I'm the Mess That You Wanted Chapter 14: Call It What You Want, a game of thrones fanfic

Chapter 14

Call It What You Want

Call It What You Want by Taylor Swift

My castle crumbled overnight / I brought a knife to a gunfight / They took the crown, but it's alright / All the liars are calling me one / Nobody's heard from me for months / I'm doing better than I ever was, 'cause

My baby's fit like a daydream / Walking with his head down / I'm the one he's walking to / So call it what you want, yeah / Call it what you want to / My baby's fly like a jet stream / High above the whole scene / Loves me like I'm brand new / So call it what you want, yeah / Call it what you want to

All my flowers grew back as thorns / Windows boarded up after the storm / He built a fire just to keep me warm / All the drama queens taking swings / All the jokers dressin' up as kings / They fade to nothing when I look at him / And I know I make the same mistakes every time / Bridges burn, I never learn / At least I did one thing right / I did one thing right / I'm laughing with my lover, making forts under covers / Trust him like a brother / Yeah, you know I did one thing right / Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night

I want to wear his initial on a chain round my neck / Chain round my neck / Not because he owns me / But 'cause he really knows me / Which is more than they can say, I / I recall late November / Holdin' my breath / Slowly I said, "You don't need to save me / But would you run away with me?" / Yes

Call it what you want, yeah / Call it what you want / To

Sansa - October 2018

Sansa, Arya, Margaery, and Catelyn parked their car in the parking lot of Rattlesnake Lake after getting their hair and makeup done. Just over 30 miles outside of Seattle, Rattlesnake Lake, the hiking trail to the ridge, and all of it's wilderness was breathtaking. It was the perfect background for the Stark family photoshoot. Catelyn had been complaining that they hadn't had proper family pictures since the kids were little; taking the hint and wanting to replace the awkward family portrait that hung above the fireplace from when Rickon was till a baby, the kids pooled together and hired a photographer for a photoshoot as a Christmas present for their parents, early enough so that Cat could select a picture for this year's Christmas card. Sansa had suggested they use Rattlesnake Lake as their backdrop; she and Jon took their two huskies, Lady and Ghost, there to hike a lot and the beauty awed her each and every time. She even talked the family into hiking up the 2 miles to Rattlesnake Ledge to have the sweeping views of the lake and trees beneath them.

"Ah, all of the beautiful Stark ladies!" Ned called out as the girls walked towards the lake, carrying their dresses in their arms. He, Bran, and Rickon were standing by the water's edge with the photographer and her assistants as Robb tried to corral a 1 year old waddling Ben. They were all dressed in their suits so the girls took their turns in the portable changing tent to put on their dresses. Catelyn decided light grays for the girls and darker grays with white shirts for the boys. She thought it would go well with the pop of dark green from the surrounding trees and the dark water of the lake. She wanted drama and beauty so she forced everyone to get fancy, Sansa and Margaery had no qualms with this. Sansa slipped on her flowy, very light gray dress; when the wind blew, there would definitely be drama in the way it flowed. She absentmindedly straightened her delicate "S" necklace. It was the one she had received as a bridesmaid gift from Margaery. It was supposed to stand for Sansa. It could even stand for Stark. But privately, in Sansa's own mind, she liked to think it stood for Snow.

"Gendry just texted, said he and Jon will be here in 30 minutes," Arya shouted as she changed inside the tent. Jon had to finish something important at work, so he figured Gendry and him could meet up with them and let the Stark's have their own time for pictures before they joined in. Sansa couldn't wait to see him in the perfectly tailored suit she had picked out for him.

The photographer took shot after shot of the family in front of the lake. When she felt like she had gotten plenty, she grouped Robb, Margaery, and Ben for their own family pictures.

Sansa stood, gazing up at the ridge, feeling at peace. She had come so far. She hadn't given a thought to Petyr, Ramsey, or Joffrey for the past year. She was doing better than she had ever been. She didn't need someone to save her, she did it on her own. And now she had the love of her life. Sansa never thought she'd be able to trust a man outside of her family. But then there was Jon, and she trusted him like she trusted her brothers. He indulged her girlish fantasies and he enjoyed her silliness. Just the previous day, she had been bugging him to build a silly blanket fort with her in the living room. She eventually went out to run errands and when she came home, Jon was peeking out from the blanket fort he built for her. She crawled into the cozy place, finding the floor padded with layer after layer of blankets, throw pillows everywhere, and tiny fairy lights strewn about. He made love to her in there, slowly and sensuously, the fairy lights looking like sparkling stars in the darkness. He respected everything about her and he really knew her. The men of her past faded to nothing when compared to him. Jon loved her like she was brand new, like she hadn't been damaged before, like she had never hurt him. Her best decision was coming back to him. At least I did one thing right, Sansa thought to herself with a small smile.

Sansa watched Robb's little family of three pose perfectly, like they were in a gorgeous magazine editorial. Suddenly a big, knowing smile spread across Robb's face as he looked passed the family watching them. Margaery also seemed to grow ecstatic while she looked in the same direction.

Sansa spun around to see what they were looking at and saw Jon. He looked like he belonged on a GQ cover, looking like a daydream in his suit while walking towards her, head down and one hand in his pocket. He reached her, lifted her chin with his free hand and kissed her. It was a slow, loving, romantic kiss that made Sansa melt. In one quick moment, his lips were gone and she opened her eyes to find Jon down on one knee. He took her left hand in his and pulled out a stunning vintage ring from his pocket.

"Sansa, you are the love of my life. You make me so happy and whole. I would be honored if you would grow old with me as my wife. Will you marry me, my love?" Sansa could faintly hear the clicks of the photographer's camera and she could feel the excited presence of her family. But all she could see was Jon and his gray eyes gazing up at her like she was all there was in this world.

"Yes! Of course, Jon!" she exclaimed with a wide grin and eyes glistening with tears that threatened to fall. Jon's relieved smile made her lightly giggle and he slid the beautiful ring onto her finger. He came back up, she threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped her in his arms as a happy tear rolled down Sansa's cheek. Her family's cheers sounded so distant as she soaked in the feel of her soon-to-be husband.

"I love you so much, Jon" she whispered in his ear.

"I love you more than anything," Jon whispered back and then kissed her with that same melting kiss.

Jon

Jon had never felt happier. He finally did it and the love of his life was wearing his ring. When he got out of the car and saw her standing by the lake, her dress flowing gently in the breeze, he almost froze because she was almost too perfect. He shoved his hand into his pocket and fiddled with the ring inside of it as he pulled up his courage and walked towards her, his head down as he silently repeated to himself to be brave. But she said yes, an emphatic yes, and he had nothing more to worry about. He slipped his mother's ring on Sansa's dainty finger. When Jon went to talk to Ned and Catelyn to ask for their permission to marry their daughter, they enthusiastically said yes and Ned pulled the ring out of his safe. Jon didn't know the ring still existed but Ned held onto it for the moment Jon was ready. He asked for Robb and Margaery's opinion on how he should propose. He already knew he wanted to do it at Rattlesnake Lake, the sparkling joy in Sansa's eyes every time they went hiking there sold him on it. Margaery came up with the idea of using the family photoshoot. Jon thought it was perfect, Sansa would love having her family there and she would be wearing a beautiful dress with a professional photographer to capture the special moment. He asked Catelyn if she didn't mind and she burst out crying, so happy that she'd be able to witness her little girl become engaged.

Now they were all congratulating them and Margaery and Catelyn's happy tears were flowing. Margaery ran back to the car to grab makeup and fixed theirs and Sansa's makeup.

"This ring is gorgeous, Jon," Sansa said, gazing down at her hand.

"It was my mom's." She looked up at him, new tears threatening to fill her eyes.

"Dammit, Sansa, I just fixed your makeup!" Margery yelled as she worked on Catelyn.

Once they were ready, they put on tennis shoes, the girls gathered up the hems of their dresses and they began their hike up the trail. Every now and then they stopped to replace their footwear and pose in front of particularly beautiful forest greenery.

They finally reached the top with its precarious ledge overlooking the beauty. The family did a few more shots before they separated into couples. Jon held his hand out and brought Sansa up onto a boulder with him. He kissed her forehead and she smiled.

"You're my everything," Sansa whispered up to him, looking up into his eyes as the photographer took shot after shot of them.