A/N: I don't own Ghastly, Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Gracious or Erskine.

Clara, Skulduggery's wife had come back as Skulduggery had predicted, instantly falling in love with Valkyrie and declaring the surprised young mage was her daughter, and Ghastly was no fool, he encouraged the reunited family to stay and he thanked God daily that they did. He looked over at Valkyrie fast asleep on the couch as Clara stroked her hair tenderly.

He knew Valkyrie missed her birth parents dearly, but she'd taken to Clara, and now as she blinked her eyes sleepily and woke up, Clara spoke soothingly to her. "I'll see to Jacob and Tara, you just got home, sweetheart, you rest." Valkyrie nodded sleepily, but instantly smiled when she saw Ghastly looking at her and he couldn't help but smile back.

He didn't need a second invitation when she patted the couch and sat up with a wince. His heart melted for her. The births had been hard and as he gently put an arm around her he wanted to distract her from her pain. "I'll make you tea, then I think I'll go out and get you some fast food as a treat, OK, sweetie?" He asked kissing her forehead tenderly. Valkyrie nodded and he cupped her chin to tilt her head up and kiss her ever-so-gently. She had to be shown how very beautiful she was to him. "I love you." He whispered, stroking her face softly.

"I love you too." She whispered back. He saw to her tea and gave her a leaf to chew for the pain. Soon Tommy had wandered in and crawled up beside her, cuddling into his big sister. Valkyrie tenderly stroked his skull and he cuddled in deeper. "Want some tea, little brother?" She asked, cuddling him into her lap.

"I just want you better." There was fear in the little skeleton's voice and as Valkyrie soothed him, Ghastly thought she was a rare woman indeed. He loved their new family members too, but he had his scars. She was beautiful and he still marveled at the loving heart that made a beautiful young woman fuss over a skeleton brother and take to a skeleton mom as well. That made her love him and their babies as well.

Both had inherited his jinx and although Ghastly had loved them on first sight, he hadn't dared breathe until Valkyrie had one cuddled in each arm in the Sanctuary hospital bed, looking as proud as any young lioness. "You have a good heart." He said as he handed Valkyrie her tea and she smiled at him.

"So do you. You don't have to go out you know, stay here and cuddle with us. Dad can manage Pop Tarts." Skulduggery who'd been working on a new design looked over and laughed.

"Or: I can go out and get some fast food for all of us. I'm hungry myself." Ghastly smiled, Skulduggery was almost always hungry.

Clara returned and nodded. "That place with the golden arches if you please, dearheart. Burgers they're called, right, Valkyrie?" Valkyrie nodded proudly. She'd been helping her new mom get caught up with the world and Ghastly was touched by how well the women got on. Skulduggery got ready and would have taken Tommy, but his son had glued himself to Valkyrie's side.

Skulduggery shook his head with a pleased smile, activated his façade and whistled. Odie, now a lovely full-grown dog got up from the fireside and eagerly took her harness and leash. Garfield, not willing to be left out went with them. Ghastly shook his head as they left.

"That man has gone soft." He said and they all laughed. The Skulduggery he knew before Valkyrie would have never allowed pets, children with juice boxes or fast food to be in his car but now he welcomed all three and just cleaned vigorously.

"Why?" Tommy asked.

"Dad used to make me eat hanging out the car window." Valkyrie said with a grin. "Then a cutey like you came along and he went all soft, see?" She asked as she tickled him and Tommy giggled happily. He at last wriggled down and went to check on the babies which slept soundly by the fireside. Ghastly had been used to snugly crowded quarters growing up and even found them comforting. He was relieved Valkyrie agreed, and it was just one more reason to love her.

The customers seemed only too pleased to fuss over the babies, and he knew they'd all been blessed. He looked at Clara fondly. "I don't know what we would have done without you, Clara. I don't know how you are managing everything."

"You hush. My mother raised twenty children, that is managing everything. A bit of sewing on your modern machines and the sweet little ones is hardly a problem, right, Tommy?" Tommy nodded. He was learning to sew as well, being pleased to help out and as unlikely as it seemed his pincushions had been added to the line of goods they sold. Though he was only allowed to do one a week, he was proud to help out.

Tommy, after all, had his studies with one of the adults to do and needed a chance at a happy childhood. Ghastly felt like the young skeleton was his own son, and he hadn't needed to convince Valkyrie to let him keep all his profits. It was teaching Tommy math at least, as he had to cover not only his material cost but be paid for his hard work, and he had to figure out what to charge to be able to afford new material.

Though somehow they never remembered to charge him and so the profits often went to toys for the babies or treats for the animals, or even flowers for his mother and Valkyrie. Rarely did he think of himself first. He saved some of his earnings too, trusting Ghastly to watch the profits for him, and now he happily took the young skeleton on his lap as he worked, showing him how to use the sewing machine.

The doorbell chimed and Erskine soon came in with flowers for Valkyrie and candy which added to the growing pile of treasures the new mother was accumulating. And there were now so many flowers in the shop it looked like a miniature garden, which Ghastly thought was a fitting setting for Valkyrie. With her at the centre for all to admire, of course. Erskine kissed her gently on the cheek and handed over the flowers to Clara who saw to them. "Hey, I understand most of you brothers dropped by, Gracious included."

"Yeah, he did. It's sweet of you all to come check on me, I didn't expect you to, you know. You were at the hospital." Erskine just smiled and shook his head. He accepted Ghastly's offer of tea and sat in the chair facing the couch. It cut down on space in the shop, but it let people spend time with Valkyrie.

"Val, you're our little sister, we love dropping by to fuss. Besides, we get to see your babies and little brother too." He grinned at her and Valkyrie smiled. Erskine chatted a little bit more and as he left Skulduggery returned, laden with fast food.

Tommy gave a happy squeal and tackled his dad, then both the pets. Ghastly rose and helped Skulduggery with the bags. "There's more, I had two for one coupons." Skulduggery said, pleased with himself and soon the family was having a feast complete with icy cold sodas. Ghastly watched as even the pets got chicken shaped into nuggets, bites of a burger with cheese, fries, and he highly approved of how Valkyrie ate both her special burgers with sauce.

There were even leftovers to put away and the family was content.

That night Ghastly tenderly carried Valkyrie upstairs despite her protests, then went back for the babies. He paused to look around the shop which was so different now than when he'd been alone. There was a life and energy to it, and the beloved furry children sleeping by the fireplace added to the charm.

Upstairs Valkyrie settled into the sofa with him, the babies safe and sound and fast asleep in their cribs. He turned on the TV and she cuddled in close. "Mmm, tomorrow's our day off, right?" She asked and he nodded.

"You know it. I'll make us something nice, a treat for the whole family. Stupid question, but how are you feeling?"

"Terrible still, but they're worth it, and I'm a lot better since you fussed over me all day. This isn't too much on you, is it?" She asked, and he drew her into a lingering kiss in reply.

"Never. You don't know how long I've wanted children, Valkyrie. Though I'd rather wait a decade or so before the next ones."

"Agreed and you're having them yourselves." Valkyrie said with a groan. Ghastly laughed softly then kissed her and rose to make tea and a snack from the leftovers. Her appetite the doctors had assured him was a wonderful sign. All women were different but if she wanted food she was to have all she wanted and could worry about her weight after her body had recovered.

Ghastly didn't care if she ever lost a bit of the baby weight. He was proud to have a healthy and wonderful mother to their children and he'd accepted that babies change a woman's body. She wasn't a millionairess or starlet who could go have surgery done to 'get back her body' and he was happy for it. Valkyrie glowed now and her different body was proof of the love she had for him and his children.

Soon they were cuddled back together, Ghastly handing Valkyrie a surprise he'd had Skulduggery sneak in. "Coffee! I love you, sweetie, thank you!" She said happily, accepting the steaming brew he'd heated in the take away cup.

"Not a problem, sweetheart. Nothing's too good for the mother of my children and I mean that. Any ideas what you'd like me to make tomorrow? And don't you dare say diet food." He said gently and she blushed.

"Well-"

"Yes?"

"Remember the doughnuts you made me while I was pregnant?" She asked shyly.

"Doughnuts it is then. And don't you dare worry about your weight now, Valkyrie Bespoke. Your mother's been plying you with chicken and other wholesome goodies so you're doing fine. You may never get back to the old you, but I didn't marry you for that. As the centuries go on my body will change too and I trust you to love me."

"You're just going to get more handsome as you age, Ghastly Bespoke and we both know it. I still can't believe you're mine. That all of this is real." She looked around in wonder and he was lost for words. What kind of woman gave up a mansion to live in a small apartment with her family?

"Does it bother you, not having the mansion?" He asked suddenly and she looked surprised.

"Ghastly, how many rooms can I be in at any given time?" She asked gently.

"One." He said with a smile.

"Well there you go. And I love having all our family under one roof. When mom and dad agreed to move in-" She sat up her eyes widening in pleased surprise. "They really are my mom and dad now, aren't they?"

"Full stop. You want to invite them up for a little bit?" He asked gently, not minding sharing her with the rest of the family. Valkyrie nodded and they were soon all settled in. It was crowded, certainly. But they had their family together at last and that was all that mattered to him. He'd never understand how Valkyrie had changed from how she had been to the sweet woman beside him and he decided that maybe she hadn't.

That maybe, to impress him and Skulduggery and all the other Dead Men she'd acted harder and tougher than she ever was, put on a brave face in battle when any sane person would have been terrified out of their mind. That maybe, just maybe, he was getting to see her as she really was and he liked that idea just fine.

There you have it, think I'll leave the story there unless I get mobbed by readers, hope you enjoyed it!