A/N I don't know where this came from. lol And its unbeta'ed.
They dragged Jon into the hall before their leader, dropping him in a pile at her feet. "Here's the crow, my lady," one of the men said.
Jon lifted his head, looking through swollen black eyes at the woman they said would decide his fate. They claimed she was a Stark but Jon knew that Starks seemed to come out of nowhere once the Boltons attempted to rule the Northmen. 'Arya' had turned out to be Jeyne Poole. 'Bran' was some red-haired boy that had his legs mangled for their ruse. Jon waited to see what this imposter had in common with Sansa.
He studied her for a moment, struggling to focus on her. Her long red hair had dark ends, unnaturally so. She was taller than him even, reed thin and beautiful, a princess as cold as the Wall and just as deadly it appeared. It was her eyes that made him catch his breath. He'd seen that look of utter distain before, in eyes so like hers: Catelyn Tully Stark. She barely glanced at him before turning away.
"Did you forget your oaths, ser?" she asked, frostily. "To abandon the Wall is a crime punishable by death." When Jon remained silent, she continued, "You have nothing to say for yourself? Pity. I do appreciate a good plea for mercy once in awhile."
"Sansa…" he whispered. She doesn't know me. The thought cut him deeply.
He heard a chuckle and a golden haired knight came into view. "Well, it appears that you didn't take your oaths very seriously either, bastard."
Jon glared up at Jaime Lannister and attempted to rise to his feet, but one of the men jerked him back to his knees. "How dare you talk to me of vows? Sansa, why is he here with you?"
When Jon turned back to look at her, she was staring at him in silence. She stepped closer to him. "Jon? Jon Snow?" After a moment, she gasped and covered her mouth. "I'd heard you were dead."
"I was…in a manner of speaking," Jon said quietly. Cautiously, he attempted to stand again but no one touched him this time. "I'd heard you were dead as well."
"I was, in a manner of speaking," she said with a small smile. "Jaime and Brienne found me and helped me escape the Vale. Then the crannongmen of House Reed assisted me in gaining some advantage in the Neck. My great uncle, the Blackfish, was with Lord Reed and has been my most loyal advisor. The Manderlys became my allies as well. Lord Manderly has said that Rickon lives but we haven't found him yet. When Stannis attacked Winterfell, we were too far away to be of aid. But now that Roose is dead, Jaime says that the Northmen will abandon Ramsey Bolton. The Mormonts and Glovers have already pledged their support."
"And The Kingslayer is loyal to you?" Jon exclaimed in surprise.
"I'm standing right here," Jaime reminded him. "My family has lost the throne. Stannis is dead. There are only dragons left. I doubt Queen Daenerys would welcome me with open arms considering the king I killed was her father, so I offered Lady Sansa my sword to at least fulfill my oath to her mother."
Sansa watched Jaime with affection, more affection than Jon cared for. "He's being modest. Ser Jaime and Lady Brienne have been my champions for quite awhile. They looked for me when others had given up hope, promised to remain with me until Winterfell was mine. Once we reclaim Winterfell, they plan to find Arya. Ser Jaime offered a reward for her safe return and has heard talk of a girl in The Free Cities, that some have called the 'wolf girl'. We hope its Arya." She reached out and touched Jon's face. "Jon, I thought you were dead or I would have come for you too. I hope you know that."
"You'd rescue me?" Jon smirked. "I thought you'd dream of being rescued." He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek then lowered his fingers to twist into her hair, holding up the dark ends with a curious expression. "I would have searched for you, Sansa, but I heard you were dead. I guess with dark hair, people would not realize who you were."
"Is it true what they say about you?" Jaime asked, studying Jon seriously. "The rumors that you're something called 'Azor Ahai' and that Daenerys and Aegon Targaryen seek you out to fulfill some prophecy? They say you're the blood of the dragon as well."
"You knew he was alive?" Sansa said sharply. "Jaime, you never said…"
Jaime chuckled. "He was only your bastard half-brother and he refused the offer to take Winterfell. And then I heard he was dead. The next thing I hear was that he was reborn from the fires and is the answer to some prophecy and part Targaryen as well. As surely you can imagine, I didn't put much thought into the rumors."
"I didn't take Winterfell because Sansa was next in line if Bran and Rickon were truly dead. I'm not a true-born Stark," Jon replied.
"Stannis offered you Father's titles, our family seat, and you turned him down?" Sansa said incredulously. "But you didn't even know I was alive…"
"I'm not a true born Stark," Jon repeated, looking at his feet.
"You have the stubborn honor of one," Jaime snorted. "Boy, next time someone offers to make you a Lord, you take it."
"Jaime, do not mock his honor. It is an admirable quality and the world is too short of it," Sansa said in a clipped voice. She reached up and cupped Jon's cheeks then kissed each one. "It is good to see you again brother."
"My lady…he abandoned the Night's Watch. He must be executed," a man said from behind them.
Jon glanced back at the man before turning to Sansa. "My oaths were until death. I stopped being a crow when my own men stabbed me to death like the cravens they were. The wildlings and the crows fight each other now. Being reborn did not force me to uphold the same oaths. In my mind, death released me from my vows."
Sansa was quiet for a moment before she said, "Leave us." All of the men, including Jaime Lannister, left without another word. "You could have hidden the fact you were in the Night's Watch easier if you'd stopped wearing that cloak," Sansa said with a small smile.
"I had nothing else warmer. I've had to stay hidden mostly, only revealing myself when necessary."
Sansa grabbed a knife and reached down to cut his bound hands. Jon rubbed his wrists as he watched her. Suddenly she was in his arms, clinging to him tightly. Jon held her like he feared he'd lose her if he ever let go. "I'm not the only one left. Jon, you have no idea how hard it's been. Hearing rumors of my sister and brothers, alive and yet still unreachable to me. And now to have a brother thought lost to me here in my arms, I cannot even say how much joy this brings me."
"And me as well, Sansa," Jon whispered in her ear. "But you must know something. I'm not your half brother. I'm not even Ned Stark's son. In truth, I'm your cousin. Lyanna Stark was my mother and Rhaegar Targaryen was my father. That's why the queen and king are looking for me now."
Sansa was stunned and said nothing for a few moments before asking, "Do you wish to go to them? To be acquainted with your family?"
He shook his head and said softly. "You are my family, the only family I know. I wish to see you restored to Winterfell. I wish to help find Arya and Rickon and Bran if he still lives. Then if the dragons still want me, I will go to them then. But I was raised a wolf and my mother was a wolf." He ran his hand down her arm and promised, "The wolves shall come again. We need to rebuild the North. My loyalty is to you, sweet Sansa."
"I have many that are loyal. But it's good to have one of my own kin with me. Someone who remembers Winterfell and the North the way I do; someone who remembers my parents and what lessons they taught us. I no longer feel so alone." Sansa still clutched his tunic and Jon felt her warm breath on his neck.
He hadn't realized how much hope she'd bring him. Jon's death had been temporary but this was the first time he truly felt alive for a long time.
x-x-x
They spent months planning how to win Winterfell back from Ramsey. Jon and Jaime worked together on the military plans despite the animosity between them. Frequently, Brienne or Sansa would have to separate the two before they killed each other. Sansa told Jon what had happened since they'd been apart and he was awed that she had become so strong and survived so much. At night, they stay up late talking about his time beyond the Wall or as Lord Commander. He told her about Ygritte and she told him about Joffrey, Petyr, and the Lannisters. Sometimes they'd fall asleep on the furs in front of the fire. And he'd wake up with her in his arms. Jon was quick to slide away from her before she roused. Other nights, he'd dream of her and wake overwhelmed with guilt for his developing feelings for her. He couldn't help thinking what Ned Stark would feel or wondering if Robb would kill him, if he still lived.
When the time came, the battle for Winterfell was over almost before it began. Sansa and Jon knew too many of the castle's hidden tunnels. Ramsey's men were quick to surrender. Ramsey had attempted to make a final stand and charged at Jon like a mad dog. Jon took great pleasure in driving Longclaw through his heart. If he couldn't kill the murderer of Robb, at least he killed his son.
After the prisoners had been dragged to cells, Jon turned to find Sansa standing transfixed, staring at Winterfell's Great Hall. "The doors are wrong," she said quietly, coldly. Jon turned to examine them as her eyes studied the rest of grounds visible to them now. She silently turned and walked toward the Godswood. After a few moments, he followed her.
Sansa stood still, staring at the heart tree. The Godswood was basically the same other than a few trees along the keep that had burned.
"I thought…" she began and trailed off with a sob.
Jon put his arm around her and said, "It can be rebuilt, the right way. It can all be fixed."
"No it can't," she whispered as tears filled her eyes. "It will never be the same. I thought that when we returned it would feel right. It would all be a bad memory and Father would be sitting there, cleaning Ice. Or Bran and Rickon would be here waiting for us. But it's damaged. Like us, it's damaged beyond repair."
Jon pulled her into his embrace and held her, realizing that the act of the ice princess that she'd been using was cracking quickly. She was only a girl, he had to remind himself. The act she used for her men was just that: an act.
He pulled back and held her chin. "You're not damaged beyond repair, Sansa," he replied. "You're one of strongest people I know and so good at heart. We'll fix Winterfell. It won't bring our family back but we have each other."
"Promise me, Jon," she replied, twisting her fingers into his cloak. "Promise me you won't leave me. I know that the Dragon King and Queen can offer you a throne and a crown. I have nothing to offer you but a broken castle full of ghosts. But I need you here with me. And not just because you were raised here."
Jon studied her for a moment and realized that her feelings for him had changed as well. She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his with a quick kiss. He tensed and she pulled away quickly, a blush flaring on her cheeks.
"Sansa…" Jon began but trailed off. How could he explain the reasons why they should not be doing this when all he wanted to do was return her kiss? "We were raised as brother and sister."
"I never considered you like Robb, Bran, and Rickon," she said with an icy tone. "You were my half brother, my bastard brother. And now you're not even that. You're my cousin and I know you feel the same as I do."
Jon's temper flared with her admission that she never thought of him as her brother. "Maybe you're willing to risk everything for ill-advised love. But my father kidnapped my mother and started a bloody war that caused both of their lives as well as getting our Grandfather and Uncle Brandon killed. So many people bled for their love. I will not make the same mistakes that they made. I will not live a lie."
"Who do you fear would start a war to keep us apart?" Sansa demanded. "My father? Dead. My mother? Dead. My older brother? Dead. And now, I wish you were once again dead to me as well, Jon Snow. How dare you come into my life and make me want something, make me feel, when I finally had become dead inside, like the rest of the Starks are dead to me."
She turned and ran away from him and Jon had to take a few deep breaths to settle his racing heartbeat. He was a fool.
x-x-x
Jon left that night, in the darkness and Sansa thought she'd lost him forever. She hardened her heart once again as she worked tirelessly to repair Winterfell and restore the diplomacy of the Northern bannermen. One day, over a year later, as she was returning from praying in the Godswood she heard a commotion at the gates.
"Lady Stark, there is party of men with dragon banners at the gate. They are led by Jon Snow and his great white direwolf. He carries a different banner. It's halved with a direwolf sigil, my lady," one of the guards said.
Jon had returned and brought the dragons with him. Should she turn him away and risk their ire? "Let them enter," she said quietly.
The men entered, followed by Jon. When he dismounted he walked to her with a serious expression. "Lady Stark," he said, bowing his head.
"Lord…"
"Prince Jon of House Targaryen," a knight beside Jon corrected her.
Sansa was speechless for a moment before she dropped into a curtsy. Jon reached out and took her hand and pulled her to stand before him. "You need not ever bow to me." He took her arm and led her to the Godswood before he continued, "I have asked Daenerys and Aegon to reinstate you to the title you should have: Sansa, Princess in the North and Lady of Winterfell. The North is now a kingdom, much like Dorne, with it's own royal family. The Starks will be princes and princesses, until the end of time, as long as you remain a loyal ally to Queen Daenerys and King Aegon."
Once again, Sansa was speechless. Jon smiled slightly. "I left here your bastard brother…your cousin…whichever you prefer. I bring to you an offer. Let me rule the north with you. My aunt and brother want me to rule in King's Landing with them but I prefer to return north. I want us to rule Winterfell, rule the north, together. I am more wolf than dragon and I don't wish to part from you again. Assuming you don't still wish me dead."
A laugh escaped Sansa and she reached out, putting her hand on his cheek. "No, I never did. I just said that to hurt you. I did not know it would make you become a dragon or a prince!"
"I could not marry you as Jon Snow, son of Ned Stark, brother of Robb Stark as well as yours. I had to become someone else," he explained.
"But I don't want someone else. I want you as you were. I didn't want you to change!" she exclaimed. "Can I not just be with Jon, the man who brought me back to life again? Does it matter if you're a dragon or a wolf, a Snow or a Targaryen? I just want Jon, I just want you." She kissed him then. And Jon clutched her to him, returning her kiss with vigor and passion. In between kisses, they laughed as they held each other tightly.
"Is this a yes? May I stay?" he whispered and she nodded against his lips.
"If you leave me again Jon, I will hunt you down and no dragon or wolf will be able to save you," she warned.
