A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Gordon, China, Ghastly, Lord Vile, or Valkyrie. Yes, Val is still 24 and the story is still in her POV. Goodness gracious, it isn't as if I'm going to make her 80 on a whim. I could, though. I will whip out my mad Capitan Picard skills and 'Make it so'. Don't test me on this, people!

Skulduggery looked at me as he led me back inside and his tone was apologetic. "I meant somewhere in the house, Valkyrie. Not the front lawn." I smiled leaning into him, feeling the chill that had seeped into his bones when I rested my head on his shoulder briefly.

"I wanted to be outside, Skulduggery. I figured you'd be immersed in your book and wouldn't notice, actually."

He held me close after shutting the door. "I felt guilty as soon as you left the room. I didn't mean to snap, not at you."

"Of course you did, Skulduggery, and I'm OK with that. I got on your nerves, and I get that. I'm not made of glass you know, I don't break that easily." His grip increased and he rested his skull on the top of my head.

"Mmm. Still, I apologize, it's just this case. I don't like you being in danger. But you don't have to hide things from me you know, you can be honest with me." He rubbed his hands up and down my back, seeking to soothe me, to soothe himself. I returned the gesture, touching his spine as well. I loved him so much at that moment I was surprised my heart didn't burst in two. But I wasn't about to go all mushy on him, so I hid my feelings with humour.

"If I were honest with you, Skulduggery, you'd know everything about me, and where's the fun in that? You'd get bored, the mystery would be solved."

"Never. How could you even think of such a thing?" He said, missing the joke.

"You get bored and irritated with me all the time, Skulduggery. I'm annoying you even now, I can see it on your face. But that's OK. Mostly." I was still teasing, I figured my grin had to be a dead giveaway, but he pulled back suddenly.

He sighed, rubbing his skull in frustration. "Please tell me this isn't a roundabout way to tell me you think our impending marriage is a mistake." He was being serious, being honest, so I answered him honestly.

"No, not in the main part. But what are you going to do with me, Skulduggery? What about the times when we won't have a case for days or weeks? How will you possibly tolerate my presence? You love me as your best friend, yes, as your partner as well. But as a person to live with? Can you handle that?"

"You make it sound as if I don't love you, aren't in love with you." He said, turning away. "This wouldn't be an attempt to avoid marrying a skeleton, would it? I'm well aware my appearance must give you nightmares. I don't blame you for not wanting to be with me Valkyrie, I truly don't."

"Skulduggery-"

"No, let's be blunt. I can never give to you what a man of flesh and blood can give. You can never pretend that I'm soft and comforting like flesh. I'm bones and nothing else. I can't even hold you to my chest at night because I know I'll hurt you, that my bones are too hard for you to lay against."

"Skulduggery, that doesn't matter. I love you, you know that."

"Do you? Do you really love me? The people who say 'I love you' the most are often the people who mean it the least. I taught you that, Valkyrie."

"Skulduggery, how did this turn into an argument? You usually know when I'm teasing. I assumed you didn't want to hold me, that it was some sort of man thing about not wanting to be touched. Of course you're hard, you are, as you point out a skeleton, but need I remind you that is a point in your favour? If I'm having any nightmares about being with you, and yes, there have been a few, they involve hurting you to be honest."

"What?"

"You, uh, do tend to pull apart at times in combat, you don't have any flesh to protect your bones, Skulduggery, to be truthful half the time I'm terrified of hurting you without meaning to. Seeing you fall apart that day we fought the Death Bringer only reinforced the idea. It's part of the reason I never mentioned anything to you."

"So your only problem with intimacy would be...hurting me?" He sounded amused.

I flushed and looked down at the floor. "Yes, actually. I could, well, pull you apart at the very least- Oh, God."

He laughed, sweeping me into a tight embrace. "I'm sure we can learn the extent we can go to, honestly I'm flattered you're worried about it. If it wouldn't hurt like the devil I could always had screws put in to hold me together."

"Skulduggery!" I blushed furiously, and he laughed again, kissing me chastely before releasing me. "You're fun to tease. We'll figure something out, I promise. If you aren't too tired why not watch some TV with me, hmm?"

"You hate TV."

"But I can learn to like it if you keep me entertained. Maybe we'll be able to see stupid people falling off of stuff again. I liked that." I laughed and we went in to settle in front of the TV, Skulduggery being sure I had my coffee. I found the cooking channel and snuggled in close with him.

"Skulduggery?"

"Mmm?"

"You were kidding about me being the first partner you fed, right?"

"Honestly? No. I assumed the others could feed themselves, and I really didn't care if they did or not. I used to be a lot colder than I am now, Valkyrie. But with your uncle Gordon, and with you, I made exceptions."

"Wow."

"Wow, indeed. I'll admit that I'm self-centered to the point where if feeding you didn't give me pleasure I wouldn't do it. But I like you as a friend, I care about you as a partner, so I enjoy providing for you."

"At least you're honest. No, what am I saying? You lie like a rug half the time."

"Only to further the cause of justice." He assured me.

"That, and it amuses you to see how gullible people are."

"Well, yes, it does. But I never lie to you, you know. Well, not most of the time. I enjoy teasing you because I like you. Be glad you didn't know me as a child. I'd have dropped lizards on you."

"But I like lizards, Skulduggery."

"Then I would have found something you dislike, just to watch you squeal and jump."

"Boys are strange."

"That we are, and we never grow up either. Why do you think I let you nearly get knocked off a roof? I know you hate heights."

"Skulduggery! You said your shoelace was untied!"

"I lied." He grinned, pleased with himself to no end.

"Why look, Skulduggery. That dish looks so tempting!" I enthused. On the screen people were dipping small forks into cooked bones, devouring the marrow. Mercifully, I changed the channel after seeing him cringe in horror.

"That just wasn't right. It should be illegal, doing that to a poor skeleton who never harmed a soul." He muttered.

"I'm fairly sure those were cow bones." I said, rolling my eyes.

"But you'd never know, would you? Could have been some poor, down on his luck skeleton who got caught by some chef, who then boiled him alive." He faked sobbing, covering his eye sockets with his hands. I patted his back.

"I'll never let them get you, Skulduggery. I promise. After all, if anyone's ever going to cook you, it'll be me. You don't boil skeletons by the way, you roast them in the oven. Usually you have to chop them into bits first..."

He faked sobbing again, then turned to me with a wicked grin. "Just like you roast beautiful young partners, hmm?" He mock grabbed at me, and I obligingly squealed.

"Go, fierce man of bones! I am still young!" I quoted, giggling helplessly, while he growled and commenced tickling me. I batted helplessly at his hands, and he grinned down at me, pleased.

"Be of good cheer, I am not fierce. Softly shall you sleep in my arms!" He quoted in return, wrapping his arms around me. "I honestly had no idea you liked Franz Schubert. You are just a wealth of hidden facets tonight."

"That makes two of us. Remind me never to underestimate you again."

He smiled helping me to sit up. "I don't suppose you like any other types of music I should know about? You know, I honestly don't even know your favourite song, that's rather depressing."

"I don't have just one, usually whatever I'm listening to at the moment, the same with musical artists."

"Still, there has to be one song you love more than any other. What is it?"

"Currently? Either 'Tower of Song' by Tom Jones or 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash."

"Those aren't cheerful songs, are they?"

"Not especially, no, but they do make me happy. Dad loved Johnny Cash. To round out my top three I'd pick 'Hello Zepp' by Charlie Clouser. But that's this week mind you, next week it will be something completely different."

"Mmm."

"Do you have any favourites, Skulduggery?"

He waved a skeletal hand vaguely. "I don't think I do, actually. I love jazz of course, some classical, but an actual song per se? No. Because one song never fits every situation, does it? But I'd suppose anything by Frank Sinatra."

"You know, Skulduggery, I've noticed you avoid popular music, you also avoid the blues and country. Come to think of it, you never listen to any Irish artists I could name either."

"Yes, well, there's a very good reason for that."

"Of course there is, you're a musical snob."

"No, I'm not!"

"Can you even name an Irish pop artist?"

"Uh, no." He admitted. "But I'm sure you can't either." He added smugly.

"Enya, Sinéad O'Connor, The Chieftains, U2, Thin Lizzy. Good Lord, Skulduggery, you don't know any of them, do you?" He shook his head and I sighed, turning back to the TV.

"But I can always learn." He said.

It was very late when we at last climbed into bed, Skulduggery nudging me into going to get a bath first. I should have expected the coffee and turned down bed awaiting me when I came out, but I hadn't because I was trying very hard not to take a single thing he did for granted. I kissed him deeply when I got in, making sure he knew how I felt for him. He looked bemused, but waited patiently for me to finish my coffee and shut out the light. He reached for my hand and I took his, but he had to know he was loved, that we would find a way to make things work.

"Skulduggery? Would you put your arm behind me, under my neck?"

"I think that would hurt, so no, sorry."

"Please?"

"I said, 'no' Valkyrie, try and get some sleep." He released my hand and I imagined he'd folded his hands on his chest to meditate. That was a problem as I needed to worm closer to him and his outstretched arm would have been the first step. I considered faking tears, but he didn't strike me as the type of man to cave in to them.

But he was competitive. Extremely competitive. I repressed my smile, knowing full well he could see in the dark, and spoke. "That's OK, Skulduggery. Really. Lord Vile would be a lot better at it that you anyhow."

He cursed, then growled. "Lift your head." He ordered gruffly, and I obliged feeling his arm come to rest under my neck. I adjusted my neck a bit, fitting myself onto the upper part of his humerus.

I edged a bit closer to him, aware his ribs were temptingly close.

"Settle down and go to sleep." He ordered. He seemed agitated, and I wasn't sure if I had accidentally frustrated him or somehow hurt him. I went to move away and his arm closed around me. The movement brought me into his ribs, the back of my head now resting partly on his clavicle, shoulder joint, and ribs as well as his humerus. "Stay put."

I had to admit it to myself, it hurt, but I stayed still. Skulduggery was about as comfortable as laying in a field of rocks, but I relaxed myself into him, ignoring the pain, trying to let myself mold into and around him. I reached down and gently grasped the hand that protectively held me. "I'm hurting you, aren't I?" His voice was sad, regretful. Before I could answer he was unwinding his arm from around me, but I turned into him, stubbornly clinging on, burrowing my head into his clavicle.

He tried to push me away and I clung tighter still, hooking one leg around him in sheer refusal to let go. "Valkyrie. Let. Go. Now." There was something in his voice that made me let go instantly. He got up, and I sensed he had turned his back to me. I thought again perhaps I'd done something in my inexperience to frustrate him, but I knew in my heart that wasn't it.

I heard him get up and the door opening and shutting as he silently left. I pounded my fist into the bed in silent frustration. We could have made it work! Why did I have to let go? I cursed myself for being a fool. I waited the longest time, but he didn't come back to bed. At last I fell into a fitful sleep filled with nightmares where he left in the Bentley, never to return.

When I got up the next morning I found a note on the kitchen table, Skulduggery's engagement ring resting on top of it. I read it several times, my disbelief growing each time I read it.

"Valkyrie,

I'm at the Sanctuary, your presence is not required. Don't try ringing, my mobile is off. I've also removed the tracer from the Bentley. Tonight I think we should sleep separately, it's for the best for both of us. Obviously, marriage is out of the question as well. Perhaps it would be best if you left, I can handle the investigation from here on out.

Regards,

Skulduggery"

I wanted to implode with rage. First I wanted to kill him, then I wanted to implode with rage. But wait, if he was at the Sanctuary, wouldn't Ghastly have rung me? Also, why on Earth would he remove the tracer if he was going somewhere as innocent as the Sanctuary? All my fears and insecurities came flooding back at once and I knew it had nothing to do with a magical attack. He was with China, he had to be. Or someone else. A more experienced lover who could adapt to his hard bones. I had visions of China curled around him even now and my heart went icy-cold as a pitiful cry of anguish escaped my lips.

I knew she'd do it perfectly too, adapting perfectly to him, reacting in the ways that would please him the most. I could see her, laughing, enjoying him, enjoying her victory. How could I have been so stupid not to have seen the truth the night they danced? No, I had, I just hadn't wanted to admit it. Well, if he wanted different beds he'd get them. I called a taxi and was soon home at Uncle Gordon's mansion. My home, I guessed, for the immediate future. I knew Uncle Gordon was aware of my presence, but to his credit he didn't call out to me. He had a sixth sense for when I needed time alone.

I went to his old bedroom, dragging out the battered acoustic guitar I'd hidden under the bed. I cradled the old acoustic guitar I hid from the world into my body and ran through just about every song I could think of, trying to run the gamut of my emotions, though truth be told there weren't too many for humiliation, though Gordon Lightfoot was proving to be quite the inspiration. At last I stilled the strings and my voice, feeling worse than before. This wasn't a magical attack though. Nor was it sulking as Skulduggery would have called it. I'd lost him. Somehow in one stupid attempt to get closer, I'd lost him. I started to play one more song but stopped when my mobile rang.

I took it out and looked. Ghastly. I didn't want to talk to him, but I supposed duty called. "Valkyrie? Do you know where Skulduggery is?" My heart went icy cold at his words.

"He's not at the Sanctuary?" I asked dully.

"No, and he rang in over four hours ago saying he was coming in without you. Ah, never mind, his Bentley just pulled up front now, sorry to alarm you." Alarm me? He'd put the nails into the coffin I'd bury my future marriage in, but I was hardly alarmed. Four hours was more than enough time for him to go see someone, wasn't it? He'd warned me about men not liking to be frustrated. I knew there were women who would be with him and enjoy it too.

I put the guitar back in the case very calmly. I wasn't going to scream, I wasn't going to hurt myself, I wasn't going to die, not for him. I walked to Gordon's hidden study, knocking before I entered. He took one look at me and sighed. "What is it this time?" I held out the note Skulduggery had left so he could read it, and the ring. His face went pale and he looked at me, then shook his head sadly. "I'm so sorry, Valkyrie, truly I am."

"Not as sorry as I am. What did I do wrong, Uncle Gordon? I did absolutely everything I could think of and it still wasn't enough. Maybe, maybe he never loved me. I was told once he was incapable of love, that he couldn't feel real emotions."

"I honestly can't answer you, Valkyrie. Skulduggery is a difficult man to know. He never lets people any closer than he wants them to be. I swear to you that the man who came to my office, who asked for my permission to court you, is not the man who left you this morning."

I looked up in surprise. "He did?"

Gordon nodded sadly. "Yes, and each time he returned, still afraid to say anything to you I was sure he felt something for you. I'd truly hate to think my best friend would have used my favourite niece as some sort of emotional experiment, but I just don't know. I curse the day I met the man, I truly do."

"So do I Uncle, but you know what?" I asked, a smile creeping onto my face.

"What?" He asked happily, glad to be in on whatever I was plotting.

"We're writers, Uncle Gordon. We can get our revenge for the whole world to see in print. Let's say I order take away and we write something really horrid and spiteful?"

He chuckled and stood, hugging me the best he could. "That's the niece I know and love, not the one who just played bad music for an hour. You've got quite the singing voice though." I laughed and dug out my mobile, ordering tons of indulgent take away. Who cared about a proper diet when she was starting off for revenge most literary? An hour later the food was there and we were trading the most spiteful and petty ideas we had when my mobile rang.

Ghastly again. "Valkyrie? Are you OK? Skulduggery told me to stop work on your dress."

"I know, I found out about that hours ago, dad, but I know how much you love surprises. Don't worry I'm face deep in take away and plotting my revenge as we speak."

Ghastly sighed. "Please tell me it won't involve a wood chipper."

"Goodness no, Uncle Gordon and I are going to do what writers do best. We're going to take his reputation and tear it into itty, bitty, shreds. Then we're going to throw them into the air and have a ticker-tape parade."

Ghastly laughed. "That's a Bespoke for you. I am changing your last name legally, by the way." He teased.

"Do it!" I encouraged. "Then the next time you make him a suit get your own revenge, it'll be lots of fun."

He laughed and rang off. I looked at Uncle Gordon and we both burst out laughing. He turned on the radio by voice command, modern music coming out. 'Street Music' by REdrama came on, and we both started to move to the beat.

"Goodness, does everyone today curse this much?" Gordon asked, amused.

"Uncle, that song is MILD compared to some artists today."

"I'll take your word for it. Of course with some of the words I use in my books I can hardly talk. Maybe I should write rap lyrics. What do you think?" He teased.

"I think you'd be great at it, Uncle, to be honest. Also this is the prefect song for when you just got jilted. It reminds you there's still things to live for. Like good music and take away."

"That's the right way to look at this. You're free now to find a man who will appreciate you. You're aren't in denial or delayed shock are you? I fooled myself for years that your mother would come back to me."

I smiled at him softly. "I'm good, Uncle Gordon, really. It's actually a relief in a way. Skulduggery is so intense I had to watch everything I said, there was so much he wouldn't tell me. To tell you the truth, I'm glad to be done with the drama." As if on command 'Family Affair' by Mary J. Blige came on and we both laughed. We chatted and just hung out for hours, listening to music in between Uncle Gordon's stories about his own misspent youth.

It was a good day, a day of letting go of things, of expunging the past, and somehow it felt right to let go of Skulduggery. I knew I deserved better. I knew too that there were wonders in the future I could hardly dream of. So when at long last I did leave Uncle Gordon's study in the late afternoon I was at peace with myself and the mobile rang and I took it out. Skulduggery. I smiled and very calmly removed the battery from the phone. I was free at last from his drama and I was never going back.

Dearie me! Is this the end for Detectives Pleasant and Cain? Are the wedding bells not going to peal? Will Skulduggery face the cave spirit and killer on his own and end up smashed to bits? Stay tuned to find out!