A/N: I've gotta say it was so difficult writing this chapter. And I'm still not satisfied with it. But I've made you all wait long enough. Hopefully I get hit with a wave of inspiration and can get the next chapter out easier. Please enjoy and review!

His blood froze as he stared at the torn fabric, hope that she had just left of her own accord-curious to what had happened- shattering. For the gown to have torn must mean there had been a struggle. His wife had fought whoever had taken her. His fingers tightened around the scrap that he had left of her and protectiveness flooded him.

"Find her." he whispered, his gaze shooting to his companions, each looking just as concerned as he.

They immediately jumped to scan the surrounding courtyards. Tyrion waddled as quickly as his legs could take him back towards the gardens. The first Lannister guard he caught sight of, he called towards him.

"Run to my father, now. Tell him the Lady Sansa has been taken. Tell him the Lady of Casterly Rock has been kidnapped just as someone tried to murder the king. Run now!" The man (a boy, truly) turned stark white before rushing to do as he was bid. As Tyrion watched the boy run, his mind raced. How could he find her?

His eyes darted to the garden's hedges and a thought rushed through his mind. He remembered the first time he had come to King's Landing. He had been a teenager at that point and had been obsessed with finding all the hidden passageways about the Red Keep, just as he had at the Rock. He rushed towards the hedges, hoping that he path he had found all those years ago hadn't been overgrown. He was pleased to see at least a semblance of a parting between the branches and squeezed his way through. The path was small, barely large enough for a child, let alone a full grown adult, but Tyrion fit easily, making his way towards what he remembered to be the docks. He trusted his father to shut down the gates leading into the city as soon as he heard, but while they could secure the city quite easily, if Sansa was being spirited away on the water, there would be no way to track her.

Tyrion finally came out on the other end to the cliff side, taking the chiseled stairs down towards the water quickly, praying his misshapen feet would not slip on the stone. He came down to the docks and saw a small, unmanned fishing boat bobbing in the water. Before he could even think, a voice rang out behind him. He quickly ducked behind the side of the cliff. He hid as a small group came down the main path.

"Hurry, you fool!" a horribly familiar voice rang out. "That she-devil was right behind us. Get her in the boat-your payday is almost here..."

Shae... Anger rushed through him as he recognized the voice. Shae was taking Sansa? Why? He chanced a glance around the rock and rage coursed through him at the sight.

His old mistress and the king's fool were dragging a struggling Sansa towards the boat. His beautiful wife was fighting with everything she had, tears coursing down her cheeks as she flailed in their arms. The fear in her eyes was clear, but the girl was putting up quite a fight-even though Dontos was more than twice her size, he was obviously struggling to keep her in his grasp. Sansa was clearly trying to scream for help, but under the brute's palm, only muffled cries escaped. But it was still likely to call attention to their escape, and Tyrion saw Shae raise her arm. He watched the whore's palm connect with Sansa's delicate face and felt his rage bubble over. He flew from his hiding spot, his fingers tightened around a sharp rock on the shore and soon it was flying towards the trio.

The rock hit Shae in the temple, cutting into her skin and causing her to stagger. All three turned in shock as Tyrion rushed forward, calling out in rage.

"You whore!" he collided with Shae, tackling her into the shallow water. Dontos and Sansa had both frozen in spot, shock-still by his sudden presence. But Sansa seemed to jolt to her senses quicker than the drunken fool and she used the advantage to twist free from his grasp.

"Tyrion!" she gasped as the fool tried in vain to recapture her. But as he rose from the waves to try to reach her, Shae's nails dug into his arms, tearing into his skin as she screeched at him. Unable to help his wife while under attack, Tyrion focused on his former lover. Every trace of her beauty was erased by the hate in her eyes as she fought him in the water. She wielded her nails like talons and they raked down his face, tearing open the practically healed scabs from the Blackwater.

But, although Shae was almost twice his height, she was no match for him, especially off her feet and in knee deep water. Overcome with rage and protectiveness, Tyrion was oblivious to the fact that this was a woman he used to love. Instead, this harpy had tried to take away his wife. His perfect, kind, beautiful, witty wife who he had steadily fallen in love with. And in the moment where he had hoped that there was a chance she might feel the same, this witch had tried to take her away from him.

Anger and betrayal surged through him as his hands locked around Shae's slender throat and he pushed her face below the waves. She fought him, raking those claws of her down any patch of skin she could find. But a rage-filled determination kept her from overpowering him. Although all he saw was red, a small part of him registered a commotion behind him-heard a clash of steel and a thick northern accent yelling. Chella must have caught up and was taking care of the fool. All the more reason for him to take care of Shae...

At some point, the whore's limbs stopped flailing, but Tyrion did not lessen his hold on her. Shae...the first girl who he had loved since Tysha. Another liar, another woman who had used him for what he could give her...another whore. And this woman had tried to take away the only pure thing in Tyrion's life. Take away Sansa. Beautiful, kind, beaten but not broken Sansa. His fingers tightened further on the unyielding flesh of Shae's neck. He had promised no one would ever hurt her again and this whore had almost made him break his word.

Anger and hate swirled within him as he held the unmoving Shae underwater when a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. Tyrion jerked, broken out of his haze and his hands instantly dropped the dead whore. He stared at her frozen face in shock before he shakily turned, seeing Sansa's concerned eyes. Just as violent fury had filled him a moment ago, shame and remorse flooded him now. He had killed Shae-a woman he had thought himself in love with. He looked up at his innocent, flawless wife and knew in his heart he didn't deserve to touch her. But her arms came out anyway and wrapped around his neck, pulling him into her shoulder. They sagged against each other, having almost just lost each other. They knelt in the water and for just a moment everything was fine.