He said it lightly, but I could tell he was hurt.

"Skulduggery, it isn't you or the house I find boring, I want to be at work, to be useful. I know, no magic, and no training, but I do want to do something productive. But if you want me on the couch just languishing around all day, that's fine too."

He snorted. "Don't use my own words against me, and you, you're allowed to languish for the next two weeks. Well, except for when we have to face the killer. You can however, admit right now that I am therefore much better than you at resting after the Surge."

"What?"

"I spent two weeks in bed. True, I slept most of that time, but look at you, up already. Bored and looking for something to do. Then again, you aren't a man and you don't have that many responsibilities. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time you did something useful-"

"Skulduggery!" He grinned, clearly pleased at my reaction.

"You see the abuse she gives me, Cú Sídhe? Absolutely no respect for her mentor."

"You aren't my mentor!" I growled and Cú Sídhe snorted softly in agreement.

Several hours later we were in the new library, though Gordon declined to go with us. He'd already abandoned the books and his strange reading contraption to work on a story they'd inspired. Cú Sídhe had indeed gone for a lovely hunt, and Skulduggery said not to be surprised if he didn't return until late that evening. I sat in one of the over-stuffed chairs the new library had, reading the book on living skeletons. Apparently they could be made by Necromancy, but they honestly didn't seem to last that long away from the Necromancer and only one was self-created and fully functional on his own. I didn't think I had to look that far to find him.

Still the writer seemed to assume people who knew living skeletons would want them to be happy, and reassured the reader that being able to do what they did while alive would comfort them. I snorted slightly and Skulduggery looked over from the book he was reading. "No good?"

"No, it's rather useful. I just can't believe any Necromancer would care about anyone but himself."

"Said the Necromancer."

"Point taken. Ah."

"Ah, what?"

"He brought his wife back."

"I see." Skulduggery's voice was stiff, and I could tell I'd once again managed to remind him of his wife. His face was buried in his book so I know he didn't see my wince. I knew he wanted her back, he had to. Suddenly our marriage sounded like a very bad idea. He continued. "So you're assuming Vile will either fail or kill you and I'll need to bring you back, is that it?" There was an edge to his voice and I suddenly realized I was in no position to guard myself if he did loose his temper. Now where did that thought come from? I wondered. I'd never felt helpless around him before and I didn't like it. Still, I rallied.

"No, I'm just wondering how much of me that I assume is me dies off before I become like every other Necromancer on the planet. You think I like being what I am?"

Skulduggery lowered his book and stared hard at me. I could tell he was spoiling for a fight. "So you're saying Vile is something repugnant to you then, is that it?"

I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly before I shouted something horrid back. We both wanted to fight. This wasn't like us. We argued, we teased, we certainly insulted, but we rarely if ever fought. Unless it was over Necromancy. "No, Skulduggery, I'm not. I'm saying I'm confused and frightened of what I'll become. Vile has nothing to do what's wrong with me, in here, and here." I tapped my head and heart respectively, then waved him off. "Never mind."

Skulduggery sighed and closed his book. "Now I'm confused."

"I hate the idea of Necromancy, what I could become, but never you, never Lord Vile. There has to be something wrong inside of me, right? I mean you always made your hatred of my ring fairly obvious."

"Because you had the potential to be like Lord Vile, I was protecting you."

"So you're saying there is something wrong with me, that you saw it, and it's a given one day I'll start killing and never stop?" I was close to tears, but literally couldn't stop myself.

He looked at me steadily. "Is that what you think of Lord Vile? That he's a mindless, soulless killing machine?" The edge was back to his voice.

"No, but I think I am. I think if he's truthful Lord Vile knows that too. I'm trusting him to stop me, to kill me if he has to if I turn, because if I do I won't even see him for himself. I'll just see one more enemy to kill." I said dully.

Skulduggery set his book down, concern written on his skeletal features. "Tell me this is the Surge and missing your family talking. You are far too gifted- You know I know you better than anyone else and I'm telling you Valkyrie I know you won't turn."

"But if something happens to Vile-"

"Hush, come here, that's it." He patted his lap and I obligingly went to him. He took me into his lap, soothing me.

"Lord Vile knows you as well as I do, you know, maybe better, considering. We both know he isn't fond of Death Bringers or whatever title you'd earn for going crazy, and he doesn't see you as that. Being Vile, being the resident expert on homicidal rage and mass murder, he knows you aren't like him."

"True. Even when I was Darquesse he just fought me to a standstill, as many times as he tried to kill me he'd always stop and let me regenerate. He's not stupid, or slow. He could have easily killed me, we were never fully matched."

"True. You fascinated him. But it was never Darquesse who fascinated him, but you. You willingly became Darquesse to fight him, to protect the Death Bringer. Your innate goodness, your willingness to die to protect your enemy fascinated him."

"He has a strange way of showing his fascination."

"I've told you you bring out the best in him. You truly do. The younger Vile would have simply killed you to prove he could. The Vile you fought was fascinated with you, which you should find disturbing to no end."

"But he was you at the same time of course. I mean he is you, but it felt at times like it was more you than him in control."

"Mmm. When I was throwing you through windows, or when I was smashing your brains out?"

"I'm thinking more of when you stopped me from crashing the helicopter."

"Ah, that."

"You do realize you've started referring to Vile as yourself, right?"

"Yes I do, anger management problems and all. Why do you think I felt I deserved to be with the Faceless Ones? I still do."

"Skulduggery! No one ever deserves to be with them, ever!"

"I did."

"So I did the wrong thing by rescuing you?"

"I'm not saying that."

"You said it to Ghastly."

"Yes, and as you're well aware, I killed his mother."

"Yet even he knew you deserved to be rescued, Skulduggery. We all deserve a second chance, or however many it takes. You changed, you brought yourself back. You've earned your second chance repeatedly."

"I have, have I?"

"If you refuse to take it, I might as well quit right now. Let the killer or the cave win then, because there's no point in me trying to make up for the people I've killed either."

"Valkyrie!"

"I'm serious Skulduggery. Half the people I killed didn't even have rights, like Caelan or the other vampires, or the Faceless ones, but what about the fully human ones? I don't get to make up for those, do I?" I was hurt, stung. Even though I knew it was a mistake, I was applying Skulduggery's feelings about himself to me, and right then I wanted to quit. Skulduggery sat silent, so I pressed on. "All those people had families, Skulduggery. To somebody somewhere they were the good guys and I'm the evil one. Do you think I'll ever redeem myself in their eyes? Because I sure don't."

I realized belatedly that instead of hearing me talk about myself Skulduggery had applied my words to himself. He pushed me away, and stood, not looking at me. He spoke so quietly I barely heard him. "You think I'm beyond redemption then? I was always afraid to ask how you really felt. At least you've let me know at last. Cú Sídhe will see to your protection. Vile will see to it that the cave or killer is dealt with. As senior detective I'm relieving you of duty." With that he walked out of the room, and I let him go, too shocked to move. I heard the Bentley start up a short time later and realized he was gone.

Uncle Gordon was sympathetic, to a point. "You admit you applied his feelings about himself to you, used words he directed towards others to hurt yourself. Have you ever asked him how he felt about you rescuing him?"

"Yes."

"Did he ever say he was angry with you?"

"No, he said he hoped I'd rescue him, that he trusted me to. What's going wrong with me?"

"You've Surged, it changes things, emotions run high, for a while. Still two wrongs don't make a right, Valkyrie, it isn't fair for you to use the past to beat him up whenever you feel like it. I know you didn't mean to, but Skulduggery's highly sensitive to you. He looks to you for approval."

"He what?"

"He looks to you for approval, why do you think he left? He felt your words directed at yourself were meant for him. You two are alike to a disturbing degree."

"Oh God. But he won't even take my calls, and I'm not dragging Ghastly into this. I'm fairly certain he'd blame Skulduggery and kill him."

"He would at that. But Skulduggery told me, if I recall, that you two have a rule about calling one another, even after a fight. Keep your phone on even if you're tempted to turn it off out of spite. He'll cool down and ring you. Skulduggery needs you, he'll never wander far."

"I hope you're right." I sighed.

"You don't trust him?"

"I know how some married men like to get revenge on their wives. Sorry! I didn't mean that."

"No, you did, you have a writer's instincts, a writer of Country-Western songs at any rate. But I can tell you Skulduggery's a better man than that. He'll drive until he's cooled off, then ring you." I nodded and left him to his work.

It was evening, and although a very puzzled Cú Sídhe had returned, Skulduggery hadn't. He still wasn't answering, so I explained to Cú Sídhe what happened. "I'm sorry, Cú Sídhe. We were both looking for a fight, and I guess we got one. If you want to blame anyone, blame me. I could feel Skulduggery wanted a fight as much as I did, I could have backed off, couldn't I?"

Cú Sídhe gave an annoyed growl, and nodded slightly. When I asked if he'd go look for Skulduggery, he just looked at me steadily until I averted my eyes. I wasn't hungry that night, I hadn't eaten ever since Skulduggery left. I was aware I should, but I couldn't and Cú Sídhe and Gordon were in no mood to remind me. I wasn't sleepy either, so I didn't even go to bed. I wandered back into the new library and picked up the book on living skeletons. I'd failed Skulduggery, but I could at least be prepared to help him if he returned. But I wasn't in the room long before my emotions caught up to me and sleep overtook me.

I awoke hours later, It was about four AM and still no call from Skulduggery. I tried his phone and it was still blocked to me. I tried to activate the tracer, but apparently he'd remembered I could and deactivated it. More likely he'd torn it out. I didn't want Ghastly involved. Skulduggery and I had to solve our own problems. He'd either be back or he wouldn't. Though I knew as long as he felt I didn't think he deserved redemption he'd never return, but he'd never fight me over it, either.

I got up, realizing vaguely that Cú Sídhe wasn't at my side. He'd chosen Skulduggery then, I guessed. I also realized it was a good thing I lied to Skulduggery. I didn't know why at the time, but I'd never told him there was a tracer hidden in the Bentley, in plain sight where he saw it every day. The battery was long-lasting, and didn't even get used much until I activated it at long last. The Bentley was at the Sanctuary. So I knew where he was. He was safe. Not alone either. Tanith was there, so was Ghastly. Who apparently knew better than to call me when Skulduggery was in one of his rages.

I knew by now it was a full-blown rage, like the days he disappeared after learning the truth about China. I knew he felt I had betrayed him as well and I didn't expect him back. Surprisingly, I didn't break down in hysterical tears, mainly because I hated crying, and also because I knew it would be of no use. I was tempted to go to Gordon's office, but I knew he was writing away nicely. Besides, I'd made this mess all on my own and at last I was left with no one to step in and handle it. Knowing there was nothing I could do somehow made it better. Well, not better, but it was where I'd always deserved to be.

I was lost in these thoughts when I at last wandered up to bed. I lay there still dressed, thinking. I should have run from Ireland the day he and Ghastly had broken down, but at least I still could. I could go to America, start a new life. Maybe even a non-magical one. That would suit me down to the ground and was what I deserved.

"I told you she'd give up! Didn't I tell you that?"

I looked up at the voice as I switched on the light and did a double-take. Detectives Tanas and Leap were leaning against the wall. Surprisingly they looked no different then when they were alive. Tanas, having spoken, looked at me in utter disgust before he continued. "You see this?" He held up the book on living skeletons. "Another present from the late, great Lovegate. Apparently she sold goodies like this to all sorts of folks. You, you just walked right back into her clutches even when I could see you felt it was the same magic. Disgusting."

He held the book up and I watched it burst into flames. Leap looked at me, took pity on me. "Everyone would have seen what they desired most in that book. You saw something on living skeletons because you want to help Skulduggery so badly. The magic used your love to drain you, to start the fight. Hate magic is a very fine word, or words by the way."

His soft gentle voice cheered me, as it always did. Tanas of course, wasn't finished. He looked at Leap and shook his head. "Does she look like she needs a cheerleader right now to you? She's even thinking of leaving Ireland, and over what? A spat?" He turned to me. "I knew you'd give up. I knew you'd cave in. Skulduggery's at the Sanctuary right now with a mobile with a dead battery, wondering why in the hell you haven't called. It would never occur to him to take it out of his pocket and LOOK at it, would it? No, he's just frightening the detectives half to death, and directing the investigation right into the ground, but not that you care."

"He's what?" I asked, unable to keep the smile from my face. He missed me!

"He needs you." Leap said gently.

"He needs a hit in the head, is what he needs." Tanas growled. "Well, what are you waiting for?" He barked at me, "Get over here and take this!" He held up a vial of some sort of strange liquid. I went to him eyeing the vial speculatively. "A gift from Kenspeckle. He said it would relieve the last of your Surge symptoms, you'll be all better, and he also says you couldn't have picked a worse husband." Tanas said gruffly. I laughed, that sounded exactly like Kenspeckle. So I took the vial and drank.

Twenty minutes later after a hurried meal I parted ways with Tanas and Leap, who had to return from whence they came, and got in Christine. I drove to the Sanctuary, tearing up half the lawn when her brakes didn't agree with me on stopping. I made a mental note to get them fixed and rushed inside. I could hear raised voices coming from the room where we had met the detectives. Well one raised voice, Skulduggery raving at himself, apparently. He was answering himself too, which was never good.

I walked into the room, relieved to see no other detectives were present and cleared my throat. Skulduggery turned and waved airily to me. "Oh, hello, pretend Valkyrie, I'm having an argument with myself. I know you're the pretend Valkyrie because the real one isn't talking to me right now. I'm not taking that too well, as you can clearly see. Always knew I was insane, just never thought I was this insane." He chuckled slightly.

"Your mobile is dead. I thought you had it turned off, I've been trying to reach you and waiting for you to call."

"Of course you have, pretend Valkyrie, and of course the battery is dead." He agreed, taking it out. "But I'll prove to both of us just how insane I am by checking it- Oh, it would appear it is dead."

"You didn't try to call, even once? What about our rule, Skulduggery?" I asked angrily.

"Oh that. When you didn't call I got out of it, that's how it works."

"And who made up that rule?"

"I did, just now and there's precious little you can do about it."

I rubbed my head and sighed. "You realize I'm real then?"

"Yes." He nodded happily.

"Do we have any detectives left?"

"Not really, I relieved them all of duty, I recall relieving you of duty, apparently you don't listen too well. But welcome back, all is forgiven." He said serenely, and held out his arms to be held. I realized then how much he'd missed me, and wondered if anyone in the Sanctuary would ever be on speaking terms with him again. Skulduggery was terrible when he was in a rage, and he always managed to find his opponent's weaknesses and deliver a withering verbal attack.

I went to him and he held me tightly, bringing his teeth down on my lips, firmly, walking me backwards as his embrace tightened and the kiss deepened, pinning me to the wall. I gasped for air and he took advantage, setting his teeth above and below my open mouth, nipping eagerly, his hands roaming. When he at last let me go, he had to hold me upright, and the look on his face was paticularly smug.

"That's what you get for letting me walk away like that, and if you ever do it again when we're married," he paused leaning down to nip my neck, then hovered his teeth beside my ear so his velvety voice could work to its full seductive effect, "you're punishment is going to be," he brought up a skeletal hand to rove up and down my body, "so very much worse." He leaned in to kiss me again, but chastely this time. He pulled away, and I could read the amusement in his hollow eye sockets. His grin broadened and he leaned in again with a velvety purr. "Mmm. Missed you." His arms went around me again, and he nuzzled into my neck.

"I missed you too, Skulduggery. Do we even have jobs left?"

"Not really, Ghastly fired me hours ago. I got tired of arguing with the empty room about the case, so I started in on myself."

"Oh Skulduggery." I caressed his bony cheek and he pressed his head into my hand, craving my affection. "Skulduggery." I brought my other hand up and the look on his skeletal face was one of rapture. I was leaning in to kiss him again when a masculine voice cleared itself. I jumped and turned to see Ghastly standing in the doorway.

"I wondered why he got so quiet. If you can keep this lunatic on a short leash, he's welcome back on the case. Think you can manage that? Tea?"

"Yes and yes." We followed him to his office, Skulduggery far too serene for his own good and I knew he hadn't done anything wrong from his own point of view. I knew better than to apologize for him too, or he'd start up all over again.

Ghastly put the water on to heat, then turned back and sat down with a weary sigh. He looked terrible and I realized he hadn't slept. He looked at me and spoke. "To catch you up, Tanith's well on the mend, and I at least know the material I'm going to use for your wedding dress, but I haven't left the Sanctuary yet. I would have tonight since Tanith is resting nicely, but of course this imbecilic lunatic kept getting worse every two hours." He sounded annoyed, but gazed at Skulduggery fondly. I guessed seeing Skulduggery going out of his mind without me was something he understood as a man.

"At least now I'm sure he loves you, but you two are forbidden to leave the house without fully charged mobiles from now on."

"Yes, Elder Bespoke." We chorused.

"I hate both of you right now." He grumbled, getting up to make the tea. I turned to Skulduggery and we grinned at one another. He held out his hand and I took it, accepting my tea with the other. Ghastly shook his head and sat down wearily.

"Tanith's been asking after her sister. I told her you are well, but she insists on seeing you herself. Are you OK? You look like you could use a doctor."

I told them both about book, how it had been one of Lovegate's cursed objects, and my rescue by Tanas and Leap, not leaving out the help from Kenspeckle. Skulduggery snorted in amusement over Kenspeckle's low opinion of him. "Death hasn't changed him a bit. But then, it never changed me either. Still, it explains how you're moving around since I suspect you clearly ignored me about eating and sleeping."

"Pretty much, but my partner and best friend was ignoring my calls. When he didn't call I got out of it, that's how it works."

He beamed at me. "Then I've taught you well."