7I do not own Game Of Thrones or any of its characters. Anything you may recognize belongs to HBO and George R.R. Martin.
Ned had been at work when he got the call that would change his family's lives forever. He hadn't known it then. But when he got the call from his sister, he didn't hesitate to drop anything and everything to go see her. He risked get pulled over by going twenty over the speed limit and cutting a few guys off in traffic. He also risked getting into an accident; it was snowing hard that day. All that mattered to him at that moment was getting to his sister. Something was telling him that he needed to get there as soon as possible; and he did not have that much time.
Eventually he got there and ran in, almost slipping on ice by the entrance. "I got a call that my sister is here," Ned said before the woman at the reception desk could ask how she could help him. "Lyanna Stark." She found her room number and Ned didn't waste time before going down the hall and taking the left into her room.
"Doctor," He was just leaving the room as Ned approached. "How is she?"
"Are you family?"
"Aye," Ned nodded. "Ned, her brother."
"Are you aware of your sister's condition?" And that statement alone told Ned that it wasn't going to be good news.
"I haven't seen her in months." He admitted. There had been a lot of drama in the family where Lyanna was concerned. She had been engaged to one of his friends and then suddenly she ran away without so much of a word. There had been whispers going around that she had left for another man, but there was nothing to support that. Ned hadn't heard anything from her until she got the call today and frankly, he was hoping to get some answers as to what happened that day she disappeared. "Tell me."
"Your sister has a condition called eclampsia…" The doctor then went onto to explain the seriousness of her condition. "We did manage to deliver the baby and we've done everything we can for her…" He cleared his throat. "Your sister doesn't have much time." He pushed the door open to the room. "You should go talk to her."
Ned took a breath as he walked through the door and over to his sister's bedside. He didn't even know she was pregnant. If only he had known… Ned wishes she had come to him. Maybe then he could have done something and saved her. He had so many questions to ask, but it didn't seem like there was time to ask.
"Ned," Lyanna's eyes were opened a crack. "Is that really you?"
"It's me," Ned forced a smile. "I got the call and got here as fast as I could."
"It's so good to see you," Lyanna's smile fell quickly as she felt herself growing weaker. "I know there are so many things you want to ask…"
"That doesn't matter." Ned wanted to make good use of the time he had with his sister. He didn't want to waste it with his questions.
"It does," Lyanna disagreed. "I want you to understand why I did it." Lyanna then began to explain from the beginning. "I didn't love Robert, but you know how father was. He wouldn't approve. I loved another and I knew if I was going to be happy I had to leave…"
"I was worried about you." Ned had already lost his brother Brandon in an accident. And when Lyanna disappeared, it was like she had died as well. It had been hard to swallow not knowing. "So who was he?" Ned wanted to know who was so special that Lyanna had left everything behind for; and why he wasn't here now.
"His name was Rhaegar and I loved him," She began to tell him everything she could. All the little things and then the big things they did; specifically how they married. "He died before I could tell him about the baby."
"I'm so sorry…"
"There's so much more I want to tell you, but…" Lyanna knew they didn't have much time. She found it harder to stay awake with each passing moment. "I need to ask you…"
"Anything." Ned took her hand and held it in his.
"My baby, I need you to take care of him for me," His father was gone and soon she would be as well. Lyanna did not want to leave her son alone. She knew it was a lot to ask of him. She was sure he had a family of his own and it was a lot to consider, but before she died she wanted to make sure her son would be alright without her. "He needs a family." She struggled to catch her breath, her chest rose high as it became harder to breathe. "Promise me, Ned."
"I will love him as if he were my own." Ned stood and placed a kiss on his sister's forehead as she shut her eyes for the last time.
Ned wept for her as the doctor came back into the room and announced her time of death. The nurse turned off the machine and placed the sheet over her face. "If you need some time…"
"Her baby." Ned cut the doctor off and he wiped his tears away. "How is the baby?"
"Your sister gave birth to a healthy baby boy," The doctor told him. "Would you like to see him?"
Ned didn't return home until the next day. He had left Catelyn a voicemail telling her that he wouldn't be home until tomorrow and that he would explain everything to her then. There was a lot to explain and he wanted to figure out the best way to explain. Not to mention, he did not want to leave the hospital until he was able to take Lyanna's baby with him. He stayed the entire night and then by late morning, they discharged the baby for Ned to take home.
Catelyn was putting their five month old baby, Robb, down for a nap when she heard the door. She carefully left the nursery and headed downstairs. She had her mind filled with questions but once she saw the baby in her husband's arms, she had a million other ones.
"I guess I know why you were out all night." Catelyn stated as she sat down on the couch.
"I didn't want to explain over the phone."
"How do you want to explain this?" Catelyn honestly did not know what to think. Her mind was going all over the place between the questions and the scenarios in her head. "But I think you should start with whose baby this is."
"Lyanna's." Ned answered.
"Lyanna, your sister?" Catelyn wanted to confirm. "I thought…" Catelyn honestly never thought she would hear that name again. She had never spoken this aloud to Ned but after she disappeared, she had believed her to be dead. She hadn't been the only one to think that, but she could never bring herself to speak to Ned about her after it happened. It had been a number of years since they had seen her. "Tell me what happened, from the beginning." Catelyn knew this had to be a long story on how his long lost sister's baby ended up with him.
"Lyanna ran away because she was in love," Ned began to explain. "You know how my parents are. They were set on her marrying Robert and they wouldn't have been able to accept what she wanted."
"I do know your parents." Catelyn knew how they could be. "Go on."
Ned repeated all that Lyanna had been able to tell him about Rhaegar Targaryen, the man she loved and married in secret, before she died. "There were complications with her pregnancy and she knew—before she died she asked me to take care of the baby."
"And you told her you would."
"Aye," Ned nodded. "I promised her I would love this child as if he were my own." Ned was not one to break any promise. Especially not one to his now late sister. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, and I know it's something we should have discussed..." Ned knew their hands were full at the moment. Their son, Robb, was only five months old and so far their income wasn't the best with Ned being the only source. Adding another baby would definitely change things.
"You should have called me down there yesterday."
"I know," Ned nodded. But he thought the time alone with the baby was what he needed. He had to figure out what to say while also dealing with the paperwork for Lyanna's death and the baby's birth. "But it had been a lot."
Catelyn took Ned's hand. "Another reason why you should have called me." The baby started to cry and Ned rocked him gently. After a minute, he settled down and Catelyn looked down at him as his eyes looked up at the two of them. "He looks like you."
That brought a small smile to Ned's face. "He has his mother's eyes."
"Did Lyanna name him?"
Ned shook his head.
"He's going to need a name."
"Are you alright with this?"
"Who am I to turn a motherless child away?" Catelyn replied. This was her nephew after all. What could she really say? "And I think it would do Robb good having a brother." They had talked about having a big family. It was only happening sooner than they expected and in a different way. "Now what are we going to name him?"
"I did have a name in mind," Ned smiled. "Jon."
"Jon?" Catelyn nodded. They had named their first son after Ned's friend, so it seemed to fit naming their other child after Ned's mentor. "That seems to fit."
"Jon Snow Stark."
"Snow?" Catelyn looked to her husband, arching an eyebrow.
"Well, he was born during the biggest snow storm we've had down here in years," Ned explained. "It seems to fit him."
"We'll see if little Jon Snow likes the winter when he's older."
By the end of the week, Catelyn and Ned had made up the nursery for both boys and then they went down to the courthouse to make the arrangement official. Jon was a Stark and it was only fit that he should have the family name. Ned would keep his promise to his sister and raise the boy as if he were his son. And loved the boy would be.
A/N: I have been wanting to write some drabbles with the Stark family for a while. There just aren't enough around. Most of these will be set in Modern day and I will take suggestions and requests. Anyways, I figured the best way to start it would be with Jon coming to the Starks. And I decided it would be best for Ned to tell Catelyn the truth and her accept him into the family in this one.
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