A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Tanith, Ghastly, Billy-Ray, Erskine, Tipstaff or Valkyrie. Calamity Cat is my OC though. Val is still 24, barely, story is still in her POV.
Months had passed and we had settled in to married life quite nicely. It was a Sunday morning and Skulduggery and I were reading the papers, looking for even the smallest lead for a new case. We were bored, having been off work for a while now. The world seemed peaceful, great for the world, but boring for us. Skulduggery dropped his paper in his lap and looked at me. "Ghastly and Tanith have a lovely baby, don't they?" There was a hopeful note in his voice that made me smile.
"Yes, very lovely." I said, considering whether or not I should make him work his way up to his real question. Instead I grinned and asked one of my own. "Bassinet is in the boot, isn't it?"
He nodded eagerly. "And the Sanctuary is open today. You know, if we needed to go there for any special reason." He put a purr in his voice and patted his lap. I happily went over to him.
"Are you sure you want to go to the Sanctuary, Detective Pleasant?" I teased, nuzzling into him. He laughed softly, and returned my affections, nipping at my neck gently. I rubbed his skull affectionately and was rewarded with a low growl.
"You know I do, and I've been such a good skeleton." He said, straightening to use his most angelic expression on me, and I had to laugh.
"Then let's go." I grinned, and Skulduggery rose, still holding me in his arms, he looked at me tenderly and I was thankful once again for such a handsome husband. His skeletal features were glowing, and I knew he was as happy and excited as I was.
Infertile couples only got one chance, that was just how the magic worked, and we were taking ours that very day. Skulduggery set me down reverently, his ungloved hand skimming over my belly. "I wish I could give you children the natural way, you know." He said softly.
"I know, and I love you for that." I said and I did. I knew he wanted more than anything to be a man of flesh and blood once more and at times like these it hurt him deeply to be the Skeleton Detective. The man needed cheering up. "But you know, Skulduggery, every woman's real dream is that the man gets to have the baby."
He laughed in delight, and led me out to the Bentley. "Oh no you don't, my dear. Men like how things are just fine. And when we tell you we'd have the baby for you? We lie!" He laughed so hard he could hardly open my door, and I punched him lightly in the arm.
I should have guessed he was up to something that morning. Skulduggery always made sure to feed me, but he'd been unusually considerate and tender. I knew he wanted a baby, and yes, I knew the baby would take after him. We'd already talked to the doctor at the Sanctuary who specialized in the Adept magic that would give us a child. He'd explained they just didn't know anything in our case. Would the baby be healthy, would it even come out alive the way Skulduggery was alive? If it did, would it live long? But he agreed we had a right to try, and he'd been gentle during our meeting with him.
Skulduggery looked over at me from behind his disguise, and started to laugh again, his shoulders shaking.
"What?" I asked.
"I just hope you don't faint when you see the baby for the first time." He chortled, and the Bentley veered slightly. "You should have seen the look on your face that night, Valkyrie, it was priceless! The big, scary skeleton. raaah! What did you think I was going to do? Eat you?" He laughed again and I blushed.
"I'm glad you think it was so funny." I growled, but couldn't help grin. Skulduggery was getting back to the cheerful man, well skeleton, I'd first met. Something had happened, maybe our getting married, maybe him realizing I was completely his and his alone, but the grief had lifted from him.
He was happy again, playful. His mood today was more like he used to be and I adored him for it. "You know Skulduggery, when we have a case, aunty Tanith gets to babysit. We'll get an Adept baby that hangs from the ceiling back, just you watch."
Skulduggery snorted. "Uh-uh. Uncle Ghastly will do the babysitting, the man's a natural with children. Did you see him with the baby? Now if they would just settle on a name."
"They will." I said, settling back into my seat with a happy sigh. "We were just more prepared, that's all." I closed my eyes wondering what we would get. A boy would of course be named Skulduggery, and he had insisted a girl be named Valkyrie.
We were soon at the Sanctuary and I could feel butterflies dancing inside of me. I'd wanted a child with Skulduggery ever since I'd realized I was in love with him. He seemed to feel the same way, because he leaned over and kissed me softly through his disguise. He put a gentle hand on my arm. "Ready, Detective Cain?"
"Always, Detective Pleasant." I answered with an eager grin.
The doctor greeted us warmly. "Now I know you two most likely know this, but this is going to be your baby. No tracking me down at four AM to babysit, though I am also an excellent pediatrician if I do say so myself." He grinned at me and I smiled in return. He knew us enough by now not to go over what could go wrong again.
He had us both sit back and relax in our chairs, then handed us both small vials of serum to drink. I helped Skulduggery with his as I always did, dabbing it on his maxilla, and the doctor was amused. Skulduggery could have helped himself of course, but that would have been no fun. The doctor set the black bassinet Skulduggery had brought down gently between us and smiled reassuringly. He had us hold hands, and began to murmur soothing words.
I felt strange, lighter than air, as if I were tumbling through space and time as a shimmering mist grew around us. I swore I heard far off music or chimes, and could smell the sweet scent of roses. The feeling and sensations retreated and I could hear a soft cooing sound. I dared to look down into the bassinet and my heart melted. I knew some women would have screamed and rejected the baby outright, but this was my son if I could tell by the hip shape. The tiny skeleton was cooing and giggling, squirming happily, and looking around at the world in utter delight. He was also very naked and his father hurried to cover him up.
The doctor smiled warmly. "Well, let me have a look, though you two will know more about living skeletons than any doctor here." He checked the baby gently, and nodded. "Boy, but you can tell from his hips. I present you with your son, Detective Cain." He wrapped the baby up carefully in the black blanket we had brought and handed him over.
I was as gentle as possible with him, he was so small! Something just made me want to hold and protect him forever as I gazed lovingly into his eye sockets. I could feel his gaze on me, and he nuzzled his tiny head into me, making happy baby sounds. A tiny hand grasped at my shirt front, and I laughed as he grabbed at my chest, snorting happily.
I kissed him gently, then handed him over to a hovering Skulduggery. Anyone could have seen the joy and pride on his face. He tenderly stroked his son's skull, murmuring lovingly. We also had clothes and a diaper in the bassinet, and our baby was soon dressed and tucked in securely. He cooed sleepily and soon feel asleep, one tiny thumb in his mouth. The doctor congratulated us and we were soon on our way home.
Skulduggery and I were both excited, but we managed to let our baby sleep all the way home, although I did hold him, bassinet and all, thankful we'd chosen a portable model. Skulduggery would reach over from time to time to touch me or the baby, making his pleased chirruping sound. He got the door when we arrived home, ushering me in, then took the bassinet. He'd had a child before so I trusted him to know what to do since having your own was entirely different than a little sister.
Skulduggery set the bassinet up in the living room, assuring me he'd make lunch and coffee of course. He looked at me, hesitating a moment, then sat down beside me to wrap his arms around me. "You are happy, Valkyrie?" He asked, nuzzling gently into me.
"Yes I am, I love you, Skulduggery, our son too." He smiled then and drew me into a searing kiss. I returned his affections eagerly, more than happy to prove my need to be with him hadn't waned. We parted and he rose, only for us both to hear soft fussing from our son.
I picked him up and he blinked at me, another trait he'd inherited from Skulduggery, along with his handsome features. He was his father's clone down to the last bone, and now he seemed to have gained his father's appetite as well. A tiny skeletal hand curled around mine, and his father seemed to materialize a bottle of formula out of nowhere. Tiny jaws opened eagerly and clapped down, and our son began to feed hungrily, blinking up at me in utter adoration, somehow knowing to hold the tip of the bottle to his own maxilla.
"Easy, not so fast, little one." I said, trying to ease the bottle out of his tiny jaws and was rewarded with a low growl. "Did you just growl at me, little man?" I asked, laughing in astonishment and he looked up at me with innocent eyes, letting go long enough to make a happy sound at me, then nuzzle into me. "Your father's taught you well, I see." I said, though I couldn't have been angry with him if I'd tried.
"Want to feed him?" I asked, handing the baby over to Skulduggery, and his face lit up at the notion. He cooed gently to his son, settling him securely in one arm, the other helping him hold the bottle. Our son growled softly at him as well when he tried to adjust the bottle and Skulduggery just laughed softly.
"Did you see his expression change? What a temper! And look at him, Valkyrie. He's eating normally. I have a son, a healthy son." He murmured in awe and I kissed his skeletal cheek.
"I'll make coffee and see to lunch, you bond with him." I offered but Skulduggery shook his head, handing our son back.
"Please, you know I love doing things for you. I'll make coffee and lunch. Bring our little one into the kitchen. He might as well get used to seeing a man dote on his spouse because I'll expect it of him when he's fully grown."
His bottle finished our son let go at last. I expected to have to change him rather quickly, but the formula seemed to have just disappeared. He was content, cooing at us, reaching out to grab my hair in his bony grasp. I laughed, tickling his little chin and he giggled and squirmed happily. We went into the kitchen, Skulduggery carrying the bassinet in and I held a sleepy Junior. Soon he was asleep and my mobile rang, but he didn't wake. It was Ghastly.
"So how is the new mother? And congratulations by the way."
"Hey, dad. Great, he just took his first bottle now he's asleep again. He doesn't seem to be much of a crier, which is good. He's very handsome, just like his father. Though I'll admit a newborn with all his teeth in is a first on me."
"I can imagine. Are you all up to some company? We'd all like to see you." I looked at Skulduggery and he nodded.
"Yes, that would be perfect."
"Great, see you in a little bit." We rang off and Skulduggery smiled at me.
"I'm hoping our son makes a good impression, he could use a playmate." He said lightly. I put our son securely in his bassinet and got up and held Skulduggery from behind.
"Of course he will. He's every bit as handsome as his father. Everyone will adore him, you'll see."
Skulduggery turned and held me close, kissing the top of my head, and gripping me tighter. I kissed him and felt him tremble slightly, but he seemed to relax the longer we kissed. Reassured, he set coffee down for both of us once we parted, then looked at me. "You can't be feeding us both. The sacrifices I make for my son." He said good naturedly and took a few spoonfuls of his own coffee, then thought a moment. He got up and took his coffee with him while he made lunch, inserting a straw and drinking easily. He shrugged at me. "Not as much fun, but I'll live."
We ate, Skulduggery happily eating on his own, but with the much bigger appetite he'd recently gained. I had no idea where it all went, but he was a voracious eater at times. He grinned over at me after lunch and was about to speak when we heard a knock at the door. Skulduggery was instantly vigilant, gun drawn, approaching the door stealthily. He inclined his head for me to answer. Yes?" I called out.
"Valkyrie? We're here." Ghastly called and I opened the door while Skulduggery holstered his gun.
"Trouble?" Ghastly asked, eyebrows raised as he entered.
"Protective father." I answered, and he bundled me into a tight hug.
"Nothing wrong with that." He answered. He greeted Skulduggery while a smiling Tanith came in and set a baby carrier on the floor.
"I could sleep for a week. Wait until you're awakened in the middle of the night." She groaned. I smiled and pulled her into a hug as well. It was good to see them both. Ghastly set about helping Skulduggery produce tea and more coffee, and we took both babies in the living room, Tanith cooing and fussing over a sleeping Junior.
"Can I hold him?" She asked, and I nodded. She picked him up gently, cradling him into her. He squirmed slightly then settled in happily. I was relieved that the two hit it off. And he was soon up and chipper, looking at her, head titled to one side just like Skulduggery did.
"He takes after his father, doesn't he?" Tanith asked, amused. We laughed and settled into the couch, She handed our baby back over and picked up her daughter. The two babies noticed one another and were reaching for one another so we set them gently down on our laps.
"Picked out a name yet?" I asked as I watched our son's tiny hand take his new friend's.
"No." Tanith sighed, and I heard a snort as Ghastly entered with a laden tray.
"Yes we have, but the mother thinks Tanith is a terrible name, talk some sense into her, Valkyrie."
I looked at Tanith and she shrugged. "It just doesn't feel right. Besides with my name she'd take after me."
I looked over at Skulduggery with a wink. "Whatever have we done, Skulduggery? Our son is going to grow up to be dashing, charming and a sharp-dresser. Oh Lord, my poor son." I mock lamented and Skulduggery snorted in delight.
Tanith blushed and relented. "Fine. I'll just feel weird and never know who Ghastly is talking to." She grumbled. Ghastly just smiled in reply.
That night we were getting Jr. settled into our room when Skulduggery tilted his head at me. "You know, we should start calling him Skulduggery, that is his name."
"True. Are all the babies in your family this quiet? He's been a dream all day."
Skulduggery shrugged. "I have no idea. My brother said I was a perfect baby, my sister said all I did was cry. You take your pick."
"You probably did cry." I muttered under my breath.
"Hmm? How was that, Detective Cain?" Skulduggery asked, advancing on me, his hands out.
I yelped with laughter and danced backwards out of reach. "Nothing, nothing at all! I said, uh, I said, uh-"
"Oh, I heard what you said, my dear." He said, a terrible expression on his face. He leapt with a mock roar, sending us both onto the bed, tickling me without mercy. I laughed and snorted, trying to squirm away, to no avail. So I tickled him back, and he was soon on the retreat. "Mercy, I give up!" He wheezed. He sat up happily. "I'll make us coffee. Would you like a snack? I'm hungry."
"Sounds good. Do you think Skulduggery needs anything?" We looked over at him and at the sound of his name heard an answering coo.
"I think that was a 'yes'." Skulduggery said, amused. "You shower, I'll get things ready."
I luxuriated in the shower thinking of how Ghastly had taken me aside that day, stressing the need to let Skulduggery call the shots. He'd lost his first child, he must have a stress level that was going through the roof over the fate of his new one. So although I wanted to carry my weight I let him call the shots, and when I came out he had coffee and a snack ready, and was holding our son, cooing gently as he fed him. Skulduggery looked at me happily. "He takes after me. I tried to fool him with my finger and got bit for my trouble, hard. Then he growled at me, Valkyrie. He growled." He said, clearly proud.
I shook my head happily. "You must have wolf blood, our son is feral, just like you. But I love you both for it." I kissed his skull gently and he closed what passed for his eyes. I'd learned to read his expressions years ago and was happier for it.
I touched Jr's skull gently. "Hey, little man, you're going to be a scrapper, just like your dad, aren't you, my little Skulduggery?" He blinked happily at me, wiggling. "All you need is a little suit and a tiny fedora and you'd be his carbon copy." I teased.
I swear they both looked at me pleadingly. I sighed as they continued to stare with heart-melting eyes and dug out my mobile to call Ghastly. He answered, sounding, concerned. "Valkyrie, what is it? Is the baby OK?"
"The baby is fine. Baby and father however would like me to request something. You get ten guesses."
"Oh no. You didn't say a word about a tiny suit and hat did you?"
"Oh, yes I did."
There was a laugh then Ghastly spoke. "All right. I was going to make him something as a gift anyhow. I can't believe you even suggested such a thing. The man's ego needs no help. Lord." We rang off and both father and son looked smugly pleased with themselves.
There were several suits ready in a few days, every bit as sharp as his father's and I sighed and Skulduggery admired the finished effect. Being a skeleton apparently gave our baby an edge and he was already sitting up, and watching his father carefully. His father cocked his son's fedora down at an angle and adjusted his tie and Ghastly groaned and put his face in his hands. "Two of them. Now we have two of them. "
I laughed, and father and son just grinned into the mirror.
We weren't even home an hour when Skulduggery's mobile rang. He grunted his way through a conversation, then rang off and looked at me, excitement on his skeletal features. "We have a case! Let's take Skulduggery with us, please? He can be in on the meetings even if we can't take him into the field."
I nodded. "And what do you mean we aren't taking him into the field? I have Ghastly working on a carrier that is sturdier than my clothes. The child will be bomb-proof and magic proof."
Skulduggery grinned happily at me and we gathered up our son and were out to the Bentley. I looked at Junior as we rode, so adorable in his suit and fedora. He had already graduated to a carrier when he sat up, and even though it wasn't the safest place for him, I held him up front, thankful for the magic that surrounded him.
No one else could see into the carrier or if they did they saw an empty carrier. It was an illusion, but one meant to protect our son and give him as normal a life as possible. I almost hit the doctor who had suggested a facade. Not on my baby, not ever. If he made that decision later, that was fine, but for now he would be fine. He didn't have a copy of his father's disguise, yet, but I knew as soon as we could shop he would. I hated that either one had to hide, but visions of them locked away in a lab somewhere to be tested by mortal doctors frightened me.
Skulduggery stopped for two coffees and I reluctantly let him secure our baby in the back seat. We both drank the soothing brew on the way there and I realized Skulduggery was proud of himself. our son made a soft hungry sound and Skulduggery had a bottle to him with air manipulation.
We arrived, happily taking Jr. with us. The Sanctuary was far enough from mortal eyes that we dropped the illusion on his carrier, and just about every Sanctuary detective stopped us to admire him and offer us both congratulations. Skulduggery beamed with pride. I doubted there was ever a prouder father on the planet, and as we swept into Erskine's office along with Ghastly and Tanith the Grand Mage looked amused. "Our new detectives get younger every year." He said, rising to admire Skulduggery, who was sitting up and looked him squarely in the eye, clearly not impressed by the big office or fancy title. "He's his father's son." Erskine said, amused.
We made small talk for a while and Tipstaff happily brought in coffee. "Well, I'm sure you're wondering why I called all four of you in."
We nodded and Erskine looked reluctant to go on. "We, well we were never sure how any of you would take the news, but Billy-Ray somehow came back to life and escaped our Sanctuary the day you got married. We know he's married now and happily settled in Texas. The thing is, we want to call him in to work with you on a new case."
I stared at him. "Are you insane? Sorry, that was harsh. But this is Billy-Ray we're talking about, he'd flip sides for enough money. He worshiped the Faceless Ones, and somehow I think they're involved." I growled, and Jr. gave a growl of support in reply, breaking the tension in the room instantly.
"Well if he doesn't behave, you can sic your bodyguard on him." Erskine said mildly. "But yes, the Faceless Ones are involved. There's a cult that was banned in America and unfortunately they moved here. They want to open a portal to bring the Faceless Ones here, and they seem to have figured out a way to do it without an Isthmus Anchor."
"And how exactly would that work?" Skulduggery growled, and I think he knew exactly how it worked.
Erskine shifted in his chair, not wanting to meet Skulduggery's glare. "They need the remains of someone descended from the Ancient Ones."
"They'd kill Valkyrie?" Tanith sounded horrified. "Nobody is touching my sister." She hissed.
Skulduggery answered, clearly furious. "Oh, no, Tanith. They won't kill her. These would be Necromancers, wouldn't they? And Necromancers work with the dead. It would be our son they would kill." His voice was cold, artic and I hoped he could control himself enough that Lord Vile wouldn't make an appearance.
Erskine nodded. "That would be right. Needless to say we know none of you would willingly stay here, but at least take some Cleavers for protection, Skulduggery. And well, we have an additional protection detail I insist on." Erskine spoke into the intercom on his desk and the door opened behind us. Billy-Ray Sanguine strolled in, looking cheerful as always, an attractive red-head on his arm. To their credit neither Tanith or Ghastly killed him outright though Tanith looked like she was about to.
Billy-Ray grinned at us. "Hello, little darlin'. Your kindness brought me back so I owe you. Ain't nobody gonna get close to that baby. You can count on that." He said to me, then turned to the woman with him. "Ain't that right. honey?"
She nodded then looked at him and shook her head. "And you call yourself a Southern gentleman." She stepped forward to shake hands with me. "I'm Calamity Cat, and I'll ride herd on Billy-Ray if he gets out of line."
I smiled. I liked her instantly. Dressed in an all black cowgirl outfit, I could tell she'd go after Billy-Ray if he forgot himself. So we left together, Billy-Ray and Calamity claiming the backseat, Calamity looking out the windows in delight. She caught my glance and blushed. "Ain't never really had a good look around Ireland even though I stopped over before."
"I think you'll like it here." I said. There was just something likable about her and I trusted her.
I settled back into my seat wondering how serious the threat was if Erskine had felt we needed bodyguards. Then I realized, he didn't want history repeating itself. I sighed and looked out the window, praying it wouldn't.
Wow, this started off all cozy, then as it always does trouble came a-calin'. But don't worry none. Miss Calamity will keep Billy-Ray in line even if she has to shoot him, and two Adepts who can Tunnel are as good a protection detail as any baby can get. Will update if I get enough requests.