AN: Thanks to everyone who favourited and followed this story. I hope you're enjoying it. If so, feel free to leave a review or a request for an AU you would like to see. This one is the classic, timeless Fake Dating AU.

Jaime Lannister was known for acting without thinking. It was like his mind operated slower than every other part of his body and by the time his brain had caught up with the rest of him; the damage had been done. On this particular occasion, he really put his foot in it. He hadn't meant to. It just sort of happened.

"I've already promised myself to someone."

The words were still hanging in the air when he realised what he had just said. The effect on his family was instantaneous. Tywin had raised an eyebrow (which by his standards would have been his jaw on the floor); Cersei looked enraged at the prospect of Jaime loving another; Tyrion however simply looked bemused by the scenario and eager to watch it play out. Tywin had originally called this meeting to discuss his children's marriages. Tyrion had already wed Sansa Stark but had yet to bed the fourteen year old child. Cersei had been promised to Ser Loras, a match which pleased neither of them and Tywin had turned his focus to Jaime and had been weighing up his options. Yara Greyjoy was not an option; no Greyjoy could ever be trusted. None of the Dornish princesses were legitimate. The only other suitable option would be one of Walder Frey's dozens of daughters and granddaughters. They had proven their worth with the Red Wedding after all.

Tywin had explained this to a dumbstruck Jaime. He had only just returned to the capital to find chaos, a royal wedding being planned, his being stripped from the Kingsguard and a useless lump of gold weighing down his right wrist. Marriage. Children. Heirs. The life he both always wanted and never wanted was right in front of him. Yet as he considered his future bride, only one woman came to mind and took control of his treacherous mouth.

"Really? Who is she?" Tywin asked. The unspoken questions of who her father was, what her rank was, what lands was she entitled to hung in the air. Jaime hesitated then spoke. In for a copper, in for a dragon.

"Brienne of Tarth." Jaime replied and Cersei gave a scoff of disapproval.

"That giant beast who brought you here? You couldn't have been that desperate." Cersei said before a sharp look from Tywin quietened her again.

"Selwyn Tarth's daughter?" Tywin asked and Jaime nodded. "Tarth have declared neutrality after Renly Baratheon's death however if Stannis falls the Evenstar would be a rallying point for the Stormlands. She is his only child and heir. Good trade routes and control of the Sapphire seas. Not the most attractive of wives but there are compensations."

"I don't care about that. We-we experienced a lot on our journey here. She saw me at my lowest point and kept me alive. She is honourable and true and I know it sounds absurd but that's where her beauty lies." Jaime explained; not realising the impact of his words on his own heart.

'Gods save us, he really does love her.' Tyrion thought to himself. "I wish you every happiness brother."

"If you have made a vow; it will have to be fulfilled." Tywin stated. "We will hold the wedding in two weeks."

Wedding! Jaime thought in a panic. Oh he had not thought this through. He had expected Tywin to be sceptical, to dismiss it but if he thought Jaime was in love, or rather Brienne did have these qualities more to Tywin's interest then of course, how could a nameless Frey girl compare? He needed to speak to Brienne. Now.

She was going to kill him.

"I'll tell her myself. Thank you Father." Jaime said before leaving the room. Tyrion followed him and Cersei watched him leave, poison in her eyes. There was no way the heifer from Tarth had managed to sink her claws into Jaime like this. Jaime was hers, had always been hers and always would be.

"Shit! Shit that was stupid." Jaime sighed when he was safely out of Tywin's earshot. Tyrion looked at him and the penny dropped.

"You stupid bastard," Tyrion said. "You didn't propose to her did you?"

"She's a friend and I respect her as a warrior and she is all I told Father and more but no I didn't. I didn't think this through did I?" Jaime asked as they walked down the corridor. Gods he was such an idiot. He didn't mean to say it. Now Tywin expected him and Brienne to marry and everyone in the court and Westeros would hear about their marriage and nobody defied Tywin Lannister and lived to tell the tale. He was forcing his dearest friend down the aisle because he couldn't think or keep his mouth shut for a single moment.

Brienne was going to kill him.

The Lannister brothers found Brienne and Sansa in the water gardens. Sansa was sitting by one of the fountains as Brienne stood guard over her. Sansa quickly wiped her eyes at their footsteps as she and Brienne turned to face them. The women took one look at Jaime's terrified face and Tyrion's apprehensive and feared the worst.

"What happened?" Sansa asked; she had already lost her family. Surely they weren't bringing more bad news.

"Not here, follow us." Tyrion replied; leading Sansa and Brienne to the space where Jaime and Bronn practised sword fighting. The waves crashed against the rocks and there was no sign of Varys' little birds flying around. Content that they were alone and unobserved, Tyrion turned to Brienne and Sansa.

"Father was speaking to us about marriage. Jaime has managed to get out of marrying a Frey by telling Father that he was marrying someone else." Tyrion explained. Sansa looked puzzled but Brienne's shoulders slumped as she realised what he had done.

"Jaime, please tell me you didn't." Brienne asked and Jaime avoided her eyes. "Is this some sort of joke? This isn't funny Jaime."

"It's not a joke. I heard the word 'marriage' and I was being removed from the Kingsguard and I thought about who I wanted to marry and it just came out." Jaime explained in a rush, his cheeks burning scarlet.

"You told your father that you and I had promised to wed?" Brienne asked and Jaime nodded. "Why in all the seven kingdoms would you do that if not as a joke? Is it because I'm heir of Tarth or my father being the Evenstar? Why would you do this?"

"Because I care about you, you foolish woman! You're honourable and clever and brave and kind and you think you're not beautiful but your eyes are perfect and your smile is amazing and you've managed to turn me into this rambling idiot. Gods Brienne, any man who could not see how wonderful you are is an idiot." Jaime said, grabbing her hand in his. It was like those thoughts that he had locked away into the back of his mind had suddenly been set free.

"Jaime, we need to be rational. Your father expects us to get married." Brienne said; she never pictured herself getting married and she was waiting for the court to appear and burst out laughing at Brienne the Beauty being the target of the joke yet again.

"We can work around it," Jaime replied. "We just need to make this seem believable."

"But it's unbelievable." Brienne retorted. They were in the nest of liars and vipers. How could anyone with half a functioning brain fail to see that they were in no way in love with each other?

"You're going to have to make it believable." Tyrion said finally. "Jaime, you saw Cersei's face; she doesn't believe it and Father seems sceptical. If they suspect this is some sort of rouse or trick, it will not be pretty. At best, Father will see it as a way of making him look a fool and the consequences of that are already unthinkable."

"If anyone had heard Ser Jaime's speech, they would believe his feelings are true." Sansa offered shyly, twisting her hands together. "If you had to keep it a secret while you were travelling to keep each other safe, it could be seen as a hard habit to break."

"Exactly, you are already good friends, that means there is at least some care and compassion for each other. It just needs to be expressed physically too; hand holding, linked arms, kisses, that sort of thing." Tyrion reasoned. "If Lady Sansa can act like she is not repulsed by me; it should be simple for the two of you."

"I'm not repulsed by you." Sansa replied quietly and Tyrion smiled at her. Their marriage was a sham but they were trying to make the most of a bad situation.

Jaime and Brienne tried to show some sort of physical care but the reality of their situation had created an awkward barrier between them. Everything just seemed so pretend, so wrong, like children playing a game instead of two adults supposedly in love. It was strange, they had been naked in a bath together but trying to walk hand in hand or for Jaime to kiss Brienne's cheek seemed more awkward than the baths at Harrenhall. The sun was beginning to sink in the sky before they finally seemed to be at least a little less uncomfortable and the group of four began to return to the Red Keep.

As they reached the steps, Jaime took Brienne's hand in his, squeezing it tightly. "I am sorry, Brienne. You deserve better than this."

"We just need to get through it," Brienne replied as she gave a soft smile.

"What is it?" Jaime asked as they walked up the steps.

"I've just realised, this is the longest you've gone without making a joke or an insult." Brienne said. "Maybe we can make it work."

"We will," Jaime replied, looking her sincerely in the eyes. "I do care about you Brienne. I don't know what it is that I feel but I know it's real. Even if this isn't."

"Thank you Jaime," Brienne replied. She supposed they would have to try and make it real. Brienne lowered her head and kissed his cheek. "Kindness suits you."

Jaime felt a wide, silly smile cross his face as he felt the spot on his cheek where Brienne had kissed him. As they walked across the gardens, different members of the court and servants turned to watch, point and whisper. Clearly the news of their 'betrothal' had swept the castle and somehow, some of the stories of their travels had infiltrated the Red Keep.

"I heard he saved her from a wild bear."

"Well I heard she fought off a pack of Wildlings after he lost his hand."

"She's not the prettiest but she's more than what the Kingslayer deserves."

"Didn't she help him escape from under Robb Stark's nose?"

Brienne shook her head as Jaime rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. Somehow it felt right to lean in slightly and as she did, Jaime paused in his tracks and turned to face her. In that second, time stood still before he reached up and closed the distance between them. He knew that she had never kissed a man before but she also didn't hesitate in kissing him back. Believable. They had to make it believable. When they broke apart, they smiled at one another and continued walking like nothing had happened. Just a gentle kiss between two lovers.

As they entered the room, Tyrion and Sansa had already taken their seats and it seemed that neither Joffrey nor Tommen had been expected to be at the dinner table tonight. Instead Cersei was studying Brienne intently over her goblet of wine and Tywin was standing, clearly awaiting their arrival. Showtime.

"Father, this is Brienne of Tarth, daughter of Lord Selwyn Tarth. We wish to marry." Jaime announced formally as Brienne bowed her head to Tywin.

"My lord, it's an honour to meet you," Brienne replied. Actually it was terrifying but he didn't need to know that.

As they sat down to eat, the conversation was initially stilted and awkward and Brienne wondered how she would survive the next two weeks under such scrutiny. Jaime was trying to comfort her but she knew he felt the same way. It was almost a relief when their main course was served and Jaime distracted himself by trying to cut his mutton.

"Here," Brienne said gently, unlike in Harrenhall. This time she carefully took his plate and cut up the meat for him. Jaime felt a warm feeling take over his body as Brienne passed the plate back to him. That small gesture of kindness, the consideration almost nobody else had shown him, spoke more than any flowery words or courtly songs could. Jaime leaned over and kissed her cheek before they continued to eat. Her actions had of course not gone unnoticed, but it was the look in Jaime's eyes as Brienne cut his food and the way he kissed her cheek which caught everyone's attention. It was so obvious, so clear to everyone in the room; both those in on the plan and those who weren't.

It was only meant to be pretend for a few weeks.

However it had become very real…