Theon had been awake for a couple of hours awake now. He was still trying to think of how he would be able to get out of this. From what he could tell Ramsay was reasonably smart so he thought that maybe reasoning could work with him.

He was thinking through the scenarios that could work. It seemed like he had a pretty old house so maybe if he offered him a place or money then he might let him go. Another thought that came to mind was that he lacked friends and if he acted nice then he would let his guards down and he could use that moment of opportunity to escape. Naturally Robb had told him everything about what kidnappers say and do so he thought he was ready to deal with him.

He thought it would work then another thing caught his eye again. The arms and various blood splatter that made up the room's décor. The worst case scenario was that he was a cold blooded killer incapable of remorse. They could be reasoned with and if you couldn't understand them you couldn't get on their level so escape would be impossible.

He cleared his mind and tried to take a deep breath but the stench was making it hard for him not to vomit in the process. He was muttering a plan to himself when the door at the top of the steps opened up and Ramsay decided to make himself known. The creek of each step was heightening Theon's nerves. As he walked down he felt adrenaline going through his veins as he saw what seemed to be a very sharp, serrated knife.

Ramsay looked Theon up and down and nodded. He was ready for the first game.

"Good morning! It's a beautiful day outside." He said in a cherry voice, annoying Theon. He would give anything to be able to stretch his legs in the sun. Being attached to the wooden cross for nearly a full day was making his muscles sore as hell and the chains that were on his wrists weren't helping either.

"It's time for the first game. I call it screamer. I take a knife and begin to cut you, if you scream you lose but if you don't scream for the entire time I give you food." He said excitedly waiting for Theon's reaction.

Theon knew he would need the food to survive but he could risk a lot by playing. It wasn't exactly the most hygienic place and he doubted that Ramsay would give him some medical assistance.

When Ramsay didn't get the reaction he wanted he held the knife right up to his neck and watched as he began to squirm. He went to close to his hear and whispered, the heat of his breath touching his ear. "Let's begin. Shall we?"

He took the knife from the neck and cut off Theon's shirt he had been wearing in the bar. It was a grey top which looked rather old and worn out. He slashed it off and he saw Theon's fear beginning to grow. He could have also swore that he saw a tear forming in his eye. What Ramsay didn't know was that he had just ripped up the first T-shirt that Theon had slept in the first night he slept over with Robb. It had been Robb's grey top but since Theon was smaller than him and he was his boyfriend he claimed it as a pyjama top. He loved it because it just had that distinct Stark smell, a mixture of musk and Grey Wind's fur. To anyone else it would be horrid but not to Theon.

After some careful thoughts Ramsay knew he would begin near the top of the torso. He made the first cut and Theon was almost tempted to lose the game on the first turn. He could feel it seeping out and he physically had to bite down on his tongue so that he didn't make a sound.

The pain of the cut was testing his will power to keep his mouth shut. He knew that he would need the food for when he got hungry, another useful tip from Robb. Ramsay was so hoping that he would scream on the first turn just so that he could see the look on his face when he realised he'd lost.

"You're doing it quite well. Most people lost on the first go." He was impressed but still not satisfied. He wanted to make Theon cry, beg and overall scream if he could but he was giving him a fair chance here.

Ramsay worked the knife like an artist with a paintbrush. Carefully sliding it from left to right, causing the canvas to change from a light peach to a bloody red. Theon's was obviously in more pain but he wouldn't let Ramsay know that. He was still somehow managing to supress the urge to vocalise it. He often had to silence himself but those were in normal situations with Robb when they had guests in their house but they still wanted to do it with each other.

Ramsay was looking at his work, trying to think of what could cause him to give in. He then looked down and noticed that he still had his trousers on. He then got one of his brilliantly twisted ideas. Theon through tear filled eyes looked and tried not to look at him. He looked like a pure psychopath.

The knife was making his way down to the genital area and this is when Theon really began to squirm. As he dragged it along his chest he began to make a wave style of line in an attempt to get him to scream. Ramsay could tell he was so close but he just needed that last little push.

Theon couldn't control the scream he let out when he felt the knife got just above his cock. It was the most sensitive of his body. Ramsay drew away the knife and Theon almost begged to get it back. He wasn't going to lose this game

"Oh well. You put up a good fight but you lost." Ramsay said knowing how those words were crippling him.

"No, please." He wouldn't accept that he had lost. If his arms were free he would have got down on his knees and grovelled to be forgiven.

"Well since you asked so nicely I suppose." He said filling Theon with hope, not knowing it was another mental trick.

Ramsay took out a small brown sack and Theon was ready for whatever was in it. Ramsay then took it out of the bag and pelted him minuscule breads crumbs, hardly fit for human consumption.

"Well, I gave you food now be grateful you brat." He said about to go up the stairs.

This told him more about what type of person he was then anything he had said. He learned that Ramsay was a sadistic little freak who was smart which essential meant he was going to die here. Theon couldn't reach it for two reasons one was that he was still attached to the X shaped board and he was in too much pain to move even if he could.

"Please." He tried to call out. He didn't need food yet but for the love of god he needed some type of medical assistance for the cuts that had been inflicted onto him.

Ramsay heard him loud and clear but didn't bother turning back round to look at him. "I'll see you tomorrow with another game." He added another cruel laugh and left him on his own.

As soon as Theon was sure that Ramsay was out of earshot he let out his anger in the sound of an anguished cry.

He was so stupid for getting into that argument with Robb. He wanted him here now. He wondered if he was looking for him right now. His eyes were locked in the door as he decided that he would wait for it to be kicked in and then to be taken to the hospital in his arms.

He eventually passed out from the combined pain and exhaustion, the marks still bleeding and making a dripping noise on the floor. He would have remained that way until Ramsay snuck back in and went behind the X.

He blew his small trumpet horn right into his ear, jolting him awake. He screamed and tried to flail away but the chains were still binding him so his movements were minimal.

"You didn't think you could fall asleep yet. You fall asleep when I say you sleep." He said in a possessive tone of voice. If there was one thing he wanted it was total control over his prisoners. He simply indulged in the fact that he had all the power of their lives. Watching Theon struggle was his going to be his favourite past time.

"You bastard! Robb will find me. He's with the police." He tried to yell at him.

Ramsay found it adorable how he was trying to sound tough so he knew the two words that would shut him down in a second flat. "I know."

"What…?"

"I know all about you Theon Greyjoy. I know where you live, what time you sleep at and every single thing about your family. Didn't you even wonder last night how I was able to know exactly what drink you had?"

"Why?"

"Enough. I'll see you tomorrow, don't fall asleep or I'll have to come down here again and I hate walking down those big long stairs." He somehow was able to sound so threats despite his slight lisp.

He was left in confusion as the other proceeded to walk up the steps and make the closing of the door very known as he slammed it shut, letting him know that he was tapped in with no way out.

"Robb, please, save me…please…" He whispered to himself as he tried to ignore the pain and try to think of ways he could get out of here. If there was one thing that kept him going it was Robb's wise words of never give up. There were often times when Robb had felt hopeless but he persevered and in the end he was okay.

He was going to begin crying again but then a noise began to distract him. It was a small squeaking sound. He recognised it instantly as often on his father's boat they could be found nesting if it wasn't cleaned properly.

He knew that he wasn't alone in the room. He was going to be sharing with the rats, I acts and god knows what other creepy crawlers hat decided to show themselves that night.

Theon knew that Robb would save him. He had to….?

As soon as the 24th hour after Theon hadn't come home hit, Robb filed a missing person's report. He worked with the police and you can be sure as hell that he was getting everyone he could on this case. Unfortunately most other officers were caught up in trying to sort the Lannister corruption scandal. Everyone wanted to find out if the Lannister's children were really born from incest.

Robb was working at his desk looking at the evidence. It just didn't make sense to him. He was trying to think of what might have happened on the way to his usual bar. He had very little to go on and didn't have any evidence that he was even missing so he was stuck in hard place.

One of his two bosses walked up to him and patted him on the back.

"Officer Tarth." He said not taking his eyes from the paper. She poked him in the shoulder and when he did eventually look at her she had a look of discomfort in her eyes.

"Robb… I don't know how to say this but we need to interview you." She said trying to put it as gently as possible.

"What?" Robb was the one who said he was missing in the first place. He groaned but he knew it was just normal police procedure to do these types of things.

"You were the last person to see him alive. It sucks but we need a statement." She honestly didn't want to be doing this because she had a lot more important things to be worrying about at the minute but she needed to take her mind of the stressful environment that her parent was unintentionally putting her though.

In the interview room it was cold and frankly the ceiling was saturated with water. They really needed to get that sorted but the funding was abysmal as it was so they wouldn't be getting a new place any time soon.

They both sat facing each other and Brienne had her pen and notebook in hand ready to write his statement.

"Where were you the night of Theon Greyjoy's disappearance?" She asked, somehow knowing what the answer would be.

"I was at home."

"When was the last time that you saw him?"

"Last night, around midnight. He left the apartment to go out. He took our car." He said dreading knowing that she would soon ask the question that would make him look suspicious.

"Why did he leave?" Brienne asked. She found it unusual for someone like Theon to leave in the middle of the night so she was curious as to what it could be.

"We got into a fight…" He was aware that if he didn't say it now and she found out later it would come back to bite him in the ass. Most people who left things out were automatically guilty he found in this line of work.

"About what?" Brienne instantly got concerned. Robb had never mentioned anything about a fight that went on between them. They seemed like the odd couple which had a decent working relationship so to hear that they had fought was unusual.

"We're going to move house. We were fighting about which one. He got stressed and I accidentally shouted at him. He went for a drink but never came home."

"I see." She scribbled down a note quickly on her pad. Robb tried to read what it said but form where he was sitting it was nearly impossible.

He could hear form the tone she used that she wasn't impressed. "I didn't do anything Brienne." He said nervously thinking that she might assume he did something.

"I know that Robb, your mother raised you better than that." Brienne knew that Robb wouldn't harm a fly so the idea of him murdering his boyfriend was just ridiculous.

Neither really knew what to say next. They looked at each other and in order to break the awkward tension that had built up Robb decided to make small talk.

"How's Jaime doing?" Robb asked trying to make small talk. He could see that she was stressed as she was beginning to click her pen more than normal.

"He's been accused of fucking his sister, Stark. He's not doing well. They're even saying that his nephews are his." She unintentionally said sharply at him. She didn't believe these allegations at all even though everyone else did. Or rather it was more a case of she didn't want to believe it. She had a crush on her partner for the longest time but she could never fine the time or reason to come out and say it.

"That's unfortunate." Robb honestly did think that Jamie had been with Cersei but that was only because his father had been a strong believer of the claim. He wasn't going to disagree with her due to the fact that he was the one being interrogated. In fact after coming public with it he was killed shortly after. It was too suspicious to be a coincidence.

"Well he's going to w-" Brienne was rudely cut off as the door was harshly opened and Robb's half cousin walked in. He was part of a special unit nicknamed the Nights Watch. They did the operations which none of the normal police could do. They were Westeros's finest SWAT team.

"Robb you're okay!" Jon nearly shouted as he ran up to him checking for any injuries. Robb looked for help getting out of the deadly grip bro style hug and she just looked confused at him.

He was nearly crushed Robb patted him and Jon knew he should probably let go of him. "What are you doing Jon?" He asked when he was let go as he was actually allowed some air into his lungs.

"A wrecked car was found by the Red Keep." Jon said finally regaining his composure. This confused the two but they let him keep on talking.

"So?" Robb asked not seeing how it could be relevant to him.

"It was yours. I'm glad you're okay. I thought you were dead." Jon seemed happy but as soon as he said it Robb and Brienne's eyes went wide and they both looked at each other knowing that they had a fresh clue in their missing person's case.

Theon had taken their car to get away after their fight. Theon had been with the car last.

"Let's go!" Robb said getting up with Brienne in tow.

They knew that whatever they were going to find was either going to be really, really, good as it could give them lots of clues or it could be the worst thing that Robb sees in his entire life.

Ramsay was reasonably smart. He knew that if he didn't want any suspicion on him he would need to get any evidence as far away from the bar as possible. Also fire tended to clean away anything. He was kind of hoping thatthey would find it. It would make the hunt more thrilling for him. He wouldn't risk getting caught by the police before but seeing as his captive was engaged to someone high up in the ranks it made it so much more appealing. He had done this process a few times before so it was no problem to get a fire started.

They arrived at the scene and it wasn't what Robb was expecting at all. It was his and Theon's car but it wasn't the normal blue. It was black with ash. If Robb had to guess then he would assume that it was a fast acting accelerant, the person who torched the car didn't want it to be found. Thankfully the number plate was able to survive and a concerned citizen was able to call it in before it was totally destroyed.

As well as that there was no crispy body in the car so that meant Theon was still alive but it made his situation all the more complicated. He couldn't understand what had went down. There most important thing was Theon wasn't there. It either was a good thing or a bad thing, probably the latter thought.

"Why would someone do this to him?" Theon had a couple of enemies but none that he could think of the top of his head.

"Do you have any enemies? Does he?" Brienne asked, she didn't really know him all that well but she knew that Robb was freaking out so that was never a good thing. She looked at the wreck but not for too long, the scent of ash was partially in her lungs so talking was a bit difficult for her.

"No, then again I suppose with me being in the police it could be anyone I put away." He had put away some of the worst criminals that Kings Landing had seen. Killers, rapists and arsonists. Or all 3 in one. He didn't know what he would do if one of them had gotten their hands on Theon.

He looked over the wreckage and tried to find anything that could help him piece together what went down.

Theon was in danger and for Robb that was enough to get him into serious mode.

"Listen up! We need someone to check the cameras in the area, someone check all the bar within the radius and someone get the samples back to the lab so they can be analysed now!" He barked at the investigators who were there. They all saw how pissed he was and instantly did as they were told.

Brienne handed Robb a small leather wallet.

"I found it in the car, is it Theon's? The id was taken out." She said noting that it was pretty much empty.

Robb was begging for it not to be Theon's so they could maybe find a match to who it belonged to but the kraken insignia on it said otherwise.

He nodded and she put it in a small evidence bag. They searched the scene for a bit longer and when they found nothing Robb was relieved and terrified at the same time.

They had no idea what would happen next in this game of life and death.