A/N: I don't own Wreath, Valkyrie, Val's dad or Skulduggery. Thanks go out to the people actually reading this. Le sigh.

A doctor casually mentioned that Wreath seemed to do better when Valkyrie was there, and that was all the encouragement she needed to weld herself to his bedside. Except for walks to stretch her legs or go get a shower and fresh clothes she lived in his room for two weeks, keeping watch, protecting Wreath because she didn't trust the Necromancers not to return. And when he at last opened his eyes to find her with him he managed a weak smile.

"Solomon." Valkyrie breathed, then leaned into his bed to kiss him before she could stop herself. She was going to pull back, to apologize, but he returned the kiss the best he could. He sighed contentedly as she pulled away, and all too soon Valkyrie was being shooed from the room so doctors could examine him.

As she waited to get back in to see him her dad joined her. "So, he's the one, huh?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, he is. I love him, dad. I know he isn't the type of guy you'd pick for me-"

"Nonsense." He father interrupted. "He saved your life. And from what Skulduggery tells us he's done it more than once. He'll be good for you. Mm, better get back in there, he's waiting for you." Valkyrie gave her father a quick hug and as she did he whispered in her ear. "We knew. He came by one night to ask my blessing. I said yes, I hope that's OK." He said warmly and Valkyrie hugged him tighter still.

She let go and went in to see Wreath, who looked handsome as he always did, even with having been in hospital for two weeks. He was every so slightly paler than normal, but his eyes gleamed as she joined him. "You do realize it's very humiliating for me to be dressed in anything but black?" He asked and they both laughed softly.

"Yeah, and they wouldn't let me repaint the room in sombre colours either, sorry, Solomon." Valkyrie teased gently and he patted the bed, having raised in into a sitting position. Valkyrie joined him, happily snuggling into his warmth. "I thought I lost you."

"You'll never loose me. I'll always be with you, no matter what, Valkyrie Cain." He kissed her softly then Valkyrie felt him slipping her ring back on and held him tightly. Wreath smiled at her as he pulled back. "They'll be moving me to a normal room so I can at least eat and then a week or so at most and I'm a free man."

"That sounds lovely. Did they give you the good news?"

"Hmm?"

"Count to ten before you answer, but the Sanctuary wants us as detectives. And before you yell, I agree. I love you, Solomon, and I could have lost you."

"I know. I was operating on the rather foolish hope that I'd be welcomed home to a temple some day or I wouldn't have been so merciful. To me there was still a chance they might be family to us in a sense."

"I know. And I'm sorry you lost everything because of me."

"Nonsense, you're my temple now and I've told you that. I'll have to think about it. Before the attack I would have refused, but the attack changed things. And being attached to a Sanctuary would make any Necromancer think twice before coming after us." He looked away reflectively then back at her. "Yes. Yes, because I could have lost you."

Valkyrie snuggled in deeper and closed her eyes. She knew being Sanctuary detectives wouldn't mean they were safe. People killed detectives all the time. That said? Knowing she was back in the same Sanctuary as Skulduggery would terrify most Necromancers, and hopefully, that protection would cover Solomon too.

I still love this story, so there. I just can't believe no one out there remotely likes Wreath. You people are cold. I could have paired her with Nye, and if you push things I just might.