Hi Everyone! I know it has been a long time but things were insane during the holidays and I wasn't able to write. School just started back up for me and I took the couple hours I have between my lectures to finish the remainder of Chapter Six. I made this on extra long and in Sandor's perspective (usually how this goes). I also want to let you know that I've started a Tumblr account called " fanfic-finatic2-0 " the blog is called "Sandor And Jane", it'll have everything about Game of Thrones and its characters as well as info on my original characters. I'll also post up my original fanart (this will help me get better at drawing) and ill take requests. So go check me out and leave a message if you want. Anyways, ON WITH THE STORY!
"Hello?" a tired voice sounded from the other side. Sandor sounded as if he had been sleeping. Great, now comes the guilt was the last thought Jane had as she began to explain the situation to the sleepy minded man.
Sandor was awoken by the sound of church bells that emitted from his cell phone. He knew immediately who this tone belonged to and couldn't help the small smile that spread across his scarred lips. "Hello?" he answered the phone with more exhaustion than he intended to, he hoped he didn't make Jane feel guilty for calling him at a late hour.
"Sandor? It's Jane. I am so sorry to call you this late, but I need help." the desperation in her voice sent a wave of consciousness straight to his once sleep-fogged mind.
"Jane? Where are you?" Sandor jumped right of bed and began to pull on his pants over his boxers.
"I'm fine, a little cold but I'll live," she states sweetly into the device, but it did nothing to sooth the worry that began to fill his gut. "I just need a ride home; my car broke down on Cobbler's Square road. I was just about to exit onto West Barracks and turn into my apartment complex, but my car engine decided to die on me."
"Stay where you are, I'll be there as soon as I can. Jane?"
"Yeah?"
He paused, hesitant on trying to find the right words for the situation they found themselves in. "Keep your hazards on, it will make it easier for me to find you." the brute finally chimed.
"Well as of right now I'm the only one on the street. I'm next to a lamp post, so I'll be lit up as well." Her voice trailed off as if she was carefully choosing her words. The kind young woman was more than likely doing this to keep the rattled man from jumping out of his skin with worry. It wasn't often, if ever that Sandor concerned himself with anyone other than his little sister. The little river had a way of making his heartbeat.
It wasn't long before he had finally reached her, the rain began to pour from the sky once more, causing Sandor to become soaked to the bone. After parking his motorcycle behind the rundown piece of trash that Jane called Maiden, he made a quick trek towards the woman that say dry and warm inside.
With a tap tap on the driver's window, he managed to startle Jane. He could just make out the sound of the doors unlocking before the blonde began to open the door and step into the ghastly weather. Sandor did his best to cover her, but it didn't matter thanks to his form of transport. He knew that trying to keep her dry was going to be impossible at this point.
"Hey" the smile that spread across those plump pink lips was dazzling and happy as she peered into the onyx eyes of the man that stood in front of her. "The radio said that the rain isn't going to let up and the storm is only going to get worse."
"Then let's get ya home before we catch our deaths." Sandor handed over his only helmet and stared as she attempted to place it on her head. When she began to fiddle with the safety strap, he chuckled and helped the blonde snap it on.
A puzzled look settled on her face before she asked where his helmet was to which he replied that he only had one. "Best have you safe on this monster. I'll drive a little slower cause of the rain if that would make ya feel better."
"It would, thank you again for taking me home." Even through the big front of the helmet, he could see the tops of her rounded cheeks darken in embarrassment in the fluorescent light of the streetlamp. Sandor steered Jane towards the motorcycle and swung a massive leg over to the other side. Holding his hand out to help Jane balance while she climbed onto the mechanical bike, he noticed how tightly she held onto it and chalked it up to nerves.
The monstrous contraption was revd to life, and Sandor began the short trip to Jane's' apartment complex. One street blurred into the next as they sped along the paved road, the only source of light was produced by the occasional lamp, and the single headlight mounted on the front of the black motorcycle, by the time Sandor reaches the gate to the secured building Jane was soaked to the bone. Jane punched in the code, the gates opened and the hound slowly rolled forward and parked on the second floor of the parking garage. Walking through the various hallways proved to be difficult due to the restriction of his soaked jeans. Jane didn't seem to be bothered by the wet scrubs she donned, but she was pale, and her high ponytail was a mess thanks to the combination of rain and helmet hair.
After what seemed like ages, the, two adults finally reached her front door. Jane produced a key from the lanyard that was hanging around her neck and was previously tucked under the top of her uniform. Taking notice of the shaking of her hand, Sandor mentally noted to have the Little River take a hot shower the minute they step inside.
The inside of Jane's home was only slightly warmer than the corridor that led to the bloody rooms. The large man sat on the couch in the clothes that Jane had handed to him before she slipped into the Bathroom to shower. Sandor could hear the shower going and couldn't help the thoughts that ran through his mind as he listened to the waterfall from the showerhead.
Images of their drunken night together came reeling into the front of his mind, and it took all of the man's willpower to try to push them back into the depths of his soul. You bastard, you can't do anything unless she wants you to. Suddenly he heard a quiet voice sing. It was slow, melodious and in a mezzo-soprano vocal range. The song was old and a classic from a band that was all the rage when his father had been a teen.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Intothe light of the dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
And just like that, the water was shut off.
A few moments later and the owner of the voice stepped out of the bathroom with steam emitting from behind her. She stood in a pair of pajama bottoms and an oversized shirt with a light blue towel that hung in the crook of her arm, she finally looked warm but was still pale.
"Feeling any better?" he questioned with a tone that he hoped didn't betray him. Those Ice colored eyes glanced his way, a soft smile was displayed, but the exhaustion couldn't be hidden behind it. She took tentative steps towards the couch that he resided on and swayed with each footfall. Sandor was on his feet in less than a second to steady her. "Ya need to rest Little River, come on, " he steered her towards the very bed that he had laid on the first day the met. Not now, he lectured, this is not the time. He gently tucked her into the sheets and hovered about where she now lay. Unsure of what to do he took his large hand and pushed the few hairs that obscured her face and brushed them aside. The Hound never thought that he had ever been this gentle with anyone, he hadn't done this for anyone in so long that the actions felt foreign to him but were not entirely unwelcome.
The brute was about to turn from the room to gather his wet clothes and leave for his own home when a small hand shot out and grabbed his massive forearm.
The look on her ashen face was nothing but worry, "stay. It's too dangerous to go out." Her plea did not fall on deaf ears, and after a few arguments against it and her persistence, the beast of a man agreed to stay for the night.
"I'll take the couch" was all that was said, but Jane seemed to be content with his answer. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight Jane."
"Goodnight Sandor."
The couch wasn't terrible, but it wasn't his ideal place for resting. Sandor longed to feel the warmth of a particular nurse laying next to him. However, there was no guarantee that Sandor would behave himself if he shared her bed. Jane was alluring and beautiful, and for some unknown gods forsaken reason, she wanted Sandor, making his resolve as thin as a piece of parchment that could easily be torn if he didn't control himself. It wasn't long before he heard her walk into the kitchen, the quiet shuffle of feet could be made out over the now muted rain that still poured from the seven heavens above.
Sitting up proved to be difficult thanks to the small ache in his firm back from the attempt to sleep on the small frayed couch. Peering into the kitchen with both eyes trying to focus in the dark, the scared man could just make out the small frame that belonged to the long-haired beauty. The faucet had been turned on and off, and he could hear her soft gulps as she drank from a glass.
"Everything alright?"
A bit startled she gasped out an "I didn't think you were still awake," and quickly turned on the light above the stove top. The yellow light only slightly hurt his onyx eyes yet he still made a face to show his discomfort.
"Couldn't sleep," he grunted.
"I'm sorry, you didn't have to sleep on the couch. I have plenty of room on my bed, it is not as if we haven't shared it before." the statement made the tired man flush slightly, and the gulp he made was very audible.
"It's better this way." was all that he gave which in turn had Janes' cheeks flush. "Why are you awake? You should be restin'. You're sick."
"I-" she paused.
"You what?" he snapped. Sandor knew he'd regret being short tempered but he was tired and irritated that the straw-haired was up and walking around despite being unwell.
With a sigh, she stated, "I had a nightmare."
Sandor stood from the couch and strode over to the sunken-eyed woman. She was coated with a thin layer of sweat. Placing the back of his calloused hand upon her forehead, he took in the fact that she was cool to the touch and wondered what exactly was making her feel ill. He knew that nightmares were standard for those who suffered some form of PTSD, seven hells, even he suffered from them almost on a nightly basis.
"What was it about."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I wasn't askin'."
Jane scrunched her features in annoyance and turned from the man before her, making her way towards the very couch said man had previously made into a bed. With a huff, she practically flung herself onto the fernal thing. "It was more like a memory. It was the- that night" she turned her head to stare out the window while bringing the throw blanket tightly around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this." Jane hung her head down in both defeat and shame, and it sent a sharp pain straight to the harsh man's heart.
"Fuck that," he snarled, "You can talk about it as much as you like. That cunt hurt you, and no one stopped him. No sense in feeling guilty for something that that northern piece of shit did." he took the few steps that were necessary to stand in front of her, using a calloused hand to lift her chin to force her to look straight into his half mangled eyes. "Don't" he began.
Jane closed her icy eyes and tears began to stream down her face as if that very ice was melting from the heat of his anger. "I died in my dream; I almost died that night. I lost so much blood; I couldn't stop the bleeding fast enough. There was nothing on the other side. Nothing but darkness. It was as if I was aware of my surroundings, but I was disoriented all at the same time." Her once sing-song voice was cracking from the pain of remembering. Jane sobbed her tale and Sandor listened. She told him everything about the night she experienced her terror and the void of the afterlife. Sandor wasn't a religious man by any means, but he hoped that what she was telling him wasn't right, that the emptiness was all in her troubled mind. Spending eternity in such a place made this life so pointless. If asked, he'd lie, but to himself, he would admit that this confession spooked him.
Awhile later Jane's tears stopped, and she laid back on the couch. The hound still stood in front of her, the borrowed shirt, now wet from the salty tears. A quick glance at the clock read that it was only one o'clock in the morning.
"Want to watch something to get your mind off of things?" it was more of a command, but he wouldn't push her to relax unless she was ready to let it go.
"Yea, I would. What do you have in mind? All of my DVD's are on the bookcase."
"Something happy." Jane took that as a cue to stand, "no" he stopped her, "I'll find something, just… get comfortable."
"Alright," she sighed.