Woo, talk about a week. work was dumb, so writing something thas not work related was good. i really just appreciate these characters.

And thank you everyone for the great feedback, i appreciate you all!

—-

Brienne knew she should be more surprised that Arya had been the one to kill the Night King, but truly, she wasn't. She had sparred with the small woman a time or two, and had seen her fighting on the walls earlier in battle, she was fierce thing, and even death would have a hard time quelling that fire. She looked around the room, first at her charge, Sansa looked lost, like she knew there was much to do, but didn't know where to start.

Then she moved, Podrick, oh how happy she felt at seeing him alive, how proud she had been watching him battle throughout the night. Jon looked pensive, as if he didn't want to be here anymore, Tormund had stuck to Arya's side, as if, to protect her from anyone who would question her plans. Brienne felt something in her chest at that moment, something like, kinship with the wildling.

Arya had moved forward to the stacks of bodies and ripped a piece of cloth from one, she walked to the fire and held the cloth above it for a moment before doing the same with a small knife she appeared to bring out of nowhere, only sticking the knife into the fire instead of above it. As quickly as the knife appeared in her hand, it landed on her forehead exactly where the blood streamed from her head. A shout of protest had left a few mouths, and motions had been made as if to stop her, but she just removed the knife and wiped the blood from her face with the heated towel. Seeing it now, Brienne could see where the blade had not only quelled the bleeding, but had closed the wound. Nodding her head in understanding for a moment before drawing in a breath.

With her deepest voice of command, Brienne spoke. "You all heard the lady, let's get a move on, everyone gather a body from the east side door and take them to the gates. Double up on a body if you must, take it slowly if you need, but please be careful everyone." as if her voice had snapped them all out of a daze, they all turned their heads to look at her, she gave a face of impatience at them all and everyone began moving towards the door, the only ones not moving were the Starks, the woman with the babes, Jaime and Tormund.

Oh Jaime, he had lived and Brienne could hardly control the desire to throw herself into his arms and profess the feelings she still wasn't sure how to put a name to. They had fought side by side in battle, often protecting one another and Podrick, but to have both made it out alive, it almost felt surreal.

With a nod at their eye contact, she moved to the door, hearing him following her, they each gathered two of the bone skeletons and maneuvered out the door and down the stairs towards the courtyard. She vaguely heard Arya ask Tormund if he alright or if the thought of touching more dead people had left him quivering in his boots, and the responding sounds of the strong wildling gathering probably too many bodies and slamming through the door like a bull proved that the man had fallen for the young woman's challenge, Brienne could only grin at the thought of how strong and brilliant both of her charges really were.

—

The tension in the room was palpable. Jon looked, frustrated, Sansa looked uncertain, Bran was staring at the wall in his creepy fashion and Arya was just trying not to close her eyes for too long for fear of falling into the pit that had been calling to her since she began the battle. The pit she had willfully named No One, the person she had left behind those months ago, that offered to help her tame the wild and rampant feelings inside, that offered solitude and freedom away from the politics of the world. The person she had been when she first arrived back in Winterfell.

Sansa was the first to break the silence, "I am grateful to all of you, for protecting Winterfell. We are Starks, this is what we were made for, and we all would have made father proud this night." she stood and started to walk towards the small pile of wights that still lay there, so few that it wouldn't be long before they started the process with the rest of the keep.

Bran spoke up before she got too far "Sansa, would you mind taking me to the courtyard? I want to help identify those around us if possible. The ravens will help me." there was a look of shock on her face before a small smile crossed her features, walking back to Bran, she stood behind his chair and pushed him back the way he came.

With Sansa and Bran out of the room, Jon finally looked up, looking at the small girl he could so easily remember still being 10 years old, running around the castle, mud everywhere and an infectious giggle echoing out behind her.

When Jon and Arya had reunited only about a week ago, he hadn't thought of her as a grown up, but instead still that little trouble maker of a girl that he had known. But now, he understood. She was a fighter, a woman grown, a killer, but she was still his sister, and he would be proud of whatever path she chose. He held his arms out to her, and once again, they were filled with his favorite person.

Arya knew she and Jon had an odd moment, she watched him deal with his feelings, afraid he would reject her now that he knew the truth, but he didn't, and it helped her. It helped her back away from the pit inside her, it helped her breath, it helped her live. When Jon held his arms open to her, she didn't think, just throwing herself into his arms like they had done time and time again.

Jon spoke into her hair "We're still going to talk about Gendry though. Since when has that been going on? I didn't even think you knew each other." Arya's chuckle was wet. Pulling back, she looked him in the eyes. "It's a bit of a long story, and there's still quite a lot we need to get done. But, I'll tell you, eventually." She said before pulling herself from his arms. He set her on the ground and she walked away without a sound.

She stooped at the door and grabbed hold two bodies, throwing one across her shoulders and grabbed the second through the bone at its shoulder, dragging it behind her through the door and out of Jon's sight. It only took him a moment to catch his breath, not realizing he hadn't taken air in since she left his arms and his sight. His little sister had truly grown up.

Following her, he took her lead and carried the last two bodies in the same fashion through the door and out into the world.