SNOW
Chapter 7- Stark Reunion (Third POV)
Jon and his crew watched the Winterfell Mansion from the north side of the street. He had lookouts hidden along the southern, eastern and western side roads as well. Whenever Ramsay made his move, they'd be ready. Hours ticked by and only a couple of cars with clearly low-level employees came and went throughout the day. Then, nothing until after the sun had set.
"Jon, come in." Jon heard Ygritte on their shared comms.
"I'm here. What is it?"
"I've just been notified that Ramsay wants the Umbers to come to Winterfell. I don't think that asshole plans to leave." She told him.
"Dammit! The plan hinges on him leaving the house, so we can attack him and his crew out in the open. We don't have the numbers to attack the Bolton Crew if they have backup from the Umbers." Jon tried to refrain from yelling at her because he knew Ygritte wasn't to blame, but he was pissed.
"I'm supposed to meet them within the hour, so we can all head here together." She told him, ignoring his temper.
"More bad news, Cunts. It seems the Karstarks will also be coming here. I just heard from them. Same story, Jon." Tormund announced.
"I'm taking him out before they get here. Once we're inside, they won't be able to get in." Jon told them after several moments of silence, and his words caused an uproar on those shared comms.
"You're blasting mad, you crazy areshole." Tormund's yelling was predictable.
"Jon, you'll get yourself killed! You know nothin' o' what they got in there." Was Ygritte's response.
Several different voices all tried to speak or yell at once, all trying to prevent him from doing something stupid. Jon closed his eyes, looking inside himself and trying to formulate a plan that could actually work.
"Jon, think of Arya. She'll truly be left alone if you die in there." The last one was Howland and I knew he'd be the voice of reason, but I also knew what I had to do.
"How can we help, Snow?" Lyanna Mormont asked bravely and he smiled at the young but fierce girl that reminded him of Arya.
That was it, he thought to himself. He'd get in the same way Arya got out. He doubted anyone knew of the secret tunnels, underneath Winterfell. He could use them to his advantage, and his plan formulated quickly from there. Then, he relayed it to the rest of his crew.
He'd go in with Ygritte and Tormund as his back up. The others were to open fire on the guards out front, and draw the rest to them. He'd take out Ramsay while Tormund and Ygritte handled anyone they came across inside. Once they cleaned house, they'd let the rest of their crew inside to await the Karstarks and the Umbers. They'd pick off as many as they could, and later finish off any that got away.
It took almost a half hour for everyone to get into their new positions, while still maintaining their covers. Then, they rehashed the new plan, to make sure everyone knew where to be and what to do. Finally, they were all in position to execute Jon's plan to perfection.
"I'm at the entrance of the tunnels now, hold off on firing until I'm in position." Jon spoke quietly, as he walked the long passageway with Tormund and Ygritte, and heard everyone's agreement.
"Jon, wait!" Hornwood spoke just before Jon opened the passage way. "There are multiple cars coming from the south, just over a half mile. The Umbers are early."
"We've got Karstarks approaching just behind them." Manderlay cut in and Jon swore under his breath.
"Your call, Boss." Tormund spoke beside him, as everyone listened on their comms.
"We're in place. Shoot up the entrance and watch your backs!" Jon yelled, then pushed the passage door open and led them inside.
There was yelling and running about, as the gunshots from his crew could be heard in the distance. Ramsay's head of security called out for everyone to head to the front gate and entrance to face the attackers. Meanwhile, Jon and his two assassins crept along, from corner to corner, while staying out of site until their target was seen.
"What the hell is the meaning of this?" Ramsay asked from the top of the stairs, and a couple of his men told him that a crew wearing Stark colors was shooting up the place.
"Stark? There are no Starks left, you imbeciles." He spat, descending the stairs to see for himself, and Jon nodded at Ygritte and Tormund while gesturing to the other men in the room.
They didn't hesitate and took down the four Bolton men before Ramsay even knew where the shooting had come from.
"You're wrong Ramsay. I'm here and my sister Arya's alive too." Jon told him as he approached him with his gun aimed at Ramsay's head.
"Who the hell are you? Oh, I see. You're the fellow bastard, aren't you?" Ramsay asked with a creepy smile, not seeming as afraid as he should be.
"Misinformed again. Not that it matters." Jon spoke and fired his gun, sending his bullet right through Ramsay's stomach.
"Jon, things are getting ugly out here. The Umbers and the Karstarks have arrived. We're outnumbered!" Lyanne yelled into the comms.
"I wanted to drag this out for what you did to my family, but you're not worth losing any of my people. Rot in hell." Jon told Ramsay before shoot him through the head.
"I'm going out there to help, keep your eyes on the perimeter and watch my back." Jon asked Ygritte, then asked Tormund check the rest of the house.
"Don't come outside, Jon. We have unexpected company. They're pretty much helping to take out the Karstarks and the Umbers, but we have no idea who they are or what their agenda is." Howland yelled and was then interrupted by Glover.
"Jon, some of their cars have emblems of House Tully and House Arryn."
"The car leading them has a Stark Direwolf emblem, Jon." Lyanne added.
"How can that be?" Jon asked a confused looking Ygritte and tried looking out the window. "Hold your fire and stay hidden!" Jon yelled at his crew and while he could still hear sounds of guns firing, it had decreased.
After several minutes, all was quiet and Tormund had joined Jon and Ygritte. Then, a sort of fog horn was heard, followed by a deep but feminine voice calling for the Boltons to surrender because the house was surrounded.
Jon looked out the window to see a large, tall woman standing on the lawn. She was wearing Stark colors and I opened the door to address her. Ygritte and Tormund tried to hold him back, but he needed to get to the bottom of this. He wanted to find out who the woman was, and why she wore his family colors.
"There are no Boltons left alive, and I've just killed Ramsay myself. Who are you and why are you here?" Jon yelled loud enough to be heard.
The woman seemed confused by his words, then looked behind herself as if waiting for someone else's command. Jon looked behind her too, trying to figure out who the woman took her orders from, but saw no one.
"I am Brienne from the Tarth family. I am loyal to the Starks, and beg you and yours leave the mansion to the rightful owner." The woman called back, which further perplexed Jon.
Before he could ask anything, he caught a flash of red off to the side. He could barely make out what or who it was running through the slim gaps between the vines that covered fence near the wall. Then, he heard it. His name was being yelled from a distance away, but he'd know that voice anywhere.
Jon descended the steps of the porch before his head reminded him that it was impossible for her to be there. Only moments later, she ran through the opening of the gate and he got a look at her. If his eyes or his mind were playing tricks on him, he'd never want it to end. Jon noticed a man even bigger than the woman, following behind Sansa.
Jon watched the huge woman swing an arm to stop Sansa from passing her. He wanted to be angry at that, but he was too stunned by the vision of her being there at all. Jon watched as Sansa took a deep breath and turned to the big woman and the man. He couldn't hear what she told her, but Sansa was released right away.
Sansa seemed to take her time walking towards Jon. The closer she got to him, the more his heart felt like it was sure to burst. He blinked his eyes, staring at her as if she might disappear at any moment. Jon noticed that her red-rimmed eyes had already leaked several tears. Yet, he needed to know it was really her and not a twisted joke of some kind, like Arya and her faces.
"Sansation?" He asked in a small and timid but very hopeful voice, wondering if she remembered their childhood names for one another, knowing that was something only the real Sansa would know.
"Jonny Bear!" She exclaimed with a broken sob and he'd pulled her into his arms not even a second later.
He held her tightly and kissed the hair on her head several times, while trying but failing to blink away his tears. He felt her arms tighten around him, harder than anyone would like, but it served to remind him that she was real so he welcomed it.
"It's really you! How can that be? Gods, Sansa, you're really here." He murmured against the top of her head.
"Oh, Jon, I can't believe you're here. I thought Petyr had you killed. I thought I was the last, that I was alone. Oh Gods, Jon. I'm so sorry for being so horrible to you. I never should have been, because I love you, Jon. I should have told you every day! I'm so damned sorry. Please tell me you can forgive me." She cried into his shirt and he knew they'd better take their conversation inside.
"Sh, Sansa. I'm here now and there's nothing to forgive. I thought you were dead, Sansa. I can't believe you're really here with me, nothing else matters." He hushed her and tried to pull her inside.
"Let's everyone get inside. It's been a long day and a crazy night. We'll deal with the bodies soon enough, but first... Sansa and I have some catching up to do." Jon announced to his crew through their comms, and looked back at Sansa as she smiled up at him.
He removed his ear piece and handed it to Ygritte as they entered the Winterfell Mansion through the front doors for the first time in years, together. They took in the differences in their old home while holding each other's hands.
"It's different than I hoped it would be." Sansa whispered beside him, but his eyes were only on her.
"This is better than anything I could have ever hoped." He told her, squeezing her hand slightly, making her notice he was referring to her, and she blushed slightly before looking away.
"Brienne, Sandor … This is Jon. Please make yourselves at home while Jon and I get caught up in the study. I'd like to avoid any interruptions." She told them as they followed her into the mansion, then she turned to Jon.
"Tormund, Ygritte... This is Sansa. What she said." He smiled at his closest friends and allies, before heading to the study with his arm around Sansa's shoulders.
They hadn't been in the study for more than a few minutes, sitting quietly and just staring at each other. Neither seemed to know just quite what to say to the other, but smiling at each other none the less.
"I know it's really you, but it's still pretty surreal." Jon admitted as Sansa smiled.
"I know just what you mean. Being back here … with you ..." She responded. "Do you remember the pies Mom used to make?" Sansa asked randomly after a moment, and waited for Jon to nod.
"I never should have left Winterfell." He lamented and her tears started once more.
"I wish I could go back to that day. I'd scream at myself. Then I'd beg your forgiveness and asked you to stay until you agreed." She responded, but he shook his head at her and told her they couldn't have known.
"I spent a lot of time thinking about what an ass I was to you. I'm so sorry Jon, and I hate myself for it. I told myself that would be the first thing I'd tell you when I saw you again, and that I loved you. Every night and every day, I wished I could take it all back and tell you I loved you." She admitted and he moved closer to her side, to hold her to him.
"We were children, Sansa. I never held any of it against you." He told her, genuinely meaning his words and she could tell, but it wasn't enough for her.
"I was awful. Just admit it." She nearly raised her voice, so he chuckled slightly.
"Alright. You were occasionally awful... but I knew it couldn't have been easy for you." He told her softly.
"Can you forgive me?" She asked and he repeated that there wasn't anything to forgive. "I need you to forgive me, Jon." She practically yelled once more out of desperation.
"Alright. Of course, I forgive you Sansa." He told her and her eyes fell closed as a smile bloomed on her face, making her look even more beautiful than she always did.
"Thank you, Jon. I love you, and I've missed you so much." She responded after a moment with an even brighter smile that nearly took his breath away.
"I love you, too, Sansa. Always have, always will." He responded honestly and from his heart, just before she launched herself to hug him again.
It was suddenly hard for him to forget certain feeling he'd long since buried, because they weren't appropriate. The only difference was that now, he knew the truth about his lineage. His feelings for the beautiful woman in his arms weren't forbidden. Yet, he held back from acting on them because she still believed he was her brother.
Jon knew she'd probably always see him that way, even after he revealed the truth. He sighed to himself. He'd have to accept that, because he was willing to do anything to make sure she stayed his life, no matter what. He began to pull away, and he felt her reluctance to do so, and had to ignore how that made him feel.
The study doors suddenly slammed open, making Sansa and Jon face that direction. Arya stood there staring at Sansa with a shocked but timid look upon her face. It was only after Sansa's loud gasp that Jon realized he'd to tell her that Arya was alive.
"Gods, Sansa. I forgot to..." I started to say but Jon's words fell from his mouth as he watched Sansa run and bend to embrace Arya.
"Arya! Gods, you're alive too? Jon, its Arya!" She yelled, holding Arya tightly.
Jon noticed when Arya's eyes fall closed over Sansa's shoulder, but he also noticed she wasn't hugging Sansa in return. But neither was she fighting Sansa's embrace, so he wasn't sure what was going through Arya's mind. After a moment, Sansa pulled away from Arya and she looked back at Jon with worry on her face, clearly having noticed Arya's lack of response.
"Arya, do you still hate me that much?" Sansa asked sadly and Jon watched Arya turn her eyes to her sister.
"Who are you, really?" Arya nearly spat, but her eyes looked almost hurt.
"What do you mean? It's me, Arya. I'm Sansa." She told her and Jon realized what the problem was.
"Arya. It's really her. It's not a mask or anything like that." He told Arya and noticed Sansa looked confused out of the corner of his eye.
"How can you be sure? You know how good I am, but there are others who are better." Arya reminded Jon, but all he could do was smile.
"Sansa, our little Arya doesn't believe you're really you. You see, she's gone off and become a Faceless Man Assassin, complete with unbelievingly technological masks you'd have to see to believe. She's going to need you to prove it to her." Jon chuckled as he stood behind Arya with his hands on her shoulders.
"It's not only that, Jon. You'd have your doubts too, if you heard half the things I've heard this... Sansa has done." Arya challenged and Jon's brow rose as Sansa looked between them.
She racked her brain, trying to of a way to prove who she was. She looked around the study that was so familiar but also held things that weren't native to the room. Her eyes fell on the familiar painting behind the couch, beside the fireplace. She remembered the nights their father would read to them or had serious conversations with them there. The words left her mouth before having to second guess herself.
"Winter is coming. And in the winter, we must protect ourselves; look out for one another." Sansa started and Jon's heart jumped at her words, just as Arya's eyes fell closed, almost as if in pain.
"When the snows fall and the white winds blow..." Sansa's words were spoken ever so softly as a tear slid slowly down her cheek while looking between Arya and me.
"The lone wolf dies..." Arya replied choking back a small sob as she tearfully looked up between Sansa an myself.
"But the pack survives." The three of us finished, then Arya jumped to hug Sansa tightly and Sansa returned her hug lovingly.
I couldn't deny being overcome with emotion, so I pulled them both into my arms as they cried against one another. For several seconds, we just held on to each other. The girls murmured that they missed Father, and I admitted that I did too. But that reminded me that it was time to come clean about myself, once and for all.
A/N: Oh my goodness... I started crying as I typed, then restarted as I read through it again.
I used some of the dialogue from the show, and I'm giving those props to the show's excellent writers, as well as the story's creator. Naturally, the tweeks and changes are all mine. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.