Chapter Text
EPILOGUE
Catelyn pulled into the driveway, and quickly put her gloves on before heading out. It was officially spring in Wintertown but it was still snowing outside. It had been just over a year since she moved back here. But she'd realized long ago that the cold is something she'd never get used to.
Her life had changed a lot since the night she and Ned decided to rekindle their relationship. Sometimes things were still awkward, as they slowly filled in the gaps their 6–year hiatus had left behind. They spent these past months catching up and learning about each other over many a cups of hot chocolate.
She clutched her coat closer to her body and all but ran out of the garage to the front door. Using her key and code, she let herself in. Some boxes still littered the garage, so she made a mental note of putting them away before the party. When she moved in a month ago, she was sure she could finish unpacking in a week. But with both of their busy lives and her absolutely not trusting Ned with her fragile art collection after he made fun of it – the process had slowed down quite a bit. As soon as she was indoors, the warmth kissed her skin, and she put all her layers away in the closet. Dusting her winter boots loudly on the welcome rug to get all the snow off them before walking in.
She could hear Ned on the phone in the study, he gave her a quick smile and mouthed “one moment”. Then loudly said, “Ben says hi,” when she walked past him.
“Hi back,” she called out and went straight for the bottle of Dornish red waiting for her on the counter. She poured them both a glass, swirled her own and waited. She felt him before she heard him walk into the kitchen.
“Ben said he’ll drive here with Lya in the afternoon, and they’re both going to stay for a week. I don’t know what you said to convince her, but I’m glad you did it.”
“I went to see her last week when I was in King’s Landing for the conference. She told me not to say anything to you.” She took a sip, without looking back.
“My partner is so sly...” he mumbled as she felt a kiss on the back of her head. The aromas of baked salmon cooking in the oven made her stomach growl.
“Everything looks soo good. What would I do, if you didn’t know how to cook?”
Ned’s arms wrapped around her. “Oh, I don’t know, order fish curry from Manderly’s restaurant everyday?”
“Probably,” Catelyn laughed, turning to him. “Happy second first anniversary.”
She leaned in close and brushed her lips against his. He pulled back “Happy second first anniversary, Ms. Tully,” and went in for a deeper kiss. His hands roamed freely on her arms and her back.
“How was work?” Ned murmured against her lips, not wanting to pull away as he kept pressing soft kisses to her lips and her face.
“Same old, same old. Tyrion sent you a package, did you get it?”
He tensed in her arms and pulled back. It had been a year, but he still wasn’t too comfortable with her friendship with Tyrion, and she wasn’t too happy with Arianne’s involvement in his business either. But over a few hot chocolate breaks, they had both decided they had to accept certain parts of each other’s lives.
“I did – 25–year–old whiskey. Man knows he’s alcohol. I may not like him, but I appreciate him trying to connect with me.”
“Annoy would be a better word. But that’s how he bonds with people,” Catelyn replied.
Ned’s face remained stony, so she continued, “Look, you don’t have to like him. You don’t even have to be friends with him. The important part is that you accept our friendship. And I love you for that.”
“You have learned how to tolerate Arianne.” It was Catelyn’s turn to tense up. She knew it wasn’t the girl’s fault. But as long as she remained here, so did the rumours and Catelyn did not like that. Especially after her brief tryst with Lyanna had ended a few months ago. But she learned how to deal with it, because she knew Ned. She also knew Arianne had backed off when they got back together.
“We knew this would be difficult, Cat. I want you in my life and if that comes with some annoyance, I will take it.”
“Same." She echoed. "Is Jory coming tomorrow?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Are you kidding? A night of boasting to our friends about being our little matchmaker and bringing us together against all odds? You think he would miss that?”
Catelyn laughed. “He has been acting like a proud parent.”
Ned rolled his eyes. “He deems himself our protector on Benjen’s orders.”
“Your protector. He thinks I’m quite capable,” Catelyn replied.
Ned chuckled. “That you are, my stubborn Tully lass.”
"Lass?" Catelyn quirked her eyebrow.
"No? How about 'my stubborn lady? "
Catelyn groaned, "My lady ? That's worse."
Ned smirked and she knew she’d made a mistake by groaning. Now he was never going to let her live it down.
"But why is that Lady Tully? Are you cross because the supper isn't prepared on time for you, my lady? Is the wine too mediocre for your taste, Lady Tully? " He teased in a mock accent.
Catelyn rolled her eyes and hid back her smile, not giving him the satisfaction of being an adorable dork.
"However, shall I repent for such a grave sin, my lady?" He leaned forward and buried his face in her neck, kissing and nipping a trail down to her shoulder. "I'll have to keep trying to please you…" he murmured between kisses, making her smile.
Catelyn replied in a fake posh accent, "That's right… keep trying, and maybe I'll forgive you. Just this once."
His grip on her tightened, and she sighed in pleasure. Then oven dinged loudly. Catelyn tried to move towards it when Ned held her steady. "Let it burn." His voice firm against her collarbone.
"No! You worked really hard on that. And I'm starving."
"So am I…Starving. And really hard…" Ned growled, giving her ass a quick squeeze and pulling her close to emphasize so she could feel what kind of starvation he was talking about.
Catelyn bit her lip to stop herself from moaning. If they continued this way, dinner would be long forgotten and burn, setting off the damn incessant fire alarm that wouldn't stop if they shot it. And then they’d have to do a lot of explaining to the fire marshalls when they got here. Again.
"Alright, I walked into that one. But let's eat first, and then we can burn off all those calories for as long as you like." She pried herself away from him, begrudgingly.
"Promises, promises, Lady Tully." Ned grabbed her ass one last time before moving towards the oven mitts.
"Let's see what you got, Lord Stark," she said, waving at the oven.
She watched as he promptly served them both a generous helping of baked salmon, roasted asparagus, and fingerling potatoes. For a guy who loved his red meat and potatoes, he made a lot of fish just so she would feel at home. Her heart warmed at the thought and she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“You. Just you.” She held up a fork with a roasted potato on it to feed him. He leaned forward and accepted it.
They talked about work, life, and everything in between as they ate. Ever so often, his hand would unconsciously pat his jacket pocket, and he’d give her an intense look but go back to eating.
She was curious when the lightheartedness from moments ago drooped into a heavy, serious silence as they settled into the parlour with their wine glasses. She knew him well enough to know he was trying to figure out how to talk about something. So she simply nestled against him on the couch, breathing in deeply.
"Cat"
"Hmm?"
"We've talked about pretty much everything that happened when you left. But I haven't told you one thing."
She pulled back and knit her brows. "oh?"
Absentmindedly, she thought about how those words would've terrified her a year ago. But their relationship was stronger now, and she believed in them and what they had. Contentment settled in her heart as she held his gaze quietly, letting him know she was here no matter what he had to say.
"The night you left… do you remember when I ran out of bed?"
"And I yelled at you for leaving me cold. Yes, I remember." She nodded. "Still a bit salty about that," she added to lighten the mood, his lips quirked up in response.
"Well, the reason I had to run was to go get something." He ran his hand through his hair, breathing deeply.
"Ned, just tell me. It's ok," she caressed his scruff a bit and urged him to look back into her eyes. He visibly relaxed at the gesture.
"I was trying to propose."
Catelyn's hand stilled, and she felt her eyes well up. "What…" she whispered. The visuals of that night made their way back into her mind. Swirled around her like a tornado of memories. It all made sense now – he’d knelt before her and held her hand. He'd said her full name and looked up at her reverently with love pouring out of his eyes.
He looked exactly the way he did right now, she thought absentmindedly and gasped at the sight before her. He knelt before her, held her hand in his, and looked up at her with just as much – if not more – reverence in his eyes.
"Ned…" she barely heard her voice over the loud thumping in her ears. But he held her gaze, the firelight catching the smattering of greys in his hair and in his eyes. His face solemn, but speaking a thousand words to her silently.
He pulled out a small box from his jacket and opened it. There sat a vintage diamond ring with sapphires affixed on either side. "I was getting this. I kept it all this time as a promise. I thought if you ever came back to me, I'd finally get to ask you what I wanted to for all these years."
She blinked away the tears that refused to let up. She wanted to remember every moment clearly and sear it in her memory.
His voice was thick when he spoke again. "Catelyn...Cat. I love you so much. I never thought I could meet, much less be worthy of, a woman like you. You are my best friend, my partner, and my everything." His words trembled and resonated through the last 7 years as he repeated what he'd said to her that night.
"I promise to do my best to be on the same page as you. And if we're not, I promise to make you all the hot chocolate in the world until we are." They laughed, she wanted to say yes right now, but she forced herself to be patient and let him finish.
"Catelyn Minisa Tully, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"
"Yes."
Ned's face broke out into his true smile, and for a moment, she wished she could rewind this moment and play it on a loop forever. He placed the ring on her finger – it fit perfectly. Because, of course, it did.
He leaned forward and kissed her ardently, spending the rest of the night showing her just how much he loved her. She woke up to his warmth pressed against her back and his breath in her hair. A sliver of golden sunlight danced on the wall before her, escaping through the gap between the heavy curtain and the window.
She held out her hand in that sliver. It bathed in the soft morning light as the diamond and sapphires glinted in fractals before her, casting patterns on the ceiling above. She smiled sleepily when a growl rumbled through her back.
"Sapphires reminded me of your eyes," Ned mumbled into her shoulder, pressing a kiss in the crook of her neck and snuggling closer.
Catelyn turned around and kissed him. Rolling them over until she was on top of him. It was her turn to show him how much he meant to her. His wolfish grin told her he approved of her idea as she pressed kisses to his chest. They were going to have a late breakfast.
They both decided to work from home before their anniversary party. It seemed like a good idea. That was until they kept finding reasons to touch each other. They brushed past each other, and caressed each other's arms when they passed each other in the hallways. She traced his back on her way to grab the eggs, he nuzzled her hair when he turned on the coffee machine. Then she kissed his bicep when he loaded up the dishwasher, he grabbed her hand briefly before she walked away. He walked to her desk to give her coffee and pressed a kiss on her shoulder, lingering every so slightly. She went to his desk to pick up his empty coffee cup, and brushed her lips against his forehead, tracing her finger across his shoulder blades on her way out.
Finally at lunch, when she held his gaze as she licked the last bit of ketchup off her finger, he decided enough was enough and pulled her into his lap, kissing her soundly. So they decided trying to work with “distractions” was futile and ended early. After a long break, they decided to prep for the party instead. Ned’s face broke out into a smile when Jory, Benjen, and Lyanna arrived – all three tearing up at the engagement announcement. Jory hugged her tightly, lifting her up, and twirling her around as he always did.
They’d only invited a few close friends, but it was nice to see the mansion bustling with laughter and music. The party ran long, everyone congratulated them and gushed over her ring. Jory spent all evening – boisterous and proud – like he was their own personal cupid. And he was.
But all through the evening, Catelyn found Ned's eyes, whether he was next to her or across the room. When the last of their guests had said goodbye, the energy started to dim down. They sat and talked for a bit longer in the parlour, before everyone started yawning. She watched as he grabbed his brother and sister into a big hug before they retired to their rooms for the night.
His eyes met hers, glistening with tears.
"Thank you," he whispered.
She looked into his eyes and smiled, thinking about all the days, weeks, months, and years she looked forward to spend with this man. He walked up to her and kissed her, his fingers tangling in her hair.
"I love you," they whispered in unison and chuckled.
Her hand unconsciously traced the love knot pendant resting against her collarbone. He held up her left hand, and gently traced the engagement ring on her finger with his thumb before pressing his lips to her knuckles. As their life waited before them, Ned held her gaze, and Catelyn knew they'd both landed on the same thought.
Of a relationship rekindled, and a promise kept.