A/N: My eternal thanks as always to all you reviewers/followers/favouriters. Seriously you all blow my mind a little more with every chapter with your awesome response, I am so very grateful! Here's a new chapter for you all anyway that I hope you enjoy!

IloveStallison: Aww, so sorry I made you cry! Here's the new update!

Right-ho, onwards folks, hope you like it!

:)

Cold

They were half way to Casterly Rock and still she was barely speaking to him. Any words that passed between them were awkward and overly polite if they were in the company of others and when they were alone she barely said a word and when she did it was brisk and cold. He missed her warmth more than anything; he missed the smiles she would bestow on him and her gentle touch. He missed holding her in his arms, their warm, bare skin pressed so tightly together as they drifted to sleep after making blissful love to one another. Love. She had loved him. Loved him. He still couldn't forgive himself for that, for losing her love. He couldn't forgive himself for any of it. His steps were slow as he made his way along the hallway of the inn; the horses were saddled and ready outside and now he just needed to tell his wife that they were leaving. She would paint her happy face on then and go out and greet the men with a smile on her face before allowing him to help her up onto her horse. That was the only time she allowed him to touch her, when she mounted and dismounted her horse and that was only because others were looking. He stood outside the door to the chamber they had occupied then, steeling himself for her frosty demeanour before pushing open the door.

For a second he thought the room was empty but then he saw her, knelt down on the floor and retching over a chamber pot. He forgot how angry she was with him then and forgot how she didn't want him touching her or being anywhere near her unless it was necessary and strode over to her, pulling her soft, golden tresses away from her face as she emptied her breakfast into the pot. To his surprise she didn't flinch away from him nor swat him away as he held her hair back in one hand and rubbed the other gently up and down her back. It wasn't the first time she had been sick, it was due to her condition, due to the baby growing inside her. His baby. Part of him could still not believe that it was real and he thought it likely because Lanette had never mentioned being with child after she had told him about it in her fit of rage. Since then she hadn't said one word about being pregnant and he didn't know what to make of her silence. He didn't dare bring it up himself, she was angry enough with him as it was without him bringing up the very thing that was tying her to him. She dry heaved then and he rubbed her back slightly more firmly, hoping he could at least bring her some comfort.

Lanette seemed to realise exactly what he was doing then and he felt her stiffen under his touch but he didn't move his hands away from her. She shifted herself away from him then and he rocked back onto his heels, merely gazing at her as she sat there on the floor, wiping her shaking hand across her mouth before she stroked them across her cheeks, taking in grateful gulps of air. Jaime didn't know if he should say anything to her, offer her any soothing words or just leave it be. She had allowed him to touch her, albeit briefly. Surely that was something? Surely he had pushed it far enough for one day?

"I came to tell you the horses are ready," he told her after a few moments.

"I'll be down in a minute," she said weakly and he nodded, rising up to his feet. He was halfway to the door when he hesitated and turned back to her.

"Are you alright Lana?" he asked and she met his eyes for a moment and he wanted to cringe at the look she bestowed on him.

"It's just the baby," she said after a long pause, her eyes softening slightly.

"We can delay if you …" he started.

"I'll be there in a minute," she cut him off and he nodded his head again before striding from the room.

Lanette indulged in some light chatter with one of the guards as the sun rose higher in the sky. She was so damn sick and tired of constantly keeping her mouth shut and her guard up but as she was nowhere near ready to let Jaime back in she had had to find someone else to talk to. The conversation was of little importance; the weather, how well the journey was progressing and which inn they would likely be stopping at when the sun went down. There were plenty of inns along the Gold Road which meant that it was unlikely they would ever have to camp out for the night. Lanette was glad of that, the canvas of tents was thin and she didn't need anyone to know that she and her husband were in such turmoil. People would whisper and she couldn't have that; her pride had already been dented enough and her heart was in pieces. Not that she would admit that to Jaime. She had already admitted too much to him when she had told him she loved him. He didn't need to know that those feelings were still there. She refused to be that weak and forgive him so easily, to love him again when he had made no mention of returning her feelings. He was sorry, she believed that, but she had still been a marriage of convenience for him, a way to spite the apparent betrayal of his sister. She shuddered again as she thought of him with her, as she saw their lips touch.

"Are you alright my Lady?" the guard at her side asked her.

"Just fine thank you Ser," she replied, forcing a smile to her face that seemed to placate him.

"Lana?" Jaime's voice came from her other side and she forced her expression to relax before she turned to him.

"Yes?" she replied, hoping she looked serene and unaffected.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked her quietly.

"Truly I'm fine, thank you for your concern," she said lightly before turning to face the front again.

Jaime said no more but she could feel his eyes on her. Gods she wished he would look away, the intensity of his gaze always made her feel like she would crumble to pieces and let him back into her heart. It made her feel ashamed of herself. How could she still want him when the entire time he had been with her he had been secretly craving another? His own twin. It disgusted her and it disgusted her that she couldn't shut down her feelings. She should feel nothing for him after what he had done but she couldn't help it. In her mind she tried to blame the baby, she tried to tell herself that she cared for him because she was carrying his child but she knew that it wasn't true. In her heart she knew that even if there was no baby she would still be here riding at his side. Would she though? She stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye and saw that he was now looking out ahead of them. Would she be here if she were not pregnant with his child? Had it just been a simple choice between her and Cersei would he have chosen her? Was he riding at her side for her or the baby? She didn't know and the not knowing was killing her but she could never dent her pride still further by asking him. She was better than that. Her mother always taught her that she was better than that.

They ate their food in silence as ever, the only sounds that of distant dogs barking, the bawdy laughter of men drinking downstairs and the occasional whinny of the horses tethered outside. The silence was crushing, the distance between them was so small physically but in reality they may as well be on different continents. Sometimes Jaime met her eyes and he imagined that she would be quite happy if they were on different continents. They would arrive at the Rock in the late afternoon tomorrow and Jaime was already fretting about them being in his father's presence. His father was too clever by half and no matter how well they acted he knew that he would pick up on the tension and distance between them. Jaime could only pray that he would ask no questions and that any suspicions or worries he had would be abated when Lanette's belly began to swell. His eyes flickered down to it then despite himself, seeing no change in her yet but knowing that his seed had taken root in her. Knowing that each day it grew a little more. She placed her knife and fork down on her plate then and he was relieved to see she had only left a few scraps on her plate. Sometimes she could barely force down half a plate of food before she began to feel sick and in truth he had been worrying about her; not that she would appreciate his concern.

She rose up from the table then and his eyes followed her across the room, watching as she pulled her nightdress from her belongings and disappeared behind the screen to change. He sighed heavily. Before she had discovered the truth about him and Cersei he had never seen one hint of a nightdress. She had always slept naked in his arms and had never hidden her bare body from his gaze. Things were so different now. So different and so cold and he knew it was all his own fault but he couldn't help but feel bitterness seeking through his veins. He missed her. He missed her so damn much and he was terrified that she would slip so far away from her that he would never be able to pull her back to him. The thought of her resenting him forever made him want to break down and cry. It made him want to throw himself at her feet and beg her over and over until her resolve crumbled and she melted back into his arms where she belonged. He considered it then as she emerged from behind the screen and placed her shift and dress carefully across the back of one of the chairs but he stayed rooted to the spot as she turned towards the bed. As ever she pulled one of the pillows into the middle before she climbed into one side and drew the covers up around her. He would lay on the other side when he went to join her; a simple pillow the divide between them. A simple pillow that he had so much hatred for because it symbolized everything that had gone wrong in his marriage. It taunted him, reminded him of the barrier between them; reminded him that his sweet, warm wife could not bear to have him touch her.

When he could stand it no longer he stood up and began to remove his own clothing. When he was down to his breeches he approached his own side of the bed and climbed in. He could tell by her breathing that she was still awake as he lay there stiffly, staring up at the ceiling. When he turned his head to the side to look at her he was unsurprised to see her back firmly turned on him. He narrowed his eyes at the pillow then, wanting so badly to grab it from the bed and toss it away before pulling her into his arms whether she liked it or not. He just wanted to hold her, to feel her warm and real under his touch again. Was that really too much to ask? Of course it was, he almost snorted to himself, of course it was too much after what he had done to her. He turned his eyes back to the ceiling then and did his best not to think about all the happy times they had shared and how much he missed that brief period of bliss. Why did he have to be so weak? Why did he have to ruin it?

"I miss you," he said then before he could stop himself, tears welling in his eyes as he heard her shift slightly on her side of the bed.

"I miss you too," she said in a voice so small he thought he had imagined it.

"I wish I could make it right," he whispered.

"Just let me have some time Jaime," she said quietly.

"Whatever you want," he replied, a sudden weight lifted from his chest; "I'll give you whatever you want."

His father had had the Lord and Lady's chambers refurnished in the time they had been at the Capitol; his wedding gift to them he had said with a thin smile before he had retreated back to his study. Jaime was glad that his greeting had been a brief one, that he had had no time to notice the gulf between him and Lanette. She was quiet as ever at his side as they ascended the flights of stairs and made their way along the lavishly decorated hallways but he could see her eyes taking everything in, wide with what he hoped to be wonder. He tried to remember something of his mother and father's old chambers but he was drawing a blank. Too often he found himself forgetting his mother, sometimes it was all too difficult to remember anything about her. He remembered her being soft, her embrace being warm and her scent soothing. Her voice had been soft too, and her hair. Soft. How he craved that back in his life. He glanced at his wife again then but she was too busy taking in the suits of armour and the portraits that lined the hallway. The tension between them was still there but it had eased somewhat. He still didn't dare touch her, to even try and hold her hand but she didn't look at him with disgust and disdain in her eyes anymore. What it was he didn't know but he knew that it was still nowhere near love.

When they reached the highly polished double doors of their new chambers he took a deep breath before pushing them open. He remembered now, although the décor was different. He remembered the full length windows on one side of the living area that revealed a perfect view of the Sunset Sea. He remembered the doors on opposite sides of the large shared space, one leading to the Lord's chamber and the other to the Lady's. Back when he and Lanette had been happy he had thought that they would share one chamber, the other would be redundant. Now he knew they would be sleeping apart and it made him want to cry again. Before he could succumb to any of his emotions he walked purposefully into the room and crossed to the windows, looking out at the sun shining high overhead, its rays catching the surface of the water and making it glimmer captivatingly. The view was beautiful and he could remember more now, remember sitting with his hands pressed up against the glass, gazing out at the boats that looked so tiny from up here. He remembered his mother trying to coax him into conversation as she sat doing her sewing but his responses were always vague as he was engrossed by the view. She had never minded though, she had always just chuckled softly and told him that one day when he was big enough he would be able to sail the seas himself. He had longed for it then, waiting for the day when he was old enough to step aboard a ship. Now the thought made him feel sick. He had never stepped foot on a boat and he never would.

"Are you alright?" Lanette's question made him jump but he didn't turn around, feeling her approaching him as he stared out.

"It's incredible what being here has made me remember," he told her as she came to stand next to him.

"The view's beautiful," she offered then and he smiled slightly.

"I would spend hours watching the boats when I was a boy, my mother despaired of me," he said.

"I'm sure she didn't," she said softly.

"She would now," he said slightly bitterly, turning to look at her and she averted her own gaze away from him.

"I don't want our child being born into this," she said sadly, her hand stroking along her stomach; "but I'm not there yet Jaime"

"I know," he breathed, his eyes stinging.

"I just can't forget what you did … I know other men do worse things but … I never thought a man could break me Jaime, I promised myself you would never break me," she said.

"I never meant to," he whispered.

"I believe that," she said after a long pause; "but that doesn't mean I can forget."

It was beautiful. Everything about Casterly Rock was beautiful, even more beautiful than she had ever heard described before. No words could do this place justice. No description would ever be perfect enough in Lanette's eyes. It was breath taking. The perfect place to raise a child. Her hands came to her stomach then and she smiled slightly to herself. The thought of her baby taking its first steps on these sands made her heart swell. The slight breeze ruffled through her hair then and she took the first sigh of contentment she had taken in a long time. She could see her child older then, golden hair glinting in the sun as they raced determinedly across the beach, screams of laughter escaping their mouth as Jaime's exasperated voice insisted they come back up to the keep. A tear escaped her then and she lifted her hand to her face to wipe it away before she turned and walked back up the beach. She had eyed a rather weathered old rock that was nice and smooth with a flat top on her way down and she decided to sit there a while and continue admiring the view, breathing in the salty tang of the sea air. She wasn't ready to go back up to the keep yet, it was nice just being out here. Out here she could almost forget everything.

"My Lady?" she turned, expecting one of her guards, her eyes widening when she saw who it was.

"Lord Tyrion?" she questioned the boy, Jaime had told her all about him but they had yet to meet.

"Jaime is tearing round the keep looking for you, I think he fears you lost," Tyrion said.

"I have been gone a rather long time," she conceded.

"Perhaps I could escort you back?" he suggested and she smiled slightly.

"You must be glad to have your brother back," she said, ignoring his suggestion.

"Yes," Tyrion grinned then and Lanette saw then just how truly young he was, "when he joined the Kingsguard I missed him very much"

"I'm sure," she said, turning her eyes back to the waves gently crashing against the shore.

"I suppose I ought to thank you for him coming home," he said then.

"It was not my doing," she said, her tone slightly bitter.

"You know," Tyrion said slowly, "since you're out here it would be a shame to miss the sunset … I can escort you back inside afterwards"

"Very well," she said, managing a proper smile for him before they lapsed into silence.

It was not long before the sun began to sink down beneath the horizon, its final rays casting out beautiful pinks and golds and reds. The sight was utterly stunning as it slowly descended further and further down, as though it were sinking right into the sea itself. Tyrion was right, it would have been a shame to miss such a sight. She felt vaguely guilty that Jaime was worried about her but she could not be sorry for staying out and seeing such a sight. When it finally sank right down and out of sight she turned to see Tyrion hop down off the rock and offer her his hand with a slightly shy grin. She smiled back at him and took his hand, allowing him to lead her back along the beach and towards the winding steps that led back up to the keep.

"Did you enjoy the view my Lady?" he asked her as they walked.

"It was beautiful," she told him honestly.

"Strange how something so big and beautiful can disappear so quickly," he mused.

"Indeed," she said, thinking about how grown up for his years Tyrion sounded.

"And yet tomorrow it will rise again," he said, "a new dawn, a new day"

"Indeed," she said again, her mind wandering towards Jaime despite itself.

"There you are," Jaime breathed, relief dripping from every word and making the guilt in her stomach stab that little bit harder.

"I went out to the beach," she told him, "and then I ran into Tyrion … he's a wise little thing"

"He got the brains," he said with a small smile, "I suppose that means I got the brawn"

"Yes," she said, "I think it likely the men in the tiltyard would agree with that."

He smiled widely at the trace of humour in her voice and she caught his eye, a small smile gracing her own lips before she seemed to catch herself, her smile fading and her eyes moving back to the needlework in her lap. Jaime didn't mind though, she had smiled, her guard dropping for just a second, just long enough to fill him with hope that perhaps he could win her back after all. She could not keep up this cold façade forever, it was not in her nature to be frosty and aloof. She was warm and soft and she would not be able to keep that hidden from him, her walls would come down eventually, he would just have to be patient and hope they would crumble soon. He wanted her back in his arms, he needed to feel her warm and real under his touch. He needed her to consume him again. Jaime poured himself a glass of wine and sat himself down on the sofa opposite her, his eyes fixed on the fluid motion of her hand as she placed stitch after stitch into her needlework. Watching her work relaxed him and even though no words passed between them the silence was not heavy and awkward as it had been for the last few weeks. He dared to hope then that arriving at Casterly Rock could be a new beginning for them. That they could start all over again without Cersei looming over them at every turn. Eventually Lanette set her needlework down and met his eyes for a moment, giving him the ghost of a smile before she stood and made her way towards her chamber.

"Goodnight Jaime," she said quietly as she hesitated just outside the door.

"Goodnight Lana," he said softly, keeping his eyes trained on her as she let herself into the room before closing the door firmly behind her.

A/N: Slightly better relations ... that was my attempt at young Tyrion anyway, although I doubt he was ever a typical childlike sort.

Hope you enjoyed anyway. I will probably update on Monday, so ... until then ...

:)