Forgotten

• 34 •

She was in front of her cabin- the one she had resided in while staying at Esmond's pack. Sansa looked up at the entrance, seeing the neglect that was already showing from the space being unoccupied in the days she had been gone.

Cautiously, Sansa looked around, curious why she had arrived back here.

With a weary sigh, she lowered her body to the ground, laying there. Sansa felt the coolness of the forest floor hit her as she closed her eyes. She did not want to move away and found that she did not have the energy to do so anyway.

It was several hours later that Sansa felt her mind become aware. The sun had descended, leaving her confused at the passing of time that had occurred.

Sansa sighed when she felt hands on her arms, the soft touch going up her skin- slowly, hesitantly. A safety of warmth enveloped her as she turned over. Her arms went around him, her head burying into his shoulder and inhaling deeply his scent.

Some nights it was torturous to endure dreams such as these. But other times...other times she felt grateful that her mind could give her such peace.

The body she clung to inhaled sharply, going rigid.

Sansa looked up frowning. Her dreams usually did not go this way. She felt tears come to her eyes when the vivid color of silver hit her. It was so real. So real to her how accurate her memories had done in their work of recreating him.

She framed his face with her hands, pulling him down and herself up to meet halfway in a kiss. It was slow and agonizing- the kind that Sansa found herself pulling more into.

A startled moan escaped him.

Sansa pulled back to stare at him.

And then she blinked.

They stared at one another for a long second. She sat up abruptly her hands going immediately to cover her mouth in alarmed recognition and surprise.

"This can't be real."

She started to shake her head as her eyes flickered to take him in fully- the darkness concealed the full of him, but it still was able to show to her the main features that she knew.

Silver eyes. Dark skin.

Night.

"This is a dream." She was still shaking her head, tears coming down now as she tried to regain her footing in the world.

He reached for her.

It was that hesitation. She knew it of him. He had always been hesitant to touch her. As if she was too much for him, or there was a fear in what his touch could do. She knew that action. It was that familiar action as he extended his hand to cup her cheek and take her in, that made his next works solidify and confirm in her mind.

"I'm real, Sansa."

Without thinking about anything else she threw her arms around him.

Heaving sobs left her as he fell back with her weight. She clung to him, sitting in his lap curled up there like a child. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, unable to stop her tears. Soothingly he rocked her, one hand holding her to him, while the other stroked her hair.

"You're here."

Over and over she repeated her words.

Her crying eventually subdued. She hiccuped, inhaling deeply and feeling a faint hollowness in her chest after releasing so much emotion at once.