Chapter 10

Arya-Thursday Morning

She was a little excited about going to work later. She loved working in bars you could watch people come and go. She really learned how to read people bar tending not to mention the information you got just by hanging around. Nobody paid attention to the bartender while they sat there with a full drink, she heard every word. It would come in real handy if she ever finished her degree in journalism. She woke early as usual and was sitting there looking through her closet.

"Damnit Sansa was right." She said to herself, Nymeria was already spread out across her bed after her run. She pushed the massive beast aside to grab her phone and found Sansa's name to send her a text. 'Where can I get some shirts for work?' It was still early she wasn't sure Sansa would be awake. She got and immediate reply.

'what kind of shirts'

'I don't know, sporty sexy?'

'when do you need them'

'tonight'

'hmm… you have breakfast plans'

'nope'

'can you meet me at my apartment'

'sure' She didn't have any plans for the day and learning a new part of the city sounded fun.

'Great we'll eat and put together a game plan'

A game plan? She rolled her eyes, only Sansa could make shopping sound like a contact sport. Twice in one week she groaned to herself she really did hate shopping. 'K see you in a bit.' She threw on a shirt and a pair of holy jeans before pulling on her riding boots. Her sister was going to hate it.

That made her smile a little it was fun irritating Sansa. She really had missed her but she didn't realize it until now. Her bike was in the same spot she left it last night but there was a crumpled piece of paper lying by the kickstand. It looked like the idiot got the message. Her bike roared to life and she sped off to meet with Sansa. She took the scenic route mostly because she always did if it was all possible. She arrived half an hour later at her sister's apartment.

The doorman didn't look to happy when she parked her bike on the sidewalk to go get her sister, but he didn't say anything. Sansa was stepping out of the elevator when she entered the building. "What did you drive? Sandor was held up somewhere he can't take us."

"The only thing I have."

"I guess we could take a cab."

"Don't be stupid. I'm not leaving my bike. You can ride on the back." At least her sister wasn't wearing a dress or a skirt for a change.

"I don't think so."

"Come on it'll be fun. It's not like we are going far are we?"

"No"

"Then we won't even get to go very fast. You'll be fine and you can wear my helmet if you want. Don't you trust me?" She was playing the guilt card mostly messing with her sister. There wasn't anyway in hell Sansa would ride on the back of a motorcycle.

"Fine but I'm not wearing your helmet it will mess up my hair."

"You're such a girl." She couldn't believe Sansa actually agreed to it. It took several more moments to actually talk Sansa onto the bike but only after agreeing not to go fast several times. Her sister had a death grip on her waist. Part of her wanted to take off and weave in and out of traffic but she promised Sansa so she wouldn't.

They pulled up to a stop light and a little red sports car with two guys inside of it. "Hey baby, why don't you let me take you for a ride?" They guy in the driver seat yelled over at them. Sansa's grip grew even tighter.

"Fuck off" She hollered back and revved the engine to drown out any response. The guy did the same with his little car. If Sansa hadn't been there she would have smoked him off the line.

Sansa leaned in and said into her ear. "Can you beat them?" She just nodded in response. "Do it" she couldn't help but smile when her sister's grip tightened again when she revved the engine again. The light changed and she let out on the clutch and shifted gears. The rear tire slipped a bit but they bike lunged forward. The gears shifted effortlessly and she was pulling away from the car with the two idiots inside.

Sansa was no longer clinging to her; she was actually turned around watching the car fade away. She found her way to the place they were eating at and killed the engine. The bike usually meant good parking. "That was so much fun." Sansa said as soon as she crawled off giggling as she ran her fingers through her tangled hair and lead the way to the restaurant.

"I was surprised you wanted me too." The hostess showed them to their table while Sansa worked more tangles out of her hair.

"I don't like guys like that. I figured you would teach them a lesson."

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"

"Don't be stupid Arya. I'm not a complete bore."

"I'm learning that." The waitress set water on the table and handed them the menus. The place was a little more upscale than she would've picked but the smells coming from the kitchen were making her mouth water. "I really don't know that much about you." Her sister glanced up from her menu.

"I know. We used to be so different eventually I just stopped trying to figure you out."

"Me too" the table was quiet again. Staring at the menu she was trying to figure out something to say.

"Dad likes the burgers here." Sansa broke the silence.

"Dad comes here with you?"

"Yep, he comes every other week or when he's in the area on business. Just don't tell mom. I promised to keep to keep his meetings a secret. You know how mom is with his diet."

It made her laugh. "I think dad has been using us all. We go to a different place to eat every time I'm around his office and he takes Bran out too." Sansa was giggling when the waitress returned to take the order. There was the uncomfortable silence that followed them around.

"I've always wondered what does the… Sandor do while you are at work?"

"I have no idea and he won't tell me."

"The guy is strange."

"Arya don't. He's been good to me."

"I'm not trying to be mean. I just don't understand him."

"Oh I thought you were going to start again. You don't know how much he has done."

"You're not dating him are you?!"

"What! No how could you say… I would… he would never…"

"I was joking." She broke into her sister strange reaction to her joke. It certainly was interesting. "Are you dating anyone?"

"No after Joffrey I haven't wanted to try. I did go on a date with Robert Arryn that mom set up but he had serious issues."

"The momma's boy there is nothing worse than a momma's boy."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"No I've never met anybody that actually wanted to date me."

"But you have wanted to see someone? Why didn't he want to see you?"

"It was awhile back and he was older. I think he saw me as little sister. Guys don't come up to me like they do you Sansa. They all want the pretty girly-girl." She had been hanging out with guys her whole life and they moment some girl in a skirt would walk by they would ditch her.

"You know you could dress up just a little bit" Sansa hesitated. "If you think it would help."

"Then they would be interested in something they think I am not me." Their breakfast arrived and she dug into her pancakes while Sansa delicately ate her French toast.

"It doesn't hurt to polish up what you are Arya. I'm not saying you can't be yourself just shine it up a little. Guys love it when they think you got all dolled up just for them." Everything she was saying made sense. Five years ago she would have fought tooth and nail over it but she was comfortable with who she was now even if others weren't.

"Maybe you're right. That is why I called you after all. I got a job at a bar and I need to dress up a little it helps with tips."

"What kind of bar?"

"It's a sports bar that has a live band Thursday and Friday night. I hear it gets pretty packed."

"Sexy sporty makes sense now. Hold on." Sansa pulled out her phone. "Hey Jayne, fashion emergency I'm not gonna make it in until after lunch… Sorry I'll make it up to you." She hung up. "There I have the morning free."

"You can do that? Just take off." Her sister rolled her eyes at her.

"I'm a writer, I write about fashion and this is a fashion emergency." Sansa winked. "Besides you gave me an idea for a story. Hurry up we have shopping to do I know the perfect place."

Sansa-Thursday Afternoon

Arya's bike was so much fun; she never thought she could feel so free and excited at the same time. Her little sister was so comfortable on the back of the big machine. She was amazed how smoothly she operated it and a little jealous at how confident her sister was in everything she did. Sandor was right fearless was exactly what Arya was. She took them to a little strip mall she knew about. That had more unique shops that would fit Arya a little better than the places she shopped for herself.

At one time she would have tried to put Arya into clothes that she herself liked to wear, because that was what was stylish. She had learned that not everybody fit into a nice little box. That was part of the reason Mrs. Mordane loved her so much. She didn't try to push fashion on everyone she tried to make it for everyone and if she ever got her own clothing line going that was what she wanted to do.

They spent an hour in a few stores and Arya only grumbled at a few of the things she brought her to try on, so she must have been doing something right. They had quite a few tops picked out and a few pants that her sister said she could wear on her bike. The heels she tried to put her in where an absolute no though. They were sitting outside a little drink shop soaking up the sunshine.

"How am I going to get all this stuff home?"

"I didn't think about that maybe Sandor can get free by the time we are done." She was finishing her lemonade enjoying the day. I should take more time off work.

"You shouldn't let Joffrey win." It came out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?" Even hearing the name sent a chill down her spine.

"You not dating because of him it's like he ruined you if he's the last guy that got to date you. You deserve better." She wasn't used to Arya being so honest with her it was touching.

"I kind of went on a lunch date with Willas Tyrell yesterday. Actually Margery set it up without either of us knowing. He was really nice." They were walking along the strip looking for another shop to try.

"Are you going to see him again?"

"I did give him my number so maybe." She felt her face flush a bit thinking about it. She and Arya had never talked boys before now. She regretted everything that had happened between them to cause the rift. They had spent a few hours shopping and Arya was set up with a lot of new clothes when she figured she needed to be going back to work. She dialed Sandor's cell. "Hi Sandor are you able to get free now?"

"Where are you at?"

"The strip mall where I like to get the smoothies."

"Be there in 20 minutes." The phone clicked off.

"We have 20 minutes to burn what do you want to do?"

"I don't care"

"There is a bakery a little further. We can grab a bite to eat and rest. My feet are starting to hurt a little."

"That sounds great I thought I was the only one in pain." She playfully argued with her sister while they ate their sandwiches.

She was getting ready to order another lemonade when her bodyguard walked through the door. Everybody in the place stopped to look at him. His lip was split and his eye was slightly swollen and already turning black. She stood up and quickly walked towards him. "Sandor are you all right?"

"I'm fine it's just a scratch. Let's go."

"Yep" Arya was behind her finally getting a look at him. "Whoa! Who kicked your ass?" She noticed that Arya didn't have the usually venom in her voice when she spoke to him. "I'll send him a thank you card."

"Don't bother just finished burying him." She couldn't be sure but she thought she heard a touch of humor in his voice, but he was obviously in a bad mood.

"Let's get going. I need to get back to work." She was trying to prevent an argument between the two so it wouldn't her great day. They loaded the massive amounts of shopping bags and Sandor drove them around to Arya's bike. "We'll meet you at your place."

"Sounds good thanks for the help Sansa."

"Anytime" Arya put her helmet on and kicked her bike to life before speeding off much faster than before. She sat in the back looking at the bruises on his face trying to figure out how to ask him about them.

"How did you get here?" Sandor's voice startled her.

"On the back of Arya's motorcycle."

"You shouldn't do that it's not safe."

"It was the only way to get here you weren't around remember." She was getting angry with him. He showed up bloody and bruised and then started to act like her mother. "Besides it was fun. She promised to take me for a ride down the coast" Arya hadn't actually but she did plan on asking her too.

"No that bike turns over she couldn't pick it up."

"You don't get to tell me what to do Sandor."

"I can when it involves your safety it's my job remember."

"That's all you care about is your damn job, isn't it?" She was so mad she had even cursed. He was treating her like a child.

"Yes it is." He raised his voice at her. She felt tears stinging in her eyes. That was all she was to him a paycheck. "If you get hurt then I lose my job. No riding on the back of motorcycles." His tone was gruff and final. She wanted to yell back but the tears were to close to falling so she couldn't. Anything she said would just be ignored like the pleas of a child anyway. She was done talking to him.

They sat in silence the rest of the ride. Arya beat them to her apartment and was waiting when they pulled up. She climbed out and helped her unload everything. "Are you alright? You look like you're about to cry."

"Arya please not now. I'll tell you later. Okay?"

Her little sister didn't look like she wanted to let it go. "Okay, but if I need to kick his ass let me know."

She hugged her sister because she made her smile when she was so close to tears. "I will"

The car ride to work was quiet as the ride there. She didn't think Sandor would ever see her as anything other than a little girl needing to be rescued. She was done waiting for a sign from him. It was time to move on.

Sandor-Thursday Afternoon

He knew he shouldn't have yelled at her like that, but the thought of her on the back of that bake worried him more than he wanted to admit. He trusted the little wolf with her sister but she drove a cruiser not a little crotch rocket. There was at least 1000 pounds of steel on that bike.

All it took was Sansa to lean a little too far one way and both of tem could go to the ground scraping skin off and breaking bones. He couldn't deal with that if it happened Sansa had to stay safe. Even if it meant lying to her, he could care less about this damn job. There was always work for a good dog. He couldn't tell her that she was all he cared about. She would laugh at him or worse pity him and he couldn't deal with that either.

The fact that she enjoyed the bike ride had surprised him. He didn't think she would ever enjoy something like that. Just the thought of her on the back of his Harley made his cock twitch. He was starting to lose control of his urges. Sometimes he wasn't sure he could be around her without throwing her down and fucking her in front of god and everybody. But he controlled himself he couldn't lose her right now she was an anchor.

He would find a way to make it up to her. Maybe even take her for a ride himself.

It had been an hour since he had dropped her off. He was parked on a street corner waiting on a kid to show up from the rec center. He'd spent the last year and a half training young boys to fight. The kids were young and full of anger. Anger was something he definitely understood.

Nobody knew where he was or what he did and nobody needed to know. The kids he taught were trying to survive tough situations. Gangs were recruiting in the area and if you didn't join you had to fight to survive. With MMA being so popular the boys felt it was their only way out, so he taught them.

The kid he was waiting on was a monster he was 6'7" and was built like a tank. Had he been born anywhere else he would have had a scholarship playing football or wrestling but he wasn't so they spent their time throwing punches at each other. He didn't mind the kid kept quiet and he got to take out his frustrations. He had enough of those started working next to the Stark girl.