A/N: Happy Thursday everyone! We're back with another chapter, including some POV from Arya, Tywin and Jon. Slight warning for some sexual harassment in this chapter but it doesn't last for too long or go too far. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 20: The Rabbit Hole

They gave Arya a guest room in the Lannister house. She texted the Faceless Men that the Lannisters wanting to keep her 'closer to Myrcella' and they bought it. In fact, Jaqen seemed to see this as an advantage. She was gaining trust, just like Jaqen ordered her to do. And now she was closer to the Lannisters than ever. She still did not know why exactly. It could be anything from gathering information to being in the perfect position for an assassination. The Faceless men often let their agents stay undercover for months, integrating themselves into the society until it seemed they were always there.

There was a worry in the back of her mind—what if they meant for her to assassinate a Lannister? But she dismissed that fear rather quickly. If the Faceless Men meant her to kill one of the family, this would be too obvious. A bodyguard with close access to the Lannisters? Beth Rivers would be a suspect. More likely, they put her here because she would come in contact with a target. She had access to many of the wealthy elite.

She worried about their choice of target should assassination be her mission. She had trained for it, and she had killed before in Braavos, but the ones she had killed had been terrible people who hurt others. What if they asked her to kill someone kind? The Faceless Men did not bother with basic morality. If a price was paid, they did the job.

Arya shook the thought from her mind. This could very well just be a mission to gather information or to test her ability to blend in, while also putting her in the path of the one who ruined her life. This was Arya Stark's last job, and she did not have time to worry about what it was. She had made a deal.

She woke to an early morning text from Jon. He had checked the files and, sure enough, found her father's file missing. One missing file was suspicious enough. A second from the same family? There was no way that there wasn't a connection. She quickly tapped back an answer.

Do you know who wrote the reports yet?

Not yet, he shot back a moment later. Trying to be subtle when I ask. I'll keep you updated.

Arya nodded once, quickly dressing for the day. She would need to return to her apartment soon to pick up a few things so long as she was going to stay here. She adjusted her collar to make sure she looked professional again. Then she stepped out into the hall.

It was quiet in the house that morning. Arya saw only a few maids going in and out of the rooms to change the sheets. She knew that Tywin could very well be at work or in his office. She figured that if he was in his office, he would like an update on the situation immediately. After that, she could find Myrcella and make sure she was truly okay from her experience a few nights ago. Arya suspected she might not want to go out again for a while after such an ordeal, but Arya knew she would feel better if she didn't lock herself in her room. She knew it wasn't exactly her job to check in on Myrcella like that, but she couldn't help but feel worried for the girl.

She paced in front of Tywin's office and heard his voice from inside. He was on the phone with some important partner, and she wondered for a moment if she should listen at the door or just walk right in.

No. Better not to be too obvious in her eavesdropping, especially since she had only just started staying in the house. Tywin Lannister was suspicious of her, naturally, since she had already lied to him many times before. Her job now was to gain back some trust. So she went instead to the parlor to wait for a bit.

She checked her phone again to find a text from Sansa.

S: Just checking to make sure yesterday wasn't a dream.

Arya smiled and tapped back a response.

A: It's not. I'm still here.

S: Where are you?

A: Lannister manor. I'm staying in a guest room. This place is huge. I feel like if I walk too long, I'll get lost forever.

S: You will. I've gotten lost there before.

Arya sighed. It was a reminder to her again that Sansa had been in a relationship with Joffrey while she was away. Her sister told her not to blame herself, but she did. It was impossible not to. Because if Arya had been there, she never would have let Joffrey near her sister again.

From her place on the couch, Arya heard the front door slam open with the confidence of someone who lived there. She glanced up and saw the very boy in question sauntering through the front hall. He always appeared when she was most thinking about how much she hated him.

For a moment, he passed by the parlor doors and Arya let out a breath. But a few seconds later he burst through, making his way to the decanter set near the piano. He had already started pouring a drink for himself before he even noticed that she was there.

"Oh. It's you." He gave her a look as he turned around, leaning on the piano. "Betty, right? What are you doing here?"

Why are you drinking at 8:00 AM, Arya wanted to respond. Instead, she kept her expression professional. "It's Beth. And I'm waiting to discuss a matter with your grandfather. He's in a meeting."

"Usually is, yeah," Joffrey sipped his drink. "Didn't know you had the qualifications to speak with my grandfather."

Does speaking with him require qualifications, she wondered. But then again, Tywin Lannister was extremely intimidating, so maybe there were qualifications. "It's a matter specifically concerning Myrcella," she lied. "He asked for a more thorough report."

"Right, right. Someone shot at her a couple nights ago, didn't they?" Joffrey asked. He sounded way too casual about that statement. If one of Arya's siblings had nearly been killed, she would not be frantic. But then again, perhaps that was because he was more than a bit inebriated. Joffrey had probably been up all night and was just continuing drinking to keep up his buzz.

"Yes," Arya said. "Someone did. Not to worry, she's fine."

"I know that. I talked to her yesterday," Joffrey said. "Seems fine enough. Scared though. Cella always scared too easily. Couldn't watch a horror movie to save her life." He stared down at his drink. "Doesn't make sense anyone would try to kill her. Of all of us, I mean. Me, maybe. Or mother. Or grandfather. Why her?"

If Arya wasn't mistaken, she thought she heard a hint of worry in his voice. "I'm not sure, sir. We're trying to figure that out."

"Someone trying to hurt us, I guess," Joffrey said. "That's what it is. It's a threat. Trying to make themselves look big, like they can take on our family. Well, they won't be able to. We'll crush them."

Yes. He's definitely drunk, Arya thought. And he was as afraid as Myrcella. He was thinking about what would happen if someone came after him. She didn't blame him for the paranoia. Hadn't she felt the same way after her father had died?

"Yes, sir," she replied neutrally. "I'm sure you will."

Joffrey finished his drink and slammed the empty glass down on the piano. Then he looked back at her, wagging a finger in her direction. "Beth... you know I figured out who you remind me of?"

Son of a bitch, Arya thought. "Have you?"

"Yes. Not a one-night stand. An ex of mine. Sansa Stark," he said. And Arya felt her emotions turn from panic to icy anger. "Bet you've seen her in the papers, haven't you? You look a little like her."

Most people used to say that Arya and Sansa looked absolutely nothing alike. But she had red hair at the moment, and perhaps her use of makeup made their faces a little closer. "I have seen her in the papers," she said after a pause. "Must be the hair."

"Probably. I like red hair," Joffrey said. He was getting closer to her and Arya stood, sensing how his expression had shifted. It was typical of a drunken man. To go from worried and agitated to predatory at the drop of a hat. "You're not as pretty as she is, but you're nice to look at."

Arya felt nauseous. She started to back toward the parlor door. "Sorry, sir. I should see if your grandfather is done with his meeting."

"He's probably not," Joffrey said. "Wait a minute."

Arya had nearly reached the door, but he moved faster than she expected. One arm pressed against the wall between her and her escape and the other gripped her arm. Her injured arm. Arya winced when he squeezed too hard.

"I said to wait," he said. "I just want to talk a little longer. And you shouldn't run away when I'm talking to you. You work for me."

He had the Lannister height and Arya hated how he loomed over her in that moment. It was taking every ounce of her self-control not to drive the heel of her free hand up into his nose. She could think of about ten ways, in fact, to get him the fuck off. It would be easy. Joffrey was not a fighter. Not by any means. In seconds, she could have him on the ground crying out in pain.

But there was still her cover to think about. Joffrey could not know who she was, and if she attacked him or showed her rage, he might see Arya in Beth's face. Beth wouldn't attack an employer for fear of losing her job. Beth knew that if she attacked Joffrey, he would go straight to his mother with a complaint. And Arya was not sure if Cersei knew the truth yet either. Too many complications. She couldn't afford any more failures.

"I work for your sister, sir," she forced herself to respond. "And I need to go... see to her wellbeing. Please let me go."

"Why? I'm not hurting you," he said. "You know you should be honored I'm even paying attention to you. I'm a Baratheon and a Lannister. Usually, someone like me wouldn't even give you a second glance."

I'd love for you not to give me a second glance, Arya thought. Her hands closed into fists at her sides. She had to diffuse. She had to diffuse this.

"I am honored, sir. It's very kind of you," she said. Her voice was flat and unconvincing, but he was too drunk and self-absorbed to understand that. "But I have to do my job. Please."

"I can always explain to my grandfather why you were delayed," Joffrey said.

Oh, I wish you would, Arya thought. She had to choke down bile in the back of her throat. This wasn't the first time this had happened to her. Sometimes, when she was wandering the streets of Braavos under cover, a man saw a need to pay her more attention than she liked. But the first rule of a Faceless Man was not to cause a scene.

The first time it had happened, she broke the man's wrist. She ended up locked inside the House of Black and White for two days after that, with no food. So the next time it happened, she learned to swallow her pride, be patient, and slip away from the assailant when they left an opening. Joffrey would leave an opening just as soon as he let go of her arm. She would be fine. She could handle this. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the feeling of his breath on her neck. Trying to keep her fists pressed against her legs.

"Joffrey."

Arya's eyes flew open at the sound of the voice and Joffrey's reaction was immediate. He was off of her in two seconds flat, halfway to the couch. She did not have to turn to know Tywin was standing in the doorway to the parlor.

"Grandfather," he said. "I was... just..."

"I don't need you to explain. I have eyes," Tywin said flatly. "Whatever it was, you won't be doing it again."

It was an order and Joffrey did not protest against it. He was pale at the sight of his grandfather. "Uh... right..."

"What was that?"

"Yes, sir," Joffrey corrected himself.

"Good," Tywin said. "You were out all night. Go see your mother. She was worried about you."

Joffrey nodded once, glancing from Tywin to Arya. She stared right back at him, letting her fury show clear in her gaze for a moment. Then he hurried from the room.

"That was restrained of you," Tywin said when he had gone.

She slowly released a breath and let her fists relax back into hands. "I couldn't... risk him recognizing me. So I tried... to handle things like Beth Rivers."

"And Beth Rivers wouldn't have fought back?" Tywin asked.

"She would have tried to avoid a scene. Avoid getting fired," Arya muttered.

"I see," Tywin said. "If he does that again, you have my permission as your employer to stop him."

She nodded once, rubbing her throbbing arm as she finally pushed herself off of the wall. For a moment it felt as if she had become one with the plaster. "I... have an..." She shook her head, trying to steady her voice again. "I have an update for you. From Jon. My father's profile is missing just like mine."

"I suppose that proves some connection then," Tywin said. "Has he figured out who worked those cases yet?"

"No, not yet. He said he'd get back to me later," Arya said. "In the meantime... there are a few things I need to gather from my apartment, if I am going to be staying here."

Tywin nodded once. "Do as you please. You can take one of the security team cars."

Arya nodded once. "Thank you, sir." Then she slipped off the wall and hurried from the parlor. She needed to get out of this giant house for at least a bit. Away from Tywin's scrutiny and far away from Joffrey.

She just needed a moment to breathe and be alone, without worrying about which lies she had to tell to whom.

The news about Ned Stark's file had not surprised Tywin. From the moment Arya Stark suggested it might be missing, he was sure it would be. And that, in a way, was good news. It meant they were onto a good lead.

What had surprised him was the girl's reaction to Joffrey.

The second time Tywin ever met the girl was four years ago when she was just fourteen. Cersei had been called to come to the school because Joffrey had gotten into a fight. She was out of town at the time, but King's Landing Private Academy had an infernal policy of demanding that family attend any meeting regarding disciplinary action. They couldn't send an assistant or anyone else to deal with the issue. And so Tywin had gone because Cersei refused to call Robert Baratheon to deal with the problem. Which was fair enough. Robert Baratheon barely knew the definition of the word 'discipline'.

When he had entered the main office, Arya Stark had been holding forth in front of the principal, utterly unrepentant for her actions.

"He was spreading nasty lies about Sansa. She told him to stop, and he pushed her so I punched him because he deserved it, and I will not apologize for it."

The principal looked at the end of his rope, as if he had already been listening to this for some time. In fact, Tywin suspected that this was not the first time they had called Arya to the office to justify such actions.

"Shoving another student if against the rules," the principal said. "But so is punching a student in the face. No matter what he was doing, it wasn't your job to handle it like that. You should have gotten a teacher to help. We're meant to deescalate the conflict, not escalate it."

"You wouldn't have done anything about the conflict," Arya snapped. "You never do because you're too afraid of crossing his family."

He had remembered the panicked look that crossed the principal's face at that statement, especially when he looked up to see Tywin standing in the door. And Arya had turned around to see him as well. But she didn't balk. She didn't retract her statement. She simply lifted her chin and held his gaze until her father quietly told Arya to wait outside while he handled the rest.

The girl hadn't been wrong. Joffrey often got away with anything and everything at school because the school was afraid of taking disciplinary action. And that had been more of a curse than a blessing. Joffrey never learned from any of his mistakes because Cersei fought the school every time they tried to punish him.

Arya Stark had seen as much, so she broke his nose. There was a grit that Tywin could respect in that. Even if she was impulsive and too honest with her feelings.

The Arya of four years ago, or even three years ago, would have tackled Joffrey to the ground the moment he tried anything like that with her. She very well might have beat his face bloody. But today she had stood absolutely still, pressing herself against a wall, looking like she was trying to disappear. She claimed it was because she did not want to be fired. As if firing her was even a choice for Tywin until he found out what was going on with her and the rest of her damn family. As for not wanting Joffrey to recognize her, perhaps that was smart but Joffrey wasn't what one would call... bright. She could have gotten away with twisting his arm a bit and she clearly wanted to. But she didn't.

There were more changes than that in the girl. Everything about her was more subdued. Ever since she had dropped the cover of Beth, he noticed it. She hesitated when she spoke and when she did, her tone was softer. She avoided eye contact. She made herself small. She was not the girl who had marched into his office to defiantly pay back a debt.

And then there were the scars. Qyburn had called them 'many' and Tywin did not know exactly how many that meant. Scars from gunshots. Scars from knives. And even bruises, mostly healed but still clear on her back. If she had been on her own, some of them would have killed her. Which meant, of course, that she wasn't. Someone had been keeping her somewhere these past three years. He just didn't know who or how long or when and if she had escaped.

Fortunately, she had taken one of the security cars, all of which were trackable. So once she had left for her 'apartment', Tywin went to the security building and had one of the team track where she was headed. She was staying in the slums on the west side, only fifteen minutes away.

"Once she's back here, I want you to send a few people to that apartment," Tywin told Clegane. "Search it. See what you find. Any detail could mean something."

"Yes, sir," Clegane said. "Wouldn't be surprised if we don't find much. She seems like she covers her tracks."

"Look for covered tracks then," Tywin said. "That can tell us quite a bit too."

One way or another, he would find out where the hell Arya Stark had been the past three years—and what brought her onto his payroll. He was just hoping he didn't have to be rough to get the information he needed. That was why he had reintroduced her to her family after all, hoping she might let slip relevant information to them. They were safer than him. He hoped that they could find out what the girl was up to without use of force.

Though if he thought she might become a danger to his family... he would have no choice.

Jon was reeling from confusion and sleep deprivation when Chief Selmy came into the station that morning, but still he knew better than to blurt out the question he was wondering.

Who moved my uncle and sister's files? What happened to them?

No. Barging in like that wouldn't get him the information he needed. And even if Selmy himself was an honorable man, as Jon suspected, being too loud about this could draw the attention of less honorable men in the department.

So he forced himself to approach with caution. "Excuse me, Chief. Do you have a minute?"

"Didn't you have the graveyard shift, Stark?" Selmy asked. "You should have gone home by now. Get some rest."

"Yes sir, I plan to, but I had a quick question first," he said. "Do you know who in the department worked on my cousin's case? Arya Stark I mean."

Selmy sat down at his desk. "Practically everyone in this precinct worked her case at one point or another."

"What about..." Jon threaded his fingers together. "What about the officers who found her dead?"

Selmy gave a sympathetic look. "I know it seems like a good idea to pry into the past and try to solve the unsolved, boy. But it will cause you more pain than anything else. I'd keep the door shut on that."

"I'd like to decide that for myself, sir," Jon said. "At least tell me who wrote the file. I just want to talk to them for a bit. Get some closure on it all."

Selmy sighed. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't tell you. It was two years ago, and we get a lot of cases like hers, so it's hard to keep it straight in my head. But you can ask around if you'd like. I wouldn't if I were you."

Jon bit the inside of his cheek. "Right. Thank you, sir."

He retreated into the break room, fighting not to curse. Selmy was one of the few men in this precinct he knew was honorable, so he had hoped he would have answers. But he also didn't want to share the information about the missing files with the chief. He could turn it into a larger investigation and the cops responsible would he harder to track down.

"You asked about the Arya Stark case."

Jon looked up to see a tall woman making coffee. He had seen her around before, but never worked with her. "Yeah. She's my cousin. Was. Was my cousin."

"I'm sorry for your loss," the woman turned around. "I worked on that case, but I wasn't the one who found her body."

"Do you know who did?" Jon asked. "Who determined it was Arya and who filed the report?"

She raised an eyebrow, and he cursed himself for sounding too eager. He should have waited until after he had a good night's sleep before he tried this.

"Sorry..." he muttered. "I'm just..."

"Grieving," the woman said. "I understand." She held out a hand. "Brienne Tarth."

Brienne Tarth. That was the name of the woman who Arya said was trustworthy. Or at least, Jaime Lannister called her trustworthy, and Jon didn't know if those two things canceled each other out. Could one be genuinely honorable if Jaime Lannister judged them so? Uncle Ned would probably disagree.

But she seemed genuine and friendly. There was no slyness behind her smile. She was just trying to help. So he accepted the hand. "Jon Stark. But you... maybe already knew that since I said Arya was my cousin." He released her hand. "Sorry for bothering you with this, but I'd like to know who discovered her body."

"Will that really help you?" she asked.

"Yes," Jon said. "I'd like to speak to them because... well, I'd like to know the truth."

She considered it. "Well, two people discovered the body. Allistair Thorne and Janos Slynt. I don't know who handled the file itself. You would have to ask them."

Jon let out a breath. Wonderful. So the two people who had discovered the body were two people who did not like him. Thorne especially seemed to dislike him, and Slynt just had a general contempt every time he looked Jon's way. Jon couldn't tell yet if it was personal or if he was just an asshole.

"Is there a problem?" Brienne asked.

Jon studied her for a minute, trying to make a snap judgement on whether he could trust her. And ultimately, his trusting side won over and he closed the staff room door. "Yes. To tell you the truth, my sister's file is missing from the records. I've looked everywhere and I can't find it. I checked for my uncle's file as well. It's gone. I think someone removed them."

Brienne's brow furrowed. "With what purpose?"

"Maybe there's a detail that they didn't want anyone digging up," Jon said. "Some... error in the case. If it was just one missing file, I wouldn't question it, but two?"

"That is suspicious," Brienne admitted. "Have you gone to Selmy?"

"No. I don't want to make a scene," Jon said. "And I don't want people to know I'm asking questions. If something is going on, then the one behind it might start watching their steps more. If I can I... want to figure this out quietly." He licked his lips nervously. "And... Jaime Lannister said you were someone I could trust."

The woman blinked in surprise and she glanced away for a moment. "I'm... not sure if Jaime Lannister's recommendation cancels that out or not."

Jon's mouth twitched. If that was her reaction, then perhaps he had made the right call. "I guess we'll have to see. But can I have your help on this?"

"Yes," Brienne said. "I'll see if I can't lure Slynt into a conversation. I've worked with him enough. I know how to handle him. He had the graveyard shift, so he's already gone, but I'll get a chance in the next few days."

"Thank you," Jon said. "Truly. I know this seems strange, but it's important."

"I believe you," Brienne said. "Feels like there have been problems in this precinct for a while. It wouldn't surprise me if someone got paid off to remove a few files. If it's a mistake, then it's a mistake. If not... we'll decide from there."

Jon gave her a nod.

"Now go home and get some sleep," she said. "You look like you're about to fall over."

Jon laughed once. "Aye. I think I am."

On his way out, he texted Arya.

I have two suspects. Brienne Tarth is going to check for me. Look for an update in the next few days.

He had barely closed the door before she texted back.

A: Names?

J: Janos Slynt and Allistair Thorne. They found the body.

A: Great. Thanks.

Jon exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. It had been a long night... and if this rabbit hole went much deeper, he had the feeling he was in for a lot of those soon.

A/N: So Jon has some suspects, Joffery is a dick, Tywin is still watching Arya closely. Lots of fun all around. Should be some interesting stuff next chapter so review, subscribe and I'll see you next time!