Chapter Text
She could hear Lyanna moving around downstairs. As much as she wanted someone there to hold her hand and reassure her, she knew that the only person that could actually calm her fears was nowhere near. Her phone buzzed next to her head and she could have cried tears of relief that Jon called her first.
“Hey.”
“Hey to you, too.”
“What are you doing?” Daenerys asked as she tried to shift into a more comfortable position.
“I actually just got in bed but it was weird that you weren’t here when my head hit the pillow.”
“I’m glad you called. I wanted to talk to you about something.” Jon hummed his answer, waiting for her to continue. “Don’t...panic or anything. Okay?”
“Dany.” Jon moaned as he sat up in bed, the covers rustling against the phone. “I’m going to promise that I won’t freak out but just know that using ‘don’t panic’ as a disclaimer, makes me panic.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I don’t know. It’s just that my back has been hurting and I’m cramping. It’s not bad, it’s just...the longer I lay here in silence...I don’t know. I started scaring myself.”
The phone was silent for a moment. She couldn’t even hear him breathing.
“Dany, what are you saying?”
“I think I’m having contractions.” She threw it out there, biting her lip and fiddling with her hair.
Jon groaned like he was physically in pain.
“I’m coming home.”
“Jon, no. You just left this morning and I’m fine.”
“You’re fine ?” She didn’t need to see him to know that his face was screwed up with incredulity. “You just told me that you’re having contractions. That means labor, Dany.”
“I know, I know, but really, I’m fine. I just needed to say it out loud so I wouldn’t be so scared anymore.” She waited a moment to see if he would interrupt. “Don’t come home. I promise I won’t have the baby until you’re here.”
“Daenerys Targaryen.”
“Yes, Jon?”
“Tell me the truth. Are you in labor?”
“No.” Dany crossed her fingers and mouthed an apology. She was almost positive that she was lying. “I just sent myself into a stress induced spiral because you’re gone. Everything is okay. Plus, your mom is here.”
“And Ghost? How has Ghost been with you today?”
“Perfectly normal.” Anxious. He’s sitting at the bedroom door whimpering. “I’m sorry that I said anything. I didn’t mean to make you worry. Enjoy yourself. Theon will only get married, for the first time, once.”
Jon chortled but said nothing for a while. They simply listened to each other breathe, wondering what the other was hearing in their shared silence.
“Call me if anything happens...please.”
“I’m not having this baby tonight. I promise.”
That was a promise that she intended to keep. Lyanna said that it took ten hours to bring Jon into the world. She knew that her own mother died in the attempt after a full day of labor. She could wait until Jon came home. He deserved a little time away.
After another round of reassurances, Jon rushed her off the phone. He said could tell she was tired and he wanted to catch some sleep before the festivities began. Daenerys pulled pillows around her body, propping her belly up and supporting her back. It didn’t matter what position she chose or home many pillows she arranged, the pain in her lower back didn’t lessen. She spent her last moments awake, pleading with her baby to wait a little while before making his debut.
He gave her a few hours before demanding that his presence be acknowledged. If the pain hadn’t woken Daenerys, Ghost’s howling outside of her door would have. Lyanna came running into the room, pushing Ghost out of the way as she dropped to her knees at the side of the bed. The concern on Lyanna’s face terrified Dany. She immediately closed her eyes to block it out.
“Dany, tell me what’s going on? How are you feeling?”
“I’m having contractions.” Daenerys shook her head as she spoke, as if the act of physically negating her words would make them untrue. “They’re about ten to fifteen minutes apart.”
“Oh, Dany.” Lyanna sighed with a shake of head and brought her hands up to cup Dany’s face. “I’m going to load your bag into the car and then we need to drive to the hospital.”
“I’m fine. The pain isn’t that bad. We don’t need to go to the hospital.”
“Dany, you’re in labor. I don’t know about you but I absolutely don’t want to deliver this baby by myself. We need to go to the hospital.”
Daenerys shook her head, burying her face in her pillow as another contraction hit and took with it her breath and words. Lyanna waited, grabbing Dany’s hands as it rocked through her. When it passed, Dany let out a heavy sigh and turned to face Lyanna.
“Jon will be home tomorrow night. The baby can come then.”
“The baby is not going to wait for your schedule to be perfect. Come on, Dany, you can’t be this stubborn. We’ll call Jon in the car but there is no way in hell that we’re staying here when your contractions are getting stronger and closer together.”
Dany closed her eyes, blocking out Lyanna’s concerned face. Frustration showed on her face the same way it did on her son’s. She felt guilty for it. It didn’t help that she couldn’t block out the crying that Ghost was doing from the foot of her bed. Lyanna was right and she knew it. The baby was coming and, because of her, Jon wouldn’t be there to see it.
“Call Jon first.” Dany slowly opened her eyes to look at Lyanna. “Call him first and then we’ll go. I’ll change my clothes and grab my bag.”
Lyanna nodded and left the room without a backwards glance. Daenerys often wondered how Lyanna felt about her. The woman that her son was clearly fascinated with but carried the child of another man. Dany balked at the idea of Lyanna staying at the house with her while Jon was gone. She’d argued that she didn’t need a babysitter. She’d made a fuss about independence and alone time. Truly, she didn’t know what Lyanna might say or do when Jon wasn’t there to ensure that everyone was on their best behavior.
However, Lyanna was nothing but cordial. She cooked dinner and pulled out old pictures and school projects that Jon made when he was a child. She brought snacks and checked on Dany periodically before going to bed herself. Then, she held Dany’s hand all the way to the hospital like her touch might make Dany feel better. When they walked into the hospital and Lyanna guided her into a chair before taking care of the details, Dany felt weepy at the thought that Lyanna was treating her like she would have treated Jon’s wife. Someone that Jon had a real responsibility to care for and not just the woman he rescued from a crisis.
“Thank you.” Dany mumbled, her legs propped up in stirrups while she waited for the doctor.
“Thank you?” Lyanna tilted her head. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
Daenerys had to stop herself from shrugging. She brought her hands up to her belly, smoothing the hospital gown around her bulging midsection.
“Yeah but you don’t have to be here. I know Jon asked you to but…” She trailed off, focusing on her intertwined fingers.
“But nothing. There’s nowhere I’d rather be. This is a grandmother’s first job.”
Dany’s head snapped up. The confusion in her eyes clashed with the defiance in Lyanna’s grey ones.
“Good morning, everyone! I’m Dr. Tyrell. It seems like a good day for a birthday, doesn’t it?” The doctor squeezed Dany’s shoulder to draw her attention away from the other woman in the room. “How are you feeling Daenerys?”
She gave Lyanna one last glance before turning to the doctor.
“Dr. Tyrell? I can’t have the baby yet. Jon...my...he’s not here, yet. I promised. We need to wait a little bit longer because I can’t have the baby until Jon gets here.”
“I’m going to take a look, okay?” The pity was clear on her face.
Dany nodded, turning her face away. Lyanna took her hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze. She was grateful for the little comfort that it gave but she almost cried at how much it made her miss Jon.
“You’re about six centimeters now so you should be meeting your baby in a couple of hours.” The doctor looked down at her watch. “The nurse said you contractions were about seven minutes apart when you got here. How are they now?”
Before she could answer, the pain swept through her body like a singular wave cresting against the shore. It left her gripping the railing and Lyanna’s hand with all the strength she possessed. She whimpered as she tried to breathe through it.
“They’re about every five minutes now.” Lyanna answered, using her free hand to sweep the hair from Dany’s face.
“That’s good. First, we need to break your water, Daenerys. The contractions will get stronger and-”
“That’ll speed up the labor?”
The doctor moved to put her hand on Dany’s leg so she closed them immediately.
“Will it speed up my labor?”
“It will make your contractions stronger and bring you closer to ten centimeters.” Dr. Tyrell held up a hand before Daenerys could interrupt. “I know you want to wait but this needs to be done.”
Daenerys threw her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. Lyanna’s brushed the tears that slid down her face and the gentleness of her touch made Dany sob. She quickly wiped her face, taking a deep breath before she could fully break down.
“He’s not going to make it, is he?” She kept her eyes closed as she spoke. She couldn’t bear the sight of another pity filled glance.
“He was already driving when I called.” Dany’s eyes shot open. “He said he had a feeling that the baby was coming so he didn’t even sleep. I think there’s a good chance that he’ll be here in a a few hours.”
Daenerys searched her face for a lie and felt confident enough to place her legs back in the stirrups when she didn’t find one.
The doctor worked quickly and was in and out of the room in under ten minutes. Dany was glad that there wasn’t another person around to be nice to. She was already straining to be civil with Lyanna, who did nothing wrong. The pain got significantly worse after her water broke and she couldn’t imagine the wrath that she might unleash on the unsuspecting doctor.
Lyanna turned the lights down and sat next to the bed, holding Dany’s hand as she contracted and mewled through the pain. Nearly an hour passed with the television playing in the background and nurses coming in and out to check the machine attached to her. Daenerys needed that time to decide how honest she was going to be with the woman that was supporting her into the next phase of her life.
“You said something earlier.” Dany cleared her throat before speaking again. “You said that it was a grandmother’s job to be here but you must know that Jon isn’t the father. I was already pregnant when I got here.”
Lyanna chuckled, tilting her head like she was literally weighing what she wanted to say.
“I’ve never heard a kid complaining about having too many grandparents.” When Daenerys failed to laugh, she continued. “Why do you want Jon here?”
“What do you mean?” Daenerys asked with a prominent frown.
“Why are you so resistant to having this baby without him? Like you said, he’s not the father.”
“We wanted to do it together. I know he’s not the father but he makes me feel safe and I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything else in the world.”
“Jon wants to be here because this is his baby, too. Not genetically, no, but...he’s bonded. This is it for him. And if my son is about to become a father, in all the ways that count, then by default, I get to be grandma.” Lyanna looked off into the room like her mind was far off. “Jon was never one to shirk responsibilities that he felt were his.”
“I didn’t call Jon because I wanted him to take care of me.” Dany chuffed at the idea. “I don’t know how much he told you but-”
“He didn’t tell me anything and quite frankly, Dany, it’s not my business. He made a choice. As his mother, it’s my job to support him through it.”
Daenerys wanted to thank the contraction that bubbled up and spilled through her abdomen, wrecking her body with pain. She would have taken any reason not to respond to Lyanna in that moment. The contractions were getting longer and left her exhausted when they were gone. Still, she felt like she owed Lyanna an explanation.
“I was married.” Lyanna’s eyes left the television and focused on Daenerys. She hissed every breath through closed teeth and Lyanna could tell that it pained her to move any part of her body. “Viserys’s gambling became a problem and he used me as his bargaining chip. For a long time, I told myself that he didn’t know what he was doing but he did. He sold me to my husband and we were together for two years before he died. Before I killed him.”
“You killed your husband?”
“In the beginning, he was indifferent to my presence. He liked that I was his wife because I was exotic but mostly, he just ignored me. I just thought, if this marriage is even a little bit enjoyable for me, I might not wake up every morning angry that I didn’t die in my sleep. So, I tried really hard to be a good wife. The problem was that he was territorial and protective when he realized he cared about me. Then, I got pregnant.”
“And Viserys?” The anger was clear on Lyanna’s face. “Viserys just left you with this man?”
“Viserys was only around when my husband could help him. When the well ran dry for him, he threatened me and my husband killed him in front of me.” Daenerys paused, squeezing her eyes shut. “Then, it happened again. One of his guys said a few things about me that he didn’t like. The next thing I knew, the man was bleeding out in front of me.
“I had to make excuses for it or I would have lost my mind. I don’t know. In the end, I think we loved each other as much as two people in that situation could have. But...I knew that once I gave him a son, I would be disposable, too. So, I killed him. I killed him and then I ran as far and as fast as I could. I knew that I had money here in an account from my parents. So, I found an old friend that let me stay with her for a few weeks and I called the only number I could remember. I honestly thought that you would answer.”
“You didn’t know that Jon was living in the house?”
Another contraction came before she could answer. When she could, it came in the form of a half hearted head shake.
“I just heard Rhaegar’s voice in my head from when we were kids. ‘Dany, call Lya and see if she wants to do something with Jon. Call Lya, Dany.’ I bet he would love to know that even after he died, he was still able to take care of me.” Daenerys was quiet again, trying to breathe without moving. “I didn’t want Jon to feel responsible for me. For us. I have the money from my inheritance now that I’m in Westeros but with Jon and I...it wasn’t about money.”
“I know that, Dany.” Lyanna stood then, cupping Daenerys’s face. “Jon is exactly where he wants to be and so am I.”
Lyanna walked around the bed, brushing Dany’s hair back from her face so she could braid it. Daenerys whispered a quiet thank you and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of being taken care of.
“Want to know something funny?” Lyanna asked with a chuckle. She didn’t wait for an answer before speaking. “When your brother and I started dating, we joked all the time about how if we didn’t make it, there might be hope for you and Jon. Viserys was always with Theon and Robb but Jon, he stuck close to you even when you all were younger.”
“You guys thought that we would end up together?” Dany asked with a small smile on her face. “Jon and I used to talk about how cool it would be if you guys got married and then we could live together and have sleepovers all the time. I always thought of Rhaegar as my dad so we used to dream about being siblings. When Rhaegar died and Viserys and I were shipped off to Essos, I used to wish that Jon was my brother so we could've stayed together.”
“I hope you two cleared that up before you started having sex.”
Even as a woman in labor, Daenerys blushed at Lyanna’s assumption.
“We haven’t done that yet.”
Lyanna was glad that Dany couldn’t see the shocked expression on her face.
“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of time for it.”
They giggled and settled into a comfortable silence while Lyanna finished braiding. She laid the braid gently against Dany’s back and walked back to her seat. She took Dany’s hand as she shook with pain and caressed her arm as she settled in.
“Try to rest a bit. It won’t be long until you’re a mother and then you won’t sleep well again for years.”
Daenerys smiled but listened and kept her eyes closed. She was in too much pain to sleep but it helped to block out all other stimuli, mentally working with the contractions instead of against them. It wasn’t another hour before she felt like they were never ending. They came so close together that she couldn’t help but weep at the pain that continued with little reprieve. The nurses poured into the room, bringing the doctor with them, and turned on all the lights in preparation for the birth of her son. But she couldn’t push yet and she let them know it loudly and repeatedly.
“Leave me alone.” She cried, pulling at her hairline. It was uncomfortable but she refused to open her legs for them. “I’m not pushing.”
“Daenerys, you need to start pushing.” Dr. Tyrell was at her side again, rubbing her arm in a way that irritated her. “You keep fighting it and you’ll send the baby into distress. We’ll be forced to operate and that’s not something that any of us want.”
Dany ignored the pleading look she sent Lyanna, who was pacing on her phone, across the room.
“Is it Jon? Please tell me you’re talking to Jon.”
“He’s almost here. Listen to his voice, he’ll be here soon.” Lyanna came rushing to the bed, shoving the phone into Dany’s hands.
“Jon?” She didn’t mean to break down while he could hear her but the relief of hearing his voice and the fear that he wouldn’t make it had no other way of expressing itself. “Where are you? Are you close?”
“I’m so close, Dany. If I could drive any faster, I would.”
“They want me to push, Jon. I have to push.” She sniffled and choked out a sob as she felt the pressure building in her body.
“I’m coming, I’m coming. I’m almost there. Just hold it. Wait for me, Dany. I’m coming.”
She let his words wash over her but it did nothing to dull the sensations of the contractions that sent her hands searching for something to grab onto, shoving the phone into the sheets beneath her. Lyanna was quick, snatching the phone from her grasp, ending the call without warning. She replaced the phone with her hand before Dany could miss it.
“You need to start pushing, Daenerys.”
“Jon’s not here yet!”
She was pleading now. The power gone from her voice at the realization that she was fighting a battle that she would lose. Her body was ready and no amount of refusals would stop it from abiding by its own natural process.
“I’ve never delivered a baby in two pushs.” Dr. Tyrell moved to the end of the bed, tapping on Dany’s closed legs. “It could still take awhile after you start.”
Daenerys shook her head, the ‘ no ’ that she let out was a shell of how she felt. It was a whisper of defeat and she knew it as soon as the nurses began to position themselves around the doctor.
“Daenerys, tell me when you feel the contraction coming. You have to work with it. I’ll count you off and then you can push.”
“He’s not going to make it.” Dany dug the heels of her hands into her eyes and pulled until she felt like her eyelids had touched her hairline.
Lyanna pulled Dany’s hands away from her face and held them in hers.
“He’s coming. I promise you, he’s coming, Dany. Listen to the doctor, okay? Tell her when it’s coming.”
“It’s coming.” She whimpered, finally placing her legs back in the stirrups.
The doctor counted her off and she pushed for the first time. Her mind went blank. It was like her entire lower half was breaking and the only thing that would make it better was to tear herself apart. Lyanna tried soothing her through it until she had a moment to sink back into the thin mattress beneath her.
“Don’t leave me.” Dany whined as Lyanna stepped away, pulling her phone from her pocket. “ Please .”
“It’s Jon.” She looked quickly to the door with a guilt ridden expression. “I’ll be right back. Let me call him back and then I’ll come right back in. I’ll just be outside of the door.”
Daenerys threw her head back in agony. It was already time to push again and her only support was leaving her.
“It’s coming. I need to push.”
Lyanna took one more look at her and rushed from the room. Dany could tell that Dr. Tyrell felt bad for her. She gave Dany a reassuring nod and began prepping her to push again.
“You’ve got this, Daenerys. Just like last time.”
Dany went through the motions again, letting out a scream when she was finished. This time it was a scream of frustration. A scream of anger. A scream of self pity. Then she felt Jon’s presence more than she heard or even saw him. He came running to her, his hand fluttering over her with the need to do something. Daenerys intertwined her fingers with Jon’s as she breathed a sigh of relief. Lyanna stood behind the doctor with a camera in hand.
“I’m glad you’re here.” She whispered, her voice strained from the contraction that was about to come.
“Me, too.” He nodded, stepping away shortly to peek between her legs. “You’re having a baby.”
All she could do was laugh at the incredulity of the statement before preparing herself to push again. It was like the baby was waiting for Jon, too. She pushed two more times before Dr. Tyrell called out that the head was visible. Jon couldn’t stop himself from looking.
“He’s got a head full of hair, Dany.”
His smile took her breath away. She pushed once more and he was there. No longer safe and protected inside of her, the moment was bittersweet. Dr. Tyrell held up his small body, the odd color and wrinkles were all Dany could see but she could tell from Jon’s face that he was amazing. A nurse gestured for Jon to come closer, handing him medical scissors as he neared.
“Here you go, Dad. You can cut the cord and watch your son take his first breath.”
Jon looked back at her for permission. His whole body trembling with excitement. She nodded quickly and he stepped forward with his eyes glued to the baby. He didn’t look like he took a breath the whole time. It was quick. As soon as the cord was cut, they rushed the baby to the other side of the room, clearing his mouth and wiping him down. Jon looked between the two with a torn expression.
“Stay with him, Jon. Make sure he’s okay.”
It was all the instruction he needed before he dashed back to the baby, his head bent to speak quietly to the nurse.
“Okay, Daenerys,” Dr. Tyrell called Dany’s attention back to her. “When you’re ready, give one more push. You need to deliver the after birth and we’ll check for tearing, okay? Then, I’ll clean you up.”
Dany followed directions but her eyes were glued to the Starks that crowded around her baby. Their dark heads bent over him. She could hear their soft voices as they spoke to him and it made her weep again.
“Can I see him? I want to see him.”
“We’re just getting him all cleaned up for you, Mom.” The nurse bundled him as she spoke, passing him to Jon.
Jon looked back at her before taking a step. His hands were cradled around the baby and he had tears in his eyes.
“Here he is. He’s perfect, Dany. He’s so perfect.”
Jon placed the baby carefully in Dany’s arms, sitting next to her as she held her son for the first time. She couldn’t help but stare. All of his tiny little features intrigued her. Did he look like her? Who would he act like? Could he feel the love she had for him?
She looked at Jon with a helpless expression.
“One day he’s going to grow up and leave me.”
“I know. I can’t even imagine it.”
The nurse came over with a smile that made Dany pull the baby closer to her.
“I know it’s mean for me to take him so soon but we’ll still be in the room.” She pointed to a set up by the door. “We need to give him a proper bath, comb all of that beautiful hair, and get prints from his hands and feet.”
She looked at Jon and he gave her a nod.
“I’ll stay with him,” Then he looked up at Lyanna who’d been standing quietly in the corner with her camera. “And mom will stay with you.”
She gave the baby’s head a small kiss and watched the nurse guide Jon and the baby back towards a basin of water. Lyanna caressed her face again and wiped it with a cool towel.
“Rest your eyes, Dany. You never went to sleep last night.”
“I don’t want to sleep, yet.” Her gaze went back to Jon and the nurse.
“You don’t have to sleep. Just close your eyes. You’re not missing anything.”
Listening to the soft burr of Lyanna’s voice, she slept. It was the baby’s whine that woke her. Jon was leaning against the bed, holding the baby near her.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Her throat throbbed as she spoke.
“You wanna hold him? I feel a little guilty for hogging him while you were sleeping.”
She took the baby in her arms and could’ve sworn that he changed since she’d held him last.
“How long was I asleep?”
“Not long. Maybe an hour?” He checked his watch. “Two hours. My mom just left to get us breakfast.”
“She’s the best.”
“I was almost positive that you didn’t like my mom.” He raised an eyebrow at her.
“I just wasn’t sure how she felt about me and my kid. We talked it out.”
He nodded slowly and scratched awkwardly at his neck.
“Yeah...I wanted to apologize. Everyone here thinks I’m the baby’s dad and I didn’t correct them.”
“That’s okay. I mean...if it’s okay with you, it’s okay with me. I kind of figured they would assume any man here was the dad.” She watched as he kept his eyes glued on her son, his fingers caressing his head.
“I liked it, Dany. Hell...I loved it.” He gestured to the incubator at the end of the bed. “They let me write ‘Baby Targaryen’ on his name plaque and I thought I might cry.”
She chuckled and looked up to meet his eyes.
“I know we’ve been living together and preparing for this baby together but...fatherhood is something different. It’s more and it’s forever.” She distracted herself by straightening the baby’s clothes. “I didn’t want to assume that sleeping in your bed and a few make out sessions meant that you wanted to be a part of this. I thought it was too much to ask.”
“They were really hot make out sessions, though.” Jon shrugged, keeping his eyes on the baby for another moment before looking down at her. “I’m here, Dany, and I’m with you no matter what. I already love him. You didn’t have to ask.”