A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, China or Valkyrie. Detectives Tanas and Leap are my OCs though. Val is still 24. Has anyone caught the '28 Days Later' reference in their time frame yet? They're on Day 19, headed into 20, btw. Major Valduggery ahead, a bit lime-ish, the sensitive may want to skip this chapter, you've been warned.

That night we had the radio playing softly as we lay in bed. I was propped up on one elbow, teasing Skulduggery by stroking his ribcage through his clothing. He groaned and grabbed my hand to stop me. "Knock that off. We agreed to take things slow."

I fell back on my pillow, grinning. "Yes, boss." He grumbled something inarticulate in reply. "How's that?"

"Nothing."

"No, go ahead, I insist."

"I said you would probably like it better if I were your boss."

I laughed. "How do you know I don't see you as my boss?" I teased.

"Stop that!"

"Yes, boss."

"Valkyrie-"

"OK, I'll stop teasing, for now."

"You'll be the death of me, woman."

"Too late."

"Honestly, Valkyrie-"

"Sorry. I don't suppose we can get some training in tomorrow?"

"With me or Lord Vile?" There was an edge to his voice.

"You are Lord Vile." I propped myself up to look at him.

"So you keep reminding me." He made to sit up, but I stopped him with a touch to his arm. I kissed him softly, could feel his clear anger and refusal to return the kiss. It hurt, but I stroked his skull softly anyhow. I could see how very upset he was. "Sorry, Skulduggery. You know I always take things too far."

He sighed, reaching up to grasp my hand in his. "I know you meant nothing by it. I'm just getting the hideous impression that I'm not enough, that you'd prefer him."

I kissed him again, and he responded slightly, but not by much. "You're the one I want to train with. You're my best friend and partner, not him. You know you're more than enough. I'm thinking my idea of accepting both parts of you is blowing up in my face right now."

He winced, then reached up to stroke the side of my face. "No, not in the slightest. But I'm not proud of being Vile, I never will be." He drew my head down, initiating a searing kiss. He pulled me over him, his groans deepening into a throaty growl, until we were flush together and I could feel his ribs and hips supporting my weight. "Valkyrie." He breathed, his strong skeletal hands roaming my body. Then he abruptly sat up, pushing my away gently. "No, not like this. We wait until it can mean something more than this."

I sighed but nodded agreement. He looked tense and miserable and I realized he'd been waiting for a night like this for a long time. I also realized he wasn't about to let it continue. I could feel his frustration and mine as well, but for the sake of our friendship I didn't push things. I rubbed my face with my hands. "I need to go get some coffee, maybe something to eat. You can meditate if you like."

He nodded. "I apologize, Valkyrie. I want nothing more than to be with you, but this is simply too soon. We'll both know when it's time." He gave me a chaste kiss, and I slid off the bed. He followed me downstairs, directing me to sit. "I'll make the coffee. You know, most women would be impressed at my self-control."

"I am impressed and you're right. But you know I don't handle rejection well."

"You handle rejection quite well. You haven't hit me yet."

"I'm seriously thinking about it."

"Mmm-hmm, and what pray tell little dig did you bite back just now?"

"I'd rather not and say we did."

"No, by all means-" He stood, arms folded, looking at me.

"I was going to say 'I bet you didn't worry about that with China.' but I didn't."

"I was never with China, ever!"

"Sorry, sorry. Of course she came on to me as well, so I'd just assumed-"

"That I couldn't resist her, but you could? You did resist her right?" He asked, with a nasty dig.

I looked at him before answering. "Yes, Skulduggery, I did."

"Well, all right then. I'd appreciate in the future if you didn't refer to me as some mindless animal that goes after every woman he sees." His voice was tight, hurt. I got up and went to him wrapping my arms around him and burying my head in his chest. Reluctantly he put his arms around me, and a skeletal hand caressed my hair. "I'm sorry Skulduggery. But I get jealous over you to the point where I can't think straight. China is just such a slu-"

"Language!"

"Sorry. But I hate her, doubly now for what she did to your family."

"I know, but no cause for language like that. Coffee's ready, have a seat. I'll find you something to eat as well."

I sat, looking at him. "I really am sorry Skulduggery. I've just never went that far, and I guess I assume everyone who did has self-control issues."

Skulduggery turned around, a look of surprise etched on his skeletal features. "Then you've never-"

"God, no."

"But I thought- Right. I should take to my own advice. Sorry, Valkyrie."

"No harm done. It's actually funny now, come to think of it. Sorry I accused you about China. Dear God, who did you think I'd been with? He of the stupid hair or the 'Twilight' reject?"

Skulduggery laughed and I swore I could see him blush. "Um, well uh-"

"God!"

"Sorry!" He was definitely blushing now.

"You're cute when you blush." He made another of his chirruping sounds. "You sound like a cat. I've always said you were a cat in a detective suit."

He smiled, bringing over some toast he'd managed to make. "A good suit I hope."

"Yes, a very good suit. Though I'd love to see you in a grey three-piece one like the guy wears at the start of the 'Reminicsing' video."

"That song has a video?"

"Yes, Skulduggery, the song has a video. The Internet isn't entirely useless, you know."

"Mmm, I'll reserve judgment until I see the video."

I took out my mobile and brought up the video, handing it over. "Lord! Look at that hairy chest and gold chain. This makes me so glad the 1970s are over. You're right though, nice suit." He handed back my mobile, a look of distaste still evident on his features. "Finished? I really should get you back to bed. If you want I'll meditate on the chair. Nothing is definitely happening until we're married now that I know-"

"Aw, you take all the fun out of life, but you don't need to use the chair. I'll behave. Until you're meditating."

"Valkyrie!" I laughed and ran up the stairs, Skulduggery hot on my heels. I yelped as he caught me from behind, growling and pulling me flush to him again. I felt his hips grind forward briefly, then he abruptly let me go, a black look on his face. "I'll be meditating in our office, with the door locked." He gave me another look between smoldering desire and exasperation, and left the room.

I fell back onto the pillows, laughing. He returned about and hour later when I had the lights off. He seemed calmer as he nuzzled into me chastely, settling his ribcage half way onto me, and wrapping his arms around me, his skull resting against he head. From the lack of tension in his frame I knew he had calmed himself one way or another, and I smiled into the darkness.

The next morning Skulduggery was still meditating, snuggled into me tightly. I stroked his skull, in no move to hurry. The my mobile rang. I groaned and sat up to answer it, Skulduggery sleepily rising as well. It was Ghastly, of course. "Valkyrie? I need the two of you in here quickly. There's been a development in the case. I don't want to say anything over the phone, just get here." He rang off and I flipped my mobile shut.

Skulduggery's keen hearing had caught everything and he nodded to me. "All right then. You get showered and dressed. I need a new suit, then I'll get you some coffee and breakfast." He got up without kissing me, and I sighed and got my shower. Under the pounding spray I tried really hard not to think about him in the next room, getting undressed, and failed miserably. I shook my head angrily, got out and toweled off. I dressed quickly, arriving downstairs to get an annoyed glance from Skulduggery. Ah, so he was still in a bad mood from last night.

I didn't say a word, but sat down, feeling the waves of frigid hostility coming from him. I realized then I'd done something terribly unfair, and he obviously felt any solution he came up with was wanting. But it was the only solution I ever got, so it didn't bother me a bit.

In The Bentley he was still tense, not speaking. I turned on the radio and he snapped it back off shooting me a glare. I sighed. "Be as mad as you want, but if Ghastly sees you like this he'll kill both of us."

He relaxed slightly. Then seemed almost contrite. "Sorry Valkyrie. But men don't like to be left-"

"Unfulfilled?"

"Precisely. I'm mad at myself more than anything for loosing control with you. That shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry."

"I started it."

"No, we both started it. But as your mentor and partner I should have some self-control. After all, you look up to me." He said, rather smugly.

I felt relieved to hear him back to normal and resolved not to tease him anymore. Until after we were married, at any rate. "True, true. I'm still waiting for the day you let me carry a gun."

"You'll keep waiting. You don't need a weapon, you are a weapon."

"Said the cat with the gat."

He laughed. "Nice try. But remember, I got you a stick. I'll get you a sail éille if you want. They were made for hitting people with."

"A what?"

"A shillelagh, God. Good to see you were taught Gaeilge in school. That would be Irish to you. I swear your generation has no pride whatsoever." He flipped the radio on, studiously ignoring me after that.

Ghastly was in his office, shirtsleeves rolled up to his forearms, and pacing as he barked orders into his mobile. Tanith, now part of the team through his consent, sat on the couch, enjoying the spectacle. Ghastly turned to us. "I don't suppose the two of you remember a detective who quit recently after one of your meetings?" We both looked at the floor, contrite. "Well he's turned up good and dead in the park, along with two other detectives from your team."

Skulduggery spoke first. "What? Just yesterday they had all checked in with me. Or rather I had to call them."

"That was yesterday morning, Skulduggery. By evening those three were found dead. Tanas and Leap were good men. I don't suppose either of you knows what the two detectives were looking into?"

Skulduggery looked at me. Showtime. I spoke. "Tanas was working with contacts, trying to hunt down the killer. Leap was assisting him. It was his first case, and they were partnered." Ghastly went a bit pale. I felt ill myself. They were good men, noble men and good detectives. This had been the first case Tanas took a partner on for, and now they were both gone at a mandman's whimsy. "They were killed because they were partners, weren't they?" I asked dully.

Ghastly nodded. "We're hoping it is our killer and the MO is the same for our ex-detective. We think he lured them there. But they, they were different."

"How different?" Skulduggery asked.

Ghastly sighed, and handed over a photo. The two detectives were intact, but clearly frozen. The hearts had been ripped from each of them, and mockingly set on the bodies with one hand curled around them. They other hands were clasped together, a cruel jest about the men's sexuality. I didn't care if they were gay, nobody deserved to be put on display like this. Certainly not Tanas and Leap. Skulduggery interrupted my thoughts. "We keep saying ex-detective. Does anyone here even recall his name? Because I sure don't, and I'm fairly sure it wasn't the one he gave me."

Ghastly blinked. "No, and we have no files on him either. People vaguely remember him, but nobody remembers his name or when he even joined the Sanctuary. It's too late now to know if he used some sort of sorcery, thought the people we have that control civilian memories feel he may have been one of them and convinced all of us he was a detective."

Skulduggery nodded, and seemed to push it all to one side. "Why weren't we called last night?"

Ghastly's jaw tightened. "Because I only found out this morning myself. A jogger found them. We were able to contain the civilians and the jogger now remembers nothing, but it's clear the killer wants magic out in the open."

"So the crime scene's been compromised. Wonderful." Skulduggery said.

Ghastly shrugged. "He's been ahead of us all this time. Valkyrie, I don't like the look on your face right now."

"He knows too much, Ghastly. He knows where our weak spots are, he knows enough details to blackmail people with. That's how our ex-detective got Tanas and Leap out there. I'd wager he's been helping the killer all along, and that's how he got into the Sanctuary. The killer let us believe he was one of us."

Skulduggery whistled. "Nice detective work, that. But Tanas and Leap's relationship was an open secret. I think everyone in the Sanctuary knew."

"But nobody said anything, Skulduggery. Maybe they thought the Sanctuary would separate them or fire them. It doesn't matter that they were gay, it matters that they were together. Erksine would never approve of doing that, but some of the officials just live to enforce rules they don't follow."

Skulduggery nodded thoughtfully. "Or perhaps they were corrupt. Not to speak ill of the dead, but we have to be open to all possibilities. The hearts might be a mockery of hidden agendas."

Ghastly snorted. "I hope they are. The killer can clean out the officials next, and he's welcome to them. Tea?" He asked, looking to first me, then Tanith. We nodded.

I realized she'd been strangely silent and withdrawn and went over to sit with her while Ghastly talked to Skulduggery. "What's wrong, sister?" I asked, sitting down to loop an arm around her.

"Tanas and Leap found like that. I feel bad enough for them, but I thought- We didn't even know which detectives it was at first. Everything was garbled and made no sense. The original report was that it was you and Skulduggery."

"What?"

"I know. I haven't been here long, and I'll admit that, but they think some sort of illusion was set up. Please don't tell Ghastly I said anything. He figures Skulduggery would go in the cave, guns blazing."

"No, he wouldn't. We both know it is most likely the cave we'll have to fight in the end. With our ex-detective doing the work the killer might be barely alive, if even."

She nodded, drew me into a hug. "I just don't want to loose you, Valkyrie. Skulduggery either." She sniffed slightly, then continued. "I have enough problems as it is. Apparently I'm going to be the sister to Ghastly's daughter, which makes him my father. I'm sure not going to be your mum."

We both laughed. "I'm my own grandpa." I offered, and we giggled over that. It was always good to see her. She understood pop culture references that drew a blank look from either of the men in the room.

Ghastly came over with tea, smiling at us. "Good to see you two hard at work." He teased. We took the tea and he went back over to Skulduggery, both men pausing to look at us and shake their heads in mock sadness.

Tanith and I snorted, then turned away. Tanith turned to me, a gleam in her eye. "You know, we really have to do something about the rampant incest in our family."

We both shook with silent laughter. "You think that's bad?" I wheezed. "Now Skulduggery will be your son."

We set our tea down, collapsing in hysterics. Both men turned to frown at us. "Do you two mind? We're working on a case. If you can't be useful go find somewhere in the Sanctuary to have your craic." Skulduggery growled. We sobered quickly. He was clearly in no mood to be messed with.

We got into the Bentley, Skulduggery looking at me in exasperation. "Seatbelt." He said, tersely. I said nothing and he continued. "I know you two are good friends, but you have to concentrate on the case more seriously, Valkyrie. I'm not trying to scold you, but we have three dead bodies and only crime scene evidence to go on."

"We can't go look at the crime scene?"

"No, Ghastly thought it was a little too perfect, that Tanas and Leap died as bait to lure us there. I agree. Well, nothing to do about it now. How about lunch? Something about that diner and waitress has been bothering me."

"You mean the way you're the only one she completely ignores? At first I thought she was being polite, thinking you were a burn victim or something like that. But she's never once even offered you a menu. She acts like you aren't there, it's creepy. But you're right we should investigate. Though if we have a case file to get to-"

"Nothing as of yet. The whole Sanctuary is falling down around our ears. I wonder, about the waitress, do you think she's a sorcerer? It would explain her knowing not to offer me anything, even if it is a bit rude on her part. I do like to be offered things like everyone else."

"I don't know, Skulduggery. Perhaps she took an instant dislike to you."

"Ah, I have that effect on people. Luckily not with you though."

"True, but with your disguise she shouldn't have been able to tell. Maybe she thought you wouldn't eat in public."

"Mmm. So I'm going to investigate a woman based on her acts of kindness. Wonderful." He said, dryly.

"No, I think you're right. She had chances to talk to me when I got up from time to time, she would talk about the car, the weather, but never you. Though she did mention you as my friend once."

"Yes, but I had the feeling she meant object."

"So did I." I sighed. Skulduggery and I knew a lot of people treated him as sub-human or as a thing, and we both hated it. He did his best to ignore it, and I did my best not to hit people over it. He was, after all, as human as the next man. Maybe the waitress was being nice, or maybe she knew somehow Skulduggery was a skeleton and was showing open contempt for him. But he was right, something about the whole place was off. We'd at least get lunch out of the investigation if nothing else.

Please Note: I am very pro-gay, being pan myself, so no offense was made by having Detectives Tanas and Leap killed off. They were after all, great detectives. Expect poor Valkyrie to remember that in the next chapter.