Like Branches in a River

by 2shy the Shippy

Modren AU. Arya Stark had a privileged life with a loving family and a great best friend, but there were times where she felt horribly alone and misunderstood. There were her expectations vs. harsh realities. After being sent away to camp Wholistic Core, she meets a boy named Gendry Waters who understands her in a way that no one else ever had. Summary subject to change.

13. Bated Breath

"Oh," Catelyn cooed. "You're are so adorable—yes, you are."

Hélène giggled at her grandmother's attention. Her face was smothered with kisses, which only made her giggle louder.

With amusement, Arya stared at her mother and daughter. Hélène was a happy baby, whom she was grateful for, but the infant definitely had her moments. Of course that was normal, but it didn't mean she couldn't be worn out by those particular moments. As any parent did, she loved to see her daughter laugh and have fun.

Catelyn and Arya sat on the floor and played with Hélène.

When Arya first told her mother she was pregnant, she was surprised at the response. Catelyn was shocked, but there wasn't any judgment. Concerns were expressed about having a baby by one man and dating another, but overall, that's where it stopped. Arya expected fireworks of the bad variety. She expected her mother to lecture her about making bad decisions and how children needed the proper structure to develop properly. Arya expected disappointment and constant arguments surrounding her decision (and lifestyle).

But, Arya didn't expect for her actions to remain unquestioned and for everything to remain peaceful between her and her mother.

FLASH BACK: Arya's Baby Shower

"You're late," Catelyn admonished. "Good thing the baby shower won't start without the mother."

Arya groaned, "Mom, it's two o'clock—the party doesn't start until three."

"Arya, your sister and I put a lot of work and effort into this shower," she began. "And it'll all be for naught if you don't like it. After you get dressed, I need you look over the preparations and games and see if you like them."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Arya yawned. "I told you, I trust you and Sansa. You two are anal when it comes to planning."

Catelyn grabbed Arya and directed her towards the bathroom. "Which is why we need you to go over the preparations and games and see if you like them." She turned on the shower and grabbed some towels out of the cabinet. "You're clothes will be on the bed when you finish."

Before Arya had a chance to answer, Catelyn was out of the bathroom. Slowly, as the mother to be undressed, she groaned, as the thought of what her mother possibly picked out for her. After Arya stepped into the shower, she turned the hot water to its highest temperature. It was going to be a long day; she needed to take a nice, long shower to get through it. Hot showers relaxed her.

After Arya got out of the shower, she dried off first, and then quickly brushed her teeth. Once she finished, the moved onto blow-drying her hair.

Her mother lightly knocked on the door. "Arya, are you finished," she asked through the door.

"I'm just blow-drying my hair," Arya answered.

Catelyn opened the door and looked at her daughter. "That takes up too much time: let it air dry, it'll be fine."

"Whatever you say, mom," Arya said as she followed her mom out of the bathroom.

"All right," Catelyn began. "Sansa and I picked out some outfits that we thought you might like. We went for a dressy casual look."

Arya was expecting dresses, but she saw 4-5 different pairs of maternity jeans with dressy shirts and a few pairs of heels. The maternity jeans looked like regular jeans minus the stretch material. Arya paired some skinny jeans with a blue sleeveless dress shirt. The material was sheer like, but not see through and some black open toed four-inch heels. After Arya found out she was pregnant, she tended to stay away from heels, but it's not like she'd be walking around much. Her shirt wasn't tucked and Catelyn added a gold chain for some pizazz.

Catelyn pulled out a chair in front of a vanity mirror.

"Sit," she commanded as she patted on the back of the chair. Arya obeyed as Catelyn picked up a brush off of the counter. Carefully, she brushed her youngest daughter's hair. "I'm so proud of you," she beamed.

"Really," Arya was astonished. "I thought you'd be disappointed."

Catelyn frowned. "Why?"

"For starters, I'm carrying a bastard child and we know your feelings about bastards," she explained.

"Arya," Catelyn sounded offended. "That was different and you know it. You have no idea the position your father put me in back then. You only ever experienced that situation from the perspective of the younger half sibling who loved her brother dearly NOT from the wife who's husband brought home a bastard son and wouldn't tell his wife anything more than that. My reaction may not have seemed proper and right to you, but you've never had to experience that."

With practiced hands, Catelyn parted a piece of Arya's hair, and then gathered some strands to braid.

"You don't know what it's like to worry," she continued. "To wonder if your husband loves his bastard son more than the kids you two have created together. You don't know what it's like to wonder if this other person is going to come into the picture again and be a threat and/or cause trouble for your family." Catelyn parted the other side of her hair and braided that side as well. "Even though Gendry is in the know in many ways that I wasn't, he has his insecurities as well no matter how small they may be." Catelyn brought Arya's braids together and twisted them into a bun. "Finished…even though I was wrong in retrospect, you're father did raise Jon as his own and never told me until years later—after Jon had left."

In embarrassment, Arya's cheeks flush.

"Besides, I'm not disappointed in you," Catelyn reassured. "You're a smart, driven, and a loyal young woman. You not only stand up for yourself, but what you believe to be right. How can any mother, let alone parent, be disappointed in that? Having a kid out of wedlock is the least of my concern."

Arya wasn't expecting that reaction.

"Don't look so surprised," Catelyn replied as she took two wine glasses off of the nightstand that Arya hadn't noticed until now. Her mother then took a bottle of bottle out of a bag and poured two glasses. "I brought the wine to calm your nerves—I know how you feel about having attention on you and Hélène usually gets really active around this time."

For some unknown reason, it surprised Arya that her mother noticed these things about her. Although their relationship had grown tremendously over the years, it still surprised Arya that her mother paid so much attention. Catelyn was far more observant than her daughter gave her credit for.

As Arya took the glass she asked, "Isn't it bad to drink while pregnant?"

Catelyn chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with a little wine here and there," she explained. "I drank wine during all of my pregnancies and you and your brothers and sister turned out just fine. A glass every now and then is fine—no one is telling you to get…what is it… wasted every day."

A smirk appeared on Arya's lips as she sipped the wine. "Wasted, mom? Where'd you hear that from?"

"Just because I'm a mother doesn't mean I'm out of date," Catelyn mischievous smiled, and then sipped her wine.

"I see." The two women sat on the bed with their backs lying against the headboard.

"Robb wasn't a preemie," she revealed.

Arya slowly turned her head to face her mother. "Huh?"

"Robb was born on time," she rephrased as she emphasized the last two words.

Realization dawned on Arya. "You didn't get pregnant on your honeymoon?"

"No," she admitted. "It was a shotgun marriage. I have no doubt that we would've gotten married eventually, but Robb sped things along."

"Wow," Arya said as she took another sip of her drink. "What else don't I know about you? I'd assumed that you saved it for marriage."

Catelyn put her face in her hands and laughed. Tears streamed down her face as she firmly wiped under her eyes. For a moment, she calmed down before laughing into Arya's shoulder.

"Well, that WAS the plan," Catelyn said. "I wasn't frigid; I was once young and full of hormones…. I still am."

"I don't want to hear that, mom," Arya said in disgust.

"Brandon had died unexpectedly and, as you know, your dad and I grew close," she explained. "The need to be held and comforted was just overwhelming."

"You two got carried away," Arya guessed.

"Not initially," she clarified. "It was just supposed to be one time, but one time turned into two, two into three, and so on. Next thing I knew, I was pregnant." Wide eyed, Arya stared at her mother. "I'm not disappointed in you…now, my father's reaction to my unexpected pregnancy—that was disappointment."

Catelyn took a gulp of wine.

"Even though I was the oldest, I was his little girl," her mom whispered. "I couldn't do any wrong in his eyes, until I got pregnant. Then, he only spoke to me when necessary like telling me that I was marrying your father. He said, 'Cat, you are not going to tarnish the Tully name.'" A stray tear fell down Catelyn's face. Arya hugged her mom. Gently, Catelyn squeezed Arya's hand. "You're a great daughter, Arya; there's nothing to be disappointed about." She got up, took Arya's glass, and placed both glasses on the nightstand. "We need to go downstairs and have you double check on everything."

END OF FLASHBACK

"Mom," Arya said.

"Hmm," Catelyn replied as she widely grinned at her granddaughter.

Unexpectedly, she hugged her mother. "Thank you."

With a knowing look, her mother said, "You're welcome."

Catelyn and Arya were spending the day together as Ned and Gendry went to finalize their deal with Melisandre and Stannis. At first, Stannis was reluctant to listen to what Ned had to say until he remembered that Ned was an honorable man. Once his word was given, he followed through on what he promised.

From what Ned told Catelyn and Arya, the deal that he'd worked out was that Gendry could out of his deal if he gave up all claims to Baratheon Industries and wouldn't make any claim on it in the future, which both Stannis and Gendry wholeheartedly agreed upon. Gendry would be given a lump sum payment. Stannis and Melisandre were prohibited from contacting him for any reason. There were other issues to discuss and work out, but Gendry was mostly satisfied with the agreed upon contract so far.

"So, how's the job search going," Catelyn asked as she waved a toy in front of Hélène.

"I've decided to go the private security route," she said.

Her mother briefly looked at her. "Like a body guard?"

"No, not exactly," Arya smiled at her daughter when the infant grabbed her finger. "I do the logistics: research, planning, and implementing, so that the body guards can properly do their jobs. It's not as rewarding as police work, but it's something."

"That's great, honey,"

Arya kissed Hélène on the forehead.

"I suppose so," she stated, before going into the living room to check on Polly as the little girl watched TV.

Gendry handed Arya a beer, and then pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He twisted off his own cap and placed it on the table before taking a big gulp. Carefully, leaned back into his chair and took a deep breath.

Today was Polly's birthday—or had been, but technically still was—he didn't know how to phrase it.

For the longest, Polly's birthday was an abstract concept as in a day that people celebrate each year. Gendry realized that the day would come, but the closer it got, the more her birthday became real for him. To be honest, Gendry didn't really celebrate his own birthday and Arya wasn't big on celebrating hers as well. Well, that wasn't true, she wanted to celebrate with close friends and family. He, on the other hand, just didn't care for it. All his birthdays ever did was remind him that he was an orphan and poor.

So, really, he had nothing to draw from pertaining to throwing kid's birthday parties or any kind of birthday party.

Deep down, Gendry knew that even if he threw the best birthday party of all time, that Polly wouldn't be completely happy: her mom was gone. He might've not had birthday parties growing up, but one thing he did wish for every birthday when he was little was for his mom to come back. There was no reason to believe Polly was going to be any different.

Although Arya had had birthday parties of her own as a child, she was just as lost as he was. They had the basics down, but they wanted to get the essence of throwing a kids party correct. So, they asked the input of all of her siblings, their spouses or significant others, as well as her parents. Feeling confident with all that they were told and advised, Gendry and Arya went about planning Polly's birthday party. They invited her old friends and new friends (as well provided transportation for those who needed it); made sure to feature her favorite cartoons and had her favorite foods; got all of the right games and complimentary accessories of enjoyment. They weren't half assing Polly's birthday without her mom. Despite both of Arya's parents still being alive, she understood the weight of making sure Poppy enjoyed herself as much as possible. They weren't trying to make the young girl forget her mother existed, but rather, provide her with a sense of security and normalcy after losing her mother, and then her grandfather.

When Gendry was on his way out the door earlier that morning he remembered Arya asking where he was taking Polly. It was agreed that the house would be decorated the day of and that Gendry would take Polly out as it happened so that she'd be surprised when she came home. As Gendry was getting ready to leave the house, Arya asked him where he was taking Polly:

"To see her mum," Gendry declared. "It's the only thing I ever wanted on my birthday."

Arya grabbed his hand and squeezed gently.

"Polly is really lucky to have you," she said, softly. "And I know that she'd be happy to see her mom."

It's what he'd planned on. Visiting Ruby was the first thing that came to his mind when he and Arya discussed on where he'd take Polly. She hadn't visited her mom since the day she was buried and Gendry wanted to visit Ruby himself. He often wondered what he'd missed—what troubled her that suicide was the only way out.

Gendry bought Poppy ice cream and parked his car a block away from the cemetery.

"Polly," he said, as he turned to face the young girl in the backseat.

Polly happily licked her ice cream. "Yes, dad."

"When I was around your age—just a few months older, in fact—I lost my mom," he explained. "I was put into foster care and I couldn't visit her. I don't know how much of a difference it would've made growing up, but I know that she loved me and life was pretty hard when she left."

The girl stopped licking her ice cream. "I didn't know you lost your mom just like me," she said.

Gendry nodded. "I did."

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

Gendry shook his head. "It's not your fault, but thanks." He took a deep breath. "But, all this is to say, I don't want to prevent you from seeing your mom. Your mom loved you and I know you love you mom a lot. And I probably should've done this sooner, but I brought you here to see her."

At this, Polly's eyes became watery.

"Really," excitement colored her voice.

"Yeah, really," Gendry confirmed.

Polly started to cry.

"Sweetheart," Gendry said, as he unbuckled his seatbelt to reach in the back and calm her down.

"I miss her so much," she hiccupped.

"I know you do." Gendry wiped her face. After Polly's sniffling began to die down, Gendry said, "Let's go buy your mom some flowers before we see her, okay?"

"Okay," Polly agreed.

They bought Ruby pink tulips, her favorite flower and color.

Polly sat the flowers on her mother's grave, and then chatted incessantly about school, her friends, Gendry, Arya, and even Hélène. Not once did she mention the first few months after her mother's death.

Gendry sat his own set of flowers on her grave and said a few words to her before taking Polly to see her grandfather. Polly was also happy to see him. He was glad to see Polly coping well with her loses. Personally, he didn't know if he would've fared as well at her age.

As Gendry approached his car, he saw Arya parked behind him.

Curiously, he walked to her car.

"Who's decorating the house," he mouthed as Polly waived at Arya and said hello

Arya waved back at her. "My mom and Sansa," she replied. "You know they are way more knowledgeable about that sort of thing that I am."

Gendry nodded in agreement.

"Did you want to visit Ruby's grave with us," he asked. "We just got through seeing her, but we can go back in you want."

"No," Arya shook her head. "I—I don't want to. It'll feel kind of weird. I didn't know Ruby. And, actually, I've been here for a while; I left shortly after you."

"Why didn't you join us?"

"I felt liked I'd be intruding," she admitted. "I know you don't feel that way, but Ruby was Polly's mom and you ex-girlfriend. Although I could serve as support, I would've still felt like an intruder. I just wanted you two to have this experience for yourselves," she explained.

"That's thoughtful."

"I have my moments," Arya shrugged.

"So, what are you doing here," he asked.

"You'll find out once you and Polly get in the car," she said, cryptically.

Gendry was tempted to argue with her, but decided against it. Instead, he got Polly's car seat out of his car and buckled her into the back seat of Arya's car next to Hélène, who was peacefully asleep.

"Are we going to be long," Gendry asked, as he put on his seat belt. "I don't want to get ticketed."

"No," she answered. "We'll be back shortly."

Without further ado, Arya started her car and pulled out of the cemetery. They drove for about ten minutes before Arya turned, and then pulled into another cemetery.

Gendry gave Arya a questioning glance.

She simply stared at him and got out the car. Arya picked up Hélène from her seat, and then pulled some flowers out of the trunk. Gendry unbuckled Polly and followed Arya.

Arya looked around for a moment before spotting a man who waved at her. She went to him and they followed worker as he navigated through the cemetery. A moment later, they approached an unmarked grave.

Wordlessly, Arya handed him the flowers.

"Who is this?"

"Your mom," Arya answered.

Involuntarily, Gendry covered his mouth.

"My mum," he repeated.

"Yes," she confirmed.

Polly's hand slid from Gendry's as he fell to his knees and placed the flowers on his mother's grave. For a moment, he stared at the grave as he tried to process the situation. He was visiting his mom for the first time.

When he was younger, it rained the day she died. They were unable to bury her at that moment, so they said her final words inside a chapel on the grounds. Even then, he was still too young to remember where her funeral had been held and no one ever took him back too see her. As he got older, Gendry never had the time to find her.

Violent sobs wrecked his body as he fell to his hands, and then rested on his elbows.

He felt warm, comforting hands on his back.

"How did you find her?" Gendry stroked the ground above where she was buried, and then looked at his girlfriend.

"I called around," she said.

Remorsefully, Gendry said, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Gendry, don't," Arya whispered. "You've been through a lot and it's not like you've really had the time up until now."

"Thank you," he said, as he looked at Arya before staring at the grass again.

"You're welcome." Arya pulled Gendry into her arms and placed a kiss on his forehead. "I know it's Polly's birthday, but I wanted to fulfill your only wish growing up."

At the mention of Polly, Gendry looked up to see her holding Hélène. She was holding the baby as securely as possible. He then looked back at Arya, and then cupped her face. Tears glistened in his eyes as he searched for the words to articulate what he was feeling. There were none. Passionately, he kissed Arya, and then pulled her into a hug.

As Gendry stared into the night sky, he thought about their visits to the cemeteries. He thought about life and relationships; beginnings and ends. He thought about what it all meant.

He took another sip of his beer.

"When I first came to Wholistic Core, I started having nightmares," Gendry admitted.

"Wha—huh," Arya looked at Gendry as if he had two heads.

He laughed.

"The dark freaked me out," he explained.

"You were afraid of the dark as a kid." Arya seemed intrigued by this.

"No, it freaked me out," he repeated. "You've lived in Winterfell most of your life and went camping and shit—you were used to the sky being pitch black. Before Wholistic Core, all I ever knew was Flea Bottom. Even when it was night there, even when you turned out the lights, it was never dark or completely dark. So, coming to Wholistic Core and being in complete, utter darkness at night—so dark that I couldn't even see my own hand, I wasn't used to it and it unnerved me. And the silence…I'd never been somewhere before that was sooo quiet."

"Really?" When they were younger, Arya viewed Gendry as brave and unshakable. She took the cigarette from Gendry and flicked off the ashes. "I couldn't tell; it just seemed like nothing could get under your skin back then…. even now."

"I was fine around others," he explained. "It was just when I was in my bed at night and everyone was asleep." He finished his beer. "And when I closed my eyes, my unease was even more heightened: I was lost in the wilderness running for miles and miles without any source of light. I was alone—like I always feared I would be."

Light fingers trailed down Gendry's forearm as Arya then entwined their fingers together and lovingly squeezed his hand.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arya placed a firm kiss on his lips. "I would've been your nightlight."

At this, Gendry smiled.

"I know you would've been," he replied, and then squeezed her thigh. "I don't know…you know how guarded I was—how I can be. And I thought my fears were childish and that I needed to deal with it on my own."

"How did you deal with it?"

"Stargazing," he said.

Arya looked at the sky, and then Gendry. She raised an eyebrow.

"I spent my first few weeks being fearful of the darkness because I wasn't used to it," he began. "But, one night I realized that it was the first time I saw the stars. Flea Bottom has a ton of light pollution so stars were just something I heard about and never saw. Then, I actually started looking at the sky rather than away from it and that's when I understood that my fears were misplaced. I hated Flea Bottom, but it was all I had ever known and there was comfort in that. But, I didn't know how to fit in at Wholistic Core or how long I'd even stay. And once I realize that I could see the stars—that I had an opportunity that I'd never have experienced at home, I realized that however long that experience lasted, I needed to make the best of it."

In no way was Arya ignorant that Wholistic Core provided a platform for Gendry to excel in the world when the odds had been stacked against him, but she never thought what he took from it personally. Or what it was like being taken out of his environment and placed into something totally foreign from him. It was weird to her that he'd be freaked out by the darkness, but then again, she'd been bothered by the light at night and the constant noises whether it was traffic, talking, and police sirens.

It was funny how that worked: the constant presence of something or, lack thereof, either provided comfort or disturbed the person depending on which environment they were raised.

"It was the first time I heard crickets and owls and shit," he grinned. "Like wolves howling. And I saw the moon reflect off of the water—I'd never thought that I'd see something like that." He looked at his hands as he rubbed them together, then at Arya. "I want Polly to have that: a life outside of Flea Bottom. I want her to be happy and not jaded like so many there are." He exhaled. "And I want you to be happy."

Arya was taken aback by the abrupt change in topic. "I am happy."

"I'm not referring to us and the life we've built, I'm talking about work," Gendry explained. "You aren't happy there."

"I'm—I'm…" Arya rubbed her temples. "I'm content."

"No, you're restless," Gendry contradicted. "You think I haven't noticed, that I don't hear it in your voice or see it on your face. You're not happy there."

"And," she countered. "Many people aren't happy with their jobs and they still do it."

"But, you aren't those people," he argued. "You don't have to be in private security. You have the money to take a break and actually find something that not only suits you, but make you happy as well."

"I know I have the money to quit my job and 'find myself'", Arya said. "But I don't want to be that rich kid or, better yet, rich adult who always quits their job and depends on their parents money all of the time."

"That's not what's happening here," Gendry said. "You quit your first job because it was an unbearable work environment and this job makes you miserable because it's not mentally stimulating. Just because you were lucky to have more than most doesn't mean you should feel bad about it. It's not like your throwing your money around carelessly. At least you've decided to do something with yourself rather than party all of the time and do drugs—you're being a productive member of society. If most people had the money that you were born into, they WOULD take the time out to see what career was right for them. Don't feel bad because you were born into a privileged life."

Shock colored Arya's face.

"Are you feeling okay," she said with faux concern, as felt Gendry's forehead.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Gendry removed her hand. "I know I'm the last person you'd expect to hear that from, but that doesn't make it any less true. Besides, considering that I'm in a committed relationship with you and I'm met and become friends with some rich people, I can't exactly hold that same venom I felt when I was younger. People change and grow." A wide grin was plastered on Arya's face. "Your family members are good, decent people. And Willas. Margaery is very manipulative, but her heart's usually in the right place." Arya wiggled her eyebrows. "Whatever. Anyway, what's going on at work?"

Arya shoulder's dropped.

"I thought I'd be happier in private security because it has it's similarities to police work, without the office politics." Tiredly, she rubbed her eyes. "But, it's not what I expected. It's a decent job: nice pay and benefits, steadier schedule, safer, which is only a benefit because I don't always have to be on guard, but at the same time, I don't want to plan out logistics for high profiled criminals and dictators. It makes me feel gross no matter how well they pay it. I feel like I'm contradicting everything I stand for and disappointing the girl I once was."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Gendry looked at their entwined hands and brought Arya's hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "If it's not right for you, it's just not right. It's not uncommon for people to switch careers rather it be for more money or because it just wasn't a good fit. The trick is knowing when it's time to leave. Don't force yourself to stay if it's not for the right reasons."

Arya laughed. "You're such an enabler, Gendry."

"No," he smiled. "I'm supportive."

"Whatever you say."

Gendry looked back up to the sky."When I got over my fear of the darkness…I read a lot of books about stars, the universe, galaxies, and shit," he informed. Arya looked at Gendry curiously. "There's a Theory that we're all made of star dust."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Gendry shook his head. "And atoms are the building blocks of everything. But, I wonder what made atoms, you know?" He spoke slowly as he looked up to the sky. "Or, how the universe is the infinite place where's there isn't an up or down—left or right. There's not an end. How could there not be an end? But, according to scientists, the universe, like time, or because of it, is liner, so it must have a beginning and an end. But, how did the universe's origins originate…. how did we originate? And what comes after the end? Nothingness?"

Arya wore a blank expression as she stared at Gendry.

"You're making my head hurt."

Gendry chuckled.

"I know, it makes my head hurt," Gendry agreed. "The idea that there could be different galaxies and more stars than grains of sand and how small the Earth really is in comparison to everything, which means that we are smaller than a speck of dust, relatively speaking."

"Gendry, where is this leading," Arya asked. Tiredness crept in her voice as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Or are you just…just doing some late night philosophical chit chatting?"

"I remember telling you once that we were dealing with a lot, despite only being together for a few months and you know what you said to me?"

Arya nodded.

"That we've been together for years."

"Yeah," he confirmed. "And we have—even before we knew each other. I don't mean to get all sentimental and shit, but we're like the stars and we're like the universe: you're apart of much me as I am with you, and no matter how complex or how much it makes our head hurt at times, it's fulfilling and exactly where we belong. We are where we are meant to be. You've spent years looking for someone you could be yourself with and I spent years looking for a home—now that we've found one another, it's time to explore our universe. We've dealt with the dark matter and avoided the black holes; let's focus on the light years.

"It's my longwinded way of saying you're not alone in this." Gendry said in response to Arya's befuddled expression. "It may be your career, but you can lean on me for support if and when you need it. And that goes for anything else we encounter in life: I'll always be here and supportive of you. Always."

"Ms. Arya, come play dress up with us," Polly begged excitedly, as she pulled on Arya's arm and pointed to Sansa.

Sansa looked up and smiled at Arya as her own daughter Hope put make up on her face.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't be much fun," Arya explained. "I never played dress up when I was a little girl."

Visibly, Polly frowned. "Okay," she mumbled.

At this, Sansa got up from her chair and walked over to Arya. "You're not joining us?" Based on her older sister's tone, Arya knew that Sansa wasn't really asking her if she wasn't joining, but why she wasn't joining.

"Sansa," Arya exhaled. "You know I'm not good with the girly stuff—that's why you're here. And I want to spend time with you. But, Polly is and I know I'm not going to be any fun."

"Only because you don't want to be," Sansa argued. "Arya, kids don't care how good you are at something as long as you're having fun. That's why she loves Gendry so much. Polly doesn't care if you're good at playing dress up; she just wants to spend time with you. She lives with you and she knows that Gendry loves you and Gods know she crazy about him, she just wants to bond more."

"It sounds so simple when you say it like that."

Sansa clapped her hands together. "That's because it is," she stated. "What were you going to do when Hélène got older?"

"I don't know," she replied. "I've been taking it was one day at a time really."

"Well, you can get a bit of a head start with Polly," Sansa said. "And it's not like you haven't played with her before."

"Yeah, but we play hide and seek and board games."

Sansa looked at her sister, and then Polly before grabbing Arya's hand. "Being a parent means learning new games or playing games that you wouldn't ordinarily play under normal circumstances. It'll be fine."

"Fine," Arya sighed. "Let me go check on Hélène."

Hélène had been put down for a nap a few minutes earlier and Arya just wanted to make sure her daughter was sleeping well. After she saw that everything was fine, Arya re-joined the others.

It wasn't often that Arya spent time alone with Polly, but that was more due to circumstance than anything else. She had work, Polly had school, and Gendry was usually around, so they hadn't had much time alone together. Arya supposed the same could be argued for Hélène's interaction with Gendry. In today's case, Gendry was at work, Polly had a day off from school, and Arya became recently unemployed…for the second time.

As easy as it'd be to read into how often Arya spent time alone with Polly or Gendry with Hélène, the circumstance was far from intentional. Sure, they spent time with family and friends, but Gendry and Arya spent a lot of time at home as well, which is why the kids rarely spent one on one time with either Arya or Gendry. Then there is the fact that Polly didn't have any family to visit where as Hélène visited her father for days at a time.

"So, if you're the princess and Sansa is the queen," Arya asked, as she stood next to Polly. "Who am I going to be?"

Polly jumped in excitement as Arya's possible participation eclipsed her question. "You're playing with us?"

"Yeah," Arya confirmed.

Unexpectedly, Polly hugged Arya.

Caught off guard, Arya stood frozen for a second. Although she and Polly had a good relationship, they still hadn't graduated to physical displays of affection like hugs. Awkwardly, Arya hugged the young girl back.

"Thank you," she said, graciously. Hurriedly, she went to her closet and pulled out some toy armor and a toy sword. With a questioning glance, Arya looked at the items she was handed. "You're in the Queensguard."

"Queensguard?"

Polly nodded in yes. "You can't be in the Kingsguard—you're a girl."

Arya laughed, and then shook her head in agreement. "I can't disagree there."

"So, why am I a soldier and not a queen like Sansa or a princess like you," the older woman asked, curiously.

"Because you used to be a cop," she said. "And cops are tough, fearless, and brave; it's almost like being a soldier." Polly was silent for a moment. "Queens are too, but in a different way."

At this, Arya paused.

Queens are strong too.

Just in a different way.

Arya spent most of her life trying to reject her femininity as if it was a weakness, but at a young age, Polly realized that femininity was just as strong as masculinity. She appreciated both sides without trying to complicate what it meant to be either one. Arya doubted that the young girl even thought that deep about her words, but that didn't make her words any less true. Polly's words weren't profound and she wasn't a precocious child, she simply saw life through a lens that wasn't corrupted by society.

"Yeah…they are," Arya said, softly.

Next time, she'd be a queen.

After Sansa left, Arya and Polly straightened up the house. Arya wasn't one for cleaning, she'd made Gendry do that, but she was the one without a job, so she had to chip in somewhere for the time being. It didn't feel right for Gendry to come home from work, and then clean the house as well. They still split the cooking duties because it was one of the things they enjoyed doing together.

While Arya, Polly, and Hélène watched cartoons, the doorbell rang.

"Right on time, as usual," Arya mumbled.

When she opened the door, the sight of Francisco greeted Arya. She inquired about his day, which Francisco eagerly filled her in on. He followed her as Arya walked to the living room.

Excitedly, Hélène babbled at the sight of her dad. Arya watched as father and daughter warmly greeted one another before making their way back to the front door.

"The department isn't the same without you," Francisco said before he placed a kiss on Hélène's nose.

Arya wrapped her arms around her body as she leaned against the doorframe.

"Believe me, I miss it." She stared at her daughter and smiled.

"I'm not going to try and convince you to come back," he said. "We've already had that conversation, but know that your presence is greatly missed. Not just as a cop, but as a fellow officer."

"Thank you," Arya said gratefully.

"So, what are you going to do now that you've quit your private security job," he inquired.

Arya shrugged. "No clue," she admitted. "I've been looking and…" The brunette lifted her hands in defeat.

"You'll find something," he said, confidently. "These things take time."

Arya grinned. "You know, patience was never my strong point."

Francisco didn't disagree.

"But, persistence and stubbornness is," he countered. "It's your nature to keep pursuing whatever it is you are after until you get what you want. You want a career that you are passionate about—you'll find it, as simple as that."

"I guess so," she replied.

"You and Gendry have anything special planned tonight?" Francisco wiggled his eyebrows as he changed subjects. Hélène reached out to Arya. Since Arya wasn't going to see her daughter for a few days, she grabbed the young girl and held her close.

"Like what," Arya rhetorically asked. "I don't know people think that every time Hélène leaves the house that Gendry and I are having a romantic night or we're just having sex all day every day."

To be honest, that was the last thing Arya wanted to do. Yes, she loved having sex with Gendry, but really, she just wanted to rest. Being a parent was time consuming and, sometimes, quietness and rest was just as satisfying as sex. It was nice to have a moment to oneself after becoming a parent, which was basically signing over your rights to never have a moment alone again.

Gendry understood that.

He understood Arya's need to be alone and enjoy her brief moments of solitude. There were times where being a parent felt overwhelming; that she felt that she wasn't cut out to be a mother and she needed time and space.

But, Arya's time alone didn't happen every time Hélène visited Francisco. It was really once every three or four months, which allowed Arya to decompress.

Tonight, Gendry was out with friends while she and Polly spent more time together. Mycah was on his way with the food—they were having taco night—and they'd play games and watch movies. Usually, Gendry would be in the house with her, Polly, and Hélène, but Arya forced him to spent time with his friends. Every since he became Polly's guardian, Gendry didn't go out; he wanted to establish a bond with her and making sure she felt at home with them.

Arya argued that, although Polly should be his number one priority, his life shouldn't revolve around her. She reasoned that Polly had acclimated well in her new living environment and that enough time had passed that he was allowed to enjoy himself without feeling as if he abandoned the young girl.

Reluctantly, Gendry agreed.

Part of his reluctance was rooted in the fact that he'd be away from home until late at night. He and some friends were going to a boxing match and it was not only time consuming, but out of the way to come back home and change. Gendry was just decided to change at a friend's house and leave from there.

Arya understood his reluctance, but she wanted Gendry to have some fun that didn't revolve around kiddie toys and parenting.

"I've missed you," Gendry whispered in her ear, and then tenderly kissed her forehead.

Arya kissed him on the mouth, and said, "I've missed you too now let me get back to bed."

Gendry chuckled.

"Did Polly have a hard time getting to bed," he asked, as the girl in question slept beside Arya.

Arya turned her head to look at Polly. "Uh…no," she denied. "She just wanted to sleep in the bed with me; she said she'd sleep in her bed tomorrow. I think she just missed you is all."

"And I'd be the first person she saw when she woke up," he surmised.

Arya grunted in agreement as she pulled the cover tighter around her body.

Gendry rest a hand on her hip as his fingertips grazed the exposed area of her skin. He sat in thought as he absentmindedly caressed Arya's hip.

"What's on your mind," Arya mumbled. She was greeted with silence, which prompted Arya to open her eyes and look at her boyfriend. Gendry seemed to be lost in thought. "Gendry," she said a little louder.

"Yeah," he answered.

Arya maneuvered so she could prop her head on her hand and look at him. "What are you thinking about?"

"I…I—" Gendry stopped, and then tried to gather his thoughts. He opened his mouth again before he laughed at his loss of words. "I love you."

"You were thinking about how much you love me," she asked. Arya raised an eyebrow as she grinned at him.

"Affirmative," Gendry nodded.

"Your love for me leaves you speechless," she teased.

"No, the thought of me spending my life with you leaves me speechless," he contradicted.

Arya narrowed her eyes, as she comprehended what Gendry was saying.

"Were you…are you…"

Gendry slid off of the bed and got down on one knee. "Will you—"

"Yes," Arya said, before Gendry could fully ask.

Gendry laughed.

"Never change," he said in an amused tone.

"You say that now," Arya warned, as she and Gendry leaned in to kiss one another.

Arya opened her mouth to give Gendry better access as he grabbed her head and inserted his tongue into her mouth. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer and Gendry softly moaned. Reluctantly, they broke apart.

They softy panted as they looked at one another. "Sure, they are some parts we may need to change about ourselves," he stated, and grazed his thumb over where he heart was. "But, the essential part of you, the core part, is what drew me to you—it's what made me fall in love. It's why I'm still in love. That's never going to change."

3 WEEKS LATER

As Arya walked out of the courtroom, she checked her watch. She was early for her lunch with her brothers and sister.

One of the previous cases Arya was involved with had gone to trial and she summoned to testify about her involvement as well as give her professional opinion. It felt weird to see some of her former co-workers again so up close and personal. She'd seen them from time to time as they did their jobs, but it was always in passing. There were a few people she kept in touch with besides the obvious, Francisco.

In a state of relief, Arya inhaled deeply, and then exhaled.

"Arya," a familiar voice said.

Inwardly, Arya laughed.

Of all of the people she could've run into, it had to be him…as if she could forget his voice.

"Aegon," she said, as she turned to him. "Hey, how are you?"

Aegon looked as handsome as he did the day she first met him. It was almost as if he hadn't aged a day. He gave her his usual dazzling smile and he took her in.

He shrugged. "I'm doing pretty well, how are you?"

"I can't complain," she answered, ambiguously.

"Of course you can," he stated. "You always found a way to back then."

In shock, Arya's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"I don't mean that as an insult," he backtracked as he held up his hands. "One of the endearing things about you for me when we were together was your passion for criticizing things that displeased you."

"There's a big difference between passionate criticism and complaining," Arya clarified. "For someone who argues for a living and interprets complicated texts, I'd expect you to know the intricacies of words and its usage."

Aegon grinned at her.

"Still the same old Arya," he commented.

Arya smiled, and then shrugged. "I am who I am."

"You say that as if there was anything wrong with you." And there it was, the old, charming Aegon. The one who had a way with words and knew how to warm her insides. Only this time, his charms were sweet, but did nothing for her. She didn't doubt the sincerity of his words, but she wasn't the same person she was then.

"No, I say that because I've always been accepting of who I am," she stated. As she spoke to Aegon, she got a text message. "Excuse me for a moment."

Sansa sent her and their brothers a text saying that she'd be a little late. Arya was tempted to ask her why, but decided against it because Sansa was still coming, so she put the phone in her pocket.

Arya faced her attention back to Aegon.

"So…you're engaged?"

Arya nodded yes.

She figured that he saw her ring when she took her phone out of her pocket. For most of their conversation, her hands had been hidden from Aegon because she had her arms folded across her chest, which obscured his view of the ring.

"You believe you're ready for marriage this time around," he inquired.

Arya took a deep breath. "Well, to be fair," she began. "I thought I was ready until it came to try on dresses when I was engaged to you. But, this time around, I do believe I'll actually make it down the aisle this time."

"Have you found what you're looking for?"

At his question, Arya gave his words some thoughts. Her life from the moment she broke up with Aegon up to that very moment raced through her mind. Meeting Gendry again, momentarily losing her friendship with Ned, understanding herself and striving to become a better person, quitting the force, and becoming a mom just to name a few things.

"Yeah," she said without hesitation. "Yeah, I have."

"I just…" Aegon exhaled. "I just don't understand what went wrong between us." Aegon sounded just as confused as he looked. "I don't want you to think I'm still hung up on you, because I'm not, but we had something good and we were happy and engaged, and then we weren't. And I don't know what I missed or did wrong. I honestly thought that you were happy."

"I was," Arya answered honestly. "But, at the time, I didn't understand why I couldn't commit to you, but I do now. Aegon, you didn't miss anything or do anything wrong, but I wasn't ready for marriage; I still had some growing to do." Arya could see Aegon turn her words over in his head. "I didn't realize it at the time, but I had to stop putting myself first. Subconsciously, I couldn't marry you because I couldn't truly commit to you. I didn't know how to be selfless. I don't think I was intentionally a selfish person, but there was a part of me that could be very self centered." At her explanation, Aegon softened. "But, don't think for a second that I didn't care about you or even love you because I did. We wouldn't have made it as far we did if I didn't. You were my first mature relationship and I had somewhat learned how to be with someone without controlling every aspect of it. I learned a lot, but ultimately, I just wasn't ready."

"But, if you knew then what you know now?"

"We'd be married," she stated.

"And it's too late now," he replied.

"Far too late," she agreed.

Aegon gave her a big smile. "I wish you well, Arya," he said, sincerely.

"Thank you," she replied. Aegon pulled her into a hug, and then he squeezed her hand after they broke apart. "I wish you well too."

Arya arrived five minutes before her lunch with her siblings was scheduled to start. Robb, Rickon, and Bran were already there. Bran chewed on a piece of bread as Robb and Rickon had an animated about a conversation about football.

"Hey, losers, "Arya greeted as she sat

"How old are you again," Robb questioned.

Arya made a face at him, and then stuck out her tongue.

A waiter appeared beside the table and the siblings took turns ordering drinks, but informed the man that they were waiting for two other people. As Arya ordered, Robb studied his youngest sister. Even when she was an infant, Arya had a personality—a rebellious spirit even—that became more defined, as she got older. Growing up, he often wondered what Arya would be like when she became an adult. She was so defiant and wanted things her way. She was smart and loved to read, but also enjoyed playing sports and videogames.

But, she was so damn misunderstood growing up.

Because of this, Arya developed a hard shell to protect in order herself, which also resulted in her secretive nature.

How Arya's life turned out surprised him.

Nothing was wrong with her, but he was certain about certain things back then that aren't (still) true today. Robb was sure that she wasn't going to married—he thought she'd just be in a long-term relationship; that she wouldn't have a child; she'd retire as a cop; and or that her fiery personality would mellow so soon. But, here she was: engaged with a child and a toned down personality. And, well, she's no longer a cop.

"So, what's going on with the job hunt," Robb inquired.

Arya shrugged. "Still searching."

"Nothing has appealed to you yet?" The eldest Stark leaned back in his seat and folded his arms.

Another shrug.

"I never wanted to be anything other than a cop," Arya explained. "That's the only thing I ever saw myself as, so it's going to take some time to find what's right for me."

Rickon sipped his beverage, and then turned to Arya.

"Baratheon Industries is hiring," he informed. "They've mostly cleared house since Stannis took over after Robert died. There are some open security positions as well as positions that will train you if you test well."

Although Ned and Robert's friendship took a major hit after the Arya and Joffrey situation, Ned still cared about the boisterous man. So, after learning of Melisandre's prophetic vision and her plan, he inquired after Robert's health. Ned constantly told Robert to take care of his health to which he was waived off with claims that he was worrying too much.

But, Robert eventually listened and went to his doctors. He had high blood pressure, diabetes, and a variety of other health complications and, despite his doctors' reassurance that some of his conditions could be improved, Robert brushed them off and said his habits were too ingrained in him to change now.

Without naming whom, Ned said that someone foresaw his death and Robert chuckled at what he called non-sense.

That was over a year ago after Ned first found out about Stannis' plan to take over the family company.

A few months ago, Robert and another driver who were both drunk driving killed one another when their cars collided.

Gendry and Arya didn't attend the funeral.

Melisandre's plan was mostly successful. Stannis was in control of the company and now the most powerful man in Westeros. But, the Lannisters wouldn't be deterred from taking the company back. Despite paternity tests proving that Robert wasn't the biological father to the children he "helped" raised, their attorney argued that Robert was sterile and knew that the kids wasn't his, but raised them as his own anyway. He went further to argue that even though none of the kids were his, despite the lack of blood ties since Robert raised them as if they, they were entitled to the company and not his brother, whom he had a very acrimonious relationship with.

Several character witnesses testified that it was not in Robert's character to be so benevolent in such a case and that he wasn't sterile. One of the testimonies came from Ned who explained that Robert was under the impression all of his kids with Cersei were his own biological children. He even brought to light the conversation they had about how none of the kids looked like him.

The judge and jury were swayed by Ned's words, but what squashed the Lannister's case was the revelation that Robert was rumored to have fathered many bastard children, but that they had proof of this in one case. Stannis' lawyer handed over the DNA sample, but the judge demanded to see this person and get another test to make sure the results were authentic, despite their claims of Gendry wanting anonymity. Ned convinced Gendry to be used as evidence in the case, so that they could get it over with. To protect Gendry's identity, the judge and Gendry met in secret. The medical staff drew his blood shortly before the judge arrived to their meeting. The judge had been given pictures and, without a doubt, upon first glance, he knew that Gendry was Robert's biological son. The blood test later proved what his eyes had seen and he inquired about Gendry's interests in the company, but Gendry adamantly denied wanting any part of the Baratheon Company and name. Shortly after this, the judge shared the information with the jury, which was the nail in the coffin for the Lannisters.

Game over: Stannis had won.

Robb, Bran, and Arya all looked at Rickon at the ridiculous suggestion.

"What," he asked, defensively.

"Seriously, Rickon," Bran questioned. "I'm pretty sure Arya wants out of policing, security, or anything similar to it. And, besides Gendry, who wasn't raised by the Baratheons at all, and Shireen, I'm pretty sure she wants nothing to do with them in any capacity. I'm not even sure Stannis would want her there as well because of the deal they cut with Gendry; it would seem as if Gendry was trying to undermine the terms of their agreement. "

Rickon looked as if he never thought about it like that. "Oh…my bad. It's just that…you know that Stannis is Shireen's dad and she works there. I'm always hearing about hiring and shit from either her or Stannis whenever he is around. Sorry, Arya."

"It's no big deal," she brushed off.

Arya's secretive nature made it easy to withhold certain details from people, especially when necessary. Although Arya disapproved of Stannis cheating on his wife, whether or not Mrs. Baratheon knew or approved, she couldn't tell Rickon about the complete nature of Stannis' relationship with Melisandre. Arya wouldn't dare do that to her brother. Because either he had to tell Shireen or keep it a secret from her, which both could have very big negative consequences for his relationship. Shireen adored her dad and, if she were to find out the truth, Arya didn't it want it coming from her brother, which came from her (his sister) because Gendry, who is Shireen's cousin, used to fucked her father's mistress.

It just sounded all fucked up when Arya really thought about it.

And Shireen liked Melisandre as well, who treated her better than her own mother. Arya wouldn't call Melisandre a second mother or anything, but Shireen got approval from her father's mistress and not from her own mother. Arya didn't think Melisandre was trying to gain favor or anything, because she doubted that the redheaded woman wanted to be Stannis' wife and a step mother, but rather, she honestly liked Shireen.

When Jon and Sansa arrived, the siblings ordered their food and caught up with one another. Sansa was quiet and only spoke when spoken to. Whenever she smiled, it never reached her eyes, which were so dull and melancholy that they were resembled Stark gray and not Tully blue. Stark gray could be a bright and vivid gray, but not the way Sansa wore them.

Arya and the other siblings, minus Sansa of course, agreed that she'd be the one to talk to the eldest Stark girl. It wasn't because Arya was a female, but rather, every since their relationship started improving years ago, Sansa seemed to open up to Arya more than the others.

In order to lower Sansa's guard, Arya took her shopping. They went to all of the places Sansa loved and checked out some new stores. For a moment, Sansa seemed to cheer up before Arya inquired her about melancholy mood.

Sansa stopped unpacking her new clothes and covered her face. Arya heard some sniffling.

"Sansa," Arya said, worriedly. "What's wrong?"

She went to comfort her sister as the older woman wiped her eyes.

"Willas and I are getting a divorce," she choked out.

Arya's stomach dropped.

"Oh my Gods," she stated. "Oh my Gods," she repeated in disbelief. "I—I thought that everything was perfect between you two. I didn't even know that things were bad."

As Sansa sat on her bed, Arya sat next to her.

"They aren't," she clarified.

Arya looked confused," Then, why…"

"Because we are two friends who have a child together and not two people who are in love and want to be together," she explained. "Willas and I aren't like you and Gendry: we aren't in love and we don't have the desire to be with each other like married people usually do or start out as."

"But, didn't you two originally feel that way," Arya pointed out.

"That's what we thought," Sansa sniffled. "But, then we really thought about the beginning of our relationship and why we started to date. People always said we looked so good together and asked why we weren't dating. After dating Joffrey, a guy like Willas is very appealing especially because he was my friend and, for him, people were always talking about what a good wife and mother I'd be. We both based relationship on what other people thought and not how we actually felt about each other. The reason we lasted as long as we did is because of our friendship and how much we cared—care—about one another, but it's not really a marriage."

Arya hugged her sister tightly, which made her cry even harder.

"Sansa," Arya said in a comforting tone. "You two don't have to get divorced right away? There is always separation. You could try that and see how you feel then?"

"We are separated," she admitted. "I didn't tell the family because I was ashamed and embarrassed." Harshly, she rubbed her hands together as she told Arya the truth. "The only thing that people thought I'd be good at was marriage and I failed at that. I mean, that was why Willas dated me, 'Oh, Sansa would be a great mom and wife' and look at us now…I'd thought I'd be married once and have all of my kids by one man."

"Sometimes we don't always get it right the first time," Arya reasoned.

"But, mom did," Sansa shot back.

"Only because Uncle Brandon died," Arya refuted. "Mom would've got it wrong and she told me herself years ago. She got it right because of a tragic accident. Because Uncle Brandon miscalculated his jump and hit his head on a rock after jumping into the ocean off of a cliff." Arya squeezed Sansa's hand. "Hell, I ALMOST got it wrong because I was about to get married before I was ready to. And I know it didn't happen, but it was very close."

"I just wanted to get married and be a mom," Sansa said tearfully. "And I didn't—I don't like being alone, which was one of the reason I dated and married Willas. And, we I think about my reasons for being with him, it makes me scared of when I date again. Will I just jump into another relationship, get married, have a kid and divorce all over?"

Emphatically, Arya shook her head.

"Sansa, you can't think like that," she argued. "Since you know these things about yourself, the best thing to do is to take time getting to enjoy yourself—be alone. There's nothing wrong with being single. I think, growing up, we both got caught up in ideas and what we thought the world was, rather than understanding it for what it is: a place where you know the past, but you make your own path. Mom was a stay at home mom because she wanted to be, but she had other interest outside of being a wife and a mother and she always has. You're a great person, Sansa: smart, funny, and you can do almost anything you put your mind to, but you seem to define yourself by your marriage and motherhood. I used to define myself by my anti-femininity and doing things on my terms. One you break free of rigid definition of what it means to be those things, you can learn how to be you. And I think you are trying, but you're scared: you're leaving the familiar to embrace the unknown. And because you know you want more out of marriage and aren't settling is why it will be better the second time around."

Sansa kissed Arya on the cheek and hugged her. "Thank you, little sis."

"Anytime," Arya said genuinely. "And I'll be right by your side when you decide to tell the family…how are you and Willas going to do that?"

"We haven't talked about that yet, but we want to do it soon," Sansa answered.

"Until then," Arya gesture as if her mouth was being zipped shut.

"Thank you." Sansa wiped her face as Arya grabbed some tissues and gave it to her.

After Arya left Sansa's, she decided to visit her parents. She hadn't spent any time with them in a few days and she knew that they'd love to see her. When she got to her house, she found her mother on the phone detailing plans for a fundraiser that she was organizing. Catelyn gave her daughter a kiss, and then went back to writing notes on the ideas being exchanged between her and whomever she was talking to.

As she made her way to her dad's office, she heard laughing.

Arya knocked on the door and was told to come in.

"Hey, dad," she greeted, and then looked at the man who was sitting across from him. "Hello, Yoren."

"Hello, Ms. Arya Stark or is it soon to be Waters?" Yoren raised an eyebrow and grinned at her knowingly.

Arya smiled.

"I was born a Stark and I'll die a Stark; Gendry's taking my last name," she said.

"That doesn't surprise me," Yoren replied, and then puffed his cigar.

"So, what do I owe this visit to," Ned asked his daughter.

Arya walked into the office and sat beside Yoren. She looked at the open cigar box and took one of her own. As she put it into her mouth, Yoren lit it for her.

"Nothing," she answered. "Just wanted to visit you and mom. I know I haven't lived here in months, but it feels weird not to have you two around all the time."

Ned chuckled. "Yeah…since you left, the house has felt like an empty nest at times. Takes some getting used to."

Arya blew rings at her father.

"To alleviate your anxiety, I'll visit more often since you and mom miss me so much," Arya joked. "I know life is unbearable without me."

Ned shook his head. "For most, kids mellow out and the time you used to want to spend alone, you want to spend with your spouse instead, especially when they move out," Ned said.

"Eww," Arya scrunched her face, as she understood what her father was implying. "So, basically, I'm missed, but not that much."

"Exactly. I'd love to see you more, but make sure you call first," he warned.

"Gotcha." Arya then turned to Yoren. "So, what are you doing in our neck of the woods? Or is that need to know only?"

Arya puffed her cigar and looked at Yoren expectantly.

"Despite some oversight on our part concerning two previous wards of ours," Yoren narrowed his eyes at Arya. "Your father wants to make an investment that will allow Wholistic Core to add a new location in Winterfell."

"Really," Arya looked at Yoren then her dad.

Yoren nodded yes. "We've been talking about it for years. But, in order for the organization to remain successful, we need to expand and that includes more locations. Winterfell is a prime location because of its proximity to King's Landing, wilderness, overall size, as well as its city life/culture. We've looked at many places, but Winterfell is definitely the best place to build a new complex."

"Wow…that sounds amazing," said Arya enthusiastically. "So, is everything a go?"

"We haven't signed any papers yet," Ned said. "But, it looks to be."

Yoren turned to face Arya. "If everything goes well, which I expect it to, we're going to need to hire a dean to foresee the young adults down here," he explained. "And from what your father has explained to me, you're in search of a new job."

"Uhh…I don't know what to say, " Arya stared at Yoren unbelievingly. "It sounds like a great offer, but I'm nowhere near qualified for a position like that."

"Many of our workers don't have degrees or jobs that aligned with a career at Wholistic Core, but if the show the passion and desire to be there, we are more than willing provide them with whatever training is necessary for them to succeed. Gendry wasn't qualified when we hired him, but he showed character and willingness to learn, although I know that position isn't as important as the one I'm offering; the sentiment is still the same. Wholistic Core doesn't just offer positions to anyone." At this, Arya thought about the kind of people they employed and realized that Wholistic Core only hired who they thought we qualified or took chances on those they believed embodied their values. "I don't make this offer lightly. But, once Ned told me that you were no longer a cop, I instantly saw the compatibility of you as a dean for us in Winterfell. You've been a ward of Winterfell and made a noticeable transformation under us even though you weren't as much as a troublemaker as believed by others. You showed empathy, maintained secrecy in touchy situations such as with Gendry and Hot Pie's struggles in literacy, and then took the initiative to teach them yourselves. Your time as a cop and your reasons for leaving does make you qualified to understand the intricacies of the mind and troubled youth. You know who the real criminals are and you can also be a deterrent to bad behavior. Arya, I can't promise you that this job will be fulfilling, but I believe it has potential to be if you let it."

Intently, Arya listened to Yoren as he laid out the reasons he believed in her and it made her want to say yes as he spoke. Wholistic Core was the first place where she felt home and completely accepted before she started to become more accountable for herself. Arya could see herself excelling there, despite her small fear of failing.

"If I were to take the job, when would I start?"

"As soon as possible, preferably," Yoren said. "We have to train you, so you can be prepared to when the Winterfell location opens. But, we are not unreasonable; we'll give you the necessary time to sort out everything first."

"Wait…doesn't this job entail me relocating," Arya questioned. "Headquarters is out of state, which means I either have to move away from my daughter or I have to take her away from her father."

Yoren didn't deny her conclusion.

"Yes," he agreed. "This is only temporary, but if you cannot do it, I understand, especially because your daughter is so young. But, Arya, it'll only be a year to a year and a half at worst. You can always visit your daughter during that time or have her visit you. But, remember, the end goal is you being the dean in Winterfell—it's not a permanent relocation."

Sure, parenting was hard and had its drawbacks, but being away from her daughter that long even if it was only temporary? The thought drove her insane and the fact that it could be a reality.

But, as Yoren said, it wasn't permanent. There were parents who lived in different states and had great relationships with their kids. Or parents who served in war and it worked for them. There are many scenarios where the parents were far away where it worked. They felt anxiety being away from their kids, but they were able to juggle the distance and being a parent, such as singers and movie stars. Of course her job wouldn't be as glamorous, but it would be just as fulfilling.

As good as this opportunity sounded, Arya had other people to think about beside herself. Although she was absolutely certain Gendry would follow her anywhere if they didn't have Polly, the same cannot be said since the little girl entered their lives. Arya didn't resent her, but she knew that Gendry was very responsible about her and took her emotional well being very seriously. Gendry didn't need the money, but he enjoyed his job in Winterfell as a mechanic and Arya didn't want to take that away from him.

Then there was Polly.

Arya had no doubt that the schooling system near Wholistic Core was great, but Polly wasn't that far removed from the tragic death of her mother and the subsequent death of her grandfather. Moving her away from King's Landing gave her a fresh start, but moving too far away her original home would probably disrupt the progress she'd made since living with them. Arya knew that if she were hesitant to move Polly away, Gendry would be even more anxious about doing so.

"Can you give me some time?"

"Of course," Yoren stated. "It's no pressure to answer at this exact moment, but if you are interested, we really need to get on training you. I sincerely hope you do accept our offer, in which we can then discuss the terms of your contract and its benefits."

"We'll see what happens," Arya responded.

Arya arrived home around seven found Gendry channel surfing.

Tiredly, she sat down next to him and laid her head on his shoulder and she snuggled close to his body. Gendry wrapped and arm around her, and then kissed a forehead.

"How was your day?"

For a moment, Arya gave her answer some thought. "Eventful."

"Care to elaborate," Gendry prodded after Arya's continued silence.

Arya maneuvered her head to look at Gendry. "Well, for starters, I bumped into Aegon after my testimony."

"Oh really?" Gendry's expression was curious, but not jealous. "How did that turn out?"

Involuntarily, Arya's hand sought out Gendry's as she intertwined her fingers with his, and then leaned her head back on his shoulder.

"We said hi and he asked what went wrong with us," she summarized. "Aegon said he loved me as I was and I explained that I wasn't ready for marriage when we were together. I think that whatever he may still feel for me, he understands that we've had our time and there won't be a second time around." Gendry slowly trailed a finger down Arya's arm to her hand, which held his own. "And, as you know, I had lunch with Bran and pack."

"How was that?"

"How it always is: we talk, joke, laugh—wash, rinse, repeat." Arya enjoyed spending time and eating with her siblings, she always has. When they were younger, it was a bit difficult because they all were learning themselves. But, as they got older and understand one another better, communication got easier and better. "But, Sansa was quiet and so I took her shopping and we talked. Turns out, she and Willas are getting a divorce."

Incredulously, Gendry looked at Arya. "What? Sansa and Willas?"

"I know, right," Arya agreed.

"So happened—what went wrong?"

"Nothing," Arya shrugged. "But, they both realized that they were really two friends who got married and not two people who were in love and they both want that," Arya explained. "They've been separated for a while, I don't know how long, but the separation is what cemented for them that it'd be better for them to divorce rather than stay together. Sansa has her fears about the single life, but that's to be expected."

"Wow, that whole situation is just so out of left field," Gendry said in shock.

"Is it," Arya agreed again. "But, besides me, you are the only other person who knows…well, I don't know if Willas has told anyone, but they are preparing to tell the family on their own. And I know you won't tell anyone, but still."

Gendry nodded. "Got it; discretion is the upmost importance: her secret is safe with me." Carefully, he picked up Arya's legs and rested them in his lap. As he rubbed her legs, he asked, "Anything else?"

"Yeah," she said, "I got a job offer."

TBC…