This is a little story based on the idea that Skulduggery and Valkyrie met under different circumstances. It's completely my imagination and not based on facts in the books. But then when are my stories ever like that? Enjoy and sorry for mistakes.

The mansion looked regal and sophisticated on a night Gordon insisted was significant. He insisted Stephanie attend the event and wear the dress he had his assistant buy her. What Gordon did not predict was that his assistant, while very fashionable and a better stylist than he could ever be, would pick out a long, tight-fitted black dress. Never before had Gordon felt like a father than in that moment. He wasn't a father but seeing the dress and imagining his once little niece wearing it seemed illegal.

Gordon had been lucky the past few years as he had been blessed with the opportunity to watch his niece grow into the beautiful seventeen year old she'd become. When Stephanie was twelve Gordon had been faced with an immense threat on his life by a man called Nefarian Serpine. Gordon barely escaped with his life but thanks to his dear friend, he made it out alive.

Gordon hadn't been publishing any books since then but spending time with Stephanie, his niece who was as close to a daughter to him as he'd get. Tonight was the big night to celebrate the release of his book And The Darkness Rained Upon Them. He'd written years ago but decided to wait for the right time to release it. Turns out the right time was when he needed to pay for all the new furnishings in the mansion Stephanie had insisted he get. She loved the mansion just the way it was but that one fateful night when lounging on the couch that broke from right under her became the last straw. Gordon remembered her storming into his office, a look of pure rage and determination... and probably embarrassment on her face, and demanded he fork out some money for new things.

In attendance were many people Gordon would rather avoid but had to be there according to his publisher. On a personal endeavour to restore order in an otherwise snobby environment Gordon invited his dear friend, Skulduggery Pleasant. He couldn't wait to see the look on their faces when Skulduggery arrived with his hat, large glasses, and a scarf wrapped around the lower half of his... face. The only problem was Stephanie, she hadn't met Skulduggery let alone new of his existence.

XxXxX

Stephanie stared at the dress lying on the bed in the room she practically claimed as her own. Her parents didn't mind her staying here with Gordon so often except for the apparent 'weird' people Gordon socialized with. Stephanie was yet to see these 'weird' people so she left that opinion up to her paranoid parents. The dress was black, very black, and very, very tight. You'd look at the dress and think how can one possibly move in this thing? However, it was surprisingly stretchy material that Stephanie had to admit she'd never quite seen before. She'd have to ask Gordon where he bought it from.

Voices trailed up from the large foyer downstairs. People had started to arrive. In a rush Stephanie slipped on the dress and crimson heels , tied her hair in a seemingly calculated style and ran (as fast as a girl can in such heels) downstairs. Gordon had a room that was rarely used except for big events like these and it was huge. The mansion was probably fifty per cent this room, Stephanie estimated. When she entered she saw more people than she'd anticipated. People were already grouped off and socializing while she was left alone in an unfamiliar environment. Why was she here? She had no idea what she was supposed to do. Large, circular tables lined the perimeter of the room with small name-tags for assigned seats. In the middle was a cleared area, probably meant for dancing, or just talking like most people were, and at the back was a large table of finger food and drinks. This was very high class and very not Stephanie.

"Okay, I don't like this either but if I have to endure it, so do you," Gordon said from behind her. She whirled around, a look of betrayal on her face and poked an accusing finger at him.

"You owe me for this," she said mockingly.

Gordon smiled and hugged his niece. "You have my love, that's all that should matter. You should feel honoured really. I mean, how many people can say that Gordon Edgely loves them? Not many, I tell you, not many at all," he chuckled at the glower on Stephanie's face. "Now I need to go talk to some very narrow-minded and rich people, wish me luck!"

Gordon disappeared in a sea of suits, ties and expensive dresses. Stephanie could practically see the dollar signs on their bodies. As she stared at the room she couldn't decide where to start. Her stomach rumbled. Ah, the food table it is then.

The food table was full of delicious nibbles she wished she could stack onto a plate and devour in a dark corner. A man leaning against the wall next to the table caught her eye. He had a wide-brimmed fedora on but that wasn't the weirdest part. His eyes were covered by a large pair of sunglasses with a scarf wrapped around his head, covering his nose and mouth. She found herself staring a quickly looked away when the man tilted his head at her. He might be sick or something, how rude of her.

Just as she turned away a smooth voice from behind her stopped her. "I have to admit I've never seen you at any of these boring nights before. You don't seem like the rich, snobby socialite type."

Stephanie turned. "I'm not," she replied.

The man leaned in with a gloved hand on her arm. "Your tag is hanging out," he said in a low voice.

Valkyrie leaned back and stared at the man. "Sorry?"

"The back of your dress... the tag. It's hanging out, you forgot to take it off," he repeated.

"Oh my God," Valkyrie felt her face go red and tried to reach behind and retrieve the tag but couldn't quite grab it.

"Need help?" He asked. His voice was like, it was like... velvet. Stephanie couldn't quite form a coherent thought with that voice talking to her.

"Uh... yes please," she tried.

With one swift movement she felt the snap of the plastic being pulled from her dress. She began to thank him when a spine-tingling scream came from the crowd. It was as if the people parted to show her the scene because right in her view was her Uncle Gordon lying on the floor... a pool of blood spilling from under him.

Without thinking of where she was or who she was with she grabbed the arm of the man she'd just been talking to her. As her knees wobbled she dropped to the floor, sobbing her Uncle's name.

"Gordon?" She heard her Uncle's name being spoken in the soft velvet voice of the man. Her grip on his arm slipped off as her vision swirled and blurred but she saw the man running over to Gordon's side and frantically searching each direction. "Out!" he yelled. "Everybody out!"

Stephanie didn't move but everyone else couldn't have cleared out any faster. She was alone in the big room with a stranger and her dead Uncle. She couldn't bring herself to move until the man came to her side and she moved her head to look at him.

"You're his niece aren't you? Stephanie Edgley?" He asked and kneeled in front of her.

Stephanie nodded. "Who did this to him?" She sobbed and couldn't help but stare past him at Gordon's body.

When the man didn't answer it occurred to her that he knew more than he was letting on. She scrambled away from him and he tilted his head. "What did you do?" She asked.

"I didn't do anything," he said. "But I might know who did. You need to get out of this room, I'll join you in a minute. I need to make a call."

Stephanie found herself following the man's orders though she stole a glance at the pale body of her Uncle before leaving and shut the door behind her.

Was she stupid? Following a stranger's orders and leaving him in a room with her Uncle's... dead body. Stephanie's head didn't allow for clear thinking or vision and before she knew it she was falling to the floor into darkness.

I'll continue with this story line and more Skulduggery to come! Review!