Daenerys awoke slowly, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She looked over to the door, making sure her father wasn't there and froze when she noticed that the door wasn't where it should. She looked over the rest of the room and was frightfully aware that this was not her room, this wasn't even in her house.

She felt something move on the bed next to her and looked over to see red hair splayed across the pillows. She partially relaxed when her memories of the last night returned to her: sneaking into Sansa's room through the window sometime during twilight, giggling and gossipping as they curled up together on her bed with a bowl of popcorn between them and a movie on the TV Sansa had tucked in the corner. She had planned on returning before it got too late in hopes her father or brother wouldn't notice her absence. When Daenerys rolled over to look at the clock she was shocked to see that it read 3:26 a.m.

Her breath caught in her throat. Oh, god, if anyone noticed that she was gone…

She began to shake, gasping for air. Oh, how they would beat her, bruise her body until she could barely stand.

"Dany?" Sansa rolled over, blinking sleepily. "Are you okay?"

"I need to get back," Daenerys said, scrambling to get up. "Oh, god, they'll kill me, I have to go, I have to go now."

"Dany, wait," Sansa caught her wrist. "I've told you, you don't need to keep going back to them. Call the police. They'll be arrested for child abuse."

"What about me, though? Where would I go?" Daenerys tried to pull her arm away but Sansa sat up, gripping harder. "They're the only family I have left."

"Dany, you're nineteen. You can get a job, keep the house or sell it and buy an apartment. You could have an actual life!"
"But-"

"You can't stay in that house!" Sansa pleaded. "You know it's getting worse. You'll end up dead one day and I'll never be able to forgive myself."

Both of them were crying now. Daenerys whimpered and Sansa pulled her back onto the bed, wrapping her in her arms. Daenerys buried her head into her neck. "I just- they're the only home I've ever had."

"Nobody lives in one home their entire life. People move on and create their own homes, their own lives. You need to do the same." Daenerys only cried into Sansa's shoulder, sagging against her friend.

Sansa lay back down on the bed, pulling Daenerys with her. She burrowed herself into her warmth, taking comfort in the arms around her, something she hasn't had since when her mother was still alive fifteen years ago.

Sansa held her tight as she cried herself to sleep, whispering promises of never letting her go.

Daenerys dreamed. Of her father, storming into her room in the middle of the night and beating her unconscious because his work day was stressful, her brother cursing as she shoved her into a wall after yet another woman left him. She dreams of Sansa, of her father breaking her pretty face, of her brother stealing her away to do as he pleased.

She woke again, tears streaming down her face. She nuzzled further into Sansa's chest, thankful that she was still there, still holding her. The thought of her precious Sansa beaten and raped just because she was friends with her was unbearable, the worst punishment she could think of. Yes, she was afraid the Stark family would kick her out, but she was even more afraid of if her family heard of her friendship. When they were still in high school it was easier, able to spend time together without either of their parents around to witness it, but after graduation finding time together was difficult. They texted as much as they could but Daenerys was always watched so closely that even that could be hard.

Life was terrible to her. There were times that it was too much, that she just wanted to give up, but Sansa kept her going. She was her rock, the only one that treated her like a human being. She was the light in the darkness, someone that she could turn to when the going got rough.

It took almost another hour before she could fall back asleep.

The morning brought chaos. She woke with Sansa already awake, stroking her hair and humming quietly. Daenerys shuffled closer, a sigh of pleasure escaping her lips.

"Morning," Sansa greeted. "We need to get up."

"Your family," Daenerys rasped. "Will they-"

"I won't let them. You will stay here until we get your situation sorted out," she insisted. Daenerys knew how stubborn Sansa could be and relented, reluctantly rolling out of Sansa's embrace. Sansa lent her clothes to change into and took her out into the living area, their hands gripped tight between them.

All activity stopped when Daenerys entered behind Sansa. Catelyn looked up from where she was cooking breakfast, Eddard from his place at the table on his computer, Arya from her phone and Bran and Rickon from their places on the floor watching TV. Daenerys froze, unable to move until Sansa tugged lightly on her hand.

"Sansa?" Catelyn said, eyeing Daenerys. "What is this?"

"Please let her stay," Sansa said instead of explaining. "She can't go back."

"Go back to where? To her family? Why couldn't she?" Arya asked, glaring at Daenerys.

"I'm afraid for her," Sansa said, looking desperately at her father. "They hurt her. I'm afraid they'll kill her. Please, help her."

"Sansa, she is a Targaryen-"

"She's done nothing to you!" Sansa shouted. "Her father has, her brother has, her grandfather has, but she hasn't! She isn't her family!" Her voice fell quiet. "Please, just… don't let her stay in that house."

Silence. "Go back to your room, Sansa. We'll talk about this."

Catelyn looked incredulous. "Ned, you can't seriously-"

"If what she's saying is true, this girl is living with an abusive family. We can't just leave her there!"
"She's a Targaryen-"

"If she's being hurt, I don't care." He turned back to Sansa. "Go to your room. I'll see what I can do."

Daenerys collapsed back into Sansa's arms once they were in her room, shaking. Sansa sighed, sitting on the side of her bed and cradling her to her chest. "It'll be alright. You'll be safe."

She desperately hoped so.