A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith, Cleavers, Wreath, or Valkyrie. Val is still 24 still her POV. 'Too Cool To Fall in Love' is a song by Jill Sobule.

Skulduggery was still amused when we went to the Bentley. It was early dawn and the roads back were a mess. I fell asleep, hard. When I awoke I was on the couch, Skulduggery's meditating form across from me. I looked out the window. By the sun we had slept through most of the day. I supposed we could get some night training in, but seeing how hard he was meditating, I just padded past him to the kitchen.

I'd never seen him meditate that hard before, but to be honest I'd never been around him for this much time before. Normally he would have dropped me off at Gordon's mansion and picked me up daily. I hadn't questioned it at first on this case. I did after all need the training. I needed as much time with Skulduggery as possible off the field too to learn how to control myself. Still, was he letting my age afford me some privileges he wouldn't have before? I tried to brush away that line of thought as I made some coffee.

Skulduggery Pleasant is not like that. I told myself. He saw no difference in me as a partner now as he did when I was twelve. He'd always treated me as his equal, so this wasn't my age making him act differently. What then? I knew how dangerous the case was, and I knew no matter what the dangers he wouldn't deviate from his normal behavior unless he had a good reason. Maybe he was just relieved to have me back as a friend. That had to be it. I took my coffee back into the living room, well the one he was mediating in.

I wasn't there long when his head shifted. He stood, smoothing out his dark blue suit and reaching for his hat. He looked at me as he adjusted his tie, tilting his head. "Ah, Valkyrie. You're awake, then? Good. I should contact the Sanctuary. If they don't need us for anything else, we can always continue your training if you like." I nodded, watched as he pulled out his mobile. From his side of the conversation I could tell we weren't needed. "Did you eat?" He asked, pocketing his mobile.

"Not really. I'll get something later."

"Make it now, please. I want you ready soon. I've never given you training in the twilight. I'm interested to see if your armour helps you override your normally amusing habit of stumbling around blindly then."

"Everyone sees poorly then, Skulduggery." I snapped, going into the kitchen and grabbing the first thing I could find out of the box and eating hurriedly.

"I don't." He said smugly. "You however, have a tendency to trip over things. It's most amusing. Perhaps with the armour you won't be as clumsy. Done? Good, come along then." I suppressed a growl as I followed him to the Bentley. It was good to see him back to his usual insensitive, self-adoring, insulting self. But still. There were times when I wished he was a little nicer. I decided to get a dig in.

"You know Skulduggery, Wreath would have told me how wonderful the twilight is, and gone on about Necromancy. Are you sure you don't want to give me the same speech?"

Skulduggery snorted in contempt. "Seat belt." He waited until it clicked. "As I recall you loved punching Solomon in the face, but then so did I. Nasty man, that. But it is good to see you back to normal. I was beginning to think you had respect for my authority."

I laughed. "You have no authority over me."

"Yet, I am your mentor."

"You're a bad influence is what you are."

"I never claimed otherwise. "

Skulduggery was right of course. When we got to the field I promptly stumbled over a rut walking to the boot of the car. "Are you all right?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes, I'm fine. " I growled. I paused before reaching for the armour. If I touched it while I was irritated he'd be on me.

"Something wrong? You're not ready, are you? Touch it anyhow, this should be amusing." I did and he snapped his palm out towards me, and I shot backwards off my feet as the air hit me square in the chest. That only made me angrier. But instead of continuing his attack, he only pressed the air down, pinning me. "You can't see too well now can you? The armour is all about useless to your right now because you're so angry. Do you think he'll wait for you to find your good mood, Valkyrie? Because he won't. " Skulduggery towered above me and stared at me, steadily. "What would you do if I were him? What could you possibly do to stop me right now?"

At his words I remembered exactly why I was training so hard. That this was Skulduggery Pleasant, my best friend and mentor, though I would have died before admitting the last part to him. He was the man, the skeleton, I'd die to protect, and no one, not even a god was going to hurt him if I had anything to say about it. I felt the ferociously protective love for him flood through me, and instantly my dead senses came flooding in. So did my power. I pushed the air he was using to pin me back at him, and he staggered. I was up, kicking and punching before he could recover.

I got in a lucky shot to his jaw, and his head snapped back. I took advantage and delivered a a high kick to the ribs, sending him upwards and backwards. Skulduggery stretched his arms out as he flew, and suddenly he was hovering above me. He was also more angry than I'd seen him in a long time. He splayed his hands out and I felt my hat fly off my head. He made sharp, quick gestures, and I felt my sword and guns fly away as well. Even before I could react he had landed and touched the ground. It rose up, sealing my weapons in a mound.

He stalked towards me, a look I didn't like in his eye sockets. Suddenly he wasn't my opponent, he was Skulduggery, my friend. I didn't even try to defend myself when he delivered a jarring smack to my face, then followed it up with a back hand. I reeled away from him, trying desperately to remember I had to fight back. What is wrong with me? I wondered, as he kicked me in the ribs, sending me sprawling. If I was angry with him the armour was useless, if I was looking at him as my friend, the armour was useless. Then I knew. I had to see him as the enemy, as he'd taught me to or my love for him wouldn't give me strength.

He used the air to flip me over, and his foot was racing towards my face when I brought my hands up and barely caught it. I twisted and he went down. I had to get up, I had to. What if he was the enemy and Skulduggery was hurt? I reached out and grabbed his leg before he could rise, over twisting it as he had taught me. But he managed to flip off the ground using the air, and spun gracefully with my twist, slipping out at the end and shooting forward to deliver a nasty kick to my face. The armour held though, and I clicked my fingers, sending a fireball towards him.

He used the air to deflect most of it, but the flames caught his hat, greedily devouring it. He tossed it off as we both rose, and glared at me. I laughed and sent a colum of water smashing into his chest. Skulduggery staggered back, and grabbed the water in his hands, but I was ready this time, and soon as he had a good grip I snapped my hands up sharply, flinging him high into the air. He dove towards me, throwing a ball of fire, and I barely got up the air to defend myself in time.

He crashed into me, and we both went sprawling. He was up first, touching the earth so that it rose up around me, pinning me helplessly. The ground compacted even more, and I could feel the armour withstanding the pressure, but even it wouldn't hold up long if he chose to compact the soil completely. I tried to use air, tried to move, but it was useless. I called on water, tried to manipulate it into the soil, but he was easily thwarting my efforts. I started to laugh, I couldn't help it. Skulduggery paused. "What's so funny?"

"I know that technically I'm dead, Skulduggery. But isn't the burial mound a bit much?"

He snorted and at his gesture the earth fell away. "Are you all right, Valkyrie? I was seeing if I could crush you with it. Sorry."

"I know you were, and you most likely could have. Luckily I'm dead and if you dropped your concentration the armour would have revived me and I'd have made you regret it. If you were the bad guy, of course."

"You're sure about this theory?" He sat down and gestured for me to sit back like the day before. He held me, stroking my armoured skull gently.

"Yes, I can't explain it. I suppose being dead I can't die. Tanith said the armour jump-started me back into life, well death, well whatever it is I am now."

"A living skeleton."

"There you go. Living skeletons being rather hard to kill, I gather."

"Yes, that's what makes us so charming. Shall we go see Tanith? I'm sure by now she's starting to annoy Ghastly. He said on the mobile she's up and restless."

I agreed and we were off, Skulduggery returning my unearthed weapons and hat to me with a snort of amusement.

Skulduggery has suggested I leave the armour on so we could see if anything happened that shouldn't from extended wear. I agreed, pulling my collar up high, and slouching my hat down so anyone in a passing car wouldn't get a fright.

He had his disguise on, even at night, another hat having been stowed underneath his seat for emergencies, and glanced over at me. "That's quite effective. A bit scary, but effective. There's a present for you in the glove compartment."

There were gloves there. Like his, but clearly designed by Ghastly to match the rest of my clothes. They flared out slightly past the wrists, and went back an inch or so under my coat sleeves even when I stretched my arms. I slipped them on, appreciating the warmth. It was chilly after the previous day's storm, though the day had been warm. There was also a scarf, of the same material. I lowered my collar and put it on, bringing the collar back up. My skull was mostly obscured. You could still have made out my eye sockets if I was close, but the wide brim of the hat and collar hid them in shadows.

"There you are. Can't have you frightening people, as much as I know it amuses you." He said with a chuckle.

"But frightening people is fun, sometimes at least."

"Outside the Sanctuary we have to be careful. You can't have non-magical people seeing you as you are now." I noted he avoided the word mortal since he knew I hated it. We could both die, we both would die some day. We just took longer to get there than most people.

Tanith was hyper and excited to see me as usual. She slammed into me the moment we reached Ghastly's office. "I'm so happy to see you! The sorcerers here are so boring and there aren't enough Cleavers to have one to train with. Tell me we'll get back to training soon, I'm so bored!" She whined.

"For a woman over a hundred, she's quite the wordsmith, isn't she Valkyrie? But you two children run along and have fun." We both gaped at Skulduggery as he escorted us out of Ghastly's office and closed the door.

"Did he just call me a child?" I sputtered. "I'm twenty-four!"

"Oi! I'm over a hundred! But who needs them? Ghastly's been doing the same thing all day."

We started walking. "What same thing?" I asked.

"Serving me tea, trying to make me rest. Telling me I had so much 'youthful energy' as he put it. I'm telling you sister, I think he feels I'm too young for him."

We reached a training room and slipped inside. It was empty, and much larger inside that the door would indicate, but with no imagination. It looked, honestly, like an abandoned squash court. I slipped off the scarf and gloves, pocketing them. I liked not having to hide with Tanith.

"Shouldn't you try those gloves out? Make sure they hold up?" Tanith asked, already prowling around me. I nodded, was slipping them back on when she pounced. I idly side-stepped. She staggered slightly, clearly too tired to fight. She drew a face, and we both went to sit against on of the walls.

"Sorry, thought I was back." She murmured, hanging her head.

"You are back. Skulduggery smacked me around good today, I know how you feel."

"Speaking of feelings-"

"Don't go there, please."

She sighed. "What's wrong with us, Valkyrie? Why couldn't we pick men our own age?"

"Well most of the men your age are dead."

"Oi! At least that's better than the unemployed slackers living on the Dole you get to choose from." She slapped my arm and we both lost it when she added: "Cow."

I shrugged after I recovered. "We can't choose who we fall in love with, Tanith. You know Ghastly loves you. But you also know how quiet he is. Just find a way to blow off some steam and let him have his quiet. He was terrified when you were in there, you know. He wished it was him, not you."

"Bloody hell. He said that?"

"Yes, he didn't tell you?"

"No, and you're right, he is quiet that's what I like about him. I'll find something to do. Do you think you can stay?"

"I wish I could. But we have a case to get to and Skulduggery's having a grand time batting me around."

"But I bet you're giving as good as you get."

"Well I burnt his hat."

"I wouldn't do that again, if I were you. But how is it going, the training I mean?"

"If I'm mad at him it doesn't work. I can't think about him as my friend either. I have to see him as the enemy. He taught me to fight, I know that. It's just harder to do now, considering."

"So that's what Madam Lovegate was burbling on about. She kidnapped me and made me have her dreadful tea in her office. She was all on about how grand love is, and how nice it is to have two couples in the Sanctuary. The armour, it has something to do with how you feel for Skulduggery, right? I thought as much when I first saw it."

"Well, duh." I rolled my eyes at her.

"Does Skulduggery know?" She asked gently.

"Surprisingly no. After that first night he's chosen to see it as proof of what a good influence he's been. Maybe he's right. But we agreed we aren't going down that road. Besides, I'm too cool to fall in love." Tanith shook her head and we headed back to Ghastly office. Ghastly was waiting for us, a pleased smile on his face. Again, I got the uneasy sensation that I'd been the topic of conversation. Tanith said nothing, just wandered over for a mug of tea and sat on the couch.

"You like the scarf and gloves?" Ghastly asked.

"Yes, very comfortable, not too warm indoors, surprisingly. Do they adjust like the clothes you've made me before?"

Ghastly nodded. "You'll be needing boots next." I started to protest, but he waved his hand. "You can't have mortals seeing your armour. Even if they don't scream, it would impede an investigation. Come by the shop tomorrow and I'll measure you."

I nodded, wondering how I could politely offer to pay. Skulduggery of course, cut me off. "All of your upgrades are getting expensive, it's a good thing I don't have to eat."

Ghastly smiled. "Neither of you are paying. I want to try a new material out and unlike my or even your shoes Skulduggery these have to flex differently from the armour being inside. It shouldn't even work, but I like the idea of the challenge." Skulduggery grunted but said nothing. Ghastly smiled at me, a bit too sweetly. "Guess who wants to train with you tomorrow? Madam Lovegate. Aren't you lucky?"

I would have went ash white if it weren't for the armour. Skulduggery saw my reaction and laughed. "What are you so afraid of? Is she going to make you drink tea and have biscuits?" He asked in a mincing voice.

"Skulduggery, I do read, remember? She was a terror during the war. She wiped out two battalions by herself. By herself!"

He waved a gloved hand at me airily. "Yes, and that's the last thing she ever did. She doesn't train. She just makes those nonsensical potions. Not that her healing talents don't impress me, Valkyrie, but the most that woman will do you tomorrow is bore you to death. I'd watch the fun, but I'm training with Ghastly tomorrow."

Ghastly laughed into his mug of tea. "I heard all about his hat, Valkyrie. The man wants revenge. Maybe if you're lucky I can land him in the infirmary." We all laughed, but I knew if I wasn't careful facing Madam Lovegate the next morning we'd both be there.