Maybe he was, Val, maybe he was. But the Archangel did realise that he'd put Fletcher into a spotlight he didn't particularly want. Gabriel chuckled wryly and squeezed Fletcher's hand. "Sorry, bro. Didn't mean to put you on the spot. I was just tryin' to tease our friend over there."

He jerked his head at Skulduggery, threw a wink over at Valkyrie and then rested his elbows on his knees to watch what he knew was going to happen with fascination, his grin widening.

"It's not a dog or a cat," Melissa said with a laugh, knotting her fingers over her stomach. In an idle touch, an absent touch, her thumbs stroked her belly. "I was thinking more along the lines of a little brother or sister."