A/N: Sorry for the delayed update, my airline had some major technical issues last week that effected business though the weekend. I'm sure some of y'all may be aware of that. Anyway, I worked longs days and had no chance to write this weekend. Also, there is a way I would like this story to go and I have a few endings in mind but it's proving difficult to figure out. There are so many factors to consider and certain endings just seem extremely unlikely in my opinion. One character I couldn't find a name for so I made it up. I do not own the character, only his name. Also, there is some explicit language, but you'll understand why soon!

Chapter 15

Later that night as the whole castle slept, Sansa was awoken by the sound of horses and men outside her window. She quietly slipped out of bed, trying hard not to disturb Petyr. After she slipped on her thick winter robe and tied it around her waist tightly she walked to the window and peered to the grounds below. She spotted five men riding though the gates and ten Stark banner men in a semi circle waiting for the men inside, swords drawn. She opened the window slightly to better hear the conversation below.

"Who goes there?" One of the banner men asked harshly.

"We come in peace. I am Beric Dondarrion and we are the Brotherhood without Banners. We've come to help in the war from the North." He stated proudly.

"Lord Beric, who are your traveling mates?" The banner man asked, noticibly calmer.

"I have Thoros of Myr with me here to my right, Anguy of the Stormlands behind me, Merrill over there behind Thoros. And you may already know this man here to my left. Sandor Clegane." With his last introduction the Stark men stood at attention again, having already heard of the Hound's reputation. "Now now young soldiers, Sandor is with me. He will cause you no harm. Please set down your arms and take us to your King." He reasoned.

Sandor was alive? Brienne had told her that she had killed him when she found him with Arya. Either he had risen or he hadn't been as dead as she originally thought him to be. Sansa's heart raced as she remembered her last encounter with the Hound. He had been waiting in her chambers in the Red Keep during the Battle of Blackwater Bay. He had offered to bring her home to Winterfell and keep her safe. She had refused him, and had regretted that decision ever since. Every bad thing that had happened to her since that night might have been avoided if she'd run away with him. She could have seen her sister again. But, then again, she could be worse off than she was now. She could be dead. There was no telling what may have happened and no point in dwelling on which she could not change. So instead, Sansa slipped into her boots and wrapped a thick cloak with a fur collar around her shoulders and quietly slipped out of the room. She walked briskly down to the grounds and found them empty.

She turned in a small circle, looking for any sign as to wear the men had gone. She saw a light coming from the hall and walked towards it. When she got to the door, which was opened halfway, she stood in the shadows and listened before she went inside.

"Aye, we will get you some food while we wait for the King. Do not move or we will use force against you." The Stark man said.

"We'll behave." She heard Beric say with laughter in his voice. He sounded amused at the precautions being taken.

She peaked in the door and saw the same Stark men standing around the five men of the Brotherhood. Their swords were sheathed but they all stood in at attention with their hands on their sword's hilts. His back was to her as he sat at a table in the middle of the room. Her heart pounded. She was nervous and happy and scared all at the same time. The Hound had been her only protector in Kings Landing and even though she was sometimes scared of him, she knew he would never harm her.

Sansa was no longer the young, naive girl he had known in the Capital and she was no longer scared of him. After all she'd been through since he had left she could now appreciate all he had done for her. Being Joffrey's former bodyguard, he could not prevent all the beatings and cruelty inflicted upon her, but he had always been there to save her, help her back up, and help her in any way he could within his boundaries.

She walked through the door and headed for his table. The Stark men all looked up when she entered and one said to her "My Lady, you should not be in here. It is not safe."

She stopped a few paces from the table, within the circle of the soldiers and said "I am safe. He will not hurt me."

At the sound of her voice Sandor's head snapped up from its previous downcast position. She stood tall and Beric Dondarrion looked at her with an amused look on his face as he watched the Hound's reaction and saw that her eyes were focused on the back of his head. Slowly Sandor stood from the table, his back still turned to her. The guards drew their swords but did not move from their spots.

Sansa held up her hand and said "Lower your swords. I told you, he will not hurt me."

As he turned around he said "No Little Bird, I won't hurt you." She smiled at the words, them having been the last ones he had spoken to her in her chambers in Kings Landing.

Sansa couldn't help the smile that came to her lips as he said those words. Her old friend and protector was here, in the flesh. His eyes searched her from head to toe and he said "You're looking well, girl. I am glad to see you still standing and with a pulse."

She stepped forward a step and stopped when his back straightened. "I am glad to see you still standing and with a pulse too, Sandor. I had heard that my sworn shield had killed you." At her words he laughed and said "Aye, I thought she had too. But you know a dog doesn't die so easily."

She smiled up at him, wanting to hug her old friend but she remembered her audience and refrained. Just then the door to the hall was pushed all the way open and a gust of cold air blew in. Sansa turned towards the door and took a step back, accidentally bumping into the Hound's chest. She looked up at him, startled. He grinned down at her and said quitely "You're safe Little Bird." She smiled in return and turned back to face the approaching form.

Sandor had often wondered what happened to his Little Bird. He had heard of her marriage to the Bolton bastard and he had feared she would not make it out of that relationship alive. He knew that little cunt was a twisted fuck, in some ways worse than that little shit Joffrey had been. The poor girl had been passed around from one sadistic fuck to the next. He was happy to see her here at her home with her king bastard brother. Hopefully he could keep her safer than her father had.

When she had backed into him and saw her fear he worried that she was still afraid of his face. The face of a killer. But when she had realized it was him her features softened and she had smiled at him, looking him straight in the eyes. Only one other girl had looked into his eyes without turning away in disgust and fear, and that had been her sister. He wondered where the little bitch wolf was too. Was she here? Was she alive? He didn't think that she would have survived this long alone, but he hadn't heard a word about her whereabouts since she left him for dead. He hadn't blamed her for that. He'd killed her friend. The fat little butchers boy. And he had been on her little kill list. Some could consider her leaving him there on the side of that mountain to die as cruel. He saw it as a truce. They had formed a bond in their time together, though neither of them would ever admit it aloud.

Sandor took a step back, putting space between the Stark girl and himself, not wanting to set off the King before they had even had a chance to speak.

Jon strode in and stood in front of his sister facing the five strangers. "I know who you are," Jon said towards Sandor, having remembered him from when he last came to Winterfell with King Robert. "But who are the rest of these men?" He asked looking towards Beric and Thoros.

Beric stood and walked around the table saying "I am Beric Dondarrian and this is Thoros of Myr, Anguy of the Stormlands, Merrill, and it seems you already know Sandor Clegane." He said, gesturing to each man as he introduced them. "We are the Brotherhood without Banners and we are here to fight with you against the Night King." He finished.

"Why are you with them, Hound?" Jon asked Sandor. "I thought you were dead."

"I am not going to keep repeating myself for every man who walks through that door." Sandor replied, agitated. As he was speaking he watched Petyr Baelish and two other men walk through the door. One of them had wild hair and wild eyes that quickly scanned everyone in the room. Sandor liked him immediately. Any man who didn't trust anyone else was a man he could trust. Sort of. The third man was older and looked at him knowingly, but with weary in his eyes. A smart man, he was to be weary of the feared Hound. He glared daggers at Baelish, though. What was this fucker up to?

Sansa spoke up this time. "Jon, he means no harm. He is here to help fight the war with us. Nothing else." She defended him. A smirk played on his lips. A Lady had never stood up for him before. She was much more brazen than she had been in Kings Landing. He liked this new version of his Little Bird.

"I do not trust him and don't think you should either, your Grace." The little twat Baelish said to the pretty King. Jon looked at the little Lord and then back to him.

Before anyone could say more Sansa spoke for him again. "I trust him." Was all she said.

Jon looked back to his sister and looked torn. Davos whispered something in his ear no one else could hear. Jon nodded once and then looked back up to Sandor. "You have quite the reputation, Hound. My instincts tell me not to trust you, but my sister says otherwise. I am inclined to take her word, but it is not so easily done." He says.

Petyr chimes in again. "He deserted the Lannister's during the Battle of Blackwater Bay and hasn't been seen or heard from since. He is a ruthless killer and swears no oaths, and fears no man."

"Why is this little fuck here?" Sandor asked about Petyr and was surprised when Sansa turned to him, shocked. She backed away from him a couple steps and he continued, "It is true I fear no man and swear no oaths, but a ruthless killer I am not. I do what is necessary to survive and if my job requires it of me. Though I may enjoy killing bad men, I do not do it for the pure fun of it." He booms in his gruff voice to the King. "I am here to fight against the army from the North, as Beric said. I will not harm your men, or women," he added the last part, looking at Sansa, "unless they aim to harm me first. I only want to keep to myself until the time comes to fight." He finished. Sandor was a man of few words. Long speeches made him uncomfortable.

Jon thought for a moment. When the little worm Baelish began to speak again Jon held up his hand to silence him. Sandor smiled. "You are welcome here in my home and I will order my men to leave you be on one condition. You will not harm a soul here in Winterfell or your head will cease to be attached to your body. Do we have an understanding?" Jon asked, stepping around Sansa to stand in front of the large man with his hand out.

Sandor took his had and shook it hard, the King had a good grip. He looked up as Sansa walked to Petyr's side and she took his hand in hers. What was this shit? He looked at her confused. That girl may be braver than she was before, but she was still stupid as ever, putting her trust in that weasel. He grunted and turned to sit back down at the table and eat the now cold food in front of him.

"After they've eaten make sure they have are all seen to a room. I will see you all in the morning." Jon said and took his leave.

As Petyr and Sansa made their way back to their chambers he said to her quietly "I woke and you were gone. I was worried."

"I heard them as the rode though the gates. When I heard that Sandor was with them I had to go and see him." She looked over at Petyr and saw a flash of jealousy cross his face.

"Why do you care about that dog?" He asked with disgust.

She walked into their room and spun in the middle of the floor and faced him after he closed and barred their door. "Do not speak of him that way." She said firmly.

Confused, Petyr took two steps towards her but stopped when he saw the fierce look on her face. "Why my love? What is going on here? Is there something I should know about you and the Hound?" He asked accusingly.

"Nothing in the way you are thinking, Petyr. He and I do not have a romantic history, but we have a history nonetheless." She explained. "He was always kind to me in Kings Landing. He never once laid a hand on me to hurt me. He saved me so many times I lost count. In some ways he was my only ally there." She said the last part quietly.

Petyr's mind eased as he heard her words. He was glad to hear there was nothing inappropriate about their relationship, but his heart saddened to remember all that she had endured in the Capital and how he hadn't been able to save her himself. "Of course my love. I understand. If it pleases you to have him here I won't say another word on the matter. I do not trust the man, but I trust that he will not harm you." He tells her.

"I almost ran away with him once." She told him as she walked back to their bed, discarding her cloak on a chair along the way.

"You did?" He asked, his interest piqued. "And when was this?"

"During the Battle of Blackwater Bay. I escaped to my room, I couldn't stand to be alone with all the ladies and Cersei anymore. He was waiting in my chamber, drunk." She told him. Petyr stopped and steadied himself, a wave of anger and jealousy flashed through him. He did well to hide the emotions from her, though. "He told me he was leaving to go someplace that wasn't burning. He told me he intended to go North and said he would take me home if I went with him. I thought Stannis had won the battle and said that I'd stay in Kings Landing. He was disappointed but did not push me. He was kind to me. I knew then that he would never hurt me, and told him so. Some days I wondered what would have happened if I went with him. Then others I am glad I did not. I might not be sitting here as your wife if I had gone. I could be dead." She trailed off.

Petyr reached over and held her hand while she finished her story. "I know he has done bad things in the past, but he was always good to me. Please help me keep him safe. I owe him my life, many times over. And he kept Arya alive for a time too." He considered her words. He did not wish to upset her and he knew if he harmed the Hound without provocation he'd lose her trust. He sighed heavily and replied, "Yes, my love. I will help keep him safe for you. But if he so much as hurts a hair on your head, he will lose his." He said.

"I understand. Thank you." She said and crawled into his lap. His cock immediately stirred the moment she rubbed up against it. She untied her robe and let it fall to the floor. Lifting her night shift she sat up so he could undo the ties on his breeches. As soon as he sprung free she sank down on top of him and began moving at a slow and torturous pace. Her head fell back as her breathing got heavier and moaned. Using his hands to help guide her hips up and down while he trusted up into her slowly, he watched his wife as she came undone at the seams.

He growled possessively as thoughts of another man saving her shot through his mind. His grip tightened on her hips and he forced her into a faster, rougher pace. She cried out in pleasure at the change and he quickly flipped her onto her stomach on the bed. Grabbing her hips again he pulled her back so she was on all fours near the edge of the bed. Standing between her parted legs he grabbed a hold of her braid with one had while guiding his cock inside her with the other. Once he had filled her completely he used his free hand to hold her hip again and began to thrust deeply and almost violently inside her.

Unable to move on her own, Sansa stayed in her current position and moaned loudly as he took her. She hadn't known that it could feel so good to be taken in such a demanding way. He was punishing her with his body, but in ways she did not know she'd enjoy. Pounding into her at an quickening pace brought her over the edge rapidly. She came loudly and he smacked her hard on the bottom as she cried out his name in pleasure.

Letting go of her braid he held both hands on her waist as he furiously thrusted into her again and again and again until he slammed into her one last time, emptying himself deep inside her. Her arms gave way and she collapsed on the bed, bottom still in the air with him inside her, as she grew weak. He slipped out of her and flipped her over once more. Her eyes were closed and she struggled to catch her breath.

She murmured incoherently and he smiled at himself, proud of how he'd made her feel. He helped her turn in the bed and settled her under the furs. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips before retrieving his breeches. He pulled them up and walked to their side room at sat at his desk to think.

The new visitors in the night brought many different questions and ideas into his ever busy mind. The wheels began to turn as he poured himself a glass of wine and took a long drink. A smile playing on his lips as he set the glass back down.

A/N 2: So, when I'm writing I do lots of Internet searches and watch clips on YouTube so I can try to be as accurate as possible. I did not know if Davos and Sandor had ever met but I'm going to assume they had at least heard of each other for the sake of this story. Remember, I have only begun the books so if they had any interactions in the books, I do not know of them. Also, writing Sandor was a lot of fun! He's so crass! A man after my own heart! Though less vulgar, he speaks aloud how I do in my own head! Ha ha! Btw, writing "You all" instead of "y'all" was very hard to do!