Along Came The Viper

Chapter 17: Sansa

"What did you just say?" She heard herself say.

"I love you." He said his eyes pleading.

"How do you know?" She heard her voice say.

Sansa thought she must be going catatonic or something because she couldn't seem to get her brain to realized that she's talking.

"The minute you walked out of my door, I knew that I couldn't lose this feeling again. I couldn't... It's not the same... It's different." He said solemnly.

"Good different?" Sansa asked her heart racing.

"I think so. Let me try Sansa. Let me try to be what you need." He begged her, "I have always just had what I wanted and never thought I would need this type of commitment. Ellaria, she showed me that companionship wasn't a weighty burden, but someone to help carry the load of life."

"Oberyn, I don't know. I don't want to hurt you, or get hurt. I know we'd never hurt each other intentionally. Look at us. We did." Sansa said sadly.

"I know." He said looking at the ground.

She fought every urge to go to him and comfort him in this moment. She had to be stronger than this. She couldn't let him have so much sway over her. She'd never let another person do that to her.

"Give me time to think about it." She said softly, "Let me think if I want to try to be with you."

"I can do that." Oberyn said rising to his feet.

"Thank you. How the fuck did you get here?" Sansa asked.

"Talisa let me onto her balcony and I jumped." Oberyn said with a straight face, like he didn't do the dumbest thing she'd ever heard.

"YOU JUMPED!!! OBERYN THAT WAS SO UNSAFE!!! YOU COULD'VE DIED!!!" She exploded.

She went right up to him and punched him in the chest. He took the hit and grunted.

"I forgot that you are stronger than you look." He gasped.

"Brothers..." she answered simply.

"Right." He said rubbing where she'd hit him.

"How long is he here?" She asked quietly, not looking at him.

"Three days." He said matching her tone.

"Does he know I'm here?" She asked solemnly.

"Yes." Oberyn whispered.

"I can't stay here. Arya and Talisa can't either. He'll hurt them to get to me." She said fear rising.

"Doran wants to bring you all into the compound. He has Trystane and Arianne taking him to all the clubs for the night we can move you all. Unless you want to go home." Oberyn explained.

"He'll follow me to King's Landing. He knows where I live." She said hopeless.

"Arya is working out that bit. She won't divulge that information to me. I'm a dickwad, apparently." He said smirking.

Sansa couldn't help, but laugh. She reflexively hugged him close. He wrapped his arms around her. She felt him kiss the top of her head.

"Oberyn." She said.

"Yes." He said.

"Thank you." She said squeezing him tighter.

"You're welcome." He said squeezing her back.

***

They were moved to the compound quickly and quietly. Joffrey was informed that they'd left. He was very perturbed by this news. He'd brought along Jeyne, who according to Arianne seemed to enjoy Joffery's cruelty to others. Jeyne had had enough of playing second fiddle to Sansa. She was going to take everything from Sansa. Great. It's a match made in the Seven Hells.