Skulduggery walked past all the soldiers sleeping soundly in their tents, in to the trees. There, he would find his friends. Maybe he would just pop by and give them a quick scare for old times sake. 'Or maybe I could just wake them up, surely that has to be punishment enough,' he mused to himself. As he drew closer he could make out a faint little light still lit inside one of five tents. Before he had a chance to walk in though, he spotted a fist aimed in his direction, he swiftly dodged it and held the owner's arms in a hand lock.

The mans eyes widened. "You're a skeleton, b-b-ut that's impossible."

"Dear god Erskine Ravel, have you being drinking again?" Skulduggery asked, mercifully releasing the man from his entrapment.

"Skulduggery! Oi Boys! Look who I brought home!" he then struggled out of his grip " Let me go you disappearing Skeleton ass."

"Erskine you bastard! What gives you the right to wake me up at two in the morning!"

"Good morning to you too Vex."

"Do my eyes decieve me? Ravel, hand me my night light would you?"

Erskine rolled his eyes."I think I broke that over your big head for waking me up two nights ago."

Dexter rolled his eyes. "I'll just borrow Ghastly's" he said then cringed as the man spoke.

"No you may not!"

"Ghastly! Dexter! Shudder! Front in center men! We need to organize ourselves a welcome party."

"Skulduggery!" someone screeched as they ran for him. "The dead men are finally back together again." the man jumped on him causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

"Ouch! Please get off me."

"Well most of us." Shudder said ignoring him and gave Skulduggery a once over along with a small smile. "Welcome back... bone-head"

"Thanks Shudder, could you give me a hand?"

Anton looked as though he was considering it for a moment then he decided against it. He shook his head."Serves you right for leaving in the first place."

"I had to leave, claim back my sanity..." Everyone waited for him to continue expecting more to the story. "I had to mourn, Shadow and James were tortured in front of my very eyes. Serpine used them to get to me. And it worked, for a while, I promise you guys this time i won't let that bastard win... besides i think I fit the dead man description quite perfectly."

They all chuckled. "Your tent is still were you left it Skul, that is ...er... if you still need it."

Skulduggery thought about it for a while and shook his skull. "I'll stand watch, you guys go and catch some well deserved sleep. We have a big day tomorrow, Eachan's betting his cards on us. He doesn't really have much choice."

Erskine grinned."And we wouldn't have it any other way. Right boys?" he asked hoping for a musketeer moment. Instead all he got was muffled complaints, yawns and a few good nights.

With his life back to normal... or as normal as he could get it to be, Skulduggery felt at peace. This was who he really was, with his friends, fighting for their people, fighting for the good side of things. The only regret he's had for his actions during the past five years was the look on his best friend's face when he killed his mother. He slowly slipped into his meditative state up in a tree, and after a few seconds, the world went quiet.