A/N: I don't own Dex, Saracen, Tipstaff, Valkyrie, Anton, Ghastly, Skulduggery or Erskine.

Dex woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and he was amused to no end when Saracen knocked on his door, still dressed in his bath robe. "Shave or don't shave?" The bearded mage asked him seriously.

"That's up to you." Dex said, kissing him gently. "I don't mind the beard myself, Saracen. It gives you that sexily rumpled look you pull off so well." He teased. Saracen grinned then initiated another kiss, startling Dex. He shivered slightly when Saracen embraced him, pulling Dex deeper into the kiss.

Dexter was toying with the idea of reaching into Saracen's robe to feel the texture of his skin, but reminded himself to be a gentleman and pulled back. Saracen didn't want to stop, but Dex held him off gently. "Easy, I know you're interested, and there will be time for that later. Let a boy take you to breakfast?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and Saracen agreed happily.

Dex sighed as he returned to his own room. Now he knew how his first lover must have felt and he pitied the man. And on seeing the way Saracen smiled at him as they met in the hall he sighed. "You behave. Trust me, Saracen, we will, when the time is right. Until them you can watch yaoi like everyone else."

"Yow what now?" Saracen asked confused.

Valkyrie, carrying fresh towels up to their rooms giggled. "Yaoi. Like yuri, but with hot guys instead. They, uh, found my stash and it's why I had to leave Ireland, but Anton's cool with it."

"You had both?" Dex asked, blinking.

"Yeah, I think the words you're looking for is 'ew, gross' but we prefer pansexual."

"I think the word is hentai. Why are we discussing Japanese porn so early in the morning?" Anton asked as he joined them and he was smiling for once when he said it.

"I told them why I got thrown out of Ireland. On trumped up morals charges." Valkyrie mocked sobbed and fell into Anton's arms and their friend laughed and ruffled her hair fondly.

Anton explained as he led the way down to breakfast that it was total hypocrisy. "Well, not total. Skulduggery wanted copies of everything, so did Erskine, naturally." He said.

"Naturally." Both men agreed.

"Ghastly's the one who acted morally offended and gave Val a big speech on young ladies and how they shouldn't corrupt their morals. Gods."

"The same Ghastly who disappeared for a weekend with that floozy?" Saracen asked with a grin. "Or the one who picked up as many women as I did? Oh, yeah, Val. Let him lecture you." He said and Valkyrie was laughing helplessly.

Just of course, as we intended. Dex though cheerfully. And by the time they reached the Sanctuary to meet with their friends, because they all agreed they were being pulled there for some reason, they'd assured her he was no reason to avoid Ireland.

Ghastly for his part, gave Valkyrie a strained smile when they all met in Erskine's office, Skulduggery showing up as well. "Ghastly's still mad at you Val. I offered to play uke and seme with him and he's still mad." He said and Ghastly glared at him.

Erskine snorted laughter and cleared his throat. "So, does anyone know why we're all together again?" He asked and no one had any idea.

"Someone could have controlled us to get us all here." Skulduggery said thoughtfully. "Or maybe it is just one of those things. Still, it's rather odd, isn't it?" Skulduggery looked at Ghastly pointedly and Ghastly ignored him.

Dex sighed. "Why don't you two just admit you're in love and get it over with?" He asked, exasperated.

"Well, I'll admit it, but Ghastly won't." Skulduggery said. Ghastly just crossed his arms and glared at the floor.

"Maybe because I do know why were all here. There's a doorway opening soon. Tonight, in fact, to the underworld. It would be possible to bring people back. What's the point of saying how we feel, Skulduggery, when you can have your family back?" He asked, angrily.

Valkyrie stood ramrod straight at the news and left Anton's side to stand alone towards the back of the room. "I'm sorry, Valkyrie, I wouldn't have said anything, but they have a right to know. And I'm going through with it."

She shook her head, then a determined look came into her eyes. "We can stop you, Ghastly. It should be me, not you."

"Val!" Ghastly admonished, and soon the truth came out as it always did. The doorway would open and five people could be brought out. But for this to happen, one team member had to stay behind. Ghastly and Valkyrie's real reason for the fight had been that they disagreed over bringing anyone back.

"I influenced everyone to get them here. To stop him. There's a reason the dead stay dead, Ghastly, this isn't right." Val said. "But if anyone is staying behind, it's me. It's the least I can do for Anton. He'll have Larrikin back." She said and the room fell silent, Anton staring at Valkyrie and Dex could only wonder what would happen that night.

The feels, man, the feels!