If You Can't Save Me, Save Yourself.

Got to Sleep, Valkyrie.

Valkyrie leaned her head against the wall. She could still see nothing. Perhaps she should wait until morning came. Her eyes drifted shut. Yes, that is what she would do. Wait until morning. She could sleep. Sleep sounded nice.

"Valkyrie! C'mon."

Huh? Her eyes slowly peeled back open, but no one was there. It sounded like Skulduggery. Suddenly Valkyrie was wide awake. Ignoring the pain she stepped out of the bed, grinding her teeth together as she reached around blindly, using walls to navigate. After turning a few corners and shuffling down a few halls she came to another room. This one had a bit more light and she saw Skulduggery slouching in a chair.

"Ah, Valkyrie. You came." His voice was scratchy and he slumped even more. She saw a lamp and rushed to turn it on and what she saw shattered her heart and soul into a million pieces. Skulduggery's suit was ripped and  he was missing an arm. He had scratches over his skull, and from what she could see through his suit, she could see a missing rib.

"Oh, Skulduggery." She sobbed, "what have they done to you?"

"Valkyrie, it's okay." He patted his knee. "Come, rest with me. We'll figure this out in the morning."

She nodded and crawled up on to his lap. She curled up her head on his shoulder and wrapped her fingers around his arm and let her other hand rest on his rib. He shuddered and let his arms curl around her shaking form.

"Go to sleep, Valkyrie."

But Valkyrie was already sucked into the void darkness of unconsciousness. Skulduggery ghosted his teeth over her forehead and fell under sleep's sticky clutches soon after.

**(o)**

Valkyrie woke up to Skulduggery grumbling.

"I'm made of bones yet I'm probably not as uncomfortable as she is. Gosh, she's got a bony but. I shouldn't be thinking about her butt but I'm sore and I'm me. I can get away with it."

Valkyrie winced and turned in his lap, "obviously you're not hurt enough to cut the shit." She laughed and he tilted his head, sending a smile her way.