Hey guys.

So the first thing I'm going to say is, I really think this chapter is worth the wait, it's my favourite so far. And I bet you're going to love it.

It isn't completely neccisary, but I wrote the second half (from Skulduggery's point of view) listening to the song Candles (the glee version not the hey monday version) on repeat, and I suggest you also listen on repeat while you read, to get the full effect. But as I said, you don't have to, you just should.

Also, I wrote this chapter about 5 times, before I got it right, so this version was a bit rushed, but I think it's perfect. Sorry for any grammatical isssues, but I;m sure it;s worth it for how good it is. I hope.

Read, enjoy, and review.

Valkyrie's mother got to the house not long after their awkward confrontation, and she was glad for the distraction. Skulduggery vanished upstairs while Valkyrie invited her mum in for some tea. Had he kept his façade up it wouldn't have mattered, but she didn't want her mother to think she was a slut, so she had sent him upstairs.

They sat and talked for about half an hour, and multiple times Valkyrie was asked if she was okay. So apparently she wasn't as good at hiding her pain as she thought. But after a lot of reassuring her mother there was nothing wrong, the woman finally gave up and left not long after, taking little Sarah with her. She waved until the car disappeared and then closed the heavy wooden door, leaning her head against it.

She didn't hear Skulduggery walking down the stairs, but she felt the disturbance in the air, and almost smiled. "Do you remember the first time we met properly, you knocked this door right off it's hinges."

When he spoke she could hear the smile in his voice. "Yes, it's a good sturdy door, took a lot to take it down."

"Good thing you did, I'd probably be dead if you hadn't, but you have a habit of showing up just in time to save me don't you?"

"What can I say, I'm much too perfect for my own good, if I'd just learn to be late for once I would have been rid of your annoying chatter years ago."

She chuckled and shook her head against the door, turning so she was leaning back against it. Skulduggery walked over slowly and leaned beside her, their arms just barely touching. Any other day and this would have meant nothing but an accelerated heart beat for her, but today it was more, it was both awkward and comfortable, and she was more aware then ever how attracted to him she was.

"Thank you."

He turned his head slightly to look at her. "For what?"

She shrugged. "For saving me, for being my best friend, for always being there when I need you." She let out a long, slow breath, letting it relax her. "Thank you for being you."

He didn't say anything, he didn't need to, they just stood together in silence, her words hanging in the air between them, along with her feelings, his hesitation, the unspoken connection between them, the one she wanted to take further. There was so much, and yet so little, she didn't know how it was possible, but it was.

"Can I stay with you for a few days?" She asked eventually, her voice quiet, but still somehow as loud as a gunshot in the silence that had been growing between them.

"Why?"

"I need to get away for a few days. I need some time away from this house, to get my thought's in order… to heal enough that I can defend myself. And I don't want to do it here." She didn't if he would say yes or no. She always stayed at his house after a case when she was too tired to come home, but it was different now, he knew about her feelings, he might find it too awkward to have her there.

He thought about for a few minutes before he inclined his head in a small nod. "Okay, that's fine with me, go pack a bag and I'll call a taxi."

She stared at him oddly, and it took him a few seconds to understand her confusion. "You might recall that my Bentley is a little out of order at the moment?" She could hear the sorrow in his voice, and almost instantly remembered what had happened to the Bentley. She nodded, keeping her smile from her face until she was upstairs. Sometimes she thought he loved that car more than himself, and that was saying something.

She packed quickly, grabbing things she thought she might, or would need. Underwear, clothes, toothbrush, hairbrush, (she already had skulduggery's bathroom stocked with soaps and shampoo's), pyjamas, tampons (though she shuddered at the idea of needing them while staying with Skulduggery), her phone and a few other things she chucked in at the last minute in case she needed them.

When she got downstairs Skulduggery took her bag from her and hung it over his shoulder, for which she was grateful, holding it had been tugging at her cuts, which were aching, and she wouldn't have asked him for help if he hadn't taken it. Her pride was a bad thing sometimes. "The taxi should be here any minute." He explained as he opened the door for her, locking behind them and pulling it shut. "And I called a tow truck to take the Bentley to get repaired."

"Okay." She replied simply as they walked down the drive to the large gates. They had to wait only for a few minutes before the taxi got there, and before she knew it they were at Skulduggery's place. He carried her bag inside for her and sat it on the fold out couch in the living room. The house had barely changed much in the past few years, he had put a bedroom in upstairs, although Valkyrie mostly tended to sleep on the couch in the living room, it was much more comfortable, and old habits die hard.

He wandered off back into the hall, off to do god only knows what, and she slid her coat off, dropping onto the ground before continuing over to the couch. She slid her bag onto the ground and laid down, sighing contentedly. She like it here, the house was relaxing and quiet, the couch comfortable and familiar, and generally safe. It was one thing to attack them at the mansion, but it would take a lot of guts for someone to attack the Skeleton Detective in his own home, and all those who tried had learned their lesson.

When Skulduggery entered the room again, about ten minutes later, he picked her coat up from the floor, like he always did, and folded it as he walked over to his arm chair. He had ditched his overcoat, and his suit jacket as well, leaving him in his long sleeve shirt, which was rolled to the elbows, showing off his ulna and radius, which were just as white as always. His gloves remained on. No surprises there.

"Are you ever going to learn to fold your coat yourself?"

"Are you ever going to stop picking it up for me if I keep leaving it there?"

"Probably not."

"Then why learn?" She chuckled and stared at the white roof above her.

"To be polite perhaps, or maybe because you're a young lady and should throw your clothes around like a slob."

She shrugged, showing his attempt at insulting her hadn't worked. "I'm a teenager, it's what I do."

"You're eighteen now, that makes you an adult, remember?"

"Eight-teen, Skulduggery, notice the word teen in there."

"So I should treat you like a teenager instead of an adult then?"

She said up and glared at him, though she knew she shouldn't be surprised by his words. "Don't turn my words around on me, your argument is irrelevant."

"Oh and why is that."

She flopped back down and ignored the sting in her arms. "I don't know, just is. Hey do you have any food in the fridge, or am I going to need to go shopping?"

"I haven't brought anything since the last time you were here, but I think there's some canned food that will still be fine to eat."

"Okay."

"Do you need me here to entertain you, or can I leave? I have a report to write."

"Leave here or leave this room?" She asked, trying not to let her concern about being left alone show.

"Leave the room, I'll just be in the office."

She nodded, relieved, and she was sure he knew it too. "Okay, I think I'll just take a nap. Wake me up if you need me." He rolled over as she spoke, facing the back of the couch, and away from the bright window, though the light still got to her face.

"Are you sure you don't want to go upstairs to the bedroom?"

"I'm fine here, it's just a nap, I'm not actually sleeping."

She heard him chuckle, and then the noise of the blinds falling as he closed them for her. She smiled as the light was replaced by darkness. "I don't even know why I bought that bed, you never use it, and I think you'll find taking a nap does count as sleeping."

"No, when I sleep, I'll use the bed, when I nap I'll use the couch." She yawned and closed her eyes. "Now go away, your ego is keeping me awake."

She heard him walk across the room and then he was gone. She smiled slightly to herself, feeling a lot happier and more comfortable now that she was here, and drifted off into sleep.

Skulduggery sighed quietly as his pen scratched across the paper in front of him. This report was taking much longer to write than he expected, and if he was being honest with himself he just couldn't focus on his work, he was too preoccupied with everything that had happened today. He dropped his pen and looked out of the office window, it was dark outside now, Valkyrie had been asleep for a few hours, and he had been trying not to think about her for a few hours, unsuccessfully.

How was he supposed to react to everything he had learned? He had known her since she was 12 years old, just a small girl eager for excitement and adventure, and much more mature than any normal 12 year old should be. But of course, that was a good thing, he wouldn't have taken any random 12 year old as his partner, but the fact still remained that he had known her since she was a child, how was he meant to just forget about that?

He could see her now for what she was, a beautiful young woman, and the more he thought about it the more he knew it was true. She was more beautiful than she knew; she was tall and slim, her hair was long and dark, shiny and sleek, her features soft and her skin clear of blemishes, her eyes were dark and lips nicely shaped. Yes, he knew she was beautiful, he couldn't deny that, just like he couldn't deny that he found her attractive. He was a man after all, wasn't that expected?

But just because he knew she was attractive didn't mean he could be interested in her romantically, she was Valkyrie, his partner, his best friend (not that he'd ever tell Ghastly that), he'd watched her grow up, he'd taught her to fight and learn magic, he'd been supportive when she dated fletcher, watched out for her when she was with that stupid vampire, and he'd even attempted to give her "the talk", well, more so that he asked her if she knew how to be safe and told her she didn't need to feel pressured into anything by an older boy, and then she'd thrown her shoe at him, it had been an interesting experience.

He leaned back in his chair and put his gloved hands behind his head. He just didn't know what to do. He knew just the fact that he was attracted to her meant something, but was it possible to feel something for her more than affection and an appreciation for her appearance? He sighed again and leaned forward to pick up his pen in another attempt to finish his report. His fingers hovered just above the pen as he heard a noise from the living room.

He turned to look, wondering if Valkyrie had called him, but when he heard the noise again he knew she wasn't even awake. He pushed his chair back and walked into the room, and was instantly saddened by what he saw. Valkyrie was crying in her sleep, her expression one of fear as she shifted restlessly, whimpering at whatever it was that haunted her dreams.

Nightmares weren't uncommon for Valkyrie, often when she slept on his couch he would see her move or hear her whimper, he never told her he saw this, everyone had their demons, and she had seen so much more than a girl her age should have to see. But this was different, now she was crying, and she was clearly terrified and in pain, and he couldn't only imagine what she was dreaming of.

He knelt down by the side of the lounge and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Shhh, it's just a dream." He muttered quietly, his other hand moving to her hair, stroking it slowly in an attempt to calm her. "I'm here, nothing's going to hurt you." He didn't know what she would say if she woke up and caught him doing this, but he didn't like to see her in pain, especially knowing it was his fault, his fault for not stopping whatever was bad enough for her to dream about.

After a few minutes of this she finally calmed down, her sleep becoming more peaceful, and although he knew he should return to his work, he didn't, instead he sat on the carpet and leaned back against the couch, her arm pressing lightly against his spine through his shirt. How could one small kiss do this to him, turn his usually well organised mind into disarray? He wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his head against his arms.

Could he develop romantic feelings for her? He didn't know. When he thought about it, really thought about it, he thought that maybe it might be possible, but didn't he care for her to much to do that to her? Even if he did, how could he act on those feelings? How could he do that to her? Sure, she thought this was what she wanted, she thought she loved him, but as far as he was concerned it had to be temporary, the kind of crush a teenager got on an older mentor because they were someone to look up to and admire.

And he was dead. Dead and a skeleton, how could she really want to be with him? People would judge her; he didn't care about what people thought of him, but what about her? Their friends would think he was sick for being with her, and they'd think she was crazy and stupid for wanting him. He could never give her all the things a normal man could give her, the things she deserved, and would probably end up wanting.

And yet, she must have considered all this already. It was clear she had been thinking about this for a long time, enough time for her to think of everything. She wasn't stupid after all, not the kind of girl to not think something this big through. If he had his façade on he would have frowned. Why was thinking about it this way? Like he had already decided he wanted to be with her and was trying to convince himself not to? It wasn't like that was it? How was he supposed to know?

How was he meant to know how he felt?

"Skulduggery?" He jumped in surprise and coughed, turning to look at her, suddenly glad he wasn't wearing a face, because he wouldn't have been able to keep it blank. Valkyrie stared back at him, her face curious, and her eyes awake. Obviously she had been awake for a while, and had only just decided to tell him.

Damn, how long had he been sitting there for?

"What are you doing?" She asked, and there was no suspicion in her tired voice, just curiosity. Clearly she could not think of a good reason for why he would be sitting where he was, the way he was.

"You got restless." He admitted, unable to think of a genius lie like he would have any other day. He couldn't even think of a joke right now. What was wrong with him? "I think you were having a bad dream." He shrugged, trying to play it off and not embarrass her. "I sat with you to calm you down and lost track of time."

Despite his attempts her cheeks still turned a cute shade of pink at his words. Internally he was frowning again. Since when did he consider her blush cute?

"Oh uh… thanks…" She ducked her face behind her hair and shifted into a sitting position, pulling her feet up so he could move onto the couch. He wasn't overly uncomfortable where he was, but he moved anyway, sitting where her feet had been.

She narrowed her eyes at him as he sat stiffly, and he quickly tried to act more comfortable, but it was impossible with the way his thoughts were going. He didn't want it to be true, he knew it would be better for both of them if things stayed the way they were, and yet looking at her now, and after the kiss they shared, he knew things could never be the same. That kiss had changed everything. He had thought badly, but now… he wasn't sure.

"What's wrong?" She asked, in that voice of hers that demanded an answer.

"Nothing Valkyrie, I'm just thinking. Something geniuses like me do, you wouldn't understand." She punched him on the arm and glared at him, her expression one of determination and annoyance. Well, he wouldn't be getting out of this one then, not with his thoughts so jumbled, he didn't have it in him to even try being clever.

He made a noise of annoyance and sat back, leaning against the back of the couch, his foot tapping in frustration, and his empty eye sockets trained on her face, studying her, wondering what he could say. How had this happened? "I just… I'm a little confused right now." He said slowly. He wasn't used to having to explain himself to her, not like this, not about feelings.

After a moment comprehension spread onto her face and she shifted, her eyes now more cautious and curious, obviously she was worried. He laughed internally bitterly, as if she had anything to worry about, she was much too attractive, physically and personality wise, for her own good. No man could resist her, and he didn't even know why he had tried.

This conversation was not going to be easy, but be he couldn't ignore his feelings now, feelings he didn't even know he possessed until she had reached into him with an iron fist and yanked them to the surface. He chuckled and she frowned at him. That was just like her too, so demanding and strong as she was, she could never just sit by without making everyone feel something for her, whether it be love or intense hate, it was always something.

He now knew the answer to his question; could he feel something romantic for her? Yes, he could. It had come to him so suddenly he was still so confused about it, but he knew it was there. But the real challenge now, was whether he should act on it or not.

"You thought about what I asked?" She broke the silence, her voice guarded.

"I did." He shifted uncomfortably, and her eyes instantly closed up a little. So she took his discomfort as rejection?

"A-and?" She forced out, and he could almost laugh, it sounded as though finding out what he thought was the last thing she wanted.

"I am… unsure about what I feel." He glanced away, but forced himself to look back straight away. "I care for you Valkyrie, I do, and after thinking about it, I know my feelings could be more than simple affection, but that doesn't mean the feelings are right."

She stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue, though the spark of hope in her eyes made him want to pull her close and embrace her, a feeling that felt so alien, and yet so right. "You're still so young, your growth hasn't even slowed yet, you're still ageing at a normal pace, your barely out of childhood. I'm old, I'm over 400 years old. The things I'm feeling… I feel like I'm some kind of creeper, preying on an innocent young girl who doesn't know any better."

She opened her mouth to argue, like she always did, but he held up his hand to get her stop. "I don't even fully understand the way I'm feeling, or if I'm even feeling what I think I am, I just know it's not the same as it was before. I look at you now, and I'm seeing a whole new side of you, a side of you that's making me feel something I haven't felt in years."

She let out a small, choked sob, and covered her mouth with her hand, and for a moment he thought she was upset, but then he saw the smile in her eyes as she tried to keep back her sobs and tears. It made his non-existent heart swell. He clenched and unclenched his fists. He still didn't know what to do, how should he react, what was his decision. Should he do what was right and break her heart, and his own, or should he give in and make them both happy, knowing that what he was doing was wrong?

"I still don't know If I can be with you though Valkyrie. You have to understand that… I may care for you a lot, but being with you would be wrong, it's not right for you, I'm not right for you, I just want you to be happy, and if that means hurting myself then maybe it's worth it, if it means you get to live a good life."

God, how could his heart hurt his much when he didn't even have one? He hadn't been this upset in so long, he had been sad, but now he felt like he was stabbing himself through the chest with something sharp. Why did it hurt this much, hadn't he only just realised his feelings for her? It didn't make sense that doing what was right would hurt so much.

"No," She said through her tears, shaking her head. She grabbed his hand before he could pull it back. "You are right for me, more than anyone." She spoke through the flood of tears running down her face, and she was still smiling, looking into his eye sockets like she could see into his soul. "Don't you get that Skulduggery? I love you. I love you so much, and I want to be with you, not with some stupid guy who doesn't care about me. You're… you're everything to me… I can't be without you."

He didn't know what to say, he was feeling to many things, things he didn't understand, and things he did, and both of them scared him.

"You're all I can think about, all day, all night, life when I'm not around you is so boring. I live for the time I spend with you. You're funny and charming, and you dress better than me." She laughed through her tears, her smile loving. "You're a gentleman, you care about me more than any of my friends and most of my family, your voice makes me weak in the knee's, you've saved my life more times than I can count, and skeleton or not, you're more of a man than anyone else I know."

Skulduggery stared. Did she really think all of that about him? He couldn't doubt her words, they were so sincere, so full of feeling no one on earth could doubt them, and yet this moment was just between them, no one else to hear the beautiful words she had just spoken, to hear the love and emotion in her voice.

He felt like he had been blind for so long, and Valkyrie had suddenly given him back his sight, giving him the chance the see the world again.

"Let me show you, please?" He wanted to say no, wanted to tell her they couldn't be, he wanted to do what was right, hurt himself to save her, but he couldn't speak, just stared at her, his empty chest cavity aching.

She shifted so she was in front of him, smiling, her tears still flowing, but her eyes bright and dark, two thinks that should never be able to go together, but somehow did. She leaned forward, and he begged himself to move away. He leaned back a little, but didn't actually move away, she hesitated for a moment, but then she kept going forward, her eyes on him, begging him to give her the chance.

He clenched his fingers tightly, she got closer, her eyes closed, cutting off his view from their beautiful dark colour. Move away, he told himself, move away, do it for her. He stayed where he was, her lips were almost touching him. His hands shifted to her arms. She inhaled sharply, pausing for a second, giving him control, making the decision his. His fingers tightened on her arms, how could he do it. He squeezed slightly; he moved to push her away, shifting her minutely backwards.

And then he pulled her forward.

Her lips touched his teeth, soft, warm, smooth. He shuddered and pulled her forward more, his fingers tighter than they should be. It felt so good. She made a small noise, moved her lips slightly against his teeth, and he moaned, a sound of need, and despair, pain and love, everything he was feeling. Oh god, it was so much better than he could have ever imagined. She gripped the front of his shirt, her fingers twisted in the fabric and pulled slightly, her breathing heavy as she kissed him.

He tried to kiss her back, it was hard, but he didn't care, all he could feel was her, the way she was touching him, the way he felt like he was going to explode, her smell, the sounds of her quiet moans, and then she was gone, and it was over.

Skulduggery didn't need to breath, but he found himself panting now, he'd let go of her arms when she'd moved back, and now he gripped the fabric of the couch, his chest moving with each breath. Valkyrie wasn't fairing much better. He breathing was much faster than his own, her cheeks bright red, her eyes a little unfocused, her hands now clutching her own shirt, as though she might lose herself if she didn't have something to hold onto.

He loved her. That was the moment he knew for sure. There was no way he could not be with her now, he loved her more than he had ever loved anybody, he had never felt like this, and he didn't want to lose her. Not now. He wouldn't… he couldn't.

"Oh god." She moaned quietly, closing her eyes for a moment as she tried to catch her breath, her fingers twisting in her shirt. "Oh my god."

Skulduggery calmed himself down and let go of the couch, watching her as she attempted to get control of everything she was feeling.

She took a deep breath and shuddered slightly before she opened her dark, deep eyes and looked at him again, and if he had a face he would have blushed at the lust in her eyes.

"Please…" she breathed, "Please tell me you felt something." Her chest was still heaving a little, but she was doing her best to speak calmly.

He chuckled; of course he had felt something. How could he not have? This kiss had been so much more intense than the last tone, so different, it wasn't a surprise, his was close and personal, he knew her feelings before this one, and now he knew his own. He tried to speak but found he couldn't. He laughed breathlessly and leaned back against the couch. Could a skeleton feel aroused? Was that was he was feeling now? This ache, this need he felt for her?

He looked at her, his skull tilted to the side a little as he took her in, took in everything that had changed in one day, as he felt, and accepted his new emotions, watched the lust fade away a little, but not completely leave. "Yes." He finally breathed.

And now there was no turning back, he couldn't now. Not after that, it just wasn't possible. "Yes I did."

So, what did you think? I really worried about writing the second half from Skulduggery's point of view, but after all those attempts from Valkyrie's point of view I knew it was the only way to go.

I hope I didn't butcher it. But seriously, don't you love me for FINALLY, giving you the Valduggery?

Haha review and let me know what you think please. Review make me happy (plus I gave up study for my exam next week to finish this chapter)