The truck stop was quieter than usual. In fact, it had been empty for over an hour when she decided on some fresh air for her 15 minute break. Outside was just as lifeless. The only sound came from the wooden sign that read "Cheap Diesel" which creaked as it blew back and forth in wind. Unsurprisingly, Sandor was out front as well, smoking as he did seemingly did every chance he had. Her frown tightened as she approached him.

"Working hard I see, little bird," he grinned at her.

"I don't know why you call me that," she replied, acting annoyed already. He only laughed in respond and took another drag of his cigarette. "Can I have one?"

"You?" he raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, "You can't be older than sixteen. Whatchu want one of these things for?"

"I'm nearing twenty and if you can't spare one then fine," she crossed her arms in what she immediately recognized as a childish gesture but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She stared out at the deserted gas pumps and tried to hide her pout. Why did it bother her if this man looked at her as a child anyway? Why should she care what he thought? Why did he always have to laugh at her and make her feel foolish?

"Here," his rough hand brushed against hers as he passed her a lit cigarette. She shivered. "Don't go blaming me for getting you hooked."

"I've smoked before," she bragged as she inhaled. She looked over the man's hulking figure. His bare muscular arms glistened with sweat and grease under the fluorescent lighting.

"A lady like you? I wouldn't have guessed," he said, eyes unfaltering beneath her gaze. She couldn't tell if he was still teasing her or not. She looked away and decided not to answer. It was Joff who'd given her her first smoke, among other things. The thought made her shudder with disgust. She needed to think of something else.

"Did you see about those folks in Lawrence?" she asked, realizing that it had been weighing on her mind ever since last night. Despite her differences with her brother, she cared a great deal for his safety.

"Yeah, the cannibal killers," Sandor huffed. "Strange world we live in, very strange indeed."

"They'll be caught soon," she said, though it sounded more like a question.

"Don't worry about your brother, little bird. He'll be alright. They've got loads of security officers around the campus, I reckon." He looked at her gently.

"I suppose you're right," she acquiesced. The sudden pure kindness in his eyes unnerving her, she looked away.

Six am came and went with no sign of Jane. Calls to her cell phone were unanswered. Sansa paced back and forth between the booths and the counter, staring out the window. By eight, customers were filling the seats again and Sansa was forced to take their orders.

"Where is she?" she growled to herself in the kitchen as she grabbed another bag of coffee to stock the front.

Luckily, by nine the second waitress on morning shift, Missy, had arrived along with the morning cook, Ben. She was as perplexed about Jane's dereliction as Sansa had been. Despite, the growing morning crowd, Missy shooed Sansa home, assuring her that she could handle it.

"You look dead on your feet, girl," Missy said as she pushed her through the door.

Sansa walked quickly to her car, secretly relieved that Missy had forced her to leave, not only did she not know if she could bare to stay awake for another shift, she was nearly late for her morning class.

She hopped into her rusted Escort and cranked the ignition. Nothing happened.

She turned the keys again. She looked at her watch, 9:15, her class would start in ten minutes. There is no way she would make it. This was all Jane's fault! Her poor car wasn't used to sitting idle for so long, if Jane had come in on time, none of this would have happened. She was still scowling at the dashboard when a knock on the window startled her out her downward spiral.

"Something the matter, girl?" It was Sandor.

She rolled her window down, "Car won't start."

"Pop the hood. I'll have a look," he tapped the hood of the car as he spoke.

"It's no use," she threw open the door of her car and got out, throwing her hands up. "I'm going to miss my class."

He frowned, "I can take you."

"I'll have no way back," she sighed.

"I'll pick you up," he said.

She looked into his scarred face. If she was honest to herself maybe she would admit that it was at least partly the twisted and glossy pink skin that spread over the side of his face which made her uncomfortable. She had heard- tales, about how he had come by them, though no one seemed to really know for sure. One such story was that Clegane was a former member of a particularly vicious biker gang. It was said that he'd been inside a sort of makeshift trailer, a common place for a gang to have a meth lab, when said lab exploded. It was this story that Sansa thought of when she looked past him, to his giant black Harley, and then back to his face, towering over her seated self.

"I-," she stuttered. Her mother would have a conniption if she found out Sansa had gone for a ride on Sandor Clegane's motorcycle.

He stared back at her expectantly, "Well, girl? What'll it be?"

"Okay," she muttered. He pulled a small helmet from one of the bags on the bike and handed it to her. Her mother wouldn't find out.

She saw that something was amiss the moment they entered the parking lot of East campus Fort Stern Community College. That was because it was strangely empty. On a normal day, the parking lot was a labyrinth of cars; a free parking space was a prize to be fought over and the decorative flower beds seemed an unnecessary waste of potential pavement. Today, only a few cars shared the expansive parking lot.

She tightened her grip around Sandor's chest after surveying the deserted campus. He stopped in front of the science building and turned his head to her. "Doesn't seem to be much action around here. This how it usually looks?"

"No," she shook her head. The helmet, a loose fit flopped around on her head. She took it off, embarrassed and hopped off the bike. "It's Tuesday, right?"

He just looked at her.

"Maybe they cancelled classes. Should I check inside?" she paused, unsure.

"I'll come," he stood to follow her. She began towards the building hesitantly. The silence of the deserted campus creating an unease within her. She had never seen it so lifeless. As they approached the nearest door, she could make out a bright orange flyer prominently placed on the glass. She neared close enough to read it and Sansa let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Due to recent events, classes will be cancelled for the rest of the week."

Her first feeling was of relief; she could sleep in the rest of the week. Her second was concern. "Due to recent events? What does that mean?"

"Well I'm guessing they don't mean Tristan's recent amnesia spell postponing the big wedding but since that's all we've heard about all morning, I couldn't tell ya."

Sansa blushed. So she'd had the TV on Soapnet most of the night. There was only so much 24 hour coverage of escaped insane cannibal people she could take. It grated on her nerves to be reminded that her brother was so far, and alone in the midst of a mild crisis but since she couldn't do anything about it, she'd rather not think on it. "I suppose we should head back into town."

"Aye."

...

Asha Greyjoy slammed the baseball bat down again onto the head of the blood drenched man before her, and this time was met with the sickly sensation of giving way. He didn't stand again. She paused a moment to catch her breath before she gingerly stepped over the now unmoving body and out of the caravan that had been her home.

She didn't stop to think about calling the police or how she would explain the mess she had left behind once cornered by the cops. Instead, she hopped on her bike and drove. Kansas U was only about 100 miles North but she wanted to make it before nightfall.