4 months later
Skulduggery awoke to his phone ringing on the table so he untangled himself from his fiancée and answered "Hello?" he croaked "Skul!" It was Tanith
"Hello Tanith. What's the matter? Its five in the morning."
"Its Ghastly! He has been poisoned! Kensepeckle is doing everything he can to heal him! You better get over here!" she hung up and Skulduggery shook Valkyrie's shoulder manically "Val!"
"Fuck off." she groaned and turned over
"Val, you need to get up!"
"You need to fuck off."
"Val, Ghastly has been poisoned!" she sat bolt up right and Skulduggery fell of the bed "Skulduggery! Get of the floor and get ready!" she demanded and he groaned but did what he was told.
"Harlow." Valkyrie whispered but her daughter didn't wake up "Harlow, we need to go to the sanctuary." Harlow woke up and yawned tiredly "Do we have to go?" her voice was quiet as she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at Valkyrie "I'm afraid so honey. Come on, you can bring your blanket and sleep in the car on the way there."
"Ok." she held her arms out and Valkyrie picked her up and carried her out of the dark room "Where is daddy?" Harlow had gotten used to calling Skulduggery 'daddy' now "Daddy is in the car waiting for us." Valkyrie said and opened the door and stepped outside into the cold air "Its cold." Harlow said and snuggled closer to Valkyrie "I know it is sweetie." she opened the Bentley door and put Harlow in her car seat and buckled her up and put the blanket over her "Why are we going to the sanctuary daddy?" Skulduggery looked at Harlow and smiled "Uncle Ghastly isn't very well."
"Will he get better?"
"I hope so."
"Me too." she yawned and within two minutes she was fast asleep.
-
Valkyrie and Skulduggery looked at Ghastly as he lay almost lifelessly in the bed. Kenspeckle had done everything he could to try and save him but the poison was something he had never seen before and he didn't know what to do to help him "I need to do the paper work." his voice was less than a whisper and he attempted to sit up but Skulduggery pushed him back down gently "You don't need to do the paper work, you need to get better." he smiled and Ghastly nodded. Just then the door was opened and Harlow walked in "Harlow, weren't you supposed to be with Uncle Dexter?" Valkyrie asked and Harlow nodded "Yes, but I made a card for Uncle Ghastly and I wanted to give it too him." Skulduggery smiled and picked her up and placed her next to Ghastly on the bed "Hello, uncle Ghastly." she said and Ghastly smiled warmly at the little girl "Hey, kiddo."
"I made you a card." she said and presented a card which Ghastly weakly accepted and scanned it over, Harlow scooted further towards him so she was sat at the right side of his head "That's me." she pointed at the little stick figure wearing a pink dress "And that is you!" she then pointed at a bigger stick person with a big belly and a green top with scars on its head, draw in pink. Ghastly always let Harlow colour his scars in "Its beautiful Harlow, thank you." Ghastly grinned at Harlow who placed a kiss on his head "Get better, Uncle Ghastly." she whispered and hopped of the bed where she walked out the room again. Skulduggery and Valkyrie had tears in there eyes from the scene that just played in front of them. Harlow adored Ghastly and the sad thing was she wasn't going to see him again because he wasn't going to have very long left "Skul? Val?" he whispered and the two looked at Ghastly "Yes?"
"I want to wish you the best for the future. I knew you two were meant for each other and now your together...I wont get to see you get married or have children...but just know that I am always here." he pointed to his heart weakly and tears rolled freely down Skulduggery and Valkyrie's faces. Skulduggery suddenly had an idea "Wait here." he instructed and ran out the room while Valkyrie stayed with Ghastly.
Skulduggery came back about ten minutes later with Erskine by his side "Erskine, marry us." he said and Valkyrie looked up "What?"
"Ghastly wants to see us get married...Erskine is the grand mage, he can marry us!" he said and Valkyrie smiled and stood up and Skulduggery took her hands while they both looked at Ghastly's smiling face "Skulduggery Pleasant. Do you take Valkyrie Cain to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Erskine asked and Skulduggery grinned "I do."
"And Valkyrie Cain. Do you take Skulduggery Pleasant to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Valkyrie teared up and said "I do."
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Erskine smiled and Skulduggery gently pressed his lips to hers. They could both taste the salty tears on there lips as they pressed together. They pulled away and looked at Ghastly who was smiling widely "And they all lived happily...ever...after." he whispered and his eyes slowly fluttered shut.
