This Year's Love by David Gray

This year's love had better last / Heaven knows it's high time / I've been waiting on my own / Too long / And when you hold me like you do / It feels so right, oh now / I start to forget how my heart gets torn / When that hurt gets thrown / Feeling like you can't go on

Turning circles and time again / Cut like a knife, oh now / If ya love me got to know / For sure / 'Cause it takes something more this time / Than sweet, sweet lies, oh now / Before I open up my arms and fall / Losing all control / Every dream inside my soul

When ya kiss me on that midnight street / Sweep me off my feet / Singing ain't this life so sweet

This year's love it better last / This year's love it better last

'Cause who's to worry if our hearts get torn / When that hurt gets thrown / Don't ya know this life goes on

Won't ya kiss me on that midnight street / Sweep me off my feet / Singing ain't this life so sweet

This year's love it better last

The New Year's Eve party was going strong in the Stark house. Alcohol was flowing rather freely with Robb acting as their pseudo bartender, convinced he made the best concoctions. In all fairness, they were good and quite strong. By this late hour, some inhibitions were long gone, tipsiness was running rampant, the music was loud, and the partying voices seemed to be even louder. Because of this, Sansa decided to head outside when her mom's picture popped up on her now-vibrating phone. Throwing her peacoat over her festively-sequined mini dress, she exited into the night through the front door.

Ned and Cat had opted for a ski trip to ring in the new year and, after much begging, allowed their kids to throw a large party at their house. Convincing her mom that everything was going well, nothing was broken or stained, Sansa wished her parents a happy new year and slipped the phone into her pocket. Instead of heading right back inside to the warmth, she took a moment to herself in the brisk darkness, walking down the driveway and into the quiet car-lined street. She could hear their party from out there, the loud voices and music muffled. She took a deep breath; the cold air bit at her lungs, but a smile still spread across her lips.

Jon was inside. Something was happening between them. She wasn't sure what it was yet, but she knew it was good. They had been spending a lot of time together as of late, growing closer than they ever had before. And the way they looked at each other now - well, they certainly were no longer hiding whatever affection they had for one another. Touches lingered. As did hugs and kisses on the cheek. If Sansa was correct in guessing Jon feeling the same way about her as she did him, all they had to do was take that last jump into something real.

But that kind of jump had been a difficult one for Sansa to make the past year. She was more guarded now when it came to matters of the heart and her cautionary attitude was well deserved. First, there was Joffrey, who she thought she was madly in love with and would end up marrying. Ah, the delusions you have when you're young. He was a spoiled, demanding man-child who became verbally abusive. Then, Loras. Sweet and gentle with her, Sansa thought she found someone to treat her well. Too bad he didn't seem the least bit interested in her intimately, even as they were officially a couple. Desiring some sort of passion after that, Sansa found Ramsey. What she thought was passion, ended up being jealousy and control. Once his hand struck her, she was gone. And once again, Sansa decided to forget the different hurts her heart had gone through and jumped right into a relationship with Harry. He seemed perfect. Handsome, attentive, nice - Sansa let her guard down and fell. This prince wasn't so charming, she eventually learned Harry was a cheater and that there wasn't one week during their relationship that he hadn't been with another woman. After that, she decided to be more careful with her heart.

And now, Sansa had been alone for some time. And that was perfectly good with her. She was so much happier than she had been with any of those old boyfriends.

But now there was Jon. And Sansa had begun to realize her guard was dropping. All the different ways she was hurt by men in the past didn't matter when it came to Jon. He wasn't them. This was a man. A good man. A man who respected her and was proud of her accomplishments. Someone who was dependable, giving, passionate, and kind. And, if Sansa was reading the signals right, Jon was a man who wanted her. Without fail, a tingle would always travel up her spine, making the corners of her lips curve into a delighted smile, when she thought of the way he looked at her.

"Hey you."

Jon's voice shook her out of her little reverie. Sansa turned and found him walking out into the street to join her. She gave him a welcoming, warm smile and held out her hand to him.

"What are you doing out here? It's about to be midnight," Jon asked, taking her hand and holding it tight as he came up next to her.

"Enjoying the quiet peacefulness in the middle of the street for just a few minutes."

"I do like the quietness."

They fell into a comfortable silence when Jon wrapped his arm around her, rubbing it up and down to give her warmth. Sansa laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Him holding her like that just felt so right. At that moment, she knew it was time to make that jump, time to fall for this man.

Inside the house, the music died down and the voices ramped up. The countdown to midnight had begun.

Ten! The voices of the party revelers sounded even louder now.

Sansa felt Jon's lips give her forehead a kiss. Everything within her seemed to melt at the contact. Lifting her head from his chest, she found his eyes and they searched hers.

Five!

They shared a soft, knowing smile with one another.

Four!

Jon's hand cradled her face, his thumb running feather-light over the corner of her upturned lips.

Three!

Sansa gladly gave up the control on her heart.

Two!

Jon's hand gently tilted her face up towards his as her arms wrapped around his body and held him flush against her.

One!

Their lips met. Soft and pliable against one another. His scruffy beard against her smooth skin.

The voices rang from inside. Happy New Year!

Jon and Sansa's kiss continued as they stood on that dark street.

It was too soon to speak of love, but Sansa knew their love was inevitable. This one was going to last.