Author's Note: No words can adequately convey how much I HATE what the show did to Jaime, a character with one of the best-written arcs I have ever read. So those of you who, like me, are severely disappointed with how his story has ended, please take solace with the ending of this story. My Jaime has actually learned how to love someone in a HEALTHY, selfless way, and would never just abandon her to run off to his PSYCHOTIC sibling. I too grieve the loss of his character along with you. R.I.P. Jaime's character development

That all being said, I definitely have what I need now in terms of storytelling to finish this fic. Thank you to all who waited so patiently and kept following, favoriting, and reviewing. Hopefully, this story can somewhat fill the Jaime shaped hole in your hearts. Also, to those who have a problem with Dany going mad, sorry disappoint you, but I'm actually totally ok with that turn of events. While I found it too rushed in terms of storytelling, I do 100% think GRRM will follow the same path in the books with her, so my story will do the same. In fact, quite a lot of these next few chapters will be pulled directly from the show, just reimagined in a more Jaime/Amarah way. Enjoy!

While Jaime Lannister had never professed to be as smart as his brother, he had always laid claim to a certain level of intelligence not enjoyed by the general population. He was a Lannister after all.

Unfortunately, this fact was of no comfort to him as he helplessly sat imprisoned in the dragon queen's camp mere hours following his capture outside King's Landing. Though his sole purpose of being there was to rescue Amarah, the Unsullied who took him captive paid no heed to his claims. He was a Lannister and one caught in the wrong place at the very wrong time.

Cursing his own stupidity, he stared distastefully at the golden hand mockingly winking at him in the firelight. The signal that had given him away to the enemy.

Or were they the enemy? he wondered to himself. He didn't even know what was right or wrong any more in this endless struggle for power. He only knew that the woman he loved was within the walls of the Red Keep awaiting a death sentence he could do nothing to prevent while he sat here tied up like a helpless fool.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention away from the golden hand at his side. Looking up, he found Tryion's face gazing at him from across the darkened space, worry etched deeply into his already craggy features.

"What was it that gave you away?" he asked, his voice raspier than normal, edged with a worrisome weariness that set Jaime's nerves on edge.

He lifted his arm slightly, letting it shimmer momentarily in the light, then dropped it haplessly back to his side. "I tried to tell them why I was there," he spoke the words to the dirt rather than Tyrion's face, "but it would seem your queen is much less trusting than when we last encountered one another. I've been branded a traitor and a spy. No mercy to be extended or forgiveness to be had."

"I told her about Amarah," Tyrion whispered harshly, approaching even closer as his words became quieter. He wrung his hands together in agony, twisting and pulling at his stubby fingers as he attempted to convey the undesirable turn of events to his older sibling. "She won't listen to reason. She's lost a trusted advisor, a friend, and two dragons. Now on top of that, she's lost the one thing she's wanted most of all, her claim to the throne."

Jaime's eyes narrowed. "I thought Snow had no intention of taking the kingdoms from her."

"He doesn't," Tryion countered. "But Varys didn't agree with him on that point." Tyrion paused, remembering the news that had greeted him as he rejoined his queen outside the gates of the capital. "She burned him alive for his scheming, and she'll do the same to anyone else who opposes her."

It took a moment for that statement to sink in. "She thinks I oppose her." Jaime said the words in a hollow voice.

"I told you," Tyrion whispered a bit louder, opening his hands in supplication for his brother to understand. "She's beyond reason. Cersei stoked her ire by cruelly beheading her translator under her very nose, and now the whole city will pay."

Jaime's thoughts of his own personal fate faded quickly at that news. "What do you mean?"

Tyrion's dark look caused him an involuntary shudder of foreboding. "She plans to burn it to the ground. Every beam, stone, man, woman, and child if that's what it takes for Cersei to surrender."

As Tyrion continued this horror tale of the capital's fate, he had fully reached Jaime's side, reaching around to undo the shackles that held him to a wooden stake in the middle of the tent. The bonds loosened and fell away as Tyrion leaned back to scrutinize his face with an unfathomable look.

"You don't have much time."

Jaime felt his eyes uncharacteristically well with tears at his brother's words. There was such a ring of finality about them. "What do you propose I do?"

"Get Amarah out of the city and pray to the seven our sister has enough sense to surrender before the city turns to a pile of ash about her feet."

Jaime made move to get up but stopped abruptly as the weight of his brother's action settled over him.

"She'll consider this treason."

He looked at his brother with apprehension. Jaime's brief encounter beyond the wall with the dragon queen had been far from pleasant. If she now was as far gone as his brother claimed, she would meet out no mercy for a perceived betrayal. Tyrion was essentially sacrificing his life to give his brother the chance to rescue the woman he loved.

"A dwarf's life in exchange for the two people he loves more dearly than any other in the world? Seems a fair exchange." His eyes welled with tears as he continued to look at Jaime through the darkness. "If it weren't for you, I never would have survived my childhood."

Jaime swallowed a lump in his throat to reply. "You would have."

Tyrion shook his head sadly. "You were the only one – " his voice caught before he continued on " – that didn't treat me like a monster. You were all I had. Then one day I met a lonely little princess who made me feel just a little bit less lonely, and I knew there wasn't anything I wouldn't do her." He paused again, a small tear trickling down his scarred face. "Or you."

With this, Tyrion pitched forward on a sob, throwing his arms around his brother in a tight embrace. Jaime's face was dry, though his heart broke at the sound of his brother's tears as they clung to one another. The turn of events since they had last been together was almost too surreal to believe, but here they were, embracing for what might possibly be the last time they would ever see one another alive.

Hastily, Tyrion pulled back and gave his older brother one final tearful look before wordlessly leaving the tent. Shell-shocked and paralyzed from fear and grief, Jaime could only sit frozen in the empty darkness following Tryion's departure. His rational brain screamed at him to stand up and leave as soon as possible. Every moment wasted was a moment that might help him get to Amarah in enough time to save her from the city's fiery fate. Tyrion had most likely just sacrificed himself to free him. He would do no one any good but sitting in the dark like a sniveling coward. He might have failed in putting his wits to good use before, but he was determined to make up for that previous lack of foresight.

Jaime knew there were other ways into King's Landing that would allow him to enter the city undetected during the struggle that was surely to come in the morning, secret passages that would lead him directly to the Red Keep where Amarah surely was being held. Jaime knew the inevitability that he would encounter not only his princess in the Red Keep but his sister as well.

Not choosing to dwell on the thought, he stood with a renewed sense of purpose and turned to head out into the consuming darkness beyond. His brother was risking his life to save theirs, and Jaime would make certain it wouldn't be a sacrifice wasted.