The Curious Case of Room 1016c

"There's nothing to do here

So just lie and complain

In bed at the hospital

Coming and going

Asleep and awake

In bed at the hospital

I've got one friend

Laying across from me

I did not choose him

He did not choose me

We have no chance

Of recovery

Laying in hospitals

Joy and misery"

-Hospital Beds, Florence and the Machine

-Arya: Age 18, 1st person-

I was so bored.

Nymeria was always so upset to being trapped in the cage. She always wanted to be free like she used to be.

Arry hated when the nurses came in and called him a girl. He couldn't stand them giving him baths and dressing him in a gown. He couldn't stand the clean skin, he wanted to be dirty.

Cat of the Canals wanted to kill the people that stuck her with needles. She always wanted to stick them full of holes with her own needle.

But today I was not them. I was just simply 'Arya'.

I knew that because I couldn't remember bits and pieces of my life. That and 'they' yelled, whispered and howled in my mind begging to be in control. All I could do was put my hands to my head and rock myself. The medicine worked every now and then but it wasn't 100%.

I couldn't remember the day that I was diagnosed but I was told about it.

I was Cat of the Canals when it started my family's suspicion. I apparently nearly killed some guy that just said something vile to me. Heard it was my sister Sansa's boyfriend. When I was Cat of the Canals, I was an assassin who killed anyone that made her upset.

'I' would run away at night as well. It was Nymeria, she was the wolf. She was wild and free. My brother, Jon, found her curled into the grass of our backyard one morning. She was dirty from running through the night. That was the second strike.

The third came from Arry. My mother tried to get him into a dress for a social event. He cursed just as bad as the men that worked in a port. Words he said to my mother were unacceptable and he was punished. Though I'm sure he didn't mind staying home that night, even though he was forbidden to play any games.

I couldn't deal with them after my father died. I remembered cutting for the first time. They didn't find out about that until Sansa saw the wounds when I was changing. Funny enough, that's the only thing that gave them the red flag. I don't remember what happened or even which one of them took control. I just know that I was being forced into a wheelchair strapped down and taken before a doctor.

All I know after that point is that I was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

I was told that 'they' were defense mechanism for my mind.

Nymeria ran from her problems. She was freedom.

Arry just protected me from my problems. He was protection.

Cat of the Canals faced her problems with the end of her 'Needle'. She was death.

I have now been confined to a Hospital for special people.

Harren Hall Psychiatric Hospital.

Specifically I was confined to a room, there were two beds and I wasn't expecting another person to ever occupy this room with me. After all I was considered dangerous that's why they made sure to cuff me to my bed when one of the others were in control.

I stared up at the ceiling when my door opened. I was having a good day so I was able to greet the nurse. But it wasn't a nurse, it was a doctor, Dr. Luwin. With him came in a man.

"Good Morning Arya?" I slowly nodded and he continued. "I've decided that you've been getting well enough to share your room. Normally we don't allow a man and a woman to share a room but we're getting rather full."

They thought I was getting better. I finally had some hope.

"Gendry, this is Arya. Arya, this is Gendry. He's a veteran from the war, so show him some respect please."

"You know I can't make any promises… 'they' might be rude and mean." I sighed.

"I understand, you two can get to know each other. I'll be having a nurse come by later with your food and medicine."

The doctor walked out of the room leaving Gendry to set his stuff, or what he was allowed to keep when he was admitted, on his bed. Our room was sparse so he'd have to settle for putting his stuff in the small closet by his bed. He didn't talk and he certainly didn't look pleased to be here. Not like anyone would be.

"Hi." She decided to break the silence.

All I got from him was a grunt. So apparently my new roomie is stupid and didn't like to talk. I sighed and decided to look back up to the ceiling. It was going to be another boring day.

"Who's 'they'?" He said suddenly.

"So he does speak. 'They' are my alters. You stick around long enough you might just see all of them." I felt some embarrassment from telling him about my problem. But I thought 'what the hell'. We're gonna be roommates and he'd get to know me and them.

"Oh… so you're a schizo?" He said it in a way that made me somewhat upset.

"No. I've got something more like multiple personality disorder. It's called Dissociative Personality Disorder. My alters are completely different from me and they'll be rude, clever and brave. While I'm just a sad little girl."

I did not expect an apology from him. Nor did I expect him to come over to my bed. I then really looked at him. He was massive! Strong arms and a tall build, he certainly looked every bit the soldier that he was said to have been. Though his eyes looked somewhat gentle.

"I'm sorry then. I've got a habit of saying the wrong thing." He extended his hand to shake mine. I could see the bull tattoo he had on his right shoulder as his shirt shifted.

I shook his hand and gave him a small, practically non-existent, smile. His hand was rough against my soft skin.

He turned back towards his bed and fumbled with his bag grabbing stuff from within. He got up to put them away in the closet. Mostly it looked like spare clothes.

"So what are you in for? Hopefully not something dangerous. You're like twice my size in both height and muscle." I hoped I sounded more playful than afraid. But I am afraid.

"I came back from the war with some not so pleasant feelings and thoughts. One of my buddies came to my apartment right on time to see me with a gun to my head. He talked me into coming here. So here I am, a proud vet with PTSD." He was gruff and unfriendly with her then.

Some roommate he was going to make.

- Gendry: Age 23, 3rd person-

He'd been here two months now. Today was a bath day he could already tell.

"I DON'T WANT A FUCKING BATH! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME, YOU CUNTS!" Arry called out.

Gendry woke up with a pounding headache. He always hated bath days too because Arya almost always became 'Arry'. It was nicer when she became Nymeria but it was weird when she acted like a dog. Wolf. She always corrected him. He's never seen Cat of the Canals but she's made it clear that he would never want to.

She wasn't a bad roommate but she was a nightmare with everyone else of her.

The nurses hauled Arry into the bathroom that they shared and began to bathe him. He could tell because the 'boy' would curse loud and colorfully. Words that Gendry wouldn't even use. Once they were done with him, they'd bring him out in just a gown.

Now Arry thought he was truly a boy in mind and body so he didn't think of anything when Gendry was in the room. Thankfully the nurses did as they huddled around him and made sure he dressed properly.

Though Gendry couldn't help but look anyway. He only saw flashes of flesh and what skin he did see… it wasn't pretty. Arya's body was littered in angry red marks, so much more noticeable because of her pale skin.

It was only when he saw her scars that it sunk in that she was just as damaged as him.

-Nymeria Age?, 1st person-

He smelled nice.

I curled into his side as he read a book on the floor.

Never did we lay in either of our beds.

He smiled when I rubbed my face into his stubble.

I always loved to be near him.

It was almost as good as running down rabbits or howling at the moon.

He never spoke to me. We always sat in the silence, unless I broke it.

If I whimpered he'd pet me.

If I growled he'd give me space.

If I howled he'd just sit and listen.

If I whined he'd hold me.

He didn't want to tame me, not like the other humans that were here.

He made my cage bearable.

He was my pack now.

-Gendry: Age 23, 3rd person-

He was there. Back at the wall. It was a bloody battle. Good men and women died. His best friend went down after a bullet pierced his lung. A bullet meant for him. He watched his friend die.

Then he saw the bastard that did it. It was an enemy soldier and the only thought in his mind was to kill him. He deserved to die.

Gendry was strangling him but before he could kill the man, he was being restrained. He felt a needle stick him in his neck.

It was only then when he was starting to feel dizzy and lightheaded that he saw who he really attacked.

It was Arya.

She was huddled on the floor with two nurses trying to console her.

He couldn't even say he was sorry. But before he blacked out, he could see her eyes. They were full of rage and anger. She hated him.

-Arya Age 18, 1st person-

He's been strapped to his bed for a whole week. They told me that he had an 'episode' and they were keeping him sedated. It made no sense to me. They weren't frequent but he was dangerous, they said. The doctors wanted him to be removed from my room and put in a single room.

They were surprised when I objected even though it was my life that was at risk.

I didn't care. He was my friend! He didn't hate me when I was Nymeria because I was a wolf. He did not pick on Arry because he was obnoxious and loud. He never saw me as a stupid, ugly, unworthy girl. Like everyone else did.

I needed him and he was there, now he needed me and I wasn't going to let those doctors take him.

Ever since he came Cat of the Canals didn't show herself. She was silent and didn't whisper names in my head. I didn't have to list all the people that I wanted dead anymore. She was my revenge and I had no need for that with him here.

When I saw him come at me from across the room with a wild look in his eyes I didn't fear him. Even when his strong hands wrapped around my neck I just whimpered and tried to get him to see me. His eyes were cold and unseeing. The doctors rushed into the room and pried him off of me. I saw them stick him with a sharp needle and rage came up within me.

I could almost feel Cat claw her way out. Nymeria was growling loudly in my throat. Arry was clenching my fists readying to fight them. But it was all me. I was in control of them then. Cat's rage, Nymeria's wild spirit and Arry's loyalty.

I punched a few of the orderlies. Then they were equally trying to restrain me. Gendry was already out being carried to his bed by orderlies, while I fought to get to him. Soon I was to be sedated as well.

But as I woke up I made it very clear I didn't want him to leave me.

Turns out that after he woke up he wanted to leave me.

My heart felt just as it had when I learned my father died.

-Gendry: Age 23, 3rd person-

She's been practically catatonic. She didn't speak to Gendry after the accident. She didn't even look at him.

Dr. Luwin told him of how strongly Arya acted when he was being restrained. He said that she also was extremely against him being removed from her room. This confused him greatly.

Why would she want to keep someone around her that could potentially kill her next time?

After the third day of her silence he decided to speak.

"Arya? What's wrong? You've been quiet for awhile now" His voice tried to remain as calm and comforting as possible.

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. He's never seen her cry before, this was something he wasn't prepared to handle.

In truth he's never had to deal with crying women. His mother died when he was young, he had no sisters, and had no girlfriends that got emotional with him around.

So all he could do was what felt natural.

He hugged her tiny body to him and rubbed her arms. Trying his best to comfort the girl.

"Oh Arya, it's alright."

"N-no you want to leave me! Just like my dad… he died and left me!" She clutched at him with a desperate look in her eye. Her sobs consuming her as she buried her head into his shirt.

Looking at her made his heart break. She needed him.

And suddenly he found himself needing her.

They would get through their demons together.

-Arya: Age 19, 1st person-

I had a visitor.

In the whole time I've been here, only three times has anyone from my family come to visit.

First was my mother and Robb. Bran and Rickon couldn't come because they were in school. Robb just hugged me and tried to comfort me as best he could before our mother's tears happened. Mom just cried and wished that she wouldn't lose me too. During that visit I wondered about where Sansa was. Mom just said that she couldn't see me.

She and I never got along very well anyway. Why would she want to see her stupid, ugly, broken sister?

The next visit came from Jon. I was very excited to see him but I wasn't me when he came. It was Nymeria though, which pretty much meant her memories were my memories. I could tell he was trying to understand her, but it was hard. She wasn't me. She didn't talk, she just made noises. He just said things to her that I couldn't remember because she didn't care for words.

It was nearly a whole season later that Bran and Rickon, with their mother, came to visit. Bran was excited to see her and wheeled himself over to her and flopped down across her lap. That was how he hugged me now that he couldn't lift himself up very well. Rickon flew to the other side of my bed and laid next to me. I cried that day as I hugged my brothers. My mother stood a little ways back from us and smiled down at the scene. Before the visit was cut short she came over to my bed and cupped my face.

"You look so beautiful, Arya. I wish you didn't have to be here, I so desperately want to take you with us." Her eyes mournful.

All I could think was 'Why didn't you?'

This time though, it wasn't Mother, or Robb, or Bran, or Rickon. No, it was Sansa.

My prim and proper sister came through the door to my cell. I sat up from the bed in an instant. I couldn't believe she'd actually come visit me. She didn't smile at me as she approached. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Gendry shift on his bed. This grabbed my sister's eye.

"You have a man staying in your room? That's so improper…" Was the only words she spoke for a turn.

None of us spoke. The room was calm as still water. Before the dam broke.

"I'm so sorry Arya, it is you isn't it?" I slowly nodded waiting for her to continue. "I feel so ashamed of telling mom about your scars. I felt so horrible when I watched them wrestle you into that wheelchair and dragged you out of the house. I cried when I heard you scream for us. I couldn't come see you...I was too guilty to come and see what I had done to you. I understand if you never forgive me, and honestly I don't know if I could ever forgive myself. I-I…"

She was shaking, barely containing the tears. I couldn't contain a few of mine from falling. She felt responsible for everything.

Part of me, in the back of my mind, whispered 'She lost her father and her sister all in under a year'.

All I could do was reach my arms out to hug my sister. She crossed the room in that instant and threw herself into my arms. We both shook with sobs and feeling finally like sisters. I looked over her shoulder slightly to see Gendry smiling a sad smile.

Misery brought me closer to my sister and it brought me a friend.

-Gendry: 23, 3rd person-

It was weird to see a Red headed woman enter the room. He knew it wasn't a visitor for him. Her eyes were solely on the woman he shared his cage with.

He watched silently as the scene played out before him. They were sisters but they were as different as sun and moon.

While they embraced he could tell that they loved each other. He felt a pang in his heart though. He was reminded of everything they had been through for the past seven months. The doctors were very pleased with how she was coming along.

Arya was getting better. Soon she could go home.

By the looks of her sister, she looked like some model. Her family must have been pretty well off with how she looked.

Was Arya just like her sister?

Did she have a nice big home to go back to?

With family waiting in the wings to greet her home?

Would she leave this place and never look back?

Would she forget him?

Sooner or later she'd get stable enough to be released, if she wasn't able to leave already.

He couldn't fathom what it would be like here without her.

But he wasn't anything besides her friend and her roommate, in a hospital no less.

Her family wouldn't want some insane old vet around their daughter, sister.

He didn't even know how old she was. He didn't know her favourite color. He didn't know what she liked to eat, what she liked to listen to or even what she liked to watch.

They'd just talk about how to cope with their problems and how to get through the darkness.

Wasn't that something?

Not enough.

-?, 1st person-

It was close to sunrise. I crept from where I lay to where I knew Gendry would be. I pushed him aside as I settled down on his bed with him. He moaned out sleepily. His voice was hoarse with disuse.

"Arya? What are you doing?"

I said nothing to him as I placed a hand on his chest. I could feel his heart beating faster.

I knew one of my sides would want to place a needle through his heart.

Another would bend her ear to listen to it in wonder.

One more would wonder why he was even this close.

While the tenderest side of all would flush and want to go back to her own bed.

Not Me.

I knew what I was doing. I am self preservation and sense. We needed him and he needed us.

All of us.

I needed to make sure he knows that we're bound. Bound by our souls and our hearts.

Arya would be too shy.

Cat would never admit weakness.

Nymeria would show her affection but she was only a wolf.

Arry wouldn't like this idea and wouldn't like being so close to another male.

Gendry needed to be shown by me. I needed to make him see what we wanted from him.

I always make it through without much harm.

When Arry was making a mess of things, I fixed them.

When Cat of the Canals tried to get us killed, I saved us from the fire.

When Nymeria got herself lost, I brought her home.

When Arya couldn't handle her world, I gave her relief.

But now it was not just me that needed help.

Tonight was the night I'd help Gendry find his light in the darkness.

He looked down to me in the low light of the early morning.

I just simply smiled and scooted up towards his face. So we could look eye to eye.

"You're not Arya are you?"

He impressed me. Gendry knew us well enough to know that I wasn't the girl.

"I'm Mercy, she doesn't know about me."

"What are you doing?"

I smiled.

"Saving you."

That was all I said to him as I pushed my lips to his. I could feel his arms wrap themselves around me.

I then receded back into her, Arya should be the one experiencing her first kiss with the man she loved.

They just needed a push in the right direction.

-Gendry: Age 23, 3rd person-

Arya was leaving today. She was being released from this cage. She was now going to be free from this place that he learned held her for 3 years.

But, so was he.

Gendry was leaving the same time as her. Jon was coming to pick him up and take him back to Winterfell. Turns out that's where Arya's home was too. They would be able to see each other, even outside of this hell.

He slung his bag across his back and walked out of the door. 1016c. She was waiting for him down the hall in front of the elevator. Nurses walking with them to make sure they didn't do anything rash. He was amazed at how much she changed when she wasn't wearing baggy pajamas with her hair plainly around her face. Skinny jeans hugging her hips, a plain black shirt revealing that she indeed had a woman's body and her hair nicely pulled up into a messy bun with her fringe framing her face. She was even more beautiful.

When he first arrived he saw the ghost of her smile. A year and a half later, here she was beaming with a very alive smile.

This would be one of the happiest days of his life.

And if gods be good it will be followed by many more, so long as they had her in them.

Gendry didn't think he'd find joy in a hospital but it snuck up on him and he was very grateful for it.