Author's Note: English is not my natural language, so I'm sorry for any grammatical mistake you may find.

CHAPTER TWO

"Rast! Look!"

Halder's scream made everyone turned their heads abruptly to the side but no one ever expected to be alive to contemplate anything like that. Jon himself felt a cold hand climbing up his spine when he stared at the dead white face on the ground, only his eyes sprung wide open and suddenly a jet of blue was cast on them.

He had no idea how long they stood framed shoulder to shoulder trying helplessly to decode what was happening before their eyes and the notion of it seemed to slap them in their faces. The sight was as despairing as Jon remembered it to be, the skeleton rose up and he was drowned into the same bottomless blue holes once again. Sam was instantly shrieking, voicing as much as he could before collapsing into Jon's back and Grenn and Pyp were two petrified towers in his flanks.

"What the fuck…" Grenn muttered, never taking his eyes from it.

"This isn't happening… Please, this isn't happening…" Sam chanted frantically with his head buried into fur.

The night seemed to fall with a veil of darkness and all light they knew was swept away. The vacant ominous face of death met them, enough to take them to their knees so they would know nothing could possibly save them from it, no matter how loud they screamed for their lives and a promise was sent to the rustling wind of feasting on them. Jon saw it the first time and now he was again breathing under the same sky with one of them, only this time he had no clue if they will make it alive. Ironically, his hand wasn't even healed to fight again. Fire, he thought but they were far enough from a burning source and weren't taking risks of dying to get to the Castle.

"He's… He's coming for us…" He heard Pyp whispering to his side.

A finger bone was raised to them and the dead man was suddenly on Rast, who raised his sword in time to repel it. Though, his body was hit with fear and shock first and was easily overcome by a grip on his backhead, only to be thrown away like he was candle wax. Sam slipped a hysterical cry when the shadow of the corpse was again charging toward him but steel narrowed his way.

The hooded man stood between him and Rast and in a fraction of seconds his sword received a slam from stone weight on him. He barely broke free to connect his elbow knocking off nose and skull and sank into the floor, just before someone could do anything Ghost jumped over him and landed on the frozen chest.

"Ghost!" Jon took Longclaw with his left hand and followed his direwolf.

"Jon! He's going to kill you!"

His left hand was a problem but he managed to assist Ghost, the same way he did with Othor. Although, he knew very well steel could not stop it, not even Ghost's teeth which now were tearing apart everything he could find. He shielded his right arm with his body after two attempts to bury his sword in the wight's shoulder and the last one weakened blue tissues, enough to be severed but he was overly close and suddenly his burnt hand was half smash. White flashed inside his eyes, he knew his defense was lost when Ghost disappeared under an iron grip and he spun in pain to ready the blackness above him to take him.

But his ears were filled with Grenn's scream instead. He forced himself to look only to find his brother down like him, with a dead hand closing around his throat and Pyp and Halder trying helplessly to shove it away. Sam was as far as he could, sunk in a catatonic state and clutching to his knees.

"Sam! We need fire!" he ordered him. "Get inside the Castle and find something to kill it!"

"I… can't… move." Sam wept. "He's… He's going to kill us."

"Sam! Do it now!"

"I… can't…"

Jon cursed him, they were all going to die because of him. He used his sword as a cane and stood up, mentally kicking himself for not being recovered so he could be on his fullest. He knew their only way out of this was to do it himself but he was anxious to turn away like that. None of them were ready to face the creature and if they're going to make this work he needed a diversion for it.

"Go…" He heard numbly.

Sundance was dueling with the armless corpse in his place and took a moment to look at him, even in his faceless hood Jon could see he was following his trail of thought.

"I'll distract him."

Jon nodded and left running. His friends' scream were almost faint when he crossed the Castle's gates, his eyes were suddenly packed with dim fire from hanging torches and he grabbed one making his way out immediately. The fire gave him a better view and he felt spikes in his skin as Grenn's neck was almost broken, just a few feet away the frozen undead man was like a siege engine overcoming the only sword which came in his way and Sam, Pyp and Halder couldn't find their legs to do something other than hope for all to end.

"Ghost!" Jon called out and the animal met his eyes weakly. The wound in his white fur oozed red blood and that was as far as he could go, but Jon knew they didn't have any other way out.

He closed his eyes and his mind slipped inside the wolf. He felt himself dealing with lack of energy but he imprinted everything left of him to his articulations and gravity began to work again so he leapt and the blue hand was in his fangs. He tossed it away and the wolf's mind released him soon enough.

"Move!" He warned and Sundance kicked the remains of the corpse, which was caught up on fire.

Flames rose up like snakes as their faces welcomed the heat but no one dared to move, everything had been too much to handle for them. Their unsteady breaths told them it was over and they were still alive but it was hard to believe, especially for Sam and the rest of the Night's Watch.

"Is it dead?" Sam asked.

"Yeah…" Jon confirmed and looked at them. "Grenn, are you alright?"

"Yeah…" he answered with difficulty.

"I… I can't believe it… You saw it..." Pyp couldn't find his voice to talk. "It was… a white walker."

"We have to take Grenn with Maester Aemon to take care of his wounds." Jon told them.

"So it was true. They do exist…" Halder spoke, eyeing the hooded man who stood before them. "And you knew what it was…"

Jon watched him carefully. The orange flames still couldn't quite reveal his face, but his body was like his and he looked drained from the fight.

"You saved us." Sam's voice was filled with admiration. "But we don't know who you are…"

"Why did you help us?" Pyp said, accusingly. "You hurt Rast… and many of our brothers as well."

"I am sorry for that." He told them, apologetically.

Jon's eyes widened when Ghost padded curiously to him and to everyone's disbelief he nipped at his fingers, so he fondly received a welcoming pat in his back. His direwolf had never been like this with anyone at the Night's Watch but him, so when the hood fell off from the man's shoulders he was strongly aware that everything had leaded to this. Yet that didn't stop his jaw from almost dropping at it, defenseless against those familiar pale blue eyes.

Before him, Robb smiled. It took him forever to realize he hadn't been killed by the white walker, that his brother was as real and absorbing as the Wall itself and that he was miles away from where he was supposed to be, just like him. No one said anything but perplexed eyes were instantly on Robb, like he was Rhaegar Targaryen himself, and Jon assumed Sam and the others had expected an old man like Thorne or anyone skilled and aged enough from the Night's Watch, even unpleasant to see.

"Hey Jon…" He said with modesty, his hand still rubbing Ghost's head.

"You know him?" Sam asked concernedly.

"He's… He's my brother." Jon replied, his eyes never leaving Robb's. They all turned their heads to him demandingly but Sam was first to talk again.

"Your brother?" He looked at Robb analytically, but suddenly gasped like something had gone wrong. "Oh my god… You can walk!"

"He's not Bran." Jon said before Sam could actually hug him.

"Oh… Sorry. Yeah… I should've known that."

"What in the seven hells does this mean?" Rast snapped. "You're the bastard's brother? So, you two like beating the hell out of people in your free time?"

"I told you it was never my intention." Robb admitted, honestly. "I'm sorry it had to be that way but you left me no choice. I needed to get rid of the body before something like this could happen."

"Well… We surely wouldn't be here if it weren't for him." Pyp added.

"Robb…" Jon spoke at last, his stare intensely meeting his brother's. "Why are you here? Why did you leave Winterfell?"

Robb's eyes dropped to the floor with guilt.

"There's something you need to know." He stated.

Later that night Jon was in his room again, battling the icy hours with a fireplace before him. The silence had escalated those walls uninterruptedly for what it seemed like a very long time yet it had only been hours since what happened down in the open. He had been trying to conciliate the events he had experienced today in his mind, but sometimes it looked rather than some joke someone had played on him. The white walker's apparition at the very gates of the Castle, the fierce fight which at some point he believed they were going to loose and finally his brother Robb sudden intervention, he did save their lives but that didn't narrow things down at all. Why was he hiding his identity from them? How did he know about the white walker and how to stop it? Why couldn't he tell them about it instead of just attacking them in the first place? And why did he come to The Wall?

Finally he heard the door open and his black eyes met with his brother's again. Robb walked inside with the same look he had back then, though Jon could also see the weariness behind it.

"Are you done with Mormont?" Jon asked, as Robb came closer and took the place beside him.

"Yeah… Only by the end of it there was no calming him down. Those white walkers will appreciate all the love he sent them though." He laughed.

Jon involuntarily smiled. Even after all Robb had been through he still was trying to cheer him up, just like when they were little kids.

"Why isn't Grey Wind with you?"

"I sent him to the East Watch, to help Cotter Pyke and his men. He should be returning by now…"

"That's nice of you." He said bluntly, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Jon… what's wrong?" Robb looked at him confusedly.

"What made you think they were in any more danger than you?" Jon spat, furiously. "You were all alone and the first thing that came to your mind is dismiss the only chance of preserving your life."

"You know it's… scary the way you're starting to sound like my mother."

"I'm not kidding, Robb. Tell me… what in the seven hells were you thinking? Are you honestly so eager to get yourself killed?"

"I can't tell you why I did it… I just knew I had to." He explained, avoiding his eyes.

"You had to?" Jon questioned. "Is that the reason why you left Winterfell? Because you had to?"

"Yes. I… Well, I guess there's no point in hiding it from you. You probably know by now Father has been imprisoned in King's Landing. What you don't know is that my mother left Winterfell and she's in the Eyrie right now…"

"What? Why would she leave Bran and Rickon behind? Especially after Bran's accident…"

"Jon… Bran has been attacked. He's fine now because Summer reached him in time and took care of his attacker, but we suspect this man was sent by the Lannisters to kill our brother."

Jon was speechless. He couldn't believe what he was hearing and strongly regretted not stabbing his sword in Jamie Lannister's throat when they crossed words in the training yard.

"But that's not all." Robb continued, but his low tone was enough to know he didn't want to go on. "I… Summer didn't kill the man and Theon told me I should locked him in the dungeons for later interrogation. We still don't know how it happened but he escaped. Grey Wind followed his scent and we learned he had switched his destination… he wasn't heading to King's Landing but to the north instead."

"You followed him…" Jon guessed.

"Yes but something happened when I found him… he was dead. There were a few men of the Night's Watch on their way out of the Castle, talking about how they had killed him. But I knew something was wrong and Grey Wind did too. I tried to warn them, but they didn't listen to me and well…"

"So, that's how you became Sundance…" His voice came with a chuckle and Robb smiled weakly. "It suits you…"

"I honestly didn't want to hurt them. I apologized to the Lord Commander for the trouble but he seemed rather pissed at his men instead."

"I guess no one can be pissed at you." Jon smiled sweetly at him.

"Not even you?"

"Not even me."

Robb closed his eyes and for a moment the shade of his burden corrupted his fractions, making him a lot older than he really was. Jon still couldn't see how right he was and Robb was glad for that, otherwise if he knew for a moment the truth he would probably not leave his side ever again.

"I wish you were." He whispered. "That'd make things a lot easier for me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, right? I'm leaving… to war."

Jon's look hardener unconsciously, clenching his fists at his sides at the statement. He knew better than anybody, yet he wished this moment would never have to come between them.

"I'll go with you…"

"No…" Robb turned his head. "You have to stay here."

"You can't ask that of me, Robb. I can't… We need to go to this war together."

"I really wish we could, but I'll never be able to look at myself again if I don't stop you now." He confessed, without looking at Jon.

"And do you think I'll be able to look at myself if I let you go?" came his desperate answer. "We promised when we were young to fight by each other side no matter what happens. It has always been like that, remember?"

"It's not like that anymore..." Robb said vacantly, dueling with himself. "Everything was much easier back then, now I all want is for this war to stop taking my sisters and brothers away. First Bran and now Arya and Sansa. I need to know you are safe…"

His brother's pain was as clear as those sleepless nights at Winterfell he remembered so well. His eyes were distorted with grief and fear for he knew this was the only time he could bring himself to be afraid. When the long spears clash in the battlefield and the columns of war claim for him, Robb's old life would be ended forever and the only thought of it was enough for Jon. He wished he'd never had to see his brother like that in his life but they will never be as real to each other as they are right now.

"You are so stubborn, Stark…" he smiled softly, taking Robb's face in his hands. "Don't you see it's not me the one who needs to be safe? I know you better than anyone and I won't stay here while you happily throw yourself to an early grave. I know you are Lord of Winterfell now, but if there is one command you can't make is this one…"

"I'm not asking you this as Lord of Winterfell." He retorted, their foreheads almost touching. "I'm asking you as your brother. Please Jon, promise me you won't try and leave…"

Jon opened his mouth to say something but a scream from below broke them apart instantly. Both made their way out of the room, Robb closely following Jon behind, and when they reached the training yard together the image before them shook them abruptly. Rast and some men of the Night's Watch were cycling a bleeding Sam who had fallen cold to the floor with a handful of practice swords awfully close to his face.

"Please! I said I was sorry!" The fat boy pleaded. "I wanted to help but I couldn't move… The white walker…"

"We all saw it! But we could've died because of you." One of them shouted. "You did nothing when he attacked us."

"May be we should have let it take you, coward…"

"That's enough." Jon said, standing beside his friend. "It wasn't his fault."

"He's a coward, Jon. He only stared and cried like a little girl when you and your brother fought against it. You should stop protecting him so much, he's not worth it…"

"Maybe we should finish what the white walker started, don't you think?"

Rast and some of the other black brothers took a step forward with their swords first but at the last moment a sudden growl reached them. A huge wolf with molten gold eyes emerged from the shadows and his size twice bigger than Ghost paralyzed each and one of them, who went rigid. The beast lurked toward them showing his fangs menacingly and when the essence of fear was installed in everyone's heavy chests a terrifying snarl drove them all away screaming, leaving only Robb, Jon and Sam in the now empty yard.

"What's wrong?" Robb looked at his direwolf. Grey Wind howled trying to tell him something and left running to the front gate.

"Robb…" Jon grabbed his arm before he could follow him.

"I have to go."

"What?"

"Jon, please… Help me." Sam cried behind them, his face covered in blood, but for the first time in his life Jon ignored him. He couldn't think of anything else right now.

"You need to take care of his wounds." Robb warned with a strained voice, trying to break free. "Jon, I have to go now."

The desperation in Jon's eyes didn't last much longer when a shadow overtook his fractions and he felt his throat closing up. He knew now time wasn't having any consideration for him and he held back the urge to rant out of frustration and rage, so when every little thing told him he had to do what was right, his hand weakened and Robb's fingers slipped trough his own. All he did was watch his brother running away from him, knowing he probably wouldn't see him again.