Stuck: Chapter Nine...

Valkyrie sat in their room and twiddled her thumbs, her leg bouncing irritably as she waited for Skulduggery to return. He'd only been gone twenty minutes and already she was restless.

She tried to tell herself that the gnawing sensation in her gut was just worry. She was just concerned that in his new living state the date might overwhelm Skulduggery and she wouldn't be there to help him.

She also tried to convince herself that it was boredom making her want to jump out of her skin. She'd never been good at sitting and waiting, not when she was a kid and especially not as an adult. Even in America she'd constantly trained with Coda Quell or ran with Xena in the woods, only stopping to eat something, shower or sleep. Now she was faced with what felt like an endless night of sitting still. It made her fingers twitch and foot tap against the floor in a quick staccato.

But she knew it wasn't worry, not really. And it wasn't boredom either. No, what Valkyrie was feeling was jealousy, plain and simple. She hated that Skulduggery was on a date with Edith.

She scowled and grabbed her coat, fixing the brooch for her necronaut suit to her hip just in case. There was always the slight chance that Edith belonged to the Scribes and would attack Skulduggery if she knew what was happening.

Valkyrie stormed out of the room and shut the door, heading outside into the crisp evening. A refreshing breeze blew through the streets of Mulranny and Croagh Patrick threw striking black shadows against a remarkably clear sky in the distance. The moon was full and bright, reflecting off the surface of the water at the bottom of the hill.

She crossed the street and moved away from the paths, sticking to the trees and underbrush dotting the slope. The beach was an open stretch of land, but a little further along from where she stood, the trees stretched right down to the water. Valkyrie moved quietly, picking a spot among the branches that offered a good view of the causeway and the beach.

Edith and Skulduggery sat on a picnic blanket lined with candles Valkyrie herself had bought earlier that day. The picnic basket she'd packed with a selection of cheeses, crackers and grapes and a bottle of red wine sat between them. They weren't touching but she saw Edith's hand sneak a little closer to Skulduggery's when he wasn't looking. Valkyrie shifted quietly in the trees, managing to get just close enough to hear what they were saying.

"I have to say I've never been on a date quite like this," Edith mused. "I never knew the beach I see every day could be quite so pretty at night. What made you decide to make us a picnic?"

"It wasn't my idea, actually," Skulduggery replied. "My...cousin helped me." His hesitation at the word cousin was slight enough for Edith to miss it.

"The girl at the restaurant?"

"That's her," he nodded.

"You two seem close," Edith pointed out.

"We are. She's all I have left to love in this world." Valkyrie blinked, shocked at his words.

"You have no other family?" Edith leaned forwards and her fingers brushed his.

"Not anymore. I had a wife and a child. They were killed in a car accident." He kept his eyes on the stars. "After that I was lost until Val helped me through it. I owe her everything." A lump formed in Valkyrie's throat that she couldn't get rid of.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," Edith murmured. "And I'm so glad you have her with you. Family is important."

"Do you have any family here?" Skulduggery asked, meeting her gaze at last and wrapping his long fingers around hers.

"In Mulranny? Goodness me, no. My parents are city lovers. They live in the centre of Dublin and my brother is studying in France." She smiled. "I actually only ended up here because of my ex husband. I met him a while ago and fell completely in love with him, agreed to move out here with him and bought a house. He was quite a few years older than me but it was love at first sight." She sighed sadly. "Everything was going so well until he got involved in a cult."

"...A cult?" Skulduggery echoed.

"Uh huh. An honest to goodness cult. He started talking about a temple in the mountains and saying he'd found his calling in life. And would you believe it, he even tried to convince me magic was real?" She shook her head, her shoulders hunched as she frowned at the tartan blanket.

"Did you believe him?"

"Not at first," she answered softly. "I thought he was insane, but then I saw him...never mind. You'll think I'm crazy if I say it."

"No, go ahead. I don't think you're crazy at all." She bit her lip before nodding.

"He moved the shadows. He used them like they were a part of him. I was so freaked out by it that I thought he was going to kill me, so I pretended I was fascinated by it instead." She ran a hand through her hair, dislodging a neat curl that Skulduggery reached out and tucked behind her ear, making Valkyrie scowl.

"It sounds to me like you were right to be terrified," he said softly.

"That's not the worst of it. The silly fool marched me out of our home in my dressing gown and slippers and forced me to hike Croagh Patrick. Hike. In my pyjamas." She shook her head in disbelief. "And when we got half way up he stopped me, pointed to a weird flower carved into a rock, and said 'this is where the end begins'."

"What did you do?"

"I called him crazy and I ran. He was going to try and take me into this hole his cult had dug into the mountain. I know a trap when I see one." She frowned. "I filed for divorce after that, he signed the papers and I never heard from him again. I'll be honest, the years since I left him have been the best years of my life so far."

"It sounds like it was a traumatic time for you," Skulduggery murmured.

"The divorce itself was easy. Coming to terms with my husband being a crackpot was the hard part." She forced a smile onto her face. "Anyway, tell me more about your cousin. I could use something happy to talk about after that." She squeezed his hand and leaned forward eagerly, the moonlight catching in her hair. Valkyrie had to admit Edith was pretty in a soft kind of way.

"Val is...unique," Skulduggery was saying. "I doubt there's anyone else on the planet like her. It's hard to describe, really." He smiled and Valkyrie watched Edith melt. "She acts like she's not afraid of anything. She's so strong and bullheaded. She faces everything even if it's terrifying. I know she gets scared or overwhelmed sometimes but she asks how I am instead, or she makes a joke or says something shocking to lighten the mood." He chuckled to himself. "Lately I've felt lost and she's been the one to help me find myself again. We've been through a lot together."

"I'd give anything to have family like that," Edith sighed. They carried on chatting a while longer as Valkyrie blinked back unexpected tears. She hated crying, normally she only did it when she was incredibly angry or scared. She scrubbed at her eyes and forced herself to pay attention in case Edith said anything else that could be useful.

Watching them together made her stomach churn. It was hard to remember Skulduggery was faking it when he reached out and touched Edith's cheek or laughed so softly at something she said. They seemed so...intimate.

Eventually they stood and walked out to the causeway, standing on the wooden part over the water. Valkyrie couldn't hear what they were saying anymore, but she stayed and watched anyway. She knew she was being intrusive but she couldn't make herself leave.

When they packed up the picnic and Skulduggery walked Edith back to her car, Valkyrie followed and stayed out of sight. The shorter woman stopped beside her car door and turned back to face Skulduggery, who stood with his head cocked and his eyes fixed on hers. The sick feeling twisted in Valkyrie's stomach again.

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" he asked.

"Oh yes, I only had half a glass. I'd happily have had more if I didn't have to drive home," she said, her tone thick with implication. Skulduggery either didn't notice or chose to ignore it.

"Alright, in that case I'd be very happy if you'd text me to let me know you're home safe." Valkyrie didn't miss the pang of disappointment in Edith's voice.

"I will," she promised. "I had a lovely time. Thank you for such a nice night."

"I had a good time as well. I'm glad you agreed to come with me." She smiled up at him, and then she stretched onto her toes and kissed him quickly. He put his hands on her arms to steady her and tilted his head slightly, returning the kiss politely. Valkyrie looked away quickly, tears threatening the backs of her eyes again.

"I hope I see you soon, Douglas," Edith half sighed.

"Drive safely," he replied. "And don't forget to let me know you're home, okay beautiful?"

"I won't." She gave a cheerful, excitable goodbye, and then the car engine started and faded slowly as she drove away. Valkyrie stayed frozen in the bushes, hoping he'd head back to the Bed and Breakfast.

"You can come out now," he said instead.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked, trying to sound casual as she emerged from the trees.

"I know you. There's no way you were going to stay in that room all night and you're too nosey not to follow me." His tone was teasing and Valkyrie relaxed a little.

"Edith had fun," she pointed out, ignoring his jibe.

"She did. And now I need to change my number."

"You're definitely not seeing her again then?" She couldn't help the flutter of hope in her chest.

"I told you I'm not interested in her. Also she's mortal and very clearly not happy with the existence of magic."

"She can't be more than thirty," Valkyrie answered, folding her arms across her chest. "I thought Morrigan disappeared fifty years ago."

"I thought that was strange too," Skulduggery nodded. "I suppose he could have married her after moving out here. Perhaps he thought she'd be happy about magic and his new Goddess."

"How do you think China found out he had an ex wife if he disappeared before he even met her?"

"I don't know. That woman hears things that should be entirely impossible to know, and I'm grateful for that because it helps me to do my job." He looked down at the basket on his arm. "You know, we barely touched this and the beach is nice at night. I also know you skipped dinner. Would you like to go back to the waterfront with me?"

"Sure," she shrugged, turning away to hide her grin. She walked towards the steps Skulduggery and Edith had used without saying a word, her flat shoes sinking into the sand a little as she reached the bottom.

Skulduggery laid out the blanket again and even lit the candles with a small flame he generated. He held the bottle of wine out to her and she took a drink, hating the taste but liking the warmth that settled in her stomach.

"I used to like wine," Skulduggery mused as she handed the bottle back. "Now I'm not sure. The first sip in the restaurant yesterday was nice, but each one seems to get worse instead of better."

"Why are you drinking it then?"

"I just went on my first date in decades. I need it." She chuckled and broke off a piece of cheddar, pairing it with a cracker before chewing it thoughtfully.

"So the weird flower she mentioned. Do you think that's the entrance?"

"No. That would be far too obvious." He passed the bottle back and loosened his tie a little. "I think it'll tell us more about where the entrance is though."

"So do we have to go hiking tomorrow?"

"Seems that way."

"You sure we can't just fly?"

"If you want every mortal and mage in the vicinity to see us coming then yes, we can fly." Valkyrie glowered and swallowed another gulp of wine.

"Can I at least wear my necronaut suit?"

"We'll be going at night so yes. We're less likely to bump into any wandering nature walkers in the dark." He hesitated. "So...how much of our date could you hear?"

"When I got to the beach you'd already lit the candles and sat down. I got here right before Edith asked about me." She shot him a wry smile. "I never knew you could be so nice. How come you're not that nice to my face?"

"I don't want it to go to your head," he retorted, but he was smiling.

"What did you talk about on the causeway?" Valkyrie asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "With the way she was fawning over you I'm surprised you did so much talking and so little making out."

"She asked me what my wife was like," he shrugged. "I told her it was too painful to talk about so she started telling me about Mulranny instead." He wrinkled his nose. "And we were never going to make out because we aren't teenagers."

"Were you going to kiss her though?" Valkyrie wasn't sure if it was the wine making her brave, and she regretted the question as soon as it was out.

"I wasn't." She intended to stay quiet but her stupid mouth decided to ignore her command.

"But you kissed her back?"

"I couldn't exactly push her away without upsetting her," he shrugged. "So yes, I kissed her back in the politest, most chaste way I could manage and then I let her go." Valkyrie nodded and took another drink. Skulduggery arched an eyebrow at her. "Does it bother you that I kissed her?"

"No," she answered, too quickly. "I was the one making jokes about it yesterday, remember? You can kiss whoever you want. I'm not your babysitter."

"Funny. I can kiss whoever I want and yet both the people I've kissed recently have sprung it on me in an unwelcome manner." He swallowed the wine and frowned down at the bottle. "I feel like I'm not in control of what happens to me anymore."

"Are you kidding?" She elbowed him gently. "You and I have decided our fates and diverted destinies a hundred times over. If you ask me, you're more in control now than ever because you can actually do the things you want to do. All of them, no matter how big or small."

"Hmm." He looked out at the water as she took the bottle from him, drinking deeply despite the fuzziness in her head. She didn't drink often and her tolerance was apparently almost non-existent.

"Stop looking so grumpy." She nudged him again and passed the bottle back.

"I feel strange," Skulduggery said when he'd swallowed the last mouthful of wine. "Is this what being drunk feels like?"

"Depends. How do you feel?"

"...I'm not sure how to answer that. I'm still getting used to having a living body."

"Does your head feel fuzzy?"

"Yes. Yes it does."

"That's the wine," she nodded, grinning at him. "We should head back in case you have a bad reaction to it." She blew out the candles and put everything back in the basket, glad that the wine left her feeling relaxed and jolly, but not too drunk to function.

"I didn't expect to get drunk on a beach tonight," he mused.

"Me neither, but it was fun. And we still have cheese and crackers left if we get hungry." He chuckled and shook his head at her in a good natured manner. She took the elbow he offered her and together they made their way back to the Bed and Breakfast.

By the time they got back the wine had hit Valkyrie hard enough that her jealousy over the date faded away like smoke on the wind. Skulduggery laid back on the bed and blinked up at the ceiling fan.

"You're a bad influence on me, Valkyrie Cain," he chuckled.

"You invited me to the beach to drink wine, I just stalked you there first," she quipped, making him laugh again.

"Most people would be terrified that you stalked them in the dark, you know."

"You're not most people."

"That's true." He sat up and fumbled with his tie. "Dammit. I can't see straight. Can you help me?" He wasn't slurring his words but Valkyrie could see the alcohol had hit him harder than her. She smiled and kicked off her shoes, climbing onto the bed to kneel beside him.

"I never thought I'd see the day you got too drunk to unfasten your own tie," she chortled.

"Neither did I." She loosened the fabric and slipped it from around his neck before reaching for his wrists to undo the cuff links. When she'd unfastened his top two buttons she sat back a little.

"You can do the rest yourself. Even if you can't unfasten the rest of the buttons you can pull it over your head like a t-shirt."

She retreated to the bathroom to change into her pyjamas and brush her teeth after that, trying to get a firmer grip on herself. She knew she was safe with Skulduggery but she didn't trust herself not to say something stupid and ruin their friendship. She splashed water on her face and took a few deep breaths before heading back into the bedroom.

She stopped short when she caught sight of Skulduggery still sat on the bed, tugging the shirt over his head. Her mouth went dry.

"You know...," she said eventually, "you're supposed to wait until you're in the bathroom to strip off, Skul." He frowned down at himself.

"You've seen a naked torso before."

"I have, but usually it isn't your naked torso." She tried to keep her eyes away from the rippling muscles across his stomach. She tried so very hard.

"For someone who doesn't want to see it, you're spending an inordinate amount of time looking at it," he pointed out. She dragged her eyes up to his face to see him smiling smugly.

"You said you had a six pack," she mumbled.

"No, you said I have a six pack. I said I had to be fit because I was a soldier." His grin widened. "I actually have an eight pack."

"I can see that." She tried to get some moisture back into her mouth, tried to make her voice sound less croaky and her eyes look less wide.

Skulduggery stood and found a pair of joggers and a black t-shirt to sleep in, his movements only slightly sluggish from the alcohol. Valkyrie froze as he passed close by her before disappearing into the bathroom. When the door was shut she pressed her hands to her face and took several deep breaths.

"Get it together," she whispered quietly to herself, too quietly for him to hear, and then she switched off the main light, switched on the lamp and crawled into the bed, yanking the blankets right up to her chin and praying she fell asleep before he came back.

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