A/N: Hello lovely readers! Just a heads up, at this point I'm thinking there will be only 4-5 chapter left in this story. Ah! I cannot believe its almost over. Anyway, hope you enjoy this week's chapter. :)

Chapter 25

"Seven hells, how long do we have to sit here?" Arya dropped her head onto the lab table groaning.

Shireen sighed, her own bored frustration evident. "Until they copulate."

Arya peeked an eye open to glare at the petri dish between her and Shireen. In the dish were three bean beetles, two males and one female running around the small enclosure, completely ignoring one another. The two students were already twenty minutes into this grouping with no results so far. For their Biology lab, they were supposed to be timing how long it takes for the bean beetles to have sex, depending on how many males there were- sexual competition. So the hypothesis was the more males, the faster one of the males would jump the female. This is even stupider than the condom experiment. Lucky Hot Pie is sick so he doesn't have to be here.

"If nothing happens by thirty minutes I think we should start over." Shireen stated, staring at the timer on her phone they were using. "Hey, you never finished telling me what you and lava cake did for your first Valentine's. Was he all romantic? Oh, did he forget? No, he seems way to put together to forget. Don't think I didn't notice you spent the night too. Did you use up all those condoms yet?"

"Shireen! Gods!" Arya sat up, leveling a glare at her smirking friend. "I still can't believe you managed to get them all in my backpack. That was so embarrassing!"

"So…details, girl. You promised."

"Ugh. Fine. He picked me up after my class and we drove over to Wisconsin. You remember his car, right? Its really fast. Well he told me he likes to drive…helps clear his head. I guess that's how he found this spot. Anyway, he found this back road that is pretty much abandoned. He let me drive his car. It was really fun, I've never driven over 100mph before but gods, it was awesome! It felt like we were flying over the pavement."

Shireen raised her eyebrows, eyes widening. "Wow, he must really trust you."

"I guess…I think he just wanted to share something with me that's meaningful to him. After that, we pulled over and shot guns at some targets."

"Wait! He has guns?"

"Ah, just a handgun. He's been teaching me to defend myself, right? I guess he figured this was important too. Once we got cold, well, I got cold, we drove back to his apartment and watched a movie. I fell asleep on the couch…so he just moved me to his bed."

"That is soooo anti-climactic." Shireen drawled out, rolling her eyes.

Arya shrugged, unphased by her friend's romantic expectations. Truthfully she loved what Jaqen had done. It was not the typical romantic, cheesy Valentine's with chocolates, flowers or a giant stuffed bear. It was more…them. Something dangerous, fun and relaxing. What a strange combination.

"So you two still haven't had sex?"

Arya fidgeted. "No…"

"But you love him?"

She opened her mouth then closed it, staring at her finger as she traced random patterns on the table. The conversation between her and Jon had been in the forefront of her mind for days now. Is this love? She never wanted to be one of those girls who fell in love frequently, preferring to avoid love as long as possible. Love was a double-edged sword, giving its owner both joy and pain. Her mind recalled the fervent kisses between her and Jaqen as they declared 'mine' over one another, how his name, his very being felt branded onto her soul. She would never be the same without him, and her world would be darker without him in it. "Yes," she whispered as the confession seemed to both lift a burden from her shoulders and weigh her down with their truth, "I think so."

Shireen smiled softly at the admission. "Its been obvious for a while. Whenever you talk or think about him your face lights up…and you seem more at peace. I'm happy for you."

"At the end of the semester he is leaving to go back home. I don't know what I'm going to do. Gods, I don't want him to go."

"Well maybe he can be a TA again next year, or you go study there. You have a couple months to figure it out still. You'll make it work, if anything he doesn't seem like he wants to leave you anytime soon…oh look! They are finally copulating! It's been twenty-seven minutes."

Arya wrote down the number on their data sheet, her mind still thinking about her newfound declaration of love. Will this change things? I know he cares for me…but does he love me the same? She wondered if she was making this more complicated than it needed to be. Shireen interrupted her musing again.

"Hey, you going to Jon's on Sunday for the Superbowl still, right?"

"Yeah, Jaqen is going to come late. He said he has some meeting he has to go to first."

"A meeting on a Sunday evening? Weird. Whatever. Well if you need to get away, you can come rescue me from having to sit through it with my dad."

Arya winced, very glad to miss the disaster of being around Stannis Baratheon watching football. "I'll keep that in mind. Can we be done for today now? I'm hungry."

"Fiiiine…I'm sure you're hungry for more than just food though." Shireen winked as she grabbed the petri dish to return the beetles to their glass tank.

Arya's mouth dropped at the not-so-subtle comment then giggled. Truth be told, it was true.

The German assassin stood against the far wall, surveying the meeting before him. He wore a false face, the expression neutral as he gazed through blue eyes. His new hair was dark and buzzed. An elaborate tattoo of a skull decorated the right side of his neck along with the other detailed tattoos on his arms and hands. He could not help thinking of his English brother and how he would approve of the tattoos. That though brought a sharp pain of betrayal and regret that the master assassin dismissed easily. Now was not the time. Valar Dohaeris.

In the center of the room, sitting in plush, high-back chairs were the two men whom he had spent months watching and waiting for. Tywin Lannister sipped on a glass of scotch casually, his intense eyes focused on his companion beside him. An aura of power and control hung about him that was accentuated by his expensive suit, sharp features and clipped manner of speaking. The dead man had not been foolish enough to not bring his own protection to his meeting- hence how the German assassin stood watching the meeting without needing to be hidden. Using some unscrupulous resources, the professor hired three bodyguards who were positioned around the large room in the penthouse suite rented for this meeting. It had been fairly easy to make sure the German assassin was one of the bodyguards hired. The irony of the situation was not lost on him- hired as a bodyguard to only later kill him after months of planning his death. Valar Morghulis.

His attention turned to the other man beside the professor who held his own glass of expensive vodka. The Red Snake was a thin man, looking more like a scholar than a mobster, but his eyes missed nothing behind his thin-framed glasses. The assassin could practically see the Russian's mind spinning a million miles per minute. He was intelligent, the world was his chessboard and he was a master player. Once the meeting was concluded and the German assassin reported to his Master, he would propose one of his brothers infiltrate and eliminate this Red Snake. He was far too insidious and with the secrets the professor was sharing, a underground war had the potential to be waged. Better to kill the general soon and hopefully the secrets too. The assassin glanced at the four men the Russian brought with him, mesmerizing their faces. They would need to be eliminated also.

The sound of feminine giggling drifted from under the door to his left. Behind that door was the women for tonight's entertainment for the Russians. The professor made sure to spare no expense on setting up the meeting and accommodations for the man he needed to impress to further their business interactions. The two men quietly spoke for two hours while their separate bodyguards looked on silently. The tension easily discernable as both men assessed the other and subtly manipulated to their own ends. It was a game, this type of conversation, to glean weakness and vantage points of the other meanwhile pressing one's own offense. New relations were drawn, a cemented business agreement made, but without trust on either side. Finally the dead man rose, the meeting over. Strained pleasantries were passed and a signal given for the scantily-clad women to enter the room. The German assassin fell into step behind the dead man whom walked out of the penthouse and towards the elevator like he alone possessed the world and all its inhabitants needed to bow to him. The assassin kept a hand loosely on the handgun in its holster on his side, not that he expected the Russians to attack but he wanted to be on alert. It would displease him greatly if a lucky shot was made to end the professor's life…it was his job to kill the man. With everything he heard in the meeting, he would receive far greater pleasure with silencing the man permanently. Along with the other hired bodyguards, he escorted the dead man to a prior designated safe location and once there, they were dismissed after receiving their full payment.

Taking unnecessary amount of precautions of making sure he was not being followed and his true identity being hidden, he returned to his vehicle parked several blocks from the penthouse. Once inside, he retracted his false face and called his Master.

"What news?" The Principle Master needed no greeting, his sole focus on the information gained.

"It is as we feared. The dead man sold our secret. The Red Snake knows how to find us. His real name is Sergey Sokolov. A man suggests one of his brothers be at the airport to pick up the Red Snake and his bodyguards and make sure they are never seen again. Their flight leaves for Moscow tomorrow afternoon."

"Very good. Wait two days then complete your mission. Valar Morghulis."

"Valar Dohaeris."

Click.

The German assassin rubbed a hand over his mouth and chin as he set his phone down. Two days. The timeline of the gift to be given was set. With the secrets sold so effortlessly by the dead man, silencing him could not come soon enough. Rage stoked within his chest thinking of the arrogance the man carried, thinking himself untouchable, immune to the repercussions of his actions. If only he knew. Faceless Men do not take well to betrayal. Soon though…very soon he would learn his mistake.

He glanced at the time on his dashboard before turning his car on. Pulling out of his parking spot, he drive towards the sole reason a sliver of dread sliced through his anger. He did not want to leave her. Sending her a quick text, he said he was on his way. While driving, his mind finalized his plan for killing the dead man. Yet with each step towards completing his mission, it was a step away from her. His mind returned to the meeting between the dead man and the Red Snake, piecing together what other information for the Order to know and utilize.

Cheers erupted as the favored team completed a touchdown. Arya smiled at the excitement flooding the room, those in the cramped living room focused on the TV where the Superbowl played. Jon's friend, Grenn, bumped her shoulder with his much higher one beside her on the couch as he cheered loudly. She rolled her eyes but the smile remained on her face. They had been trading insults and barbs throughout the game so far, all in good humor. It was pleasant to have someone to razz and kill time with while waiting. As the elation died down with commercials coming on, she peeked down at her phone in her lap. No text. Where is Jaqen? He told her there was a meeting he had to attend and he would arrive when done. Even when she pressed, he refused to tell her more. Somehow she knew this meeting was not due to academics…but his real job. Whatever that was. His real reason for being in Minnesota. Worry gnawed her gut. They had not spoken of his true intentions for being here beyond the night they fought and had their first kiss. An implicit understanding kept her fervent questions silenced, he could not speak of it and for her safety she could not know. It bothered her but she accepted it. Her curiosity held at bay with the knowledge he was safer with her ignorance. Tonight though, her concern grew with each passing hour he was gone. He can protect himself. He'll be fine.

Jon's gray eyes caught hers from the other couch, borrowed from a friend's house to accommodate the number of people. His arm was behind Dany, pulling her against his side as they sat together on the couch. He scrutinized Arya, probably wondering why she was not as loud and boisterous during the game as she usually was. She gave him a quick half-smile, trying to assure him everything was ok. That only seemed to darken his impression. Before he could go concerned-big-brother on her, she jumped up to grab another pop from the fridge in the kitchen. Most of the people there were drinking beer or whatever hard liquor they brought, she was the only one underage…and Jon had been adamant about her not drinking especially since she was not spending the night. Jerk. However, having been watching how Dany could not keep her hands off Jon, Arya doubted Jon would be sleeping alone tonight. Grabbing a coke from out of the fridge, she popped the top before turning to see who else lingered about her. A couple options of pizzas resided along the counter beside the dozen plus empty beer cans. Near that stood Theon, Gendry and one of the other roommates of the house, Marcus.

"…started re-watching The Walking Dead." Marcus was saying, holding his beer lazily. He played football for the Minnesota Gophers, so Arya rarely saw him at the house whenever she was over. He worked out all the time with the other guys to stay in shape. He was nice, friendly enough but pretty obsessed with his passion of sports and did not pay much attention to the little sister of his roommate.

"Naw, Breaking Bad. Now that's the shit." Theon commented then caught her eye. "Hey, Arya. What do you think?"

She shrugged before taking the few steps over to join them, Theon to her right and Gendry to her left. When Theon arrived, she had been genuinely surprised since Robb was not here. All she could guess was that somehow Theon found out about the party, did not have anything better to do and decided to just show up. Which was not atypical of him to do. On the flip side, Gendry had been actively staying away from her during the night. She could feel his eyes on her sometimes but he did not engage with her. She had not yet decided if she was frustrated or pleased. It felt like lately whenever they spoke it was stressed and uncomfortable. Truthfully a part of her missed her friend, the easy comradery they had prior and how he always made her feel better. Now though, it was different and she suspected their prior friendship was lost.

She scowled at Theon, setting her can down behind her. "The real question is why are you here? Who invited you?"

Theon laughed before taking a sip of his beer. "I bring the fun. It's not a party without me. Now, answer the damn question."

"Fine. I'm going with Marcus. The Walking Dead is better. I keep hearing I need to watch Orange is the New Black though."

"Ooo…some girl-on-girl action, huh?" Theon slid next to her, placing his arm around her shoulders. "Let me know if you want to experiment in real life…perhaps a threesome would be fun." He wiggled his eyebrows as he blatantly leered at her. Having grown up with Theon, Arya knew he was just teasing. It was obvious, death would come swiftly to him if he ever tried to hook up with Arya or Sansa by Robb and Jon's hands. Before Arya could make a sarcastic remark and push him off, someone else stepped in.

Gendry moved and shoved Theon off her unnecessarily rough, causing him to stumble back against the kitchen counter. "Don't talk about her like that." He growled out, stepping between them and planting himself.

"What the fuck, dude?" Theon straightened back up, glaring at Gendry.

"She's not one of your hoes to play with."

"Right, and you're just jealous she's got a boyfriend. Whatever, man. Fuck off." With that, Theon stomped out, back to the living room to watch the game.

Arya could hear Marcus shift and slip out of the kitchen also. Not that she blamed him. Gendry stood slightly in front of her, still facing the way Theon disappeared. His shoulders were tense and fists clenched. The air crackled with the tension around him.

"You didn't have to do that. Theon is all talk. He wouldn't try anything." She crossed her arms over her chest, annoyed that Gendry stepped in.

He rolled his shoulders before facing her. "Doesn't make it ok for him to say."

"Yeah, ok. You didn't have to start a fight though."

"You could just say 'thank you' for looking out for you." He snapped at her as the tension mounted between them.

Her eyebrows practically touched her hairline. "Or you could pull your head out of your ass and realize Theon was just teasing. I can take care of myself."

"You've made that pretty clear."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She hissed before lifting her hands up and taking a step back. "You know what, forget it. Its not worth it." She turned and started walking down the hallway towards the front door. Between her worry for Jaqen compounded with Jon and Gendry's overprotectiveness, she desperately needed some air. Maybe I should just head home, the buses are still going. I'll text Jaqen to meet me there.

Once she was about halfway down the hallway, she heard stomping behind her and whirled to see Gendry towering over her. Instinctively she took a step back and planted her feet, Jaqen's training kicking in.

His vivid blue eyes burned with the intensity of a hurricane, devastation bound to happen in its wake. "Dammit, Arya. Why can't you let people help you? You don't have to do everything alone."

"I'm not doing this." She turned to walk away but he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her roughly against the wall. The drywall of the hallway greeted her back without any cushion causing her to wince. Using her momentum she swung her opposite fist to collide solidly with Gendry's jaw. He reeled back two steps, caught off guard by her attack. His hand touched his jaw as his eyes remained glued to her. Cheering from the living room made her wonder momentarily if anyone even heard them. The pain radiated from her hand and caused her to look down. Her knuckles were red but a quick glanced made her think that nothing was broken. Why does no one tell you how much punching someone hurts?

"Are you hurt?" Gendry asked softly, rubbing his jaw, still watching her. He stepped forward and reached a hand out to take her injured one. Immediately she recoiled, bringing it to her small chest and covering it with her other hand.

"Don't touch me."

He sighed before moving closer to her. "Dammit, let me see it. Arya, please. Did you break anything?" His voice had softened, genuine concern attempting to caress and soothe her.

"BACK OFF!" She yelled, uncaring if anyone heard. Air, I just need air and space. Her heart felt like it was beating a million miles per minute, her lungs could not get enough oxygen, her breaths becoming sharp and ragged. She had never had a panic attack before, but if this was what they felt like, she never wanted to experience it again. I just need to get outside. I just need air.

Within moments of her shout, footfalls landed in the hallway coming from the front door. Next thing she knew Gendry was practically thrown against the wall across from her. His body slammed against the wall, making it shake, but surprisingly he kept his feet under him. The wall shuddered under the force and weight heaved against it. Time felt frozen. What tension or friction had been in the air before redoubled in consequence. The sounds of those in the living room sounded far away, as if she was hearing it through a tunnel. Her eyes, her focus was trapped by the open hostility before her.

Jaqen stood in front of her, shielding her. His body and mind prepared for a physical altercation. "Harm her again and I will kill you." His voice was low and dangerous as he spoke the threat. The jealous boy would be favoring his left shoulder and side after the impact. It would not take long to incapacitate him. They may be the same height and Jaqen more slender, but he knew how to utilize the weaknesses of his opponents instead of just attacking. The fight would not take long. A brief shift of his eyes confirmed that Arya stood frozen behind him, eyes wide. She would need to be moved before the jealous boy attacked. Jaqen had only been in the house for less than five minutes, trying to find her when he heard her yell. It sent his feet flying towards her sound. In the few moments of time until he saw her against the wall, Gendry standing intimidatingly over her, his mind flipped through all the worst case scenarios for her need to defend herself. Anger rolled and swelled within him, blinding him to those watching around them. She was hurt and it was the jealous boy's fault. She felt attacked and it was the jealous boy's fault. The air felt electric and Jaqen knew it would only take the smallest spark to set him off. Damn Facelessness. This was his Schöne Mädchen. He would defend her until his dying breath.

Arya recovered from her momentary shock as Gendry stood up fully, ardent eyes solely focused on Jaqen now. The tension rolling off the two was gagging. If you stuck a knife in the air, it would probably hang weightlessly for the tension holding it up. Although she would not mind Gendry getting his ass kicked, in the moment she did not think Jaqen would stop himself. The two were obviously itching for a fight, ready to go at each other's throats in a heartbeat. Nothing good would come out of this and she worried a body bag would be needed. There was no way Gendry would win this fight. She took the half step closer to Jaqen and put her hand on his arm. "Let's go."

"You don't deserve her." Gendry spat through clenched teeth. His eyes did not waver from Jaqen's face.

Jaqen leaned forward slightly, lips curled back in a snarl. "Watch what you say, boy. There will be consequences."

Before Gendry could retort, Arya spoke up. "Gendry, shut up! Jaqen, let's go." She tugged on Jaqen's arm to no avail. Jaqen and Gendry's eyes held each other, assessing one another and waiting to make a move. "Come on, let's get outta here."

Without removing his eyes, Jaqen wrapped his arm around Arya's shoulders before sending one last glare. With that, he turned and guided them towards the front door and outside into the cold, ignoring all the stares of those trying to watch the impending fight. The TV momentarily forgotten. Jaqen and Arya walked to his car, parked along the side of the street. Before he opened the passenger side door for her, he turned her so she was facing him.

"Let me see your hand."

"It's fine. It doesn't hurt anymore."

He narrowed his eyes, undeterred from his request.

She met his gaze for a few seconds before rolling her eyes and lifting up her hand. "Fine." Taking it gently, he ran his thumb over the back of her hand, along the knuckles and individual fingers.

"I punched Gendry."

He quirked an eyebrow at her as he continued his examination.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. See, I'm fine."

Using her hand, he pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. "Mein Liebling…ein Mädchen hat mehr Mut als Sinn." He whispered, letting the last of his anger drift away with the winter breeze. A part of him was proud she defended herself while the rest of him raged that she had been forced to. He wished for nothing more than to cocoon her in his arms and protect her from those in the world who would harm her. She deserved laughter, love and joy. Yet the world kept throwing pain and struggles at her. Her shiver brought him back to the moment. "Where is your coat?"

"Well…we didn't exactly have time to grab it as we were leaving now, did we?"

"Would you like me to retrieve it?"

She looked up at him and smiled faintly. "I doubt that's a good idea right now. Let's go to your place and you can feed me."

"A lovely girl is always hungry." He teased before kissing her tenderly. They got into his car, making sure to have the heat blazing and drove to his apartment. Words were not spoken during the drive, a companionable silence filling the air. They held hands though as if using each other as a tether to reality and to not drift away with their thoughts.

"Hey, how was your meeting?" Arya asked a short time later as they relaxed on his couch. She leaned against his side while his arm was around her lower back, hand gently stroking her hip. The TV was on but she could sense his attention was elsewhere.

He rubbed his hand over his mouth and chin, pulled back into reality. "As expected." Honestly, the extent of secrets sold by the dead man caused turmoil in him, burrowing beneath his skin like an itch he could not scratch. Only death would heal the pain. Two days.

After waiting several seconds to see if he would say more, she sighed and turned to face him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing important."

"Yeah…I don't believe that." Whipping herself around, and surprisingly not hurting herself or Jaqen in the process, she straddled his legs on the couch. A momentary look of shock crossed his face as she moved then became replaced by a small, amused smile. She placed one of her hands on his side while the other hand toyed with his white forelock. "Talk to me. What's bothering you?"

He stared intently at her face, hoping to memorize every facet of her that he could. Deliberately placing his hands on her hips, he tugged her slightly closer. "Nothing for you to worry about." He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her collarbone, feeling her shiver beneath his touch.

"Stop trying to distract me…I'm trying to have a serious conversation."

"Does a lovely girl find a man distracting?" He purred as his lips grazed along her throat upward to her ear.

"On occasion…" Or all the time, let's be honest. Before his lips caught her ear, she grabbed his face between her hands. Pulling him back, she met his eyes. "Jaqen, talk to me, please. Is this about what happened at the house earlier?"

His shoulders slumped as he leaned forward and rested his face in the crook of her neck. Her arms automatically circled his back, pulling him close. Oh what he would give to stay in this moment forever. But times does not stop, no matter how much you beg it to. No matter how much you will it to. Time is continuous and a moment lasts only that…a moment.

"A man's time here is almost over." He breathed out hesitantly. The confession felt like a knife to the stomach, the pain seeping out his strength. He felt her stiffen at his statement, the haunting truth they both were trying desperately to ignore, thrown in their faces like a bucket of cold water. His hands skimmed up and down her sides, hoping to be a reassuring touch as she sat mutely.

"You have to leave before the end of the semester?" The question quietly drifting from her lips, hoping for a different response.

"I'm not sure…I hope to stay…but the decision is not mine."

"Will you at least get to say good-bye?"

He sat back up and cupped her face. "I will not leave you without saying good-bye. I promise."

She nodded then leaned forward, pressing her lips to his softly. The realization of his impending departure rattled around in her head but she shoved it aside. He was still here. Her arms still around him. That was her truth. That was what she chose to believe right now. She opened her mouth to deepen the kiss and he responded, a hint of desperate passion slipping in. That passion rapidly exploded in both of their chests and soon their breathing was ragged from refraining to seek air. Her hands were wrapped in his hair, tugging, pulling, wanting more…wanting him closer. His tongue dragged along her neck and in between his nips and sucks on her pale, soft skin. His hands kneaded her hips and ass, responding to her sighs and moans.

"Jaqen…"

Her sweet murmur sent shock waves of pleasure through his body. There never had been nor ever would be a more beautiful sound than her enraptured, sighing out his name. His name. His name. Pulling back he grabbed her chin, her half-hooded eyes blearily meeting his. "Lukas."

"What?"

"Say it. Lukas."

"Lukas." She whispered confused for a moment before a sudden lightbulb clicked. "Is that your real name?"

He nodded, words failing him in the moment. Years had it been since anyone had spoken his name from childhood…his birth name. So many painful memories tied to that name. A name that no longer described him…but it rang true more than a name picked out for him to fulfill a mission. That name, Jaqen H'ghar, was a façade. This passion, this moment between him and the one his heart longed for, this was real. In the moment he wanted…no, needed to hear her say his real name. He did not have much longer with her and what time they did have left, he wanted to be authentic.

Still holding his eyes, she tugged her chin out of his hand then grabbed the hem of her sweater and yanked it over her head. The sweater fell to the floor unnoticed as their eyes could only see each other. His eyes traced over her body, leaving a trail of fire in its path. There was no embarrassment for her, still straddling his lap in yoga pants and a sports bra. If anything she felt empowered seeing his response and wanting to share a part of herself no one else had seen, like him sharing his name.

"I want you." She kissed him deeply, a warmth filling her body that sought him, sought his touch. "I want you now."

"Schöne Mädchen, are you certain? I will not force this upon you."

"Yes, gods, yes. I won't regret this…I won't regret you. Please."

"One condition…" He smirked, bronze eyes gleaming with lust and passion. "…when you cry out in pleasure, you say my real name."

She laughed as she ran her hands under his shirt and up his chest. Shifting her hips forward to feel him underneath her, she leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Lukas, I want you to make love to me. I want you inside me and all over me."

As the last word slipped over her tongue, he abruptly picked her up, pressing their bodies together tightly. Her legs wrapped automatically around his waist as she tossed her head back with a startled laugh. He chuckled lustily as he continued to place hot, open-mouth kisses along her neck and chest, carrying her towards his bedroom. Once there, he dropped her on the bed before crawling over her body to hover over her. A wicked smile illuminated his face. "Mein Liebling…my Arya…you will be screaming my name before I am done pleasuring you."

She smiled, eyes alight, as she seductively raised her hands above her head, giving him complete control. "Do your worst."

"As you wish."

Arya woke up in a happy haze, a smile already on her lips. Her naked body lay pressed against Jaqen's also naked form spooning. His deep breathing surprised her, apparently still sleeping. Not that she was inclined to wake him up or move herself. Shifting minimally to press herself further into his embrace, the heat of his body warmed her physically and mentally. His breathing paused for a moment and she feared she woke him up. Yet it picked back up and he tightened the arm he had slung loosely over her waist. She wondered what time it was. It was Monday so she had class and he had his office hours…but the notion of leaving Jaqen's warmth and soft bed to be jarred back to reality sounded extremely unappealing. Her mind drifted to the prior night and all the…pleasurable things that had occurred. Gods, in between her legs was sore but not painful. Just a friendly reminder of what had occurred. She blushed thinking about it. Who knew you could have so many orgasms in one night? Gods, the things he could do with his hands and tongue were plain sinful but his other appendage…that was far better than she could have ever guessed. They fit so well together, in more than one way. She knew deep down in her core, there would never be another who felt like they were as much a part of her soul as he was. He was home. Cuddling closer, she entwined their feet, content and happy, trying to soak in this memory as much as possible.

"Mmmm…is a lovely girl still ravenous? Is a fourth time needed to fully sate my siren?" He asked, voice heavy with sleep still. His face was pressed into her hair, breathing in her- his joy.

"Good morning, Lukas."

"It is a very good morning." He bit her shoulder lightly causing her to squirm and grind her ass against his groin. A throaty groan escaped him at the sensation. "I must ask a favor of you, Mein Liebling."

"Sure, what is it?"

"My name…"

"Do you not want me to say it? You wanted me to say it last night."

He nuzzled her hair, tightening his grip around her waist. "I love hearing you say it…I enjoy it even more when you cry it out." He kissed her neck teasingly. "But it would be wisest to only use it between us and in the strictest places of privacy. Do you understand? I am Jaqen H'ghar here and if it is discovered otherwise, there will be negative consequences."

"I promise. Outside of the bedroom you are Jaqen, in bed you are Lukas." She replied cheekily.

He chuckled as he opened his eyes, noticing her tattoo fully exposed to him. On her left shoulder blade was a small tattoo of a howling wolf with a crescent moon behind it in a tribal design. He had noticed it on prior occasions but this was the first time he was able to examine it. "Why a wolf for your tattoo?" He quietly asked as he traced the simple yet elegant design with his finger.

"What? Oh, wolves are…sort of like my family's crest or symbol, per se. My father used to say all the time, 'the lone wolf dies but the pack survives'. Together we are stronger. I got the tattoo for my eighteenth birthday to remember my father and my family. It's like a constant reminder of who I am and where I came from. "

He absorbed her words as he continued to trace the lines and swirls of the design.

"Do you have a family? I've wondered but you've never really mentioned anything besides your sister, Anna."

Closing his eyes briefly he wondered what he could and should say. At this point his soul was bare to her, his deepest secrets lay open before her, all she had to do was look to see them. Yet he hoped she chose not to, she did not need his pain infused in her life. "I did at one time. I spent two years in an orphanage before I was found and brought to a facility for training. Now I work for that facility."

"Wow. You've…they started training you as a kid?"

"It's elite. It takes many years to be…fully trained and skilled. A man did not become a part of the group until he completely mastered all areas and he proved his capabilities. Now there are few things he is inadequate in."

She turned her head to quirk an eyebrow at him. "You're not just saying that to inflate your own ego, right?"

"Nein." He chuckled, leaning up on his elbow to see her better. "I promised not to lie to you, yes?"

"Just checking." She turned back to face the open door, seeing the morning light spilling into the apartment through the kitchen windows. "So…your job here…you said you were watching someone. Do you not need to watch them anymore?"

"There will not be a reason to."

"Do you like your job, working for the facility?"

"A man is good at it."

"That didn't answer the question."

He paused. "Why these questions, Schöne Mädchen?"

She shrugged, "just thinking."

The morose tone of her voice over shadowed her casual response. She clearly was thinking of his upcoming absence in her life. His heart ached thinking about it himself. After he completed the mission, he was determined to try and stay until the end of the semester. Perhaps he could convince his Master that he needed to further watch Professor Tyrion Lannister after the death of his father or that his sudden departure without the completion of his TA duties would complicate the potential for him to use this alias in the future. They honestly were stretches for reasons to stay but hoped his Master would buy it for now. There was another mission already waiting for him but maybe it could be passed to another master.

Tipping her shoulder back, she followed his lead until she lay on her back beneath him, still propped up on his elbow facing her. He cupped her cheek, his thumb gently touching the small crosshatch scar on that cheek, a reminder, before meeting her gray eyes. "Mein Herzallerliebste…" He kissed her forehead, her nose and both of her cheeks ever so softly. "Hundert Herzen wäre zu wenig, all meine Liebe zu dir zu tragen." Tenderly he touched his lips to hers, not for passion but as to solidify his words, to signify his promise. There would never be another like her. "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz."

Sudden tears watered her eyes and she blinked furiously to push them back. Now was not the time. Her heart felt as if it were exploding and melting simultaneously at his words. Even though she did not understand them, she felt them…felt their meaning and emotion. His striking bronze eyes held hers, staring into her soul. His words stamped upon her very being. She opened her mouth to tease him about sweet talking her in German but something else slipped out before her mind stopped reeling from his declaration.

"I love you."

She froze, surprised by her words and partially nervous about his reaction. The words hung heavily in the air. They could not be taken back now, but once they were released, she realized she did not want to take them back. He was hers and she was his. She loved him and she wanted him to know it. Especially if their time together was drawing to an end. She refused to be some bloody romance story where their love was never spoken and they left wondering how the other person truly felt, blah blah blah.

The corners of his lips turned up. "Ich Liebe Dich, Schöne Mädchen."

"Did you just say you love me too?"

His smile grew at her question. "Yes, lovely Arya."

"Awww…I knew it." Her own smile bloomed on her face. The moment felt surreal. If she closed her eyes, she wondered if when she opened them, it would all be a dream. Gods, she hoped not. "I don't want you to go."

"I know. I will figure something out. Let us not dwell on that now."

"Ok…what do you want to dwell on then?"

His eyes darken slightly as his eyes drifted slowly down her body beneath him, covered in his sheets. "A beautiful, naked woman lays in a man's bed…there are a few things he can think of to dwell on that will be most…satisfying."

She giggled, feeling her cheeks burn but also some wetness between her legs with his shameless, lustful look and voice dripping in sensuality. "If you say so. I would have no idea about that."

He raised an eyebrow, gazing upon his siren. Her beauty and being an alluring magnet to him. "Well there is much I must teach you then, yes?" Swiftly he pulled the covers over his head and slipped down her body, a wide smile on his face as he listened to her laughter turn to moans and gasps.