Chapter Twelve

It was late by the time Sansa returned from her date with Jaime. She just hoped that Margaery was in bed or out and didn't see what time she snuck back in.

But, as soon as she walked inside she found that not to be the case. She was up, all right. And she looked pissed.

"All right, Sansa, what the fuck is going on? The library closed over an hour ago, you didn't answer your phone, and when I called Jon to find out if you were with him he said you had a date with Drogo. Now I know that's a damn lie. Drogo is our RA's boyfriend and she'd gut you where you stood if you even looked at him cross-eyed. Where did you go? Please tell me that you are not actually seeing Drogo on the side—"

"I had a date with Jaime," Sansa blurted out.

"Jaime– Jaime Lannister? Your professor?!"

"Ssshhh! Margaery, keep it down. No one can know!"

"No shit no one can know! Oh my God, Sansa, what are you doing?"

"Well, tonight he was more interested in choosing music for the talent show that the music department—"

"Sansa, you know I am all for pushing the limits and having a good time, but this? He's old enough to be your father! And he's your professor! What are you thinking?"

"He might be older than me but come on, he's pretty hot," Sansa said weakly.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Sansa, this smacks of grossness."

"It's not gross! He's a cultured, educated man—"

"Who should not be dallying with a nineteen year old girl!"

"Margaery, please don't tell anyone. Please."

"Sansa, I don't like this. It feels gross."

"It's not; it's really not. We haven't…you know."

"I should hope not if you can't even say it," Margaery snapped. She raked a hand through her hair and shook her head.

"What?"

"If Jon found out what you're doing he'd fucking rip Dr. Lannister apart."

"That's why you can't tell him. I lied to him – I told him I had a date with Drogo when he caught me as I was going to meet Jaime the other day. Drogo was the first name that came to mind – I just needed to throw Jon off—"

"He's going to figure it out eventually! I mean, how serious is this thing with you and Dr. Lannister?"

"We're just hanging out."

"Where?"

"His house," Sansa mumbled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say it was gross? It's fucking creepy."

"Margaery, I have stood by you while you have made some pretty god awful decisions regarding men. I am asking you to just do me a solid here and not say anything to anyone about this."

Margaery's phone rang and she answered it, her jaw clenched. "Yes? Hi, Jon. Yes, she's home…I don't know, she must have turned her phone off. She's standing right here…"

Sansa shook her head and waved her hands in a 'no way' fashion. The last thing she wanted or needed in that moment was to have to come up with a bunch of lies about where she'd been on her "date with Drogo."

"She's going to take a shower," Margaery said. "She'll call you tomorrow." She hung up the phone and sighed. "Sansa, I'm legit worried about you right now."

"I'm fine, Margaery. He hasn't done anything creepy. He's been a perfect gentleman."

"For now."

"No, he won't do anything."

"You're being naïve."

Sansa was so tired of people telling her that. She resisted the urge to blow up at her friend. Instead she took a deep breath and said, "I'm going to take a shower now."

When she returned to the room after her shower, Margaery had her back turned to her in bed. Obviously she was done talking. Sansa just crawled into her bed and curled up on her side wondering how her life had just spiraled so out of control in so short a time.

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Sansa didn't hear from Jon for the next few days. He was pissed at her, she knew it. Every time he tried to assure her that he was still her Jon and always would be, something would send her running. Margaery had made it clear she wasn't too keen with her either which was funny considering all the crap Margaery had done in the name of love or just sex and Sansa had looked the other way for.

She felt rather alone. So, she turned to Jaime and figuring out what song to audition with to fill up her time. Jaime had her meet with the vocal coach on campus, Brienne, and apparently Jaime had "phoned in a favor" with her since Sansa was not one of her students nor was she a client outside of school. Sansa didn't go into her first lesson under any delusion that she didn't work. She was right. She did need work, but it was work she enjoyed.

After a week of not seeing or speaking to Jon, Sansa knew she had to do something to make it up to him. So, she took the bus into town and went shopping. She got him Milk Duds, Raisinettes, Red Vines, a package of K-cups he usually bought for the Keurig he and suite-mates shared and a card.

On the front of the card there was a picture of a couple tombstones and it said: I hope we're friends until we die…

And then on the inside it said: Then I hope we stay ghost friends and walk through walls and scare the shit out of people together.

She hoped this olive branch worked. Meanwhile, she knew she had to seriously get her crap together. She could not keep bailing on Jon. She had to be supportive of his relationship and just get the fuck over it already.

She just needed to suck it up and deal with the fact that Jon had a girlfriend. He promised there would always be a place for her in his life and there was no reason not to believe him. She was the one putting distance between them, not him.

When she got to his dorm after her shopping trip, she braced herself for the fact that she might find Jon with Ygritte. When she got to his suite, Sam answered. He shifted from foot to foot and looked down at the floor. "Hello, Sansa."

"Hi, Sam! How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. And you?"

"Great, hey, is Jon here?"

"Jon is," came Jon's voice from behind Sam. Sam nodded to Sansa and hurried off.

Sansa braced herself. He didn't look happy. He was also back in his normal jeans and black t-shirt.

He looked at her, waiting.

She thrust the bag of goodies his way. "I got you some stuff."

He took the back and opened it. "Is there an actual olive branch in here?"

"Did you just make a joke?" she teased.

"Depends. Was it a good one?"

"It wasn't bad," she said with a smile. "Oh, and I got you this…" she rummaged in her purse and pulled out the card.

He took it from her and laughed after reading it. He shoved it in the bag and looked at her. "Sansa…"

"I know. I suck. I am the suckiest suck ever."

He raked a hand through his hair. "I just don't understand what's going on. One minute we're fine, the next minute you're running out and not bothering to say anything then I can't get in touch with you…"

"I know."

"Saying you know isn't helping me, Sansa. I need to know what's going on. What is bothering you?"

"Could I…maybe come in?"

He nodded and stepped aside. She dug her hands in the pocket of her hoodie and stepped inside. He led her to his room and she stood in the middle of his room feeling all sorts of vulnerable and awkward. Jon placed his bag of goodies on his bed and sat down in his chair. "So?" he prompted.

She shifted on her feet and sighed. "Okay, so remember when I got all jealous when Margaery started dating that guy last semester because I was afraid that she wouldn't have time for me anymore?"

Jon nodded.

"Well, it's kind of like that."

"Kind of?"

"It is. It is like that. I've had you all to myself and now you're dating someone and I guess I'm just…leaving you before you can leave me."

"You're not allowed to do that, Sansa," he said softly. He looked at her in that intense Jon way again. "I need you."

"I don't think you do, but thanks for saying it."

"Sansa—"

"So I'm gonna try not to be such a freak about everything. I honestly don't know where this fear of abandonment has come from."

"Well, maybe you could start with doing something with me and Ygritte."

That was very much the last thing Sansa wanted to do. Which meant she had to if she was actually going to work on this. "Oh?"

"We talked about it last week. It's important to me that you two get along."

"We don't not get along."

"Just the same, it's important to me."

So then it was important to her. Sansa nodded. "Okay. What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking maybe a trip into town? Just to spend the day walking around, maybe seeing a few historical sites or whatever."

"Nerd."

"Well, yeah. If you wanted you could always invite that guy."

She blinked. "What guy?"

"Drogo?"

Oh yeah. Him. Her fake boyfriend. "Yeah, maybe," she said. I'll invite Margaery.

"How are things going with him anyway?"

She thought of stealing kisses during her lesson with Jaime today. "Great. He's great."

Jon stood. "Is that all you're going to tell me about him? Come on, Sansa. I need to make sure this guy is good enough for you."

She arched a brow. "You didn't ask me if I thought Ygritte was good enough for you when you started dating her."

"Well, maybe after we all spend some time together you can tell me."

Yeah, she would probably just lie because her feelings and judgment were not to be trusted right now. "Sure."

"So, yes to this weekend? You'll invite what's-his-face."

"Drogo."

"Yeah. You'll invite him and we'll all spend some time together?"

Sansa nodded. "Okay." She nodded again. "Okay, well, I'll see you later." She started for the door, but then Jon grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple. "I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you, too," she whispered back.

She thought he would let go then, but he didn't. He just kept on hugging her and Sansa wondered if he was okay when he finally released her and smiled somewhat shyly at her. "Thanks for the treats."

"You're welcome. Night, Jon."

"Night."

Now Sansa had to somehow convince Margaery to join her this weekend. There was no way she was going to be able to handle Jon and Ygritte alone.