A/N: I don't own Skulduggery or Valkyrie. Val is still 24, story is still in her POV.

I looked down at my hand as Skulduggery drove, glad to be free of the ring. I'd hated the icy coldness of it, hated what using it made me feel like, but I'd willingly put it on a long time ago to rescue him. Now it was gone and I felt free. Skulduggery glanced over at me. "Any regrets?"

"None. But I keep waiting for the world to end."

"Sorry?"

"Not having the ring on, I feel free. I don't feel like I deserve to be free, but it's like I am anyhow."

"Valkyrie! You've never done anything to deserve imprisonment or Necromancy. You'll be able to concentrate more fully on your Elemental skills now, so training should be even easier. This freedom, is that why you didn't use the ring that night when we sparred?"

"I guess so. You were being really nice, so it didn't seem fair to use shadows on you."

"I'm never really nice, but I appreciate the sentiment. Will you do me a favor and ring Ghastly? I want to see if there are any developments."

"Um, I think Ghastly is busy right now."

"Don't be nonsensical. He's an Elder, he's not allowed to be busy."

"When I was in Gordon's private study Tanith called, but hung up when he came in the room. She was quite happy about some new developments."

"I beg your pardon? No, I don't want to hear it." He sounded offended.

"God, no, nothing like that. He got rid of the facade China gave him." I tried to keep the happiness out of my voice and failed.

I sensed him rolling his eyes, not even sure how he managed it. "You women. So fickle. First you love the facades, then you don't."

"Yeah, go with that theory."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Skulduggery, but they were Michael Meyers creepy. I never said anything because you're my best friend and partner, but gah!"

"I learn something new about you every day, Valkyrie. Was it the eyes? It was, wasn't it?"

"No it was that it wasn't the real you."

"Yet I could move around in public like any other man." He sounded slightly bitter.

"Except for when it malfunctioned or only lasted half an hour. Skulduggery, you're not regretting getting rid of the facade, are you?" I asked, hurt over the slim chance it had something to do with China.

"Lord, no! I just, I liked appearing normal, sometimes."

"You are normal, no you're better than that, you're dashing and you know it."

"I am, aren't I? Well well, you don't like seeing me feel sorry for myself, do you? Some people would accuse you of caring for me." He sounded amused.

I snorted in contempt. "No I don't." I looked out the window, not wanting to meet his gaze. Cop on to yourself, Valkyrie. He meant nothing by it. I told myself. "Where exactly are we going for lunch if you don't mind me asking."

"Ah, the first crime scene. Thought we'd pick something up on the way there. That OK with you?" I smiled and nodded. Only Skulduggery could call grabbing take away on the way to a crime scene lunch, but it was another thing I liked about him. I did have to eat hanging out of the car window lest any crumbs fell in his precious Bentley. Luckily he considered a bottle of Coke safe enough to drink inside the speeding car. "You know, Skulduggery, I let people eat in my car."

"That's because you drive an ugly heap of bolts."

"Skulduggery, my Chevy isn't ugly!"

"Of course it isn't. My mistake." He held up a hand. I fumed silently. He always knew how to strike a nerve with me, even without meaning to. I knew he meant nothing by it, was teasing me, but I had an idea that that car would be all the company I had in the world one day, and I didn't like hearing her disrespected. That thought worried me. Was this some kind of delayed reactions to Lovegate's tea?

Skulduggery noticed my silence. "Sorry." His voice was soft, almost regretful. What was going on with him? He never apologized. The Skulduggery I knew would normally just insult me more when he managed to anger me.

"No it isn't you. I just had a vision of being alone with that car one day, like those barmy women you see with all the cats. It was depressing, Skulduggery."

"I can always smash it for you, like I did with the ring, then the vision won't come true."

"Skulduggery, don't you dare touch my car."

"I wouldn't get close enough to touch it. You could have gotten a Bentley, you know."

"That wouldn't have struck you as stalker type behavior?"

"Not at all. A Bentley is a car I wouldn't mind riding in. Well, not with you driving, but anyone else."

"Skulduggery, the man who owns a Festiva does not get to mock a classic car. Ever."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Other than it's ugly with a tiny engine?"

"That engine has plenty of power, you're just jealous."

"Shut up." Surprisingly, for once, he did.

We got to the crime scene, a wooded area with park benches. Luckily it was late afternoon and there were no visitors. Skulduggery sat sullenly, refusing to move or speak. "Skulduggery, quit pouting."

Silence.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

More silence.

"Is this about the Festiva? I apologize, it's a lovely car, with plenty of power."

He looked over. "You're just trying to make me feel better."

"Is it working?"

"Maybe a little." He still didn't move.

"Are we getting out anytime soon?"

"Hmm? Oh you go ahead Valkyrie, you don't need the man who drives such an ugly car to escort you." In his disguise he looked like a sulking version of Claude Rains.

"Skulduggery?"

"Mmm?"

"If you don't get out of this car right now, I'm singing 'Soft Kitty' off key at the top of my lungs until you move."

"You know torture was banned under the Geneva Convention, don't you?"

"Ha ha, move it, Mister." We got out and Skulduggery went to the boot for my armour. He came back and handed it to me, saying nothing. Oh, so that's how it was? I put the armour on, making sure my gloves were on and my face was covered. The hat and upturned collar hid my eye sockets or would have had any people been present.

I felt the worries and negativity of the past few days fall away and my dead senses flooded in. I walked the crime scene slowly, regretting that it had be released to avoid any prying by the garda. A confusing scene of overlapping traces met my eyes, and I could sense not only the killer but the victim's last moments as well.

I put my hand on a bench to steady myself, and a vision flooded in, unbidden. I saw the murder. Saw how the victim had been lured there, a letter in his hand. Blackmail? Saw the killer. Large, blond, but clad entirely in brown leather, even his face was obscured by a scarf. I thought I made out a scar, and eyes rheumy with age.

But the brow was young, and he was indeed the huge and powerful man Skulduggery had described. I reached out, trying to sense the man. The killer lifted his hand, pointed at the victim, and the victim froze. The killer twisted his hand and the pieces feel into their assigned places. He took a skull out then, with Skulduggery's initials on it, and smashed it with savage force. The vision ended, and I realized I was on my knees.

Skulduggery's gloved hands were on me then, guiding me onto the bench. "Easy now. Easy." His voice was soothing, his hand rubbed by back gently.

"I saw him, the killer."

"But you had visions of him before, Valkyrie."

"This was different. I saw what I could of his face. He is aging, his eyes at least have aged. I saw him kill the victim. The victim had a letter, it sounds like blackmail, but no letter was found, was it?"

"No, there were none. Anything else? Anything at all?"

My voice was dull as I recited the details. "The killer is blond, male, largely built. He wears all brown leather, a tan color, and he covers his face with a scarf. He has a puckered scar running from above his right eye down his entire face diagonally. He's... I could almost see his face. He's ugly, people would notice. There's something brutish about him. He was beautiful in a masculine sense at one time, but what he's become shows. His hands are artistic, yet somehow ugly and large. It's as if his entire body is changing somehow. " Gulping for air I didn't need, I continued. "He was wearing boots, but they were clean. So were his clothes and even his hair. So we know he isn't living as a homeless man, and the clothes looked fairly new. He's well-fed, with a solid mass to him. That's all, except the kill."

"Thanks enough, Valkyrie, that's enough, no more." He pulled me close, removing my hat, stroking my armoured skull and burying my skeletal face in his shoulder. I felt my entire frame tremble. The tremors increased and Skulduggery wrapped his arms around me. "What's wrong with me, Skulduggery?"

"You know what's wrong. This time it's personal. How do you think I would feel in your place, seeing a man who wants my partner dead killing people like that?"

"Not too good, I guess."

"Not too good at all. You're being terribly brave about this, you know. Don't you think it frightens me knowing Lovegate could be alive and hunting you? Don't you think I'm terrified of loosing you? But we'll get through this, Valkyrie, we always do."

I sat up, looked at him. "This is a stupid question, but you'd miss me?"

"Good Lord yes! Why wouldn't I?"

I shrugged. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you've had so many partners I didn't think you'd mind much if I went missing."

"If you 'went missing', Valkyrie, I'd hunt down and kill the man who did it. You don't think you don't matter because I've had partners before do you?"

I shrugged again. "I'm not saying I don't matter, Skulduggery, I'm saying there will be partners after me, and that makes me happy, really. I worry about leaving you on your own."

Even through the disguise he looked like I'd struck him. "Is that what you think, Valkyrie? That I'd just go out and find your replacement? That I wouldn't be devastated over loosing you? Do you think, even for one moment I'd stay with the Sanctuary after I lost you? You are my partner, Valkyrie, the first real and full partner I've ever had in every sense of the word. You're the only one whose ever really cared if I come back from each case, and even though I tell you to run if I ever died, I know you won't listen. You're far too loyal to leave me, even then. So how do you ever think I'd leave you and wouldn't fight and die by your side as well?"

"Oh, Skulduggery. Please don't say that. I don't want you dying, not for me." We were both silent for a long time, not moving. I knew I had to say something. But what? We were both terrified and miserable. "I wish he was here right now and I'd shoot him in the face." I growled.

Skulduggery looked over at me. "Now, now, Valkyrie. Violence where get you nowhere."

"Violence gets you everywhere."

"But you're too beautiful to be so violent."

"That's sexism, that is. I'm reporting you to the Sanctuary. I'm filing charges."

"Oh no, you won't. Remove the armour please." I did as he asked. "See? Far too beautiful to be so angry at the world. People will say I'm a bad influence. Then there will be talk of sensitivity training and the officials yapping about 'gender roles' this and 'appropriate conduct' that. Don't you dare shoot the bad man in the face. I'll shoot him in the face."

"Then they'll drag me in for sensitivity training, Skulduggery. Why don't we shoot him at the same time?"

"That's a lovely idea. We'll just run it by Ghastly first to see if it's OK to become a death squad instead of doing our jobs."

"You take all the fun out of life, you know that?"

"So I've been told. Most often by you." He smiled and helped me off the bench, looking down at me rather smugly.

"You're gloating again."

"I've got a pretty partner who thinks the world of me, I'm allowed to gloat."

"Do I get to gloat?"

"If you insist, but I'm better at it than you."

"You never get tired of yourself, do you?"

"Why would I, when I'm so wonderful? Come on then, homeward bound and all that." The Bentley was warm and before I knew it, I'd fallen asleep, my emotions having drained me. I stirred briefly, then woke ever so slightly to realize I was on Skulduggery's couch, his meditating form close by. I closed my eyes and dreamed of a world with no killers, only Skulduggery and me enjoying ourselves on endless adventures.

When I awoke it was night, Skulduggery was sitting up, hat off. His long legs were stretched out in front of him as he read his paper from earlier that day. "There's dinner for you in the kitchen if you're hungry. " He paused, looked at me over the paper. "You know, reading a paper is easier when it isn't a contest. " I smiled, got up and stretched. "Do you want some company while you eat?" He asked, his voice hopeful.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged, folded the paper neatly and followed me into the kitchen. More take away boxes, this time it was ground steak with potatoes on the side and a large Styrofoam container of coffee. "Is that all right?" He asked, tilting his skull.

"Yes, it's perfect. I just don't even know where you manage to get take away like this so fast."

"Well, you were asleep and I do have a mobile."

"You are a man of many talents, Skulduggery Pleasant."

"Skeleton."

"Man first."

"So says you. I am the Skeleton Detective, after all."

"You're annoying is what you are." I grumbled good naturedly before grabbing a forkful of food.

"Valkyrie, it doesn't bother you that I'm a skeleton does it?"

"You asking the woman who spends half her time as a skeleton?"

"Point taken, but does it?"

I looked up at him in surprise. "No Skulduggery, it doesn't. It never has it never will. I'm starting to worry about you. Where's the man-"

"Skeleton."

"OK, where's the skeleton who thinks he's God's gift to the Universe? I liked him."

Skulduggery sighed, took his gloves off. "I'd like to know about that one myself. It doesn't normally bother me you know, it is something to take pride in, being unique as I am. But well, since that first night I saw you in the armour I suppose I'm shaken, that's all."

"See if I ever kiss you again." I scoffed.

"That's it exactly. I can't exactly kiss you, can I?"

I put down my fork. "Skulduggery Pleasant, you said that was a mistake, remember? That you should never have kissed me. I'm fine with that and I forgive you. Don't go soft on me now because you regret it that much."

He just looked at me, and I went back to my food. I could feel his stare and looked up. "Sorry." I said. He gave the barest shrug. "Skulduggery, I apologize. I just don't take rejection very well, you know that. But it was a lovely kiss all the same."

"It was?"

"I assumed you heard that kind of thing all the time." I teased. I swear he blushed.

"I do not, I don't know what kind of man you think I am."

"I seemed to remember a mention of scandal at the ball."

"Not that kind of scandal. Really, Valkyrie." He answered primly.

"I forgot, my partner's the patron saint of chastity, he is. Mea maxima culpa."

He laughed. "So it was a good kiss, then. Even without lips?"

"Your teeth work perfectly well."

"I'm relieved to hear that." He said, drily. I shook my head. At least he was feeling better, but how was he shaken by just one kiss?

Skulduggery was quiet the rest of the evening. Not depressed, just quiet. Every so often I'd feel him glance over as I read the paper. I went for my bath, wondering just what had gotten into him. I wasn't a child after all. Expecting him to have been as pure as the driven snow in all the centuries before he met me was ridiculous.

Then there was China. Every man loved China of course, to some degree, that was her magic. I'd learned to see through the magic to the woman underneath, breaking the spell forever. Somehow that had only made it worse, seeing all the men and women who fawned over her. I'd seen how Skulduggery looked at her, and I could still remember the expression on his face when he held her close at the ball. But, I reminded myself, I had no just cause to be that upset. He wasn't mine to claim and never would be, current odd behavior and insecurities aside.

I was reached for the battery powered radio, turning it on. Some mindless ads played, then Evanesence came on, 'I Believe In You' not exactly cheerful, and it spoke to me, reminded me how impossible or partnership could be at time. I just adored the part about looking in the mirror. Skulduggery, I decided, was holding up very well. My great grandfather to so many generations ago had taken the armour wrong, seen it as a mockery of his face, as every twist and scar was there in a perfect copy. My grandmother has listened to his snide words, saying nothing, and left him with food and drink.

She never once told him the truth. When he did realize it, after death, he'd already spent a lifetime berating the man, well woman, he'd thought mocked him. In absolute remorse his shade had hovered by my grandmother's side, refusing to leave her. She's given up magic for him, so he didn't have long to wait until she joined him.

But finding out the truth, about all she had done and all she had given up changed him. Skulduggery, of course, with his continental-sized ego had been flattered. He'd also taken me giving up Necromancy in his stride, because after all it was what he wanted. 'You Had a Bad Day' came on the radio and I had to laugh.

What was I feeling sorry for myself for? I still had the best partner I'd even known. Were were best friends, even with nothing in common. I couldn't have gotten him to watch the You Tube video of the song for anything. I thought of my favorite version, with the Joker getting smacked around and had to grin. That was it, enough feeling sorry for myself.

I got out of the bath and got dressed. Maybe I had had a bad day by some standards, going to pieces like that and humiliating myself in front of my partner, but I'd turn it around. What we honestly needed was a few good days apart to reset. At the very least, I thought as I crawled into bed, I'd go have some fun. Maybe listen to good music, the kind Skulduggery couldn't stand, or go to the movies. A bookstore, the mall. It was about time I remembered I could have fun in my life, all on my own.

I fell asleep with these happy thoughts, fairly sure I'd enjoy the next several weeks rediscovering all the fun I used to have before I let myself get caught in his orbit.