a/n: alright, y'all convinced me. Here you go. What happens after. Got damn this ship is going to kill me. I WILL GO DOWN WITH IT.

JON

Jon woke with a start sometime in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. His heart was racing. Visions of falling dragons and ice and the dead burned in the back of his eyelids ...all his loved ones, every single one...and at the front...Daenerys, naked and dead, flesh rotting off her bones, holding a baby with terrifying blue eyes.

"Jon..." she had whispered eerily, voice dead and hollow and raspy with decay.

He squeezed his eyelids shut tight, trying to burn the image away. Opened them again to dimly lit planks above his head. The candles had nearly burned low. The baby's cries rang in his ears like the chilling sound of three blows of the horn.

He turned his head to his right. She lay with her back to him, sleeping soundly, soft little snores vibrating in his heart. Her silver hair shimmered in the candlelight mixed with the moonlight streaming through the window.

Terror gripped his heart.

The dead were coming.

He felt it, more and more everyday. The longer it went on, the more terrified he was. This...waiting...traveling...it was taking too long. He needed to be at the wall now with a host of men and women and his back to fight the dead.

He leaned over and kissed her hair. Daenerys stirred, but did not wake. He sighed. Sat up.

Jon placed his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes hard, still unable to burn the image from his mind.

Daenerys.

Gods, why now. Why here. Why now, at the end of the world, was he only allowed to find this? Find her? Find love like this?

He drew a deep, heavy sigh. His heart rate was slowly returning to normal.

He leaned back, over his Queen again. Hooked a finger around her silver curls and pulled them behind her ear. Kissed the skin now exposed and down her neck. She stirred. Her eyes opened a sliver.

"I'm going to go take a piss," he whispered softly. "I'll be back."

She nodded sleepily. He kissed her cheek again and she smiled half a smile. He softened. Oh, how he'd fallen.

He stood, dressed as quiet as he could, leaving his armor behind and only putting on his fur-lined leather shirt. He checked to make sure the coast was clear before leaving Daenerys' cabin, then went above decks.

Only a small skeleton crew piloted the ship this late at night. He nodded to the helmsman, who nodded back and returned his eyes to the open sea.

It was beautiful out here, fresh sea air filling his nostrils, moonlight bouncing off of the calm sea. Rhagael paddled softly in the water at some distance away, moonlight reflecting off of his green scales. He watched as the the dragon took a long draw of water and puffed, smoke and steam rising from his nostrils. Jon inhaled deeply at the same time as the dragon, his deep breath finished long before Rhagael's giant lungs had filled even halfway.

The air was slightly chilly, and he felt the heat that he had garnered over the night quickly disippate. He shivered once more and sighed.

Jon walked to the edge of the ship and took out his cock to piss over the side. The air filled with the scent of sex that lingered on his cock.

Daenerys' beauty filled his mind once more, and made it slightly difficult to piss as he grew slightly hard. He winced and forced it out.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

He heard footseps behind him and he turned his head.

"Snow," said Tyrion.

"Tyrion," Jon replied.

Tyrion stood beside him at a decent distance and also pulled out his cock. The hard sound of his stream hitting the water below filled the night. Jon continued pissing.

"Beautiful night," said Tyrion.

"Yes," said Jon. He has no reason to know, Jon thought firmly.

"I am sure our Queen would appreciate this beauty," said Tyrion slyly.

Fuck, he knows.

Nevertheless, Jon played along.

"I'm sure she would," said Jon.

Overhead, he heard a soft, deep growl. He looked up to see Drogon flying in circles overhead, ever watchful. The Dragon tilted his head and one of his great red eyes met Jon's briefly, examining him, looking straight into his soul, before looking out to sea again. Jon shivered. They were so much more intelligent that he had ever thought. Not just beasts.

"Our Queen has not recovered from the loss of her child yet, I think," said Tyrion softly. He had finished pissing and now he was watching Rhaegal with a tight expression on his face.

"No," said Jon softly in agreement, shaking off and putting away his cock. "I don't think she quite...believes it happened. Not really."

Jon had felt grief before, many times, had seen it in many men and women in his short life, had seen it destroy many men and women; but he didn't think he would ever understand...hoped he would never understand... how it felt to lose a child. Much less a child that was one of the last great wonders of its kind, such a marvel of a beast that all around the world were in awe and fear of it. He thought back to when he had touched Drogon's hard, scaly smooth snout. The heat that had radiated from him and filled Jon with fire. His heart mourned for one less in the world.

"It was a reckless thing," said Tyrion, jaw tight. "Her going to your rescue. Reckless. Foolish. She shouldn't have done it. I advised her not to, but she wouldn't listen to me. She had to save you."

Jon didn't answer. He avoided looking at the dwarf, eyes fixed on Rhaegal out to sea. He could feel the dwarf's eyes burning into him.

"Love makes people do reckless, stupid things without a thought to the realm, Jon Snow."

He could hear some unspoken pain and anger in Tyrion's voice and finally looked at him.

"I know that," he said. He could not help the bite in his voice, feeling strangely defensive. Of course he knew that, he'd seen it. Heard about it. Read about it in history books, how two people's love for each other would almost always make the world burn and the common folk reap the consequences.

"Do you?" said Tyrion. "Because I'm not so sure. This relationship you are forming with our Queen-"

"I'm not-" he said defensively.

Tyrion silenced him with a look.

"I may be a foolish, drunken dwarf, but I'm not an idiot, Jon Snow. Nor am I blind. It's in my job description to know what goes on behind closed doors, especially in regards to our Queen. It's in my job description to protect her from all threats, political and otherwise."

Jon sighed.

"Look I don't know how you found out-I don't care. But what happens between her and whoever she chooses to spend her nights with is her business, and hers alone."

Tyrion shook his head.

"You know nothing of politics, Jon Snow," he said, his eyes hard. "This is not like a battle, or a fight against the dead, or wildlings. Politics is a long game. If you don't learn how to play it, you'll be as dead as those beyond the wall before you know it."

Jon swallowed, anger rising.

"You don't-"

"Jon, I'm speaking as your friend and as the Queen's Hand. I don't wish to anger you."

Jon huffed and looked back out to sea, watched Rhagael groom underneath a wing. The moonlight shone green through the outstreched translucent wing. He sighed again.

They were quiet for a moment.

"When we left Meeren," started Tyrion. "Daenerys had to leave a lover behind, a man she thought she loved but told me she had felt nothing when ending it. She had done the right thing. She knew it, I knew it. She had to leave him behind."

Jon didn't know why Tyrion was telling him this.

"When we reached Westeros, we would need to form alliances. Strong alliances that could not easily be broken, not even with time. I told you, politics is a long game. We would need to secure an alliance that would last for life, long beyond the War with Cersei. Long after Daenerys sat on the Iron Throne. I knew this going in. She did too, I think."

"Marriage," Jon realized, his heart sinking.

"You learn quickly, Jon Snow. Very good."

Jon's heart sanker deeper.

"I didn't know who it would be," Tyrion continued. "However, I knew she would need to be unmarried and unattached. My mind ran through several options. There was Loras Tyrell, after all, the Reach is the second richest house in the seven kingdoms, they would be a powerful ally. Although that idea got blown up along with the Sept, courtesy of my dear sister. There was Dickon Tarly, after that, a second, less powerful house, but the next most logical to take over the reach after the death of the Tyrells...although that went up in flames as well. Perhaps a Dornish prince? For sure, they were one of weaker alliances with a powerful position. There would always be one of the many sons of Walder Frey, perhaps? The twins is a strategically valuable position...although Winter Came for House Frey, as the common folk whisper. Good riddance. They were a terrible family, with no loyalty, and capable of much worse things than even the Red Wedding. That never would have been my first choice, only as a last resort."

"Get to the point," muttered Jon. Tyrion ignored him.

"And then there was my brother, who, although he would hate it as much as she would, would make a very strong, powerful alliance and put an end to the war in a swift stroke. Though, of course Cersei would never go along with that...for reasons you and I both know. She wants Jamie all to herself. And she would never give him up to her worst enemy, of all people. I do believe my dear sister hates our Queen more than she does me now...which is saying something."

They both exchanged a look. Tyrion's lips twitched upwards.

Jon felt his heart, which was so full only hours ago, sink deeper and deeper into a deep black crevice that it would never escape from. He thought he knew what Tyrion was getting at here. His face fell as he looked back out at Rhaegal.

"And you don't think it would be appropriate for a bastard of Winterfell, with a false title of King in the North to marry the most powerful woman in the world."

Tyrion was silent for a long time as Jon felt his heart breaking. He could feel his eyes boring into him.

"Quite the opposite, actually," said Tyrion softly. Jon looked at him. "A marriage alliance between the Rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and the King in the North is quite a powerful alliance indeed."

Jon felt his lips part. His heart jumped into his throat.

"It has a precedence," he continued, "and I do believe it is our only shot at convincing the Northern Lords to accept our Queen while keeping you, who has already bent the knee, in power.

"Aside from that, our Queen has the largest army. The North-which you control-has the second largest army. Winterfell and the North is a strategic location that we cannot afford to lose-especially in regards to the threat beyond the wall, and with Winter here. I am glad you decided to bend the knee."

Tyrion smiled weakly at Jon.

"But I'm afraid it won't be enough for your people. You were elected. You can be un-elected. And Northerlings are strange, fickle beings. If they do not accept your fealty to our Queen, they will put someone else in your place-I am sure of it. Sansa being the most likely choice, and, personally, I think she would make a wonderful Warden of the North. And that is a very distinct difference from Queen in the North.

"And contrary to what you may believe-I do not want you to lose your title as King in the North."

Tyrion was silent.

Jon took a deep, shaky breath.

"So you mean-"

"Yes," said Tyrion sadly. "I was going to advise Daenerys that she marry you. You are her age, young, strong, relatively handsome-unmarried. In a powerful position as King in the North, which, I believe, far overpowers your bastard status, and makes you worthy...not that being a Noble really matters anymore anyway, the last two Kings to sit on the Iron Throne were bastards anyway. Plus you have achieved many great deeds in your life and your time at the wall and afterwards. You were by far the superior choice to anyone else in the world."

Jon took another heavy breath. His heart was hammering. He looked out at Rhaegal, was silent as he watched the great green dragon spread his wings and take off out of the water with great gusts of wind and spray of the sea cause by several heavy flaps of his massive wings. Jon Snow watched, as Rhagael let out a roar and flew into the air to join his brother. His heart was soaring again with the Dragon. He could marry Daenerys.

"-But-" began Tyrion, bringing Jon back down to reality with a hard crash. Anything before the word 'But' is horseshit. "I did not want it like this."

Jon felt his heart break.

"What do you mean?" he said, confused.

"Feelings only complicate the matter. Like I said, love..." he spat the word out, like he despised it. "Only makes people reckless. It brings into question every desicion a person makes. The northern lords, superstitious, simplistic folk as they are, will think you have been bewitched by the dragon queen-a foreigner who only wants you for strategy. It does not matter what the truth is-and you cannot hide it. More will see. More have seen than I would already have liked. You are completely and utterly in love with her. It complicates things. Extremely."

Jon hung his head. He could not deny it. He knew he would not try to deny it.

"It shouldn't matter," he said.

"No, it shouldn't," said Tyrion sadly. He looked at Jon softly. "I don't blame you, you know. You're not the first to fall for our Queen and you certainly won't be the last. She is a very-extraodinary-woman."

Jon looked at him, brow furrowed.

"Do you-?"

Tyrion let out a burst of laughter, loud and hard. But Jon knew he was masking a severe internal pain. "Me? No. No. No, I will never love again."

That piqued Jon's curiosity. Though he knew if he asked, Tyrion would lie. He was very good at it.

"Tyrion-"

"Don't ask what you don't want to know, Jon Snow."

Tyrion's face was a hard, painful mask.

Jon was silent for a moment.

"I do," said Jon, in his heavy northern accent. "You're right. I do - I love her. Nothing could stop that now, I tried to resist, but...she's...she's..." he could not describe it. But Tyrion seemed to understand. The dwarf nodded his head.

"And she loves you," said Tyrion, looking at him.

Jon was silent.

"You know, it's funny. I've seen the Dragon Queen do so many things. Wonderful things. Terrible things. I've seen her seek her counselors advice. I've seen her threaten her advisers. I've seen her tell them to come to her if they ever had doubts about her rule-to tell her if she made a questionable decision instead of plotting behind her back... I've seen her free slaves. I've seen her capable of great compassion and I've seen her capable of great cruelty for those who would harm the innocent. She is ruthless and yet compassionate. I've seen her set people on fire with her dragons and I've seen her torn apart as she locked them away because they killed a sheepherder's son. She seeks the advice of those wiser than her, weighs all of her options, and then makes her own that are a far better solution than anyone could have offered her before. I have seen her make many mistakes and she always knew the moment she had made them and learns from them-that is a rare gift. She is a remarkable woman. She will make an extraordinary queen. Far better than my sister. Or cruel Joffery. Or weak Tommen-rest his poor little soul-She will be far better than foolish Robert Baratheon ever was. Far - far - better than the Mad King. But only-

"Only with the right people by her side.

"She continually...surprises me. I should expect it by now. I thought I'd seen everything from her. I never thought-I never thought I would see her fall in love. But she has. with you, of all people. The Bastard of Winterfell." Tyrion said with some amusement. "I have to say, I did not see this coming when I met you in Winterfell's courtyard all those years ago, Jon Snow."

They exchanged a long look. Tyrion's face faltered.

"Do you remember what I said to you?" Tyrion asked, face hard and sharp and intelligent.

"All dwarves are bastards in their fathers eyes." Jon repeated his word's from so long ago.

"Aye, and what else did I say?"

Jon took a deep breath.

"Wear it like armor, so it can never be used to hurt you."

They exchanged a long, knowing look.

"Wise words that I've taken to heart," said Jon after a while.

"I've had to remind myself ... more than a few times." mumbled Tyrion.

They were silent for a long moment, both deep in thought.

"I do believe, Jon, you will make a wonderful King for our Queen," said Tyrion finally. "But you must wear your love for each other like armor against the world. So that it might never be used to hurt you. And it will. Believe me. They will use it to hurt you."

Tyrion's voice broke. Jon thought he saw Tyrion's eyes grow shiny, but the small man who was more akin to a giant looked out to sea, hiding his eyes from Jon. There was a very long moment of silence.

"What was her name?" Jon asked quietly and carefully after a while.

Tyrion was silent for a very long time. For a moment Jon thought he might not answer but finally he did.

"Shae," he murmered silently, the name rolling off his tongue softly, like it was simultaneously the most beautiful and ugliest word to him. It sounded like smooth river rocks coming from the back of his throat, strangling him.

Jon was silent for a moment.

"What happened to her?" he asked quietly.

Tyrion's face grew into a cold, hard scowl.

"I strangled her after I found her in my father's bed."

He looked at Jon, and their eyes met with a sharp jolt. Jon knew he saw tears in the Lannister's eyes then. And Jon suddenly realized it would be very dangerous to cross this man.

"Love is a powerful and dangerous thing, Jon Snow," he said seriously, his voice was barely more than a cracked whisper. "You could get lost in it. You both could. Don't forget your duty. Don't forget her duty. And don't-whatever you do-Don't let them use it against you."

And then he was gone.

Jon took a deep, shaky breath, swaying silently with the rocking of the boat, staring out to sea, his eyes wide, deep in thought, his throat tight. He watched the dragons fly above him for a long time, until he finally decided to return below decks, to his Queen.

He stripped naked again and lay down beside her, pulling her to him and spooning her body with his, clinging to her like she was the only thing that mattered. Kissed her neck as she snuggled deeper into his arms, wiggling her bottom so that his cock nestled between her legs.

"I love you, Daenerys Targaryen. My Queen," he breathed in her ear. "I will never let any one hurt you. I will never let anyone hurt us."

Her eyes flickered open sleepily and she twisted to met his eyes. Her gaze softened, but her brows bowed, growing worried.

"What happened, Jon?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said softly. "Just...let me hold you."

Her face softened. Her fingers brushed his cheek. She kissed him softly. He felt his cock twitch.

They broke apart.

"I love you too, Jon Snow. Whatever it is, we can face it together."

He smiled softly. Nodded.

"Yeah."

a/n: yeah, yeah, no sex. But conversations with Tyrion. Just as important. Trust me, you haven't seen the last of Jon riding the dragon. Proud of this one :) Please REVIEW!