Valkyrie's Pov

It was three o'clock in the afternoon when Valkyrie was woken by the sound of a phone ringing in the other room. She groaned and got up to answer it.

"Hello?" she grumbled. The voice on the other end laughed.

"You sound like you just woke up Steph! What did you do last night?" It was her mother.

"Oh, uh nothing much, just had a friend stay over." She mumbled quickly.

"It must have been a late night, you promised me you wouldn't have any parties if I let you move out early!" she scolded.

"It wasn't a party mum we just stayed up late talking about you know, boys and stuff…"

"You've given me that excuse before."

"Oh right. Anyway, why did you call?"

"I just wanted to tell you that me, Amber and your father are going away for the week so you can't visit like you planned, I'm really sorry." she said remorsefully.

"It's really okay mum, I have to help my friend pick out clothes for her da-" Valkyrie was a bit slow to realize that she shouldn't tell her mum about Tanith's date, as it would result in her asking questions about Valkyrie's own love life.

"Was the word you about to use 'date' by any chance?" She giggled. The sound was so unexpected that Valkyrie almost dropped the phone. Out of the corner of her eye, Valkyrie saw Tanith roll over and groan, making Valkyrie jump, then an idea came to her.

"Uh, mum, I've got to go, Tanith's awake, but I'll call you, okay?" She said quickly.

"Okay Stephy. Bye honey."

"Bye mum." As soon as her mother hung up, Valkyrie raced into the kitchen and grabbed a big mixing bowl and filled it with cold water. Thus armed, she crept back into the living room, where Tanith had was still lying down, though she now had a pillow over her head to keep the light out. Valkyrie crept up beside her and in one fluid movement, pulled the pillow off Tanith and poured the bowl of water over her head. Tanith screamed and was up faster than a snake. The first thing Val saw was Tanith's face, which still looked asleep apart from the wide, shocked eyes. Tanith's hair was in a huge mess around her head, partly from sleeping and mostly from the water. The second thing she noticed was the sword that Tanith had already picked up as she flew out of bed. And last but certainly not least, was that Tanith's shock face had turned into one of rage. She saw Valkyrie with the bowl that clearly marked her out as the culprit and she dropped her sword. Valkyrie sighed in relief. That was…until she saw the death glare Tanith sent her. The next thing she knew, she was being pounced on by a woman even more heavily muscled than she was. Valkyrie cried out and crashed to the ground and she was only just in time to see the punch Tanith sent her way. Val rolled over and Tanith's hand flew into the ground.

"OW!" Tanith screamed. Then she once again turned to Valkyrie. "NO-ONE EVER wakes me up…especially by pouring WATER ALL OVER ME!" Valkyrie was beginning to see that her prank had been a very bad idea.

"Please don't kill me!" she begged. Tanith opened her mouth when a wicked glint came into her eyes.

"You're right." She said in sugar sweet voice. "I shouldn't have tried to hit you, I overreacted. I'm very sorry Val" Valkyrie thought it better to remain silent.

The phone rang again.

"Geez someone's popular today." Tanith muttered. Valkyrie ignored her and answered the phone. Remembering her mother's reaction, Valkyrie purposely tried to make her voice brighter.

"Hello?"

"Someone sounds chipper." The voice said wryly. "I have some errands to run, so you can have today and tomorrow off work." Skulduggery obviously, and by the sound of his voice, he didn't seem to like the idea that Valkyrie got free time while he had to work.

"Sure!" Valkyrie didn't have to fake cheerfulness now. "But where are you going?"

"Oh, nowhere important, I just have to go see China for some um…research." He sounded shifty and Valkyrie raised her eyebrow but let it past.

"O…kay." Well, in that case, I've gotta run. I need to organize Tanith for her date."

At this Tanith, who had previously gone back to lying on the couch – with the ever-present pillow over her head of course – bolted upright and swore.

"Shit! I forgot about that! Mother f-"

"Valkyrie could you please tell Tanith that that is very bad language for a lady." Skulduggery said mildly.

"Tanith's may be female-but she ain't no lady." Valkyrie answered with a grin.

"Too true, but pass the message on anyway" he urged.

"Tanith is over 80 years old, she can swear if she wants to."

"Yes, but she will pass that language on to you." He scolded.

"Geez, you sound like my mum, besides I was swearing long before I met Tanith. Also I think this conversation has gone on way too long for something so unimportant. Bye Skulduggery." Then she hung up.

Valkyrie turned away from the wall only to find Tanith madly rushing around, grabbing her hairbrush, toothbrush and some clothes to wear. She looked at them in disgust.

"I can't wear these on a date! What am I supposed to wear!" she wailed.

"Shh, calm down Tanith, Ghastly made you clothes remember?"

"Oh yes, that he did." She remembered with relief. "Let's go pick them up then, shall we?"

After they had brought everything back – Valkyrie had made Tanith get ready at her house so she could help out – Tanith went into the bathroom to change into her clothes that were similar to what she normally wears but a bit dressier. Valkyrie groaned and lay down on her bed. Last night may have been fun, but it still took a lot out of her. She closed her eyes and rested while Tanith was getting ready. After about 20 minutes she frowned, what was taking Tanith so long?

"Tanith?" She called in the general direction of the bathroom – she couldn't be bothered lifting her head. "What's taking you so long? You haven't got Ghastly in there do you?" Valkyrie said with a grin.

"No I do not, thank you very much." Tanith's voice was so close behind her that Valkyrie jumped half a foot in the air before turning around – right into a massive bucket of ice cold water…

"SHIT! WHAT THE HELL TANITH"

"Come of it Val, you started it." She sang, oh so smug.

"I…am…going…to…KILL…YOU…TANITH…LOW!"

"Well that's a bit hypocritical, after all, you poured water over me when I was asleep." She replied ever so calm.

"How can you remain CALM, I am being serious when I say I am GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"HA, like you could best me in a fight, Val. Now are we going sit here arguing all day or are you going to do my make-up?" She asked.

"Fine" Val was calm now, talk about mood swings. "But I thought you said I sucked at make-up?" Valkyrie said with a smirk. Tanith smirked back.

"I lied, I just didn't want to be the one having to act sexy to Fletcher." Valkyrie looked about ready to scream again, but then took a breath and calmed down.

"I will kill you later, right now you are going to sit down." And with that, she grabbed Tanith's shoulders and pushed her into a chair. For the next hour Valkyrie worked with Tanith's make-up and even some of her own before moving on to her hair. This didn't take long however, as she just left it down with a bit of glitter.

At 7.00pm Ghastly turned up looking self-conscious in a black suit and his façade tattoos up. He held his hand out to Tanith and she took it blissfully. But then Tanith frowned.

"What is it?" He asked anxiously, thinking he had forgotten something vital.

Tanith didn't answer but stepped forward and started undoing Ghastly's buttons.

"What are you doing?" He asked panicked, but didn't try to move away or grab Tanith's hands.

"Tanith not out here please, what if Skulduggery drove past?" Valkyrie said slyly.

Tanith ignored her too. Once she had reached the third button she slid he hands inside his shirt and up to his collarbones, where she presses against the bone. Ghastly's façade slipped away and Tanith grabbed his hands again.

"That's better." She said and they started walking toward the car, ignoring the catcalls coming from behind them.