A/N: We've got some aftermath in this chapter as well as some pretty major conversations. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 44: Second Chance

Arya was aware of sounds. The howl of sirens. The blend of doctors' voices crossing somewhere over her head. Her mother, speaking softly and frantically in her ear. Her siblings. Jon. Their voices all mixed and tangled together in the back of her mind as she floated through unconsciousness.

In a haze of dreams, she returned to Braavos. To that dock where she first spoke with Jaqen. He stood beside her, looking out at the sea.

"What are you looking for, girl?"

"And can you pay the price?"

"I don't know," Arya replied. "I don't know anymore."

Something shoved her back and she plunged into the water, sinking like a weight. She tried to swim. Tried to get back to the surface. But an invisible force tugged her down into the depths. Into the darkness.

She woke to a white ceiling and the sound of a beeping monitor. Even shifting a little sent pain racing through her abdomen and when she reached down to feel, her hand brushed over the rough material of a bandage. She felt a slight pinch in one arm. An IV.

A hospital. I'm in a hospital.

Fear spiked through her. The hospital would see through her story in a heartbeat. It wasn't safe to be Arya Stark yet. Wasn't safe to be discovered. And the first instinct in her fuzzy brain was to run.

Jon entered the room before she could try anything desperate. His face relaxed into a smile. "Arya. You're awake."

"Jon." Arya swallowed hard. "I have to…I have to get out of here. The hospital. They'll figure out who I am and then—"

"Calm down." Jon hurried over to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "The hospital isn't going to find out anything. And those who do…well, I'm pretty sure Tywin Lannister is paying them off."

"He is?" Arya asked.

"Yeah." Jon squeezed her shoulder. "So you need to relax and focus on recovering from a gut wound. Just…don't move for a while, yeah?"

Arya relaxed back against her pillow. "Yeah. Okay. Sorry."

"You should be sorry," Jon said. "You scared the hell out of us. This family doesn't have a good history with hospitals."

"I know," Arya said. "I'm okay though. Other than the gut wound. Promise."

"You're one of the toughest people I've ever known, you know that?" Jon asked. "Tougher than steel."

Arya gave him a little smile, looking around. "Are the others here?"

"Your mom is," Jon said. "She's in the lobby. We couldn't have the whole family here. Too suspicious. The press would pick up on that in a second. I've been guarding the door under the guise of you being an important witness for the police."

"Smart," Arya said. "Can I…can I see mom?"

"I'll go get her." Jon ruffled her hair, and the gesture reminded Arya of simpler times. Then hurried from the room.

To be honest, Arya didn't want to see her mother. She knew how terrified she must have been. How worried. How furious at Arya for putting herself in harm's way again. But she needed to see her. Needed to reassure her that it was okay.

She had broken her mother's heart too many times.

A few minutes later the door opened again, and she looked up to see her mom hovering in the doorway. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she approached the bedside, cupping Arya's face in one hand.

"You're all right?" she whispered.

Arya nodded once. "I'm sorry…mom. I'm really sorry."

Catelyn wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a gentle hug. "Please don't do that to me again, Arya. Don't make me say goodbye again."

Tears welled up in Arya's eyes. She didn't know if she could promise that. She didn't know what the Faceless men would do now that she had killed the Waif. So she didn't promise anything. She just cried into her mother's blouse.

When her tears had run dry, Arya told her mother about her time in Braavos in more detail. Much of the same things she had told Tywin Lannister and some things she hadn't. It felt good to tell the story even though it hurt. A weight off her chest.

Her mother listened, asking only the occasional question. Arya couldn't look at her for most of it. She knew every story she told must be hurting her.

When she finally fell silent, her mother exhaled.

"You've been holding a great deal inside, haven't you?"

Arya nodded once.

"I'm sorry, Arya," Catelyn said. "That you ever felt the responsibility to protect our family. That should have been my job."

"You did protect us," Arya said. "You did. I just…got it in my head that I had to help."

"Not at the expense of your name. Of yourself," Catelyn said. "You've been throwing yourself into danger on behalf of our family for a long time. That's not your responsibility, Arya. You don't have to do it anymore."

Arya wasn't so sure of that. But she also didn't have the energy to argue with her mother right now.

"In any case," Catelyn said, pulling out her phone. "We can talk more when you're out of the hospital. But your siblings wanted me to call them when you woke up."

Arya straightened a bit in her bed. "Are they all right?"

"Worried. They'll be happy to see you." She handed over the phone after she pressed the 'video call' button. Arya cupped it in her hands and waited.

The call went through. Her siblings all crowded into the frame. Sansa clearly holding the phone, Bran situated in the middle of the frame. Robb hovering overhead and Rickon's face barely peaking in from the corner.

"Hey sis," Rickon called out. "Hope you're feeling better! You're a badass for surviving a knife fight. You have to teach me how to use a knife."

"I don't think she has to do that," Robb said. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Arya said with a laugh. "Stomach hurts but I'm going to be okay."

"Good," Sansa said. "You'll have to find an excuse to visit the house as soon as you can. We need to hug you in person. Not too tightly though. Because of the stab wound."

"After all I've put you guys through, I can take a little pain," Arya said.

"You can," Bran agreed. "We've all been up for about…48 hours. So you owe us at least a sleepless night or two."

"Gods, all of you need to sleep," Arya said.

"We didn't want to miss news!" Rickon said.

"Well, you have your news now. I'm fine. You can sleep," she said. "And…I'm sorry. Really. For scaring you all again. I'll see you in person soon. You can give me a lot of grief about it."

"We will," Robb said. "You get some rest too, Arya."

"We love you!" Rickon called out, popping a little bit more into frame and her other siblings echoed the sentiment. Tears welled up in Arya's eyes as she smiled.

"Love you all too. So much."

Those words did not come close to capturing the volume of her feelings. They absolutely filled her chest. Their family had always been close and cutting herself off from them the past few years had been the hardest thing she'd ever done.

She wanted to keep them safe. But she also wanted to be with them. Was it selfish of her to want both?

If being no one meant letting the go…she didn't want it.

Later that day, Arya received a new, unexpected visitor. Tywin Lannister. She knew, of course, that he was putting quite a few resources into keeping this situation quiet. But she didn't exactly expect a hospital visit from him. But part of her was pleased.

"I assume your mother has already lectured you about putting yourself in danger on a constant basis?" Tywin asked.

"Extensively," Arya said.

"Good. That saves me time." He looked her over. "I'm told you should make a full recovery."

"Seems so," Arya said. "See? All according to plan."

"Maybe a few less plans that involve you taking a knife to the stomach," Tywin said.

Arya smiled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you cared. Especially since you're visiting me in the hospital."

"It's a good thing you know better," Tywin said. "Still. I do prefer you alive to dead."

"That's good to hear," Arya said. "Did you come all this way to tell me that?"

"No," Tywin stepped a few feet to the side. "I was bringing someone else to visit you."

Arya opened her mouth to ask who, but she never got the words out. Myrcella rushed through the door, not pausing in the doorway before she practically fell on top of Arya, catching her up in a tight hug.

"Thank goodness you're okay," the girl mumbled.

"Myrcella. She has a gut wound," Tywin reminded her.

"Right." Myrcella leapt back. "Sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Arya laughed a little, which actually hurt more than the hug. "I'm fine, Myrcella. I'm glad you came."

"Of course I came," Myrcella said. "I would have come sooner, but grandfather said we're limiting guests to avoid suspicion. But at least I'm not as suspicious as others. You are my bodyguard after all."

"True," Arya said. "Won't be a very good bodyguard until this heals. I'll need you to protect me."

Myrcella beamed and Tywin exhaled, taking a step back. "I'll be waiting in the lobby. Don't stay too long, Myrcella."

"Yes, grandfather," Myrcella said. When he had gone, she perched on the edge of the seat next to Arya's bed, folding her hands in her lap. "Its good to see you. I've been worried ever since I saw them wheeling you out. There was a lot of blood."

"I know," Arya said. "I had to make a dangerous play. Sorry for worrying you."

"Was it…because of me?" she asked. "Because you didn't have a weapon?"

"No," Arya said. "That was always sort of the plan. I needed the Waif to think I was out of the fight. You made it more convincing. She thought she got the upper hand the moment you came into the room."

Myrcella let out a breath. "Good I…I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I got you killed."

"What happened between the Waif and I was a long time coming. It wouldn't have been your fault," Arya promised. She glanced at Myrcella's pale throat and the bandage over the place where the Waif's knife had cut into her skin. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, yes. I'm fine." Myrcella touched the bandage. "You saved me again. You've done a lot of that, Arya." She reached out, taking her hand in hers. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," Arya said. "I'll keep doing it. Whenever you need me. You're my friend."

Myrcella smiled, looking their clasped hands. "Just a friend?"

The question didn't register with Arya for a long moment. Well, I guess I'm also her bodyguard, but…oh. OH.

Heat rose to Arya's face and her brain sort of short circuited for a moment. She stared at Myrcella, mouth gaping. "Um…I mean. Not just…I don't know. What do you think?"

Myrcella smiled. Glanced back over her shoulder, as if to check for an audience. Then she leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Arya's lips.

Arya had never been kissed before—at least not by people who knew her true name. There were a few times in Braavos that she took on personas which received a few drunken, unwanted advances. This was nothing like that. It was sweet. A little uncertain. And it drew the tension right out of Arya's shoulders.

It didn't last long before Myrcella pulled back to look at her. Arya swallowed hard. "So…not just friends?"

Myrcella grinned. "That's my preference, yes."

The door opened and the nurse entered the room and Myrcella pulled away, nervously tucking a strand behind her ear. Her cheeks were still pink, and Arya could feel the heat of her own face as she looked down at her lap, a little smile on her lips.

"I should go," Myrcella said. "I can't keep grandfather. He's a busy man. But…you'll be out of the hospital soon, won't you?"

"I will," Arya said. "We can…spend more time with each other then."

Spend more time with each other? Arya thought. What even is that? Gods, I need to ask Sansa how to flirt properly.

Myrcella just giggled and bobbed her head. "Yes, we can. Get well soon, Beth!" She winked, then flitted from the room.

For a moment, Arya was left grinning like a fool in her hospital bed, barely feeling the pain of her stomach. This was new to her. New in a good way. She'd thought about this sort of thing once or twice—passing crushes really—but it always seemed more like something Sansa did. And then when she was a Faceless man…well, you had to be someone to fall for someone else.

Arya rubbed a thumb absently across her lips, trying to get her face under control as the nurse checked on her vitals. Then the nurse asked her a question:

"And how is a girl feeling?"

The question sent a shiver up Arya's spine. She turned slowly to see him staring down at her. Jaqen. His expression was as neutral as ever, but the fact that he'd been in the room for this long and she hadn't noticed him…

"Is the girl hard of hearing?" Jaqen asked.

"No," Arya murmured. "A girl is fine."

"A man is glad to hear." He turned, continuing to busy himself with various medical tools as if he was just another member of the staff.

"Are you?" Arya asked. "Because it seemed you wanted a girl dead."

"A girl assumes too much," Jaqen said. "Someone wanted a girl dead. Someone frightened of the Starks and Lannisters working together. The Faceless Men deemed the price offered too…insignificant."

"So the Waif was acting on her own," Arya said.

"She was," Jaqen said. "She ceased to be no one in that moment. She wanted revenge."

"What did I ever do to her?" Arya asked.

"It is not only the girl who made her do this," Jaqen said. "She ceased to be nameless. She was driven by her past. By the name she claimed to have left behind. Much like Arya Stark." He smiled. "Two girls with names. But one prevailed."

"Yes," Arya said. "And what now?"

"Now?" Jaqen glanced back at her. "The girl knows the terms of the deal she made."

"Yes. And a girl does not believe they are fulfilled," Arya said. "You've said over and over again…the Faceless men are just weapons. Tools. Not the killers. That means other people can be used as weapons as well."

"So Joffrey Baratheon was the weapon?"

"Yes. Just as much as the car he drove."

"A sound enough argument," Jaqen said. "A girl wishes to find the puppet master."

"Yes," Arya said. "And you know who they are."

Jaqen inclined his head. "But a man cannot give you a name. It would breach the contract."

"That's fine," Arya said. "I'll find them myself."

"And if a girl does find them," Jaqen said. "Finds them. Kills them. Will she consider the deal fulfilled then? Will she become nameless?"

Arya fell silent even though she knew the answer to his question. She did not want to be nameless. She wanted the puppet master brought to justice, but she did not want to give up her name to do it. She didn't want to hurt her family again. She didn't want to disappear. She didn't want to lose Arya Stark.

"What would it take?" she asked softly. "For a girl to keep her name?"

"The initial deal was a name for revenge and protection for her family," Jaqen said. "If a girl wants to keep her name. She must protect her own family. And she must give up her revenge."

"What do you mean?" Arya asked.

"The culprit must not die," Jaqen said.

Arya swallowed hard. She wanted the person behind this to die more than anything in the world. She wanted to plunge her knife into their heart. And yet…her name was worth more than that. "All right. A girl will not kill them."

"Not just a girl," Jaqen said. "The culprit must not die by any hand."

Clever, Arya thought. So she could not give one of her family the vengeance and simply be satisfied with the death. But death was not required for justice. At least she could watch the murderer rot in jail. That would be something at least. And certainly worth the price of not breaking her family's heart again.

She had been selfish when she first crossed the Narrow Sea to Braavos, thinking only of how to stave off her own grief. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

"All right," Arya said. "The puppet master will not die by any hand."

Jaqen inclined his head, picking up his clipboard and moving toward the door. He paused just before he left. "Why did the Waif's plan fail?"

"What?" Arya asked.

"She hoped to turn Starks and Lannisters against each other," Jaqen said. "Why did it fail?"

Arya twisted her fingers together. "She counted on Tywin Lannister being more ruthless."

"Hmm," Jaqen replied, a spark of interest passing through his storm grey eyes. "That is good to know."

Then he left Arya alone.

For a long moment, Arya sat in the quiet, completely still. She half expected for Jaqen to return at any moment and finish the job the Waif started. Or to take back this newly offered deal. But he didn't. He had just…

He had let her off the hook.

Was it because she had already served her purpose? Was it because she was of no use to the Faceless men anymore? Or was having Arya Stark loose in Westeros somehow to their benefit? She didn't know, but he didn't appear to be lying.

A shudder went through Arya and tears of relief rose to her eyes. Before she knew it, she was crying. Sobbing hard enough that her shoulders shook. For the first time in a long time her name was not some borrowed thing that she must return when her time was up. It was hers. Her name. And she could keep it.

This was far from over. The culprit was still at large and a threat to the Starks. It would be smart to keep acting as Beth until they rooted out the snake in the grass.

But when that was done…she would be Arya Stark again. And oh how sweet that would be.

Bran was searching for leads. Had been for quite some time, but the recent business with Joffrey's death and his sister's injury had thrown him off for a bit. Now that he was sure she would be all right… he could return to it.

There were so many possible suspects behind his father's death. Stannis' death. Joffrey's death. Even if some were linked to the Waif, she wasn't the mind behind their deaths. Just the all too willing hand if Arya had been telling the truth.

So who was paying her, he thought.

It all came back to the dead sex workers for him. The ones used to blackmail Joffrey and so many others. If he could follow their trail, he'd find the person responsible.

He was in the midst of going through their files when the message appeared on his computer. A single line of text.

You are looking someone. Perhaps we can help each other.

The note was signed but not with a name. A picture.

An image of a spider.

A/N: Gotta leave you guys with a small cliffhanger. This ends what I consider Part 1 of the story. We're now moving into Part 2, and there's sure to be a lot more drama to follow lol. Review, subscribe and I'll see you next time!