[A/N]: Thanks again for the reviews guys. It really does help keep me going!

Gendry

She was mumbling in her sleep, something she hadn't done the last time they slept together. At first she looked happy with a smile stretched across her face but then it changed. Her brows were creased and she began moving frantically from side to side. He tried waking her by gently shaking her, but she continued to mumble in her sleep. Then he could see tears run down her cheek and he began calling her name and shaking her harder. She finally woke up her grey eyes shooting open as she looked around the room trying to place where she was.

"Ar, look at me what's wrong?" She looked at him confused and then wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.

"I…I…thought it was him. I thought he had me," she cried.

"You thought who had you?"

"Jo…Jo…Joffrey," she said in a whisper. He clung onto her tighter and stroked her hair. He knew Arya was strong and for her to have nightmares about someone meant that they really must have gotten under her skin.

"He won't ever touch you again Ar, I promise." She buried her head into his chest and let him hold her until she fell asleep again. He watched her sleeping form and the anger in him bubbled at the thought of Joffrey hurting her. It brought back memories of when they were younger. He remembered finding a stray cat with a litter of kittens with Joffrey on his father's estate. The cat looked starved and the kittens were mewling with hunger. He had told the boy to wait and watch over them while he went inside to get them some food. But what he came back to was horrifying enough to make him go white as a sheet. The kittens were no longer mewling with hunger. They were no longer breathing to be frank. Joffrey had broken the mother's neck along with her infants. The look on his face still sent chills through him. It was one of pure delight. He knew something was wrong with him then, but when he told his father about it he shrugged it off like it was nothing. He looked back down at Arya, who looked so peaceful now and just as beautiful as ever. "No one will ever hurt you again," he whispered before sliding in behind her and enveloping her into his arms.

He woke up expecting to feel the warmth of Arya by his side, but was met with the cool chill of the morning air. Jolting up he scanned the room, her room, trying to find his petite girlfriend. "Arya?" he called out hesitantly at first. He didn't want to wake anyone especially Jon or Robb. They may have been ok with the two of them going out but he didn't think they'd give him a pat on the back for spending the night with their baby sister. He stepped out of bed, bare arse and all and made his way towards his boxers that were lying scrunched up on the ground. He heard the door click open and saw Arya standing in front of him in nothing but boyleg underwear and a very tight crop top. "Hi," he said sheepishly.

"Hi," she said back. "I thought you might be hungry…err…after our workout last night." He was too busy checking her out that he hadn't noticed her holding a plate with what looked like pop tarts. "I didn't really feel like cooking anything and didn't want to wake anyone else up so thought pop tarts would be an easy choice. I hope you don't mind?"

"Pop tarts are good. What flavour are they?"

"Cookies and cream," she laughed. "I know, not the healthiest thing to start the day off with but we'll at least be high on sugar and have energy for the morning."

"And why would we need energy? Are you planning on seducing me again like you did last night? He cocked his eyebrow.

"Maybe…if you're lucky," she teased. "But we'll need to eat first, I've heard fucking on an empty stomach can be hazardous." He found himself laughing along side her and the two of them sat on her bedroom floor stuffing their faces with the delicious treat.

"I need to change, I look like a hobo." He looked down at his stained clothing on the floor. "People will think I'm some kind of psycho with all those red stains you managed to smudge on my clothes."

"Well maybe if you had kept your hands off me the sap stains wouldn't have gotten onto your expensive clothes."

"Well maybe if you stopped tempting me I would be able to, you bloody temptress."

"Well then don't we make quiet a pair. The hobo and the temptress, has a nice ring to it don't you think? It could be the makings of a spectacular film."

"One that would have to be rated R due to the copious sex the two have," he felt his cock stiffen at the thought. Something about Arya made him horny as fuck and he felt like a kid hitting puberty for the first time.

"Seriously Gen, is it always about sex with you?"

"No, not all the time, only when I'm with you." He swiftly pulled her towards him and seized her mouth with his. He could taste the sweetness of the cookies and cream pop tart and feel his semi-erect penis spring to life. He was getting lost in her again. The feel of her heated skin on his and the small sounds of pleasure she made when he continued to rub his hardness on her soft centre.

"Arya?" they heard a faint voice on the other side of the door, followed with a soft knock.

Arya pushed him off her and scrambled to her feet. "Shit, shit, shit," she said over and over again. "Quick hide in the bathroom."

"But wh-"

"No buts Gen just get in the bathroom and keep quiet. I don't want anyone to know what we did last night."

"Bu-"

"No buts! Just get in the mother effing bathroom. My mum is going to flip if she sees you in my room let alone in nothing but your boxers!"

"Fine," he huffed before stealing a quick kiss from her and making his way to hide in the bathroom. He could hear muffled voices but couldn't make out what they were saying. Pressing his ear against the cold wooden door, the muffled sounds became clearer. Was that Sansa? He slowly turned the knob of the door and opened it slightly so he could hear better. Yep it was definitely Sansa. Why was Arya talking to her after what she did?

"How are you feeling?" he heard Sansa ask Arya.

"A lot better than yesterday, how about you?" Arya replied. They were talking like nothing happened between them, like everything was alright. Was he mental or was he missing something?

"I just wanted to thank you before I go back to Joff's…for last night and for being a better sister than me."

"Just be careful please. I…I don't want him hurting you again Sans."

"Don't worry he won't. As long as I play the stupid doting fiancé he'll never suspect a thing."

What the hell are they on about? Gendry's head was spinning as he continued to listen in on the two girls talk.

"I'm serious Sans. Just look after yourself and if you feel like things are getting out of control make sure you get away from him."

"Gods Arya, what did Braavos do to your sense of adventure?"

"Your idea and my idea of adventure are two completely different things. Pretending to be in love with a psycho is just plain stupid not adventurous."

"I'll be fine Ar, it's sweet that you're the one fussing over me now."

"Don't let anyone else know that. My reputation would be in tatters if people thought there was a sweet side to me."

He heard the two of them laugh and the door shut close as Arya and Sansa said their good-byes. He pushed the bathroom door closed again and stepped as far away from it as possible so it looked like he wasn't eaves dropping. He felt stupid and childish for acting that way but wasn't really sure of what he heard. His mind was racing and when he saw Arya swing the door open he couldn't help but blurt out the scrambled thoughts that were coursing through his brain. "What are you and Sansa up to?"

Arya looked at him stunned. Shit you idiot! Her expression changed to one of annoyance as her brows furrowed and her steely eyes fixed him a cold glare. "You were eaves dropping?" She marched towards him and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes still glued on him.

"I…umm…ahh…no…I mean…maybe?"

"Maybe? What do you mean maybe? You either did or you didn't, so which one is it Gendry?

"I'm sorry ok, I couldn't help it. I thought it was your mum but then it sounded like Sansa and I didn't know why she would come in here and talk to you or why you would let her so I was curious."

"And what exactly did you hear?"

"Umm," he scratched the back of his neck. Shit what do I say? "I don't know".

"You don't know?" she sighed deeply and dropped her arms to her sides. "Seriously Gendry what did you hear?"

He looked around the room sheepishly before resigning and telling her the truth. He didn't think he could ever lie to her, not when she was looking at him like that. Her eyes softer now than before, her hair tied in a messy bun that left some tendrils falling around her face and her cheeks a light rosey colour that made her look vulnerable. Taking in a deep breath he began to speak. "Look I didn't mean to listen in and I know I shouldn't have but none of it made sense so I just kept doing it till it did."

"And did it?"

"No. I'm even more confused than I was at the start, and it's not because I'm stupid ok. It was like Sansa was a completely different person talking to you out there. I mean what the hell Ar! Am I missing something here?" Her eyes darted away from his and looked towards the ground.

"I promised Gendry…I can't…I can-"

"Don't you trust me" he cut her off.

"Of course I trust you! Why would you even ask that?"

"Well because you're obviously hiding something from me Ar. You won't even look me in the eyes." He lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger to make his point. She continued to avoid his gaze and closed her eyes turning away from him, her back now facing him.

"I don't know what to do Gen," she said faintly. He could hear the tremor in her voice and knew that she was obviously waring with herself as to whether she should tell him what was going on. "I don't want to keep anything from you but…but it's dangerous."

He strode towards her wrapping his burly arms around her. "I don't like the sound of this Ar…you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but whatever you and Sansa have planned can't be good if you can't even trust anyone else to know."

"It's not that I don't trust you. I just don't want you to do anything stupid like pretend to be some sort of hero." She rotated her body so she was now facing him and buried her face in his chest. "If I tell you will you promise not to tell anyone else?"

He thought about it for a moment. He really wanted to know what they were up to but didn't think he could keep that promise. If what they were planning endangered Arya in any way he would do whatever he could to keep her safe, even breaking a promise. "I won't, you have my word."

"Ok then. Let's go back to the room, I don't really want to talk about it here." He nodded and followed her out. She motioned for him to sit on the bed and he watched as she checked her door was locked and that her window wasn't open. "Sorry I just have to make sure nobody else hears what I'm about to tell you." She sat across from him and grabbed his hands in hers. "Joffrey was the one who hit Sansa not Sandor. My dad was right, Joffrey is a monster and he's done it before. Many times apparently."

"That doesn't make sense. Why hasn't your sister gone to the police? He could be behind bars now and all this would done."

"It's not that easy Gen. The Lannisters are powerful and Sansa thinks they have the police in their pockets. Why do you think he's been able to get away with everything?"

"But if Sansa filed the report they'd have to believe her. I mean she's a Stark for fucks sake!"

"They'd find a way to twist it around on her Gen. Sansa told me everything, about how he's done this before and gotten away without even a slap on the wrist. It's all her. Cersei. I don't know how she's doing it but she's protecting him."

"But my dad would never let that happen. If she told him he would find a way to make sure he could never do it again."

"Your dad is in debt to the Lannisters. I'm not saying that he wouldn't try but he just couldn't compete with them. Not even my dad would stand a chance, which is why Sansa is doing it this way."

"This way?" he looked at her quizzically.

"She's trying to find information on the whole family to bring them down. She thinks she's close but won't tell me what she thinks she knows. That's why she's with Joffrey still. You know that whole keep your friends close and your enemies closer thing."

"And what's your involvement?"

"Nothing, I just have to pretend to hate her. But I'm worried Gen. He's hurt her before and he could do it again. And look at what he did to that Sandor guy. That dude's bloody ex-military and now he's lying somewhere in a coma. How could Sans stand a chance?"

"I don't know but this all just a fucking mind spin." Why couldn't he just live a normal life where shit like this never happened? "Your sister is a pretty convincing actress. The things she said to you and the way she said them…it sounded and looked real to me."

"She was always good at that sort of stuff. Drama and singing, so at least those skills have come in handy for her."

"Yea because I'm sure that's why most people take drama classes, so they can spy on their lunatic fiancé and plot to bring down an entire empire."

He felt a soft sting on the side of his arm as one of Arya's small fists sprung out and punched him. "Ouch! What the hell was that for?"

"That was for being a smartarse. I'm serious Gen, I'm really worried and I feel like I should do more to help her. I know she would do the same for me if it was the other way around."

"There's nothing you can do Ar but tell someone. Tell your dad or Jon, I mean I'm sure they would be able to figure out a way to get us all out of this mess."

"No way! Sansa made me promise I wouldn't tell dad. If he knew the truth he would go straight to the police and that's exactly what we're trying to avoid here."

"Well then who the hell are you guys going to go to when Sansa finds all this 'evidence' against the Lannisters? If you can't go to the police then who can you go to?"

"I…I don't know. Sansa has it all figured out and I trust her."

"I know you do Ar but you've got to understand how crazy this all sounds. I just don't want you anywhere near Joffrey or that crazy bitch Cersei. I mean you're already having nightmares about him Ar. What's gonna happen if he gets to you again because of these games your sister is trying to play?"

"They aren't games Gen! This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd be like this. Can't you just trust me and be there for me, instead of talking to me like I'm an idiot?"

"I'm not talking to you like you're an idiot, I just don't like this…any of it. If something was to happen to you Arya I don't know what I'd do. If this all means that much to you then I'll help you."

She looked up at him shocked. "You will?"

"Well it doesn't really look like I have another choice do I?"

"No you don't" she smirked. Damn her, she already has the upper hand in the relationship. He was definitely whipped.

"So do I just have to pretend to hate her too?"

"Yep and-"

"And what?"

"And I was hoping you could help me try find where this Sandor guy is."

"What?"

"Sansa gave me this," he saw her pull out a disc. "She said it might help him wake-up. Sappy I know but it could work."

"So we have to somehow convince your dad to tell us where Sandor is?"

"No my dad would never tell us. We've got to break into his office and try find out where he is."

"Fucking hell Stark. I just got approval from him to go out with you and now you want me to break into his office and rummage through his stuff in hopes of finding something that says, Sandor mother effing Clegane is in a coma at so and so's place?"

"Don't be stupid, of course not! I remember when I was younger I was playing hide and seek with Bran. I snuck into my dad's office and hid under his desk. When I leaned up against the back of it I pressed something and a hidden draw popped open. It was full of books with different names that I didn't really understand so I closed it and never thought about it again."

"Right and where are you going with this?"

"My dad brought that desk here. It's been in the family for generations and I'm guessing that if he was going to have information like where Sandor was for instance he would have it hidden in that drawer. Understand?"

"Oh well that shouldn't be too hard. I can distract him while you look through his desk."

"Well it's not as simple as that. Umm dad kinda keeps his office locked when he's not in there and he has cameras there now."

"Are you kidding me? What in the hell have I gotten myself into?"

"The things we do for love right?"

"Yea, yea the things we do for love."

Yes I know the last couple of lines is what Jamie says to Cersei originally but I couldn't help myself. Don't be shy guys leave a review and let me know how you think it's going and if there are things you want to see more or less of.