One last chapter tonight. I wanted to get some of the drama more out of the way so we could get to the resolution. :)

Sansa:

Sansa felt like she was dying. Her heart literally ached in her chest as she sat laid down in the cave, sobbing. Why had Sandor said those things to her? Got what he wanted? Didn't he understand? Why didn't he see how much he meant to her? What did he think she was doing with him, and why would she being doing it if she didn't love him? Love? Yes! I'm in love with Sandor. That's why this hurts so much. That's why I want him so much. I'm in love with him. It was so clear to her now. She was not sure when she started being in love with him, but it was undeniable now. She was so much more than just grateful to him. He was everything to her.

But what do I mean to him? Nothing, of course. I'm what he says I am, a stupid little bird. If he loved me he would never had said that to me. Never would have used me like he did. I thought that since he stole me from King's Landing and since he wanted me, he must love me, but that is stupid. He is a man grown with a man's needs. All he wanted was the pleasure, not me. I could just as easily been some whore, for all he cares. And stealing me away from the Lannisters after he deserted a battle was good for him, not me. This way, he will bring me home and my brother will keep him alive and reward him for it. He couldn't get that if did not take me. He would have had to go on the run. Having me keeps him alive. How could I not see it before? I really am stupid. She had convinced herself that Sandor must love her to protect her and to want her, but now she could see that he just was using her. It did not matter how much she truly loved him, he would not return her feelings.

Fine. Let him take me to my family. Let him keep me safe. Let him claim his rewards from my brother. I'll be home with people who love me, away from Lannisters and their pets, and he will leave and I'll never have to see him again. And I'll fall out of love with him and find someone handsome and gentle and good who is highborn and courteous. Not some brute who can't go two minutes without cursing or killing someone. It is a good thing he showed this side to me now, before I did something stupid, like give him my maidenhead. It is going to be bad enough having to travel with him after doing the things I already did with him. Oh, gods, how am I going to stand it?

Sansa had resolved to put on her mask of courtesy, like her Septa had taught her, and try to pretend that the past twelve hours never happened. She would let the Hound take her home safely. And he would. He was still the strongest warrior in the land. And he would not rape her. He needed her to stay intact to claim his rewards.

Unbidden, Sansa thought back to all the times he had treated her gently in King's Landing. She thought back over the last twelve hours and how happy and foolish she had been. She felt ashamed at her behavior now and it made her cry all the harder. But it was passing. Sansa was calming herself and preparing herself to face him.

Unsteadily, she stood up and gathered her clothes from around the cave, trying not to think of how she got into this position. She dressed herself slowly, taking deep breaths while she did it. She did the best she could with the laces of her dress, without a maid to help her. She fixed her hair as best she could. She stepped outside the cave, Sandor's cloak under her arm. He was there, with Stranger. He looked at her angrily.

"Ready, girl?"

"Yes, Ser, I am ready."

Sandor chuckled at that, looked at her and cocked his head to the side slightly."I'm no, ser," he said.

"No. You're not."

With no more left to be said, Sansa watched as Sandor finished gathering up their things and tying them to Stranger. Then he walked over to her and, without a word, lifted her up on Stranger's back. He climbed up behind her and kicked the horse into motion. The sun was setting in the distance, and the ride back to her life would be long and hard.

He had barely spoken to his Little Bird for a week. After leaving the cave, Sandor rode Stranger hard until the next night. Riding still was not easy for Sansa, and she was struggling to stay on top of the horse. She refused to lean back into him, refused to touch him anymore than was necessary. What did you expect, dog? You basically called her a cheap whore. Still, it angered Sandor to watch Sansa put her own health at risk with her stubbornness. She had almost fallen off of Stranger three times in the past twenty-four hours. Each time, Sandor had to scrambled to get a hold of the girl. Each time, Sandor left fresh bruises on her arms where he had to grab her. After the last time, Sandor put one arm firmly around her.

"Please, let go of me, my lord. It is not proper for you to have such a close hold on me. And you're hurting me."

Sandor was nearly blind with rage at these words. He wished she would see that he was doing what was best for her. He wished she would see that he was lying. Told her a dog would die for you but not lie for you, once. Now look at me. Love fucks you up.

"Proper, huh? Worried about being proper now? We both know how proper you can be, girl," he spat the word at her like a curse. "Now stop acting like such a fucking child, and quit your chirping. I am not hurting you. Falling off this horse would hurt you. And I won't stop yet to be caught because you're too much of a fucking princess to ride for more than three miles without a buggering carriage, my lady. They know we've gone now, who ever won that fucking battle, and they'll be looking. If you want to go back to King's Landing so badly, then I'll gladly leave you here to be found. As for me, this dog is getting away from all the shit and rats and fleas, one way or the other."

"It has been more than three miles, ser," she replied, icily. "We've been riding since last night, or can dogs not notice the difference between night and day? And you will not leave me here because you need me. Otherwise there will be no peace or safety for you. No rewards. No one would want a former Lannister hound who ran with his tail between his legs. My brother will because you'll bring me to him safely. I'm your only chance at any kind of future that doesn't end with you being dragged back to King's Landing to face Joffrey and the Queen."

He loved when his Little Bird showed her claws.

"You think I need you, girl? I don't fucking need you. I could rape you and leave you to die here, by yourself and get away from this bloody place without you. Should have done. I would be in the Free Cities by now and not caught up in this war anymore. I would be living free as a sellsword. Free to kill and fuck and drink my life away and die happy. You think some buggering fool could drag me back to King's Landing? I'd kill them before they ever got the chance, stupid bird. What do I need with your brother's gold or thanks? I have plenty of gold, and fuck his thanks."

"So why are you taking me to him, then, if you really don't need me like you say? I'm NOT stupid, Hound. You're too easily recognized. Even in the Free Cities you wouldn't be safe."

Sandor could feel her heat under his arm. He wanted to calm her down. She was angry at him, and of course she should be. Stupid dog, threatening to rape her and leave her like that. Like you could.

"Just calm the fuck down, girl. I'm bringing you home, that's all you need to worry about. And I already told you why, when I took you from King's Landing the night of the battle. That has not changed. Relax. We will stop soon and find a place to sleep. Better to sleep during the day and ride at night when you're being chased. A few more hours and we'll stop. Relax, I won't let you fall."

She finally did relax against him after another hour of riding. Sandor let himself get lost in the feel of her while she was not awake to notice his erection.

This was the way they acted for a week after their fight. Sandor couldn't help but react to Sansa angrily, but he always softened in the end. I love my Little Bird. I can't stay mad at her. And I don't like seeing her so angry and upset all the time. Each time they stopped and found somewhere to sleep outside, she would always put herself as far from him as possible and spend the night tossing and turning, shivering on the ground. He wanted to go to her, always, to warm her. Take her in his arms and tell her he loved her. But he never did.

Now, a week after the fight, Sandor and Sansa were faced with a small town, well off the King's Road. He didn't know the name of the place, but he knew they were about another two weeks of riding shy of Riverrun. The travel and the anger had worn on his Little Bird. Barely sleeping outdoors because of the cold, and barely sleeping while riding Stranger, the Little Bird looked exhausted. Having less food than she was used to left her skinnier than before. Sandor looked at the town and made a decision.

"We'll sleep in an inn tonight, girl. But we need to disguise you better than this. Common clothes and something to hide your hair, I think."

"What about you?" she replied, sleepily. There was less bite to her, the past two days, being so tired. "You're more easily recognized than me."

"Aye, but this is a small town. Never been here before. Might be they don't know about the Lannister hound in these parts. Besides, its war. The people running this inn won't say no to a gold dragon, no matter who the fuck it's from."

He rode Stranger a mile away and found a thick enclosure of trees. He told the Little Bird to stay put, while he went to investigate the town. He left Stranger with her and gave her a dagger.

"Anyone comes by, hide. Stranger can take care of himself. They get close, stab them. Don't move from this spot, girl. I'll be back within the next two hours, unless someone kills me." He laughed at that. "Not bloody likely," he said.

Sandor didn't like leaving his Little Bird, but he needed to know if the town was safe for her. And he needed to get her common clothes. He walked around in the open at first. The smallfolk in the town stared at him, clearly frightened of his face. They didn't seem to know him, though. No one challenged him or named him, even in a whisper.

After walking around and making his face known, he walked into a shop for clothes. A fat woman was in the shop. She looked up at his face and snorted derisively.

"If you have money to spend, stay. If not, get the hell out of here, man." I like this woman, Sandor thought to himself with a chuckle.

"I got money. I need a plain dress for my daughter. And something to cover her head."

"She scarred like you?"

"No, wench, and watch your mouth." He liked women with spirit, but not when they were talking about Sansa.

"I have what you need. How big is your daughter?"

"About a head taller than you and about a third skinnier."

"Breasts?"

"What?"

"She got breasts, don't she? How big are they?"

"I said, watch yourself woman! It does not matter how big they are, I just need a plain dress!" Sandor was getting frustrated.

"You want the men in town to get a free show? No? Then how big are they so I can cover the girl!" Oh. Right. Stupid fucking dog.

"Bigger than yours, woman, alright? A little bigger than yours."

The woman walked away from him then and came back with a rough-spun brown dress. It looked like it would fit Sansa. She also had a scarf, to cover her head. Sandor paid her and left the shop, feeling annoyed and stupid.

There were no men around waiting to ambush him, so Sandor felt hopeful that they could stay the day in the inn without a problem. Arriving there, he saw that the hall was rather busy. There were men, half drunk, eating and singing. There were whores, too. Scanning the room, Sandor didn't see anyone he recognized, and no one paid him much attention. That was good. He realized it was later than the day than he thought, nearly night again. No wonder it is so busy here. Bugger me, my timing is all fucked up.

"I need a room for me and my daughter. Two beds or one, very large one if you have it. Food and a hot bath too." Sandor rasped to the innkeeper. Why didn't you get two rooms? Oh, yeah, because you are a fucking stupid dog. Sandor felt like a green boy. You are, when it comes to love. Bugger love. He did not want to be away from his Little Bird. He wanted this whole lie to end. He was not strong enough to let her go and his good intentions were fraying at the edges.

"We take gold here."

"Will this do?" Sandor laid two gold dragons on the table and the innkeeper's eyes widened.

"Aye, ser, it will. That was a room with a bath and food for you and your girl? We don't have two beds in any of our rooms, but we have one room upstairs with a bed that should be big enough. Want the food in your room or would you like to eat down here?"

Sandor thought it would be better to be private, but he thought the Little Bird might like the entertainment. Poor girl has been alone with your ugly face for over a week. Might as well let her be distracted by some music.

"We'll eat in the hall. Have it ready within the hour."

With that, Sandor left to collect his Little Bird.