A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Tanith, Erskine, Tipstaff, China or Ghastly.

I woke up later that night soaked with sweat. I'd been having a terrible nightmare involving Tanith and Ghastly. They had twins in the nightmare, one a boy, but he was being kept hidden. First by a Remnant then by some bitter old woman. I realized dully they did have twins, I'd even seen Tanith carry in a twin carrier. What was wrong with me?

The light flicked on and Skulduggery was looking at me with concern. "Nightmare?" He asked gently.

I nodded. "How do I keep forgetting Tanith and Ghastly had twins? Some big sister I've turned out to be, forgetting my own brother. God, I've even forgot to buy him presents."

Skulduggery stroked my back and I noticed our son was standing up in his crib watching me carefully. Skulduggery gestured and he was lifted gently over to us, and he toddled to me on shaky legs. But he couldn't be walking, could he? He looked slightly frightened and I realized my nightmare and fear had frightened him as well. I bundled him into me, cooing softly. "It's all right, Skulduggery. Mom just had a bad dream, that's all, it's OK." He clung tightly, making soft sounds of fright, and it took Skulduggery's soothing voice and touch to calm us both.

"You were gearing up to do something, you almost broke that poor child's jinx, I think. Oh yes, Ghastly's jinx was handed down to his son. He was scarred so he'd never be loved, and his rather handsome son is just, well, forgettable. Oh, he will be fed and cared for, but loved? Never."

I looked at Skulduggery. "I could break his jinx, that's the thing. But I haven't asked Ghastly or Tanith for permission yet."

Skulduggery snorted. "Oh yes, the parents who have to go through the agony of only remembering their own son hours later after he needed affection, I'm sure they'll protest. You can break Ghastly's jinx too, can't you? I never understood why you didn't. He prays every night for the scars to be gone in the morning."

Our son stared at his father sadly. I swore he understood and he confirmed it when he tugged on my shirt, his hollow eye sockets pleading with me to fix things. "No fair, being attacked with love by the world's two most handsome skeletons. Very well, mom will help." I told him. I handed Skul off, unsure of any possible effect on him. I wasn't about to hurt my own baby.

I concentrated, remembering how as Darquesse I'd have easily found the patterns of magic, found a way in, found the center of the jinx and smashed it. I followed the twisted, knotted field into the center that surrounded my little brother and destroyed it, freeing him, then turned my attention to Ghastly. His jinx was far more deeply embedded and the meddlesome old creature who had thrown it on his mother arose to fight me. But there was still enough of Darquesse left in me that I destroyed her without a thought, then broke the jinx. I was growling softly and heard an answering growl of support from both father and son. It broke the tension and I laughed.

Skulduggery grinned at me. "Done? Excellent. I'll make breakfast, well, eggs for all of us, and you can field the excited parents which will no doubt be ringing us shortly. Could you give Junior his bottle? I think he wants eggs as well, or we can at least try. Did you see him walk? He adores you, Valkyrie, I swear he's doing all of this fast growth to please you."

Junior made a purring sound like his father's and nuzzled in deep, clinging to Skulduggery's suit. "He loves you every bit as much, Skulduggery. We're lucky. We have a healthy, wonderful son, and yes I saw him walk, and I'm very proud of him. And you. You're a wonderful father, Skulduggery."

"If history doesn't repeat itself." He said lightly, getting up. I followed him to the kitchen, taking father and son into my arms.

"It won't, OK? I shouldn't activate my magic again that strongly for a while, but he has Darquesse and Lord Vile for his parents. Nobody is hurting our son, ever." I got out his bottle and little Skul looked at me adoringly. I noticed with a start that his suit seemed a tad small. "Hey, little man, don't tell me you're growing on me already. We won't be able to keep you in clothes."

Skulduggery turned around and looked, nodding. "He isn't like a normal child, Valkyrie. He may mature much faster. He is walking, he'll be talking next, so growing doesn't surprise me. I thought he was heavier when I picked him up." Junior just looked smug for his part, his small jaws clamped tightly together as he worked his bottle. I stroked his small skull and he purred adoringly.

He finished and sat up, glancing towards the living room where our would-be guards slept, head titled. He gave a slight snort and I agreed with him. If us waking up in the middle of the night didn't rouse them- I tensed slightly. Were Billy-Ray and Calamity even there? I wouldn't have cared if Billy-Ray got eaten by the sandworms from Dune, but I liked Calamity.

I was about to step towards the silent room when my mobile rang, Ghastly. "Valkyrie? All we want to know is how you did it." He said happily.

"Nothing's too good for my little brother, or dad." I replied. Skul shifted in my arms his tiny skeletal hands reaching for my mobile, I indulged him, putting it on speaker. "I think someone wants to say hello." I said, and of course he made one of his father's happy chirrups. Skulduggery answered with a pleased chirrup of his own and I head a laugh on the other end.

"Those two have their own language already, Valkyrie. It's good to see a father and son bond like that. He'll be talking soon. Oh, before I forget expect some new clothes for your son soon. They'll grow with him, I noticed he's bigger already. You know it just dawned on me that he is my grandson. We have a strange family, considering my own children were just born."

I laughed. "He is also the nephew of Tanith. Poor child, that's what you get from blended families. I'll let you get back to bonding, I'm going to go see if our so-called bodyguards are still alive, we're up and they haven't stirred."

"You do that, and Valkyrie, I know you and Tanith both loved me the way I was, and you always would, but thank you. I mean it, you have no idea how happy I am. I don't have to hide in the shadows anymore among mortals, and I appreciate that. Love you, see you tomorrow, OK?"

"Sure, love you too, dad." I managed and we rang off.

Skulduggery made a soothing sound. "I know, I know, you women find it so romantic when you fall in love or care for a man no matter what. But Ghastly has wanted to be normal forever. I know you two loved him and that in a fair world he'd be accepted for who he is, but we don't live in a fair world, Valkyrie. If we did I wouldn't be terrified of Junior being found out for what he is, one day."

Our son gave a soft growl and raised his fists, clicking his fingers for a spark just as he'd seen us do. Soon small flames surrounded his fists and I stared at him. There was no way he had full-blown magical abilities, but he did. He growled deeper and squirmed to be set down. I did and he stalked over to his father, growling, hands still clutching flames.

Skulduggery picked him up, minding the flames. "It's all right, Skulduggery. There's no one here to fight. I know you're showing me how strong you are, how very brave. Can't say that I've ever seen a baby manifest magic before, but then you are my son." He finished smugly.

Junior seemed to understand again because he nodded and the flames went out. I grinned at him. The flames might not have been huge, but they would have set any attacker on fire just fine. I felt a little better about our sleeping guards but not by much. I tilted my head listening for signs of life. Not even snores. I looked towards Skul. "You weren't snorting because they're asleep, you snorted because they're missing and you think it's funny, didn't you?" He chirruped happily, nodding, ending with a happy squeal and giggle. Apparently there was at least some Lord Vile in him.

Skulduggery laughed. "Good. Sit down and eat some eggs with us then, Valkyrie. The room in there is a mess of course. Looks like there was a struggle."

"And you're not concerned?" I asked, not believing I was sitting down. We had a rescue mission to mount.

Skulduggery snorted. "Billy-Ray is a monster, if he dies I won't loose any sleep. After what he did to Tanith? No, I'm not going to his rescue, and neither are you. He'd turn on us in a moment to save his own hide and you know it, Valkyrie, if he does show up you know he's no longer on our side."

I sighed, he was right. For as violent as Billy-Ray was he was a coward, a coward who would happily put his best friend to death to save himself. I felt bad for Calamity, I'd liked her. She was sweet and honest, but I knew she'd side with Billy-Ray. Still it felt wrong to be eating while they were being tortured somewhere. I couldn't do it.

It was stupid and for all I knew it was a trap, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't let Billy-Ray and Calamity pay for trying to do the right thing. If they had been. It had occurred to me that Billy-Ray might be crazy enough to kill Calamity and try and take Tanith again. Tanith, she'd never speak to me again if I saved his life, but I had to. I watched Skulduggery feeding Jr. eggs and sighed. I didn't want a fight in front of our son. I didn't want Jr. to feel abandoned by me just walking out either. I looked at them both. "Skulduggery Pleasant, I can't believe you. You always taught me to do the right thing, to never just kill the bad guy because justice meant something to you. Granted, Billy-Ray is a monster and what he did to Tanith is unforgivable. She'll never be the same and my heart breaks for my sister. But monster or not he deserves the same kind of justice as everyone else. "

"Good to know you feel that way, little darlin'." I turned to the voice and Billy-Ray was standing in the doorway, clutching his stomach, blood pouring from multiple wounds. I recognized them, Necromancers had been here, in our home and we'd slept through the attack. They had magic I didn't even understand then.

I rushed to Billy-Ray, helping him to a chair at the kitchen table, whipping out my mobile and calling for a van to get him and Calamity, who he said wasn't breathing to the Sanctuary, but there wasn't time, they were going to die unless I exposed myself. I sighed. I hated days, like this. Billy-Ray looked at me, panting, and spoke. "I, we both fought 'em off. Gotta couple of 'em too. You're little one's gonna be just fine." He clutched at me with a bloody hand. "I'm so sorry, about Tanith, about everything, please forgive me, little darlin." Then his head rolled forward and he said no more.

Skulduggery stared at me hard as I used my shadows to lift up a now senseless Billy-Ray. "He gave his life willingly to protect our son, so did Calamity. People can change, Skulduggery, you did."

He sighed and nodded. "You can't carry them both. You get Calamity, I'll get Billy-Ray. Hurry, just shadow-walk her there, I'll bring Junior and meet you. And Valkyrie? I love you." I nodded unable to speak and ran into the living room, hitting the light switch on the wall and wishing I hadn't. The place was in ruins. Blood was everywhere. Dead Necromancers lay scattered and now I knew why they had never made it upstairs. I cursed my own foolishness. We should have warded the house, but being Necromancers ourselves we'd wanted the ability to come and go as we pleased.

Now two people might pay for it. I gathered my shadows around myself and picked up the seemingly lifeless form of Calamity. She was so young, too young to die like this, and I shadow-walked her to the Sanctuary. Doctors were already there waiting when I arrived and they gently took Calamity. Billy-Ray was already in surgery and she was rushed in as well. I tried to summon my armour and could only sag backwards in defeat.

I felt strong arms go around me and turned my head. Skulduggery. "Hey." I managed weakly, then everything went black.

I woke up in a bed of my own, Skulduggery in the corner meditating with Junior snuggled up to him. I could tell they'd been crying. Why? Tanith and Ghastly were there as well, both had been crying, but they slept now. I shook my head, hoisting myself up. I wanted coffee, I wanted answers. I pressed the call button for the nurse and heard a surprised shriek of delight when I asked for coffee.

Nurses and doctors rushed into the room, Erskine also coming in, trying to elbow his way to my side, everyone was waking up and it was all noise and confusion. "You're lucky to be alive, young lady." A doctor said to me. "You were dying and there was nothing we could do. I don't know how, but you seem to have reset yourself, your vitals are perfect. You're still staying overnight, of course, but you can have a steak dinner with that coffee if you want."

Doctors and nurses all smiled at me, some clearly in awe. The filed out, leaving me surrounded by the family I was afraid I'd lost. Tanith pushed her way forward and hugged me tight. "Don't you ever overdo things like that again. We almost lost you. Where would I be without my little sister?"

She let go and Ghastly bundled me to him. "You terrified us both. I'm not about to loose my daughter just because I can remember my own son now. But, you did the right thing, and we're all proud of you. There isn't an adult in this room who wouldn't deserve being left to die for the things we did. But you've never abandoned us, either."

They made their goodbyes and left, Ghastly muttering about how Tipstaff had better be half the babysitter he swore he was. Skulduggery came to me, and our baby just about leapt into my lap. "You did die, they revived you, but your vitals were all going south. I don't know how you did it, but thank you for coming back. I couldn't loose you, not again, Valkyrie."

Again? I wondered if I had misheard him. "I wouldn't leave you, you know that. But I had nothing to do with this, Skulduggery. I just remember waking up right now, unless the survival part of me kicked in. We got lucky, I guess. How are Billy-Ray and Calamity?"

"Both are getting intensive care as we speak, but they'll pull through. Forensics is making a mess of our house so we'll have to shift to the mansion for a few days. But Billy-Ray gave as good as he got, he killed two of them, wounded several others, so did Calamity. Teams are out, searching now. We'll find them, Valkyrie, don't you worry."

The nurse came with my coffee and withdrew. I looked down at Jr. who had curled up in my lap and gone to sleep. I patted the bed and Skulduggery happily joined me. I gave him several spoonfuls of coffee like I used to and he chirruped his pleasure. "I'll go get us so food, real food, I'm starved." He said, kissing me gently. "I'll send your guard in."

Skulduggery left and a Ripper walked in. She was tall, slimly built and she inclined her head towards me slightly in greeting. Like Cleavers, Rippers never spoke and they wore black uniforms with the faces hidden behind helmets. They wielded twin sickles and I knew this one wouldn't stop killing in my defense until she died. She stood by my bed, a silent guardian. Junior fussed slightly in his sleep and I turned my attention back to him.

I knew the Ripper wouldn't hurt him, but I knew the threat was high if Skulduggery had hired her. He returned soon enough, and she stood stock-still, seeming to ignore us as we set out our food.

Skulduggery spoke, seeing my attention drift back to her as he set out Chinese. "Our Cleavers were fine, but those idiots had no idea anything was going on. She has orders to stay with Skulduggery until this is over, to protect him at all costs."

I nodded. "At least you hired a woman, it wouldn't be because you think we all go homicidal once a month, is it?" I swear I heard the slightest snort of amusement from the Ripper.

Skulduggery seemed to blush and said nothing. Skul roused himself and had a bit of soup, but not much then went back to sleep. We finished eating and talked for a while until sleep at long last claimed me.

I awoke the next morning, wondering if our Ripper had even moved. Skulduggery smiled. "She'll be relieved in a few hours by her sister, believe it or not. But we have the Necromancers on the run, Valkyrie. They've taken shelter and the time for the ritual such as it was, has passed. That said, we still want them in custody."

"Do I get to shoot a couple? Because I'd love to?" I growled. Jr. growled in response, then giggled. I realized I'd slept with him in my arms all night and kicked myself mentally. "You are lucky I didn't smother you, little man." I said with a sigh.

"Nonsense, Valkyrie. You're forgetting your fine Irish history once again. My mother slept with all of us from time to time. Never smothered a one of us."

"Skulduggery, sleeping with babies in the bed has nothing to do with Irish history."

"I'm Irish, and it's my history." He said smugly, nodding with pride over his own logic.

I turned to the Ripper. "You're a woman, tell him what a bad idea it is." But she said nothing, didn't even twitch.

I sighed and happily got dressed so I could get out of the hospital. I wasn't about to go home and rest. Skulduggery brought the Bentley around and the Ripper managed to fold herself into the back seat. We drove, Skulduggery slightly nervous, then he spoke and I understood why. "We aren't allowed to help with the capture. The idea of a homicidal mother is something the Sanctuary doesn't need to deal with, though I pointed out that if you did slaughter them all America would think twice before it bothered us again." He sighed, clearly wanting to be there.

"The American Sanctuary, Skulduggery, not all Americans. Do I need to remind you that two fought and nearly died in our defense last night?"

"No, you do not. I'll stop for take away, then to the mansion. I just feel restless and I don't know why."

"Because for us things never turn out right. We've known about the threat for about a day and they are already defeated? This just doesn't sound right. Followers of the Faceless Ones tend to be more organized then this. The Necromancers might be, well, a distraction."

Skulduggery nodded. "I'd thought of that. There's only one person I can think of that would kill my son for the fun of it, that would have helped the Necromancers not make a sound last night. I should have killed her when I had a chance."

My hart dropped. "China." I breathed. The Ripper made a movement and I met her gaze in the rear view mirror. I couldn't see her eyes, but I knew it was her. I grabbed Junior to me tightly, but couldn't shadow-walk fast enough. China had whipped a sickle off her back and had it to my throat.

"Stop the car, Skulduggery, or you get to see history repeat itself all over again." She ordered coldly. I flicked my gaze over to him. If he stopped we were all dead, he sped up, and China tightened her grip.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you, Valkyrie. I enjoyed helping kill his first family, you? You're going to be even more fun. You didn't think we were ever friends, did you? I've been biding my time for centuries, waiting for the chance to do this all over again. And do you know why? Because women like you are always," she tightened her grip, "getting," The sickle pressed closer, "in my way."

Skulduggery slammed on the brakes and spun the steering wheel throwing China backwards. I gestured, and her helmet started to tighten. She clawed at it, frantic. I kept up the pressure and she was gasping, trying to scream, her body thrashing.

Skulduggery spun around towards her, his shadows lashing out, decapitating her. I looked at him. "What happened to arresting the bad guy?" I asked, laughing.

Skulduggery just grinned at me. "Remember who I am, Valkyrie. Lord Vile doesn't have to arrest anybody. Now then. We can abide by the law and turn her body in, or you can let Lord Vile take care of things. We could go out to breakfast afterwards." He purred.

"I hate paperwork, bury her deep." Skulduggery nodded, then Lord Vile sat next to me. I sensed his grin as he massed his shadows. He shadow-walked taking China and any trace of her with him. That was a new talent.

I looked down at Junior. He'd managed to stay safe and secure in his car seat, bundled in between me and Skulduggery. "Your daddy is a talented man. I guess you'll be able to do the same thing some day, if you take after him." He actually nodded.

"Vile." He said, a happy giggle after. He waved his hands to be picked up. I did, and nearly dropped him when his weight suddenly increased. I looked at him, now a perfect miniature of Lord Vile. He was adorable. Lord Vile appeared and tilted his head at his son. He didn't seen surprised. He looked at me and I leaned over and kissed him. Vile gripped the back of my head returning the kiss, but tempered his passion. He pulled back, taking his son into his arms.

It was a wonderful sight, but gone all too soon as first Skulduggery then little Skul returned to normal. Skulduggery returned a now sleeping Jr. to his car seat. "He tuckered himself out. China defeated herself, if she hadn't taken the backseat first we'd have put him back there where he belonged. She could have sat by him then, oh, Lord."

"Well she didn't, OK? We always knew she'd show up again, and I can't believe we never knew any better with her. She always seemed hateful even when she acted friendly. But hopefully dead is dead."

"Encased in cement it is. Magic is a wonderful thing and Lord Vile highly approves of a new hotel that is being built. It was easy for him to put the body in without being seen, even as the workers poured the cement foundations, and they go deep, very deep."

"Mmm. Civilians will find her centuries from now and blame a worker." I replied and we both laughed. Skulduggery put the Bentley into drive and we headed off to the inn where we'd eaten so often, a place where Jr. could eat in public and not hide.

I sat back happily. China was dead, our baby was safe. The future looked bright and there would one day be an adult Jr. to work with us if he so chose to. I could hardly wait.

That doesn't have to be the end, I can always travel forward in time to an adult son, or just continue on. Let me know what you think.