I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, or Ghastly. Val is about 24 here, yeah almost the same age I always make her. Dance in the Graveyards is a wonderful song by Delta Rae.

Delta Rae's "Dance in the Graveyards" had blared out of the battery operated radio, awakening me. It was cold where I was, and the thinly padded coffin hurt my back. I had needed rest after my ordeal, and now I hoped I wasn't too late as I hurriedly dressed.

I walked rapidly towards my house, wondering if my partner and spouse was all right. I felt odd, disjointed, and I shook my head in irritation. I could not be going to pieces now, having just been through the excruciating pain of putting myself back together.

A low growl escaped my clenched teeth. My bones still ached and I felt like taking it out on somebody. Seeing that the door the house had been blown inwards I slowed and crept into the shadows. Any stupid move on my part could result in harm to my partner.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. I still felt slightly muzzy, but I was grateful the instructions for my burial had been followed. The extra clothes and key to the door of the above ground tomb had come in handy. I supposed having my bones arranged neatly in the open coffin had been hard on the mourners, but I had had my reasons.

I edged closer, pulling out my gun. I didn't want to shoot the bad guy, but right then I didn't trust my magic. I crept inside the house, listening. I sensed more than heard a rhythmic sound coming from the upper floor and crept up the stairs, hugging the wall, on alert for any surprise attackers.

The door to the bedroom was ajar, and a rather large and ugly man had my partner and beloved spouse down on the floor and the sound was the repeated punches he was throwing. My partner lay still, not even fighting back, and I feared I was too late.

I crept to the door, looking inwards, the prone figure was alive, but barely. But why was there no attempt at self-defense? Then I saw it, the expression of despair. Of course, why fight back when you wanted to join the spouse you buried two days after your wedding? I caught my reflection in the mirror and hoped the bad guy would see the hate written on my skeletal features, I really hoped he would.

I burst into the room with a roar, picking him up, starting to throw punches of my own. I was much stronger than I remembered and it didn't take too many hits until his face was a mess. I was snarling, hitting, then I remembered I was a Sanctuary detective and forced myself to be calm and got out my cuffs, but not before I whipped my gun across his face for good measure.

"I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of a Sanctuary detective, and the attempted murder of a second." I growled, snapping them on. The man looked from my partner, to me, then back and forth several more times and started screaming. I backhanded him and he fell silent.

I got out my mobile and called the Sanctuary for a van to pick him up, then turned to my partner and husband. He was sitting up staring at me in shock. "Valkyrie?" He breathed.

"Yes, Skulduggery?"

"You're, you're-" He stammered slightly, gazing at me with his jaw hanging open in shock as he managed to stand.

"Deader than dirt? Much thinner that I used to be? Really achy and in a bad mood from piecing myself together? Yes, all those things. You weren't kidding, it hurt. Badly. The good thing is, I never have to eat again, the bad thing is I've got no face." I shrugged.

Skulduggery came forward, clasping me to him tightly. "Nonsense, you have a very sweet face, but then female skeletons usually do." He purred, cupping my jaw gently and placing a chaste kiss on my teeth. Bone to bone felt strange, but in a good way.

I pulled back hoping he could see my grin. "I find it a tad disturbing you can tell the difference to be honest, but I'll take you at your word. Speaking of words, I don't hold you to yours of, what was it, a week ago? Death having parted us, and all."

"Three days, and nonsense. Your still my wife, and you came back to me." His voice was full of wonder and he dipped his head until his forehead rested on mine.

"I told you I would so long as you followed the instructions. You do realize it isn't shock and that I am a skeleton?" I asked gently.

I felt him looking deep into my eye sockets then he nodded. The van of Cleavers arrived at that time and hauled off the suspect who seemed to have gone catatonic from the sight of two skeletons who could talk. How rude.

"Why didn't you fight back? Don't you know how much it would have hurt me to come back and find you, well deader than you are now?" It was supposed to be a touching moment, but we both laughed.

Skulduggery grinned at me. "I wanted to be with you. I let my guard down and it sounds stupid, but I was hoping I'd either join you or you'd show up and rescue me." Skulduggery stepped back, folding his arms, head tilted awaiting my reaction. I could tell he was pleased with what to him was a brilliant plan.

I sighed, closing what now passed for my eyes. "I married a thickheaded man."

"Skeleton." He cheerfully corrected.

I shook my head. "Poor Ghastly is going to be so upset with two of us to annoy him. What on Earth do we do with ourselves anyhow?"

"Catch bad guys, meditate, catch more bad guys. Annoy Ghastly, catch more bad guys. Hit people."

I laughed and Skulduggery took me back into his arms, kissing me once more. I was home and I had a partner and husband that still loved me. Life, or death, was good.

Stupid plot bunnies will not leave me alone.