State of Grace / Ned Stark

26. Hold You

Kill 'em with kindness / Gregor Clegane out now!

Cersei had a blooming bruise on her cheek when Grace passed her in the hall. 

"Cersei-"

"I'm fine." Cersei assured as she kept walking. "Marry a man you love Grace, settle for nothing less than true love." 

Grace watched her keep walking as regal as the queen she was, Cersei was always meant to be queen, she wore it well. 

Grace knocked twice and Ned moaned out a come in. She peered in and he straightened in bed. At least he tried to. 

"Who knew getting you to stay meant Jaime attacking you." Grace remarked closing the door behind her. 

"Grace I'm so sorry for everything." Ned declared. 

"You are the one bleeding and yet you are apologizing... I like it." Grace agreed. "Keep going." then she saw the hand of the king pin on the bed. "So you are staying then?"

"Yes." Ned agreed softly. 

"You dont need me, you were going to leave, you were going to run away and not even say goodbye." Grace remarked. "You were going to run away and I thought you were a braver man than that. But Robert hands you the keys to the kingdom, you stayed for him not me, not to say goodbye, you were going to leave if Jaime hadnt cornered you." Grace realized.  

"You're right. I thought I didn't need you. Thought you didnt want me. I see that now. I was stupid, I was running but know that I wanted to say goodbye... I didnt think you would want me to." Ned admitted. "But Grace, I want you. You're the person I want to be with. The person I want to turn to when I win a tourney, when I have a bad day or a great one, I want to run to you. You make everything better. You make the losses bearable and the wins complete." It's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to her, and yet, her heart can't convince her head that his words were enough.

"Grace I want you, I need you. I havent been able to stop thinking about you. Please understand that I'm an idiot and when I said what I said I... the moment I said it I thought what the hell am I doing there is no way because she is too perfect." Ned declared. "You make me smile, your stupid vicious cat claws at my legs whenever they shift off the bed and I have scratches up my legs but I dont care because I can't fall asleep without you."

"McFluffin thinks its a game." Grace agreed. 

"Grace please, please..." Ned didnt know what to do or say to make this any better. "Let us try again, let me take you on that date, let me buy you a million roses, let me make it up to you. Prove you can trust me, that I trust you, that I know your heart and I... dont run away." Ned begged. "But Grace, I love you." 

"You do?" Grace rasped. 

"I do and you leaving... it made me see that I dont want to live without you."

"What does that mean for us?" Grace countered. "Your wife has my brother." 

"I just wrote a letter to Catelyn the raven is probably flying out now. I dont know that she will listen. I dont know... I-" 

"Dont lie, I already know the truth."

"She came to visit and I was upset. I wanted you and she was popping up." Ned remarked and Grace chuckled sitting on the edge of his bed, he reached out for her. "Grace, she had these ideas about Tyrion and I thought she was crazy, I didnt tell her to take Tyrion. I dont think she will listen when I tell her to release him."

"You need to send a raven to Robb too." Grace remarked. 

"Why?" Ned countered. 

"Because he will listen to you and it will stop my father from going to war against your family."  Grace remarked. Ned sighed. 

"Thats a good idea." 

"I have my fathers voice in my head when it comes to war." Grace agreed. "Ned..."

"Can I just hold you?" Ned countered. "Just for a moment then I will raven Robb." 

Ned pull her to him. Her head rested on his chest, cuddling into each other. Until this moment, he had not realized how much he had missed being close to a woman, feeling the weight of a body against her. He was empty, but now he was filled again. 

"I forgive you for being a dick." Grace agreed holding onto him. 

"Thank you." Ned agreed kissing the top of her head. 

"And I love you too."