Previously

Arya's Pov

I heard their footsteps following me so I broke into a jog, heading for the stables. I paused in front of Nymeria's stall and slipped inside, putting her tack on and swinging up onto her, flying over the gate. It was pitch black when I reached where I was going, I could hardly see straight in front of me but I knew where I was going, I had been there that many times before…

Arya's Pov

The frigid air bit and nipped at me as I rode down the road barely able to see ten feet in front of me, my breath freezing in the air before. I shivered and huddled closer to Nymeria, trying to absorb her warmth as her horse smell invaded my nostrils, her sides quivering under my calves. I rubbed my eyes trying to rid them of the tears that froze to my cheeks. I saw a familiar light and kicked my horse a bit faster, unable to cope with the heavy feeling in my heart much longer, it was choking me. I vaulted Nymeria over the fence and steered her confidently down the road and small side tracks, lack of vision of not worrying me, I had been here enough to know where I was going just by feel and counting the steps Nymeria now took at her walking pace. I pulled her up in front of my destination, climbing down stiffly and tying her to a low hanging branch the howling wind ripping at my clothes. I let out a shudder and told myself 'No more tears Arya, he wouldn't want them'. I kneeled down at the front of the stone and rested forehead against it ignoring my freezing body, the numbness welcomed me with opened arms.

I could handle days when I was surrounded by people that I knew, that loved me, it kept my mind occupied and… not oblivious but almost unaware. It was the nights that I couldn't handle, that demanded I succumb to my terrors and relive everything. I clawed at my heart though my clothes that was beating frantically, I wanted it out. Why should something that caused me enough pain already continue to even after all this time? No more tears came and I was glad. I drew my fingers out of their warm haven in my pockets and raised them shaking towards the freezing surface of the stone, tracing the carved words gently…

Gendry's Pov

I walked inside the Stark's house after seeing all my teachers after school and organising a few out of school curricular university academic studies. I peered at my watch and saw that it was five o'clock, when no noises presented themselves I felt myself frown. That was odd, from what I understood the Stark house was a loud, noisy household and always had something happening. Jon and Arya had music battles across the halls from their rooms, Sansa and Arya always argued about something or Robb playing 'Halo' with Rickon. I turned the around the corner to the kitchen and saw Robb with his head in his hands, he looked pale; I could hear the 'tick' of the grandfather clock mounted on the wall.

"Oh, hey Gendry." He said quietly "How was school?"

"Good, much better than at King's Landing… what's wrong?" I asked frowning at the silence that hung over the house, it reminded me of the crypt's at the museum back home

There was a long silence before he said quietly "If you are going to be living here you might as well know." He rubbed his face roughly with his hands "Arya is going through… a difficult time. She has had to deal with something that not many people her age could even grasp and going to school today just reminded her of that fact. She was getting better I thought." Robb said almost to himself "Look if you want to be helpful just don't judge her on that fact… she is trying to get better and she is fine while we are around but…"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," I said gently seeing the pain on his face for his little sister "I will take your word for it… I will treat her no different to how I treated her yesterday."

"Good," Robb gave me a strained smile "Because if you do she will know call you out on it before treating you like shit."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from her." I laughed stepping towards the stairs, but it in itself felt forced, confusion spiraled around my body… what happened to Arya and why was it affecting her family so much?

It was getting late for dinner when I looked down at my watch, 7pm. I heard raised voices down the hall and poked my head out to see Sansa and Jon arguing right before Arya slipped out of her room and her back disappeared down the stairs and Sansa and Jon following her before she broke into a run. I frowned, something was up, and followed them downstairs only to see about two minutes later Arya on her horse fly over the fence. I heard Robb curse and looked at him looking out the window after Arya.

"I take it that this isn't normal." I tried to joke lightly but it came out more serious that I intended

"It was but again… I thought she was getting better." He replied before cussing again and stalking up and down the kitchen agitatedly, knotting his hands in his shaggy hair

Jon walked back inside with a black look on his face, giving me a brief look before turning to Robb and saying "You do you know if she isn't back soon we are going to have to tell mum and dad."

"I know," Robb cursed again tugging at his hair again "I hope we don't have to."

"Should we go look of her or follow her or something?" I asked, wanting to help out "If you don't want your mum and dad to know we could bring her back before they get home."

"She could be anywhere by now and if they call the house and we don't answer we will be in deep shit." Jon grumbled "They are anal about having people at the house if they are out at a function so in case something happens they can contact whoever is at home."

I shrugged although it confused me as to why the Stark parents were so… paranoid about having people at home "Fair enough as long as you aren't worried about Arya."

"She'll be alright," Sansa sighed looking tired as she sat down at the table "She's been out before… she might come back tonight before mum and dad get back home if we are lucky."

I had a sinking feeling in my gut as I watched Sansa muck around in the kitchen making toasted sandwiches; I just knew Arya wasn't okay. I ate my sandwich without really tasting it and listened to the 'tick' of the clock, glancing back at it every so often. Jon was staring at his phone, waiting, wondering if he was going to get anything from Arya telling them that she was right around the corner, coming home. It didn't sound.

"Where are Bran and Rickon, I haven't seen them all afternoon?" I asked trying to take their concentration off Arya and onto their younger siblings

"With Master Luwin, he is a male baby sitter of sorts." Robb answered, eyes still focused outside "He is professor of many subjects and arts. He has known our family for many years and is like a grandfather to us, we are like grandchildren to him as he has no more living family. From time to time he takes us boys if mum and dad can't look after us or something as such."

"Arya and I have Sister Mordane that takes us when mother and father are away, Master Luwin doesn't take girls, he believes it's improper as he doesn't have a wife to have girls stay under his roof." Sansa answered the question I was about to ask next

We sat for a while longer, I watched Sansa as she worked on what looked like cross stitch, she looked unworried, serine by Arya's behavior. I then looked at Robb, he was silent and still, muscles rigid with stress and anxiety, his eyes unmoving from the window. I peered at Jon who was pacing angrily across the floor, hands clenching and unclenching into fists, his eyes though stopped my original perception of him. He was wrought with worry and desperation to help Arya, he was furious at himself that he couldn't help her. I felt twisted emotion, I had been here for only two days and I could already feel the discomfort chafing against me at not knowing everything… not knowing about their family dynamics, about what was expected in this family, not knowing where I fitted in here… not knowing what happened to Arya.

"That's it," Jon snapped, "Robb, Sansa you stay here, Gendry you come with me."

I watched as he grabbed a set of keys off the counter and headed towards the door.

"What are you doing?" Sansa queried, setting her work aside

"We need to find her, it's cold outside and we can't just leave her alone, she needs someone." Jon snapped

"Alright," Robb nodded "Be careful."

"Always am." Jon replied already halfway out the door with my trailing uncertainly behind him

Almost on autopilot I climbed into his car and watched him drive for a few minutes before I asked "Why didn't you follow her straight away?"

"Sometimes she comes back sometimes she doesn't." Jon shrugged

We drove for another hour so when torrents of sleet started hammering down, Jon cursed and slowed down on the road because they were becoming icy.

"One more place before I am calling the police." he muttered turning out on the highway

"Where's that?" I asked, feeling the chill in the air from inside the car

"Cemetery." He answered shortly

"Why did you ask me to come with you, Jon?" I asked, still honestly confused as to why he asked me to come with him… this from what I had gathered seemed more like a family matter

"Because if you are going to be staying with us you…" he sighed running a hand through his hair "I don't want to have to tell you this or for you to see it but… you are going to see what happens to Arya when she's like this. Rob and I aren't always around anymore… we have our own lives and I know you do too but if you can just look out for her it would make me more at ease to leave the house a little more again."

I nodded when Jon looked at me and he seemed satisfied with my simple gesture. But a bigger question was in my mind, what had happened and why hadn't anyone told if I was being brought into the circle of knowing? I sighed and shifted in my seat, seeing the gates to the cemetery closed, my heart sunk. Jon pulled up in front of the closed gates and stepped out, leaving the car running with the heat turned right up. I reluctantly followed him, stepping over the gates as it was only knee height on me. I followed Jon into the darkness as he strode forwards, watching him it was apparent that he had been her many times before. I turned the light on my phone on as I walked, not familiar with the area and ground, I heard Jon curse before he broke into a run, I sped up and matched his pace. I saw Arya's horse tied to a tree, our pace picked up. Jon and I staggered to a stop when we saw Arya there; the best part of her face was blue from the cold, her whole body was curled up against the headstone. Her horse was whickering nervously at her. I think the thing that scared me the most was that her eyes were close and I couldn't' see her chest moving, she looked so still. I made the first move and gave her a light shake, she groaned something inaudible and relief washed over me, Jon looked relived but still too shocked to move. I was confused by the feelings that were washing over me stronger than anything I had felt before, I knew it. Arya Stark had moved into my life and stolen my heart and at the moment it was breaking to see her so weak, so different to the first day I met her after she had finished playing a game of three way football with her brothers. I sat down next to her and pulled her onto my lap to offer my heat to her frozen body, she was still sleeping or unconscious or in whatever state she was in. I smiled gently when she curled into me gently.

"Thank you," Jon said tears in his eyes "Thank you Gendry… I couldn't have done this alone I don't think…"

"Don't worry about it," I nodded knowing this was a tough subject for all the Starks to talk about "But how are we getting her horse home?"

He cursed again and ran his hands through his hair once more "I will ride it home, do you know how to get home from here. Even if you can ride horses I doubt you would know the trail she uses to get home."

"I'm sure I can work out driving." I nodded

"See you at home." Jon nodded untying Arya's horse and mounting it, turning it and taking off at gallop

I nodded before standing and keeping Arya cradled against my chest, hoping to the old Gods and the new that she was going to be alright.

Okay, sorry for the long wait but just like my other fanfic 'The life of an assassin' I have been neglecting this one. I hope you like it, it's a little longer than my other chapters but then again you guys deserved it after the long wait! Once again I don't own anything, all those rights go to GRRM. Please please please review to let me know what you guys think about it! If you have any likes/dislikes let me know so i can change it or continue on something, if i don't know i can't help! Okay, rant over, happy fanfictioning, Paul is all mine ladies.