An update before the new episode tonight...

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Chapter 68

"You're…so handsome," Sansa whispered, cuddling in his arms, her breasts soft and warm against his chest. "So golden and…perfect." She softly kissed his neck, and slid her hands from his shoulders down over his chest and down to his hips. She glanced up at him, her eyes lidded with desire. "I could lie here with you for hours. Just holding you."

He smiled and nuzzled against the space between her neck and shoulder, inhaling deeply and letting the sweet smell of her fill his senses. "I love you, sweet girl," he whispered before covering her lips with his own. He growled low in his throat as her lips moved against his, one of her hands tangled in his hair, holding him still so she could thoroughly kiss him.

He finally broke their kiss and pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Jaime," she whispered, her eyes gleaming with love for him. He stared into her eyes, as blue as the Sunset Sea, and felt her fingers trailing over his back. He could get lost in those eyes, and had on more than one occasion.

He finally broke their stare to allow his eyes the pleasure of looking over her body, thinking how beautiful she was lying there, naked. He reached out and touched her, slowly moving his hand over her body. Sansa's skin was impossibly soft and he rather enjoyed the sight of his own golden skin moving over her snow white complexion. He leaned over her, kissing her mouth and neck, smiling as she rested her hand on the back of his head, teasing the hairs on the back of his neck.

Jaime lightly kissed and bit at her neck, marking her as his, while his hand caressed her breast. He couldn't resist taking one of her hardened nipples in his mouth. He loved her breasts. He loved how they felt in his hands…and in his mouth. The little chirping noises she made as he suckled on her only encouraged him to continue. Sansa arched her back, unconsciously spreading her thighs and Jaime accepted the invitation, burying himself inside her.

"Come back to me," she whispered against him as he rolled his hips and thrust into her.

"Sansa…"

"I love you, Jaime. I need you with me." Sansa wrapped her legs around his waist and her fingers trailed down his face. "Be strong and come back to me, my love."

Excruciating pain shot through his leg and brought Jaime back from the more pleasant thoughts he'd tried to lose himself in. They were riding over a particularly rocky terrain – and at a quick pace at Jaime's insistence - and the jostling was like a knife in his side at every step. The pain from his injuries had begun as a dull throb when they began their ride back to Casterly Rock and quickly became an almost unbearable stabbing as time progressed.

The only relief Jaime found was to do the same thing he'd done when the Mad King burned Rickard Stark and when Vargo Hoat took his hand – he went away inside and shut his mind off from everything around him. For the past three days, Jaime had lost himself in memories of Sansa. He remembered holding her and making love to her. He thought about her sweet smile and her gentle touch. When he closed his eyes, he could hear her telling him that he loved him. I need Sansa. I need to see her and I need her to hold me.

Jaime gripped the saddle, knowing that his reunion with Sansa and his children was within sight. All he had to do was survive another day's ride. One more day. You can stay alive for one more day. For her. They had been riding for three days and, if they continued their current pace, they should reach the Rock the following evening. The pain of his injuries grew worse with each day that passed and Jaime kept telling himself that he only had to hold on for a little longer. Seeing Sansa will heal me. I just have to get back to the Rock. Back to Sansa. He couldn't stop the groan of pain that came unbidden to his lips.

"Don't die just yet, Kingslayer. Lady Sansa will have all our heads if you're not breathing when we return you to her. If you're going to die, wait until after we reach the Rock." Jaime wanted to snap at Lord Umber to shut up and ride, but he knew there'd be no point. Despite the freezing temperatures, Jaime felt uncomfortably warm. Fever must be setting in, he thought, remembering how he had suffered when his stump was infected.

Ser Addam had removed most of his armor before binding his injured leg and wrapping thick strips of linen around his chest and stomach, over the layers of boiled leather. He had hoped that the pressure would stop the bleeding, though Jaime had bled through the dressings twice already. They had tried to put him in the nearly empty food-wagon for the journey back to Casterly Rock, but he refused to be carted around like an invalid and insisted on riding his horse.

Three days later, he was beginning to regret his choice. Not that he would ever admit. Nor would his pride allow him to ride in a wagon.

Jaime had been able to hide the pain for a while, insisting that he was fine, but he could see Edmure and Addam were not fooled. Jaime could barely remain atop his horse. He was forced to use his right arm and his one good hand to hold on, leaving him unable to direct his horse. Gendry had seen his difficulty and silently tied Jaime's horse to his own. It was humiliating, but he knew that he had to let the boy help him if he had a hope in hell of making it back to Casterly Rock alive.

He remembered how he'd fallen from his horse again and again after the Bloody Mummers took his hand. He remembered how they'd laughed at him and mocked him. Jaime would not allow his men – or the Northmen – to see him so weak. So he held onto his saddle, refusing to fall off, and forced his thoughts back to Sansa. He forced away the pain and retreated inside his mind again, thinking about when Julianna was born. He remembered the moment he first held his little girl in his arms. When he finally met the little creature he and Sansa had been eagerly anticipating for months. He'd immediately felt that the infant in his arms was his and that he was hers. I have to live for my daughter. I have to see her again.

"We're stopping," he heard Addam call out to the group and saw Gendry reach for the reins on his horse, slowing both Jaime's mount and his own.

"No. We'll keep going. We're nearly there," Jaime ground out, doing his best not to show the agony he was feeling. "There's only a day's ride left."

"It's the middle of the night." Addam looked him over, the pity evident in his eyes. "The men are tired."

He could see that his friend was lying – trying to spare Jaime's pride. "The men? You've always been a terrible liar. We both know you're stopping for my benefit. Because you think I'm too weak to go on. I don't need to rest." His words were unconvincing, even to Jaime's ears.

Edmure Tully strode over and he and Addam helped Jaime down from his horse, despite his feeble protests that he did not require their help. "Don't be an idiot, Lannister. We've scarce stopped riding and you've not stopped bleeding for the past three days. You're not up to it."

"What do you care?" Jaime snarled, his pain taking away what little patience and courtesy he had.

"My niece values your miserable life. I promised to bring you back in one piece. And that's what I intend to do." He sighed, looking Jaime over. "You've bled through the dressings again. Will you reconsider riding in the wagon?"

Jaime shook his head. "I've made it this far. I can stay alive for one more day."

"Sit down for a few minutes at least," Addam said, exchanging a look with Edmure. "We'll change your dressings again and…then we'll continue on. If you insist that we not stop for the night."

"I do." Jaime bit the inside of his cheek as they removed the linen strips covering his wounds and bound his injuries anew. Much as he wanted to, he would not scream. Not there.

I must return to Sansa.

…

Sansa sat at the window in her darkened bedchamber. Tommen and Julianna were asleep in her bed, but Sansa was restless. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her head on her knees, staring out into the darkness. Jaime had been gone for so long, and she'd not heard anything from him since that first letter. Sansa was beginning to panic. She had not seen the fires for weeks and she was terrified that Jaime and his men had all been killed by the White Walkers.

She managed to put on a brave face during the day. The face of the Lady of Casterly Rock. After the first day that she had hidden away in their bedchamber, Sansa realized she was being childish. She was not acting as a lady should. So, she forced herself to go about the business of running the castle. The servants and Jaime's soldiers had to see that she was up to the task. They needed to see that she was worthy of being Lady of Casterly Rock.

She had pulled herself together for the children as well. For Tommen and Julianna. Sansa had learned that Julianna was sensitive to her emotions. Whenever she was upset, the babe was noticeably uneasy and would begin to cry. Sansa didn't want them to see her tears and she didn't want Tommen to fear for Jaime any more than necessary. She tried to be positive and reassure them that Jaime would return.

But at night, when she was alone, Sansa allowed the scared little girl inside to come out. Why hasn't Jaime returned? She didn't know how long she could keep up the façade that everything was all right. She felt like she was only a few days away from completely falling apart. She was ashamed of herself when she thought of how long her mother had waited alone while her father was away at war. Lady Catelyn had waited years for him to return to her, and Sansa was falling apart after a little over a month.

What if he doesn't ever return? Sansa was terrified to think about what would become of her and the children if Jaime were to die. The thought of becoming as powerless as she had been before her marriage to Jaime – before she became Lady of the Rock – was what made it impossible for her to sleep. She loved Jaime with all her heart – as she would never love any other man. But he was also her protection. He was the only one who had been able to protect her. She felt her eyes fill with tears as she thought about the possibility of never seeing Jaime alive again.

I can't lose him. I can't.

"Don't cry, Sansa," Tommen whispered in a quiet little voice. She saw that he was standing beside her and wiped her eyes, not wanting him to see her cry. I have to be strong for him. I can't scare him.

"What are you doing up?"

"I heard you crying," he said, reaching out to take her hand. Sansa reached for him, lifting Tommen onto her lap. He wrapped his arms and legs around her, resting his head on her shoulder. Sansa held him tightly, rubbing her hands over his back, fighting the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "If Uncle Jaime doesn't come back…will you still take care of me?" he asked hesitantly.

Sansa could hear the waver in his voice, and knew he was trying not to cry. He must be terrified that Jaime will die and I'll abandon him like so many others have before.

"No matter what happens, I'm going to take care of you. I will always take care of you, Tommen. I promise." She held the crying little boy, and pushed aside her own grief so she could be strong for him. For Jaime's son. Sansa sat back and took Tommen's little face in her own hands, wiping his tears away with her thumbs. "Jaime is going to come back to us. He is. I know it. You must believe that."

"Will Uncle Jaime come back soon?"

"I hope so, sweetling. I know you miss him. I do, too. But whenever I miss him, I need only look at you. You look so like him, Tommen." The little boy smiled at that. She knew how much he looked up to Jaime and wanted to be like him.

"I promised Uncle Jaime I would take care of you while he was gone," he whispered. She and Tommen had grown close in Jaime's absence. He never strayed too far from her and he helped take care of Julianna. And of her. She smiled, thinking of how he would kiss her cheek before bed and tell her that everything would be all right. She had come to love the little boy as if he were her own child. Even Lady Catelyn had commented on how protective the child was of Sansa.

"You have taken care of me, sweetling," she whispered, hugging him again. "You've comforted me very much." She rubbed her hand in slow circles over his back and kissed his forehead. "Jaime will be very proud of you. Of how brave you've been. Thank you for being so sweet to me, Tommen," she whispered, blinking back tears.

"You're my family," he whispered. "You and Uncle Jaime said so." She smiled, closing her eyes and resting her head on top of Tommen's as they held one another.

…

Jaime and his soldiers returned to Casterly Rock the following night.

Early in the afternoon, the cry had gone up that Lord Lannister was returning. The scouts up on the battlements had spotted the soldiers in the distance, riding hard for Casterly Rock with their Lannister banners flying, and immediately alerted the entire castle. The returning soldiers were far in the distance when the scouts first announced them, and they had an hour or two to prepare.

Sansa had dared not hope that it was true – that Jaime was returning to her - until she looked out the window for herself and saw the torches moving towards the Rock. Thank the gods.

She ordered the staff to prepare a hot meal for the returning soldiers and to light the fires in the great hall and in the soldier's barracks. She ordered that a barrel of wine be brought up from the cellars, to help warm the men up and celebrate their return. She could only imagine the horrors they had seen and freezing temperatures they had endured for so long. The least she could do was make certain they returned to a hot meal and a warm bed. The staff had immediately rushed about, doing as she asked, and a general feeling of excitement filled Casterly Rock.

The guards notified her when the returning soldiers reached the road leading to the Rock. She threw on her cape and took Tommen's hand before quickly walking down to the Lion's mouth. The two babies remained upstairs in the castle but Lady Catelyn, Arya and Roslin joined them, as well as the majority of the staff – all wishing to greet the returning soldiers. Sansa knew that Roslin was equally relieved that Edmure was back home.

As she stood there with Tommen and her family, Sansa took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She had waited so long for this moment, and Sansa could scarce believe that Jaime was finally home. Tommen smiled up at her as the soldiers began to turn the cranks, raising the gate and opening the Lion's Mouth to allow the returning men entrance to the fortress. She squeezed his hand as she heard the hoof beats of the horses running toward the gate. He's home. Jaime's home.

"Will Uncle Jaime come in first?" Tommen asked, looking up at her.

"I don't know, Tommen. We'll have to look for him. There are a lot of soldiers returning."

"Do you think they killed all the White Walkers?" Arya asked, craning her neck as if she expected them to bring a dead one back with them for her to see.

"I hope so," Sansa said, growing impatient for the return of her husband. "I expect Jaime would not have allowed them to return if they had not."

The riders began pouring in, and Jaime was not among the first several hundred to ride through the gate. She didn't despair, since she'd not seen Ser Addam, Edmure or Gendry either, and expected he would be riding near them. Those who had arrived were already off their mounts and embracing those who were there to welcome them. Some had their wives in their arms, while others merely embraced their fellow soldiers who had remained behind, and began telling stories of what they'd seen outside the castle.

Sansa looked down at Tommen and saw his eager little eyes looking for Jaime. She finally saw her husband ride in beside Gendry and let go of the breath she had not realized she had been holding. In the back of her mind was the possibility that they might have returned without him. That he might have died on the battlefield. Though she'd not dared speak that thought aloud.

"There he is!" Tommen said, pulling at her hand and pointing. Jaime was looking down at his horse, and he seemed exhausted. She thought he would come to her, but he seemed in no hurry to dismount, so she made her way over to him.

Sansa began weaving her way through the crowd of returning men, not wanting to wait a moment longer to feel Jaime's arms around her. She felt Tommen holding her cloak as he followed her through the crowd of soldiers. As she neared Jaime, he was still on his horse, though Gendry had dismounted and was standing beside him. Jaime was filthy and had grown a beard, but he was alive. When she finally reached him, she saw that Gendry was helping him from his horse. Why does he need help dismounting?

Jaime turned and his eyes focused on her and she smiled, never feeling such happiness and relief in her entire life. He looked pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. He's been too long in the cold...and more than a month sleeping on the ground. A night in our bed and a warm meal with be just the thing. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and resting her head against his chest.

"You're home!" Jaime didn't return her embrace. Instead, he gasped in pain and practically collapsed against her. "Jaime?"

Gendry and Ser Addam gripped Jaime's arms, holding him up so he didn't knock her to the ground. Tommen wrapped his arms around Jaime's leg, welcoming his uncle home, and she saw Jaime absently rest his hand on the boy's shoulder, though his head was down, his chin practically on his chest. What's wrong with him?

He whispered her name, like a prayer, and she felt her blood run cold. She rested her hand on Jaime's cheeks, tilting his face up so she could look him in the eyes. "What's the matter?" she whispered softly, kissing his lips. He felt unnaturally warm and she moved her hand to his forehead. "You're burning with fever."

"Sansa," he whispered horsely, reaching his hand up to touch her face.

She began looking him over for injuries, parting his cloak, and she saw rags soaked in blood wrapped around his middle and around one of his thighs. Oh, gods. My poor Jaime. As she tried to look at his injuries more closely, she saw that Jaime was gritting his teeth in pain.

"What happened to you?"

"He was injured by the White Walkers. Their swords cut right through his armor and the boiled leather beneath," Ser Addam said, continuing to hold Jaime on his feet. "We did as much as possible, without a Maester, and got him here as fast as we could."

Sansa called for Pia to send the Maester to their bedchamber. "I'll take care of you, Jaime," she whispered, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. "I'll make you better," she promised, as Tommen began to cry. "You came this far…and I'll make you better." His eyes were glazed with pain and she knew that he was suffering.

Jaime leaned forward, resting his head on her shoulder. "I came back to you," he whispered against her neck, kissing her weakly. "I came back to you."

…

As always, thank you for the reviews and for continuing to read. At least Jaime's finally back with Sansa, though he's not in good shape...Remember: reviews help motivate me to update faster :)

Next chapter: Jaime fights to survive his injuries