SANSA

Arya and Jon's chatter were filling up the van. Sansa remained silent as she listened to them reminisce about shared mischief or daring adventures they had gone on together near their childhood estate in Fars Hill, N.J. All of which Sansa had missed out on, prim and proper as she was back then.

Sansa beautiful and delicate even at eleven, had preferred tea parties with her best friend Jeyne Poole who she'd met at Far Hills Country Day School. A girly girl like her, Jeyne and Sansa would often giggle for hours as they gossiped while sipping tea or sewing. Sometimes they would play with their wide array of china dolls, although they often wondered if they were growing too old for them.

Remember when we? Those words seemed to precede every shared memory as Jon and Arya laughed and conversed, lost in their own world; their tight bond effortlessly picking up right where it had left off the last time they'd seen each other. It was as if the years apart had never occurred.

Sansa loved her siblings and she knew that they loved her, but she had never shared a tight bond with either of them like Jon and Arya had, or Robb and Jon used to, or even Bran and Rickon. The littlest ones who bonded over frequently being left behind by their older brothers and wild sister.

Sansa had always just been there. The proper one who frightened easily, disliked rough play, and was always quick to run and tattle. She sighed. How she regretted it now.

Uncle Benjen looked at her. "Are you okay, love?" his voice was kind and caring and she smiled at him before she nodded.

Snuggling against her uncle's side and resting her head on his shoulder, Sansa closed her eyes, anticipation running through her at the thought of reuniting with Bran.

It was with a stomach full of nerves that Sansa walked through the airport towards arrivals. The fingers on her right hand had turned numb from how tightly Arya squeezed them. The younger girl was just as nervous as Sansa although she masked it better.

"He should be around this area," Jon muttered, sounding as anxious as she felt.

They peered around as they neared the area Bran was supposed to be waiting.

"There he is," Uncle Benjen suddenly said.

Sansa's head turned sharply, her gaze following his pointing finger until her eyes settled on their mark. She would recognize that shock of vibrant auburn anywhere.

"The Tully hair," Father always used to tease.

The little boy to whom it belonged, sat in a wheelchair, appearing vulnerable and uncertain as his eyes anxiously roamed over the crowd. He looked younger than his eleven years.

It was Bran, tiny and alive. In one movement, they all rushed him, overcome with emotion. Bran's eyes lit up as he spotted them, immense relief and joy sweeping over his previously pale and taut features.

His wheelchair almost rolled back under the force of their combined weights, but Bran didn't seem to mind as he hugged them back just as fiercely. His huge crystalline eyes were overflowing as he took in the sight of his siblings and uncle.

Sansa's tear streaked face was buried in his hair and she was squished between everyone but she hardly noticed. Neither of them seemed temporarily capable of speech, and for a while all that could be heard was sniffling here and there, which eventually gave way to happy laughter as they finally stepped back to drink in the sight of one another.

The ride back to the condo was even louder than the ride to the airport. Everyone engaged in happy conversation, sharing their favorite memories that included Bran who was laughing merrily in the back, his wheelchair locked into place.

The door man and front desk staff peered at them with barely concealed interest as they headed to the elevators, but they maintained their professional distance as they offered a polite nod and "good day."

Sansa couldn't blame them. Jon and Uncle Benjen had lived here alone for a year or so and now suddenly all of these missing family members were showing up out of the blue. It must be intriguing from the view of an outsider.

"Is it weird having a new mother and father?" Sansa questioned, after Bran's luggage had been settled into the bedroom that he would be occupying and they had gathered in the great room. She couldn't fathom having two strangers trying to replace her beloved mother and father.

"It was weird at first," Arya voiced. "But I grew used to them and now I love them too. I haven't forgotten Mother and Father, I will always love them of course —"

Bran nodded in agreement.

"— I just have room in my heart for my adopted parents too."

Jon nodded understandingly. He had also lived with adopted parents and still kept in touch with them. Twice already this week his adopted mother had phoned.

Sansa didn't understand it so she changed the topic. Petyr had never pretended to be her parent. He'd always been her uncle.

In a way I was the lucky one, she thought.

"Can we visit our old house?" Bran asked, and they all looked at their uncle.

"What happened to it anyway? Was it sold?" Arya added, the thought looked as if it pained her.

"It was on the market … When I found out, I bought it so no one else could," Uncle Benjen explained. "It's still there."

Sansa gasped. "Please, let's visit then," she pleaded.

Uncle Benjen nodded. "Since all four of you are together for this short while, we can go tomorrow. It's an hour drive."

Bran reached out to hug him and Arya leaned forward to join the embrace. It somehow ended with all five of them hugging each other tightly, holding back sudden emotion.

It wasn't until after one a.m. that they finally prepared for bed. And even then Sansa's mind was too active to settle down. Her head was bursting with all of the things that she wanted to share with Sandor.

After receiving permission from Uncle Benjen, she made her way to the computer nook situated to the right of the kitchen. The shiny white computer desk was attached to the glass wall, providing her a view of the skyscrapers and One World Trade Center rising tall and bright in the distance, while the overhead sky was dark and mysterious in contrast.

She eagerly logged into her email and read through her mails before beginning to type:

Dear Sandor,

I miss you! Arya and Bran are here. They're going to be staying for a whole week! I never realized how much I needed them until I saw them again. I'm going to miss them so much when they leave. I told Uncle Benjen that they should live with us since they're our family. But he says their adopted parents are their legal guardians. I'm glad that I was never adopted. I wouldn't like having two people who aren't my parents pretend to be. But Arya and Bran seem to love their adopted parents. Jon too. How old were you when your parents died? Did they die when you were a kid? Were you and your siblings adopted into another family? Write to me soon!

Sincerely,

Little Bird :)

Sansa realized as she shut down the computer, how much she missed hearing Sandor's voice.