So I am re-reading the Skulduggery books and are currently on book 10 "Resurrection". I am in the part where Valkyrie and Skulduggery have just fought Lethe and his gang for the first time and Skulduggery gets beaten up pretty bad. At the end of chapter 22 Valkyrie watches Skulduggery when he examines his arm and then leaves without saying anything and I have always found that part a little... empty, like something is missing. So I wrote this little piece where they talk about what's happened and how Valkyrie is feeling about it all.

Valkyrie returned to Reverie's clinic. She got to Skulduggery's room and stopped in the open doorway. He stood with his back to her. He didn't have his shirt on. She watched his bones move as he examined his reattached forearm. Those bones were nicked and scratched with scars they'd picked up over the years. He flexed his fingers. Valkyrie didn't say anything, she just continued to watch Skulduggery.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking."

Valkyrie winced. She didn't know that Skulduggery knew she was standing behind him, watching him. She lowered her gaze and turned to leave him alone, when Skulduggery turned his head and looked at her. "Where are you going?"

"I was going to let you heal up and get dressed in peace."

"Poppycock. You know I always enjoy having you around. And I want you to know that I don't blame any of what happened on you. I underestimated our enemy, that's all. The next time we run into them, we will be prepared now that we know what they can do."

"I know you don't blame me, but you can't stop me from doing the same. I should have been stronger; I should have helped you fight Lethe! Fuck it that he challenged you to a fight to the death, Skulduggery! If Fletcher hadn't come when he did you would have… You would have…" Tears streamed down Valkyrie's eyes.

Skulduggery said nothing but simply walked up to Valkyrie and put his bony arms around her in an embrace. Valkyrie hugged Skulduggery back and cried against his bare chest. Her whole body was shaking from crying, and she held onto Skulduggery tightly as if she was afraid, he would disappear at any moment.

"Sch, it's okay, Valkyrie. Let it all out." Skulduggery stroked Valkyrie's hair slowly. "I am here, and I am not going anywhere. You have not lost me, and you won't yet for a very long time."

Valkyrie didn't answer and just continued to cry. After a little while she started to calm down and the shaking stopped. She loosened her hold on Skulduggery a little and dared to look into his eye sockets where she could see nothing but deep darkness, but it didn't matter to her. She was used to that darkness, and it didn't scare her. On the contrary, she was reassured by it, as it was the same darkness she had always looked into.

"Sorry. I have soaked your bones."

"It does not matter. They will soon dry. Better you cry your salty tears directly on my bones that won't take any damage from it than on one of my shirts. Tears leave a stain and given that I hate getting my clothes dirty, I'm happy to let you get some dirt on my bones every now and then."

Valkyrie couldn't help herself. She laughed. Skulduggery tilted his head in that way he did when he was pleased with himself, causing Valkyrie to give him a light slap on the reassembled arm. "How is it that as soon as you cheer me up, you have to mock me at the same time?"

"Because it makes you get out of your bad mood and think about other things. I made you laugh, didn't I?"

"You did." Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery's arm again and ran her fingers along the scars she had seen when he examined the arm to see if he had regained full movement in it. "Are you in pain?"

"No. Synecdoche is a good doctor. No need to worry, Valkyrie. There is nothing wrong with me."

"You have so many scars. I can't help but wonder if I am the cause of some of them. If any of these scars are from any of the times you've jumped in and saved me from some creepy guy or some monster. I sometimes wonder if some of all your scars are ones, I gave you when I was Darquesse…"

Skulduggery took Valkyrie's chin in his hand and lifted it up so he could look her in the eyes. "Even if you are the cause of some of all the scars on my body Valkyrie, I don't blame any of them on you. I can promise you that you also have quite a few scars on your bones for which I may be indirectly responsible. Just because you have skin like Synecdoche and the other doctors can heal without leaving any trace of the damage that was there, doesn't mean you still have scars that can't be seen."

"I guess you're right."

"I'm always right. I thought you knew that by now. After all, we have been partners for 12 years now."

Valkyrie smiled. "That we have. And what a fast-paced 12 years it has been."

"No day with me is ever dull."

"Except when they are. They are not many and luckily there is quite a long time between them, but when they do happen, they are extremely boring."

Skulduggery put his free hand on his bony chest and said in a mock sad voice, "How can you say that to me, the best detective who ever lived?"

Valkyrie laughed again and gave Skulduggery another hug. She rested her cheek against his bony shoulder and closed her eyes. "I love you, Skulduggery."

"And I love you, Valkyrie. Until the end."

"Until the end."