Authors note: thank you to the awesome people reviewing, that's what fuels my motivation. Please feel free to tell me what works what doesn't work what you'd be interested in seeing and how I can keep it as realistic yet original as possible! ON A SAD NOTE, I found out my cousin was hit by a train so I am pretty upset… I am trying to keep the depression out of my writing but I feel so devastated it's all I can think of most the day.

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones nor the characters…

Chapter 4: Like A heart needs a beat…

I can take so much; til I've had enough…

Cause I'm only human, and I bleed when I fall down, I'm only human

And I crash and I break down, your words in my head, knives in my heart,

You build me up and then I fall apart, cause I'm only human. I'm only human.

Sansa sat in the large open room as the room buzzed. All the Lords sharing their fears and ideas like any of it was really Sansa's concern at the moment. Normally she was really good at running and leading these meetings, especially when Jon would have to take leave, but lately her only thought was of Little Fingers words. She looked up at him to see him sitting in a dark corner, watching her as he calculated her thoughts. Their eyes remained on one another for a while before her concentration was broken.

"I see your as bored of these old men as I am. Such dreary drivel," a familiar voice plopped beside her, "my beautiful once bride… how have you been?"

"I'm sorry," she said remembering the gossip surrounding Joffrey's death, they had assumed Sansa and Tyrion had conspired together, "you should know that I had nothing to do with his death, as I know you had nothing to do with his death."

"I confess I wondered," he said in his usual sarcastic manner as he sipped from a goblet of wine, "but I knew you better then you thought. You were a child, not a player in the game… not until recently I've been told."

"You have no idea," Sansa looked straight ahead avoiding the imps stares.

"Unfortunately, I do. I am sorry to hear about your second husband. You've had unfavorable luck it would seem with marriage," he said his eyes turning between her and the room, "I see Little Finger is still very much in the game. How far has he sucked you in?"

"I'm not aligned with Peytr," Sansa said looking down to Tyrion. Her eyes looked back up and stared at Jon who seemed to be deeply involved in conversation with those around him as they drew up a plan first to take Kings Landing.

"Awe, the young King of the North," Tyrion nodded his head watching her eyes carefully, "I've also heard the bastard isn't your brother."

"He's not a bastard," she hissed looking back down to him, "he is a King."

"Remember the last time you wanted to marry a king?" Tyrion jested, but Sansa did not find this amusing.

"I never said I wanted to marry a King," Sansa said still looking down to him.

"But your eyes tell me different my sweet," he said smiling under a ruggish beard that had little red droplets of wine, "what of your cousin, how is he?"

"You know not what you speak of Sansa," said hushed. No one could suspect, or Jon would be lost to her, "and Jon, Jon is Jon."

"Oh how I've missed your sweet innocence. I'm glad to see the cruel Bolton boy didn't take that from you…"

"He took a lot of things from me, Lord Tyrion," Sansa said, a flush rushing to her cheeks, "you jest… but you don't know."

"Sansa," Tryion said, pain in his eyes as he realized what he might have brought up. He had HEARD of the Bolton Bastards cruelty, the horrible things he had done to strangers… but he could never really know what she endured in private. He watched her get up and with a sweeping motion her hair fell around her and revealed briefly subtle but noticeable pink scars peeking out of her dress on her porcelain skin. He admired her as he began to feel shame for his wicked jesting as her graceful figure stormed out of the room. Not many noticed, but Jon had. He then remembered Sansa had been married to the Imp Tyrion Lannister who was now hand to the Dragon queen. Jon got up, unaware of the few eyes on him, watching him leave his seat to chase after the upset Sansa.

"Sansa," Jon called out her name as she made her way down to her room. He called her name once more and she finally stopped in her tracks.

"Jon, I can't right now," she said. She was having another one of her attacks, the ones where she couldn't breathe, like the walls were caving in on her, and she could see and feel the awful things Ramsay was doing to her, "please…"

"Sansa, your shaking," Jon grew concerned as he grabbed her arms. He could see she was having a hard time breathing. There were nights he would be woken by the screams of her night terrors, he'd run to her room to find her like this. She hadn't been like this in a while, and he had hoped she would never again. He pulled her to his arms.

"Jon, no," she tried to wriggle, "someone will see…"

"I don't care," he said kissing her hair. All that mattered was that he brought her back to him.

"Yes you do," she cried, giving in and falling into his arms, no longer fighting them, "you have to care Jon, we've fooled ourselves into believing we could be anything other then what we are…"

"Don't say this Sansa," he didn't want to hear it, he couldn't. What was going on in her mind.

"It's true, let's be realistic Jon. You will have to marry the Dragon queen," Sansa cried not wanting to admit how this broke her heart, "I can't watch it, you must send me away Jon, please."

"Sansa, enough," he said not sure how to respond to what she was saying. Her sobs grew harder as she managed to push him off of her. He tried to grab her but she had slipped from his grasp and quickly turned down the hall leaving him there, stunned. What had the imp said to her? 'Why was she so upset,' he wondered, but before he could follow her one of his servants had found him and delivered a message. He was requested back in the council chambers.

"King of the North," Daenerys said smiling her usual calculated smile, she was looking him over, assessing him… sizing him up, "I heard you are my nephew.

"That's what I've been told," Jon didn't return her smile, but he sat beside her. Tyrion had found his place next to his queen.

"Jon Snow, I never thought I'd see you again. You started a Bastard at castle black and are now King of the North, you are ambitious aren't you," Tyrion smiled sipping at his wine, "your sister, I mean cousin, forgive me, she looks as lovely as ever."

"Imp," Jon looked over to Tyrion with no amusement in his eyes. He remembered Tyrion well, he was wise, and cunning. He knew he couldn't afford to get on the dwarf's bad side, but he wasn't about to let go so lightly what he had said to Sansa, whatever it was, "please refrain from the further antagonizing of Lady Stark."

"Isn't it Lady Bolton? Well, it isn't Lannister anymore, but she hasn't been a Stark in a while has she?" Jon slammed his drink down ready to send Tyrion packing.

"Boys," Danny wasn't one much for their squabbling.

"Sansa is far more a Stark than ever, her last name is Stark, her blood is Stark, and she will always be a Stark," Jon said sitting back down, "she was never a Lannister, it was a sick joke. She was never a Bolton, and the North recognizes this. She's been cleared of it all and named a Stark."

"No offense young Lord, she just seems so much more," Tyrion said, realizing now wasn't the time to mess with the young wolf pup, "I do have fond feelings for the young Stark lass. I cannot deny I do feel for her and her unfortunate fate with the Boltons. I just wasn't sure how she was cleared of her married name, my mistake."

"Now that that's laid to rest, may we please get back to the importance of this meeting," Daenerys sighed, her patience growing thin. Jon could not deny she was beautiful. Any man a fool to not fall head over heels for her. She was as powerful as Sansa, as strong willed, as much a commanding presence as Sansa. This made him feel somewhat comfortable around her.

"Now, Nephew, we should talk about the matter of legitimacy," Danny said with a small smile, "I heard this was all told to you by a greenseer yes?"

"Indeed milady," Jon said as formal as possible.

"Please, let us not be too formal, we are, after all, family," she smiled as the light from the flames licked across her soft white skin. She and Sansa, Fire and Ice. They both were a force to be reckoned with, both of them strong and yet kind, "call me Danny. May I call you Jon?"

"Yes, Danny," Jon smiled back at her, his smile uncertain.

"Tell me, nephew, are you in love?" Danny asked frankly.

"Excuse me?" he asked slightly stunned by her question.

"It's a simple question, Jon. Do you love someone? Because you are the first man I have met to not size me up, to not try and swoon their way into my good graces through flattery and flirtations," Danny smiled, both joking and quite serious. It was refreshing. It was hard to be a queen, a beautiful one at that… you could never know who was honest and sincere, "is this because you love another, or are you just as honest and humble as they say?"

"Both, your grace," Jon said uncertainly, he wasn't sure how to answer this without getting looks from the council. No other women have been seen in his life, "if you do not mind, I wish to keep my private matters… private."

"Oh Jon, of course," she said. "My hand has informed me that an alliance between our houses would be wise. This way we would not have to have to worry about who gets the thrown. You see Jon, I have a claim on what was promised to me. I understand you are a male heir of my brothers, but I am the living child of the King. I don't see why a woman's claim is any less strong as a man's. What do you think of this?"

"We are related by blood," Jon said uncertain. Now seeing where this was heading.

"Our ancestors married brothers to sisters to keep the line pure," Danny said, obviously aware of this factor, "granted, I myself do not want to be tied down to a marriage. I believe I should be able to rule myself. As well we would pass down our protection to your beloved younger cousin, the lady Sansa. She could be wed back to my hand and have a place with us always. I've heard a great many compliments and praised from Lord Tyrion about the Lady Sansa."

"She will not marry another," Jon said. He saw Tyrion's game. He wanted to seek back the bride he lost.

"These are dark times, Jon. It doesn't hurt to have a young woman protected by a husband, by a house. Especially the one of the Hand of the Queen of Westeros," Danny said calm and collected. She was level headed, unlike a man, and he could see why so many rally to her side.

"I have another proposition; you can take the time to consider mine as I will yours. I keep the North, I remain King of the North, and you may have the West and the South, all the rest of the world can be yours," Jon said thinking hard. Bran said he needed to be King, he never said King of what.

"That sounds like a proposition I can think upon. Let us take the night to think over these circumstances. I truly wish for peace and unity," she said standing up, with Tyrion at her side, "Jon. I truly wish to work this out, which is why I came here first before taking the 7 kingdoms."

"Aye," Jon said, not sure whether to see it as a threat or as honest sincerity. He was not blind nor foolish enough to not know she had many armies at her disposal.

Jon quickly found Sansa's room and knocked. When he did not hear her answer he opened it and walked in. He found Sansa sleeping, he could see her eyes had been full of tears. She must have cried herself to sleep, like she had done so many nights alone in this castle with the enemy around every corner torturing her. He sat at the edge of her bed before taking his boots off, his large wool coat until all that was left was his wool tunic and britches. He laid beside her and pulled her close, kissing and smelling her hair. So sweet she smelled, a mixture of lavender, honey and vanilla… also snow and the Godswood on a summers eve. She was his heaven, his peace. Was that what he would have to give up to sacrifice for this war to come?

"Jon," Sansa whimpered rolling over sleepily to see him.

"My Sansa, "he whispered as he leaned his forehead against her, "I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to feel this way."

"Me either," she said trying to hold back silent sobs, "I'm sorry Jon."

"Don't be sorry Sansa," he said smiling at her letting out a chuckle, "how could I not fall for you?"

"You belong with her though," Sansa said trying to turn away, but he would not let her.

"I belong in the North, I belong with my Northern Queen," he said laying his lips in her hair, "I belong with you…"

"No, Jon," Sansa grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer, "I'm only human Jon. She is a real queen. We could have peace. I know what she has proposed to you, and you should take it."

"The Imp wants you," Jon growled, "I just can't…"

"He was kind to me Jon, when I was married to him. A scared child, thrown to him for amusement. He could have been cruel; he could have taken advantage. He never touched me because he knew I didn't want it. It's not an ideal marriage, but a far kinder fate then another Bolton," Sansa tried to swallow her pride, she knew she had to let Jon go. She would be the downfall of everyone, and maybe marrying the Imp would bring her far from having to watch Jon marry that beautiful white haired queen, "I could hold the weight of worlds, if it was needed. I can do this Jon; I'd get through it. But with you I'll always hide in the shadows waiting for your love. Your words always in my head, knives in my heart… you'll build me up and Ill fall apart because I'm just me, Jon. I'm not a dragon queen."

"Sansa your so much more than that," Jon said now looking deep into her eyes, "what do we do Sansa. I can never love someone as I love you. I can't marry anyone else when I love you."

"Then maybe, maybe I should go," Sansa couldn't hold back tears anymore, "don't say anything Jon, but listen. I'm a distraction. I know we didn't mean for this to happen. But as long as I am here, with you, you'll always be distracted and we can't afford that."

"Sansa," he said wiping his face in with his hand in frustration. Why was she saying this, "I'm stronger with you here. I need you like a heart needs a beat… without you I am weak and unsure. You're my brain. You're what grounds me. You're the Godswood to my Winterfell, your what makes me want to keep fighting. If your gone, I'll give up…"

"Jon," Sansa gasped in surprised. To know he felt like that made her want him so badly. She leaned up to kiss him, her hands fumbling with the strings of his shirt. He helped her quickly remove his shirt before he sprung her clothes off quicker then she thought possible. It wasn't long before they were naked, lying in each other's arms, his hands devouring her body. She moaned at every kiss he trailed over her body. The firm hardness of his member tickling her as he moved around, making her involuntarily wet.

"I'm only Human too Sansa," he said as he kissed along her jawline, "you have me completely."

Oh Jon, you lie so, you're a God," she said her back arching as he made his way down between her legs. He couldn't help but chuckle a Jon only kind of chuckle before ravishing her, making her glow like the goddess he saw in her.

"You're a Goddess, tempting us mortals, "Jon whispered after making his way back up to her mouth and kissed the lips he so loved. It was long before they came undone together, paralyzed for a moment in the bliss of what ecstasy they brought each other. They would deal with tomorrows problems tomorrow, right now they just wanted to enjoy each other, and devour each other… over and over until the sun rose once more.