Chapter 119

Five days awake

"I think a home environment will help Valkyrie significantly," Civet said, looking over his notes with Kenspeckle over his shoulder and nodding. Nadia and Tanith were the only ones there.

"I'm worried we can't give her the time," Tanith said again, exasperation in her voice. "Even if it's slower, she's better off with around the clock monitoring. You said that yourself."

"I said that when she was in a coma," Doctor Kenspeckle interjected. He'd given Tanith a new medicine this morning for her morning sickness and it was working very well. Well enough he might be regretting his discovery because Tanith had woken up kicking back that morning. Or afternoon. Nadia had been inside for nearly three weeks and it was not healthy. "Her recovery at the hospital is slowing down."

"I think it's also possible we need to prepare for a more permanent brain injury," Civet warned. "There's no indication that Valkyrie can't recover, but that doesn't mean she will. Regular visits here, the correct medication and lots of positive interactions at home is the best bet she has for a full and quick recovery."

"And I'm telling you, we don't have time to give her those things," Tanith repeated once more. "We can't be there all the time to help her. The others are working with the Sanctuary, there are mages pouring in trying to take over the Sanctuary from other countries. I'm seven months pregnant! There's no one at home to help Valkyrie like there is here."

"With all due respect, this hospital isn't exactly designed for this type of healing," Civet said sadly. "Our resources are designed for surgeries and short term, highly difficult healing, not long term recovery. And at any rate, over the last three days, Valkyrie was expected to have made much more of a recovery but hasn't met any of the milestones we were expecting in the time parameters. There's no reason she shouldn't except for lack of stimulation."

"I can look after her," Nadia interjected quietly when Tanith was about to repeat herself again. They all looked at her. "I mean, you've already explained everything that she needs. And she's worked out the things she needs for me to be able to look after her so… it makes sense, right? And Tanith will be home too, and the others at night, if there's a real emergency. I'll just be doing the majority and keeping her from killing herself. We'll literally watch telly, talk and play games all day."

Doctor Kenspeckle was sceptical, Tanith looked like she'd rather not, but Civet nodded encouragingly. "Nadia knows everything she needs to."

"Miss Robin is a child," Doctor Kenspeckle argued.

"Lots of children look after their family," Nadia said strictly. "And if being at home will help, Valkyrie won't need me around all the time for long. That's what you said."

"It is," Civet agreed, and she could see Tanith begin to be convinced. "If it doesn't work out, we can review. But for now, even regular home visits are better than being stuck in here."

Doctor Kenspeckle and Tanith didn't look entirely happy but both grudgingly agreed and once Doctor Kenspeckle was hidden – Valkyrie had seen him again and been scared, so he was still off limits – Nadia packed up the last of their things while Tanith woke Valkyrie and told her the plans.

Tanith got Valkyrie dressed and ready for the move and before long, they were outside and waiting on their taxi. Nadia gave Valkyrie a little wave.

"Hi," Valkyrie smiled.

"Hey," Nadia replied.

Valkyrie held her hand out and after a moment, Nadia took it. Grinning, Valkyrie looked away and seemed very smug, leaving Nadia to shake her head fondly.

.*****.

"We're here!" Valkyrie announced when the taxi stopped by the gated driveway. Tanith paid the man and Nadia helped Valkyrie out of the car. They got the bags out of the trunk and Nadia was pleasantly surprised when Valkyrie grabbed a couple for her because there was no way she could have carried them all.

In the house, Valkyrie was quick to throw her shoes and the bags to the floor and run up the stairs on her hands and feet like a child and go off giggling to, Nadia presumed, her bedroom.

"At least she's happy," Tanith commented, sitting on the stool in the front entrance and leaning carefully to take her shoes off. "Thank you for doing this, by the way. It is nice to have her home again."

"It's okay," Nadia smiled. "Erm, is there anything you want for dinner? I thought I might make something."

"If you want," Tanith shrugged. "I don't really mind what food, but I really want garlic bread."

"I'll make that then."

There was a crash from upstairs and both of them looked up. "I'm okay!" Valkyrie shouted.

"I need a nap," Tanith said, and went off to the snug.

A little nervously, Nadia went up the stairs and saw that Valkyrie was in her bedroom. In there, she was sitting on the floor and had pulled out a blanket from the ottoman at the end of the bed, turned on her old computer, and had knocked the printer on the floor leaving it smashed.

"I think it's broken," Valkyrie said, nodding innocently.

"That's fine," Nadia told her. It was Valkyrie printer anyway. "Um, I'm going to put it outside the door."

"Okay," Valkyrie replied and watched Nadia move the printer with magic. When it was down, Nadia came back into the room and looked at Valkyrie. "I'm going to play Sims."

"I've not played that before," Nadia admitted. "My friends had it when we were little."

"It's the best," Valkyrie gushed. "I have the pets expansion. I can make you a cat."

"Cats are my favourite animal," Nadia smiled, taking a seat on the bed.

"I know," Valkyrie said shyly, smiling over her shoulder at Nadia. "My favourite animal is a dog, though."

"Well, cats and dogs can get along."

"Yeeeah," Valkyrie said, obviously unconvinced. Still, the game had just loaded up on the boxy PC and Valkyrie seemed pretty thrilled. "I'm going to make all of us."

Nadia nodded and went to Valkyrie's bookshelf for a peruse. Last time she'd been in the room with Valkyrie had been on their first date after getting back together and she'd been nervous. It had just been so much pressure, standing in the room, and Valkyrie being so pretty and there.

She had felt as if she needed to do something and that hadn't made her feel comfortable even though Valkyrie didn't do anything in particular to make her feel that way but – Emily had done. Emily had pushed her until she was not comfortable anymore and when she'd first stepped foot in this room, those feelings had come back no matter how hard she'd pushed. Luckily, Valkyrie was always gentle with her and had taken her to see Tanith's baby's room which had been cute. She needed to see if she could do anything to help Tanith, maybe get more into her good side since she wasn't sure still how much Tanith hated her. They spoke, but what did that mean? Nadia didn't know. She'd been taught by her Daadii and all her further relations that a good meal always made people like you more, so she'd make a good dinner. That wasn't so hard, and she liked cooking anyway. Maybe it was just her family, but food would work on her for sure.

"Nadia?" Valkyrie asked.

"Hmm?" She turned and saw Valkyrie with a concerned look on her face. "What is it?"

"You were spacy," Valkyrie claimed.

"Just thinking," Nadia smiled. "I was wondering what to make for dinner."

"You're making dinner? Can I help?"

"Sure," she agreed easily. "We have a few hours yet."

"Good. I'm making you in game. You can watch." Valkyrie turned back to her game and Nadia wasn't sure, but her commanding attitude seemed to be a little change even from what she'd been earlier. Or perhaps that was because she was finally away from the adults. Civet had told them repeatedly that all expressions of emotion and personality, even if it differed from how Valkyrie 'normally' was like, was a good thing. So, Nadia brought a chair up and watched Valkyrie play her game.

.*****.

"That was amazing," Dexter complimented, putting his knife and fork down.

"That's okay," Valkyrie said absently, trying very carefully to eat without getting messy. She'd spilt some of the lasagne down herself but other than the edges of her mouth and a few bits on her lap, she'd eaten with cutlery and almost cleanly. Progress.

"What did you do today?" Nadia asked politely. Perhaps hopefully.

"We're working to contact Skulduggery," Erskine said, eating the last of his garlic bread. "We thought he'd respond if we pretended to be Solomon but we've heard nothing."

"I'm sure he'll want to see Valkyrie," Nadia said, though she didn't feel any truth in her words. "At least, Valkyrie will want to see him."

"That's what we're betting on," Dexter admitted, relaxing back and putting an arm over Saracen's shoulders. "Valkyrie and Skulduggery are the best detectives in the world. As soon as Valkyrie's fit, I know she'll drag him out of whatever hole he's in. Then we can deal with all this crap."

"But what plan do you have?" Nadia asked. Dexter gave her a strange look. "Like, he was let free, wasn't he? So why are you looking for him?"

"He was let free of being forced to bomb somewhere, not free to disappear off the edge of the world after sending Fletcher into the Spider's den. Anyway, the Elders know the truth, so he'll still get punished in some way. With the way things are going, that's the best any of us are getting out of this."

"It'll be okay," Valkyrie smiled, not understanding the gravity of what they were saying.

Still, Dexter grinned back. "It will be with dinner like this every day. You and Nadia did a good job."

"Thanks," she smiled again.

"You're blushing," he teased.

Valkyrie went red. "No, I'm not."

"You are! Look Saracen, she's blushing!"

"She's got a crush on Nadia," he joined in.

"I do not!" Valkyrie shouted back and ran from her chair out of the dining room.

"I think she has a crush on you," Erskine smiled quietly before they all flinched.

"Don't tease her like that!" Tanith snapped at them. She hadn't woken up in a good mood. "Isn't she going through enough without you messing with her?"

"Hey, it was just some fun," Saracen tried, smiling sweetly. Tanith glared harder. "Okay, okay. How about we go apologise?"

Tanith humped and sat back to eat the other half of her dinner, which was a garlic baguette with a side of lasagne. She'd requested it. "You better."

"We'll go now," he said, and him, Dexter and Erskine ran off from the table like three naughty schoolboys. All they needed to do was start giggling.

"Children," Anton seconded quietly, eating almost delicately.

"They need a hobby," Tanith muttered.

Another chapter, yay! Two days, three chapters. I'm doing okay so far!

I hope you liked this chapter, it was a little more filler, I wanted to show some personalities and Valkyrie herself a little more considering she is quite different at the moment. Ideas on what to do and what you think will/should happen are always welcome for this story, I like hearing from you all :)