Sansa Stark stood in a black knee length dress and pulled her black cardigan tightly closed in front as the breeze kicked up. It was a clear fall morning, the sun was shining radiantly, illuminated the brightly colored leaves. Orange, yellow, bright red contrasting with the cerulean sky. It had always been her mother's favorite time of year.

"In the movies it's always raining at funerals," Sansa said as her younger sister Arya came to stand beside her on the deck that overlooked their backyard.

"Mom would've loved today. A nice beautiful fall day. Too bad we are wasting it on bury her," Arya said bitterly. Sansa said nothing. She continued to survey the large back yard, the trees, the garden. Her eyes finally came to a rest on the mums that her mother had planted just last week.

"Sansa? Arya? We need to get going. I need to speak to the reverend before the service," Robb, their older brother, called from the patio door.

Arya turned and headed in. Sansa headed down into the yard. "Sansa?" Arya called.

"I'll be right there," she answered. She made her way to the mums and tore off several handfuls. She made a large bouquet and then headed back towards the house. She looked down at the flowers and sighed. She hoped it would be enough so she could bury some with all three of them.

xxxxxxx

The cathedral was packed. She knew her parents had been important to the community, had touched a lot of people's lives, but this drove the point home. Her father had been a judge and had sat on the bench for over twenty years. And up until her cancer diagnosis eighteen months ago, her mother had been an active member of several charities and other organization within the community. Seeing her parents' friends and associates had brought her some solace. Seeing Bran and Rickon's friends and classmates had produced the opposite effect. It had gutted her. Their pain was so raw. It broke her heart they had to experience loss so young.

The accident had happened last Saturday night. Their parents and younger brothers had been coming home from Rickon's cross country meet. It had been a long day and they had stopped for dinner. It had gotten dark and they were less than thirty miles from home when a drunk driver had crossed the median and plowed into them. It had been raining and the force spun the car into the next lane where it had been hit by an oncoming truck. Their parents and Rickon had died instantly. Bran had managed to survive but he was still in the hospital, in a medically induced coma. They had been told he was paralyzed. If and when he woke up, he would never walk again.

The county sheriff and longtime friend of their father, Rodrik Cassel, had been the one to notify Robb in the early morning hours on Sunday. He had driven two hours to Robb's place in Ann Arbor. Robb had been married just over a year and recently found out they had a baby on the way. Since he was the first to know it had fallen to him to notify his sisters. Arya had been in Belgium. It was her study abroad year. She hadn't been able to get a flight until Monday and then it had taken her nearly a day to fly home. The number of layovers she suffered through had left her exhausted and beyond irritable. She was little help to anyone by the time she arrived home.

Sansa had been in Chicago visiting Margaery, her once college roommates at SACI. She hadn't told anyone in the family yet, but now that Catelyn's cancer was in remission and she seemed to be doing well, Sansa had re-enroll for the spring semester. She had gotten Robb's call at 5 am, after a night of heavy drinking. In a daze and probably more drunk then hungover, she had taken a cab to the train station and headed back home.

Robb met her at the train station and had driven them to the family home. He had been half crazed when she'd arrived. Jeyne was at the hospital with Bran. He had been holding off his grief so he could do what needed to be done, but having her there finally allowed him to give into his pain. He had disappeared in the woods behind the house less than an hour after she arrived. He didn't return for a few hours.

Of all the Stark children Sansa had been the most practical one, the one that got things done. Much like her mother, she was the planner of the family. She was the one that was always willing to put everything on hold or ignore her own needs when the family needed something. She was the daughter that never protested when in high school she had to stay home on weekends to watch after her siblings. She was the one that could be counted on to help her mother clean and cook when her parents hosted parties. She was the one that helped her father with his re-election campaigns. Unfortunately, that had also meant that she was the one that had been expected to quit school last year when their mother had gotten sick and had needed help. The one who's life had been interrupted and put on hold. The one that, at times, found herself resented her siblings for their ability to detach and leave all the heavy lifting to her. But now was not the time to dwell on that. So, keeping with the past, she took charge from Robb, finishing the notifications and making the funeral arrangements.

The service had been lovely but long. She supposed that was to be expected when you were essentially having three funerals. The receiving line after had been exhausting. Arya naturally had bailed half way through. She'd had enough of people's sobbing as they hugged her. Sansa had stayed dutifully standing beside Robb and Jeyne until every guest that wished to, had expressed their condolences. And that included an awkward exchange and hug with Robb's best friend and her ex-boyfriend, Jon Snow, who had slunk in just as the service had been drawing to a close.

What remained of the family had climbed in the limo after that and gone to the cemetery. The service there was long as well as they lowered each casket into the ground. Sansa had tossed the mums into each grave along with the handfuls of earth. When she had looked up she had found Jon's eyes on her. When their eyes had locked he had given her a sad half smile which she had returned.

They went back to the house after that to host the reception. She was running on auto pilot by then. Looking back Sansa wasn't sure how she was still standing at that point, she had barely slept the last few days. She answered the caterer's questions and accepted more condolences. She had barely eaten but she had been sipping a fair amount of wine.

She was standing in the kitchen watching the caterer clearing away some of the empty dishes and suddenly she felt terribly alone. Arya had disappeared again, probably to call her boyfriend in Europe. The one that she had just told Sansa about last night. Robb was tending to his pregnant wife. She knew then that it wasn't that she just felt alone, she was alone.

Sansa's thoughts were interrupted by her Aunt Lysa's voice. "You didn't cry at the services."

Sansa stared at her trying to process her Aunt's accusation. She realized other than a few tears on the train and when she had been greeted by Robb last Sunday, she had not cried over this tragedy. The tears had been pushed down, bottled up. There was too much to do. There were too many people to take care of. She suddenly felt overwhelmed, the true weight of everything, or lack thereof, in her life threatened to drown her. She turned suddenly, grabbed a bottle of wine and went out on the patio to catch her breath.

It was colder now; the sun had set. The breeze had kicked up as well, but she didn't care. She went into the yard and sat on the stone bench in the garden. The one her father had built for her mother on their last anniversary. She sipped her wine and started back into the house, watching the people in the windows. Some were laughing and hugging, others wiping tears or looking somber. She suddenly felt detached from it all.

She sat contemplating her future. She had always been the good one. The dutiful daughter, the charity worker, the straight A student, the honors graduate. And now it felt like there was no point to anything. She was alone, sitting outside her childhood home, her parents dead, her baby brother dead. Who was going to take care of Bran? Was that to fall to her now as well?

"If you go back there you'll probably never be able to leave again."

"Why would you say that? And even if that was true, would it be so terrible? Regardless, right now need me. I can't just ignore them."

"Well I'm telling you now; I'm never going to move back there. That will never be my home again. If you go, and you stay….."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I love you, but I'm not going to live there, not now, not ever."

"Ok, so what does that mean for us then?"

"I don't know."

One of their final fights as a couple played in her mind. Jon had been right, she would be trapped here now. She hated that life had proved him right. She started to laugh as the tears spilled down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands.

"Sansa?" she heard his deep voice call out to her and she looked up. She wondered if she had somehow conjured him up in her mind. They had remained somewhat friendly after they had broken up a year ago, but they rarely spoke. In fact, things easily turned awkward between them when they actually saw each other, like at Robb's New Year's party. That was probably the reason they had kept their distance from each other so far today. He had hung close to Jeyne, Robb and Arya. She had stayed busy with the other guest in order to avoid the exchange she knew was inevitable. Sitting here looking up at him now she suddenly thought about the last time they had been at a funeral together, the night she'd lost her virginity to him. She flushed and a bubble of laughter escaped her. What an inappropriate thought to have on the day you bury your family.

"You missed most of the church service," she stated once her laughter subsided.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Sansa studied him hard. This probably wasn't easy on him. He had practically been raised in this house. He was Robb's best friend, her younger siblings' surrogate big brother, the one-time love of her life. He still cared for her on some level she knew. She realized then she was upset he'd waited until now to be here. All of them, her included, could've used his help.

"So, Jon. What kept you?" she asked. The indictment in her voice was clear.

Jon sighed and sat beside her and took a drink of her wine. He stared back into the house and closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them he seemed a bit distance.

"You're thinking about your mom aren't you?" she ventured. Her tone now softer.

He turned and looked at her. How was it that she still could read his mind after more than a year apart? He was thinking of Lyanna at the moment, but that wasn't what had almost kept him away.

"My job. Remember good old Mr. Thorne?" Sansa nodded. "He told me I couldn't have the time off. We had a major client we were trying to close in Atlanta. Initially I was going to stay, follow his orders. But then yesterday I just…. I was just thought fuck it, I'm going. So, I quit and here I am."

Sansa gaped at him. Jon won't meet her eye. He had only told her part of the truth, he wasn't ready to discuss the other part and he didn't want her to see it in his eyes.

"You quit? You just walked away?"

Jon said nothing and took another drink of her wine.

"So, what are you going to do?"

Now he met here gaze. He looked determined, a decision made.

"I don't exactly know. All I do know is I don't want the life I was living." He took in her sudden hopeful expression. "Sansa, I'm not planning to move back here either." Her face fell. "I just know I need to face some things. I'm just not sure…." he trailed off. He needed her if was going to go through with his plan, but how did he tell her any of the things that currently were swirling in his mind?

She couldn't do this with him. She couldn't let herself get pulled back into his orbit, not when she knew her place would now likely be here forever. She rose from the bench. His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She stopped and looked back at him. He rose from the bench but kept hold of her wrist.

"I'm leaving tonight. Come with me."

"What?! I couldn't possibly –"

"You can."

She shook her head. "Jon, I can't. My family, Bran –"

He took her face between her hands. "For once Sansa, for once be selfish. Be impulsive. Don't overthink it." He knew this would do her good. At least that is what he told himself to drown out the voice that was telling him he was being selfish.

She stared into his eyes letting the grey swallow her for a moment. Suddenly there was no other noise but the sound of their heavy breathing. She felt her chest start to heave in time with his. Was she actually considering this? She stepped back and shook her head.

"Sansa…."

"I'm sorry."

She turned and headed back in the house, leaving him standing in the garden staring at her retreating form.

"There you are," Lysa admonished her. "Some people are getting ready to leave. The caterer needs paid. Your brother and sister are nowhere to be found either."

"Aunt Lysa -," she began.

"I know this is hard, but you are adults. And well, you all have responsibilities now," Lysa began and then went on. Her words faded away as Sansa looked passed her out the front window. She saw a cab pull up. She could see by the light of the street lamp that it was Jon walking towards it. Suddenly her heart seized.

"Excuse me," she said suddenly and pushed passed her aunt. She grabbed her purse and went straight out the front door. Once outside she ran down the walk.

"Jon! Wait!"

He paused with his hand on the open door and half turned towards her. His eyes widened in shock and hope. She stopped in front of him for the briefest moment. She meant his eyes and gave him a soft half smile and a nod, and then without a word slid into the cab. Jon smiled, shook his head and slid in beside her.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked.

Sansa was looking at him expectantly. After a long moment and without looking away from her Jon answered, "Bus station."

Xxxxxxxx

When they had arrived at the bus terminal they had decided to buy tickets on the next available route. This had resulted in them ending up in Indianapolis. They arrived as the sun was rising. They hadn't spoken much of the way here as Sansa had fallen asleep fifteen minutes into the trip. They stood in the bus station now staring at the departure board trying to plan their next step.

"Maybe we should go get breakfast and then decide what we are doing," Sansa said. She was starting to have doubts about this whole thing. Had she really just agreed to run off with him like this? She was not impulsive or selfish. She had turned her phone off in the cab because she knew a call or a text from her siblings would have turned her back. But the doubts were heavy now. She wanted to stall them a little while until she actually thought about what they were doing.

"Ok, that sounds good," he agreed. They went outside and took a cab to a nearby diner. Once they were shown to a booth, Jon excused himself to the restroom. Sansa turned on her phone finally and the alerts started to chime.

The texts initially were from Arya and Robb, and eventually Jeyne. The overall message was they had no idea where she was, and they were concerned. In the light of day, and with no wine in her system, she realized this had been a completely irresponsible thing to do. And then the last text rolled in. It was from Lysa.

"Sansa, I'm not sure where you ran off to last night, but you have responsibilities young lady. What would your mother say?"

She looked up to see Jon had returned. He slid in the booth and watched her carefully, glancing at the phone and at her expression.

"They're worried I imagine," he stated.

She nodded. He reached across the table and took her hand. "Do you want to go back?"

She looked at their joined hands and then up at his face. There was something in his expression she rarely saw, a need, a want. It wasn't in a lustful way, it was something completely different. It was the same expression that had started everything between them all those years ago on the night of his mother's funeral. Could her parents' deaths have caused that look now?

Before she could answer the phone pinged again and she glanced down at it. The text was from Arya. "I guess you are having a moment. Well please try to hurry, I'm headed back to Belgium in two days and someone needs to be here to be responsible for Bran."

Of course it was just assumed she would be the one to handle it all. "No," she whispered.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you," Jon said.

The phone pinged again, this time it was Robb. "Where are you? Sansa you are worrying me."

She withdrew her hand from Jon's and typed out here response. "I love you big brother. Tell Arya I love her too. But I need to do something for me. I'm safe, try not to worry. Talk soon."

She sent the message and then turned off the phone. "No, I don't want to go back. Not yet," she replied.

xxxxxxxxxx

Jon had opened up to her a little over breakfast. He told her briefly how working for Thorne had progressively gotten worse in the last year. The man was a tyrant, demanding and uncaring. Jon had started to worry that if he continued to work for him he might risk becoming him. He revealed that there had been moments in the last year in which he thought he might be headed down that road. He had missed several of his friends' weddings or other important events just so he could help Thorne chase clients and larger payouts.

"I don't want to be ruled by the quest for power and money. I thought once maybe I did. That money would mean a better life, an easier life. I mean if my mother had…" He'd gotten choked up then. Sansa knew what he wanted to say that if Lyanna had been better off, if she hadn't been working two jobs to put him through school she might have gotten medical attention sooner. She might not have had to die so young.

Sansa knew him well enough to know there was something else there as well. It was the something that had triggered this whole thing. Jon could be impulsive, but to quit his job, to decide to hit the road and ask her to come, well that was on a whole different level even for him. But he didn't seem ready to discuss it, and she wasn't ready to push, so she let it go for now.

"I'm glad you decided to come. I knew it could be good for you, though I honestly didn't think you would agree," he said when they were nearly finished eating.

"I'm glad you asked. I never expected it. I would never have imagined it was something I wanted. But sitting here with you….. Well I'm glad I'm here."

They finished eating and left the diner. They wandered into a nearby thrift store. They had left her house with nothing, and if they were really planning on some epic road trip then they were going to need clothes.

Their moods were lighter now. They joked and played around, trying on a variety of ridiculous things. After an hour they had changed into comfortable clothing and finally completed their purchases, including a duffel back that they shoved everything into.

They took a cab to a bank and Jon disappeared inside. He came out a few minutes later and gave the cabbie an address from his phone. The cab pulled into traffic and started heading out of town.

"Where are we going?" she asked him, her curiosity piqued.

"You'll see."

She smiled and nodded and then rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled at that. It felt good to have her so close again. This is what he had been missing. He meant what he had told her, he would never move back to their hometown, but he should've fought harder for her. He should've found another way to try and make this work.

He didn't expect this trip to get them back together. In fact, he was almost certain that once she figured out he had asked her to go for his benefit and not hers she might not want anything to do with him. But even if she did forgive him for this, well he wasn't sure if she still even felt anything romantic towards him. But he needed a friend right now. And since his mother had gotten sick and died she had become the person he trusted most in the world. He still called Robb his best friend, but in truth it was probably Sansa. He knew eventually he would have to tell her what had really sparked this trip. But for now, he would just enjoy her company.

The cab came to a stop outside a house and they got out. A middle age man was standing in the yard and waved at them.

"Car's out back," he said when they got closer.

"Car?" Sansa asked.

"If we are doing this I want it to be on our schedule, not the bus'," Jon answered.

Jon checked over the car. It was old and fairly beat up, but the man assured them it ran great. Jon paid him. He tossed their duffle bag in the trunk and off they went.

"Where are we going?" she asked when they reached the interstate.

"Do you trust me?" he responded.

"I suppose I do," she said with a smile.

"Then just sit back and relax. Enjoy the ride."

Sansa laughed and shook her head, more at herself then him. Who had she become in the last twenty-four hours? But she decided not to fight it and tipped her head back towards the window and watched the horizon slip by.

She was asleep in a matter of a few miles. Jon smiled as he glanced in her direction as a soft snore escaped her slightly opened mouth. He was glad they were here together. He stared at the road and felt his mind wander. There were hundreds of miles to drive and not much else to do, so he flipped on the radio and let himself start to think about how they had even gotten to this point in their lives.