A/N: So Barra and Arya meet in this chapter :D I must say that I'm not overly fond of the turnout, but there will be other interactions to make up for this crappy one. About a month has passed at this stage, we're now in July.

Arya waited out the front for Gendry on a hot day in mid-July. They had been hanging out frequently and Gendry had decided it was time to properly re-introduce Arya to his daughter. To say Arya was nervous would be an understatement – the way Gendry went on about her, she knew that Barra was the most important person in his life and Arya truly wanted Barra to like her.

Arya hadn't found it nearly so hard to cope with living in the city that had changed her for the worse with her childhood best friend with her, but not even he could stop the flashbacks that constantly plagued Arya's sleep. She hoped that going this one step further in her friendship with Gendry would help ease her anxiety and help her have restful sleep for once. She knew that her behaviour was starting to attract her family's attention and she didn't want any of her secrets to come out to them – she was much too proud to ask for help and she didn't want to burden anyone with her problems.

Arya hopped onto the back of the bike quickly and Gendry drove off. Arya pressed herself to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, the now-familiar butterflies erupting in her stomach at the contact.

They arrived at Gendry's flat twenty minutes later and he led her to his place. Arya had never been there before and wasn't sure what to expect, but walking in, she was pleasantly surprised – the flat was clean, simply furnished and slightly cluttered. She fell in love with the place immediately.

A middle-aged woman came over and hugged Gendry before shaking Arya's hand. "Is this the girl you've been gushing about?" she asked, smiling at Gendry who promptly blushed.

"Yeah, that's Arya," he muttered and the woman beamed.

"So you're the famous Arya my son hasn't shut up about," she said with a wink. It was Arya's turn to blush and she glanced at Gendry.

"Your mother?" she asked, confused – wasn't Gendry's mother dead?

"Adopted," Gendry told her. "Julia's great." He smiled at Julia and she pinched his cheeks fondly.

"I'd better leave you two lovebirds alone," she said. "Barra's having a bath – how dirty that girl can get is beyond me. We were at the park for ten minutes!"

"We aren't lovebirds," Arya said quickly, Gendry spluttering out his protests. "We're just friends."

"Of course," Julia said with a knowing smile. She left and Arya turned to Gendry and raised her eyebrows.

"You can't shut up about me, huh?" she asked as she settled onto the couch.

"Well…it all just kinda came out," Gendry said sheepishly as he sat next to her. "Brace yourself – Barra will come out soon and go berserk. She kind of reminds me of you that way." Arya blushed again and mentally slapped herself. Get a grip, she thought.

"So, Julia knows I'm a princess?"

"Of course she does," Gendry scoffed. "Arya Stark isn't exactly a common name, is it?" Arya bit her lip and Gendry must have noticed how uncomfortable she became because he squeezed her knee.

"Listen," he said softly. "All I care about your royalty is that you are a royal pain in my ass. All Julia cares about is that I apparently have a girlfriend – her words, not mine and I've told her we're just friends but she keeps hoping we're more. All Barra will care about is that you're cool, and older and can teach her things that I can't and that you make me happy. You seriously have nothing to worry about." Arya settled back into the couch and gave a small smile to Gendry who still looked concerned.

"What?" she asked. Gendry was saved by answering when Barra ran from the bathroom to the living room, dressed in a summer dress and wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"Dresses suck!" she complained. "But Gramma said I have to look especially pretty today!" Arya smiled fondly – she could tell she was going to like this girl. Gendry smiled as well and sat back.

"I've got someone here next to me who I know you've wanted to meet for a while," he told her with a wink. Barra clambered on Gendry's lap and looked at Arya curiously before recognition sparked in her eyes.

"You're daddy's girlfriend!" she said happily. Arya glanced at Gendry who shrugged as if to say "Just go with it". She smiled at Barra and held her hand out.

"I'm Arya," she said. "I've heard lots of things about you."

"Daddy tells me lots about you," Barra said excitedly. "Like how he wishes you were older and how he thinks you're beautiful and how he says you're his best friend in the whole world and how you're amazing and how he has a crush on you and how-"

"Alright," Gendry interrupted quickly, setting Barra down. "Why don't you pick a movie?" Barra nodded eagerly and bounded off and Gendry left as well.

Arya sat back in shock as Barra's words hit her fully. She was a sixteen year old brat of a girl – what made Gendry start crushing on her – though Barra could have just been excited. Arya shook her head the familiar feeling of her chest constricting…

Arya took a deep, calming breath. There was no way Gendry could have feelings for her – he was her best friend and he knew what she went through; knew all about how traumatised she still was. She couldn't handle a relationship and besides, she didn't even think about Gendry like that.

Or do you? The little voice inside Arya's head whispered. "Snap out of it," Arya muttered to herself. She heard Gendry and Barra come back out and Barra set up the movie while Gendry made popcorn.

The movie finished and Gendry went off, leaving Arya and Barra together. Barra turned to Arya, a serious expression on her little face. "My daddy is the best person in the whole world," she said. Arya smiled softly at her and curled up.

"I know," she agreed, but Barra wasn't finished.

"If you hurt daddy, then I'm going to beat you up," she said seriously. "Daddy loves you like in the movies and you make him happy and I like you so I don't want you to leave him alone." Arya blinked; Barra's maturity surprised her.

"I won't hurt him," she promised. "I don't want to hurt him. He makes me happy too."

"Do you love him?" Barra asked. "Are you going to marry him?"

"Are you making Arya uncomfortable Little Angel?" Gendry asked, walking into the room.

"We're fine," Arya said quickly, standing. "Look, I'm sorry, I have to go-"

"I'll give you a lift," Gendry said.

"No-"

"Arya," Gendry interrupted, his jaw set firmly. "Remember the last time you went wandering around here on your own?" Arya glared at him and stormed out and Gendry picked up Barra and followed her.

After strapping Barra in the car, Gendry drove Arya back to her manor and pulled into the driveway. They both got out of the car and before Arya could escape, Gendry grabbed her arms.

"Let me go," Arya snapped.

"I'm sorry," Gendry murmured. "I didn't mean-"

"I don't care!" Arya said angrily, turning to face him. "That was uncalled for!"

"You don't realise the dangers of where I live," Gendry snapped. "I'm sorry for using the only way I know how to get you back here safely!" Arya deflated and took his hand, staring at his chest.

"Was everything Barra said true?" she asked quietly.

"You know how kids can get," Gendry said evasively. "Once they get excited, the most random things are said."

"You didn't answer me," Arya pointed out, looking at him directly. Her heart was hammering – she was frightened beyond belief, but she had to know. Gendry swallowed and cupped her cheek and Arya took a step back and shook her head.

"I can't," she whispered, her heart pounding. "I-" Gendry took a step back as well and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'll see you around M'lady," he muttered, turning to go.

"Don't call me that," Arya snapped.

"As M'lady commands," Gendry said coldly. "You should get inside Princess." He bowed to her and left and Arya, furious, went inside and stormed to her room.

She threw a pillow at the wall and screamed in frustration. It seemed that every time she let someone in, she pushed them away – first Mycah, now Gendry. Arya wiped her eyes furiously and collapsed on her bed as she ran her hands down her face.

Any doubt she had that Gendry may have had feelings for her vanished the moment he touched her cheek like that. Her skin still burned where his hand made contact and she had no idea what was going on.

She needed a few days to herself to get her mind straight and then…she decided she would sit Gendry down and talk to him properly.

All in all, Arya felt that the day could have gone better, though she adored Barra already, even with the threats of violence, or maybe even because of them.

A/N: I'm not happy with this chapter at all, but hey, Barra and Arya have met! Don't worry, there'll be more interactions between them :D I see them having clashing personalities, though they'd get on like a house on fire.
Arya pushing Gendry away – remember that she went through that trauma as a young girl and something like that is not easy to get over. She pushed Mycah away because of it and now she's starting to push Gendry away, though because he's helped her so much just by being there for her, she's going to get to the bottom of this (and also because she has feelings for him that she stubbornly refuses to acknowledge). Besides, I doubt King of the Stubbornness Gendry is going to let her get away with pushing him away and I doubt Barra will let her either. Until next time :D