Here it is...the last chapter...*sniffle*
Valkyrie stood outside, facing to the mansion as Skulduggery dragged their suitcases past her and loaded them on the waiting trolley. He then started up a conversation with the carriage driver. Valkyrie breathed in the mid-morning air and sighed. She was going to miss this place: the beauty, the sights, the smells, the memories…
She smiled. 'Definitely the memories,' she thought as she recollected the events of last night and this morning. She awoke to find an empty spot next to her and single red rose in her hand. She had slipped her underwear on and crammed into Skulduggery's shirt just as he walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and drying his hair with another. She knocked him into the wall when she ran and hugged him.
She thought the people in the neighboring room must have had enough of their ruckus by now. She had questioned him about the shower and he said that he just missed the feeling of the hot water on his skin. Then she decided that a hot shower sounded nice, seeing as how she didn't even get her bath in from the day before.
She had handed him back the rose as she headed into the bathroom, but not before snatching the towel from around his waist and slamming the bathroom door in his face before he could catch her. He then proceeded to ruin her hot shower by dumping a pitcher of cold water over the shower curtain onto her head. Needless to say, the bathroom ended up, yet again, soaked.
Skulduggery waved the driver on and walked over to Valkyrie.
"Our carriage will be here soon. Are you ready to go?" he asked. She sighed.
"Yeah, I guess so," she said. She turned to face him.
"Do you think we'll ever come back?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Probably," he said, "You know, they do a lot of weddings up here." Valkyrie raised an eyebrow at him.
"What's that supposed to mean, Pleasant?" she asked, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. He shrugged again.
"Merely stating the facts," he replied smugly. Valkyrie rolled her eyes.
"You're such a goon," she muttered, turning her attention back toward the mansion. Skulduggery chuckled and leaned in closer to her.
"Be that as it may," he whispered in her ear, "I know for a fact that you still love me." Valkyrie snorted.
"What was your first clue detective: the endless loving bickering or the not-so-heated passion filled night?" Skulduggery smiled and shook his head, cupping her cheek with his hand, bringing her to face him.
"Neither," he said softly, "The fact that you said no matter what, you would still love me." Valkyrie felt the blush creep across her face.
"Why do you have to be so damn romantic?" she muttered as she tried to glare at him. She failed miserably.
"Because I am amazing like that," he replied. He then leaned down and kissed her. Valkyrie smiled against his lips as she slid her arms around his neck. She broke away as she heard the carriage clamber up the path.
Skulduggery gave a quick kiss on her lips before walking down to meet the carriage. Valkyrie shook her head. Less than twenty-four hours ago, they had been standing here biting each others heads off. Now here they stood in each others arms, in constant lip lock.
A sudden breeze lapped across her face, tossing her hair around. She could detect the faint smell of apples as it whipped past her nose.
"Thanks Abigail," she breathed, the wind carrying her words through the endless maze of trees.
"Ready?" called Skulduggery. Valkyrie nodded and walked over to him. As she got closer, she noticed the driver of the carriage was the same driver that brought them here.
"Guess what?" Skulduggery asked when she stopped next to him, "The driver said he was able to get the horses up the main road." Valkyrie smiled.
"I guess that means the danger is completely gone then," she said. He nodded.
"I think you're right." He stopped her as she started to climb into the carriage.
"I believe this is yours," he said, handing her sketchbook to her.
"How did you get it?" she asked as she took it from him. She honestly thought she would never see it again.
"I saw it on the ground when I went with the Sanctuary members to go pick up Clarabelle's body," he said, "And might I add, you are quite talented, if I do say so myself." Valkyrie leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
"Thanks," she whispered and then climbed up into the carriage. Skulduggery climbed in behind her. He draped an arm over her shoulders and she rested her head his shoulder. She took one last fleeting look at the mansion as the driver clicked the horses on.
She felt funny, like something was different. At first she thought it was her brain finally realizing that she had lost her virginity to not only her partner, but her dead partner, but felt that it was more then that. She thought about it and then froze in realization at her mistake of not asking Skulduggery one simple question before their night together. She gently slid a hand over her stomach.
'Uh oh…'