Chapter Five

Life Lessons

Skulduggery stopped the car outside Valkyrie's house while her parents were out on there usual shopping trip on a Sunday. After they had left Jerome's home yesterday, they went to their HQ, which was actually the late Gordon's house that was given to Valkyrie through Gordon's will and they developed the photographs that Valkyrie had taken of the room and of the body, they briefly looked over them and replayed Skulduggery's commentary of the case off the tape he had recorded it on. They searched through the evidence bags and filed the clues. They had previously given the note Jerome was writing when he died to Mr Envy, seeing that he should have the utmost important clue in the investigation. After they went through the evidences and other things Valkyrie didn't understand, they visited Ghastly. They had explained about all the detectives needed to work together and about the obnoxious Detective Hugo Spite.

Ghastly sat up a little on his bed after hearing the name. He was interested with the enigmatic man. When Skulduggery describe how terrible he was, Ghastly slumped back down. Although he tried not to show it, Valkyrie knew he was disappointed by the 'best detective in the world'. They left quite later as they attended and caused Guild to scowl at them as they quickly tried to walk away from him and through the door. After a long day, Valkyrie didn't bother to hide her yawn and left Skulduggery. That night she came home early and talked to her parents. She tried to make up a story to her parents about her day, how boring it was and that. After her parents sent her to bed, Valkyrie obliged sleepily and climbed to bed.

The next morning Skulduggery picked her up much later than he normally did and Valkyrie wandered if he had found something out. But instead he wanted just to go over the clues again, and that took most of the day. Valkyrie didn't know why Skulduggery wanted to go through all this again. But Skulduggery was so quiet concentrating she didn't bother to disturb him. Around six o clock, he had remembered that Valkyrie needed to eat, and while driving her back home he had went to a McDonald's drive through and ordered a cheese burger and fries for Valkyrie. To Valkyrie's disappointment they didn't see Ghastly as Guild wanted him to do some therapy and walking exercises. Valkyrie decided it was for the best to leave him be. So she ate hungrily as Skulduggery drove her home. Valkyrie couldn't understand why Skulduggery was so quiet and distracted today. Until the silence drove her mad, she finally cracked.

"Skul! What's wrong with you today?" She turned to Skulduggery, who continue to keep quiet. She decided to chuck a cold French Frie at him. An attempt to catch his attention. This time he didn't ignore it and chucked it back. Valkyrie sighed in relief that Skulduggery was responsive. When they were about half and hour away from Valkyrie's house, Valkyrie said more gently, "Have I done something wrong?"

Skulduggery's head snapped at her, outraged. "Of course not. It's just me, that's all."

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow playfully, "Mood swings?"

"More like panic attacks." Skulduggery replied truthfully. Valkyrie frowned.

"Why?" Valkyrie was extremely concerned. "Are you worried about the case?"

Skulduggery almost started to laugh at her. "No, it's not that. Well, not much."

"Then what?!" Skulduggery was starting to irritate her.

If Skulduggery had eyeballs, he would have rolled them. "It's you. I'm worried about you!"

"Me?" Valkyrie blinked several times at the face of Skulduggery. Skulduggery shook his head at her smiling.

"Why are you concerned about me?" She pressed on, oblivious to his concern.

Skulduggery sighed, "Look at you Valkyrie. Barely fourteen and you already been in a crime scene and been through two near death experiences already."

Valkyrie didn't know what to say, but after a long time, she croaked, "What had brought all this on?"

Skulduggery tapped the wheel thinking, then he said, "It's just that normal kids your age don't go through stuff like you have."

Valkyrie continued to stare at Skulduggery, and Skulduggery sighed.

"It's just seeing you yesterday, with the body. I knew that you shouldn't have saw, and when I dropped you off home yesterday I felt as if I were wrong to put you through that."

Skulduggery hung his head. Valkyrie screamed with laughter that made Skulduggery jump a meter out of his seat.

"Skulduggery, why all this concern all the sudden. First you wanted me to go to school, spend more time at home, and what next? Don't you need me anymore?" Valkyrie suddenly dropped her head. Perhaps that was it, maybe she wasn't the assistant Skulduggery had wanted. She suddenly thought of Ghastly waking up. Was that was what was going on?

"Valkyrie, it's purely me being worried about you. I think I'm dragging you away from your parents and your life."

"But this is my life!" Valkyrie exclaimed frustrated. She beckoned to the car around her, including Skulduggery.

Skulduggery smiled soothingly with a small amused smirk to it. "I just want you to perhaps attend school now and again and perhaps take some days off, see friends, talk to your parents. Just for the next two years. And when you're an adult, then we could do whatever we like."

Valkyrie raised her eyebrows incredibly at him. "Two years?"

Skulduggery laughed at the sight of her face, "It's hardly a life sentence."

"What happened about you being the brains and me not needing any?"

Skulduggery shrugged his shoulders, "Two brains are better than one."

Valkyrie rolled her eyes, remembering Mr Envy's speech at Jerome Riddle's.

"Please, don't ever take Rowan's advice ever again. That's just…lame!"

They laughed for a while, and when they finally stopped, Skulduggery became more seriously. "Look Valkyrie, I just want you to go to school now and again, to socialise with people your own age. I'm doing this for your own good. Trust me."

Valkyrie thought that maybe he was right, maybe she could lay off a bit of the supernatural and concentrate on the other boring parts of life. And she did seem to be apart from her parents for a bit. Maybe it won't be that bad, will it? Anyway, she'll only perhaps go to school once or twice each week. Skulduggery didn't want to get rid of her entirely. Well, she hoped not. She eyed Skulduggery who continue to drive, and they were nearing her house. Then, to her despair she finally cried out, almost reluctantly. "Okay, okay, I'll do it!"

"Really?" he almost crashed the car in a wall, after being so surprised.

"Yes, if it makes you stop fussing!" she sighed.

"Great, well, you can start tomorrow." He dropped the bombshell over Valkyrie.

Her mouth dropped wide open, about to protest until Skulduggery stopped the car out of her house and that's when Valkyrie was forced out of the Bentley, still sulking as Skulduggery said he wouldn't be picking her up tomorrow and that not to use her Reflection because he would know. Still not saying anything, Skulduggery waved her goodbye, with a triumphant smile on his face as he left Valkyrie standing on the pavement, looking into space.

She wanted to hit Skulduggery. But with a sinking feeling in her stomach she wasn't sure if she would want to go to school. Everything had changed so much since she last been in school. It wouldn't be right to be among normal, oblivious children after so much she had seen and done.

After gaping for a minute she suddenly realised that she was still standing in the dark by herself. She went out of the cold and switched all the lights on inside. It was weird, she was so used to being away from her house and even stranger that her parents weren't here to meet her. She ran up the stairs and changed into more comfortable clothes. It was only seven but it was dark early and she felt slightly strange seeing only black out of her window and drew the curtains. She suddenly felt as if she was being watched. She ran back downstairs and turned the television on. She didn't want to watch it but felt the sounds coming from it filled in the eerie, unexpected silence. She left the channel on some soap opera, and went into the kitchen, although she wasn't hungry after Skulduggery had brought her McDonalds, so she made herself a hot, sweet tea to ease her nerves. Still with the feeling of being spied on she closed every single curtain and locked the doors. She knew she was over reacting but she didn't take any risks. She carried her tea into the living room and watched some television.

Half an hour later, the sound of the door being opened was heard and Valkyrie's parents entered. They seemed very surprised to see Valkyrie sitting on the sofa.

"Hello darling. How long have you been home?" Her mother, Melissa asked, carrying shopping bags into the kitchen. Valkyrie followed her in with her dad, Desmond to help them unpack.

"Just a while. What have you done today?" She asked her parents, grateful for the company.

"Just shopping, and before we went for a spin around the countryside. How about you dear?" Dad replied.

Valkyrie shrugged, "Just this and that." Valkyrie answered.

"That's good dear." Desmond said a little far away, fumbling through his pockets and his jacket. Melissa rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I've forgotten something." He answered, looking troubled. Valkyrie smiled to see her dad the way he always was. She had strangely missed this.

"What was it?" Mum sighed, not looking that concerted, more expectant.

"My wallet…I think?"

Melissa smiled and opened her hand bag and pulled out a small black leather wallet. Desmond sighed with relief at the sight.

"I kept it with me just in case. I don't trust you." Mum said, while dad kissed her thankfully on the cheek.

"Are you hungry?"

Valkyrie sat down on a chair, not knowing what to say. Obviously mum had prepared something for supper tonight, the reason why all the bags. She regretted not feeling hungry and thought maybe she could hold more food down but she grabbed her full stomach that was finding it difficult to hold down the McDonalds.

"Er, actually mum, I already ate something. Me and my friends. Sorry." She said apologetically.

To Valkyrie's surprise, mum smiled with relief. "Thank God. Me and your father found this lovely little restaurant in the countryside and we couldn't help ourselves. Honestly Stephanie, I was so worried about you, I was starting to think you had shrivelled up and died of starvation." She laughed uncomfortably.

After they had cleared the shopping in to the fridge and cupboards, they rested in the living room and did what any normal family did. They talked about what they did and they watched television and Valkyrie suddenly realised, although life was more exciting chasing bad Sorcerers and the undead, nothing was more important than your family. And Skulduggery was right, she needed to separate these times equally. Have best of both worlds. Now, she savoured this moment and watched it with her own eyes. Not from her Reflection's memories, but her own.

Valkyrie climbed up the stairs when her parents asked her to bed. But while she sat in her bedroom, sorting out her books for the lessons that she would attend, scared her. Would it be different? Will people noticed how much she suddenly changed from the usually quiet Reflection? Maybe she should keep a low profile? Yeah, that was the best thing. Do not attract attention to yourself and maybe you could live through the day. She tried to reassure herself with those thoughts.

What's going to happen tomorrow? Vampires to appear and massacre the whole school? She laughed uncomfortably with that thought and then suddenly panicked.

Her powers.

What if she somehow revealed herself by using her powers accidentally. Now, her powers seemed second nature to her, would she create a fire ball without realising it? The whole class staring at her as if she was a dragon that breathed fire? Valkyrie gulped.

'Must keep a low profile…must keep a low profile…'

She willed herself. And when she decided that she was too tired to even bother to calm her nerves she crawled into bed.