Chapter 28

Samwell Tarly POV

I've been thinking for the last few days about what I should do. I want to fix this for Gilly, I want to make everything go away. We've been texting about it every day, but she has to delete the messages every night before she goes to bed. I asked Jon to come over today. I know Gilly told me not to tell anyone anything, but he's the only one I trust enough and I need someone to help me figure out what to do.

Jon knocks on the door, and I open it. "Hey," I say. "Can we sit outside? My dad is home."

"Yeah, sure," he says as we walk to the backyard. I hope that doesn't seem weird to him, my dad does get annoyed most of the time when friends are around.

We sit outside, as far away from the back door as we can. "Gilly's pregnant," I say.

Jon's eyes widen. "What?" He asks. "How? You guys only did it one time."

"What I'm about to say, you can never tell anyone," I say to him. "I promised Gilly I wouldn't, so I need you to keep this quiet, okay?"

"Okay…" Jon says, sounding confused.

"It isn't mine," I say. "Gilly's father had been doing stuff to her all her life, but I just found out the last time I saw her."

Jon puts his face in his hands. "Oh my god," he says. "Well, we have to get her out of there." He starts to get up.

"Jon, we can't just bust in there and get her. Trust me, I want to murder her dad, but we can't just do that."

"Why not?"

"It's illegal," I say. "She'll just be returned to him, and then her dad will forbid me from seeing her at all."

Jon thinks for a bit, and then sits back down. I guess he realized that I'm right, and we have to be smart with how we go about this.

"Okay," he says. "Then what do you propose we do?"

"I don't know, that's why I told you. I was hoping you could help me."

"Should we call anonymously and report it?"

"I thought about that," Sam says. "But if they find no proof of abuse, they'll just take her back home. I don't know if I can risk that, I couldn't live with myself if something happened to her."

Jon thinks for a bit longer. "Can she move in with you after you graduate?"

"I'd love that," he says. "But she'll still be a minor, and my dad doesn't like her so she wouldn't be able to move here."

"What if she got emancipated, and you guys got your own place?" Jon asks. I pause, I'm not sure what he means.

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

"If she becomes a legal adult before the baby is born, you guys can get your own place and you can tell everyone the baby is yours," Jon says. "Gilly's dad would just have to sign off on it."

"I'm not sure he would, but that's the best plan we've thought of so far."

"Run it by Gilly," he says. "And we can both help her look into that process. If she agrees, maybe I can get Dany to help, too."

I think about it, that's a good idea. "Thank you, Jon," I say to him. "You're a good friend."

Gilly's dad doesn't know she's pregnant yet, Jon and I are the only ones who know. If he doesn't find out or she convinces him it's mine, maybe he'll agree to her emancipation. He doesn't seem to care about her much, anyway. This is the safest option I can think of that ends with her getting out of that house and being safe with me.

Jon Snow Stark POV

I can't believe the situation that Gilly is in, and I honestly commend Sam for being willing to step up and help her. I know a lot of guys our age wouldn't be able to handle that. I think the best thing we can do is tell everyone her baby is Sam's and help her get emancipated.

I'm hanging out with Dany today, and I'm honestly torn about whether or not to tell her about what's going on with Gilly. I know Sam wanted me to avoid telling people and I want to respect that, but I also feel like maybe she could provide some good insight on the situation.

"When are you moving in with Cersei and Jaime?" I ask her as we're eating at a local lunch place.

"In July," she says. "I thought about it, and that seemed like the best option." It's April, so that's only 3 months away.

"That soon?" I ask. "That seems like it's a while before classes start."

"It is, but we thought it was best if I get settled and get used to the environment for a little bit before trying to adjust to school."

"I'll be moving into the dorms in August. I was hoping to move in with Sam, but he might be staying in town."

"Really, why?" She asks me.

"Gilly's still here," I respond. "He's just going over his options."

"You know you can help me get set up at Jaime and Cersei's if you want," Dany says to me. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"I don't know," I say to her. "I feel like they don't really like me."

"They just would rather I date someone in college, I think. It's not like they have any room to judge my choice in partner."

"Can I ask you something?" I ask her. There's something I've been wanting to ask her since I first was getting to know her.

"Sure."

"Is it true what everyone says about Jaime and Cersei?" I ask her. "You know Cersei better than anyone, I thought you'd know." She pauses. I hope I didn't offend her with that question since Cersei is her best friend.

"I thought you would have asked me that sooner if you cared," she says. "Most people ask me that pretty quickly since I'm so close to Cersei."

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," I say. "I cared more about getting to know you." She smiles at me.

"I don't think it's true," she says. "I mean, I don't know what Cersei gets up to behind closed doors. But I think I would know for sure if something like that were true." She seems so nonchalant about it, it's probably because she's so used to getting that question at this point.

We go back to her place and watch some TV, which ends up leading to other stuff. We only had unprotected sex the one time. I got too paranoid about the risks, even though Dany is on the pill and it was really nice.

"Promise me we'll stay together after you graduate?" She asks me while we're cuddling in bed.

"Of course," I say. "Why would you even ask me that?"

"I just don't want you to get too lost in college life, I know it can be exciting."

"You think I don't worry the same thing about you? I'm terrified you'll forget about me."

"Definitely not," she says. "Not a chance."

We cuddle for a little bit longer before I head home. I decided not to tell her about Gilly's situation. Sam asked me not to, and I feel like Dany can't do much about it. I hope we can get her the help she needs, and I hope Dany and I's relationship will last after I graduate. I just want everything to be okay.

Arya Stark POV

I don't know why Sansa refuses to eat enough, it doesn't make sense to me. She's gorgeous, and everyone knows it so it's not like she has something to prove. I could never just stop eating, I love food too much. If anyone should stop eating, it should honestly be me. I could definitely be in better shape.

I get home from fencing one day, and Sansa is laying in bed when I walk into our room. I can tell she isn't asleep, though. The light would be off if she was.

"Are you okay?" I ask her.

"Yes, I'm okay," she snaps at me. "God, why is everyone so hyperfixated all of the sudden about whether or not I'm okay?"

"I was just wondering," I say. "Sorry for caring." I sit on my bed. I'm expecting her to apologize for snapping at me, but she still is laying silently facing away from me.

"I guess you're still mad at me for telling mom you hadn't eaten the other day?" I ask.

"I'm not mad, Arya," she says, rolling onto her back. "It's just, you know how mom is up my butt. She doesn't notice anything, but she'll be all over me if you make her aware of something. I don't understand why you couldn't just let me lay down and not bring her into it."

"Well, you wouldn't eat if I tried to make you. I may be 13, but I know you and I know me pushing you would've just driven you away."

"Well, I hope you're happy. Now she's sitting at the table with me until I eat the amount of food she wants me to eat."

"I am happy, Sansa," I say. "I don't know why you're blaming me for this, you're the one who won't just eat without us having to babysit you."

"It's working, Arya!" She yells. "I'm losing weight. I'm allowed to do that, why can't everyone just leave me alone."

"You don't need to lose weight," I say. "You're tall, and you're really skinny. You're the one who always told me guys don't like girls who are skin and bone, anyway."

She pauses for a second, looking up at the ceiling. "Maybe attracting guys isn't my goal," she says. "Did you ever think about that?"

She rolls back over on her side to face away from me. I know that was harsh and probably hurt her feelings, but she's the one making it all happen. I don't get it. She can eat more and make this all better for her, but she chooses not to. It doesn't make any sense.