I am currently re-reading the SP books and are right now on book 11 "Midnight". When I finished the 10th book, I felt like Valkyrie and Skulduggery really should have 'the talk' about what happened when Skulduggery was corrupted. So this is what I came up with! Hope you enjoy it and please leave a review :)
Skulduggery Pleasant looked at his partner, Valkyrie Cain. "You may not like the darkness inside you, but it allows you to do things other people can't, or won't. And all those others – the good, the bad, the ordinary – they need people like us to protect them."
"And what about when we're the ones endangering them?"
"We'll just have to help each other find our way back to the light."
"I like that", she said, and walked over to him. Xena, Valkyrie's dog, was still on her back on the floor, her paws in the air. Valkyrie put her hands on Skulduggery's chest. "Your tie's crooked", she said, adjusting it. "I can't have you looking dishevelled when you're out with me. I have a pretty terrible reputation to protect."
"We're going out, are we?"
"Of course," she said. "We have mysteries to solve, and adventures to undertake, and I need my partner looking dapper by my side."
"Are we taking the dog?"
"The dog is staying. Tonight it's just you and me." She gave the tie a slight adjustment, and nodded. "There. Perfect."
"Are you with me?" he asked.
She looked up at him. "Until the end."
"I like the sound of that." Skulduggery laid his arms around Valkyrie. "Welcome back, Valkyrie Cain."
Valkyrie smiled and hugged Skulduggery back. "It feels good to be back, despite everything that has happened." She took a step back so she could look into Skulduggery's eye sockets but didn't let go of his waist. "I hope you realize this doesn't mean I'm back 100 %. I still have a lot I need to deal with."
"I know, Valkyrie, and I'm not going to pressure you. You take it all at the pace that suits you. After all, you've been through a lot in recent years."
"Thanks Skulduggery." Valkyrie smiled again and stroked Skulduggery's cheekbone.
Xena, who had grown tired of lying on the floor getting no attention, stood up and let out a bark. Valkyrie let go of Skulduggery and bowed down in front of her dog. She scratched behind her ear while running her other hand over Xena's back. "Sorry, Xena. Don't you like it when mistress ignores you?"
Xena licked Valkyrie's cheek and Valkyrie couldn't help but laugh. "I interpret that as I have been forgiven."
Skulduggery patted Xena's head before turning and walking out of the bedroom. "Not to risk hurting your dog now that you've just been forgiven, but I thought you said we had mysteries to solve and adventures to undertake. I'll be waiting for you in the Bentley. Just don't take too long. You know how I get when I'm bored."
Valkyrie laughed again. "I'll be right with you."
Skulduggery disappeared down the stairs and when she could no longer see him Valkyrie turned back to her dog. "Xena, mom is going to be leaving for a while. I'll be back home soon. Promise me you'll be a good doggy while I'm gone."
Xena wagged her tail and gave Valkyrie another lick. She then followed her mistress down the stairs where the tall, bony type had just disappeared down. She gave a happy bark as her mistress filled her food bowl and gave her fresh water. She received one last pat on the back before her mistress said that word which Xena knew meant that mistress would leave but be back soon.
Valkyrie locked the front door behind her and walked over to the Bentley which was parked in her driveway next to her own car. The moment she opened the car door, Skulduggery started the Bentley. She closed the door before putting on her seat belt and settling into the car seat. Skulduggery swerved out of her driveway and onto the road. They said nothing at first, but let the silence envelop them. It was a comfortable silence and Valkyrie felt how tired she still was after Abyssinia had sucked some of her life force. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of the Bentley driving across the tarmac.
"What are you thinking about?" Skulduggery asked and moved his head slightly towards her, as if he was glancing at her.
"Nothing…" Valkyrie muttered tiredly. "I haven't regained all my strength yet and am tired. If I can rest and take it easy tonight, I will be back to my usual strength tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
"Having your life force drained really takes the edge off you. You were incredibly lucky that Abyssinia only needed a little more to regain her strength. If the other two hadn't basically restored her…"
"Then I would be dead by now. I know, Skulduggery. I also know that you would have found some way to save me if that had been the case. After all, that's how we operate. I save your life and you save mine."
"So be it, but I will not always be by your side when you are in mortal danger. There may come a day when I am not there to save you."
"Skulduggery!" Valkyrie said in exasperation, opening her eyes as she sat up in her seat. "Don't say that!"
"I thought we decided a long time ago to be honest with each other. The truth hurts sometimes and you, if anyone, know this better than many."
"That's not why I'm upset. I know there will come a day when one of us dies, but it's something I don't want to think about, especially after what we've just been through. I just came back after being gone for five years and the first thing that happens to me is that you get corrupted by Smoke, which in turn led to you helping the bad guys with their plans, which in turn led to you shot me in the leg! Then you were about to execute me by shooting me in the head but overcame Smoke's corruption at the last second. Had I known this would happen if I came back, I might not have called you when I did and said I was ready to come back to Ireland…"
Skulduggery said nothing at first but just placed his left hand on Valkyrie's thigh and pressed it. Valkyrie felt tears forming in her eyes and she wiped them away in annoyance. She hated crying in front of Skulduggery, even though she knew he didn't mind. Skulduggery dropped his gaze from the road for a few seconds to be able to turn his head and look at her. "I'm sorry, Valkyrie. I really am."
That was all that was needed. Tears now flowed freely down her cheeks and Valkyrie took Skulduggery's hand in hers. "It's just that… I knew you were only… a phone call away if I… needed you, but when Smoke… corrupted you… I was left all alone. I was so scared… I told anyone who would listen that… I would get you back, but… I didn't know if I could… What if you never… could get out of the corruption? What if you managed to kill me first…"
"I could never kill you, Valkyrie. You mean way too much to me. We've gotten so close over the years. We are soul mates, you and I."
"I know that, but I've been feeling bad for so long that my evil thoughts take over sometimes... I was so afraid of never being able to hear your voice or your laugh again. To never hear you tease me again or make me feel good again when I feel bad. To never see you again…" Valkyrie looked into Skulduggery's eye sockets. "To never be able to be your partner again."
"Valkyrie…" was all Skulduggery said, but in that single word Valkyrie could discern so much. How proud he was of her, how much she meant to him, how much she had changed his life for the better. That she made him experience and feel things that he couldn't experience after he came back as a skeleton. That he would be there for her when she needed him, no matter where she was or what time of day it was. That they belonged together.
Valkyrie hadn't noticed that the Bentley had stopped and was now stationary until Skulduggery let go of the steering wheel with his other hand and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. He stroked her back and hair while whispering comforting words in her ear. Valkyrie let her head settle against Skulduggery's bony chest as she cried out all the fear, she had been harbouring for the few days Skulduggery had been under Smoke's control.
"I'm so sorry, Valkyrie. I should have been stronger. I should have broken the control much sooner than I did. The truth is I am a violent man and that side of me only got stronger when I came back from the dead. They were at their strongest during my time as Lord Vile and when I took off the armour much of the violence went away, but not all. I've been good at suppressing that side of me when I don't need to use it, but the moment Smoke touched me it came up to the surface.
I was reminded then how strong this side of me is, how much I enjoy creating chaos and making people suffer. How much I enjoy killing. I can never get rid of that side of me. Just like with Lord Vile, it lies in wait just waiting for an opportunity to break the surface and take over."
"Skulduggery…" Valkyrie whispered and tightened her grip on him.
"I want so badly to tell you that the reason I didn't kill you outright at the same moment that I became corrupted was because of our bond, but that's only part of the truth. The real truth is that I wanted a challenge, and I knew that with you I could get one. As I told you when I called you when you were at Synecdoche getting your bullet wound fixed, I wanted you to be focused. I wanted you in your element, because otherwise it wouldn't have been much of a challenge."
Skulduggery grabbed Valkyrie's chin and made her look into his black eye sockets. Even though he had no eyes to show what he was feeling, Valkyrie could tell from the way Skulduggery tilted his head and his body language that he was sad. She put her hand on his cheekbone. "You don't have to say anything more, Skulduggery. I know and I understand. Strength can be like a drug you can't live without. I felt similar things when I was Darquesse. You don't have to explain anything to me."
"So be it, but that doesn't change the fact that I shot you. It doesn't matter that it was only in the leg. I hurt you, Valkyrie. This time I can't blame it on anyone else, but this time it was me who pulled the trigger. I did it of my own free will, whether I was corrupted or not."
"And I forgive you, Skulduggery. You weren't yourself; you were being controlled. You had no control over yourself. If Smoke told you to do something, you had to do it. I know you could never hurt me the way you did when Smoke controlled you when you are yourself, when you are in full control."
Skulduggery did not respond. He just kept looking into Valkyrie's dark brown eyes that radiated nothing but total trust towards him. He couldn't understand how he could be so lucky in his long life to meet Valkyrie Cain and have her as his partner. She was like no one else he had met in his nearly 450 years.
"You are amazing."
"Tell me something else about me that I already know," Valkyrie replied, smiling.
"That you are smart, strong, stubborn as a donkey, don't know when to give up, that you can be really annoying sometimes, especially when you are in a bad mood or hungry. And let's not forget that you can also be extremely impatient."
"You can stop praising me anytime now."
Skulduggery laughed. "Did I forget to say that you are also one of the most beautiful women I have come to know in all the years I have lived?"
"You did, indeed." Valkyrie smiled before giving Skulduggery's cheekbone a kiss. "I'll admit that even though you're nothing but bones, I find you attractive, Mr. Pleasant."
"There aren't many who can resist my charm, that's for sure."
Valkyrie laughed and rested her head against Skulduggery's shoulder before closing her eyes. "Thanks for coming back to me, Skulduggery."
"Thanks for making me want to come back, Valkyrie. I will admit that a world without you would not be the same. It wouldn't be as fun to live in, firstly, and secondly, it would suck to not have someone worshiping the ground I walk on."
"Who says I am the one worshiping the ground you walk on? I would like to claim that you are the one who worships the ground I walk on. Everyone knows that you are the one who looks up to me and not the other way around."
Skulduggery snorted and Valkyrie couldn't help but laugh. She felt Skulduggery's teeth brush against her ear the second before he whispered, "You can always keep dreaming, Valkyrie."
"I will as long as I have you by my side, Skulduggery. Until the end." Valkyrie looked up into Skulduggery's eye sockets as he leaned back and away from her ear. "I love you, Skulduggery Pleasant."
"And I love you, Valkyrie Cain," Skulduggery whispered seconds before he once again leaned forward against his partner, letting his teeth encircle her red, warm lips.