Thank you so much for all of the reviews – it's amazing to see how many of you are enjoying the story. Here's the one many of you have been waiting for!

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Chapter 46

"I think the babe's coming."

Jaime could see the fear in Sansa's eyes as she gripped one of the large armchairs in front of the fireplace, leaning against it as she was breathing heavily in pain. He quickly moved toward her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Just breathe, sweet girl. The pain will pass." He knew when her labor pain had passed, because she relaxed and sat down in the chair. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, her hands running over her belly. "It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm scared," she whispered as she looked up at him, her blue eyes bright.

Jaime kissed her forehead. "There's nothing to fear. I'm going to send for the midwife." He smirked at her. "It appears that book of yours was accurate when it said how to bring about labor."

Her eyes widened as she grabbed his hand. "If you tell anyone that I'm in labor because we…"

"Fucked?"

She glared at him. "So help me, Jaime…"

Jaime chuckled at her anger. "It's our little secret," he said, kissing her forehead.

Jaime sent for the midwife, who came to their chambers and spoke to Sansa, waiting to see how far apart her pains were before leaving their chamber, telling him that Sansa would be in labor for some time until the babe came. She said that Sansa's pains needed to be much closer together before going to the birthing bed.

He and Sansa remained together in their chambers throughout the day as her pains slowly became more and more frequent – and more and more painful. Jaime found the best way to help her through her labor pains was to hold her and speak low in her ear, assuring her that he loved her and that she was all right. She was bearing it far better than he had anticipated. He was glad that she wasn't screaming in pain – he wasn't sure he could bear it. It was difficult enough to know she was in pain and that he could not make it go away.

Early in the evening, Sansa's labor pains began to come faster and harder. He heard her gasp, and saw that she was having another pain. It had only been a few minutes since the last contraction. Jaime knelt before her, running his hand over her thigh. Sansa leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder and holding him tightly as the pain gripped her. Perhaps it's time to send for the midwife again, Jaime thought, as he considered how little time had passed between her pains.

Jaime heard the door to their chamber open and saw Arya creep in as Sansa's pain subsided. "Arya, will you stay with your sister for a few minutes? I'm going to send for the midwife."

Arya nodded, sitting in the other chair before the fire, and taking Sansa's hand, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looked at her sister. "Does it hurt?" he heard her whisper as he stepped into the hall .

Jaime walked to the end of the hallway, where Sansa's guards waited. "Bring the midwife here. Now." He felt both nervous and excited that his child would be born soon. He worried for Sansa – that something would go wrong when she birthed the babe. Jaime shook his head and took a deep breath before quickly returning to his wife.

"Does mother know that…the baby is coming?" He sighed at Sansa's hesitant words to her sister as he re-entered their bedchamber. She must wish that her mother would come to help her, as she helped Lady Roslin during her birth.

"I told her," Arya replied.

"What did she say?"

He saw Arya shrug. "She didn't say anything. I told her she could come here with me but…" Arya's voice trailed off and he saw Sansa nod in understanding, her hurt at her mother's indifference apparent to him. Jaime leaned against Sansa's chair, reaching out to stroke her hair.

"When will the baby be here?" Arya asked, looking up at him.

"I hope sometime tonight. I don't believe it will be too much longer." Jaime looked down at Sansa and could see she was still fearful and uncertain, though she and Arya chatted for a few minutes, awaiting the arrival of the midwife, which seemed to distract her from the pain.

Lady Alys arrived with Pia and the midwife in tow as another pain struck Sansa. She gripped Jaime tightly, pulling him to her and burying her face against his neck. She'd been quiet through most of her labor, but he could see this pain was harsher than the others. Jaime held her, running his hand over her hair and murmuring loving words in her ear. He felt tears on his neck, as Sansa began to weep from the pain. Jaime glanced over her shoulder and saw Arya's eyes grow wide as saucers.

"Is the pain too much to bear?" he whispered in Sansa's ear. "What can I do?"

"I'm scared, Jaime." She clung to him, crying against his neck.

"Would you like your mother here with you?" he whispered, stroking her hair. She nodded against him miserably, releasing her grip on his shoulders as her pain subsided. He kissed the top of her head and walked over to Arya. "Bring your mother here. Now. I don't care if she wants to or not. Have the guards help you drag her here if necessary, do you understand?"

Arya nodded and ran from the room.

"Lord Lannister, you can wait outside now. We will notify you when the babe has arrived," the midwife said swiftly as she began to prepare to deliver the baby.

Sansa looked at him in terror and clutched his hand so hard she nearly cut off the circulation. "I'm not going anywhere, I'm afraid," Jaime said matter-of-factly.

The midwife looked appropriately scandalized. "My lord, it's most improper. A man is terrible luck in a birthing chamber."

"Jaime, she'll be fine. We'll take good care of her," Lady Alys assured him.

"I'm not leaving my wife."

He could see that the midwife disapproved. He also knew that she couldn't very well throw him out of the room, since he was Lord of Casterly Rock. She bit her tongue and worked with Pia to remove the bedclothes from Sansa's bed, and replace them with a large pile of clean sheets and blankets, which Jaime knew would soon be stained with Sansa's blood.

The midwife sent Pia over to help Sansa undress. Jaime helped the handmaiden remove Sansa's clothes and help her onto the birthing bed as the ladies draped clean white sheets over her legs and another to cover her breasts and belly. He couldn't help feeling a small tremor of fear, remembering his mother's death in this very room birthing Tyrion. His mother's death was why Jaime had no intention of leaving his wife. Sansa won't die. She's young and healthy. She won't die.

He could feel the disapproval of the women in the room as he joined Sansa in the birthing bed, climbing behind her and gently pulling her to rest her back against his chest. Jaime kissed her temple. "It's going to be all right, Sansa." He felt her tense as the midwife lifted the sheets to have a look between her thighs. Jaime slid his hands beneath the sheets to rub her belly comfortingly as her hands gripped his thighs, on either side of her.

Another contraction gripped Sansa and he felt her grip on him tighten as she gasped at the pain. Jaime kissed her, trying to distract her from the pain. "You are so strong, sweet girl. So brave. Go ahead and scream if you want. It might help to let out the pain."

Sansa didn't scream, but she began moaning and sobbing, fighting back tears as she twisted to wrap her arms around him and cry against his neck. He held her tightly, stroking her back and murmuring in her ear that he loved her. Jaime glanced up as the door opened and Lady Stark hesitantly entered, with Arya peeking out from behind her skirts.

"Arya, wait outside. The birthing chamber is no place for a child," Lady Stark said firmly. Arya looked once more at Jaime and Sansa before retreating outside the bedchamber. "You should wait with her," she said, addressing Jaime. "You should not be in here. It's not proper. You'll be told when the babe is born."

"No," Sansa said mournfully, gripping his arm so hard it would likely bruise. "Please don't make him leave me." She started crying again looking at her mother desperately. He could see that Lady Stark was prepared to relent in the face of her daughter's panicked tears, though she wasn't happy about it.

"Lady Stark, perhaps you and Lady Alys could hold Lady Lannister's legs, when it comes time to push. It won't be too long, now," the midwife murmured, peering between Sansa's thighs.

"Sansa," Jaime said quietly in her ear, "Look straight ahead, out the windows. Can you see the snow falling against the night sky?" She nodded. "Does that remind you of home, my sweet?"

"Yes," she said weakly.

"Try not to think about the pain…don't be afraid. Just listen to my voice and watch the snow fall, Sansa. You're going to get through this, sweet girl. I won't allow anything to happen to you. No one here will allow any harm to come to you." Sansa leaned back against him and began to relax her grip on him, breathing deeply and staring out at the snow. He saw that Lady Stark was listening to him and saw the calming effect he had on her daughter.

Another contraction came and Sansa let out a shuddering sob that echoed throughout the bedchamber and just about made Jaime's heart stop. "The babe is ready to come," the midwife said. "Lady Lannister, it's time for you to push." Lady Alys and Lady Stark sat on either side of Sansa, holding her legs as Pia wiped her brow with a cold cloth.

Sansa began to cry when the next contraction started. Jaime kissed her temple and murmured encouraging words in her ear. He saw Sansa reach for her mother and was relieved when Lady Stark took Sansa's outstretched hand in her own. "It'll be all right, Sansa. You're doing well," she said softly.

"Lady Lannister, Push," the midwife told her. Sansa sobbed as she did as the midwife asked. "Harder. Harder."

"Sansa, scream if it helps," Jaime told her, wincing as her grip on his thigh tightened. She did, so loud it made Jaime shudder in fear. His mother had screamed that way. For hours and hours before she died. Pia wiped Sansa's brow again, and Jaime wrapped his arm around his wife's waist as she cried out. "I love you, sweet girl," he whispered in her ear. "You're going to be just fine," he whispered, more to himself than to her.

Sansa choked back another scream. "That's it," the midwife said. "Another push, now. I see the head." She gave another shriek and began to pant. Sansa gasped as the babe's wails filled the room.

"It's girl," Lady Stark said, taking the crying infant from the midwife to clean her up as Jaime held Sansa and kissed her cheek, overcome with relief that the child was born and Sansa was unharmed. Sansa was crying as she watched her mother carry the babe to the washbasin.

The midwife glanced up at Jaime. "Lord Lannister, would you mind moving from the bed to allow me to tend to your wife?"

"Is something wrong?" he asked in alarm.

"No, my lord. If you'll allow me to clean up the blood and make certain she's not suffered an injury?"

Sansa nodded, tears still streaming from her eyes, turning to look at Jaime. "I'm all right. Go…Jaime, go see the baby. I want you to see her."

Jaime kissed her sweaty brow before slipping out from behind her, laying her back on the bed, and approaching Lady Stark, who was holding the babe as Pia washed her with a warm cloth. He was surprised to see unshed tears in Lady Stark's eyes. "She looks just like Sansa did…when she was born," Lady Stark whispered, as they finished washing the babe. He watched as Lady Stark wrapped her in one of the soft blankets Sansa had made, running her fingers over the meticulously stitched direwolf and lion.

He leaned in to get a close look at the newborn, and saw wisps of red hair on her head, and Sansa's features on her tiny red face. She opened her eyes and looked toward Jaime, and it was as if he was looking in the mirror as he saw the green orbs glittering back at him.

"I suppose there's no mistaking who fathered her," Lady Stark said stiffly as she held her grandchild. She glanced toward Sansa and saw that the midwife and Lady Alys were not quite finished with her. She carried the infant toward Sansa, waiting until she was able to hold her. Sansa glanced up at her mother, smiling faintly at the infant in her arms. "Give her to Jaime, mother. Please. He should hold his daughter."

With obvious difficulty, Lady Catelyn placed the infant who looked so much like one of her own in his arms, before assisting the midwife and Lady Alys with cleaning Sansa up and making sure she was not bleeding or hurt. He was faintly aware of Sansa thanking her mother for being with her, and of Lady Stark brushing her hand over Sansa's hair, comfortingly, and telling her how beautiful the baby was.

Jaime gazed at the infant in his arms, marveling at her eyes, which were just like his. And like his mother's. Other than the eyes, every bit of her was Sansa. He hoped she had Sansa's sweetness and good temper. Jaime gently stroked the soft red hair on his infant daughter's head. My daughter. Her little hands were clenching and unclenching, looking for something to grasp, and Jaime offered her his pinkie, which she immediately tightened her tiny fist around. He felt his eyes grow hot with tears. He couldn't believe something so perfect – so innocent and so pure - had come from him. He couldn't believe this perfect little girl belonged to him.

Jaime had never told Sansa, but he had worried that he wouldn't be able to love their babe. He feared that the reason he didn't feel fatherly toward Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen wasn't because of Cersei or her rules about the children, but because something was wrong with him. He was afraid that he was incapable of loving a child as a father should. As he held his daughter to his chest, Jaime felt an immediate connection with the little creature. He felt as fiercely protective of her as he did of her mother. Jaime gently kissed her forehead as he silently promised to protect her always.

"Lord Lannister," the midwife said quietly, beckoning him over. "Your lady wife is in perfect health. No complications."

"Thank you," he whispered, taking the child to Sansa. Jaime sat beside her on the bed. He was about to relinquish the infant to her when Sansa shook her head and curled up against him, pulling open the blanket covering the baby. He saw her eyes light up as she gazed at their little one. Sansa began running her fingers lightly over the infant's arms and legs, touching her fingers and toes and then gently stroking the soft red hair on the babe's head.

"She's perfect," Sansa whispered, as she leaned her head against Jaime's chest. He held the infant securely in his good arm, and wrapped the arm with the golden hand around Sansa as she leaned against his chest, continuing to examine their baby. "She has your eyes," she said, looking up at Jaime with tears in her eyes.

"And she has your everything else." He stroked Sansa's back with the golden hand as she marveled over their infant. The child had a firm grip on one of Sansa's fingers. Sansa looked up at Jaime and smiled. He leaned down and softly kissed her. "I love you," he whispered. "I love both my girls." He glanced up and met Lady Catelyn's eyes. She quickly looked away, but he could see that she was affected by seeing he and Sansa together with their newborn.

"I love you, Jaime" Sansa whispered, looking back down at the babe who was nuzzling her head against his chest and sucking on Sansa's finger.

"Looks like she's hungry," he said quietly.

Sansa seemed a bit uncertain about what she was to do, glancing over at her mother for help. Lady Catelyn and the midwife slowly approached her. "Allow me to help you, Lady Lannister."

Jaime stood as they helped Sansa into a comfortable position to nurse the babe. Lady Alys patted his arm and smiled down at the babe. "She's beautiful, Jaime. Your parents would be very proud. Send a servant for me if you need anything during the night. Don't hesitate."

"Thank you," he said as she left, the child beginning to squirm in his arms.

"Lord Lannister, the babe?"

He looked at the bed and saw that they had propped Sansa up with pillows all around her and stripped her bare to the waist. He passed the infant to the midwife, who in turn handed her to Sansa. He could see the wonder on his little wife's face as her mother showed her how to hold the child as it nursed. Sansa gasped slightly as the baby latched onto her nipple and began to suckle.

Jaime couldn't take his eyes off Sansa as she nursed their child, though he was faintly aware of the midwife leaving them. He sat down on the bed and gently stroked the babe's cheek as she suckled greedily. "It sounds as if she is purring," Sansa said in a quiet, delighted voice. "Like a little kitten."

"Like a little lioness." He smiled as he watched his daughter suckle at Sansa's breast. My daughter. He gently ran his hand over the infant's head.

"Mother," Sansa said quietly, and Jaime turned and saw that Lady Catelyn was leaving the bedchamber.

"The two of you should have some time alone with your babe," she said quietly, reaching for the door.

"You don't have to leave," Jaime said seriously.

"You must be exhausted, Sansa. I'm glad everyone is healthy," she murmured, standing and watching her daughter nurse her newborn for a long moment before leaving. He saw Arya jump up as Lady Catelyn opened the door. "It's a little girl," he heard Lady Catelyn murmur as she took Arya's hand. "It's late. You can meet her in the morning," she said, as the door closed.

Jaime moved some of the pillows out of the way and sat beside Sansa, wrapping his arm around her when she leaned against him. Sansa stretched her neck up to meet his lips, kissing him several times and meeting his eyes, her smile lighting up her whole face. He heard little squeaks coming from the infant, and helped Sansa move her to her other breast, smiling as the babe resumed her little purring sounds.

"She's very hungry, isn't she?" Sansa asked as she looked back down at the child.

Jaime smirked. "She likes your teats almost as much as I do."

Sansa scowled at him. "Don't say such things in front of her."

"She doesn't understand the words, my sweet."

"She's so tiny," Sansa marveled, gently running her fingers over the infant's little body. "You're not disappointed are you? That it's a girl and not a boy?"

Jaime shook his head, kissing Sansa's cheek. "She is perfect…and I could never be disappointed in a tiny little miniature of you to call my own."

Sansa giggled, resting her head against his shoulder. "What should we call her?"

"What would you like to call her? I know you've thought on it quite a lot. I've seen your lists of names."

"I thought…perhaps we could call her Julianna," she said shyly, as if he might deny her.

"Is that from one of your songs?"

Sansa shook her head. "No. I just think it's pretty. It's not really Northern or Southern. And it sounds like…Joanna, for your mother and like…Lyanna…put together," she said whispered. "I think my father would like that."

"Lady Julianna Lannister, it is." Sansa glanced down at the babe, who had fallen asleep, and smiled lovingly. He'd never doubted that Sansa would make a kind and loving mother, and he could see in her eyes the love she already had for their little girl.

"You should try to sleep, now, while the little one sleeps."

"You'll sleep here tonight, won't you? With me in your arms, like always?" She smiled brightly when he nodded and moved over to make room for him in the bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping infant. Once he removed his clothes and joined her in the bed, she motioned for him to lie down on his back beside her.

Jaime did as she asked and smiled softly as she carefully rested Julianna on his chest, opening the blanket a bit so the babe's skin rested against his. Jaime looked at Sansa in confusion. "They said she should touch our skin. That it would make her feel safe and warm."

He looked at the tiny little thing curled up on his chest and curled his arm with the stump around her body, so she would not roll off of him in the night. The fire was blazing, warming the entire room, so there was no need to fear the cold. Sansa curled up beside him then, resting her head on his shoulder and curling her arm protectively around the babe as well. She gently kissed his chest, and Jaime stroked his little wife's hair as he held his girls in his arms. My sweet angels, Jaime thought as he drifted off to sleep.

….

I hope you liked it. I don't know why, but I always imagine Jaime having a daughter as the first child he's allowed to father. I know the past few chapters have focused more on Jaime/Sansa and everyone at Casterly Rock. We'll catch up with the rest of Westeros, and what's going on with the war for the throne soon.

Next chapter: Arya and Catelyn visit Sansa and the baby.