Jon was awakened the next morning by the sound of hammering on the door. He prayed that it hadn't woke up his siblings.
Getting out of bed, he yawned and stretched before warily making his way over to the front door and answering.
He was taken back by a mop of brown hair and a mousy voice which he remembered so vividly from his childhood.
"Aunt Lysa," he greeted.
"I'm not your bloody aunt, bastard!" Lysa hissed. "I knew that you were incapable of looking after my sister's children! I knew it was a mistake when all custody laid with you."
Jon sighed. "Sansa called you."
"No, but my fiancé told me. Said he was visiting his friend and overheard that friend and a woman talking about her accident."
"Look, my siblings' lives are none of your business. I say that with utmost respect for you and to-"
Lysa snorted. "Don't patronise me, boy. Catelyn knew you were unable to take up responsibility the day you said you wanted to do your Medicine degree. Sure, you passed with flying colours but you're nothing more than a bastard bachelor with no regard for anyone else's lives except your own! Where were you when my sister and your father died, hmm? When your brother and his wife died? When your youngest brother committed suicide? Where were you? In the whorehouse, that's where."
Jon shook his head. "I wasn't."
"You were. That Baratheon guy's whorehouse with your ginger bitch."
"You know nothing about my father's friend and nor my ex-girlfriend." He wasn't sure why he was defending Ygritte. She had met Lysa by chance and since then, the older woman held a grudge for the Irishwoman.
"Jon?"
Jon and Lysa turned to find Arya looking at them, confusion written on her face as she kept blinking, trying to suss if this was either a dream or reality.
"What's Aunt Lysa doing here?"
"She heard about Sansa. It's fine, you can go back to sleep. Maybe when you wake up, we can head out with Bran for the first time, yeah? Maybe he'll be ready to go out today."
Arya narrowed her eyes and turned, heading back into her room as Lysa turned to face Jon with a sour look on her face.
"That boy's still not walking? My Robin-"
"Only fractured his leg, not broke his spine." Jon hissed at her. "It will take time for a paralysed teenager to start walking again, even if it's possible."
Lysa shook her head. "I'm taking the kids to the Vale with me. A bit of countryside would do them good."
"You're not taking anyone to the Vale with you. Not even Sansa. They're my responsibility, not yours."
"Listen here, bastard," she said, with a jab to his chest. "You're just a lowlife who should never have had those kids put into your care in the first place. Now, tell them to pack their-"
"I don't think so," they heard.
Arya had returned with her arms crossed. Jon had now realised that she had indeed been woken up by the door and was listening to their conversation.
"Jon's the only family we have left, we're not leaving him and he'll never give us up easily. He's the only thing that makes sense in our lives and uprooting us to the bloody countryside? That's insane!"
"You lived in a bloody great manor in the North, what do you mean you can't live in the countryside?"
"Because the city's been our home for over a year, now!" Arya cried out. "Sure, we miss the countryside and the snow and the endless towers we used to play hide and seek in but Jon's home is our home now. Wherever his heart is, our hearts are."
Jon smiled at Arya and pulled her into his side, placing a long kiss on top of her head. Wherever their hearts were, his heart was there too.
"I think you should leave, Aunt Lysa. Go back to your precious, wonderful, untainted Robin." Arya sighed.
Lysa seethed but she held her tongue and rolled her eyes before leaving, shutting the door loudly behind her.
The siblings winced.
"Jon...! The... door!" They heard Bran wail.
Jon smiled at Arya. "I guess we're all awake now."
...
"Did you manage to get some sleep?" Dany asked, handing Sansa a cup of hot chocolate.
The ginger-haired woman shook her head, thankfully smiling at her before blowing on the top of the drink.
"I-I couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about Jon, Arya and Bran."
Daenerys cautiously sat beside Sansa, fixing up the pillows under the other woman. "Stop worrying yourself. Get some sleep."
Sansa winced but smiled at Dany before nodding. The pillows which the blonde readjusted were more comfortable than she had done herself. But there was a dull pain in her chest and she was sure that it wasn't just her ribs. Her heart was hurting too.
"Oh, my God... I've got lectures!" Sansa realised.
"Already taken care of. I managed to call Jon who informed your university about what happened. They are willing to record lectures and make notes for you. Don't worry, get some sleep."
Sansa nodded, finished her hot chocolate and settled back into the bed. She allowed Dany to pull the duvet up against her chest carefully before the older woman placed a gentle kiss on her head.
"I'm sorry... I used to tuck my twin brother in whenever he was unwell. Force of habit, I guess."
"No, it was nice. Jon used to do that but now he does it for Arya and Bran. He's so caring and I took advantage of his trust and love."
Dany sighed. "I'm sure he still loves you regardless. He's Jon. He may be stubborn but when it comes to you guys, he'd die before anything bad happens to you. He's probably thinking you need time to grieve without the stress of your younger siblings to think about. Look, I got to head to bed. Scored a night shift."
After Dany left for her own room, Sansa finally took the time to think about the last few days.
She grabbed her phone on the nightstand and scrolled through her contacts before pressing on one number.
"Hello?"
"Hi, it's me, Sansa."
She heard a sharp intake of breath.
"Are you alright? I heard you were discharged early this morning."
She smiled. "I am. I just wanted to apologise for last night. I shouldn't have lashed out and I shouldn't have denied your apology nor your sincerity. You're a great man, Tyrion and as usual, I took advantage of that. I do that to nice people, especially my brother. I'm sorry and thank you for the money but I won't be needing it."
"Nonsense, Sansa. You earned it. For lending your ear for me to bend. Most women would rather me have my trousers down but you were understanding and kind to me. Oh, and you didn't judge me for being on the shorter side."
Sansa chuckled lightly. "If I were twenty years older, I wouldn't mind going out with you. Regardless of your height. You make up for it in brains."
"Ah, I knew it. My brother had the muscles, my sister had the beauty and I was blessed with the brains of the family. You can wonder who kept being dumped."
"I'm guessing your brother?" She smirked.
"You're too nice. Flattery will get you everywhere, Sansa. No, it was me. And being a little person didn't help either but Shae never cared. I think her love for me drove her insane in the end, regardless of her undercover mission. I have to go. I have an annoying birthday dinner to prepare for my older siblings for this Saturday and somehow, I got the short end of the straw. Ironic actually."
Sansa chuckled. "I'll let you go then. Hey, how about I help you?"
"No, you're meant to be recovering, dear. I'm perfectly capable of making dinner for my family."
"I know some delicious recipes that I used to make back when I lived in Winterfell Manor."
"Okay. It's set. I'll see you at 3 PM, sharp on Saturday at 15 King's Landing Road."
Sansa smiled. "Perfect. There I can profusely express my gratitude for you saving my life."
"Hmm, you don't have to. You being alive and well is more than enough."
"Well, goodbye then." Sansa beamed.
"Goodbye, Sansa."
She ended the call and placed her phone back on the nightstand. She had wanted to go to sleep but the thought of her older brother plagued her mind, finally releasing her into a deep and dreamless slumber.
...
Sam raised his eyebrows as he saw Arya stalk up to him, narrowly avoiding doctors, nurses and porters who were tending to patients.
"Arya! How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, thanks," she smiled. "Hey, is Sansa still here? I've asked around but nobody is giving me answers."
Sam sighed. "She was discharged this morning."
"Do-Do you know where she is?" She asked, leaning against the wall as she yawned. She hadn't been able to sleep much since hearing of the accident and helping Jon get Bran to sit by the fountain in the park had taken a lot out of her. And Bran as well.
"Yeah, Dr Targaryen took her back to hers. She told me not to tell Jon, though."
Arya frowned. Why wouldn't she want the man she was dating to know that she was looking after his sister?
"Sansa didn't want him to know."
Oh. Now, that made sense.
"Do you have an address?" Arya asked.
Sam shook his head. "Sorry. Wish I did but to be honest, Dany and I aren't as close as she is to your brother. We're merely colleagues."
Arya pursed her lips, nodding before turning back and walking away. She ended up at her usual café, smiling at Nikolina as she sat down at her normal table and got her phone out.
She sent a quick text to her sister and soon after, Sansa arrived, clutching her chest through her borrowed jacket and grey knitted jumper.
"Arya, hey."
"Sansa."
Nikolina arrived at their table, giving them chocolate milkshakes free of charge.
"Can we get some dinner, please? Just pancakes." Sansa smiled at Nikolina.
"Pancakes? Really? Sensible Sansa is not being so sensible for once."
Sansa chuckled. "It's just a treat."
"Why aren't you back home with us?"
"I'm not ready, Arry. Jon was right, I need time but I'll be back for your birthday, I promise."
Arya smiled, accepting her answer as she sipped on her milkshake. There was silence between them but it was comfortable and Arya had missed moments like these.
"Aunt Lysa graced us with her presence," she finally said.
"Oh?" Sansa raised her eyebrow as she sipped on her milkshake. "What did she want?"
"She heard about what happened. Wanted to take us to the Vale with her."
Sansa rolled her eyes. "The woman is not right in the head."
"Jon told her 'no' and I delivered the final blow by saying stuff about cousin Robin. She wasn't happy."
"I'd imagine so."
They heard the door ding and the cold air entered the room before it was quickly shut back out and the heaters began to work harder in keeping the café warm.
"Oh, it's you!"
They looked up and saw Loras from the café back in Braavos.
"L-Loras," Arya greeted.
"M-Merce... Hey. I guess I didn't get your actual name nor your siblings'." Loras smiled.
Sansa chuckled lightly, one of her fingers twirling the tips of her hair. "It's Sansa. Our brother's called Jon. And this is really Arya."
Loras beamed. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Sansa and Arya. You guys left so unexpectedly."
"Yeah, well, we had to get back home urgently. What brings you here?" Arya asked.
Loras rolled his eyes. "It's my ex-boyfriend slash best friend's stag do. He's fallen in love with my sister and they have decided to have a shotgun wedding here."
"Oh, how awkward." Sansa frowned.
He's gay... He's so gorgeous though. I guess the hot ones always are gay.
"Yeah, it is." He slipped into the booth beside Sansa and sighed. "Oh, do you mind?"
"Not at all," Arya smirked, raising her eyebrows at her sister.
Loras finally took Sansa in and frowned. "You're hurt."
She chuckled. "I was hit by a car last night. Only got discharged this morning after much arguing and resistance towards the doctors treating me."
"Oh, how unfortunate! I hope you have a speedy recovery."
"Thanks," Sansa said, biting her lip. "So, where's this stag do taking place?"
"At his brother's nightclub-"
"Night's Watch?"
Loras smiled. "That's the one! Do you know it?"
Sansa nodded. "Know it? I kind of work there. Well, for the guy. He's kind of our godfather, he was our father's best friend."
"Oh. Was?"
"Our father died last year. Anyway," she said, moving the conversation along. They couldn't dwell on the matter. "she's marrying Renley?"
"Yep. It's going to be a wild stag do. His brother, Stannis, is going to be there and his nephews too."
Arya raised her eyebrows. "Gendry?"
Loras nodded. "And Joffrey. I really don't want to go but he's going to be family soon. I'd rather not be on bad terms with him and my sister."
Arya frowned. Gendry had been rejecting her calls lately. She didn't know why.
She turned to Sansa. "Shall we go to the nightclub?"
Her sister scoffed. "You're too young."
"I'm 18 next week."
"We'll wait until then. Hopefully, you'll have your ID."
Arya growled under her breath and slumped back in her seat as Nikolina presented them with pancakes.
"Elliot was asking of you. He's been under the weather but he will be back next week."
"Thanks, Nikolina." Arya smiled. Her frown returned once the woman walked off.
"Okay, sourpuss. We'll see..." Sansa finally said, grinning.