The Darkness of Day

by WalkingPotterGirl14

He put a dagger in her heart. She died. End of story. Or was it? The Gods decide that there's more to tell, more to save, and more heartbreak to follow in the story of Daenerys and Jon's lives, starting with new revelations right outside their doors. (Rated T until chapter 26, Fix-it Fic, obvious spoilers for the show)

51. The Targaryens: The Birth

Hello everyone! Back to our semi-regularly scheduled chapter. Thank you so much to:

DarylDixon'sLover

Canuck777

Lillian81

No fan of kikyo

Perseus Apollyon

Guest

Susan Lascelles

MiaMia

MayaFaya

Herraidous

Your reviews inspired me to write this for ya'll, longer chapter so I hope you like it. And a big welcome to the new followers and favorites, I hope you enjoy the adventure! Wow, we reached 500 reviews! You guys have been so awesome and I'm so grateful for each of you being so responsive. Truly you all mean the world to me! This chapter is one of my favorites so I hope you all enjoy :)

---

Jon

He had never felt so much fear in his life.

There were many times Jon had been terrified of what would happen when he stepped through a door. When he had rescued the wildings from the White Walkers in Hardhome. When he had first stepped through the doors of Dragonstone. When he had first knocked on Dany's door on the boat. When he had stepped through the throne room to kill her.

But everything paled in comparison to the fear that he felt right now, hearing her cries of pain ring in and out of his head.

Before he could step into his old chambers, however, he looks over at his children, who had all so diligently followed after him.

"Stay away," he commands.

"But-"

"No." He doesn't leave any room for argument. When he looks back at them, he could see the clear shock and disappointment on their faces from his response. Jon sighs. "I don't want you all to see this if you don't have to. What she's going through needs as little people as possible…I'll make sure we tell you everything after but there's not much you can do except sit and wait."

Zaevar and Mae share a look of disappointment but step back regardless. Dan sighs as she takes Nesara into her arms. "Daemon is still going to go in there?"

"As long as he can try and help her, yes, he will," Jon confirms.

Dan rolls her eyes but sighs. "He's the most capable out of all of us…keep mother safe, okay?"

To which, Daemon nods. Jon could see the nerves in his eyes. "I'm going to try."

Nesara tugs at his hand. "Will she…be okay?"

Jon looks at his little girl's face, praying to every god above that somehow, someway, he could promise that she would be. But he couldn't. And they always liked to play games with him, didn't they? "Nesy…" The voice comes out more like a sigh than a confident tone. "We're going to try everything we can to make sure she does come out of his safely. Until then…I need you and your siblings to be strong and wait for us. Can you do that, little one?"

Nesara bites her lip but nods, holding her stuffed dragon in her hands. She really did bring that thing everywhere. "I'll be the strongest girl in the castle."

Jon could see Dan roll her eyes out of the corner of his own but he feels himself laugh. "Good. That's the kind of strength we need." He gives each of his children a hug, one by one, pressing a gentle kiss to Dan's head before nodding to the area below them. "Take all of them to the main hall, where the lords and ladies would meet. I'm sure you know where that is from your trips to the past."

Dan nods and walks forward, the other children following her. Another scream ripples through the air. Jon quickly turns to his son.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." Daemon's answer was instant. "I haven't used my healing for anything serious in a long time. I want to help mother…I need to feel useful again."

Jon's brow furrows. "You've been very useful."

Daemon sighs. "It's not the same." He glances at the door before them. "Are we going to go in?"

Before Jon could answer, there were hurried steps coming his way. He quickly looks to the hallway to see Arya running down the pathway most likely at the speed of a horse, breathing harshly. "A guard…just told me," she pants through breaths. "Is she having the baby? Isn't it too soon?"

"I don't know what's happening either, Arya, I'm trying to process this." He glances at her in confusion. "Where is Gendry? And the direwolves?"

"Gendry went down to the hall – I told him it needed to just be me." Understandable. "The direwolves are resting. But they did seem restless before. I think they knew something was wr-" Another wail of pain pierces the air. "Good gods, what are we waiting for? She needs help!"

Before Jon could even respond, Arya was bursting through the door. Deciding to man up and push down all of his fears, he goes through as well, with Daemon right behind him. The room looked the same as it did when he was here before – the same smaller windows and the same ashy floor, but what was different this time were the two women rushing over his bed, trying to tend to his wife on the furs and sheets beneath her.

As soon as he looked at her, however, he felt his hearing leaving him. The world zoned out. He was shocked to his core. The bed was covered in blood.

And by covered, he meant soaked. The furs were practically dyed with the substance now, and it had spread so much that it surrounded her whole entire lower body. His wife was going through this. Was…was she going to even survive? Was this the last time he saw her?

There was a screaming, a ringing into his ear before his mind suddenly comes back to him, and he rushes over towards the bed. Daenerys had her head on the pillow, her hair caked in sweat, eyes screwed shut with her legs spread beneath her. He instantly comes to her side while Arya and Daemon take the other.

When he grabs her fisted hand, she opens her eyes only for a moment to see him, and he sees the tiniest hint of relief. "Jon…" she croaks, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I know, I know," he says gently to her before turning to where Kinvara was at the edge of the bed with Eleana. "What the fuck is going on? Tell me now!"

"We don't know, Jon," Eleana instantly responds. "She's clearly having the child – Kinvara said-"

"It's Bran."

Jon turns his eyes to look at Kinvara, who had now swaddled clothes at the bottom of Dany's legs as she whimpered in pain, eyes closing again. "How do you know?" he asks. "How the fuck did you even get here?"

"I saw a vision in the flames," Kinvara sighs out. "I was doing my regular prayer and I saw him. He was focusing in on Daenerys, trying to make her hurt as much as possible using the same method that he used on Nesara. I got on a horse and rode down here as soon as I saw couple weeks ago…his connection has grown stronger to the Targaryen's – I've used a way to keep him out for now but the child is coming, and it's coming now."

Jon could almost feel himself curse. He knew this would happen. He was thankful his children were protected now, but he knew that fucking bastard would have done everything in his power to somehow hurt them. And now he was trying to take his child. No fucking way. No fucking way.

"J-Jon," he hears Dany whisper between pants. "I-I don't know…if I can do this…"

He turns to her and pushes away her hair from her eyes, making sure that he kept his hand on her wet cheek. "Don't say that. I know you can, Dany. You've done this before."

Her eyes instantly change to anger. "The last time I did this I was unconscious!"

"She has a point," Kinvara mutters.

Jon glares at the red priestess, a look that said 'not helping!' before he turns back to Dany. "Alright, fair, but I know you, Dany. You can get through anything. You've been through the seven hells and back. Remember who you are – you're stronger than anyone I know."

Her hand grips onto his, so tight that he could feel her nails cutting into his skin, but he would do nothing but try and support her. "It hurts so much," she cries.

"I know, my love, but it'll be over soon," he says tenderly, trying to keep her mind at ease. He had no idea of the true pain she was going through. The best he could do was be there for her. "Remember that cave? All that time ago? I think we deserve to go back there, yeah? With whatever little girl or boy that we have coming to us. A family trip, right after this."

He sees a ghost of a smile come on her lips, one that was better than what he saw before. "That sounds wonderful," she whispers, but he could tell through her choked voice that she was still in pain. He looks over at Kinvara with a desperate expression in his eyes.

"Can you do anything else?"

"Daemon." Kinvara snaps at the boy, who had been patiently waiting and quiet. He snapped out of it the moment Kinvara called him over. "Use what we've practiced. Help your mother ease out of some of this pain."

Daemon quickly nods and runs to her other side, pressing his hands against her stomach. He whispers something low under his breath, clearly focusing on his mother. A small brightness begins to glow from his hands as he whispered.

Jon feels Dany let go of his hand and then gently place it on top of Daemon's. He could see the color leaving from her face, her eyes half-lidded. "My son," she mutters, her voice soft. "I'm so…so proud of you."

Daemon's brow furrows at her words, still trying to focus. "Thank you."

"N-No matter what happens…you've grown u-up so much," she continues, before her eyes screwed shut in pain again, head hitting the pillow. "Y-you shouldn't see m-me…in so much pain," she pants out, her breaths coming short.

"I don't care, mother, I want to save you," Daemon instantly responds before looking over at Kinvara. "Is this really the best we can do right now?"

Kinvara sighs. "Until she has the baby, yes."

Arya comes over to Eleana's side and instantly her eyes widen when she sees the end of the bed. "Seven hells, that's a lot of fucking blood."

"Arya," Jon hisses at her.

"I'm sorry," she instantly responds before coming over to his side, looking down at Daenerys. Even she knew right now was not the moment to be commenting on the severity of the situation. "Daenerys, I know that the pain you feel is awful but remember, you can't leave yet…we have so much to do, still."

Daenerys opens her eyes slightly to look up at the girl. "L-like what?" she stutters swallowing. She was trying to distract herself.

"Like training," Arya continues. "You still haven't beaten me properly yet. You can't let go until you've taken down the Stark girl."

The dragon queen shakes her head, hand moving to grip Jon's again. "I…hope someday we…we can," she gripes, her eyes shut once more as another burst of pain went through her. She bites her lip so hard that blood begins to seep out. "Fuck, I can't do this anymore! Please tell me we can do something!" she cries.

Eleana kneels down for a moment and then looks up at her. "You're ready to push, my queen. On three – one, two, three!"

Her hand grips down the hardest on Jon's it had ever been as she closed her eyes, her head hitting the back of the pillow once more while she pushes. She lets out a cry of anguish before she breaths again, opening her eyes. Her skin had gone pale, the sweat dripped onto the furs.

"This…is horrible," she breathes.

"Another push, Daenerys!" Kinvara calls out from where she stood.

Instantly her face spikes in pain again as she pushes, crying out as tears start to stream down her cheeks again. Jon does his best to wipe the tears from her eyes, trying to keep his own cool together. When she finishes this time, he kisses the top of her head, pushing her hair away from her eyes.

"That's it, Dany, just a couple of more," he encourages softly.

"You're not the one doing it!" she snaps at him before closing her eyes once more, pushing again. Jon knew she was in so much pain right now – he didn't blame her for anything she said at the moment.

Kinvara's lips start to spread into a smile. "That's it, I can see the babe's head. Keep going, my queen!"

Daenerys' hands ball into fists as she pushes once, twice, three more times, each one with the same howls and wails as before, her head at one point pressing into Jon's chest to hide her pain. He lays her back gently on the bed, her chest moving up and down, face sheathed in sweat. He wraps his arms around her, trying to support her from behind as she leaned on her shoulders.

"Almost there," he whispers to her. "You're almost done."

"I need it to be done now," she whimpers, tears ever-flowing down her beautiful skin. He presses his forehead against hers, kissing her lips softly before bringing a hand up to stroke her cheek.

"It will be," he promises. "Just one more push, that's all you need. You're amazing, Dany. I know you can do this."

The queen swallows, looking at him for a moment before whispering above her voice. "I love you."

The severity in her tone was evident, but he pushes those thoughts away and instead lets his hands rest against her sides now. "I love you too, Dany. So much." She looks back down at the bed and then at the two women. Daemon had been still focusing on her, while Arya had been waiting behind Jon, looking nervous.

With one last bottled cry, she throws her head back and pushes, her sounds of pain echoing through her mouth, being released at the very end. Her hand clenches onto his as she pushes, drawing blood again, but the throbbing was nothing compared to the fear he felt right now.

And then, finally, there was a beautiful cry that filled the room. One that sounded like a small child.

Jon stares in shock as Kinvara lifts a small baby into her arms, wrapping a towel around its head, wiping off all of the blood. Daenerys looks, clearly dazed, her eyes half-lidded again as Eleana cut some sort of cord that had hung to the baby. Once that was down, she cleaned up the child, making sure it was snug, before bringing it over to them. It was still crying.

"Meet your new son," Kinvara whispers as she gently places the baby in the arms of Daenerys.

"A s-son," she breaths, staring down at the child. Jon's stupor was broken when he finally followed her gaze to the small bundle in his wife's arms. She kept him close for a moment, her hand gently stroking the little boy's cheek, the smallest smiles on her lips before she looks up at Jon. "O-our son."

She places him in his arms and Jon stares down in shock. This was his son. A tiny child that they had made. He was here, breathing, slowly starting to not cry. He finally felt a smile spread across his lips, tears leave his eyes. She had done it. They had done it.

He turns to look at Daenerys but instantly feels dread enter him when he sees her. Her eyes were closed. Her body was still. She continued to bleed. Was…was she dying?

"W-what's going on?" he stutters, turning to look at the two women.

Eleana curses under her breath as she races forward, grabbing what seemed to be stitches and bandages. "She's bleeding too much. Jon, you and Arya have to leave now."

Arya stares in surprise. "Bu-"

"Only healers have to be in here. You two have to go so we have a chance of saving her."

"A c-chance?" Jon asks, standing up with the child in his arms.

"Jon, stop questioning us," Kinvara snaps. "Do you want us to save your wife?"

"Yes," he instantly responds.

"Then go!"

Jon looks to Arya, who throws her hands up in protest before leaving the room. Jon quickly follows, caring about Dany's safety more than anything else. He gets one last look at her form before practically being pushed out of the room, the door closed behind him. They had kept Daemon in there…most likely because he knew how to heal.

He stares at the door, floored, almost in complete shock before he looks over at Arya. "Are you alright?" he asks her.

"Me? I should be asking you. Daenerys might-"

"I know," Jon instantly responds before glancing at the door again. "I…I need you to go tell the children what's happening. After that…take some time if you need it to relax for a little bit. I don't know when they'll tell us what's happened."

Arya nods quietly. "I can do that." She walks over to where Jon held his son, looking down at him. "So this is your new son? A new little Targling?"

Despite the horrible situation, he stills feels himself smile. "Yes, he is."

The baby boy's eyes open now, and only then does he realize he has Dany's eyes. No tufts of hair or anything like that yet, but he could almost instantly see the similarity in those orbs. He had finally quieted down and was now resting in his arms. He was theirs. He didn't think he had ever seen a more precious sight.

Their little miracle.

"He's beautiful," Arya says with a smile to him. "What are you going to name him?"

"I…I really don't know," Jon mumbles, looking down at her. "We didn't get to talk about names before she…"

"I know." His words had trailed off. Arya reaches over and rests a hand on his back, rubbing gently. "I was shocked too."

"I…I know I wasn't there when she first gave birth…or when your mother did but does it…is it always like that?"

Arya bites her lip and shakes her head. "I mean, childbirth isn't a breeze. It hurts for everyone. A lot. It's so much pain it's almost blinding…but because of what Kinvara said, I have a feeling that Bran made it much more painful for her. I don't know if you heard her – she placed some sort of spell on Daenerys to protect her moving on…the baby seems alright but…I'm not so sure about her."

Jon feels himself sigh and glance at the baby beneath him. He had to somehow stay strong, through all of this. Even though all he wanted to do was cry.

"I'm going to go and rest for a little bit – go up to the bridge. Let him have some air." Arya nods. "I'll join the children in a little bit." His little sister nods once more and then leaves him. Jon stares down at his son, trying to hold in his own emotions while he walks forward, needing to be anywhere else than the room in front of him.

---

When he reaches the roof, he doesn't go out. Rather, steps into a chamber, sits down on a chair and looks to the falling snow outside.

The baby snuffles in his arms and he looks down at him, seeing his curious eyes staring up at Jon. He feels himself smile slightly, holding the child closer to him.

"Hey there," he whispers, his hand coming up to rest on the baby's cheek. Gods, even his fingers were so much bigger than the babe. "I'm sure you're wondering who I am." The baby sniffles, little tiny murmurs coming from him. "Well, to put it simply…I'm your father."

The heaviness of that phrase seemed to weigh down on him. Something he had never thought he would achieve. Holding his newborn in his arms, keeping him warm. This was all so real. This was happening. He was his son. Their son.

He feels himself swallow as he looks down at him. "It's been some day, hasn't it?" he asks. The little boy doesn't respond, of course, just looks up at him with his eyes. "You didn't expect to come out – I don't think any of us did. But you're here now, aren't you? You're healthy, at least from what I can see."

At that moment, the baby sneezes softly, causing Jon to snort.

"Maybe," he chuckles softly. "Well…know that no matter what, I'll be here with you forever." He tightens his hold on his son's body, feeling a burst of air fly in from the outside through the window. The fire in the fireplace kept him warm. They must have lit them to keep the castle hot during the cold moons. "I never thought I would have this, son…having you here, in my arms…but now that I do, I'm never going to let you go…I wasn't there the first time, but I can promise I'll be there now."

The baby snuffles quietly, his eyes closing. Jon feels himself smile gently. He didn't think he had ever felt so at peace. It was amazing. They had probably just witnessed one of the most beautiful and horrible things combined, and now here he was, with his child. It was astounding, how life worked.

"I'm going to teach you so many things," he whispers. "How to hunt and fight, how to fly with your siblings…wait until you see our real home, it's beautiful…I'll teach you how to stand up for what you believe in, no matter who wants to stop you…you'll be a powerful boy, my son. You and your siblings. Gods, they'll teach you so much…are you going to have some of their powers? It doesn't matter…we'll still love you just as much, regardless…and they'll always have your back. Especially Nesara…the little girl would fight anyone to protect her new little brother."

He thinks of Daenerys, feeling his eyes well up in tears. There was no stopping the emotions now. With each blink, he could feel one release, falling down his skin onto the swaddled babe beneath him.

"And…and your mother…will teach you so much," he murmurs, trying to keep his voice low. "She'll teach you how to rule….because fuck if I know anything about that. She'll teach you how to be kind and compassionate…a sweet ruler who knows what's good for their people. She'll show you so much beauty…because that's who she is. She brings beauty to the world when you least expect it…and it's the most glorious thing you will ever witness…and when she awakens…" he feels his words trail off, looking at the ground. Tears escaped him as he clenched his eyes shut, trying to control his feelings so he didn't wake up the now resting baby. "Because she will…she will love you so much, son…just as much as I love you."

The baby opens his eyes again, staring up at him, the same small, curious glance. Jon feels himself smile again. He couldn't be sad staring down at those eyes. The rosy cheeks. The tiny little nose. Master Aemon was right. There truly was nothing compared to holding a newborn in his arms.

"She and I will teach you how to be a true Targaryen," he says gently to him, making sure to keep him close as the air rushes in again. "You'll grow up and hear people say things about us…but never listen. We will teach you what it means to lead…to truly help people. We aren't what our past is…we are so much more. And you will learn that, my son."

The baby sniffles again as Jon lets out a deep breath, looking out the window. For the first time in a long while, he prayed to all the old gods and the new that his wife did awaken. That she would be able to teach him. That she would be able to hold her son in her arms again. And that they could move on and fucking kill Bran.

He was done with his man's games. He was done being shat on and having his family at risk. They needed to push forward with this and gain the alliances quickly…but how to do that and go against their original plan, he didn't know. All he knew was that it had to happen soon. When he found his brother, he would make sure that this never happened again.

A soft knock on the door interrupts his thoughts, and he turns to see Sansa looking into the room, a curious expression on her face. "A guard told me what happened."

Jon sighs and glances back down at his son. "How'd you know I was in here?"

"I didn't…really just followed the sounds of you talking." She walks over to where he sat and stops when she sees the baby. "Is…"

Jon bites his lip. It wasn't like he was about to kick out Sansa. They were in her home – at least for now. It all could have gone wrong and she could have sent them back into the freezing cold. Then they really would have been fucked. "This is my son," Jon states, looking up at her.

Sansa kneels down, looking at the baby with a furrowed brow. The boy doesn't snuffle or sneeze. Only looks back at her. "Has he been named yet?"

"No," Jon sighs. "Daenerys passed out before we had the chance…don't know how long it will be until she wakes up."

Sansa stands and looks down at him before heading over to the fireplace to stay warm. "It's a shame…what's happened to her. I have said I didn't like her but no one deserves to go through that much pain…I could hear it from my solar."

"Well…it was Bran who caused it," Jon mutters, looking at her.

He could see the tiniest hint of guilt in her eyes before she turns to look at him. "Even if it is him that caused her to go through all of that, how do you have any proof? That red priestess? You yourself were distrustful of that Melisandre."

"Melisandre was different – she had burned a bloody child to her god for sacrifice. Kinvara would never have done that. And she's been right about everything else so far…might as well trust her." Jon sighs and looks back down at his son. "Sansa, look, if you're here to berate me or my wife or anyone, please leave. All I want is to sit in peace with my son."

The lady was silent for a moment before he hears her sigh. "No. I didn't come here to 'berate you,' as you say." She pulls over a chair and goes to sit next to him. "I came here to actually speak with you regarding…political matters."

His brow raises to look at her. "You're asking me for political matters? That's the wrong decision. Ask Dany when she wakes up."

Sansa stares at him with a look on her face, one that he had seen so many times before. "You know I can't do that. At least not yet." She sighs and glances at the ground. "Look, Jon…I want to grow closer to you. I want to grow closer to all of you."

His brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"I regret acting the way I did towards you and Daenerys all those years ago. Even out in the courtyard before…I know that plenty of things have changed. You asked me before why I felt I couldn't grow close with Daenerys…it's because I feel that she is better than me in every way." She glances back outside. "You've asked me why I feel I can't get aid from others. It's because of what I have under my clothes, Jon. When you were King in the North, it was perfectly alright for you to ask for aid. For you to go South and ask for Daenerys' help. They, of course, were angry, but they still went along with it because you were a man. You had an army, a direwolf, and plenty of allies to back you up in the North. The moment I took the crown, everything you did was put onto my shoulders and criticized more because of who I am. If I accept help from the outside, they will revoke my crown. Say that a woman shouldn't have held it in the first place. You know the North. They are so set in their ideals…there's nothing that I can do except try and figure a way out of it…that's why I have to see what I can do by myself, as a queen. Which is exactly what Daenerys has been doing."

Jon could see the questions looming in her eyes as she glanced towards the floor again. "Daenerys gets help from outside forces," Jon says quietly. "The Unsullied and the Dothraki weren't a part of Valyria. You're allowed to find aid from other people, Sansa."

She glances at the ground and sighs. "Daenerys has a whole army, multiple dragons, a family, and you to back her up. What do I have? The cold snow." She glances back out at the outside now. "I've been thinking of marrying someone…anyone who could possibly bring help. Someone who could back me up…I just don't know who."

"I didn't think you'd want to marry anyone after what you've been through," Jon comments.

Sansa looks at him with the tiniest hint of a smile on her lips. "Well…some things change. People grow. If I want to somehow keep my kingdom afloat, that's what I have to do." She sighs and stands. "I'm going to be leaving in a couple of months for a trip to the Vale, talk with them about possibilities of what we can do…in the meantime, you and your family are free to stay for as long as you like until Daenerys has healed properly…I'll leave you to your son."

"Wait." Jon stands with the babe gently in his hands, watching as Sansa stilled to turn to him. "What made you change your mind about all this?"

Sansa shrugs and looks at him. "Opportunity, maybe?" She glances back at the hallway. "The sounds of her screaming in pain over giving birth to a child helped as well. If she's going to be healing…we might as well try and get along." She looks back at him. "I sincerely wish you and her well…I hope that she heals. Congratulations on your son."

Jon nods, watching as she excuses herself a moment later, leaving them alone. Jon's eyes narrow as he looks back down at his son, who had started to babble quietly.

"What is she playing at?" he asks the boy, who only snuffles back.

He looks outside and bites his lip. There was no way Sansa would forgive them that quickly. He knew her. She was trying to get him on her good side for something. He wouldn't fall for her tricks anymore. The only question was…what was it did she want?

"What is she playing at?" he murmurs to himself again, this time more of a question to his head than anything else. He supposed it would be an answer he would find out soon enough.

---

Arya

She had never witnessed so much blood.

Well, that might have been a little bit of an exaggeration. She had been in the Battle of King's Landing and the Battle at Winterfell, so she had seen her share witness of blood at this point. Even at the Battle of Meereen or with the Free Cities. She guessed right now…was the first time she had ever seen so much blood come out of one person.

And all of that had been from Daenerys.

She had been worried for the woman the moment she had stepped into the room but seeing all of that blood on her bed…she instantly began to think of Jon. If Daenerys did die. She didn't want to think of the idea, but it was a strong possibility. A very strong one.

"Fuck," she mutters to herself as she sits on her bed. She had let Jon go off to be alone with his son – thank the gods at least he was born healthy – but she couldn't stop thinking of what might happen if Daenerys died. Valyria itself would probably come to war for her and Jon. The children would be heartbroken – she didn't even want to think of the emotional impact it would have on them and their powers. Good gods, their powers. They would probably lose control.

She had gone to visit them after speaking to Jon as he had asked. All of them took the news as expected. Mae had been understandably upset, while Zaevar had gone to comfort her and say that everything would be alright. She knew the older girl and Daenerys shared a strong bond. Nesara had been confused as to what was exactly going on, but had cuddled her sister regardless. She still seemed worried, but at least the mental impact hadn't set in yet in the small girl's head.

Dan, however, was a different story.

The moment she had told the little girl, she had looked to the ground and then at her, before muttering "excuse me," and had ran off. Arya hadn't even gotten a word in for the girl before she had vanished behind the walls of Winterfell, unknown to where she was going.

She wasn't necessarily worried. The girl knew how to handle herself well and if all else fails, she could just blast fire at someone because of that damn god above them. Whatever it is that she had. But Dan had always been more emotionally involved when it came to things like this. She wouldn't be surprised if she sort of disappeared for the rest of the day.

Gods, she hadn't even talked to Gendry when she went down there. She had been in so much shock that the moment she told everyone what happened, she just went up to her chambers to somehow let it digest. All she could think about was the blood. Gods, the blood. How could someone put someone else through so much pain?

Arya was a killer. She knew that. She knew how to do it well, too, but at the end of the day, she made her killings quick. Poison, a quick stab, a slit to the neck. Ways in which people at the very least did not have to suffer as much as they should. She was empathetic towards that. But gods, if Daenerys died because of that…that was possibly one of the worst ways to die she had seen.

Did…did she just witness the dragon queen's death?

"Stop thinking about it," she mutters to herself, standing up and pacing in her chambers. As she looks out at the blizzarding snow from beyond her window, even though it was closed, the cold still seemed to peak in. She missed Valyria.

She missed it. So much.

She didn't even know how she felt being home. It didn't even feel like home anymore. Knowing what Sansa and Bran did, and regularly seeing the horrible atrocity that he had just caused on Daenerys, she didn't even know if she wanted to be considered a Stark anymore. She never thought of herself as a lady, honestly, but now it was in her mind constantly.

The only thing keeping her here was her brother. Who wasn't even her brother by blood.

Arya sits back down on her bed, head her hands. When did the world decide to become so confusing? A part of her wished she could return to her days of just learning how to use a sword when she had been young and so naïve and hadn't had any of this shit to deal with. Hadn't killed anyone. Her family was still a family…everything felt so different now.

The door to her chambers opens quietly, and she turns her head to actually see Gendry come in. His brow raises at her as she leans up. "Are you alright? You ran out of there quickly."

Arya sighs and turns to looks at the ground. "I'm fine…I'm only thinking of Daenerys, who is most definitely not." Gendry comes over to the bed and takes a seat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Usually, she wasn't one for affection – she just had never gotten used to it after being on the road for years – but right now this was exactly what she needed. A shoulder to cry on. "I just…can't believe what happened."

Tears start to come out of her eyes before she can stop them, and she buries her face in his neck. Gendry gently starts to rub her back as she cried, a needed one that she had been keeping in for gods knew how long now. She cried for her brother, for Daenerys, for the children, for herself. For the fact that she had lost her old family. That it seemed people wanted to take away her new one…everything came down on her at once. No matter what she did, everyone always wanted to take something away.

She lets out every ounce of grief that she had in her before she pulls away, finally wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispers, swallowing the cry in her throat.

"You don't need to be sorry for showing emotions, that's what I'm here for," Gendry says to her, his voice a source of comfort. "Anything that you feel, you can let out here. I'm not going to judge you."

Arya looks to him and feels herself swallow again, thinking of everything she wanted to say at once. "I…I can't understand why he wants to hurt her so badly. Why everyone wants to hurt them so badly." She looks back at the ground. "She's done nothing to them these last couple of years except when she's had to. When people have attacked her. All she has wanted to do was keeping her family and her people safe. And then Bran goes and does…this shit. I mean, what can a person do, Gendry?" She looks up at him. "My brother is a psychopath that I don't even know anymore who would use his powers to harm a pregnant woman, and my sister…gods, I don't even know what to say about her. She's just different. She's acting all…sweet and I don't know, accepting, but I know she has something up her sleeve. She was trained by Littlefinger and Cersei. She's practically the combined version of them. And it's driving me mad that I can't figure it out, and that these are the last two Stark siblings. Both making astonishing names for themselves," she states, her tone ever sarcastic.

She glances at the ground and feels tears start to rush down her cheeks again.

"I don't even want to be affiliated with the Starks anymore," she admits quietly. "After seeing what happened to her…knowing what they did…how can I even consider myself a Stark when everyone else in my family has been doing nothing but harming others?"

Gendry nods, looking down at her with his hand still rubbing her back comfortably. "I understand. You feel lost."

"…yes," she sighs. "And it's awful. I hate feeling this way."

"I was like that for a long time too," he admits quietly. "I never had a family like you did growing up, but even on the road, I didn't know who to embrace or what to do. I had no one look out for me but myself. And I had to learn to grow with that. But with you, you have an amazing support system already." He nods towards the door. "Jon may not be your brother by blood, but he is, by all means, your brother. Trust me – I can see how protective he is of you."

Arya feels herself smile at his words, one of the first smiles she had all day.

"And the children all adore you. I'm pretty sure I can't get Nesara to shut up about you and how amazing she thinks your sword skills are. She wants you and Jon to fight so she can watch with her sisters and, in her words, 'see Aunt Arya kick butt!'"

Arya laughs at this, a sound that lighted her mood at least a little bit.

"And Daenerys obviously cares for you too," Gendry says softly to her, causing her to swallow back the fear she felt thinking of the blood again. "I know that right now, it seems bleak…but I think she'll wake up."

The girl turns to look at him. "How are you sure?"

"That woman has been through everything. I don't think this is going to stop her either. And even if she did die, I'm quite sure she would claw her ways through the seven hells and back just to hold her son," Gendry explains. "Even so, you can see how much she does care for you. She even requests to specifically train with you because you're a challenge to her – someone who can make her better. She sees you as her equal, a sister that she never had." Arya feels herself smile at his words again, a small one that barely touched her lips. That touched her so much almost to the point where she didn't want to admit it. "And if all else fails…you have a pretty average blacksmith to fall back on."

Arya slaps his head playfully, causing him to chuckle. "Stop that, you're an excellent blacksmith."

"Even so," Gendry chuckles before looking down at her again. "You don't need blood to have a family. You already do, clearly. Who says they have to be Starks? They can be whoever you want them to be."

The young woman nods, letting all that he said sink in. "Thank you, Gendry…I think I really needed to hear that."

"Anything for my lady," he jokes. She glares, and he laughs. "I'm only jesting. Don't worry."

Arya glances down at the bed before sighing. "I think everything was sort of set off by the blood…she was going through so much pain. Is all childbirth like that?"

Gendry shakes his head. "I mean, I don't think so. It was probably harder for her because of the pain she was in caused by Bran. It's still painful, though, at least from what I can remember in Flea Bottom."

Arya shakes her head, shivering. "Gods…I don't think I could ever do that."

"I think you could." The moment he said those words his eyes widen and he turns to look at her, seeing her brow raised in surprise at his statement. "I m-mean, you don't have t-to have children," he stutters. "It's your choice, I just, uh – shit." Gendry sighs and looks back at the ground. "You're one of the strongest women I know, Arya. You can get through anything. I think after everything you've done in your life, nothing can stop you. And that includes that, that's all."

Arya chuckles at his reddened cheeks before nudging his side. "It's alright, Gendry…I understand where you were coming from." She glances at the window again, sighing. "I don't know if having a child is in the cards for me in the future…at least not for a long time. Not after what I saw. However…I did think of bringing one in."

Gendry raises his brow in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah…like going to an orphanage and giving one a home, as Jon and Daenerys did with the Galeron's. I think that would be nice, don't you think?" she asks him with a smile.

Gendry smiles back, nodding. "I do think that would be nice, yes."

The two of them share a sweet kiss before a knock at the door interrupts their moment. Arya turns to see Sansa peak her head in. "Is it safe to come in here? Are you two dressed?"

Arya rolls her eyes. "Yes, Sansa. Don't know how anyone could do that after what I've seen," she mutters.

Sansa comes in a moment later, looking to them. "Did you see Dan? She was running through the halls."

Arya's brow furrows. "I told her about what happened to Daenerys. She might have just run off to get some air," Arya explains quietly.

Sansa nods as she glances at Gendry. Even Arya could feel the statement within her eyes. 'We need to talk.' And Gendry got the message. So, he gives a quick kiss to the side of Arya's head, whispers in her ear "I'll be down with the children," and leaves a moment later, stepping aside from Sansa. Once the Baratheon lord was gone, Sansa quietly closes the door and then turns back to her sister.

"Quite the day we've had," Sansa starts out, walking to where Arya sat on her bed. "Didn't expect someone to be giving birth today."

Arya sighs and turns to her sister. "Look, if you're just going to come in here and berate me for being with Jon, you might as well leave."

Sansa rolls her eyes. "I don't know why you and Jon both think that I'm just coming in here to make fun of you. I'm not as immature as you may think. I run a nation."

'Barely,' Arya mutters internally before she turns to her sister. "What is it, then?"

Sansa sighs as she moves to sit next to her. "Can't two sisters just talk?" she asks her honestly.

Arya raises an eyebrow. "Sansa, I grew up with you. It's never just talking. What is it?"

"Genuinely. I only have questions to ask. That's all." She glances at the ground, biting her lip. "I spoke with Jon. Saw his new son."

"Did you?"

"He seemed really torn up about what happened."

Arya forces herself not to snort. "Yeah, well, that happens when the woman you love nearly dies giving birth…could be dead right now, for all I know," she adds on, muttering under her breath. "Not like you care."

Sansa's brow raises at her this time. "I do care about your and his happiness. I felt bad for him too."

Arya stares at her, trying to see the truth behind her eyes. She knew Sansa. If she had really cared about her brother's happiness, she never would have planned and schemed with Tyrion and Bran. She never would have told his secret to them, and expose who he really was. If she really cared, she would have acted like a fucking sister.

But no, everything had always been for her own gain…Arya saw that now. She had grown. But Sansa had always been excellent at hiding her true intentions. And as she stared into the girl's eyes, she was doing the same thing right now. Even Arya, a master at reading faces, couldn't see beyond her sister's words.

Even so, deep down, she always knew there was something else on her mind. For now, she would go along with her charade.

"You told me time and time again how much you hated her," Arya states, her brow furrowed. "Why would you feel bad for him when you hate her so much?"

Sansa was quiet for a moment before looking to the ground. "I've grown."

"Oh, you have to do better than that."

"I have," she insists, looking at her. "I've seen how horrible childbirth is and yes, I know that Bran caused this. Jon told me himself. I feel awful that she had to go through it. It's been years since I've seen her and she hasn't done anything to me. I've held grudges, yes. But I'm not going to berate someone who might lose something they love the most. I mean, think about when we lost father. Anyone who made fun of our family after that, you either got rid of or someone else did. We've always taken it seriously."

Arya shakes her head, glancing at the ground. "So now you feel bad for her because you see what she's going through? What, you didn't believe any of her stories before?"

"It's not that I didn't believe it – I'm sure she's gone through far more than anyone we've met," Sansa continues. "But we were fighting on different sides of the war. I wanted independence, she wanted to take over the North. There was no way we could have worked something out."

"She didn't want to take over – she wanted to help you. She wanted to help everyone. And no one gave a shit," Arya states bluntly. "Because of her last name…it's amazing how a single name can truly fuck someone's life over."

Sansa raises an eyebrow. "You were one of those people that thought she was a killer."

"Yes, thought is the keyword here, Sansa," Arya mutters before turning to look at her sister. "You know that Bran sent me off to kill her? If Jon hadn't trained her to use a sword, I probably would have. But I didn't. She beat me, and through that, I saw how amazing she is as a person. She doesn't deserve a lick of the treatment that the North has given her. That you gave her. If anything, you don't deserve the right to even have pity for her."

Sansa was quiet as Arya basked in her anger. She had been wanting to get that out ever since she stepped foot into the walls of her home again. Ever since Sansa had said what she said in the courtyard. "So…you've let go of who you are and are fully embracing her Targaryen life now, hmm?"

She could sense the hurt in the girl's voice, but Arya doesn't let it get to her. She knew what Sansa was trying to do. "Oh, shove off," she instantly states. "I didn't say I was a Targaryen…but I'm starting to realize why so many people are saying the Starks are turning into them. I mean, look outside, Sansa! The North is dying and you refuse any outside aid? What kind of leader are you?!"

"Watch your tone," Sansa snaps at her, standing up to her. She towered over Arya, but she had never felt fear looking at her sister. "As I told Jon, I'm going to be traveling to the Vale to talk of possible sources. I've seen the horrible atrocities that have been happening outside these walls – I'm not blind…truth be told, someone from the outside has been sending us food…we've only been pretending it is us that is producing it. But food will run out, and we need to find a solution."

Arya sighs internally. She wished she could rub it in her sister's face that it was them who sent the food – the people she had hated the most for a long time – but she knew that if she revealed that, Jon's plan would fall through. So she kept her mouth shut for now.

"That's strange," she mutters. "But you've been accepting the food?"

"Yes…and it's made me realize I have to try and at least let go of those thoughts in my head, and gain outside help." Sansa goes to sit back down, her head in her hands. "When I spoke with Jon, even he said that Daenerys received outside aid. The 'Mother of Dragons,'" she mocks quietly before glancing up at Arya. "But with her, it's always been different. I even told him this. She has a whole army, people behind her, him…no one could question her decisions because so many support her. But with me, I have to be sure of what I do…or else my power will be questioned. And I'll be taken down. I've even been thinking of alliances lately through marriage because of it…I can't let the North fall again."

She glances back at the window, sighing. Arya moves to take a seat next to her, albeit a little bit further away.

"I know that I'm not an amazing queen," she admits quietly. "But I'm learning. You don't suddenly learn how to rule a country overnight."

"Then learn that your people need help. Or else you're going to be the person overthrown." In her mind, Arya honestly didn't think Sansa could be the queen of anything. At one point, she had thought of her sister as one of the smartest women in the world. She had always found her way out of something and came out breathing and alive, but after seeing her brother and Daenerys, as well as other people, her sister knew nothing. She was so small on the spectrum of rulers she barely made a dent.

And yet, she still perpetuated this constant narrative that she deserved to be the queen of the North. If it was up to Arya, she'd let someone else take over the North and bring it back into the Seven Kingdoms – for the sake of the people here. But Sansa didn't want people to question her rule, to question her. It's always about her.

"Can I ask you an honest question?" Sansa suddenly queries to her, turning her head. Arya nods, trying to step out of her own mind. She honestly wanted Gendry to come back in here. She had been enjoying the small amount of time they had spent together. "What made you switch?"

Arya's brow furrows. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"With Jon, it's because he fell for her. I know that. But what changed your mind about Targaryen's and dragons and all that nonsense. You were on my side before."

Arya bites her lips. Gods, how she wanted to say everything but that was not what the Targaryen's needed right now. So instead, she keeps her cool and tries to explain it as calmly as possible. "A couple of reasons, Sansa. One – I realized she truly is not the horrible person that you think she is. In fact, I look to Daenerys as a sister now, someone whom I can rely on." That seemed to make her face falter, and she sees the tiniest amount of hurt appear in her usually stony gaze. "Second, Jon and she make an amazing team, one that so few of you recognized back then because you decided to fucking show off their secret to her fucking hand. Do you know how truly horrible that is? You swore under a Weirwood tree, and you broke a sacred oath to the gods. All because you didn't like her."

Sansa doesn't say anything, but she does move her gaze away from her, glancing to the ground.

"But you want to know what truly changed my mind? Seeing you and Bran acting the way that you do." Sansa looks up at her, brow furrowed. "Bran…I don't fucking know what's going on with him. He's something else entirely now. But you have no excuse for the way you've acted towards them. And no excuse for how you've treated the Northman by not looking outside help. The Targaryen name may be soiled from the past, but they are doing a hell of a lot better job than you are right now being a leader. And you need to learn from that."

Sansa was silent at her words. Arya could see her bring a hand up to wipe at her cheek, presumably a tear, but Arya's time for empathy had run out. That was devoted to the woman who was possibly dying right now. Not to her sister.

"Thank you," Sansa mutters, before turning to look at her. "Both you and Jon…have really spoken some sense into me."

"Do you mean that or are you just trying to say that to shut me up?"

"No, I mean that," Sansa says, looking up at her. "I do…I've been trying to find a way to somehow become a better leader…you all have been spelling it out for me. It's why I'm going to be leaving…these next couple of months, I want to grow as close to you all as possible."

Arya raises an eyebrow. "Why so sudden?"

"As I told Jon if you're here, we might as well try and get along. I don't want Bran to cause harm to you…believe it or not, I do still care. And I want to keep you safe. I want to try and see from their point of view. Maybe…maybe even have Jon train me or something."

"T…train you, as in the sword?" Arya laughs. "Sansa, you barely knew how to hold a knife in the Battle of Winterfell. What makes you think you can hold a sword?"

"Everyone starts somewhere, Arya," Sansa snaps before sighing. "And it would be a way for me to regain some sort of relationship with Jon again. I told him before I felt bad for how I treated you…I might as well try to get back to what we were before." She smiles brightly, her eyes glazed over in what Arya could presume was memories. "I remember from before he went South…we would talk about the past for ages. Share stories of what we've gone through. I really got to see him. And then he came back and…and everything changed. I just want it to go back to that."

'It never can,' Arya thinks. Not knowing what they knew. Not knowing what had happened. But the least she could do was entertain the idea for her sister so she could get the fuck out of her chambers. "Propose the idea to him…I'm sure he would train you since Brienne went off to serve Bran."

Sansa nods her head, standing up. "I'll bring it up to him tomorrow…or at some point. When Daenerys isn't dying in her bed." She sighs and nods her head. "Maybe she and I can train."

'Ha! In your dreams. She's mine if - when she wakes up.' But of course, she doesn't say that. Instead, Arya nods and squeezes her hand. "I think that would be a good…bonding exercise, maybe. Even so…I'm exhausted. I'm going to go and join the children downstairs and wait for news on the queen."

Sansa nods, not saying a word on her last word before standing. "I'll leave you to it, then…thank you for listening to me." Arya gives a stiff nod before Sansa leaves the room, closing the door behind her. Once the door closes, Arya lets out the longest sigh of relief possible before collapsing back on the bed. Fucking hell.

She never thought she'd be so tempted to speak her mind, but if she had to listen to another bloody word of Sansa's, she would jump out a window. She wanted to say everything that had happened to her and her family but forced it all down. 'It will come in due time.'

Arya would always love her sister for the past they shared and for everything they had been through, but she wasn't the same. She may be trying to turn a new leaf, whether it was genuine or not, but nothing would replace what she did. And nothing would change how she felt. She only hoped that Jon and Daenerys pushed forward with the whole 'get the Northerners on their side and then lock up Sansa,' part of the plan quicker.

A part of her hoped Daenerys just plain awoke again. But she pushed those thoughts down, needing to. She had to hold out hope. At least for now.

Gendry was right. Even if her last name was Stark, she didn't have to stick by the same values that her sister and brother had. Jon was her true brother…and Daenerys felt like a sister to her at this point. She hadn't just said it to make Sansa leave – it was entirely true. Their children were like her own. And Gendry was her partner, someone she could rely on. They were her family.

And it was time she accepted that. Maybe she wasn't a Stark. Maybe she wasn't a Targaryen. She was just…Arya, for now. And she was perfectly alright with that. All she wanted as of this moment was to be there for the children, and she would do so willingly.

"Pray to the gods above that Dan is back there," she mutters to herself before standing up, heading outside of her chambers and to the hallway.

---

Dan

She had run.

Did she feel bad about it? Partially. The moment Arya had told her about what had happened, a million things had run through her mind. Was her mother going to survive? What was Daemon doing in there? Was he going to be able to save her? Was anyone? Was this all Bran's fault? Arya had said that her mother was going through pain but was it because of him?

Everything had overwhelmed her to the point where if she had stayed in the room for any longer, she would have lost her mind. So, she ran away. She hadn't given any excuses, just left. Her first thought had been to look for her father, but she knew he most likely was somewhere she didn't know about. She knew about the castle but not much. Only in certain places.

Her second idea had been to go to their chambers and let what she heard sink in, but the direwolves were there, and she didn't know if she even wanted to be near the animals. Everything was just so overwhelming.

So, she decided to go to where she always went to when she was stressed – the library.

It looked like it hadn't been touched in years. There was dust on some of the books, plenty that even creaked when she looked through the pages. But it was better than facing what had happened.

She quietly looked through some of the tales of the North, seeing things written that she had never read. A part of her wanted to step into the past to see what they had seen, but she decided against it for now. At least until she found something worthwhile that deserved her sight. But sooner or later, she did. A whole pile of them.

They seemed to be letters from years ago, as the pages had started to turn a putrid yellow. But she recognized the sigil through and through. It was the Targaryen sigil. And looking at what was written, she realized with a start that this was the first letter mother had sent to father. When she requested he come to Dragonstone.

Technically it was written by the imp – but it was at her mother's request. Quietly, deciding that if she was going to see the past, this would most definitely be it, she lets her hands rest on the words and get transported back. The familiar feeling of being pushed and pulled through time beseeches her, grabbing at her head, but unlike her parents, she had grown used to the feeling.

She opens her eyes and sees a dark room, which seemed to be a war room focused out into the sea. After a moment of concentration, she realizes she was on Dragonstone, and as she turned, she saw both her mother and Tyrion near a desk in the room, with Daenerys looking into the fireplace while Tyrion wrote.

Her mother looked slightly younger here, but honestly, not by much. She always knew the Targaryens were lucky, as they aged gracefully while others grew old and battered. Her mother, however, even after having children, still looked practically the same as she did back then, if not with scars now.

'I hope this red priestess is right,' her mother utters before turning to Tyrion. 'You told me that this Jon Snow is a good man, correct?'

Tyrion sighs. 'I only know of him from one visit, your grace. But from what I can tell, he's done nothing but good things. He's only tried to protect others from the tales I've heard.'

Daenerys glances towards the water and walks forward, her hands folded together. 'I don't want my first true alliance from here to be the wrong one, Tyrion. The Tyrells and Martells aligned with me but this is the first one from Dragonstone. If the North doesn't bend-'

'If Jon does come down here, it won't be,' Tyrion answers. 'He would only come if he wanted to work up some trade. Northerners are stubborn.'

'That doesn't bode well for me considering I'm probably a foreign whore to them.'

'I highly doubt Jon would think that.'

'You said you've only met him once. How do you know he isn't like the others? They chose them as their king. With him as a king there, he is in direct defiance with the throne.'

'Yes, I've met him once. And yes, he is a king in the North now, but he wouldn't just grab that without some explanation. He grew up a bastard. The people wouldn't give him a name or a title if he didn't deserve it. I believe this will work out well in your favor. And, if all goes well, you'll have a new ally in the North. They'll bend to you if he does.'

Daenerys was quiet before she glances back out towards the sea. 'Possibly…if they are as stubborn as you say, it might take more than just him submitting.' She lets her hands drop and turns to him. 'Is the letter done?' The imp nods. 'Good, send it to the raven. Let's meet this Jon Snow.'

The memory ends there. Dan opens her eyes, letting out a small gasp of air as she returns to the present. To think…if Melisandre hadn't said anything, she wouldn't even be here. Daemon wouldn't, either. It was all because of this one letter.

Dan gently places it down and picks up the second letter she could see, this time being one from the North to Dragonstone. His response to her.

She steps into this memory next until she's back in a solar, what seemed to be where Sansa worked now, instead it was her father's back then. He was writing quickly on the parchment as Sansa paced in front of him, shaking her head.

'I don't know how smart this is, Jon,' she says quickly. 'Think of what happened last time a Stark went south!'

'Sansa, we have no choice,' her father says, his voice rising. 'We have a whole entire army of the dead beyond the wall, and thousands at risk of dying. We have no true weapons to fight against them, but the dragon glass that is on that island can possibly save our lives. And, if we can convince her, she has dragons. Why can't you see that?'

'I'm only concerned for you, Jon,' she responds tiredly. 'Every single time someone from our family has left Winterfell, and gone down there, they have died. Who's to say this isn't a trap? One of her relatives burned a Stark! She might do that to you if you say no. You know she's going to ask you to submit.'

'I highly doubt that if she wants to make alliances in Westeros she's going to burn the first person she invites down to the South, Sansa.'

'You don't know her. None of us do! She's from Essos, she's different than us.'

'She's not from Essos, she was born here and chased away,' Jon states, leaning back in his chair to look at her. 'Honestly, I have heard nothing but good things about her. She's freed slaves, she's kept Meereen safe, and all she wants is to come back here and take back her throne. If she wants that, she needs to make alliances. It's a simple way rulers survive. And it's a way that we survive. Don't you want that?'

'Of course I want that – I'm only nervous she'll change your mind about the North.'

Jon sighs. 'If that happens, I'll tell you. If it needs to for the sake of the people, I will submit. But I'll hold my ground as long as I can.' He glances back at the letter and sighs. 'I truly don't think this is going to end the way you think it is. She's only a Targaryen.'

'Targaryen's are known to be bad people.'

'There have been plenty of good ones too, Sansa. She could be one of them. We won't know unless we try.'

Dan snaps out of the memory after that, putting the letter down. Another instance where if he hadn't written back, they wouldn't be here. It was almost strange to see her parents look the way they did. It was almost as if they had barely aged. She supposed being unproblematic did that for people. Maybe they were just blessed. She hopes they still were.

She glances at the next letter, seeing the Stark sigil on it this time. As she opens it, she reads that it was sent to Sansa, and after some time, she realizes this was when Jon sent word that he had bent the knee to her mother.

Curiosity invades her mind and she enters into this memory next, eyes closed. When she opens them again, her feet feel as if they are moving on water, and she turns to the right to see her father sitting at a desk, tunic and breeches on. He was dressed comfortably – not moving anywhere else. It seems he had just woken up and put clothing on.

And he seemed at peace. He didn't seem stressed writing the letter. His brow wasn't furrowed. His hair was undone and out of the bun he usually kept it in when fighting. It was the first time she had seen him rested in a long time. Where was this?

She suddenly hears a yawn from behind her and Dan turns her head just in time to see her mother peeking out from the furs on the bed. She had the blanket covering her body. 'What are you doing over there and not here?'

Dan looks back between her mother and her father and then out the window. She was on a boat. Oh…oh. It was after that night he wrote to Sansa. Oh no. That's where she was.

She turns to her father, who offered a smile to Daenerys. 'I have to tell her eventually that I'm coming back.'

'You can't do that later? Wouldn't you rather stay in bed with me?'

Her father rolls her eyes and glances back at the letter before shrugging his shoulders. 'I can send it later.'

He stands up at her mother's grin and walks to the bed. Dan quickly averts her eyes when the furs drop to let him in. Gods, that was the last thing she wanted to witness. Her mother in the nude when she could be possibly dying right now.

After a moment, Dan peeks through her eyes and sees them fully under the furs, with her mother cuddled against her father's chest. It was sweet, seeing this side of them. She was so used to them as her parents. The two of them protecting the children, guiding them, telling them where to go or what to do. She never saw them just relaxing together in their bed, all close and cuddling…sometimes she forgot that they were together, and very much so in love. And by the way she was staring at Jon here, and how he was looking at her, it was clear it was from the very start.

'Last night was…' Her father's words trail off, but her mother finishes them for him.

'Amazing.' She moves her face from his chest and looks to see his reaction, only to see his brow furrowed. 'D…did you think it wasn't?'

'No, that's not the case,' Jon instantly states. 'I'm only trying to think of the right words. Amazing doesn't suit it. I could never put into a paragraph of how I feel right now.' He looks down at her. 'I've been wanting to do that since…gods, I don't even know how long.'

Daenerys chuckles. 'Really? Since when?'

Jon shakes his head and bites his lip. 'Don't really know, honestly. Could have been when I first met you. Could have been after the cave. Everything is a blur now…all I know is that I needed to do that. It was torturing me.'

'Well…I'm quite glad you did,' Daenerys whispers, her hand landing on his. 'I've wanted you to do that for some time, too.'

It was his turn to raise his brow. 'You're being serious?'

'Yes,' she snickers before looking back at him. 'I've had feelings for you…as much as I tried to deny them.'

She goes quiet after that, but he gently nudges her side, causing her to giggle. 'Go on, don't stop now. Tell me.'

Her cheeks turn red and she glances up at the ceiling, seemingly trying to figure out what to say. 'Well, I always thought you were handsome. A bit on the shorter side.' His face drops at that, and she laughs. 'Still undoubtedly handsome. But you were stubborn as all the seven hells.'

'You're one to talk!' he whispers fiercely.

'Shush,' she chuckles, leaning up. 'That was what stopped me at first…but then I saw that you somehow had this…connection with Drogon, something I had never seen another man accomplish, not even my closest allies. And then I saw how heroic you were beyond the Wall, how you're a true leader, even when I would constantly say no to your cause, you kept trying because you knew it was what was best…I think it was that stubbornness that brought me to you…when we left you after I saved your men…I was terrified I'd never get the chance to…to even remotely tell you of what I was feeling."

She sees her father start to rub her back, something Dan had witnessed even to this day that he did when her mother was overwhelmed.

Daenerys swallows before looking up at him. 'Enough about my feelings. You're not getting away with this.'

Jon chuckles at her words and then nods his head. 'Alright, alright…for me, it was on the boat back from the North.'

She raises an eyebrow at his words. 'Seriously? I thought you said you wanted to fuc-'

'I did, but I'm talking about my feelings for you, Dany. I'm sure every man you've come across at some point has dreamed about coupling with you without any feelings for some time. Am I correct in that assumption? Or has your hand not told you that?'

Daenerys was quiet but nods. 'Fair. Continue.'

'I knew I wanted you that way, and there was always this…deeper connection, I felt. I didn't know what it was, but it was there. But on that boat…that was the first time I realized I wanted more than just a night. I wanted to be the man that you woke up to multiple times, the person who held you in his arms as you fell asleep, the person who got to kiss you good morning and goodnight. Your willingness to help me, even before I bent the knee to you…it astounded me. That you would risk your life and your men even after losing one of your children…I knew after that there was no turning back.'

Dan could see tears in her mother's eyes. Clearly she had never heard anything like that before.

Daenerys blinks them away and leans up, pressing a gentle kiss on his lips. When she pulls away, her hand strokes his cheek. 'Well…I'm certainly glad you gave in to that, because I want all those things, too.' She presses another kiss to his and then nudges his nose with hers. 'Say it.'

His brow furrows. 'Say what?'

She rolls her eyes. 'Kiss me good morning, you fool.'

'Oh!' Dan almost felt herself roll her eyes at that but smiled when her father kissed her, a long one with a smile, and pulled away with the same grin. 'Good morning, my queen.'

'Good morning to you too,' she murmurs. She glances at the door and then back at him. 'You know…we have some time left if you want to have some fun.'

Her father gives a grin and pins her to the bed, causing her mother to laugh. Dan instantly realizes where it was going and gets herself out of that memory as soon as possible. When she comes to and opens her eyes, she feels herself laugh. Now that had been a close one.

After a moment though, that laugh began to falter, as she stared down at the letter, remembering everything her father had said to her mother. It was soon that the laugh faded altogether. And all that remained was the silence.

She had witnessed her father in pain for so long.

She never understood why. There would be nights where she had woken up to him crying, or standing outside at the fire, looking into it, deep in thought or times where he wouldn't even speak for a day. After she met her mother, she knew why. He had missed her terribly. Because even from the very start, they were head-over-heels in love with each other, even if they refused to admit it.

For all she knew, she and her brother could have been conceived that very night on the boat. They had been perfect together, and the world had torn them apart. Now, they found a way to come back stronger, build something better, have a strong family again, and the moment they stepped back into Westeros, people were trying to take it away. To take her away from him.

She had never seen her father happier than with her. She had never seen him more at peace. And if he lost her again, knowing this time it was because of their child, she didn't know what depression he would sink into. She didn't know if she could handle that again.

But more than that…Dan didn't know if she could lose her mother.

For so long, she had wanted to know who she really was. She didn't want to grow up like her father, who never knew who his true parents were until he was far older than she was now. And when she had found out it was Daenerys, she had been…less than excited. She knew how she would think of her father and Dan was always very protective of him as his daughter. But then, everything had changed when they traveled, and she understood what happened. And then she became close to her.

It was like the perfect storm. A million things happened all at once, and they were almost forced to grow close. And Dan would always remember that. The days where her mother would brush her hair, sing with her when she was scared, read with her in the library, train with her once she learned the sword, speak with her and teach her languages so she could be just like her and father. Every single instance where Daenerys had proved she was her mother, through and through. And Dan loved her. She had never felt safer than with the two of them, and if she lost her…the person who finally made her family feel complete….she didn't know what she would do.

She loved her mother so much, so much more than she ever thought she could…and if she died…she knew a piece of Dan would die, too.

Gods, and what would happen to Daemon if he lost her? Daenerys raised him solo until she and her father stepped into the picture. They had shared far more memories together than she and Daenerys. He would surely distance himself. And out of the two of them, he had the power to literally make people implode from the inside out. If he lost control…

And the poor children…Zaevar, Mae, and Nesara just gained a mother who was actually worth something. And to have her taken away so quickly…it wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

She didn't even realize she had been crying until her hands reach up and wipe tears from her cheeks. Her eyes turn blurry as her mind comes back to life, and she looks up in shock, staring at the wall. And then, she cries for real, letting out sobs of pain with each gasp of air while her head hangs, and reality hits her. Her mother could be dead. Her mother could be dead.

And there was nothing she could do.

She sits like that for a moment, letting out every single bit of energy in her head, every emotion she felt, onto the ground beneath her. Tears dripping onto the stone-cold floor, so much so that if it never stopped, it would turn to a frozen river due to the snow. But nothing compared to the coldness she felt within her at the very thought of losing someone who had grown so close to her.

The door to the library suddenly opens and she quickly wipes her tears, wanting to look as emotionally stable as possible before she turns her head. There, with his brow furrowed, was Zaevar. She lets out a shaking breath and looks to the ground again. "Dan?"

"Yeah," she mutters before leaning up to look at him. "Hi, sorry for, uh…running off there. Where's-"

"Mae is with Nesara. The little girl doesn't quite understand what's happened but she's staying close to her sister. Daemon is still up with Daenerys." He moves to sit next to her. "Are you alright, Dan?"

Dan looks to Zaevar, and wants to put up a wall. Wants to say that everything was fine, and she would grow up and move on and go back to where the little child was back in the main room. But instead, she gives in and shakes her head, tears starting to stream down her skin once more.

"No," she whispers, her voice shaking. "No, I'm not. I don't want to imagine losing her…I know it's selfish to say considering you just got her and you had to live with Saeresa and Aenar for years…but I just can't imagine living this…life without her. She made me embrace who I really was. I was terrified to be a Targaryen for so long, and she made this name feel safe. And now…now if I lose her…if I lose her…"

She can't get out the rest of her sentence before she's breaking down in tears again. But instead of stepping away, Zaevar wraps his arms around her and pulls her in close to a hug. She lets go and cries into his shoulder, needing something, anything to let out all this pent-up rage she felt. Rage at Bran. Rage at the world. At herself. At everything. She wanted her mother to be okay. She needed her to be okay.

She feels Zaevar start to rub her back, something now she realized soothed her, before she pulls back, sniffling. "I'm sorry, I…I was looking into the memories of some of these letters. Of when they first met and how they came together…it's amazing how just a couple of simple words brought all this together."

"Was it nice?" Zaevar asks her, to which she smiles.

"Yeah…it's strange to see them act so…normal. Just like a couple in love. The way father looks at mother…it's something every girl wants. And if he loses her…I can't imagine what would happen."

Zaevar nods gently. "I understand…we don't want to lose her either. Truly. Mae is…heartbroken." He sighs and glances at the ground. "Truth be told I let because she was so silent. I couldn't be around her. She was trying to be there for Nesara but I couldn't talk with her. Daenerys and Jon rescued us from our parents, that is true, but she and her shared a special connection from the beginning, ever since they had her move into your home in Valyria. She is who she is now because of her and Jon."

"I know…this just sucks." She shakes her head and looks at him. "I don't know how even to approach it. It's just so…overwhelming."

The boy doesn't say anything for a moment, seemingly agreeing within the silence before he turns to her. "Well, how about we just go face this together?" She turns to look at him, seeing his determined look. "We're all better together than apart. What is that phrase she always said? A Targaryen alone in the world is a sad thing or something like that?"

Dan snorts and shakes her head. "Not the exact wording but you have the right idea."

"We can't let this separate us…whether she is gone or not. We have to stay together. So, take my hand, we walk back, and face the music. Because we can't hide from destiny if that's what's in store for us." He stands and holds out his hand to her. "Want to go? I think that's enough memories for today. We can make new ones tomorrow."

Dan smiles lightly at his comment before nodding. "Yes…let's."

She takes his hand and he helps her stand, and together, they walk out, leaving the letter behind her. He nudges her side as they walk. "By the way, you'll get that someday."

Dan's brow furrows. "What are you referring to?"

"A man that looks at you the way Jon looks at Daenerys. It's inevitable. You have her looks."

Dan raises an eyebrow at him. "Are you saying I'm pretty, Zaevar?" she teases.

The boy doesn't respond but she sees his cheeks turn dark pink. "Shut it. It's a compliment. Accept it."

Dan chuckles and nods her head. It was at least a nice distraction for the time being. "Alright, alright…thank you."

---

Jon

When he did make his way back to the main hall, he felt as if the life had been drained out of him. But when he saw most of his family there, waiting for some sort of update, he felt even more of it leave. He didn't know how to start this conversation, but he had to, with his little son now in his arms.

Arya and Gendry were resting near the fire, talking softly to each other. At this time, he was glad to see them so close. He knew that Daenerys meant a lot to Arya after everything they had been through. She deserved to grieve just as much as the next person.

Dan was sitting with Zaevar, who was talking to Mae. Nesara had her eyes closed, probably exhausted from the day. She was usually long asleep by now. Sadly, that was not the case.

The moment he stepped in, however, everyone's heads turn to him. The children instantly stand, waiting to hear something. Anything. But all he could do was step forward.

"I haven't heard anything yet," he says softly to them. Instantly, their faces fall, collapsing at the tables beneath them to sit. "But…I do have someone that you should see."

Their eyes turn to him as he walked forward, and the first person he watched realize he was holding their new sibling was Dan. She stands up from where she had sat, walking over to him. When she stood in front, he lowered his arms slightly so she could get a better look. The baby boy had fallen asleep at some point while he was walking downstairs.

"I'm sorry I ran off…I needed some time to air out my thoughts…but now it's time you meet your new little brother."

Dan's brow raises as she looks down at the sleeping baby before looking back up at him, and he sees the longest look of vulnerability he had ever seen on his little girl's face. "Can I hold him?"

Jon smiles lightly and nods, before gently placing the boy in her arms. He doesn't even need to tell her what to do. The back of her hand is already on the neck of the little boy, supporting his head while the other is keeping his body secure. She was a natural. Her arms fit snugly around the boy as she stares down at him. Through the light of the fire, he could see dried tear streaks on her cheeks, but beyond that, was the slight upward tick they did when she smiled, looking down at the babe.

"Wow," she whispers, almost in shock. Zaevar, Mae, and Nesara finally approach after that, gathering around her as she sat down on the closest bench to Jon. "This is really our little brother?"

"Yes," Jon says softly.

"Does he have a name yet?" Mae asks as she looks down at him.

"No,…we didn't get to name him before your mother passed out," Jon admits quietly.

"Well…he can be no-name for now, just like Aunt Arya." Jon sees Arya roll her eyes and shake her head, but he could almost see a tiny smile on her lips as well. "He's so tiny…are babies always this tiny?" Dan asks.

Jon nods his head, moving to take a seat next to the children. "Usually. Sometimes they're larger or smaller. But he turned out just right."

"I remember when Nesara was born," Zaevar says softly. "She was just as small as him."

Nesara tilts her head and then turns to look at Jon. "He doesn't look like much."

Jon's brow raises as he hears Arya snort at Nesy's statement. "W-what do you mean? What's he supposed to look like?"

"I mean he doesn't look like you and mama like Dan and Daemon do. He kinda just looks like a blob."

Arya laughs harder at this. Jon fights the urge to do so as well. Ah, the spirit of little children. Always so honest. "He was only just born, Nesy," Jon chuckles. "It takes time to build the features off of parents. They'll come in time…he has his mother's eyes, though."

Nesara shrugs her shoulders and then looks back at the baby. "So…I'm the big sister now? And he's the baby of the family?"

Jon could see the slight alarm in her eyes, a bit of unease as well. He rests a gentle hand against her back. "Just because there's a new child in the family doesn't change the fact that you'll always be my baby girl," he assures her softly, causing her to smile at his words. "But, yes, you are also a big sister now. How does it feel?"

Nesara turns to look at the baby and then at him. "Really good." Her lips spread wide in a grin. "I'm going to teach him so many things. Like how to make Uncle Gendry's banana bread!"

Gendry shakes his head from where he sat. "I knew that day would haunt me."

"I'm going to teach him how to fight," Zaevar continues. "And he'll learn about all the ancient Valyrian techniques from me."

"Well he can't be just a fighter," Mae insists. "He needs to know about normal things too. Like how to clean and keep himself grounded. He's a Targaryen – we can't let that get to his head."

"But that's the best part," Zaevar chuckles.

"I'll teach him how to be a real fighter," Dan teases. "From the person who beats you all the time."

"Oh, you wish."

"Bring it on," she mocks. "He'll be turning to me for training in the future."

Jon feels himself smile at the children's banter. Not only did the rivalry between Dan and Zaevar remind him slightly of how he and Robb used to act together, but it was also sweet to see them bonding so quickly over their new sibling. What they would do when he got older, how they would do it. He had been slightly nervous to introduce them to him, but it seemed they were already growing used to having another Targaryen in the family.

At that moment, however, the baby snuffles and opens his eyes, starting to whimper. Instantly terror appears on Dan's face. "What do I do? I didn't do it."

Jon chuckles and shakes his head, gently taking the little boy from her arms. "It's alright. He's probably just hungry…there's nothing we can do with that now, though." He starts to rock the baby gently, trying to whisper soothing words so he stays quiet. The babe starts to calm down a moment later. He looks at Dan and then shows her him quickly. "See? Mother's eyes. Just like Daemon."

"Wow," she mumbles. "An exact copy."

"Oh, so he's not just a blob," Nesara comments.

"By the gods, Nesy, be quiet!" Mae whispers fiercely to her.

Jon shakes his head and stands, this time chuckling at her words. He holds the boy close as he walks over to Arya and Gendry, sitting down next to them as the children talked about the baby. He was glad he could change the mood in the room, if not for a little bit of time.

"Would you like to meet your next assistant baker?" Jon teases Gendry, who rolls his eyes.

"Just can't get away from it, can I?" Gendry asks, to which Jon shakes his head. He gently places the baby in the man's arms, who shakes his head in surprise, looking down at the baby. It starts to babble quietly in his arms, now in a better mood than before. "I still can't believe she did this. Women are truly amazing."

Arya raises an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"Are you fuckin' kidding? If a man did this they'd be screamin' more than Daenerys was. It's ridiculous, how much they aren't used to this kind of pain. And now you have a new child because of it. Astounding what a woman's body does." He gently lays the boy back in Jon's arms. "Did…she get to hold him yet?"

Jon shakes his head. "Only for a moment before she grew unconscious…hopefully she'll have the chance, soon."

Gendry pats his shoulder comfortably, nodding his head. "I hope so, too."

Arya interjects herself quietly after a moment. "You do need to think of a name, though. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well…all of our children have Valyrian names. Even Dan goes by Daenesa now to the public to sound more…Targaryen-like. They've always had this tradition of passing down Targaryen names…but a part of me doesn't like that. So many names have held so many bad memories for people. Aerys, Aegon…maybe Aemon. But he doesn't feel like that."

Gendry raises an eyebrow. "Did you think of a Northern name maybe then?"

Jon chuckles a little. "I don't know how well a Northern name would go with the Targaryen last name. Think about it, Eddard Targaryen? Doesn't quite have a ring to it."

Arya rolls her eyes once more. "Well, you have to pick something."

Before Jon could answer, however, a tall shadow appears over them as they walk past the fireplace. He turns his head and feels his heart drop. Everyone's heads turn to where she stood, looking at her appearance.

For the first time ever, her hair was pulled back into what looked like a braid, most likely for vision purposes, and her hands were covered in dried blood. But, from the expression she had on her face, Jon felt no fear. It was a smile.

"I know you've been waiting," Kinvara begins. "It was scary for some time…but Daenerys is stable. And, she's awake."

Jon releases a sigh of relief he didn't even realize he had been holding. The children all high-five and cheer softly, while Arya hugs her brother tightly, Gendry's hand resting on her back. Jon finally finds his words a moment later. "Can we see her? Or can I? What happened?"

"Well, first off, she lost a lot of blood," Kinvara says honestly. "That's what caused her to grow unconscious. She also had tearing below from where she delivered the baby because she wasn't fully ready yet, but he was coming regardless. That's why it hurt so much more than usual besides the pain within her. Daemon, however, was quick once you left. He uses his blood sorcery."

Jon's brow raises in surprise. "So he moved the blood back into her?"

"I could have done that!" Nesara comments.

"Trust me, it was something you didn't want to see, little girl," Kinvara reassures her before turning to look at him. "Yes. He did. And he kept it in there until Eleana was done with stitches and could stop the bleeding. She's most likely going to be in some pain for a couple of weeks but should heal. Within a couple of months, I'm sure she'll be back to normal in no-time."

'A couple of months?' Jon mutters internally. They had planned to do the whole 'getting close to Sansa's allies' thing quickly so they wouldn't have to stay in Winterfell for long. But he supposed now, he had no choice. "Alright," he whispers quietly, holding his child close. "May we see her?"

"Right now, Daemon and Eleana are making sure that she's comfortable. I wouldn't suggest all of you going up…perhaps only two for now."

Jon turns to the children, and Dan waves her hand dismissively. "You and Aunt Arya go. We can wait for a little bit." He nods and turns to Arya, who nods her head as well to him.

"Alright then, let's go." And for the first time that night, he truly felt happy.

---

They appear outside their door, listening to the soft voices inside. He could hear Daenerys speaking softly to Daemon, and could almost make out the words. "I'm…proud…you," where would he could hear through the muffled stone and wood, but not much else.

Arya nudges his side. "I'll stay out here for a little bit. You talk with her, first."

Jon nods to her words. "Thank you, Arya." He turns to the door and takes a deep breath, his son in his arms before he knocks gently.

The soft "come in!" from Eleana that followed brought back memories, ones that he was happy to relive than the horror he had witnessed before. He opens the door and closes it just as quickly, looking from person to person in the room. First, he saw Eleana, taking away the bloodies furs and sheets and replacing them with something cleaner. Then Daemon, who was sitting at the edge of the bed. And then Daenerys…who was awake, her eyes open, gently resting against the headboard of the bed.

But the smile that spread across her lips when she saw him could heal a million souls from sickness all in one sitting.

"Daemon," Eleana whispers. "How about we give them some space?"

Daemon nods and hugs his mother tightly, whispering something to her before standing up and leaving with Eleana. The young woman gives him an encouraging smile as she rushes the boy out, and then closes the door behind her. Once the door was closed, Jon turns back to Daenerys, who had tears in her eyes. He didn't even realize he was crying until tears started to trickle down his own cheeks.

"Thank the gods," he finally breathes, rushing to her side. And with his free arm, he hugs her as tightly as he could, trying not to crush the babe. Every ounce of stress he had felt, fear, worry, sorrow, melted away the moment her arms wrapped around him, and everything fell into place once more. Her soft kiss at the edge of his head made everything feel alright, even though it most definitely wasn't considering how this had started.

He rests his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. He could only see happiness reflected in them, with tears of joy that made her way down her skin.

"I didn't think you would awaken," he whispers, his voice choked. "I-I thought…I didn't know…"

"It's alright…I'm here now," she murmurs and presses her lips against his, a kiss so confirming he felt it in his bones. It was everything he wanted. Everything he needed. And when she pulled away to look down at the baby between them, another smile so full of happiness spread across her lips. "May I hold him?"

Jon smiles, words he had pleaded to the gods to hear her say. "Of course, my love."

He lets the child rest in her arms, and she takes him with ease, one of her hands wrapped under his head, while the other kept him secure. The baby starts to wake up at that moment and begins to babble and whimper. Daenerys smiles brightly at the child in her arms, a smile so beautiful it could warm the entire castle. "You must be hungry, sweet child," she whispers softly. "Jon, can you help me? Everything is still a little…sore."

"Oh, of course," he instantly states. He starts to move her dress away from her chest so that the babe could latch onto her breast. Within seconds of it being exposed, the boy latches on, eagerly feeding. Daenerys smiles gently at the boy as he does so, her fingers stroking the soft skin of the top of his head. He feels himself smile as well. "A natural, you are."

She returns that statement with a smile to him before letting out a soft sigh, looking back down at the baby. "He's so perfect…I can't believe it." She looks back up at him. "We made this…isn't that incredible?"

"Truly," he murmurs, his fingers stroking her hair. He could still feel the sweat from it, how dirty it was. She deserved an extremely long bath after this. His arm comes down and wraps around her side, trying to be as gentle as possible. "Gods…I'm so happy you're awake, Dany." His words cause her to look at him. "When I said I didn't think you'd wake up, I was serious…I truly didn't know. I was terrified…of you leaving us…all of us. I couldn't imagine a world without you in it again."

Daenerys was quiet for a moment as she looks down at her son once more before a soft sigh escapes her this time. "For some time, I didn't think I would be back either." She glances back at him. "The pain I felt…was indescribable, Jon. Think of…when you were stabbed. I know it's a horrible memory but think about it. Either time. It was like that, except it was over and over, in every part of my body. My head, my back, my legs, and where the babe was…for a moment, I didn't even want to get through it. I wanted to die because it was so awful. But I tried to pull through for him, so he could be born despite the horrible circumstances. And I'm so happy I did." The boy lets go of her breast after a moment and she lifts him up onto her shoulder, gently patting his back. "I missed this…it's been so long since the children were this small."

Jon chuckles a little. "Neither of us saw them when they were just born." He looks to her and takes her free hand in his. "Even so…I'm blessed by every god above and below that you are here with us now, my dragon." He kisses her gently, feeling her smile against his lips. "Did you…see anything while you were unconscious?"

"…not particularly," she states after a moment. "It was very dark, cold…I could hear voices and shouting but couldn't see anything. It was almost like I was trapped in my body…eventually I did wake up and see my child…little Daemon. Gods, he's been through so much."

"I wanted to ask, what were you talking about when I came in?"

"Well, I'm sure Kinvara told you how he saved my life?" To which Jon nods. "When I did wake up, he seemed to be having a panic attack. He didn't know if he would make it or not or if he would save me. He said that he wanted to do something because apparently, with how much we have been doing, he has felt out of sorts. He wanted to be of help like he used to be to me. He's been feeling like Dan has been advancing in her craft, so he wanted to improve his…what better way than to try and save his mother?"

"Pretty hectic way," he responds, shaking his head. "He's getting stronger. The fact that he saved you shows it. Even Kinvara said that she and Eleana did most of the stitching."

"That's true…don't think I've had this many stitches since, well…" She glances down at her chest and Jon instantly feels bad. Of course, that was the last time. "Don't feel sorry," she states to him, offering a soft smile. "It's only a statement."

Jon sighs but nods. He had been pushing that horrible day behind him more and more lately. They had to focus on the future. Especially for the little one beneath him. "How are you feeling now, anyway? Kinvara said that it's going to be some time before you're fully healed."

Daenerys sighs. "I'm…alright, is the best word to us," she answers, looking up to him. "I'm alive, and that's what counts. I'm in a lot of pain, honestly."

"Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?" he instantly asks.

She instead smiles at him, the same one that he loved dearly. "Yes, Jon. Just come into bed and hold your wife while she holds our child." Well, that wasn't a hard request.

He easily walks to the other side, climbing into the part that she wasn't sitting up in before wrapping his arms around her. The babe burps from his drink and then rests easily in her arms.

"He has my eyes," she points out, looking up at him. "Think he'll look like Zaevar?"

"I'm thinking more you," he answers honestly, rubbing her back. "He's still just as stunning though." He looks back at her. "Also, when I offered help, I meant to ease the pain."

Daenerys chuckles. "Jon, no matter what, I'm going to be in pain for some time. You being here with my family is all that I need."

"Even so, I have the honor to be your obedient servant," he counters, causing her to laugh lightly. "Anything you need, I'll have it in a heartbeat for you, my dragon…after what you just did, you deserve the world."

"Oh, stop."

"I'm serious. Gendry even said this downstairs. What you've done is a miracle. I mean think about it! He was just in you, Dany. And now he's here and he's perfect and it's…it's astounding. You're astounding." He kisses her forehead, feeling her relax gently against his chest. "Truly astounding."

Her shoulders lean against his body, relaxing within his grip while their babe started to fall asleep. "Then thank you…certainly took the life out of me."

The two sat in comfortable silence for a moment before a memory hits Jon quickly, one from ages ago in the tent, on their way towards the volcano. And then, that's when he starts to wonder, looking down at their boy. "How strange."

"What? What is it?" she asks him, brow furrowed at his sudden statement.

"Oh, it-it's nothing."

"Jon, you can't just say that and not explain. Speak."

He looks to her and sees her nods, encouraging him to continue. "Well…when we were looking for the children as well as the other sorcerers in that volcano, all that time ago, do you remember when I went to go rest in the tent? Just for a little bit?" She nods, confirming his words. "I told you I had a nice dream…I thought for the longest time it was a vision of the future. Something to look forward to, to work towards."

"What was it?" she queries.

"Well, I woke up, and a little girl was there," he starts. "And she looked like the perfect little combination of you and I. Her name was Lyanna…after my mother. And then Dan and Daemon came in, and they were older, looked to be may six and ten or seven and ten. I didn't know. Lyanna looked young too, I can't recall. And when I walked to where you were, in the throne room…it was in King's Landing, and there were other children in there playing, a set of twins I believe…none of which seemed to be this little one right here. I'm starting to wonder if the vision was wrong."

Daenerys looks down at the little boy and smiles gently. "Well…I wouldn't say the vision was wrong. Maybe he just wasn't in it." She looks back up at him. "If the children looked younger, that's standard with Targaryen's. We don't really age that much. We look young for a long time. I heard that when my mother passed, she still looked as if she was seven and ten. It's a gift the Valyrian's have always had. Ageless beauty."

"Explains how you still look beautiful even now," he murmurs.

Daenerys rolls her eyes but he sees blush appear on her cheeks. She was even flustered by the comment now after being together for gods knew how long now. "But if Dan and Daemon looked younger, they could have also been older at the same time and just looked young. As for the children…maybe that just means we'll have more. Another little girl…I like the name Lyanna. I miss our little dragons."

Jon's brow raises in surprise. "I miss them too…but Daenerys, you're already thinking of more children? After the hell you just went through? You nearly died."

The expression from her face doesn't change, the same exhausted but happy smile on her lips. "I'm not saying now, Jon," she chuckles. "Trust me, there will be no child-making for at least a couple of weeks while I heal… but in the future. Maybe when the threat is gone and the rest of the world is back at a normal pace…I'd love to have more children with you. I told you I wanted as big of a family as possible."

Jon smiles at her words and grabs her hand. "Not until Bran is gone…he did this to you."

"I know…and someday, he will be gone. We only have to wait and see." The little baby whimpers beneath them, softly, almost as if he was falling asleep. Daenerys looks gently down at him and then back at Jon. "I also wanted to talk to you…apologizing to Sansa was horrid."

Jon feels himself sigh. He had seen it in her eyes that she had hated every second of it. "I know it was. And I'm sorry that I had you do that. I hated doing it too. You had nothing to apologize for…but it seemed to work because now, she's trying to apparently make up for what she did before…and wants to get along."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow at his words. "Don't tell me you believe her, Jon."

"I don't, trust me," he mutters. "But, that speaks well for us. If she wants to try and make things better, it'll be even easier to gain her trust, and sneak her men right under our wings and steal them from her. She even told me she is going to be visiting the Vale in a couple of months. I say that when she is gone, we first work on her men here. Convince them of our cause, make sure they are on our side. Secondly, we invite the lords and ladies of the North under her name, have a big meeting between them to convince them of what she has done, and how we can help them by rejoining with the South under a new leader once Bran is gone. I even think we should have some sort of feast – get them good and drunk, be one with the people. It worked so well with Valyria, I believe it will work well with the North. Once they're on our side, we slide it out from under her when she comes back, reveal everything that we know, and lock her up, take her men. That apology, as horrid as it was, is the first step in this."

Daenerys raises her brow at his explanation. "You've thought about this a lot, my love."

Jon feels his shoulders drop as his hand rests gently around the babe's head, tenderly stroking his skin. "There was a lot of silence while I was waiting for news on you…I put my head to good use."

Her expression changes and she takes his hand in hers again, squeezing. "You did very well…I think that sounds like an excellent plan." She shakes her head and lets it rest against his chest again, still looking up at him with a loving expression in her eyes. "I adore who you've become."

His brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I always loved you," she begins softly. "I loved that you were a stubborn man who wouldn't step aside for anyone. You cared so much about your people but you didn't let that stop you from choosing what was right…but this man that I've seen grow these last couple of years…it someone who is entirely different. Who is secure in who he is. Who knows what he wants. Who knows how to rule and plan and get what we need…you've truly turned into not only a great man, but a great king…you're kind, compassionate…I'm sorry I'm acting like this, it could just be the baby, I don't know."

Her eyes had filled up with tears. Jon shakes his head and holds her close, smiling at her words. "It's alright to feel that…I'm glad that you feel I've changed. Gods know I tried."

"It's just that…you're truly devoted to your family and your people now. And that means everything to me."

His brow raises at her admission, while his grip stays. "Of course I am. I know I fucked up back then. But the world has evolved and so have I. And honestly, fuck everyone who tries to go against us. It's our family against the world. It always has been. I was just too dumb to realize it until I saw you again."

He kisses her forehead gently, feeling her smile against his chest before he looks back down at their child. He would do anything to protect him, all of them. And he meant what he said. He would die protecting his family from ever having to go through Bran's shit. He could bring the world down on him and Jon would not break. He would give his life for any of them.

"Our little Targaryen family," Daenerys whispers.

"Our growing one," he comments.

"Yes," she chuckles softly. "Our growing one."

A knock on the door interrupts their thoughts and Arya peaks in. "Is it alright if I come in now? Are you all done canoodling?"

Jon rolls his eyes but feels his heart warm when he hears Daenerys laugh. "Yes, come in."

The young Stark woman comes in, her brow raised as she closes the door. "You had us all scared there, Daenerys."

"I apologize for that," she chuckles as the girl embraces her tightly, making sure to avoid the small baby beneath them. "I don't think we'll be training for some time either. Quite tired."

Arya waves her hands in dismissal. "That's no issue. I'm only glad you're awake."

"Are the children alright? Everything is good?"

"Right now they're just relieved to hear that you're alive. They'll want to come up here soon enough. Kinvara suggested only two people at once for your exhaustion."

Daenerys sighs and nods. "I am quite tired…I would like to see them at some point today, though. Maybe after resting for a bit." She looks back down to their son while Arya rests on her other side, watching the boy quietly.

"How do you feel with him?" Arya asks.

Daenerys smiles at her words. "Amazing. It's everything I could have wanted. He's beautiful."

"He is. You two make a lovely pair," Arya admits quietly, before sighing. "However, I hate to ruin this moment but I do feel the need to tell you about what Sansa spoke to me about-"

"Sansa spoke to you too?" Jon asks her, his brow furrowed. "What did she say?"

And so she tells him, about everything Sansa had said to her. From how she had said the same thing to her as she had said to Jon, about wanting to rebuild a relationship. How they had talked about Daenerys, and how Sansa wanted to be a better leader and the whole issue with traveling to the Vale. The one thing that did surprise him, however, was that Sansa wanted to learn how to use the sword.

His brow raises in complete shock. "You're serious? Her?"

"Yeah. I said that she should bring it up to you first but I couldn't hold it in. I had to tell you. She wants to do it as a way of bonding, or something like that, just so she can protect herself if something were to happen."

Jon snorts, shaking his head. "I don't buy it. Sansa would shit on you for years for wanting to learn how to use the sword. Even when you grew up she still thought it was strange you knew the sword so well. What would make her want to learn? She never gave a shit about 'bonding' before."

"She said she wanted to return to what you were before you went South. You used to talk about a lot of things and then you came back with Daenerys and everything changed."

"Everything changed because of her outright denial!" Jon whispers fiercely. "Everything changed when she told my secret to everyone! This is pure horse sh-"

"Shh!" Daenerys shushes him, her eyes narrowed. "Don't start fighting now, he's sleeping!"

"I'm sorry," Jon instantly states, looking to the baby to make sure he was resting. His eyes were still closed and his little chest moved up and down peacefully. "I'm just…I'm trying to see in her mind. I knew there was something else going on with her. But of course we can't do shit until she leaves." He sighs and glances at the ground. "You know what she's trying to do. She's trying to manipulate me or you or someone into doing something. It's just what she does. She's the epitome of Cersei and Littlefinger incarnate."

Daenerys shrugs quietly. "Then we just need to be aware while we are here…and don't believe a word she says. And then, soon, we can strike. Take everything. But for now…we play along. As painful as it is."

"I think you should entertain the idea at least," Arya points out, looking at Jon. "Have Sansa think that her games are working when in reality they aren't, but we can at least fool her. Train her, see how well she does. Hell, maybe even when Daenerys gets better they can face each other. It would be hysterical to see her fall."

Jon sighs and shakes his head. "I'm going to lose my mind if I train her, but you're right. Have her think she's ahead. It's smart." He looks down at Daenerys, seeing her brow raised. "That is if you're alright with it."

She rolls her eyes and then looks down at her son. Her look of annoyance changes to one of happiness quite quickly. "I'm too focused on this little bundle to even care. Do what you will to keep her mind at ease."

Arya gladly changes the subject as well. "What do you think you two will name him?"

Daenerys looks up at Jon. "We never really talked about it that much…always too many things happening to think about his name. Do you have any ideas?"

Jon sighs once more and shakes his head. "Honestly, no. I've been trying to think of a Valyrian name but none of them…suit him, I think. I can't see him as one of our ancestral names but even other names don't seem to fit."

Daenerys nods. "I agree…I feel like he's going to look a lot like you as he grows older." She glances back at him. "The only family name I would bestow to him is Aemon, only because he truly cared for you and me."

Jon smiles fondly at the memory of the old man. He did love Daenerys fiercely, even though he had never met her. But she was right, it didn't fit well.

"I don't know about that…it doesn't feel the same as it should. And I don't think a Northern name would work." He looks over at Arya. "Do you have any ideas?" She shrugs, shaking her head.

"It's your child, Jon. Not mine."

He rolls his eyes and looks back at Daenerys. "Anything?"

"I…actually…yes." Her eyes narrow thoughtfully as she looks down at the child before looking back up at him. "No one has ever said we had to name them all Valyrian…you're part of Westeros too. I think we should honor him with a name that means dearly to the both of you."

"Good gods, don't say Eddard," Arya mutters.

"No," she chuckles, shaking her head. "I don't think Eddard Targaryen would have a nice sound to it." Jon feels himself smile at her words. That was how he had felt as well. "But…how about Robb?"

His brow raises in surprise at her suggestion, as does Arya's. "Really?" Jon asks. "But you've never met him."

"I don't need to meet someone when the two of you have talked about how amazing he was," Daenerys says softly. "He treated you like his real brother even when his mother would constantly berate you, as well as Sansa. He loved you and helped Jon train you in secret, despite your mother not wanting you to learn," she says, looking to Arya, who smiles wistfully. She had memories hidden in her eyes. "From the stories I've heard, he fought bravely and was taken too soon because of love and alliances that were broken…something you and I know very well, Jon."

He feels himself sigh once again but nods. "Yes, that is true. We do."

"Targaryen's have been named after each other for much less than what Robb did for you two…and I think it's the proper way to honor him, as well as two of the people that I care about the most in the world." Jon could see Arya's lips turn upwards at that, but she hides her words, clearly keeping in her feelings about it. "Robb Targaryen…I think it sounds a bit better than Eddard."

Jon chuckles a little and looks down at the baby. Now that he thought about it, the name did sound right. He missed his brother dearly. He always regretted not going to his side when his father was killed in King's Landing. Daenerys had said that he would be proud of the man he had become, but he had never felt that there was a true way to honor him before now. Maybe naming his son after him was it. And the longer he looked at his babe, he realized it fit him so well. Even with his mother's eyes, he could already see him, the perfect image of him and Dany, holding true to his values, serving the name proudly.

"Are you sure, Dany?" he asks her gently.

"Positive."

"But what will the Valyrian lords think?" Arya asks. "Will they care if he has a Westerosi name? I mean, even Dan changed her name so she could sound more…Valyrian-esqe."

"That was her choice," Daenerys says softly. "If Robb feels that he wants to change his name someday to be like his siblings, he, by all means, can do that. But for now, I feel that this is the perfect name for him…I can see it already. Can't you? Robb Targaryen…a prince of Valyria."

Jon smiles softly and nods his head. "I can…it's perfect." He looks to Arya, who was smiling brightly. "A way to stick to at least some part of my Stark past."

"Well, I won't complain. The name is great, however biased I am."

Daenerys laughs and shakes her head. "Good then…Robb it is." His eyes open suddenly at her words, and her smiles only spread. "Do you like that, son? Robb?" The baby gurgles from where he sat, moving gently in her arms, his little legs kicking out from his bundle.

Jon chuckles and grabs his wife's hand, looking down at his little boy, feeling nothing but joy for the son they had made, right below them. "I think he likes it very much."

---

Okay, we can all take a breath of relief now.

So now the baby is born and everything is finally moving along. I wanted to include some other perspectives in this because I always feel like I talk about things from Jon or Dany's point of view but why not one of the children more? Or Arya? She's part of the family, so I've always really enjoyed writing in their minds too. I hope you liked it as well :)

On the terms of the name, I thought forever and even reached out to people to figure out what to do, but I finally ended up on Robb. I realllly didn't want another Valyrian name and I wanted them to tribute the Starks in some way so hey, here is Robb again who honestly deserved so much more in the series lol I think it fits the family well considering Arya is a part of the Targs at this point! And now there's six children, good gods lmfao they have their hands full that's for sure

As always, love it? Hate it? Want to send me to exile beyond the Wall because it's that bad? Let me know in the reviews, as they always inspire me to keep writing and pushing out these chapters. I'm still in shock that we reached 500, so please keep it up because your words of encouragement have seriously made such an impact in my life - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to follow or favorite if you would like to join us on our adventure, and I will see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a great day! Wash your hands and stay healthy!