A/N A story idea that wouldn't leave me alone. Please leave me a review to let me know what you think. - J x

The door was altogether unassuming. Its paint was navy blue, the letterbox a worn brass, and the windows frosted, decorated with little blue diamonds; it was an average suburban front door in an average suburban street. But to Arya Stark, it felt like a great iron portcullis to an enemy castle, complete with a moat and a Loch Ness monster to bar her from entering.

Don't be stupid, she told herself. It was no enemy castle, and the only thing stopping her from entering was fear. Arya gritted her teeth. She hated being afraid, it made her feel stupid, and she wasn't. The wind blew dark strands of hair across her face and she yanked her hood up with a scowl.

Go on, she urged herself, he's your boyfriend, go on, but her feet remained planted firmly where she stood.

"Just march in there and tell him," She spoke aloud, as if that might make her braver. "Just say; Gendry, I have to tell you something. I'm -" but she stopped short, even alone in the empty street she couldn't bring herself to say the word. The word that changed everything in two short syllables.

Pregnant. It slithered through her mind like something dirty, wrong, forbidden. Her stomach twisted with dread and her hand dropped to it; still smooth and flat beneath her coat, still secret. She imagined the thing growing inside of her, like it was a weed, digging its roots into her life. Like a weed, it had to be torn out before it could grow too big and destroy the plants around it.

Arya shivered at the thought and clutched her stomach protectively. No, she didn't believe that, not truly. It wasn't a weed, it was a...baby. Her baby. Gendry's baby. And that had led her to her boyfriend's door, too afraid to knock, too afraid of what he might say.

Would he tell her that he didn't want it, or that he did? Arya didn't know which thought worried her more. She didn't even know what she wanted, let alone what Gendry would want. She bit her lip.

She had taken three tests, just to be sure, and by the time the third plastic stick was buried in her bin where the pink plus sign could not be seen, she knew. She knew it was real, she knew she had to tell him.

"Again! Again!" Baby Rickon squealed with delight as Gendry flipped him upside-down for the umpteenth time.

"Not again, little man," Gendry shook his head with a solemn expression on his face, "You've done it so many times, my arms are tired," He feigned a groan of pain, his mouth twisted but his eyes glittered with amusement at the toddler's pout and wide eyes. His lips split into a sudden grin and he threw Rickon once more over his shoulder. The surprise threw Arya's little brother into giggles as shaggy red hair flopped back from his forehead.

Arya smirked from where she watched in the corner of the room. Gendry was always good with Rickon, he was the first of Arya's family to warm to him. Robb and Jon had spent weeks muttering sullenly that he was too old for her. Sansa had wrinkled her nose at his music taste. Bran's head was too far into his books for him to even notice Gendry, and her parents were disgruntled at the idea of Arya being with anyone at all. But little Rickon had smiled a wolfish grin, his little fist bunched up in Shaggy Dog's dark fur. "He's got the same hair as Shaggy, long and thick and black," He had said. Gendry only laughed, running a hand through the offending mop of hair. "Yeah," He had replied, "I suppose I do,"

"Not too much, Gendry, you'll make him sick," Arya chastised, watching her youngest brother slap Gendry's back with grubby palms and cries of 'Up, up!', but she said it with a smile.

"Your big sister's boring," Gendry made a face as he tried not to grin, "Isn't she boring, Rick?" Rickon nodded with glee.

"Shut up, stupid," Arya rolled her eyes as she delved into a cupboard in search of a snack.

"Go on Rick, run and find Shaggy Dog," Gendry placed Rickon back on the kitchen tiles and watched him pad away on chubby legs. "I'll deal with boring-face over here,"

Arya punched him lightly in the side before she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. He was so handsome. It was a silly, soppy thought, like something Sansa might think, but it was true.

"Come upstairs with me," She tugged on the front of his shirt, "And we'll see who's boring,"

Arya blinked at the door as if that might somehow make things easier. Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she turned and walked away. Soon, she promised herself, I'll tell him soon.