A/N: I still don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Erskine, Fletcher, Caelan or Ghastly. Madame Lovegate is mine though. Val's still 24, story is still from her POV.

Several days later and I had picked up my clothes from Ghastly. Skulduggery didn't have to say anything; I had went home the day after the nightmare as there really was no case to work on, since the crime scenes were apparently now off limits for reasons unknown. That had never stopped him before, and I knew full well he was most likely roaming each one in our time apart. I just had to get my head on straight before I lost my partner and best friend as well. He was right of course. I was too young.

Plus, he knew how superficial I'd been with Fletcher and Caelan, so, I supposed, I had this coming. Maybe it wasn't real love on my part, maybe it was hero worship. At least from the way he had kissed me that night, I knew there was no love on his part, not romantic at least. I sighed and looked over at my armour, now clothed in Ghastly's creations. They were magical, highly expensive, and exquisitely suited to the armour. The duster now had a sort of shoulder cape that came down from the neckline, and attached down to the shoulders in front and back. It barely stopped from skimming the floor.

The hat had been redone, more in a Western style, the material now matching the duster. The rest of the clothing was identical to the first in colour, though the tailored shirt was not so fine. The suit was gone however, replaced by black trousers. Two Colt Peacemakers (45s) were holstered low over the hips on a leather gun belt brimming with ammunition.

Those were new, replacing the replica of Skulduggery's gun. It didn't bother me that the armour apparently changed itself at will, also adding other weapons I barely glanced at, but I vaguely wondered how single action anything was an improvement. Still, there were two of them. Interesting.

Dressed as it was now, it honestly looked nothing like Skulduggery, more like a skeletal gunslinger from the Old West. The overall look was more, menacing if anything, and I liked it. Somehow Ghastly had knew the train wreck he'd seen in front of him that night, and made the armour my own persona with the changes. I wanted to put the armour on, to feel that immense power again, but it was daylight and there was no good reason to. Still it was tempting. That night I'd have to appear before the Elders in full armour to prove I could control myself in it. So only a few more hours...

I stood before the mirror that night, in one of the Sanctuary's guest rooms, admiring myself. I was a living horror and I knew it. There wasn't one thing decent about the creature before me. It was if Skulduggery had been stripped of all his humanity, but the armour was no longer quite Skulduggery. The skeletal features seemed a bit more cruel that before, angrier. This was even when I was feeling content with my own self. When my expression changed, even to a smile, the armour made a mockery out of it. I was taken aback at first, and tried speaking to it, even though I knew it wasn't alive in the same way I was.

"Now, now, that isn't very nice, your expression will scare people." The voice that came out was masculine. Deep, raspy. Not a kind voice, nor a gentle one. I sighed and it sounded more like an angry growl. I tilted my head in amusement and the armour did seem amused. Or rather, I seemed amused. I just had to remember mastery was the key here, and it obeyed my will. The features relaxed slightly, I managed a half decent smile. I was handsome, wasn't I?

I nodded to myself and went down to met the Elders and Grand Mage. If they wanted to see me bonded to this armour, they most certainly would.

I strode into the meeting, the power of my masculine, albeit skeletal legs eating up the distance between me and the seated Elders. The Grand Mage looked at me in startled surprise. I usually walked in behind Skulduggery or stood silent at his side. But tonight I could feel venom and hatred coursing through my veins at the mere thought of him.

He was there of course, and I ignored him. I bowed my head slightly to the Grand Mage, touched the brim of my hat to the Elders. Madame Lovegate's face was twisted in horror and I felt savage glee over it. She was actually half climbing out of her wooden throne until Erskine put a hand on her shoulder.

He looked at her, then me. "This is still Valkyrie, Elder Lovegate, still our friend. Aren't you, Valkyrie?" He asked happily even though he looked every bit as afraid of me. He had courage, I'd give him that.

I chuckled in response almost like the amour was making me do it, and it came out in that deep raspy voice making them both cringe. "Of course it is still me, Elder Lovegate. I've just chosen to accept how very ugly I am. I seem to be taking on a more masculine persona, and although he, well, I, am not my usual self, I am still your friend."

She cringed away further, because my voice did not sound friendly. I sounded like I intended to kill everyone in the room, Skulduggery included. I winced, felt my armour do the same. "I apologize, Elders, Grand Mage. I'm just not taking people's physical reactions very well. I'm still me, I'm still in control, I just don't like be treated as a sideshow freak." The last words snapped out like a lash. This was not going well at all. They said nothing to this, and I sighed. It came out as a growl.

I knew if I didn't show more control they'd likely strip me of the armour. I rubbed the bony face of my armour with my skeletal hands, looking at them reflectively. I figured perhaps Ghastly was a better Elder to talk to. I forced myself to let go of some of the anger and for a moment my voice was my own. "Ghastly, it is still me. A little angrier maybe, but I'm still me. I suppose as whatever I've become in this armour I feel the natural right to be more aggressive. I'll try and reel myself in. I wouldn't hurt you or the others, you know that."

Skulduggery coughed politely and I swiveled my head in his direction. "I said I wouldn't hurt them, you however, I intend to decimate in our next training session." There was cruelty in my new voice, but I smiled so he knew I was joking, and I saw him smile faintly back. I realized with a start he was afraid of me. No, not afraid, disappointed.

I felt the anger drain from me, felt the armour loose the expression of hate it almost always wore. "I wouldn't hurt you, Skulduggery, you know that. But I am a freak now, and I'm not doing too well with that. I'll adjust." My voice was still masculine and raspy, but softer.

Madame Lovegate had recovered, and spoke. "Not a freak, but a marvel, and apparently one we are lucky to have on our side. I do have potions that could make your nature sweeter if you wish."

I smiled, shook my head, demurely looking at the floor. Which must have looked creepy, considering. I kind of liked being angry. I wasn't sure where the endless rage and desire to kill everyone in the room had come from, but it was fun in a way. Powerful. My skeletal hands swept the duster back of their own accord as I considered this, wandering down to caress the handles of the Peacemakers. Madame Lovelace gasped.

Ghastly snorted. "You are him, just as he used to be. Can you manage not to kill him and everyone else you meet?"

I looked up at him from under the brim of my hat, nodded.

"All right then. I haven't seem you draw a gun or kill Skulduggery, so maybe you have more self-control than he ever did. Try and not kill him in training. That's all, you're both dismissed."

I bowed my head politely to all and sundry, and swiveled on my heel to leave. Skulduggery fell in beside me, walking lockstep with me. I snorted in amusement and he stopped, but a tilt of my head brought him along nicely. I realized idly that I wasn't thinking or speaking like my normal self, but ignored it. After changing and being thankful the armour collapsed down to a portable size, I went to my dark blue 1950 Chevy Sedan Convertible. Skulduggery had followed, silent. The keys to the Bentley in his hand.

I went to stow the armour in the boot of my car, and he put a tentative hand on my shoulder to stop me. "I thought it would be practical for you to return home with me. We can start training tomorrow if you like." There was a hushed tone in his velvety voice. I realized he really was afraid of me, or maybe disappointed. His head was bowed, he refused to meet my eyes.

"Skulduggery, it's me. I'm still Valkyrie. OK, so the armour makes me angry, but it doesn't make me hate you. I'd never hurt you, you know that." He nodded absently in response. I continued. "Skulduggery, look at me." I tilted his chin up. "You're my friend and partner. I'm not going to go insane and murder you in your sleep. I like you." Well, hello 'back to platonic friendship' land. I thought. But it would be better this way.

He nodded, seemingly relieved, and I stowed the armour gently in the boot of his car. He seemed happier once I got in, more assured and his old self.

"Well, that did go well. If you were really like the old me, you'd have shot me and everyone else in the meeting. But you handled yourself well, and of course you would because I taught you to. I was thinking of taking you somewhere on the way home. If we go somewhere that caters to sorcerers I won't need the disguise, but if you aren't hungry, we could head straight home."

I smiled at him. "Dinner sounds lovely. I was pretty angry, I'll admit that, but it wasn't at you or anyone else in the room. I was just angry, you know? I almost think the armour is you, in a way. A very angry and wily you, by the way. He's very sneaky."

Skulduggery grinned at me. "Now, now. The armour might give you some of my personality, but I think you are wily and sneaky all on your own, as you recall I just got done telling you what a brilliant teacher I am." I laughed, it was good to be friends again. To be partners.

Skulduggery explained that the restaurant was more of an inn and happened to be on the way to the last crime scene. We pulled in and I looked at the low stone building. I had no idea there were still inns in Ireland that catered to anything but tourists. I followed him in, surprised he didn't even draw a glance. But then a lot of the patrons looked barely human. He led me to a booth in a corner. I ordered the steak, medium rare, a habit I'd picked up from Tanith. Coffee to go with, studiously ignoring the proffered wine list.

At Skulduggery's quizzical head tilt, I smiled. "You know I don't drink. I don't see a reason to start now."

He smiled, his shoulders relaxed. I realized from his folded hands there was something he wanted to talk about, but wasn't quite ready to. I felt he wanted me to guess. It clicked in place. "I don't think anything but the best of you, Skulduggery. You're, well you're a handsome man, as you've once said. But I went from being your pretty assistant to a ebony skeleton with anger management problems and a chip on his, well, my shoulder."

I neglected to mention memories had come with the armour. His memories. Part of the rage I was experiencing was his reaction to how people had treated him when he returned. The women had not been impressed. Nor had most men. Not that he had had time or inclination for women, having just lost his wife and child, but their screams had done nothing for his ego.

Considering how handsome he'd been in real life, it was a blow to him. He'd felt his own wife and child would have reacted in much the same way, and it killed him inside. Somehow the Skulduggery before me had learned to see himself as handsome, had picked up where his colossal ego had left off before he died.

My rage, although directed at myself and others must have seemed directed at him. He had taken the comments personally. The man before me still looked crestfallen, although he was trying mightily to look happy. I realized I had refused to call him a skeleton, even in my own mind. It seemed demeaning to him somehow. I pushed the though aside and continued. "I think I am handsome in that armour, really I do. I just don't like people's reactions. It upsets me. They treat me like a monster. OK, maybe there is some self-loathing in there, a little. But it is more from how others are treating and reacting to me. But I don't feel that way around you in the armour, not usually. You respect me, you still treat me like a human being, I appreciate that. I honestly think I'm going through an adjustment period, that's all. You should have seen me preening in the mirror before my debut." I said with a grin.

He smiled then, his body language perking up. "I've taught you all the good habits then, haven't I? I must say I'm severely disappointed in the direction Ghastly took your clothes, though. Not that I mind the Western era, mind you. I'm sure it was great fun, shooting all those people. Nice guns, by the way. Though the single action is going to be a drawback unless you practice." He had sat up straight, pleased with himself, but was waiting for my response, skull endearingly tilted to one side.

"My hands are much stronger in the armour, Skulduggery, and I'm faster. Shooting both guns at once might be a problem at first, but I know I'll have the speed and accuracy if you'll help me. Never as good as you, of course."

He flushed, something I didn't think I'd ever seen him do before. I was going to ask him how I read him so well, but the steak arrived. He waited until I was eating to answer. "Of course you'll never be as good as me, Valkyrie. Only I'm as good as me. But you'll be an even better combat accessory than before, provided you'll wear that armour more often. I was thinking you try it tonight at the crime scene. "

I looked up in surprise, and he preened. "If you have become me in a sense, you should be able to see what I do. You'll be much more useful now in an investigation." He said brightly.

"Throwing the old me under a bus, are you?" I teased. "Fine friend you are."

He grinned broadly at me. "Oh Valkyrie, I'm the best friend you'll ever have."