I have given Sandor's sister my own name as mentioned in previous chapters. Things get a little sad here, I have always loved the idea of exploring Sandor's relationship with his sister so here's my little take on it.

Vee

V

Sansa

Weeks past and Sansa and Sandor grew closer each day. They spent every hour together, unless Sandor had business to attend to.

Sansa found herself smiling and laughing and feeling better than she had in a long, long time. It seemed the barrier that had built up between them since the Inn had completely disappeared.

She and Sandor would go horse riding together, visit the neighboring town, or simply walk along the beach or through the house together. She spoke about everything and anything and over time, he opened up to her. He would tell her of childhood games he and his sister would play, tell her abut his parents, he even showed her some of his favorite places to go as a child - a cave on the beach in the cliff, the kennels where the dogs were trained and kept, the stables where he groomed his huge, black stallion, Stranger.

Today he was in his study dealing with business and Sansa was in the drawing room writing a letter to Arya. She used some of the paper he provided her, sealing it with plain wax – his sigil stamp used only for his own letters. She told Arya all about her new home, how happy she was here, she told her all about the sea – it had always been a dream of hers to see it. She told her about Shae, and Babs, and everything she could think of. The letter was quite long.

Shae delivered it along with Sandor's letters to the boy who would take them to town to be sent off and delivered.

Sansa had been planning also.

A few days ago, Babs had let it slip that it would be Sandor's birthday in two weeks and Sansa had grinned in excitement. She wanted to plan something amazing for him, to thank him for everything and also because Babs had told her he had never truly celebrated his birthday. So Sansa wanted this one to be special. She had already began working on his birthday present, she kept it hidden up in her room under her summer silks in her chest of drawers – there was no danger of him ever finding it, he never went into her room but still she wanted to keep it hidden, only her eyes seeing it until his birthday.

She hoped he liked it.

V

Sandor

Once Shae had taken the letters of business away to be sent, Sandor leaned back in his chair in the study and sighed deeply. He rubbed a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes tired from staring at paper and writing all day. It was only the afternoon, and he was missing her. Lately he had spent every possible moment with her, whether it was riding to the town to just simply watching her sew another dress. Today was the first time he had stayed away from her – all because the pile of letters had grown to a mountain that couldn't be ignored.

He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the painting on the wall opposite him. He had told her almost everything there was to know about himself. But there was still one secret. It was something only Babs knew, the only person in the world who truly knew. But some part of him yearned for Sansa to know, to understand. The servants only knew rumors, but he wanted Sansa to see her. He wanted her to meet his sister.

He found her at the huge window on the second floor, the one that overlooked the gardens and sea, the sun was dipping in the sky, casting sunset in her hair. She was looking out over the sparkling waves of the ocean, a small, content smile on her face.

"Sansa."

She didn't jump, she knew he was there, his steps weren't exactly light. She turned and smiled at him and his heart did that jump it always did when she looked at him, her hair was a red halo around her head with the light shining through behind her. She wore a simple green dress that brought out the blue of her eyes, hugged her slim form perfectly. She was so beautiful.

"I have something to show you," he said, offering her his arm as she walked towards him, "come."

She looked at him questioningly but the smile remained on her lips, she slid her arm in his and he led her along the landing and down the stairs to his study.

She looked at him questioningly, she had never been in his study and she was no doubt wondering why he was bringing her here and what on earth he wanted to show her.

She followed him in and stood next to him in front of his desk, she looked about the room; at his desk, the chair before the fireplace, the bookcase with some of his favorite books, all his belongings. Eventually her eyes found the painting and widened.

He looked too. His sister had been beautiful – hard to believe from looking at her brothers. Her hair had been as black as raven's wings, he remembered how it had shone and glinted in the sunlight as she ran with him to the beach. Her eyes were silvery grey and sparkled like the water of the sea in moonlight. Her skin was pale and perfect, her little body so small when he held her. Her laughter was like the ring of bells and her smile as bright as the sun. She sat in her portrait; looking down at them with her eyes sparkling and her mouth smiling, she wore her favorite red dress and held a single white rose in her hands clasped on her lap. Her hair was lose and hung around her shoulders.

She had been her parent's pride and joy, everything they ever wanted.

Sandor had loved her for it. Gregor had hated her for it.

"What was her name?" the little bird's voice snapped her out of dark memories and he looked down into those blue eyes.

"Hadass."

"Hadass," she said as she turned back to look at her, tasking the name on her tongue, "it's a beautiful name."

Sandor could only nod and turned away from the painting, not wanting to look anymore.

"Come."

She followed him silently out of the back of the house, through the gardens until they reached the tip of the sand dunes looking down onto the beach. He walked along and stopped at her gravestone.

"This is where I buried her."

Sansa said nothing for a long time. He stared at his beloved sister's grave then the little bird did something he would love her forever for.

She silently dropped to her knees and clasped her hands in front of her, touching her lips to her fingers.

And she prayed.

Sandor watched her, amazed. Amazed at this girl – this woman, who surprised him time and time again. He showed her everything so private to him, everything no one else would ever see and she accepted it all, taking it in and healing him. Yes, she healed him.

When she stood, she smiled softly up at him and he couldn't help it, his arms reached out to her and held her tiny body close. He breathed in the smell of lemons and closed his eyes against the world. So there was nothing but her

"Thank you."

How long they stayed there like that, he didn't know, didn't care.

V