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Saving Tanith Low

"Skulduggery, I am not going to sit here and watch her die. She's my sister for Christ sakes. We don't have any other option." Valkyrie said, her heart racing.

"If you let her out, your family, your real sister, the world will burn and you know it. You can't control her anymore." Skulduggery replied, his gloved hands gripping her shoulders.

"Darquesse is me. We're through arguing about this." Valkyrie stepped back and closed her eyes.

"Val, no—" Skulduggery's words were cut off as he was launched across the other side of the room. Darquesse rose her head and turned to look at Ghastly, who remained still at Tanith's side. Darquesse's body turned with her and she looked down at Tanith, who's eyes were still on Ghastly. Darquesse could feel Tanith's life draining away from her. Her head turned toward Sanguine, who was sat on the floor in the corner, his hands shackled behind him. Sanguine looked up at Darquesse and she saw a fear in his eyes she'd never witnessed before. Her eyes hardened and Sanguine's body was hauled up from the ground and he hovered in the air.

"You are the reason my friend is dead." She said softly. Sanguine opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. "You don't deserve to live. Look at you. You think you're so high and mighty, but you're nothing more than a petty criminal playing bad guy. All I have to do is think you dead and you'll be gone, nothing more than a pile of ash on the ground. Or I could kill you more painfully, which, seems fitting, since you tortured my friend."

"Darquesse." Skulduggery said, back on his feet. "Valkyrie let you out so you could help Tanith, not kill someone else." Darquesse smiled.

"Why detective, are you saying you don't want this man to pay for what he did to our friend?" Skulduggery said nothing. Darquesse turned back to Sanguine, his body still floating in the air. She dipped her head slightly and her eyes fixed on his. Everyone watched as Sanguine's body arched as piercing screams came from him. He fingers curled and his body ruptured, and fell to the ground like nothing more than a ragdoll that Darquesse had finished playing with. Darquesse turned back to Tanith, her eyes looking through her torso. She could see the path the bullet had taken, severing an artery and puncturing a lung. Darquesse's eyes flashed and Tanith's chest inflated as the wound through her body began repairing itself. Tanith screamed and lashed out as the wound burned, healing itself, closing up. Parts of what ripped from the bullet rose from her wound and dead skin too. Darquesse looked at them, and they burned to ash. Sweat ran from Tanith's body and Darquesse looked back down at her. Ghastly kept his arms around Tanith and Skulduggery stepped closer to Darquesse who was smiling as she watched the life return to Tanith.

"Darquesse," Skulduggery began. "I'm going to need you to give me Valkyrie back. I know she's in there, just, let her come back." Darquesse smiled and lightly shook her head.

"Valkyrie isn't here, detective. Valkyrie's in a wonderful place, in my head, in my soul. I am Valkyrie now." Skulduggery kept his gaze on her and Tanith looked up.

"Valkyrie," she whispered, and Darquesse turned to her. "Valkyrie I know you're in there, sweetheart. I know you're wanting to come out."

"I am Valkyrie." Darquesse snapped. Tanith ignored her and continued.

"Do you, do you remember that night we stayed up all night just laughing about how cute you thought Fletch was and convincing me to tell you how in love I was with Ghastly? Do you remember? And your mum came into your room, convinced you were talking to someone and you had to make up an excuse whilst I hid under your bed?" Tanith chuckled to herself.

"And you were laughing about how much you knew China despised you and how you'd convince Skulduggery to buy a motorbike and wear leathers." Darquesse replied. Tanith looked up.

"Val?" Darquesse's eyes closed and Valkyrie's opened, smiling as she saw Tanith alive on the ground. She flung her arms around her and Tanith laughed, hugging her back. Skulduggery walked over to them and Valkyrie stood back up, grinning at him. He grabbed her and pulled her into him, wrapping his skeletal arms around her.

"I didn't think you'd be coming back." He said. Valkyrie laughed, hugging him.

"I'll always come back." She replied. Ghastly helped Tanith up from the floor, and she kissed his cheek. Valkyrie's eyes glanced over Skulduggery's shoulder at Sanguine, who was crumpled up on the floor.

"What do we do about him?" she asked. They all turned to look at Sanguine and Erskine appeared at Valkyrie's side.

"You all go, I'll call some cleavers and get him transported out of here. I'm glad you're back, Tanith." Erskine said, turning to her. Tanith smiled and moved in to hug him. Erskine glanced up at Ghastly who was too busy smiling at Tanith to even care that they'd hugged. "And you too, Val. God only knows what would've happened if I—We had lost you." He said, turning to Valkyrie. She grinned and kissed his cheek before turning her attention back to Skulduggery. Valkyrie turned her head and grinned as she watched Ghastly and Tanith in the doorway, lightly elbowing Erskine and Skulduggery. The three of them looked over as Ghastly and Tanith were in each others arms; her hands caressing his face, his muscular arms wrapping around her waist as they kissed. Erskine rolled his eyes and walked away, calling the sanctuary to order cleavers to their aid. Valkyrie couldn't stop herself from smiling, and she knew if Skulduggery had a face, he'd be smiling too. The newly engraved scars on Tanith's arms were still visible, even if Darquesse had harnessed all the power she had into Tanith, those scars still wouldn't have healed. Erskine returned to Valkyrie's side and sighed.

"Looks like you two need some privacy." He laughed. Ghastly and Tanith pulled away from each other and laughed at Erskine; Tanith still keeping an arm hooked around Ghastly's neck. Tanith's eyes found Valkyrie who hadn't stopped grinning at her, and she smiled. Ghastly looked back at Tanith and kissed the side of her head. Tanith looked back at Ghastly, her eyes glistening. She wrapped her other arm around her neck and his arms returned to her waist.

"So," Ghastly began. "You love me huh?" Tanith grinned and her eyes didn't leave his.

"If the fates allow," She replied. She reached up onto her tiptoes to his height and leaned in. "I'll be yours forever." She whispered into his ear.

"Good." He replied, the smile never leaving his lips. "Because I'll be in love with you for the rest of my life. That, I can promise you." Tanith grinned and her lips met his as they kissed, again.

~Just a quick update. You guys let me know if you want this fanfic to carry on or not, would be much appreciated! Thanks~