A/N: Hiya! So yeah, this is going to be a version of what could happen in the book sin the future, though probably wont. All those dead are still dead. (Also found on ) Ooo look! More Arya & Gendry! I just can't keep away from them! I promise, they will work things out eventually! Enjoy, review, do what you do.

Gendry

The sun wasn't even up when he rose from his bed, sweat trickling down his bare back and eyes searching the room for something, anything. But of course he found nothing. There was nothing in the room that was really his. He'd been at the Inn for nearly 4 years and still he couldn't bring himself to fill the room with things of his own, he couldn't even place things in the forge. In truth this was because he never planned on staying, he'd planned to leave as soon as he could, but once Rickon was found, he felt he had to stay, for her. Bloody Arya Stark. He stayed to watch out for her little brother. How have all the fucking Starks got to me when I only know two? It was a question he'd asked himself many times, but had no answer to. There was just something about the way their grey eyes looked at him, a mix of Tully, Stark and Winter, and he was hell bent to protect them. To serve them even when they didn't want to be served.

Deep down, he knew he was being too hard on Arya, that he should be happy she was back, was alive, and he was. Oh he was so happy. After years of thinking she was dead, to see her alive, living and breathing, it was like some dream come true. But then she'd spoken and there was anger in her voice. What did she have to be angry about? She was the one who ran, while I was stuck here looking after her little brother. 'You would have done it anyway, even if you didn't know her, you would have looked after him.' He knew the voice was right. Fucking Starks.

Sighing, he stood up from the old bed, nudging the blanket back on with his foot before picking up the same pair of breeches he'd worn yesterday and putting them on. He stretched his body out, the muscles in his arms pulling and sending a funny sensation up his body. His bare feet padded softly towards the door and out on to the empty hall, there was no one awake at this time, there never was. Walking down the stairs, he walked on the edges, careful to miss out the steps he knew to creak. There was a dull glow coming from the common room, the remains of a fire that still hadn't died out. Gendry would have carried on walking, straight out the door and down to the forge had he not noticed the small, nearly invisible shift in one of the chairs near the fire. He didn't need to even check who it was; no one was ever up at this time.

"Have you even gone to bed m'lady?" he asked. Part of him knew he shouldn't have. That he should have just kept on walking to the forge as he'd planned, but the part of him that still cared, which was a huge part of him, spoke out.

Arya's head appeared around the back of the chair, the fire behind her head, making her seem to glow. Her eyes were wide and for the first time since she's arrived he could see everything. All her hurt, all her longing, all her solitude, everything about her. Gendry flinched inwardly. I'm part of the pain, he thought.

"What's it to you if I sleep or not? And don't call me that!" she grumbled out, returning her face towards the fire. He could have walked away then, carried on down to the forge and forget this happened. But he couldn't help but notice that small sound of hurt in her voice. 'She's only seven and ten, and has just come home; don't be such a prick Gendry.' He hated the voice that popped into his head so much, but yet he listened all the same and took up the seat next to hers, but still facing her.

"As you're staying in the inn I partly own, I think it is part of my job to check why a guest is not sleeping. Is it the room? I can always get you another one." He said, leaving out the 'm'lady', not wanting to push it too far.

"It's not the room that's the problem." She said shaking her head a little. Gendry waited for her to carry on, but instead she changed the subject. "I came to find you for a reason you know. I have a letter for you, from Daenerys Targaryen. She's come to take back the Iron Throne, and she will. She'll take it back no matter what it takes, no lion can stop a dragon, and she's got three." She was still looking into the fire as she spoke, like her mind was full of wonder at seeing a dragon killing each and every lion.

"What letter would this Queen have for me? The last Queen that sent a letter asking for me, they wanted me dead." He said remembering the Gold Cloaks all those years ago on their journey to the Wall. What would have happened if we got there?

"I wouldn't let her do anything to hurt you." She said it so quietly; Gendry wondered if he's imagined her speaking. But all too soon she carried on. "She's legitimized you as Robert Baratheon's eldest true born hair. She wishes for you to claim the Stormlands and Storms End, as they are yours by birth right now. It will also mean Stannis has no right to the Throne, as it would pass to you."

Gendry was silent. Robert Baratheon is my father. He couldn't lie and say he'd never thought of it, whenever someone old who knew the dead King would see him they would always mention his looks, and it would explain why two of the king's hands had been to see him. Robert Baratheon is my father. She wants me to take the Stormlands for her, but doesn't expect me to want the throne.

"And should I want the Iron Throne? As you said, it would be mine by rights." He said, as if to prove a point. But Arya merely laughed, not in a mean way, more of a knowing way. She knows me to well still, but yet I barely know her, he thought.

"You and I both know you would rather spend all day in a forge then ruling some land, never mind seven kingdoms."

"True. So, say I do agree to this, to take the Stormlands, what do I get from it? Because you and I both know lands mean nothing to me." Gendry said, looking at her, waiting for her to look at him.

"Whatever you wish. You shall be a lord, permitted to do as you please. All Daenerys wants is the Iron Throne and the seven kingdoms which belong to her. Bend the knee and agree to her terms and she will permit you what you want." Arya said her eyes still in the fire. Not leaving it for a second.

"And what did you promise her Arya?" It was the first time he's said her name and not m'lady since she'd first arrived, and she caught it too. Her eyes turned away from the fire too look at him. They were still grey like an oncoming storm, but now he saw the hint of steel, the North seeping into them. Stark eyes, he decided, even Rickon's eyes, lighter then hers held the North.

"I promised her the force of the North would fight for her, if she promised that when she wins, the North would be for the Starks again. That we'd work as one unit, but split. The North shouldn't be for the Southerners. The Wall, yes, but not the North."

"You've planned another war." Gendry said bluntly.

"We are still at war, it has not gone anywhere." Arya counted.

"I suppose not." He mused looking at her. Really looking at her for the first time. She was a woman grown now, not a little girl anymore, she'd seen more than most men, but hid it bette. He was still angry at her, still annoyed that she thought she could turn up and everything would be alright again, but he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. If I become a Lord, I could marry her. It wouldn't be improper then, he reasoned. He had to shake his head to rid it of those thought. 'You're mad at her stupid, not in love with her.' Clearing his throat, he looked her in the eyes.

"I'll agree then. I'll say I am Lord Gendry Baratheon, King Roberts's son, and claim the Stormlands in his name and hers. But only, and only, if you allow me to go North with you. I should like to see it at least once before I'm stuck down at Storms End for the rest of my life." He said it, a small smile tugging at his lips. He didn't know what he expected her reaction to be, but it wasn't for her to smile as she did. A true smile, which spread across her face, it was like the smile she'd given Rickon that afternoon.

"You are more than welcome to come North. I...I was hoping you would. For the sake of the future Queen." She said, covering her true meaning, though Gendry thought he caught it.

"May I ask what the plan is? Once we are North and the Northerns are summoned."

"We march South, take the Twins, release any reaming Northern men still there. Then half march onto the Casterly Rock the rest down to Kings Landing." She replied smoothly, like she'd rehearsed it over and over again.

"And when do we leave to meet the Dragon Queen, m'lady?" he asked a smile on his face.

"At first light and stop calling me that!" to emphasise her point she threw one of the small and under stuffed cushions from the chair at him.

"As m'lady commands." He laughed.

At some time around dawn Arya went up to wake Rickon and Osha, while Gendry gathered some food, ready 4 horses and said goodbye. By the time Arya, Rickon and Osha came out everything was ready and the sun was beginning to enter the sky fully. As they rode, Gendry considered everything that could happen and thought about the people he was with and would soon join. He was still angry at Arya, and would be for some time, he decided, but at the same time, he would do anything in his power to protect her. Because he'd learnt long ago that that was what he was good at, and he'd only learnt it by losing her.