Chapter Twenty-five

Robb wasn't sure why he agreed to the double date. He thought maybe to get himself used to the idea of Sansa being with Aegon, maybe because that's what he figured a brother would do for their sister to show support. If they were ever going to get to that point where they were siblings, just siblings, then they both had to start acting like it.

And then there was the darker part of him that wanted Sansa to see him with Talisa. If he had to be subjected to seeing her with someone else, then she should have to be subjected to the same. He felt awful and guilty for even thinking it and feeling that way, but he couldn't stop himself.

He half-expected Sansa to call him or perhaps finally come over to his apartment and see him in an attempt to talk him out of this, but she didn't. He tried not to feel disappointed about that. He knew what he wanted to happen if she did, and that was quite the opposite of what they were trying to accomplish, wasn't it? Making love to Sansa wasn't going to help their situation; it was just to exacerbate it.

So, here he was with Talisa beside him introducing her to Aegon and putting on a happy face. Sansa smiled politely as she shook Talisa's hand. "Nice to meet you again," she said with a little laugh and then slipped her arm back through Aegon's.

What would it be like if he and Sansa could be open and free like that? If they could not be siblings – or at least pretend they weren't? If they could be like any regular man and woman who fell in love and were together? What if they were in a place where no one knew they were related? Would their…relationship, for lack of a better word, had even happened if their family hadn't died? Or was it just grief that had brought them to that point?

Robb was so twisted and confused inside about that. Part of him felt that no, it wouldn't have happened at all. The other part of him, the part of him that couldn't stop wanting Sansa, felt that maybe their grief had just been the catalyst. That maybe something else down the line would have resulted in this.

But, the part that thought it would never happened otherwise and figured it was just grief and grief alone, made him wonder if it was still just grief. He had healed in a lot of ways, but he knew he still had further to go and maybe, just maybe, he would find when he completely healed he would no longer need and want Sansa as much as he did.

However, did one ever completely heal from losing their family as he and Sansa had? He tended to think no.

Robb tried not to notice how beautiful Sansa looked that night. How the dress she wore clung to her curves and how the blue in it made her eyes appear almost like ice. She had curled her hair and pinned it back and Robb thought of how it would look across his pillow where he could run his fingers through it as he moved inside her.

He had to stop this.

Tell me, Sansa, he thought as he watched her peruse the non-alcoholic drink menu. Tell me how to stop wanting you so damn much.

"Sansa, what is it you want to study in school?" Talisa asked after their drink order had been placed.

Sansa made a face – her, I don't really want to answer this question face. "I have no idea," she said. "I'm taking suggestions. Got any?"

Talisa laughed as did Sansa, and Aegon said he thought she would be a great attorney. "She's great at arguing."

"Not like you," Sansa told him with a smile. "I never knew I had such strong opinions in politics until you came along."

A laugh went around the table. Except for Robb who said, "You've never showed any interest in politics before."

Sansa shrugged. "I don't really have that much of an interest, but when Aegon feels the need to spout off I listen."

"Do you agree with everything he says?" Robb asked. "Or have you formed opinions of your own?"

Silence fell, and then Aegon – who had apparently set himself up as the one to smooth things over said, "Well, she does have her own opinions of course. Sansa is quite opinionated, but I'm sure you know that."

"I do," Robb said. He was her brother, dammit. He knew her better than anyone. Or so he thought. How much had she changed since he'd sent her away? Since she'd shut him out of her life completely?

"So, Talisa, what do you do?" Sansa asked.

Kudos to you, Sansa, Robb thought. You are showing me exactly how a sibling should act, aren't you? Well, bully for you for not being jealous.

"I was thinking, Robb, that perhaps you could teach me about what you Americans call football," Aegon said while Talisa and Sansa talked careers.

Robb took a long sip of his beer. "You want me to teach you about football?"

Aegon shrugged. "Sure. It seems to be something my co-workers are quite excited about with the Super Bowl next weekend."

Robb nodded. "Well, sure, I could teach you. We could head over to a bar and watch the game if you want."

"Why don't you come over to our place instead?"

Robb hesitated.

"What's going on?" Sansa asked, looking between Robb and Aegon.

"I invited your brother over to watch the Super Bowl with us and teach me about it," Aegon explained to her.

Sansa frowned. "Oh."

"Not a fan either?" Talisa asked.

Sansa's smile was smooth. "Not at all."

"Well, perhaps you and I could do something while they're watching football?" Talisa suggested.

Robb noticed how Sansa's smile froze momentarily, and then she nodded and said, "That would be fun! What would you like to do?"

Robb now saw the error of his ways in agreeing to "hang out" with Aegon and Sansa. Not only was it a form of cruel and unusual punishment to have to witness Sansa's relationship with another man, but now Talisa was being dragged into this madness.

He was uncomfortable, Sansa was uncomfortable, and their significant others hadn't a clue. Instead, they were immersing themselves even deeper into it. So now what? Talisa and Sansa were going to become best friends? He and Aegon were going to be fucking "bros" or some such shit? How the hell was that going to work? It couldn't.

For the rest of the dinner, Sansa was quiet and any attempt to draw her attention was met with failure. When it was time to part ways, Sansa managed to evade a hug from him though she did receive one from Talisa.

"That was fun!" Talisa said as Robb drove her home.

Was it? Robb thought. He supposed to her and Aegon it may have seemed that way. It was only he and Sansa whose threshold of things they could bear had been stretched thin. "It was," he lied.

"Your sister seems a bit aloof," Talisa said.

"She can be I guess."

"I'm not criticizing or anything, just something I noticed. She got kind of quiet. I'm not sure she really wants to go out with me while you and Aegon are watching the game next weekend."

She doesn't, Robb thought. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Sansa just needs some time to get used to new people. After our family died she had a hard time opening up to others. The only one she could do that with was me. And then I sent her away…" He broke off as a deluge of emotion welled up inside him. Oh God, he thought. I fucked up. She trusted me and I broke that trust. I sent her away after promising I wouldn't.

"I know it's probably hard to think right now that it was the best thing for you to do, but it was, Robb," Talisa said. "You were both dealing with a lot and it wasn't like you had experience taking care of a teenager, not to mention a grieving one."

"You weren't there; you don't know what Sansa needed, or what I needed for that matter," Robb snapped. "I can tell you that sending her away was one of the hardest things I ever did and our relationship hasn't been the same since. I want my sister back and she won't let me in, and whatever is broken between us is between her and me not between you and her and myself."

Talisa sucked in a sharp breath. "Whoa."

Robb gripped the wheel and slowly breathed out. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you, it's just…it hasn't been easy for Sansa and I."

"No, no, I understand, I do…well. Sort of. I just rather feel that this thing with Sansa is affecting your life in other ways, Robb."

He narrowed his eyes. "How so?"

"You got an apartment with the intention that she would live with you. You have been distraught over the distance between you and her since I met you, Robb. You won't commit to me…you can't put your life on hold because your sister might need you, or because she has put distance between you. Maybe you were too enmeshed and she knew it."

It was a good thing they'd gotten to Talisa's place. He couldn't hear anymore. Maybe he had put his life on hold. Maybe he had been distraught over the distance between he and Sansa, but what else could he feel when the one person he loved above all others, the one he put first before even himself, wouldn't talk to him?

He needed Sansa.

He loved Sansa.

He loved her so much he couldn't see straight. If he was insane, if he was sick, then so be it. He was sick. He was in love with his sister, his precious Sansa, and nothing was going to change that fact. Not Talisa, not Aegon, not what was right to do and certainly not what was wrong.

If he was going to hell for being in love with his sister then get the handbasket ready. He didn't know what he was going to do about it. He didn't know that he should, but fucking hell it just felt amazing to finally admit it to himself. Just that took some of the weight off his shoulders. Now he could at least stop lying to himself and fighting off something that he was too afraid to face.

He was in love with Sansa. He didn't know when it started, but all he knew was that he'd been in love with her when they'd first started having sex and he was in love with her when she went away and in love with her the whole time she was away, and he was still in love with her.

"Robb?"

Robb pulled his car in front of Talisa's building and put his car in park. He looked at her. "Yeah?"

"I crossed a line, didn't I?" she asked. "I upset you."

"Yes and no," he said. "It's true I get sensitive when it comes to Sansa. I can't help it. I feel as though I failed her and even though I have other family, she is the closest one to me and I want to bridge that gap between us. I'm sorry if you think that's me putting my life on hold, but maybe it's…maybe this just isn't working as well as we thought."

Her mouth parted and she looked as though he'd just slapped her. Her eyes welled up in tears. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Commit, Robb. "Yes. I'm sorry. I think you are a wonderful person and—"

"Spare me," she said bitterly and wiped furiously at the tears in her eyes. "I need to go."

Robb didn't try to stop her. He felt bad, but…but honestly he didn't want some long drawn out scene. He sighed and was about to put his car in drive when his phone chirped. He half expected it to be Talisa blasting him over text, but it wasn't. It was Sansa asking if he was home.

His heart began to race as he typed: I'm on my way.

She typed back quickly: I'll meet you there.

So, do you think they'll get into a screaming match? Have sex? Both? I really liked writing this chapter, please let me know what you thought of it!