Set after 8x03 but 8x04 didn't happen

Her head ached when she spun around too quickly and she could still feel the cold fingers of the Night King on her neck. The sight of the pale and ghostly looking creatures that surrounded her brother in the Godswood. Arya had learned to swallow any hesitation and swiftly made her way to the Night King with the Cat's Paw dagger.

She didn't think of anything other than the words that Jon told her when he gave her Needle. Stick em with the pointy end.

After thrusting the dagger into the Night King's chest, she had not expected him to immediately burst into pieces of ice and she would drop onto the ground with bits of ice piercing her hands and knees when she caught herself.

Jon made it into the Godswood looking worse for wear, covered with a mix of mud and dried blood. He was breathing heavily when he ran his way to Bran and her. Before either of them got a word out, he took them into his arms. Jon's embrace was comforting. A wonderful end to the horror that they had just witness. Something that she thought wasn't real for most of her life.

Celebrations were in order after they honored the dead and settled down. Turned out that the crypts were not as safe as they predicted it to be. But the plan was never a well thought out one from the beginning. They were desperate people trying to protect the rest of the realm from the dead.

Sansa insisted that Arya come to the feast and celebrate her victory but she was never one to indulge in glory. Preferring to lurk in the shadows, in hiding.

For years, she was on her own without anyone to trust . Now she is back in Winterfell, her home. A wrecked but still home. The foundation was still there despite the large gap in the castle. The warmth coming from underneath because of the hot spring that the castle was built on still feels the same. Every feeling she had when she was younger continues to come to her, reminding her of who she was. Then it reminds her of the people missing from the castle. Father, Mother, Robb, Rickon, and now Theon.

Then she remembers the person she became. No one, a Faceless Man, a killer.

The only time she took solace in was when she was practicing. Arya felt comfort with her weapons by her side and a bow in her hands. She would shoot her arrows until she ran out and would go to fetch them and repeat.

After her 3rd round, she had just hit her first bullseye when stopped at the sight of someone moving. Gendry.

With hands up, he said, "Don't shoot." as he walked to the side where it was safe. Arya almost rolled her eyes. "It's nighttime, everyone's celebratin', you should be celebratin' with 'em."

She managed to land in the target point again. "I am celebrating."

"With this war over, what you goin' to do afterwards?"

Arya looked at him with a side glance before pulling out another bow from the quiver. "How do you know there's going to be an afterwards?" With a thump, another arrow landed in the target.

She heard him sigh and he grabbed her forearms with such care and gentleness that was surprising coming from a blacksmith. He had her facing directly in front of him with their eyes locked together. "Don't say that."

"But you don't," She smiled bitterly. "The Dragon Queen is going to march south to take the throne."

"You don't have to go to King's Landing. You can stay. This is your home and you suffered enough." His hands tightened a bit as he said this.

Arya pulled her arms out of his grasp and put her bow down. "I have to go. I still have things to finish."

"Yeah, I know all about your list."

Arya is not that surprised. She forgot how word travels fast when you're always surrounded by people who love to talk. Especially someone like her sister.

For years, her kill list was her motivator to get through the days of hiding, running away and strenuous training. Now with only two names left, Arya have to finish her work. She can't leave it just because she returned home. There are still the people who have done horrible things to her family. She was doing this for the Stark name. For her father, for her mother, for Robb and all the other people who lost their lives when they left North. No one can stop Arya from going back south. Not even Gendry.

Seeing him again made her feel different. Like the old part of herself was returning. Their time separated, she had molded herself to be stoic and entirely emotionless with the goal to only kill. But being back in Winterfell, seeing her family (or what is left of it) and seeing him, created a stir in her chest and it blurred her once clear mind. One half wants to hold onto the goal of vengeance and the other half wants to stay and let go.

Arya reached up and gently pressed her lips to his. A sort of gentleness that she didn't know she could possess but with him everything was tender but also passionate.

She broke the kiss and he looks at her like she was the most amazing thing he has ever seen. Not the monstrous killer that she was. "I have to."

Gendry closed his eyes and leaned forward to press his forehead on hers. She feels his slow breath as he sighed once more. She couldn't promise him anything and she couldn't do that to him. "But don't you want to go anywhere? Do other things?"

"Why are you looking so far into the future for?" She asked, a brow lifted slightly.

"It's good to have some hope, right?" Gendry laced their fingers together, though tough with the leather gloves she was wearing. "So do you? Want to go anywhere?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'll stay in Winterfell. Maybe I'll travel west. I don't know." Arya didn't put too much thought into what happens after. Her goal were always more short termed but spanned over a long period of time.

"West?"

"We know east of Westeros is Essos but what is west of Westeros? Maybe it'll be better than this shithole." She had heard stories of travelers who discover new lands. The famed queen Nymeria had sailed the seas in search of new lands to settle as well. A wild dream of her when she was younger.

"Well alright, Little Adventurer." He said, amused. She pulled away and smacked him playfully on the shoulder. He laughed a bit.

"I know it sounds stupid."

"It doesn't. At least you know. I'll probably stay makin' swords and spears for the rest of my bastard life."

Arya knew she didn't want to promise things so soon. But for some reason, something was telling her to say it. All these years, she's been alone and finally she can be with someone. Getting a taste of comfort that socializing and being with others made it even more compelling to stay with people. "Come with me." Gendry's light smile dropped, startled and confused.

"What?"

"I've travelled alone for so long. And if we make it out of this alive, then…will you come with me?" She watches him, almost trying to see if she could find the answer without him saying it.

"Arya…"

"I forgot what it's like to have a companion that's tolerable." She quipped with a tilt of her head.

"Oh." He perked up at her remark. "Simply tolerable, am I?"

A small smile formed on her face. It seems to happen easily when he's around. "Will you?"

Gendry's hands were on her arms again, rubbing up and down them. "Your family…"

"They'll be fine. And remember what I said?"

I can be your family.

Of course, she was much younger back then. A girl just trying to maintain some form of stability and bonds that she had formed during their time together. Arya desperately wanted to keep him with her. Now she was older, different and she wondered if he still would take her offer. You're my family too.

"I know, m'lady." He responded as he grinned.

She whacked him once more on the shoulder. "Don't call me that."

He chuckled, his hands trailed up to her face to hold it. He leaned forward, his lips hovering over hers. He whispers, "As you wish, m'lady." And she pushed forward for their lips to meet.

I don't like the way the show is portraying Arya. Personally, I didn't think she should've killed the Night King. It doesn't really make any sense and the show is kind of a mess. btw f episode 4 like what the hell is going on I'll go ahead and say that what I wish for Arya in the end is to end up with Gendry and be a lady of Storm's End. I think there's a bit if irony that she didn't want to be a lady in the beginning but ended up with the life that her sister wanted and be a lady. She's been through a lot and she's different now so maybe some stability and having a family/husband would be a nice way to end Arya's story. (either that for kill her) Also being a lady doesn't mean you have to be prim, proper, girly but you can be in charge and she can freaking change the meaning of being a lady. The world changes, people change, make the change.