A/N: I don't own Ghastly, Erskine, Skulduggery, Valkyrie or Tipstaff. Thanks go out to Blufox03 for reviewing!
Ghastly seemed truly content over dinner that night. We were being lazy, eating in front of the TV instead of at the table, and I could tell a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He grinned over at me. "Did I mention you're a cheap date? Because you are. It feels so good to relax at home, doesn't it?"
I smiled. "Yes, it does. And before you ask your dedicated and loyal partner intends on sleeping on your couch tonight. If we have Skulduggery's luck something will happen now that we're on a case, it always does." An emotion I couldn't read crossed Ghastly's face and he nodded.
"I've never had anyone not want to be away from me. I chose well, didn't I?" He asked a hint of awe in his voice.
"So did I." I pointed out. "I know in theory it should be just the three of us tomorrow, but we have a chance to start a new partnership."
"I'm sorry?" Ghastly asked.
"Dad wants Victoria as his partner, and she'd be good for him. She can get in and out of places even he can't and she keeps him in line. I know he isn't going to ask her, or if he does, she'll find an excuse not to go. I think she's afraid I won't accept her as my mom."
"She is. I never knew her all that well. Skulduggery can be very private about certain things, but from how Skulduggery would go on about her she always wanted to be a mother and raise a large family. She'd love to come. Why don't you ring Skulduggery's room and invite her?"
I nodded and dug out my mobile, dialing the number from memory. A pleased Skulduggery answered, though I wasn't sure how he knew it was me. He chuckled when I asked. "Because, my most loyal combat accessory, the phone rings a certain way when you call."
I knew what he meant, strangely enough. I was always able to tell his calls from any others though I'd never bothered to get different ring tones on my mobile. "I was thinking that tomorrow would be a wonderful time for you and your new partner to work on your first case together, so do you think you can sweet-talk mom into coming along? And Tadpole of course."
Skulduggery made a delighted sound. "I'll put her on and you can ask."
I heard him moving, then Victoria's voice came on the line. "Yes, Valkyrie, what is it, dear? Are you all right?" She asked a mother's worried tone in her voice and I had to blink back sudden tears. I'd never thought I'd have a family again after I lost my own, yet here was a woman willing to love me as her own.
"I'm fine, mom." I said and I heard her gasp of delight. "I was wondering if you and Tadpole are coming with us tomorrow. I miss my little brother and need the help keeping an eye on dad."
"We will, sweetheart. Now you get some rest and if your father doesn't listen tomorrow I'm boxing him one." I laughed and we rang off, Skulduggery protesting his innocence loudly in the background.
Ghastly wrapped a strong arm around me. "You didn't think you'd ever have a family again, or a mother did you?" He asked gently and I nodded. "I never thought that either, Val. But if we are lucky we get new mothers sometimes. They can never replace our first, but we love them as if they gave birth to us." I looked at him and the gentle look on my face told me he'd been that lucky. "I'll take you to meet her if you want." He offered and I knew he was showing me absolute trust.
"I'd be honored, Ghastly, and I mean that. I want her approval, and I mean that too." I paused thoughtfully then looked at him. "Odd question. Why don't men get engagement rings?"
"They do, in some cultures, I think-" He began and looked away, clearly hurt. I touched his shoulder gently, then brought up the other hand with the ring I'd been carrying for years. Ghastly looked shocked, then utterly pleased.
He slipped the ring on, admiring it. It was a wooden band, carved to resemble holly. "Valkyrie, it's- Where did you even find a ring like this? It's perfect. Wait, how did you know my size?"
"It's one of my talents. I got that for you one year, for Christmas obviously, but well, uh-"
He pulled me close. "You we're too shy to give it to me?" He asked, charmed. "You'll never get it off me, Valkyrie, ever. Thank you, and I mean that. Men do wish women would buy us rings, to be honest but we're afraid to ask. We need to be shown a woman is serious as well that she loves us as much as we love her."
We had dessert and then I watched as Ghastly rang all of the Dead Men, not only to tell them about Skulduggery, but to also quite proudly tell them about the ring. He was about half way through his calls when my mobile started ringing and I had to assure my brothers that yes, I really had given Ghastly an engagement ring. I could hear the excitement they had over such an idea, and many of them rang off with fond sighs.
I looked at Ghastly. "I've never seen you so happy before. I'm pleased you like it." He smiled and took my hand looking at my ring as well with a quiet pride.
"The holly and the ivy, people will think we planned it. I think it's a sign, Valkyrie. I honestly do. Someone is telling us we belong together." He cradled me into him then, and despite our best intentions we once again fell asleep in front of the TV.
Soon I felt myself being gently shaken awake. "Good morning, Valkyrie. Sleep well?" Ghastly asked, then kissed me chastely after my sleepy nod. "Good. I called the Sanctuary, Skulduggery can go anytime we're ready. I already took the liberty of packing us bags. I couldn't sleep this morning, so it was easy enough to make you a change of clothes."
"I'm going to be spoiled rotten. Thank you, and I mean that. I should have something left to nibble on in my jacket so if you give me five minutes to put myself together we can hit the road." I got ready at his nod hearing "Holiday Road" in my mind as I made myself presentable.
I didn't realize I was humming it to myself until Ghastly grinned at me in the van, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Please tell me you have that in your music player, it will drive Skulduggery nuts." I laughed nodding. It would too, and he was due for some good-natured teasing.
Soon enough he was in the van with the rest of the family and Ghastly and I were exchanging mischievious grins. We'd already stopped for fast food take away, since neither one of us wanted the two last granola bars I had packed and were on the open road, contentedly eating. I looked back to see Victoria and Tadpole enjoying their food as well and smiled.
I plugged in the player and as the song poured through the van's speakers Skulduggery groaned in utter misery, much to Victoria's delight. Tadpole of course was utterly enchanted and by the first rest stop had had me play just about every road trip song I had in the player.
Skulduggery of course shot me occasional death glares but said nothing. Victoria joined me as we checked out the vending machines. I still had my talent for making food ethereal, and we were on holiday until we got there.
"You're father would never tell anyone, but he likes your kind of music just fine, it's most refreshing. He just hates to be reminded of his a-g-e." We were both giggling when Skulduggery wandered over, shaking his head in amusement.
"Lindsey Buckingham was a bit before your time, wasn't he? Next you'll be playing Fleetwood Mac. But the music from the 1980's was just a rehash of the music from the 1950s so I approve. I of course am the one who taught you to have such good taste in music." He grinned at me and I realized he was enjoying the holiday as well.
At last we were back on the road, and enjoying ourselves. As the most experienced detectives at the Sanctuary we'd earned a meandering holiday trip. We stopped for lunch at a roadside haven for mages and thanks to my necklace those around us could see our very blended family as we settled into our booth. The waitress was nice and I didn't mind making food ethereal for my family. Skulduggery glanced at me appreciatively. "You're doing that without trying. Impressive." He meant of course I was doing it without going Darquesse but I nodded my appreciation of the compliment.
He seemed strong, but we were all keeping a watchful eye on him. I looked at him, considering.
"Dad, have you tried any of it yet?" I asked and he shook his head, but obligingly took a steak fry Thaddeus offered. I suppose it shouldn't have surprised me that he could not only hold the food in his gloved fingers but when he took a tentative bite it vanished, as in, did-not-come-dropping-out-of-his-jaw vanished. He titled his head to look at me, accepting another fry from Thaddeus and eating it thoughtfully.
He didn't have the benefit of chewing quite like we would, but he didn't seem to be choking himself either. Since Thaddeus was full he gladly gave Skulduggery his leftovers, and Skulduggery ruffled his hair fondly. "Thanks, Tadpole. Lovely, now your sister has me saying it." He grumbled, but I could tell he was secretly pleased with himself.
We went back out to the van, Ghastly smiling over at me fondly. "This is turning out to be some road trip, Skulduggery's usually never this relaxed when I drive."
"They gave me massive pain killers in the hospital. Magical ones. Secretly, I'm horrified." Skulduggery said from the backseat, earning a hard rap from Victoria and I laughed.
The trip was a lot of fun, especially when I got to call Erskine and tease him about being trapped in the boring office. "Ha! While you were gone I had a jacuzzi installed and invited hot chicks into my office. You should see Tipstaff in his cabana boy outfit." He teased, apparently a lot braver when Skulduggery or Ghastly couldn't hear him.
I burst out laughing. "You're living the dream, aren't you? Why not install a stripper pole and get lapdancers while you're at it? We should be there sometime tomorrow-ish. Aren't you impressed with how swiftly your star detectives move?"
Erskine snorted. "You take all the time you like. The case looks open and shut. I think she dropped dead from old age and we got a false alarm to tell you the truth. But we have to do something or people will be whining the Sanctuary doesn't care, blah, blah, blah." He sounded bored and I grinned as we rang off.
Victoria looked over at me. We were sharing a room with two double beds while Tadpole got to room with the guys. "I heard all of that, I can't believe the way you two torment each other. You've really bonded with him as a brother and that's wonderful, Val. I came from a non-magical family myself, it happens you know. So I know what it is like, leaving them behind after you Surge."
She smiled gently, then continued. "May I give you some motherly advice? Good. You marry your young man. He adores you, anyone can see that and I haven't seen a man that proud of an engagement ring in centuries."
"Men used to get them?" I asked and she nodded.
"Remember that we used to have very different customs at one time. Women and men not only exchanged wedding rings, but engagement rings or other presents as well. During festivals young couples would exchange sweetheart's gifts. Woven bracelets and the like. It goes in and out of fashion, but men have every right to the pride we women feel when we're shown we're loved."
"That and it is a way of telling other women "hands off"." I said happily and she laughed.
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, separating the sexes was your father's idea. He's so fussy at times. I grew up with tales from earlier days, when you would have been perfectly fine going off with your young man. Skulduggery is worse than an frustrated old Victorian biddy."
I laughed. "Mom! The way you talk." She waved a hand. For someone who favoured Victorian dress herself she had modern attitudes towards sex, or older pagan ones. Whatever. We talked, watched TV and ordered room service. We were having a fine old time when my mobile rang. Ghastly.
"Why does it sound like a party is going on over there?" He asked, amused.
"Because it is. Are you boys having fun?" I asked.
"More or less. Your little brother is trying to see how high he can bounce on the beds, I've been watching TV and Skulduggery is staring off into space. Want me to put you on speaker?" He asked and I agreed.
"Hey, Tadpole!" I called and soon heard him answering.
"Yes? Are you bouncing on the beds too, Valkyrie? Great fun, isn't it?"
"It is. Just don't break the beds or dad will have to pay for them. Want to walk with me down to the ice machine and then get some snacks? I think I saw a video game room." He squealed excitedly and I could hear him asking Skulduggery who murmured something, then he was coming through the wall to ask mom who agreed.
Ghastly came back on his mobile. "You'd make a wonderful mother, Valkyrie Cain." He said fondly. "I don't suppose you two want some company, do you?" He asked hopefully, and I felt my heart melt.
"Of course we want you, Ghastly. I'll meet you outside the room in a second." I grabbed the ice bucket and Victoria winked at me as I left making me giggle. We'd gotten ice and snacks, Tadpole being amazed at the ice machine, then I took him as promised to the video game room after we dropped our goodies off.
Liam raced from machine to machine, then decided he liked the crane machine and I indulged him in a few games. He was surprisingly good and won a plush lion in three tries. Ghastly looped an arm around me as we watched him play a racing game, delighted that he could sit in the seat and play with the steering wheel.
We escorted him back after his games, Tadpole happily clutching his prize. I bent down and picked him up, giving him a hug before he ran inside. Ghastly smiled, pleased with me, then kissed me goodnight.
In the morning we snagged some more breakfast from another fast food eatery, then were back on the road. Soon we seemed to have arrived in a magical community and I looked out the van window in wonder.
People were using magic in the streets freely, and many wore robes or other eccentric garb. I shook my head and looked at Ghastly. I wanted to ask if they were all crazy, then I realized we were in the town where he grew up. He had a fond smile on his face so hopefully his good memories outweighed the bad. We checked into an inn, stowing our bags, then read over our case files once more. It was agreed that Victoria and Skulduggery would take one copy and we would take the other. The Sanctuary after all didn't care who worked the case.
Ghastly seemed thoughtful as we walked the streets to the alleged crime scene. "I never thought I'd return here, Valkyrie, least of all with a beautiful young woman on my arm. All my youth wasn't bad and there all a lot of good memories here. Working in my father's shop, learning boxing from my mother. You'd have loved them and I know they would have loved you. Well then, here we are."
We entered the crime scene and spoke with the rather harried looking Sanctuary tech who had been called out to look for more evidence. "The crime scene is compromised, and I don't think there was a crime. How the loony old bat worked a phone I'll never know." He complained.
"I was murdered, you young fool! Anyone can see that. Look here, young lady, look here!" I looked over to where the spectral form of the victim was pointing her blackthorn cane. I wanted to hate her for what she did to Ghastly's mother, what she did to him, but there was something in her voice, a friendliness despite her no-nonsense attitude that made me like her despite myself, so I happily crouched down to examine the ground.
"We've got evidence." I called, and the tech who had been packing to leave and just about had a foaming mouth fit.
"You shut up young man and do your job!" The old woman snapped and he came over to see the evidence and soon had a metal shard packed away, grumbling dark words under his breath all the while.
"You detectives think your so big." He huffed at me.
"That's Elder to you." I growled as I stood to tower over him and he quailed then apologized profusely before leaving.
"I got Elders to look after me, did I?" The old woman asked, sounding pleased. "Hello, Ghastly, long time, no see. You look well." She said kindly. Then she sighed. "You always were the quiet one out of all my grandchildren. I never understood that."
"She's your grandmother?" I asked, shocked.
"Yes, dear. And he was my favourite. I knew he'd look like me, and tried to help, but obviously I failed." She turned towards Ghastly. "You're mother never wanted you to know dear, but your looks are hereditary, not a jinx. She made up that little story to protect me." She reached to her collarbones and tapped, and her ghostly facade flowed away revealing a pattern of scars much like Ghastly's.
We were soon in the house and Ghastly was preparing tea as his grandmother looked on. She was delighted to hear about our engagement and pleased I was wearing a family heirloom. Ghastly had been mostly quiet, but to his credit he was adjusting to the truth well. His grandmother looked at him in sympathy. "I wanted to tell you, but your mother was convinced there would be more harm than good from it. She was never ashamed of me, but I guess it was hard, me being different from all the other mothers."
Ghastly brought me tea and sipped at his own, still not speaking. I couldn't read his expression and it worried me. "Ghastly, are you all right?" I asked and he shrugged which meant no.
At last he set his tea aside and spoke. "All my life I thought you jinxed mom. I hated you. Why didn't you ever tell me the truth?"
"Because being my grandchild was jinx enough in your case. It is my fault, the way you look, so I didn't mind you hating me, I understood. But you are here for the case, not to relive the past." She reactivated her facade then smoothed her skirts. "I didn't get a look at who got the drop on me, damned sneak. But he put this house in a frightful mess. Luckily the other ladies my age came and fixed things to rights after your people had been through and made a bigger mess."
I repressed a sigh, wondering what sorts of evidence we had lost when the women had "helped". But Ghastly's grandmother seemed to divine my thoughts.
"I bet you are fit to be tied, young lady, but not a one of them could hear me. I've seen my cop shows, I know about evidence and such." She nodded smartly. "And had it been a fair fight I'd have knocked my killer on his-"
"Grandmother!" Ghastly interrupted and I tried to stifle a laugh and failed. "Sorry, Ghastly." I said, laughing even harder.
"Oh, I like her." His grandmother said happily. "Not a prissy little thing, are you, my dear? Tell me, can you box?"
"Not really. Though I do like hitting people." I said and she smiled.
Ghastly snorted. "She fought in a war, same as you and mom did. She could gut a man with a knife and not blink." I laughed, mostly because it was true and his grandmother whistled in appreciation.
"Then you get the rat bast-"
"Grandmother!" Ghastly interrupted again and this time his grandmother joined me in laughing.
There wasn't much to be learned, even though we looked around the house Ghastly's grandmother insisting I take several things with me. "Wedding gifts." She said and nodded smartly.
We left her with promises to return for a visit since she still felt connected to her home and didn't want to travel far. Ghastly seemed to have recovered and I was relieved. He smiled over at me. "If you hadn't been here I'd never have seen her and found out the truth. Thank you, Valkyrie."
"It's a blessing and a curse." I quoted, and he laughed to my relief.
"You watch "Monk"? You never said anything. Oh Lord, now I know what we can watch when there's nothing else on." He said happily.
"Also, in no particular order "NCIS", "Murder, She Wrote" , "Colombo" and "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit". Oh and "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Dragnet" sometimes." I said and Ghastly looked smitten.
"Then I've found the girl for me. But we already knew that, didn't we? We've got time before we meet up with the others, want to look in the shops?" I nodded. I had a million questions about the town of course. How did they practice magic so freely? Weren't they afraid of exposure? What did they do about modern needs like electricity and running water? But as we walked around the town it was clear they ran everything on magic.
Everyone was friendly but there didn't seem to be anyone who recognized Ghastly. This struck me as odd since bullies never seem to have much ambition and I'd have expected his childhood tormenters to be there, or at least an old friend or two. Then I realized we'd had so many wars they were all gone. Indeed the older people of the town looked at Ghastly like a rare treasure and some would call him over just to smile at him and speak a few words. I was watching this through a window when an elderly man who was tending the shop I was browsing in spoke to me.
"We lost all our young men and women to the wars or better places. The youth you see here now isn't the same. And you, young lady, you've been through the wars of your generation haven't you?" He sighed. "But enough of that, anything you like or want to know about just let me know." I nodded my thanks and he shuffled away toward the back.
It made me uneasy to have him where I couldn't see him so I left the store quickly, making sure it looked natural. I caught Ghastly's gaze and he excused himself from the older man he was talking to.
"What's the matter?" Ghastly asked, concerned.
"The guy who ran that shop I was in. There was something off about him. He said the town had lost all the young people, yet he didn't recognize you. Or he pretended not to. I didn't like it."
Ghastly was about to rely when we saw the rest of the family headed towards us. Victoria looked as concerned and uneasy as I did. "It's like a whole town filled with vampires or something, I don't like it." I said to her as we walked to one side and she nodded in agreement.
"The men don't seem to notice either, but they aren't the ones who carry babies for nine moths then get left home alone with them. There's something wrong here all right, and I think it has to do with the case. Have you noticed the seasons changing yet?" She asked.
"Yes, but Ghastly didn't seem to. It seemed like spring when we got her but there are fall trees and leaves now. Maybe it is normal for this town."
"I wouldn't know, I didn't grow up here, but your father did. I know he senses something." I had the feeling we were being watched by the townspeople. Not in a curious way, but in a bad late-night horror movie kind of way. I regretted now taking rooms in town and so did Victoria. We promised to stay alert and share everything we learned about the case and the town. Tadpole luckily didn't seem to know anything was wrong and I wasn't going to be the one to tell him.
I did take him aside though and asked about his day. He blinked and frowned. "It was strange, sis. I mean I know dad is different and all, but nobody recognized him even when he introduced himself, yet the people keep saying-" He looked around, making sure we weren't being watched. "That all the young people went away. I don't think these are people, not real ones anyhow." He said and he sounded scared so I grabbed him in a hug.
"Dad's going to go nuts, but we all share the same room tonight. Something is seriously up with this town. Why is it snowing?" I asked as soft snow started to fall to the ground. This the men seemed to notice and we hurried inside the inn.
The innkeeper barred and locked the door behind us, then produced a shotgun out of thin air. "Not for you lot." He grunted when we all froze. "I couldn't let you know until I checked my wards for good, but there's something wrong with this place, Ghastly, something bad, and yes, I recognized you. That lot out there? I don't think they're real people."
Ghastly looked at him and nodded. "I thought something was strange. I'm not exactly a person people forget easily. You're the only one to recognize me so far." He said and I understood the silent signal not to mention meeting his grandmother.
"No doubt I am. I've got stew cooking up for us and supplies enough for us to hold out for a while if we have to. You'll most likely find your mobiles are dead, your van too. Anything mechanical or modern stopped working a week or so ago. We were told it was just a phase, a glitch in the magic, but I knew better when not even my own mother recognized me." He shivered.
I sat down with the others and wondered what type of magic could entrance a whole town. Or had the whole town been replaced like in a bad sci-fi movie?
Wow, we went from happy road trip to holed up in an inn in a creepy town. Hope you enjoyed it!