Valkyrie was dancing along to music coming from her radio "You fix your makeup just so. Guess you do know that your beautiful, try on every dress that you own, you will fine in my eyes a half hour ago..." she sang and was about to continue when there was a knock at the door, so she walked over and looked through the peep hole and gaped "Oh my god!" she whispered "Deep breath!" she told herself and opened the door and put the best smile on that she could "Hello!" she said cheerfully and Skulduggery grinned "Hello Valkyrie! How are you?"
"I'm good...why are you here?"
"What? I need t have an occasion to visit my best friend?"
"Well yes, you've not visited in 5 years so I'm guessing there must be one!"
"Ah, well! I guess it must be a bit unexpected!"
"Yeah, just a little! So..."
"Can I come in?"
"If you must!" she moved away from the door and Skulduggery stepped in and followed her to the kitchen.
"So how have you been?" Valkyrie asked when they had settled down "Good! I have a daughter and a wife!"
"Yeah, amazin'"
"My daughter is called Lexi! She's beautiful much like her mother!"
"China sure is pretty." Valkyrie muttered and sipped from her tea "How have you been?" Skulduggery asked "Fine! Don't have a husband, or a job, or kids, friends, family! I lost them in a car crash last year! I lost my job when China took my place as your partner so I didn't have any money! I had to steal, got caught once they let me go with a year of community service though! Ive been great! Thanks for being there for me!" she said dryly and took another sip while Skulduggery just looked at her "W...what?" he stuttered "You heard, I don't need to repeat myself. I'm glad life has treated you well!"
"Val I-"
"You what? Feel sorry for me? Regret leaving? Well its all in the past now you don't need to worry about me, you never really did!"
"I didn't mean to leave!"
"Oh so you didn't mean to buy a plane ticket to America or leave me or have your own family! It was all a huge mistake was it?"
"I...I love my family."
"Sure you do!"
"What do you mean?"
"Your being abused by China!"
"H...how did you know?" he stuttered and she shrugged "There are bruises on your face and every time you mention China you freeze its obvious!"
"But...I don't...I...do love her." he said defensively and Valkyrie laughed once "Really? You expect me to believe that! I can hear her breathing down your phone Skul! She tracks you for gods sake and shes listening to this conversation right now! Your sweating because your worried what she'll do to you when you see her again! She abuses you! You cant deny it!" Skulduggery felt like crying, everything Valkyrie said was true. China was abusing him, but he loved Lexi very much, "Why do you stay with her?"
"Because I love her."
"No you don't! You love your daughter-" then it hit Valkyrie like a brick "She's threating you isn't she? You would have broken up with her years ago unless she was threatening you! She's threatening to kill Lexi isn't she?" Skulduggery's head dipped and he eventually nodded "Where is she right now?"
"I don't know..."
"Yes. You. Do! Now tell me!" she shouted and Skulduggery cowered at her tone "I cant..."
"Skulduggery I swear to god- Wait!" she got out of her chair and shoved her had in Skulduggery's pocket and reached for his phone "I will track her phone then" Valkyrie muttered and looked at where Skulduggery was being tracked from, then she grinned "Bingo."
"CHINA SORROWS YOU BETTER OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW, OR I WILL BLOW IT OPEN!" Valkyrie screamed and banged her fists against the door, after five full seconds she had decided to blow it in, so she stepped back a few steps and ran into the door blowing it of its hinges. She surveyed her surroundings and eventually found China in a corner with a child next to her "Give Lexi to me!" Valkyrie snarled and China grabbed a gun and pointed it at Lexi's head "Come any closer and I shoot her!" China shouted so Valkyrie brought out her own gun and pointed it at China "Put the gun away, or ill shoot you." she said and grinned at China who was contemplating what to do, but since she didn't drop the gun Valkyrie shot, and the bullet went straight through China's head making her fall to the floor limp. Valkyrie ran over to Lexi who was crying and picked her up "Shhh, its ok now! Were going to get you to daddy ok?" Lexi nodded her head and Valkyrie ran out the building to were Skulduggery was pacing around and when he saw his daughter he sprinted over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace "Oh, my little girl! My little baby, I'm sorry you had to see that!" he said to her and Lexi cried into her farthers shoulder. Skulduggery looked at Valkyrie who was smiling at the two but when she met Skulduggery's gaze she bowed slightly and turned on her heel about to head home when Skulduggery caught up with her "Look Val, I don't want Lexi growing up without a mother..." Valkyrie turned around and smiled "And she wont have to! You'll meet a nice girl Skul and you'll be happy with her. Good luck in life Skulduggery I might see you around." Valkyrie turned around and walked a few steps but something grabbed her tshirt so she looked down and saw Lexi looking up at her with teary eyes "Thank you for saving me." she said and Valkyrie grinned "Your welcome sweetie." she said and before she could do anything else Lexi threw her arms around Valkyrie's waist. She was shocked at first but she slowly hugged her back "Thank you." the little girl repeated. Valkyrie had been alone for so long that the hug was...warming and she felt loved...she felt all tingly inside and she didn't know why. Lexi pulled away and skipped over to her farther who was staring at Valkyrie with pleading eyes, she knew what he was thinking but she wasn't ready to look after a child when she considered herself one, she was too irresponsible for a child. Valkyrie smiled simply at Skulduggery who looked like he was begging now, but she couldn't take care of herself properly never mind a 4 year old. She turned on her heel and walked into the distance leaving the man she loved behind her. Her name was Valkyrie Cain and she would not be restricted of her freedom, she was Valkyrie Cain and she would not be afraid were life would take her!
