Chapter One of a New Life.

Skulduggery woke up, in comfort this time. The back of his head lying on soft pillows rather than the side of his face pressed into wet grass. He looked around for something familiar, to tell him where he was. The IV drip and the unfamiliar beep, beep off the heart monitor (was that his heart??) gave it away. He was at Kenspeckle's labs.

But how he got here in the first place lay the mystery. Not how he got to the lab itself, but how he got here, in the world he had been so used to, where he had lived for nearly two and a half centuries. After being in the realm of the Faceless Ones for he didn't know how long. It had felt like the seconds had dragged into hours and the hours into weeks. He couldn't possibly calculate the length of that time he had been in that hell.

He was jerked back to the present by a sudden movement in the room. Grouse had stormed into the room muttering incoherently. The only word Skulduggery could make out was 'porridge'.

"So, Professor," Skulduggery began light-heartedly with a smile on his face. "What's the verdict? Can i go? Does my body come up to standards?" Skulduggery grinned, something he hadn't been able to do in a long time. Innuendo never sounded right when you had no changing facial expressions. It felt good to be able use it again.

But the professor wasn't listening. He was frowning at Skulduggery's vitals on the screen before him. He took out the IV drip and looked at the screen again, clearly expecting it to change. By the look on his face, Skulduggery deduced that the result did not.

"This isn't right..." Grouse stared at the screen and took a few notes onto his clip board.

The grin was wiped off Skulduggery's face queer and quick. "What's wrong?" he asked, leaning to look at the screen. "I'm not dead again, am I?"

Grouse looked at him briefly and took Skulduggery's pulse at his neck and then at his wrist. He stared at the screen and counted as he did so.

"Professor?"

"What?"

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," he looked at Skulduggery as if he were a puzzle that he couldn't figure out. "That's the problem. There should be something wrong with you... You haven't slept, eaten, breathed in nearly two centuries and now you're perfectly healthy, perfectly fit. Just as if you had never died at all. It's not right."

"Oh right..." Skulduggery thought on this a moment. "Does that mean I can go now?" He swung his legs over the side of the bed once again marvelling at his regained muscles and skin.

"No its does not Detective Pleasant!" Kenspeckle pulled out yet another hypodermic syringe. Skulduggery pushed at the air (while briefly wondering where the Professor was keeping these and if they were all for this eventuality. The syringe hit the floor harmlessly.

"Sorry Professor, but i need to get out." Skulduggery waved and walked out of the room.

His clothes had been hung neatly in a closet that he had been directed to by Cerya, the Professor's newest assistant. A pretty blonde girl but Skulduggery could tell by the look in her eyes she wasn't playing with a full deck of cards.

Grabbing the hanger, he looked at the clothes. They weren't his. He was about to call Cerya but his natural curiosity crept to the fore. He checked the pockets for some identification. His hand grasped a scrap of paper. He unfolded and almost keeled over again as his hands (skin and muscles if you don't mind) unfolded the paper. He smiled as he mouthed the words with his newly regained lips.

Skulduggery,

Rifling through the pockets of other people's suits, are we? Don't worry this one's yours. You know all i need is one look. Your gun is on the hanger and your phone is in the inside pocket.

Signed

Ghastly

They fit perfectly. The trousers were black with a deep blue pinstripe with matching jacket and a crisp white shirt with n open neck collar. He had never been able to wear open neck collars when they first came into fashion because you would have been able to see his ribcage. Not the nicest of sights, even for Skulduggery himself.

Now where's my Bentley? He thought.

Leaving the cinema, he took out his phone. He scanned his phonebook realising he had no idea who to call. Not Valkyrie, not yet. He didn't know why but he just couldn't face her yet. How was he supposed to thank her enough? China? No. Again. Again he didn't know why... Eachan Meritorious? Okay there was a number he could delete. Ghastly? He'd probably been safe guarding his Bentley since he ... left. He hit the green button.

"That's fine," Ghastly said after listening to Skulduggery. "I'll bring the Bentley around to the cinema and I'll give you your new suits I've had made since you've gotten back."

"Okay," Skulduggery replied revelling in the prospect of new clothes. He was such a woman when it came to looking well. "I'm not going anywhere." Unless Kenspeckle comes at me with another hypodermic... he added to himself.

Ghastly arrived ten minutes later. Skulduggery admired the Bentley like a long lost friend. The black car swept around the corner barely making a sound as it pulled up. Ghastly had kept it so clean. Skulduggery saw his reflection in the bonnet as the car stopped. This was the first time he'd seen himself properly. His skin was as pale as it had been before the war and his black hair was in the same style. Although the reflection in the car was skewed, he knew his blue eyes were back in their place as well.

The car door slammed as Ghastly got out of the car. Unlike when Ghastly had transformed back from a statue, the two embraced without hesitation. Ghastly noted how different it was hugging a skeleton than an actual human being. They made small talk while Skulduggery looked under the bonnet of the Bentley, checking everything was in order. Ghastly didn't take offense. This car was Skulduggery's baby. Skulduggery made his way to the boot and lifted up the lid as a loud growling erupted.

Skulduggery panicked. "Is that my car?!"

Ghastly laughed and placed his hands on Skulduggery's shoulders to calm him. He peered into his eyes jokingly. "Skul, have you eaten?"

Skulduggery was about to shoot back an answer as per usual but caught himself. Had he? Jesus, when was the last time he'd eaten...? Skulduggery's confusion gave away to utter longing. Ghastly caught the look and steered him to the car door.

"C'mon, Eddie Rockets it is," Ghastly grinned.