SANSA

The drive back home was silent and tense.

Sansa wasn't sure if her heart could hurt any worse. She went straight to her room and threw herself on her bed as soon as they entered the condo. After an hour of listless staring, she asked Uncle Benjen if she could use the computer.

"Sure," was his quiet reply, so Sansa made her way to the computer and turned it on.

She was pleased to find that Sandor had replied to her last email and hurriedly read his reply:

Little Bird,

My mother died when I was six. The old man when I was twelve. I wasn't adopted, I was sent to shit foster cares. I escaped all of them and ended up in a group home until I was eighteen. It's good that you're having fun with your siblings. You're one of the lucky ones. You were born into a good family. Don't be too sad when your siblings leave, you can keep in touch with them like we're doing until you see them again.

Your friend,

Sandor

The reminder of why she felt so dejected caused the gloominess to rise over her again as she typed with numb fingers:

Dear Sandor,

I don't want to have to write to them. I just want them here.

Sincerely,

Little Bird :'(

Sansa didn't have much to say after that, so she logged off and went back to her room to sulk.

Jon and Uncle Benjen appeared just as downcast as her during dinner time and that made her feel a little better. But she knew that nothing would truly make her happy until Arya and Bran were back.

Sansa found it difficult to sleep that night, drifting in and out of a fitful dream.

They were all in the car, Robb and Jon were laughing in the back with baby Rickon's chuckles echoing their own. Arya was glaring daggers because she had wanted to sit in the back with Robb and Jon but she was forced to sit in the middle seat with Sansa and Bran. Sansa looked at Bran who was absorbed in the three eyed raven that he was sketching in his sketch book; completely oblivious to the activities of his family all around him. Even at seven he was already incredibly gifted.

Sansa settled back in her seat, content to have her family surrounding her. She was still sick with the flu and Mother had originally decided that she would stay home, but Sansa had pleaded and cried until Father relented and allowed her to go out with the family. She felt safe listening to her older brothers' laughter in the back, but their laughter only made Arya pout more, while Bran continued to grunt his concentration.

Her parents' soft murmurs were drifting from the front seat and then Mother's phone rang. Sansa's attention snapped to it as worry started unfurling in her chest, but she didn't know why. As Mother spoke on the phone, Sansa's worry grew. Something bad's going to happen, it was a mantra in her head. She felt a desperate need to grab all of them, her whole family and wrap her arms around them.

And then the bad thing struck. Father tried to slam on the brakes but they didn't work. She'd known they wouldn't. They were all flying and screaming as the car hurtled through the air and then fell, filling the air with the sounds of crushing, smashing, and shattering. Sansa couldn't move, all she could do was cry silently, her face drenched with tears as the eery silence took over. But somewhere she could hear a scream and it grew louder.

"Sansa, love, open your eyes. It's only a nightmare."

"No!" Sansa yelled, panicked at the crushing silence that seemed to be weighing her down.

"Sansa!"

Her eyes popped open to find Uncle Benjen shaking her frantically.

Jon's face was pale as he stared at her.

Sansa bolted up as she wrapped her arms around her uncle's neck. "Uncle Benjen, don't let me lose them! Save them! Please!" she was hysterical.

Uncle Benjen sat on the side of her bed and pulled her close. "Shh. It's over. It was just a nightmare," he murmured, rubbing her back. He held her until her sobbing turned to hiccups and the tears had dried up on her cheeks.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" she hiccuped.

Uncle Benjen looked worried. "I don't think so," he said. "That wouldn't be appropriate."

"Please," Sansa begged, not wanting to be left alone to suffer through more painful dreams.

"We could camp out on the terrace," Jon suggested. "That way you won't be alone. Uncle Benjen has a collection of sleeping bags."

Sansa looked at her uncle as she held her breath.

"That sounds like a good idea," he finally said.

She jumped up. "I need water first."

"So do I," Jon said, "I'll accompany you."

Jon wrapped an arm around her and hugged her to his side as they walked to the kitchen. "I dreamed about them too," he whispered.

"I remember you and Robb laughing in the backseat," Sansa's voice was sad as she spoke of their dead brother. Jon and Robb had been inseparable.

Jon's face looked so haunted that Sansa immediately hugged him, wanting to take away some of his pain. His arms wrapped around her as he hugged her back.

They stood there embracing each other for a longtime, until Uncle Benjen called from the great room, "the sleeping bags are all set!"

They each quickly poured some water and gulped it down before heading to the terrace.

There were three sleeping bags laid out next to each other. And Sansa felt a smile break out across her face as warmth spread through her chest. She slipped into the middle one, squirming around until she was comfy.

Uncle Benjen and Jon followed suit, settling into their own sleeping bags.

All around them skyscrapers were lit up, their blaze substituting that of stars. It was like sleeping in the sky among the skyscrapers.

With Uncle Benjen and Jon on either side of her, Sansa stared up at the dark sky overhead that seemed so close, treasuring the moment. Finally her eyelids started to droop close as the cool breeze blew over them and Sansa sighed contentedly before drifting off to sleep.