A/N: I don't own Ghastly, Valkyrie, Uncle Gordon, Skulduggery or the Moody Blues. "I Know You're Out there Somewhere" is a song by them and they own the lyrics. I'm just borrowing them for a bit. Because the song is awesome, that's why.
I woke up in the afternoon and stretched, not wanting to get out of bed. It was warm and I did have the day off. At last I kicked the covers off, remembering I did have one thing to do. I showered and got dressed then walked into the room where I kept what Skulduggery had left for me with written instructions to go in and look at the two objects every day for a year and a day after getting them. I supposed it was his version of an Echo Stone, I had no idea. But it did comfort me in a way.
His spare skull looked at me from a shelf and I smiled faintly, rather glad that the Dead Men as far as I knew had no idea I'd kept it. It helped being able to see him. I looked down at the other object. It was an old radio, but the plug had been torn off, leaving a frayed cord. I smiled again to myself and shut off the light. But I hadn't gotten three steps away when the radio roared into life, scaring me. "I know you're out there somewhere. Somewhere, somewhere. I know I'll find you somehow. And somehow I'll return again to you." It fell silent again and I leaned in the doorframe, my heart hammering.
Uncle Gordon had appeared. "What on Earth was that noise?" He asked, and I tilted my head towards the radio. He drifted into the room and examined the radio, then looked at me for help. I flicked on the light and held up the radio.
Even though we examined it carefully we found no reason for it to turn on. "Stored energy?" I asked and he shook his head thoughtfully.
"Perhaps." He looked at me kindly. "Gave you a fright, did it? Made me rather glad I'm already dead." He grinned and we left the room. But I could see the wheels turning in his head. He didn't think it was stored energy any more than I did.
We discussed the radio in his office. "I'm glad you heard it as well, I thought I was cracking up." I admitted, telling him about the ghosts during the war. "I'm sure the Dead Men all think I'm ready for the loony bin. I won't be telling them about the radio, that's for sure." I sighed and rubbed my face. Days like this made me feel a million years old.
"Well my favourite niece, here are the possible answers as I see them. One, we both hallucinated, but I don't believe that any more than you do. Two, the radio is being controlled by an outside source for a reason we don't know. Or three, well, I heard the lyrics it was quite loud-"
I nodded. "I'll believe he's coming back when I see it, Uncle Gordon. If anything, somebody got in here and rigged that up or made us think it played. People don't come back from the dead. Well, Skulduggery did, but you know what I mean." He nodded and I left him to his musings. Of course people did come back from the dead if the Dead Men hadn't been humouring a girl they thought was on the verge of a mental breakdown. As ghosts, as living skeletons, or as something like a zombie or other undead creature.
But Skulduggery? He wasn't coming back anymore than I would when my time came. I sighed, wondering what to do with myself. Not that there wasn't plenty to do in the mansion, but he'd always been only a ring away, often ready to just take off for no good reason. I smiled, remembered how our connection had been so strong that my mobile would ring when I would just think about him at times. It did ring and I jumped. Calm down, Valkyrie. I scolded myself. He's not coming back, you just calm down. The mobile rang again and I checked the caller ID. Ghastly.
I frowned. Not that I wouldn't be thankful to have a case, but I wasn't sure if I wanted any company that day. Didn't we have the day off? The mobile rang again and I answered. "Hello?" I asked.
"Valkyrie, I wondered if you had any plans for tonight." Ghastly said and I felt my heart beat slightly faster.
"Uh, no, not really. Maybe order pizza and watch a movie, I guess. Why do you ask?" I asked, wondering again why he was being so attentive a partner.
"Pizza? That's disgusting, you need a decent steak at least." Ghastly said, amused and I could tell he was smiling.
"Well, I don't have any steak and I don't feel like cooking today." I said in reply, smiling myself.
Ghastly laughed. "You're just full of ambition today, aren't you? Why don't you let me pick you up later and I'll make you a steak and we can watch a movie? One that doesn't involve your usual genre." He added, sounding amused again.
"Hmm, steak and a decent movie or cold pizza and "Hatchet for the Honeymoon"? Hmm." I pretended to ponder. "Yeah, a real dinner sounds great, actually. What time should I expect you?"
"How about five?" I glanced at my watch, that gave me several hours so we agreed on five and I rang off, musing. I wondered if Ghastly believed me about the ghosts. I kind of doubted it even though he said he did. Skulduggery had taught me ghosts didn't exist and the dead didn't come back. When I'd pointed out he had he had looked at me as if I'd missed the obvious and said "I'm special."
He was special, all right. Leaving me a radio that had scared me half to death. He would have had twenty good reasons it had suddenly played. A glitch in the wiring that stored up power, a conversion to batteries, just a freak thing of nature. Skulduggery Pleasant didn't believe in ghosts so I resolved not to believe in them myself.
I had rummaged through my closet wondering what in God's name I should wear. This wasn't a date after all. This was dinner, with my partner. Work clothes? Something casual? Would I hurt his feelings if I just showed up in a tee shirt and jeans instead of something he had made me? Why were men so complicated? "Uncle Gordon, help!" I called out and he soon appeared in the doorway, surveying the mess I'd managed to make with clothes strewn everywhere.
"We've been robbed! I'll alert the police!" He said in mock horror, laughing. I snorted.
"What should I wear?" I asked, exasperated.
"Clothes, that's what I would wear." He said, nodding his head smartly and I laughed.
"No, I mean what do you wear when your partner is making you a steak dinner and watching a movie with you?"
"That sounds like a date." Uncle Gordon commented, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe the best he could, which was hard being an Echo.
"That's what I thought, but this is Ghastly we are talking about. You know, my partner."
"Ah, and you don't want to dress fancy and have him look at you funny if it is just steak and a film between friends?" Gordon asked and I nodded.
"Casual then. A nice top and jeans. It is slightly dressy, but still casual. Flats maybe. Not something he made, you don't want the man thinking you wear only what he's made you. Nothing scares a man faster than thinking he has a demented fan club of one. Besides, you'll be wearing the jacket and presents he made you, right?"
I nodded again. "Why do you think he keeps giving me things? Is this what friends do?" I asked realizing that thanks to my work I'd never had friends outside the Sanctuary.
Uncle Gordon smiled. "I'm not sure, my dear. Yes, friends give gifts and some friends give heaps of them because they love giving them. Maybe he wants you to know your still cared for, even with Skulduggery gone. Well, I'll leave you to it." He said, staring at the mess in disbelief and then drifting out quietly.
I cleaned up the mess selecting a nice pair of jeans and a decent top. It was a black top that slouched slightly off one shoulder. Plain, but good material with a slight scrunched effect. I pondered wearing flats. Were they too date night-ish? Were sneakers too immature? Be yourself. I scolded.
Flats then. Maybe. Should I wear earrings? I sighed sitting on the bed. I didn't want to dress any way that would make Ghastly think I wanted to date him, but I didn't want to insult the man either. He was, after all, cooking me steak.
An old pair of Sketchers then. They were sneakers that had been sired by flats with black sequins all over them. Perfume? Lord, I was primping for the man. No, no perfume, no makeup. No jewelry either except my Necromancy ring.
I looked in the mirror pleased with myself. I still looked enough like I did everyday, but there was just enough effort. Or was he going to know I'd made an effort and be amused? I sighed, wanting to go change again, but the front door was being knocked on and I could see by my watch it was five. I hurried downstairs, checking first to see who it was as Skulduggery has taught me and opened the door, letting Ghastly in. He smiled at me, and I found myself smiling in return. "You look lovey, Val. Are you ready?"
I grinned, trying not to blush. "Of course, just let me grab my jacket. That has to be a new trench coat, the cut is different. so is the fedora, you look very handsome." He blushed, then was helping me into my jacket and escorting me to the van and getting the door for me.
I thanked him and hopped in, leaning over to get his door. Ghastly nodded his thanks as he got in then stared at me for the longest time before looking away. I buckled up wondering what it was he was staring at. I was wearing everything Uncle Gordon had predicted, but it was freezing out so the gifts were coming in useful. The radio suddenly blared on as we drove and I jumped then face palmed at the lyrics. "The secret of your beauty and the mystery of your soul. I've been searching for in everyone I meet. And the times I've been mistaken, it's impossible to say. And the grass is growing underneath our feet."
The same song as before, strange. And why now and through another radio? If it did play and I wasn't going crazy. Then Ghastly was speaking. "Sorry, Val! I'll have that fixed. It wasn't even turned on." I looked over and he was blushing, clearly thinking it was his fault.
"Second time it has happened today, as a matter of fact. Maybe I'm setting off radios for some reason." I said, shrugging. Or maybe a bad guy was playing tricks on me. I wondered.
Ghastly was as good as his word, seeing me up to his small apartment above his shop. I wondered again why he was going to all this trouble as he took my jacket but didn't say anything. With Tanith gone and Skulduggery dead how many people did he have left, after all? Me and Erskine as far as I knew unless he was dating. But then he was escorting me to the couch and handing me a mug of tea while the steaks finished marinating. "I got a little behind myself, I had some ideas for some new clothes and didn't realize how late it was getting." He apologized.
I smiled. "It's fine Ghastly, really. This is the first time I've gotten to sit still all day to tell you the truth. This will sound strange, but what do you know about radios? Can some people just suddenly set them off for no good reason?"
Ghastly seemed to think about it. "I honestly don't know but anything is possible. I think we just hit a bump in the road to be honest, most things have a rational explanation." I nodded. That made sense, it truly did. At least he hadn't noticed the lyrics, I thought thankfully. We chatted a bit about nothing in particular then he was up to get dinner put together, insisting I watch some TV while he cooked. I idly flipped through the channels half afraid the TV would start blaring the same song.
But nothing strange happened. And soon Ghastly was calling me to a truly lovely dinner. Maybe he was right, maybe I did watch too many horror movies and I was starting to imagine things. We ate, and I made sure to compliment Ghastly on his cooking skills which seemed to please him to no end. "What sort of movie do you want to watch?" He asked as we lingered over our steaks. I shrugged.
"As long as it isn't one of those artistic films that has people staring at the camera for four hours and about five lines of dialogue I'm good." I said and he laughed.
"Now, now, Valkyrie, people work very hard to make those movies, you should show more appreciation. I'll pick us something decent, but as I said no horror movies. You watch way too much of that stuff as it is." I smiled and nodded. As a partner and best friend Ghastly was unlike anyone I'd ever known before. He knew more about me than anyone and felt it was his sacred duty to protect me from too many horror films.
He'd also done a lot for me, to the point where I worried he felt obliged to do things for me. Not just becoming partners, but becoming my most loyal and closest friend. There were endless rings on my mobile for a lovely craic or he'd loan me a book or a movie he thought was good for me. But maybe that was what some friends did.
I shelved my thoughts as he escorted me to the couch and realized escorted was right word for it. He was being almost courtly tonight. Follow where he leads. I told myself, happily accepting the mug of hot tea he handed me. "Thank you, thanks for dinner as well. You're a man of many talents, Ghastly Bespoke." He grinned, pleased.
"That I am." He agreed starting up the film. "One of which will be weaning you off horror films. Not that they aren't all well and good, but didn't you get enough violence during the war?" He asked as he settled in beside me, his arm stretched out behind me.
"I think that's why I like them. I'd love to live in a world where bad dreams and certain campgrounds were all we had to worry about. Think of it, Ghastly. No criminals, no wars, just a few monsters to worry about."
He nodded. "I never thought of it like that, still, you have to admit, there's something to be said for more sedate films." He tipped his head to the screen were some kid seemed to be setting his poor widowed father up on a date, or at least trying to.
"Yes, but Ghastly, if I didn't watch horror films I could never appreciate films like this." I gave him an an overly wide-eyed look of innocence and he laughed seeming to draw slightly closer.
The film wasn't half bad and truth be told I'd seen "Sleepless in Seattle" before and just never liked it. But getting to watch it with someone else was different. I couldn't exactly make bitter loner comments at the screen with Ghastly there, could I? Besides, he kept up a commentary and a good one at that, touching my shoulder at one point to draw my attention to what he was saying. Then, somehow his arm was around my shoulder as the film played on and he smiled at me. I blushed and smiled back.
Ghastly had to know he was handsome after all. At over four hundred he didn't look more than twenty if that. He was tall, and had the build of the retired boxer he was. He always dressed well, his sleeves seeming to be perpetually rolled up since he was almost always working. And now that we were this close I could feel the warmth that radiated off him and smell a combination of good clothes and cologne. The movie wasn't that bad and seemed to end too quickly as we were then shrugging on coats and heading back to the van.
Ghastly smiled over as he pulled up to the mansion. "Thanks for coming, Valkyrie. I guess I'll ring you tomorrow. If that's all right with you." He seemed shy again and I felt my heart flutter.
"Ghastly, you don't need my permission to ring me, but yes, I'd like that. And thank you for tonight." He blushed slightly, but put a hand on my arm before I could get out.
"Let me?" He asked hopefully and I nodded. He came around for me and escorted me to the door, making sure I got it open and no bad guys were lurking behind it. I smiled to myself. Ghastly was being sweet, so sweet that had he been anyone but my partner I'd have kissed him goodnight. We stood there for a moment just looking at each other and I thought he was going to kiss me for a moment, but then he was touching the brim of his hat to me and bidding me a good night. I went in totally puzzled.
Uncle Gordon was by the second floor railing and he smiled down at me. "Enjoy our date?"
I walked up towards him. "I'm not sure it was a date, to be honest."
"He walked you to the door, I seem to recall you walking out to the van with him as well, yet when you work he never does that."
"Good point." I admitted following him into his study. "It felt like a date, but, well, nicer, I guess. He wasn't being-" I paused at a loss for words.
"He was being a gentleman, Valkyrie. I know women of today don't go for that sort of thing, but he was showing you respect. I'll bet he didn't kiss you goodnight."
"How did you know?"
"First date. He wouldn't dream of doing any such thing. And I know it was a date since he asked my permission to see you."
"He what?" I asked, shocked.
"While you were asleep this morning he called and asked my permission to see you." Uncle Gordon said, clearly enjoying my reaction.
"What did you say?" I asked, still in shock.
"I told him you were a modern young woman and it was up to you if you wanted to see him or not, but that yes, as far as I was concerned he could see you. I know it is outdated, Val, but it is still my job to protect you. Forgive your favourite uncle?" He asked, grinning.
"Of course, and there is nothing to forgive. If you trust him that tells me all I need to know. Oh, the radio came on without warning in his van, same song."
"Hmm, the mystery deepens. Do you have a copy of the lyrics by any chance?" I didn't but as soon as I changed I printed out a copy and we studied them together.
"Doesn't help much, does it?" He asked, waving a hand at the lyrics. "We won't know what it means until more happens. I thought at first it was Skulduggery, but the lyrics you say played in the van? I just don't know now."
"I think I do." I said softly. "He's letting us know he's out there, maybe, that he approves. I'm sure I was the only one not aware it was a date. Speaking of which, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Ghastly Bespoke has to be the shyest young man I've ever met. He might be centuries old, but he's shy, at least around you, and I think other women too, Val. I wouldn't believe any of the stories you've heard about him. He seems too, well, noble for that."
I nodded. "It never made sense when they claimed he neglected his duties as a Dead Man to go chasing after some woman. I mean maybe he's changed a lot since then, but it doesn't seem right. He is way too loyal and dedicated to just abandon people. Wow, I just said something almost insightful." I said, slightly awed with myself.
"Family curse, we are an insightful people. Now why don't you get some sleep or he'll be seeing a zombie tomorrow, hmm?"
"He just asked if he could ring me, but all right, I am beat." I said, rising with a yawn.
Uncle Gordon smiled. "Poor, sweet, innocent Valkyrie. That was manspeak for "I want to see you again." We figure if a girl will let us ring she won't mind going out again at all." I shook my head and left his study. Men were strange. I paused by the door of the room that held the radio and Skulduggery's skull. The skull had fallen over. Strange. I went it and set it upright wondering if Skulduggery was communicating and if so, why? He had a wife and child to be with.
As if reading my thoughts, the radio came on once more, but much softer than before. "'Cause the promise that we made eachother haunts me to the end." Then it fell silent again.
"Hey, now. You've got a wife and kid to look after, don't you worry about me, all right, Skulduggery?" I said to the skull, blinking back tears and feeling rather foolish for talking to him, but I had to. "Yeah, I miss you, but I have Ghastly to annoy now, lucky him." There was no further sound from the radio so I went to my room and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
The next morning I got up early and showered, then prowled down to the kitchen for breakfast. I still wasn't sure if last night had been real. I settled on coffee and took it outside to a small side patio, the day being half way decent if I bundled into a sweater. Were Ghastly and I really dating? It couldn't be, but Uncle Gordon had said we were, so according to Ghastly last night had been a date, and it had been nice. Not awkward, mainly since I had no idea I was on a date, but also because he'd been an utter gentleman.
Still I told myself to let him take the lead as I went to the front porch then returned to the patio with the paper. I was reading and sipping coffee when I thought I heard steps coming towards me.
I lowered the paper and there was Ghastly, smiling as he walked towards me. "Good, morning, Valkyrie. I tried the front door, but didn't get an answer." He said as I rose and he bundled me into him. I wrapped my arms around him, closing my eyes and snuggled in as close as possible.
"Good morning, Ghastly. I'm happy you're here. I missed you." I admitted and was rewarded with a tighter embrace.
I pulled back to look at him and he smiled shyly. "I thought you might want to go out for breakfast, then maybe spend the day together?" He looked at me so hopefully I couldn't resist so I put the paper and coffee in the mansion and let Uncle Gordon know we were leaving. He poked his head over the railing, smiling at the sight of Ghastly standing beside me, one arm wrapped around me protectively.
"You do that and enjoy yourself, both of you." He said, then returned to his study. I swore Ghastly blushed again. Uncle Gordon is right, he is shy. I thought, but I liked it just fine.
OK, OK I said one-shot, but the story literally wrote itself. I'm just the conduit here.