A/N: Hello, everyone! This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction—or any fictional story, for that matter. So I apologize in advance for any mistakes I may have made.

Valkyrie is probably somewhere in her twenties in this story. The story starts out pretty tame, but beware of sexually explicit content in later chapters. I don't think there are any spoilers.

As you may have guessed, I do not own Skulduggery Pleasant or any characters herein. All of that glory rests on the shoulders of Derek Landy.

Whew, thank god that's done. This is all so confusing to a novice like me.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Three loud taps rang through the silence that had descended over the old Irish mansion.

Valkyrie's head jerked up. She was leaning over her homework, drifting off into peaceful, sleepy thought. At least she had been until the sharp tapping brought her suddenly back to reality. With a confused frown creasing her brow, she looked at the clock beside her. 12:30.

Valkyrie rose stiffly from her desk chair, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back until she heard a satisfying popping noise. She thought about the essay she still had to finish for her college course on criminology, also wondering why Skulduggery was bothering her so late at night. It wasn't as if Skulduggery always respected her sleep schedule—he was a skeleton who needed no sleep, after all—but at least he usually waited until early morning to rouse her for a case.

She took one step towards the window, then promptly tripped over a stack of textbooks that she had carelessly laid aside. So much for being graceful, she thought bitterly, all your training and here you are tripping over books. Skulduggery would be so smug if he knew. She turned her head to look at her unfinished homework that had kept her awake and now caused her this indignity, then got up with a sigh.

Valkyrie started back towards the door, hearing three more sharp taps of bone against glass that could only mean one thing: Skulduggery was getting impatient. So typical. He bothers me in the middle of the night and just expects me to be ready and waiting for his appearance. It's not like my life revolves around him. After a brief pause and a chuckle, she thought, Well maybe it does.

Deliberately slowing her steps to keep him waiting, she walked casually to the window and drew back the curtain. To anyone else, the vague outline of a thin man perched on the windowsill would be a nightmare, but it brought an unconscious grin to Valkyrie's face.

She opened the window and stepped back, forcing an exaggerated frown onto her visage. "What are you doing here at this hour?" she asked in a mockingly annoyed tone, "You know that I need my beauty rest, Skulduggery."

"Well hello to you too, Valkyrie," he replied sarcastically as he gracefully uncurled his long limbs from the window. His deep, velvety voice sent a shiver down her spine. She could listen to that voice all day, not that she'd ever tell him that. She could only imagine the smug look on his skull if he knew how appealing he was. "Are you cold?" he asked casually at her involuntary shiver, glancing down to take in her bare legs and only letting his eyes linger for a fraction of a moment.

"Hmm? Oh, no not really" she replied distractedly, also glancing down at her short pajama shorts and loose tank top. Of course, she had taken off her bra hours ago, potential visitors forgotten in an effort to get comfy. She suddenly felt self-conscious in her skimpy attire; she even considered putting on a cardigan that she had discarded on the floor earlier. But no, that was silly. Skulduggery had seen her in far less after all.

Has Skulduggery seen me naked? She thought suddenly. All those times my clothes were slashed to shreds during fights… Her cheeks heated at the thought, and she had to turn away quickly to avoid Skulduggery's ever-inquisitive gaze.

She returned to her desk, making sure to avoid the textbooks that had surprised her earlier, and sunk into the chair. She swiveled it to face Skulduggery, taking in his impeccable suit with his favorite hat angled rakishly over one eye socket. For a second the thought flashed across her mind that he looked damn good, but she banished it quickly. Stop it, what are you thinking, she chastised herself.

Skulduggery's arms were folded over his chest, and he was being uncharacteristically silent. He was still looking at her, his head tilted slightly. Valkyrie suddenly felt awkward, there was a tension in the air that just wouldn't dissipate.

She cleared her throat. "So? What are you doing here?" she asked, hoping it would relieve the tense atmosphere.

"Ah, I see how it is. All the countless times I've saved your life and now I can't even stop by for a chat? I'm deeply hurt, Valkyrie" he responded in his usual sarcastic voice, taking his hat off and placing it on a nearby table before perching himself on the edge of her bed.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes, though inside she was smiling. "Skulduggery, it's almost one in the morning. That requires some explanation, surely."

"Oh yes, that. Well, I, err, have some news for you" he finished lamely, lacking his normally eloquent syntax. He paused for a moment, but all Valkyrie did was lift an eyebrow in response, so he continued. "I've been seeing China lately, and-"

"You've been seeing China?" Valkyrie interrupted, her voice raising slightly in pitch before she even realized it. She made herself calm down, wondering why this simple statement had upset her all the sudden. Of course, in the back of her head she knew why, had known for a long time, but she still could not admit it to herself.

"Yes, didn't I just say that?" Skulduggery's voice was light and joking, even though his nonexistent heart started slightly at her response. He paused momentarily, then continued when Valkyrie stayed silent. "Like I was saying, I've been talking to China lately. Despite her busy schedule, she still spends time developing revolutionary magical sigils. China said," he seemed to take a breath, though he had no lungs, "well she said that she could give me a body again." His voice trailed off.

There was a slight intake of breath, and it took Valkyrie a moment to notice that her jaw had fallen open, lips parted slightly with surprise. "Skulduggery, what…what does that mean?" she stammered slightly, the words forming very slowly in her confused brain.

"It means, Valkyrie, that today I had a sigil etched into my bones that gives me a body. A real body. Organs, skin, hair, all included." His words came faster, he sounded excited—not his usual detached manner at all. "It means that, when I choose, I can be a real person. A real man."

Valkyrie's brain was in a fog. It seemed to have shut down under the onslaught of thought that had been provoked by his words. Through the haze, one question slipped out, "What do you look like?" Valkyrie instantly closed her mouth, afraid at her response. She added in a rush, "I mean, you said that your old face was dead forever."

"You're right, I could never have that face again. To tell you the truth, I haven't seen what I look like yet. I got the sigils today, and they've only just healed, and I was going to try it out, but then…I don't know" he finished uncertainly.

Valkyrie suddenly understood the reason for his late arrival. She understood that Skulduggery Pleasant—the great skeleton detective who was known to never shy away from a fight—was scared. She quickly got up from her chair, rushing over to sit beside him on the bed. She bent one leg under her so she could face him. He turned toward her, his dark eye sockets seeming to ask what to do.

"Where is it? The sigil, I mean." Her voice was firm, she had found her strength because she knew that Skulduggery needed her to be strong when he was feeling so vulnerable and unsure.

His voice was only slightly unsteady when he replied back. "On my fourth rib, where my heart would be."

"Well…do you want to try it out?" Her voice had lost some of its sureness. Valkyrie knew she had to be strong for Skulduggery, but she just had no idea what to do. In all the years of their friendship she had never expected this. Hell, she had never expected anything even close to this.

"I don't know, this is all so strange. I mean, I've been over this countless times with China, and I knew it was coming and I wanted it, but," his shoulders sagged slightly, "I just don't know. This is all very unusual."

Valkyrie knew now what he needed. It just took a little courage. "Unbutton your shirt," she said decisively, her mind already made up.

"Excuse me?" The shock at her words gave his voice some of its characteristic indignation.

"You heard me, Skulduggery. Unbutton. Your. Shirt." She paused after each word, letting it sink in so he would know that she meant it.

Instead of answering, he just followed her command. He loosened his tie, gently pulling the expensive fabric side to side until he could undo the knot. His eyes bored into hers. Valkyrie stared back, mesmerized and lost for words. He slid the tie from around his neck, throwing it onto a nearby table without his usual neatness.

Valkyrie watched as he carefully slid the jacket from around his shoulders, throwing it unceremoniously next to the tie. He didn't seem to care. Valkyrie's whole body felt like it had been turned to jelly under his gaze, for he still stared into her eyes. And she stared back, unblinkingly.

He paused for a second, unsure of himself, then raised his hands and took his gloves off, tugging at each finger before pulling them off. Valkyrie's eyes travelled to his hands. She so rarely saw him take his gloves off, it seemed almost unreal.

As the gloves landed next to the other discarded articles of clothing, her gaze stayed on Skulduggery's hands. Her eyes seemed glued in place, and she couldn't move them even if she wanted to. She watched as he raised his hands, paused slightly, lifted his shoulders in what seemed like a deep breath, and began to unbutton his shirt.

His movements were agonizingly slow, but steady. Then his hands trembled, only very slightly, but it was enough to wake Valkyrie out of her daze. She scooted forward and placed her hand on his arm, steadying him. Her body was so close to his now that he could feel the warmth radiating from her. Her heat, her life, seemed to strengthen him. He looked into her face, taking in the wide eyes and lips slightly parted in anticipation, and undid the last button needed to access the sigil.

Suddenly Valkyrie leaned in, her hands lowering his back onto the bed and her face tilting up to meet his eyes. Then, slowly, she brought her lips in to press gently against his cheekbone. He felt her lips, warm and soft, linger there for a moment before withdrawing.

She looked down, away from his gaze. Her mind raced, the thoughts blurring together into one worry: had she done the right thing? Had she just changed things forever between them? Her mind swam with painful thoughts and she closed her eyes, not daring to look at him.

Skulduggery sensed her pain, it was evident enough on her face. But he knew that he loved her, knew that he always would, so he banished the doubts from his mind and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently.

Her eyes snapped up to his, her nervousness seeming to evaporate inside of her. She looked into his eye sockets, gave a dazzling smile that stopped his nonexistent heart, and raised a hand to press her index finger softly to the sigil etched onto the spot that would cover his heart.

A/N: How did you like it? Hopefully it wasn't too awful to read. Feel free to leave a review telling me what you thought!

I have 3 other chapters written, but I'm not sure if I should post them all at once, or one at a time, or…? Maybe let me know in your review.

Thanks for reading!

ClarabelleBlue