SUMMER

It was hot. Sansa wiped the sweat from her eyes, closing them against the heat.

She felt light headed. The new medicine the pack doctor had put her on made her dizzy. She didn't feel like eating anymore with it. A sad thing, but something she had to do to keep the whispers away from her and Warren. The oddities of the girl who ventured into the forest every day.

Sansa looked around at the trees, taking in the empty space.

He probably would not come until hours later, when dusk was falling, and the sun and moon were trading places.

She had plenty of time. Plenty of time to get away from the unbearable heat.

Slowly she stripped off the clothes that stuck to her skin. Fresh air hit her- a welcomed relief. She stepped into the lake, experience giving her knowledge that no one would disturb her while she swam.

She passed the time by, idle in her movements as she watched the sky morph from blue to colors such as red and orange.

She didn't know how she knew. It was something she was becoming aware of more and more. A gut feeling almost that told her when he was there. She smiled as she continued swimming, knowing those silver eyes were somewhere in the woods watching. A thrill went down her at the thought. She wondered what he was thinking. What thoughts might be running through his mind at the sight of her. She wondered also if he noticed the weight she had lost. The change in her body from the medicine they had her taking now.

She hoped he wouldn't.

But he was too observant for his own good.

"Sansa."

Her head rose from the water. They made eye contact before the stranger looked quickly away.

Sansa continued to tread water, coming closer to the shore- but not enough to where her feet could touch the bottom.

"You came."

"Yes."

His eyes still looked modestly away as she climbed out of the lake. He cleared his throat, an edge of discomfort found in the noise that had Sansa smiling as she reached for her shirt.

"It's okay- I'm still wearing my underwear and stuff."

"Yes." His simple word was short and clipped. Sansa sighed, quickly pulling the shirt over her to end his unease.

They sat down as they always did. Across from each other- face to face- with their backs pressed against the trunks of the trees.

"Are you well?" Those silver eyes examined her, concern the only emotion she could find in them.

"Yes...I'm good now that you're here."

Her answer was not one that he liked. She could tell from the way he looked away and clasped his hands. He spoke little- resulting in her to learn the different movements and meanings from his body language. She would never tell him what an expert she had become now in reading his skin and telling the hidden meanings behind each action.

"What about you?"

He nodded.

They had made it past their usual formalities. Nothing ever really was said in these moments. Just a warm-up for Sansa as she prepared him for the onslaught of information. She always kept in mind moments and details that she would later share with him. Between the span of the seasons, there were many times that she would talk to herself as if he were there listening.

It had only caused more alarm to those around her if they happened to hear.

"What's wrong Sansa...?"

She realized then that she had not kept up with their usual routine. She had not gone into her mode of talking. Her mind had wandered away- lost in whatever haze.

"I'm sorry... I'm a little lost right now...It's just a new medicine they're-,"

"You're sick?"

His sharp words stopped her short as she paused and shook her head.

"No I...I just have a few conditions."

"What conditions?"

She laughed then. Surely the stranger must know?

"My schizophrenia."

A silence shattered between them. She watched as a broken expression entered the strangers face.

"You don't have that."

"That's not what the pack doctor says."

A low growl left his mouth then. It sent fear through her. He did not growl often, but when he did, it showed to her that he was something different from a shifter. Something more...dangerous...

"Do you think I'm not real?"

She shook her head, "I know you're real. I know you're probably right I-...It's just something that makes it easier for others."

The stranger stiffened. And then he stood.

"I should go."

"What?"

Sansa rose with him, a panic in her voice as she reached to grab his arm. He moved away, nimble in his avoidance. She stumbled forward again, trying and failing to catch him as he continued to slip past her desperate attempts. 

"Don't go! You just got here!"

He shook his head. 

"I shouldn't be here at all. I should never have come. I should..."

"No!"

He paused, startled at the cry of pain that left her.

"No don't...don't leave me. I know you will but what I mean is don't...don't leave me for good. Please."

His silver eyes shattered in pain as they took her in.

"Sansa," he whispered her name. His hand rose as if he also were reaching for her, before he stopped halfway and pulled back, "I can't..." his voice sounded strained. Desperate with hers.

"I shouldn't have said anything."

He shook his head, a softness entering his features. It was a foreign thing- something that did not appear often on his face. His face was not used to carrying such an appearance. The hardness had a while before it could completely thaw. But a crack could be seen within the icy exterior as he smiled down at her.

"Never hold anything back from me. Please don't hide from me."

"Then don't hide from me," she whispered, stepping closer to him.

A shaky breath left him as she continued inching towards him.

A wave of hope entered her that maybe he would let her closer than usual. But that hope was crushed as he held up his hand- the signal she knew that meant stop.

There was a stretched silence between them before she asked, "you're not leaving...are you?"

"No." His word was laced with pure agony. The tone made her jerk back to stare up at his face. To take in the mixture of accepted damnation as he shook his head and smiled. "No, I'm not leaving you."

"Good." She sat back down, patting the ground next to her.

He sat across, pressing his back to the tree that he had previously been sitting at.

"You know, I've thought about something while you were gone."

"Mmmh?"

"You need a name. But it has to be a perfect name because you are-," she cut herself off and continued back again, "and so I know what name you should have."

A look of amusement flashed across his face as he answered, "what is that?"

"Night."

He frowned, an eyebrow rising in question.

But Sansa only smiled, "you fit it perfectly! You're like the night itself. Your skin is the sky- your eyes are the moon."

He laughed then, a whispered sound of joy that had her stilling to listen to the noise.

"Ah...I will be whatever you want me to be."

"Night."

She clapped her hands, excitement rising in her as she whispered again and again, "Night, night, night. It suits you. Because you always come and go at a certain time."

He stilled at her words as she looked up with her own eyes of pain and continued to say, "because you always make the dimmest stars seem bright. Because like the night you are a mystery."

They did not look away as Sansa leaned in close. As close as he would allow.

"Because like the night- you come to me as if you are a dream." 

NOTE: I do not want to offend anyone who knows or has schizophrenia, that was not my purpose - I have to put this at the end note to explain that this is a fictional story, I am not a medical expert and NO I am not bashing or putting down anyone. So please refrain from making rash judgments. 

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed!