It is so great to read all of the comments and see how much you are enjoying the story. I hope it continues to entertain all of you!

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Chapter 33

Jaime drank from his wine skin as he studied the map before him, looking for the quickest and safest route to Casterly Rock. He didn't wish to have Sansa traveling during this time of war for a moment longer than necessary. And though there was no danger of outlaws outnumbering his considerable forces, Jaime would as soon avoid any sort of battle.

He glanced up at the sound of someone approaching his tent and saw Sansa enter, clearly upset judging by the unshed tears in her eyes. "What's the matter?"

"I don't wish to bother you. You don't have to stop what you're doing but…can I…would you mind if I just sat here with you?"

"You never need ask," he said slowly, wondering if Lady Catelyn had spoken to her, despite his orders to his guards. She'd been insistent on escorting Arya to Lady Catelyn's tent, though Jaime had offered to do so himself. As she moved towards the chair opposite him, Jaime shook his head and gestured for her to come to him. She smiled in relief, walking towards him and allowing Jaime to pull her onto his lap. "This is much better," he murmured, kissing her temple. "What happened?"

"It's my own fault. I should not have listened when…I wanted to see how she received Arya and…" as her voice trailed off, Jaime wiped the tears that began to roll down her cheeks. "She said that she thought she'd lost all of her children and Arya told her that she had the both of us…that I was just outside. But it was as if I don't exist for her. She held Arya and told her she loved her and…pretended Arya had not even said my name."

He could see that she was fighting the urge to cry and Jaime wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. "Don't ever let anyone make you feel that you don't exist. I'd have nothing in this world without you." She smiled through her tears, looking down at her belly and resting her hand on it. "That's right. You're everything to me and you will be everything to our babe."

"I haven't told my sister." He looked down at her rapidly expanding belly and raised an eyebrow. "I know it will be obvious soon. I just worry that she'll react as my mother did. I've missed my family and…as much as she infuriates me sometimes…Arya is my sister. The only family I have left. I don't want to hear her say that I'm not her sister," she finished with a whisper.

Jaime wished that he could promise her that wouldn't happen, but he'd learned that he knew nothing about the Starks. He'd certainly never expected Lady Catelyn to treat Sansa as she had. "Your sister may surprise you."

Sansa nodded. "You love me don't you?" she asked hesitantly.

"You really need even ask? I love you very much, Sansa. And our little lion cub as well." Jaime could see that she was feeling lost and unloved. That she was looking for reassurance and comfort. He helped her to her feet and led her to their bed. "You should rest. There's been quite a lot of excitement the past few days. And I expect the babe would benefit from you sleeping."

He walked her back to the sleeping area in their tent and helped her take off her gown. Jaime smiled at the sight of her protruding belly as she stood in just her shift. He held back the furs and blankets so Sansa could crawl under them and he sat beside her, holding her. She curled up against his chest, absently playing with the ties on his tunic.

"Tell me about Casterly Rock, again."

He smiled. "Casterly Rock is the biggest castle you have ever seen. Only Harrenhal is larger in all the Realm. It's a fortress, really, and it overlooks Lannisport and the Sunset Sea. It's carved out of a great stone mountain. When the sun hits the Rock, it glows a golden red much like the color of your hair." He saw her smile. "The Rock has never fallen – its walls have never been breached. The castle never taken. It's the safest place you can be. In what will be our bedchamber, you can hear the ocean roaring beneath the castle."

"It's where this babe will be born," he said, looking down at her pregnant form curled against him. "We'll raise our child there…and any others we may have. I will do anything in my power to make you happy, Sansa. Anything in my power to make Casterly Rock feel like your home."

He glanced down and saw her eyes beginning to close and lowered his voice to a whisper. "No one will ever harm my beautiful Lady of the Rock. Anything I can give you…you shall have, my love. We'll live our lives far away from King's Landing…and the Iron Throne."

He slid from her grasp and helped ease her down further onto the bed, smiling as she curled onto her side, in a little ball. Jaime rubbed her belly with affection before pulling the furs to cover her to the neck and bending to kiss her forehead.

He left her to sleep and resumed his place at his table. It wasn't long before little Arya Stark came running in, his men trailing after her. She stopped at the sight of him and looked around the tent.

"Where's my sister?"

"She's sleeping," Jaime said in an irritated voice. He glanced at his guards. "I'd like to speak to the child alone." His soldiers nodded, leaving them alone. "Sansa came back from your mother's tent crying. She'll not be escorting you there anymore."

"It's your fault," she whispered viciously. "If it wasn't for you, my mother and Sansa and I would be a family again."

He leaned towards the child. "It if wasn't for me, the three of you wouldn't even have seen one another again. Sansa would be dead or locked up in King's Landing, your mother would be in Walder Frey's dungeon, and you'd be facing a long winter alone in the cold with your friends."

"Let us go. I can protect my sister. She doesn't need you."

Jaime raised his eyebrows and took another sip of wine. "Is this the thanks I get for treating you kindly?"

"You're destroying what's left of my family." Jaime reminded himself that the child had lost her father and her three brothers, as well as her home. That she was likely desperate to put her life back the way it was before the royal visit to Winterfell. "Sansa should have learned with Joffrey – he split us apart just as you are doing. She needs to choose her family this time."

Jaime leaned back in his chair and gestured for Arya to sit. She dramatically slumped into the chair opposite him and Jaime resisted laughing. Her willfullness did remind him of Cersei at that age. Not that he'd ever tell Arya. He'd likely end up with that little sword of hers through his eye. "What did your mother tell you about Sansa and me?"

"Not very much," she said quietly. "She didn't want to talk about her. She said you've turned Sansa against our family."

"How did I do that?" he asked curiously. She shrugged. "If I didn't want Sansa to have a relationship with you – or with your mother – I could have left the both of you in the Riverlands and saved myself a great deal of aggravation."

"If we're so aggravating, then let us go."

He smiled. "Sansa is my wife. She's not going anywhere without me. And I can't let you or your mother go free, I'm afraid. The best I can do is offer you a safe and comfortable place to live. With Sansa. Though, make no mistake, I won't allow you to treat her as your mother has. You do know your mother has disowned her."

Arya nodded. "I won't do that," she said quietly.

"Good. Despite your mother thinking that Sansa's turned against her family…it hurts her very much to be rejected by her mother. And Sansa's already shed far too many tears." Arya was quiet, looking down at the table. "You may like Casterly Rock if you give it a chance. Sansa tells me you're an archer…there are very nice archery grounds at the Rock."

She examined the little sword on her hip and feigned disinterest. "You'd give me a bow and arrow?"

"So long as you don't point it at me or your sister." She smiled to herself. "I'm not going anywhere, Arya. You'd best get used to me."

She glared at him. "I suppose you're better than Joffrey. But don't think I like you. I don't."

"Your distaste for me is noted. Sansa tells me you offered to kill me for her."

"I could do it," she said defiantly. "She asked me not to. But if you hurt her, I will."

Jaime didn't challenge her assertion that she could kill him, though he found it amusing. "I would never hurt your sister. I promise you." He could see that she didn't quite believe him. "Have you spoken to her at all about what happened when she was alone in the capitol?"

She shook her head. "She said Joffrey hurt her but…she didn't say anything else. She didn't say what he did."

Their conversation was interrupted when Sansa started screaming from where she slept. Jaime pulled his sword and hurried to her. He saw that she was dreaming, though her screams persisted. He dropped his sword and sat beside her on the bed.

Jaime gripped her shoulder and said her name as she struggled against him. Her eyes flew open and she looked at him in terror before sitting up and, wrapping her arms around his neck, burrying her face against him. "It was just a dream, Sansa. Just a dream. You're safe."

"I was at…Roslin and Edmure's wedding," she said breathlessly. "I saw them kill Robb and…cut off his head. Then they killed Grey Wind and…Lady," she started crying against him. "Then they…were going to cut off my head too," she whispered.

Jaime swallowed in anger. Damn you, Catelyn Stark. This was exactly why he had shielded her from the details of her brother's murder. He gently circled his hand over her back. "You're safe, sweet girl. No one's going to harm you."

"It was so real," she said in a shaky voice. "I miss my brothers and my father," she said quietly, her arms still wrapped tightly around his neck. He felt her fingers gently stroking the back of his neck.

"I was angry with my father the last time we spoke. Before…but I always knew that he loved me. When I was growing up at Winterfell…I was never scared. Because I knew that my father or Robb…would protect me. I never thanked them for making me feel safe. I wish I could go home…" Jaime felt a stab of guilt. Going home to Winterfell was the one thing he couldn't give her right now. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry…don't – don't think that I don't want to be with you. I do it's just…"

"You miss your family."

She nodded and Jaime glanced over Sansa's head, toward where he'd entered the sleeping area. He could see Arya standing in the shadows, watching him comfort her sister. "You must miss Tyrion…and your father," Sansa said quietly.

Jaime gazed down at her and smiled sadly. It was so like Sansa to think of his pain whilst in the middle of her own. He nodded. "Sometimes I do. Tyrion more than my father. I miss being able to ask his advice and…I miss his humor. But I know I'm not alone."

Sansa gazed at him with her big blue eyes and gently touched his face. "You always have me. Just as I always have you."

"I'm sorry I can't give you more of your family back. That I can't take you home to the north," he said softly. "One day, Sansa. One day Winterfell will be as it was, and I will take you home." He felt her burrowing into his arms and against his chest. He kissed her temple. He glanced over at Arya again. He couldn't see much of her, but he could see her grey eyes which were bright with tears. No doubt she shared her sister's grief.

"I know you will protect me now," she whispered. "And love me. I love you, Jaime."

"I love you, too," he said, kissing her softly.

"Will you come to bed now and…just hold me?" He reached out and stroked her face. She needs me. Jaime had never truly been needed by anyone before and he still wasn't used to it. He kissed her softly, nodding as she got back under the furs. Jaime began to disrobe, pausing as he pulled at the laces on his breeches, glancing to where Arya had been standing and seeing she was gone. He removed the rest of his clothes, and placed his golden hand on the bedside table before climbing into bed beside Sansa. She curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest.

"I love you more than anything, Sansa," he whispered as she absently traced her fingers over his chest. "You have nothing to fear. You only have happiness to look forward to…in a few months, our babe will arrive. Think about that, Sansa. Think about your dreams for this child. How much you will love this child."

She nodded her head against his chest. "I already love our baby," she whispered, turning her eyes up at him. "Can we have more?"

He chuckled, stroking her hair. "How many do you want?"

"Enough that they'll always have someone. That they won't ever be alone." He lowered his head to kiss her, smiling as she returned it with an intensity he didn't expect from her.

"You'll never be alone again, Sansa. Not as long as I draw breath. I will chase away all the monsters, and strike down anyone who hurts you. I promise you that."

Jaime could see that she believed him absolutely. She has complete faith in me. I won't disappoint her.

….

I hope you liked it. I like exploring the Jaime/Arya dynamic, because I actually think that she would like him. He'd the famous, spectacularly skilled knight she's heard all about – and dreamed of being - and I think he would be amused by her. Let me know what you thought of it!

Next Chapter: Sansa and Arya watch Jaime battle Ser Ilyn