A/N: Sooooooo I lost all my work on my old computer, and it's been a crazy two and a half years! I've only just come back to writing today and the first thing I did was read through my old stories and see if I can get some life back into them – and with this one, I did!

I'm so sorry to have abandoned this story for so long, it was never my intention. But looking at it with fresh eyes, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! So a nice long chapter for you all!

Ned Stark had reached his breaking point. No, he had PASSED his breaking point. One daughter in a hospital, the other a victim of abuse, and all because of his best friend's son…Ned picked up the phone at his desk and dialled Robert Baratheon's number.

"Ned," Robert greeted.

"This isn't a social call," Ned said shortly. "You need to know some things. Are you sitting down?"

"What's happened?" Robert asked, all joviality out of his voice.

"Are you sitting down?" Ned repeated.

"Yes, yes," Robert said impatiently. "Ned, what's happened?"

"Your son drove my daughter to attempted suicide," Ned said shakily, not caring what he sounded like. He saw no point in beating around the bush. "And he has abused Sansa."

"What?" Robert asked hoarsely. "Ned…"

"Catelyn and I will be in King's Landing next Saturday," Ned cut across him. "Find time to meet us. It looks like we're pressing charges against Joffrey for assault."

"Ned, let's just talk about this," Robert said carefully. "I'm not condoning his actions in any way but for the sake of our friendship-"

"Our friendship shouldn't come into it," Ned said sharply. "Your son has damaged both of my daughters, and I will not let him do anything else! Get him a lawyer, he's going to need one." Ned hung up and put his shaking hands to his mouth.

He could count on one hand the amount of times he and Robert had rowed, and it always left a bitter taste in his mouth. But when it came to his daughters…if Robert wanted to take Joffrey's side and try to weasel out of punishment for him, then Ned wasn't sure their friendship could survive that.

Ned was drinking a glass of brandy in the living room late that night, unable to sleep. He looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw Catelyn in the doorway, looking at him with concern. "I called Robert today," he said by way of greeting.

"Are you alright?" Catelyn asked, sitting next to him on the couch.

"I will be," Ned said quietly. "As for Sansa and Arya…"

"You told him we're pressing charges?" Catelyn asked.

"Yes," Ned said coldly. "And do you know what he did?" Catelyn shook her head. "He tried to reason with me, tried to get his son out of punishment."

"No,' Catelyn gasped.

"I thought he would at least have acknowledged that Joffrey needed to be taught a lesson," Ned told her. "But all he said was 'I'm not condoning what he's done'. As if that's going to help anything."

"Ned…he could be shocked," Catelyn said softly. "Give it until we see him, okay?" Ned exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "Come to bed."

"I'll stay up just a little longer," Ned said quietly. "I'll try and unwind." Catelyn kissed his head softly and went upstairs.

Catelyn didn't know how everything had fallen apart. She paused by her children's rooms, hearing nothing behind the door and continued up to the master bedroom and climbing into bed, laying awake as she waited for Ned to join her.

Ned, she knew, was handling things very badly. The shock of Arya, as well as the shock of what Joffrey had done had made something in him snap, and all she could do was try her best to hold everything together and to support him. Ned had never been one to need help, but she knew that he was at his breaking point.

Sansa was coping with everything as best she could. She longed to see her sister again, to apologise, to grovel, to do anything to make things right with her. She missed Arya with everything she had, and she wanted her home.

But following the family conversation the previous day, it was agreed that only Ned and Catelyn would go to the first visitation day, which, Sansa reminded herself, they had to reschedule specially because of her.

Deep down, Sansa knew their decision was a wise one – her parents, having followed conversations with both Arya and Varys, knew that Arya couldn't handle too many visitors at once. Sansa, again, was filled with regret and remorse at what she had helped drive her sister to. She vowed she would never, ever turn her back on Arya again.

Arya woke on Saturday morning and stretched before getting ready for the day. She went down to breakfast alone (Dany was already out when she woke up) and got started on toast. Monyka and Devan slid in opposite her.

"Hi Sunshine," Monyka said brightly. Arya groaned and took another bite of toast. "It's a sunny day and we're thinking of taking our homework outside. Want to join?"

"Why not?" Arya asked. "Where should I meet you?"

"Out front of where we train," Monyka told her. "We're all going to be there."

"Ramsay too?" Arya asked, hoping she sounded casual.

"No, he's got something else on," Devan told her. Arya inwardly sighed with relief. "We'll see you out there."

"See you, guys," Arya replied. She finished her breakfast and stood, walking to her room to get her books. On the way, she bumped into Varys and Gendry.

"Arya," Varys said. "So good we ran into you."

"What's up?" Arya asked, looking between the two of them.

"Your parents are visiting today," Varys said with a smile.

"Great," Arya said quietly.

"We wanted to check that you're okay if we have that meeting we talked about," Gendry said. Arya hesitated before nodded. She definitely wanted to do the meeting.

"No problem," she said. "What time?"

"12?" Gendry suggested. Arya nodded and left.

At eleven, Arya was called to the foyer and she left her friends under the shade of the tree they had been doing their homework under and left. She wasn't sure what to expect, or what would happen.

Arya froze in place when she saw her parents talking to Varys, but quickly regained herself and walked forwards, her footsteps attracting them.

"Arya," Catelyn said softly. Arya swallowed and watched as her mother walked forwards.

"Hi mum," she said quietly. Catelyn hesitated before she hugged her, and Arya hugged back, closing her eyes. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Catelyn murmured, pulling away and searching her face. "Varys says we're to have a meeting at twelve with one of your counsellors?"

"Yes," Arya confirmed. She pulled away from Catelyn and looked at her father. "I won't bite, dad." Ned smiled softly and walked to Arya before enveloping her in his arms.

"I love you, Little Wolf," he whispered.

"I love you too," Arya said against his neck. Ned pulled away.

"So we have some time to catch up," he said. "How are you? Have you made any friends here?"

"I've made a few friends, and I'm doing as well as I can be," Arya replied as they started walking. "The classes here are difficult and track and field is my outlet. How's everything at your end?"

Arya, Ned and Catelyn found a spot to sit where Ned and Catelyn explained what had happened since she had been put in the home. "Sansa has had a harsh punishment," Catelyn said quietly. "Harsher than anything we ever gave her." Arya raised her eyebrows.

"And?" she asked.

"Joffrey has been abusing her for a month," Ned told her. "She broke up with him last week and I called Robert. We're pressing charges against him." Arya looked away, silently contemplating. She was shocked that Sansa had been abused, and softened very slightly toward her.

"Is that why you couldn't come last week?" she asked.

"Yes," Catelyn said softly. "We wanted to, Arya, believe me. But we had to sort Sansa out first."

"Right," Arya said. "The boys?"

"They're all doing well," Ned said. "But we want to know about you Arya."

"What's there to tell?" Arya asked with a shrug. "I do my schoolwork here, I do my extra-curricular here, I catch up with my friends here and I attend counsellor sessions here. I haven't left this place."

"How are you?" Catelyn pressed. Arya pressed her lips together.

"I told you," she said, "that I'm as well as I can be."

"Are there any…improvements?" Ned asked.

"You'll have to ask my counsellor, psychiatrist and Varys that," Arya said coolly. "Shall we go?" She stood and led her parents to room 31, where Gendry was waiting, reading a textbook. He looked up when Arya knocked on the doorframe and put his book down.

"Arya," he said with a smile. "And you must be Ned and Catelyn."

"Yes," Ned confirmed as they entered the room. Gendry shook Ned and then Catelyn's hand before gesturing for them to sit.

"Can I get you anything?" Gendry asked as Ned and Catelyn made themselves comfortable. "Tea, coffee?"

"No thank you," Catelyn said politely. Gendry sat down opposite them, Arya adjacent to him. "How is Arya?"

"Making progress," Gendry told them with a smile. "She still has a long way to go, but I'm happy with where she's at, at least according to our sessions."

"Your sessions help?" Catelyn asked Arya.

"Yeah," Arya answered. "I trust Gendry."

"Is there anything that we need to address?" Ned asked.

"Now that you mention it…" Gendry trailed off and looked at Arya.

"I have some…unresolved issues with the two of you," Arya said to her parents.

"What are they?" Catelyn asked calmly. Arya sat back and sighed.

"Things like you always favoured Sansa above me," she said quietly.

"Never," Ned said firmly.

"No, Arya," Catelyn said. "I'm sorry if it looked that way, but we favour no child over another."

"It did look that way," Arya said. "Sansa could never do any wrong, and she was always a perfect little lady, and-"

"And you are you," Ned said. "Arya, we wouldn't trade you for anything. Sansa is her own person, and so are you. It's like comparing fire and ice – you have two completely different personalities." Arya looked at Catelyn.

"I know that you and I don't connect over a lot of things," Catelyn said softly. "But that does not mean I love you any less than your sister." Arya swallowed, not quite believing them.

"I'm always in trouble with you, mum," she said. "It's like I can never do anything right."

"Oh, Arya," Catelyn whispered, looking heartbroken at this revelation. "I'm so, so sorry for looking that way to you. I only want what's best for you." Arya wrapped her arms around her knees and looked between her parents in silence.

"Arya?" Gendry asked softly. "Are you done?"

"For now," Arya said. She had more she wanted to tell her parents, but she felt like if she kept going, she would look weak, and that was the last thing she wanted her parents to think of her.

"Then you're alright for me to take them to see Varys and Jaqen?" Jaqen H'Ghar was Arya's psychiatrist, and had prescribed her a strong dose of anti-depressants which made her drowsy, above all else.

"Yeah," she said. "Can I go?"

"We'll call you over speaker when we're done," Gendry said. "Unless you want to be in there too?" Arya thought before shaking her head.

"Not this time," she said.

"Then go," Gendry said. Arya complied without acknowledging her parents and found herself outside on the track. She walked around the track, thinking.

Her parents coming had not brought out the joy that she thought she would have, and that scared her. She missed her parents dearly, and would give anything to be back home with them in Winterfell. But, whether it was her own mental state blocking her happiness at seeing them, or the tablets she was on preventing her from showing much emotion, she didn't know.

Ramsay had been watching her still, and Arya was still nervous around him. She had never encountered anyone like him before and his stares made her uncomfortable. She was sure he was the one who was following her, making her feel like she was being watched, and she had done her best to avoid him, without drawing too much attention to herself.

Arya missed her brothers, she missed her home and her friends, and she only wanted things to go back to normal. A stupid wish, really, she thought as she kicked a stone along the track. She supposed she had made progress here – the tremors had stopped, at least – and she knew that the team of Varys, Jaqen and Gendry had ensured that her mental state did not deteriorate. Especially Gendry, she thought before mentally slapping herself.

Arya's feelings for Gendry grew stronger every day, and it both scared her and embittered her. Aside from it being far from legal, she was Gendry's patient, and there was no way he would ever see her as anything but. She respected him too much to try anything with him, and she knew he held himself in too strong a regard to ever do anything with a patient. She opened up to him more and more every day, and their bond of trust was growing stronger every session.

Arya heard the call over the speakers, requesting her to go to Varys' office immediately. Arya strolled through the grounds and inside, making her way to Varys' office in five minutes. "Arya," he said, gesturing to the chair next to her parents. Arya sat obligingly and Varys looked at her.

"Yes?" Arya asked.

"Jaqen, Gendry and I are very pleased with your progress," Varys said. "So pleased, in fact, that come the holidays, we may allow you to go home for Christmas." Arya froze and looked at her parents.

"We'd love to have you home for Christmas," Ned said softly. "But think about it. You don't have to answer us straight away."

"I…I'll think about it," Arya said, completely thrown. She hadn't known she was doing THAT well here.

"It's time we went home," Catelyn said to Varys.

"We'll see you out," Varys said. He led them all to the foyer and Ned hugged Arya tightly, Arya returning his hug.

"I love you Sweetheart," Ned whispered. "Don't ever forget that. And think about Christmas. We'll bring someone down with us next time. Who would you like to see?" Arya thought for a moment.

"Rickon," she answered. "I really want to see him, to let him know I'm doing okay." Ned kissed her head.

"Of course," he said. He pulled away and let Catelyn hug her.

"I miss you already, Arya," she murmured. "I love you, and I would really love to see you home for Christmas."

"I'll do my best," Arya promised. Catelyn kissed her head before taking Ned's arm, both of them leaving the premises. Arya felt tears prickle at her eyes when she saw them go, and didn't miss Varys' look of concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I just…need to lie down," Arya said, finding herself to be truthful. That visit had drained her.

Ned and Catelyn were on the way home when Catelyn sighed. "She hasn't finished with us," she said.

"I know," Ned replied. "But she's getting better, Cat. They wouldn't have offered to have her come home if they didn't think she would be up to it."

"I miss her so much," Catelyn said, her voice cracking with emotion. Ned took her hand and squeezed it.

"I miss her too," he said. "But we just have to remember that she's getting the best possible care in the best facility in Westeros." He turned to the estate Robert lived in and parked in front of his house. "Now we have to deal with our other daughter."

Ned and Catelyn rang the doorbell where it was answered by Robert. "Come in," he said sombrely as he stood back to let them pass. They followed him to his study, where Joffrey was sitting on the couch, glaring at the floor. "Joffrey has been reprimanded," Robert assured them.

"We've decided to press charges for physical assault and blackmail," Ned said, getting straight to the point. "Our lawyer will have someone serve him with papers."

"You must believe me, Ned," Robert said. "I never thought the boy capable of that. I knew he was nasty, but I didn't think he would have done anything to truly hurt your girls."

"I believe you didn't want my girls hurt," Ned said carefully. "But they have been. And Joffrey needs to answer for his crimes."

"I will of course be compensating Sansa and Arya," Robert said.

"We don't want your money," Catelyn said coldly. Ned put a calming hand on her arm.

"We're not interested in money, Robert," he said quietly. "We only want justice."

"And you'll get it," Robert promised. "Though Cersei is out with a lawyer at the moment."

"You had better hope the lawyer is good," Ned said. "We won't be holding back." He and Catelyn stood and left Robert and Joffrey in the study to think on what had been said.

It was as long as I could make it without going to a ridiculous length :D But it's back on board guys :D There will eventually be a Gendry chapter, and Sansa and Arya will eventually meet again, but baby steps :) At the moment they are in July, in the middle of the summer holidays. Leave a review down the bottom, let me know what you thought :D