Story Arc Two: Careful Maneuvering

A/N: Finally managed to overcome my writer block and improve upon my outlines. So, this story is officially back from it's hiatus. Hope you like the beginning of its second story arc, and if so, please review!

With the telepathic report over, Jon Snow took a deep breath before the doors in front of him. He knew things were going to get loud and ugly soon, especially if Lady Catelyn had already arrived before he could. But still, anticipation was flowing through his veins and it made him smirk for a moment.

"Oh, I have been waiting years for this," He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I hope you aren't terribly attached to your pride, Lady Stark. It shant survive the end of my visit."

He took moment to remind himself that he shouldn't take things too far in front of his cherished family members. Justifiable as his feelings of outrage may be, they do love her after all. But this time, he suspected that his siblings and even his father will side with him more firmly. And the thought made him feel happy and vindictive in equal measures.

But they had accepted him back and clearly regretted not standing up for him sooner. So, between that and all that he had gained since leaving the North, it's not like he could complain that much, at least in public. So, for the time being, the Bastard of Winterfell just intended to have his fun for a few minutes of conversation long overdue.

Still, aside from the upcoming confrotation, he had another thing in mind to put the Tully bitch in her place. A plan that filled his dreams with anticipation.

"But for now, time to get lingering grievances off my chest," Jon thought. "After all, like Val told me before I sent her and Ygritte on their important quest, the thrill of a successful hunt is sweeter when you are patient. And I have been wating over half a decade to go for the kill when it comes to this hunt, so, I can wait a little longer."

And with that, he opened the doors and entered Winterfell's Great Hall...only to be unexpectedly tackled into the ground by an abalanch of fur and open maws.

"Argh!!!" He cried out, startled as the sides of his face were licked from all sides the moment his back hit the ground; the sound of unrestrained laughter echoing across the hall.

He blinked rapidly a few times and his mind finally caught up with his accelerated heartbeat. Then he couldn't help but chuckle himself, realizing the significance of what had just happened.

"Oh, it's so good to see you all again," He smiled fondly as he started petting Lady's head, who was closest and then Nymeria's before moving on to scratch all of his siblings' direwolves behind their ears. "So, I take it you missed me then?"

As if they could smell the meaning out of his words, they barked excitedly while wiggling their tail happily. Jon laughed at that and stood up before spreading his arms to invite the five now grown direwolves into a massive group hug. This time he held his ground because they restrained themselves better but they were still clearly pleased to see him as Summer and Grey Wind started running around him in circles while Shaggydog and his sisters smelled him up and down.

Before long his brothers and sisters came closer, the whole pack of them smiling widely.

"You are going to need to bathe again after dinner," Sansa said, sounding amused as she looked at him spit and hair covered shirt.

Jon chuckled merrily. "Worth it!"

Robb grinned at that and clapped him on the shoulders. "It's truly great to have you back, Jon. Winterfell hasn't been the same without you."

He took a deep breath at the awknowledgement and gave him thankful nod. He started looking around but before he could ask if they knew when would Lady Stark arrive, he saw Rickon give him a questioning look while scratching his companions's belly. It hit him right before he opened his mouth.

"Where is Ghost?" His youngest brother asked curiously.

The rest of his family turned to him then, clearly wondering that as well. Jon decided tell them just enough of the truth to put their minds at ease without spoiling the surprise.

"About a 20 days before sailing to White Harbor, I sent him with a few of my best guards and hunters on another of my ships to the lands beyond the Wall," The now very wealthy captain partially explained. "He has been feeling lonely for a long while now so I thought it would do him well to find a mate. But don't worry, I am fairly certain we will see him again in a matter of days since I told my followers to travel straight to Winterfell after that."

Then he grinned. "And hopefully, the pack will get larger by the next reunion."

His siblings started chattering excitedly at the news, and Jon smile widened, remembering those early months with the pack of direwolf pups so well himself. But soon, he noticed his father frowning as he looked at him.

"I hope you informed the Night's Watch that you were sending men you have hired for a job Beyond the Wall," Ned Stark said. "Otherwise, they will probably send rangers to track your people down to investigate if they were smugglers selling weapons to the Wildlings."

"Not to worry," The Bastard of Winterfell replied. "I made sure to give them orders to dock at East-Watch-By-The-Sea first so that they could inform the castle's commander of the plan and to give him some gold, food, and wine to prevent them from complaining. And since I have heard that the Night's Watch has been quite undermanned and underfunded for some time now, I imagine they did not refused them."

His Lord father was silent at that but didn't disagree. Then Jon sighed heavily and decided to address the mammoth in the room.

"May I ask if you know when would Lady Catelyn be joining us, my Lord?" He said, trying to sound as polite as possible.

Eddard sighed even more loudly than he had and rubbed his forehead, likely imagining things turning unpleasant soon enough.

"In a few minutes at most," He ended up replying. "I told Cassel to let me know as soon as she returned from Wintertown with the supplies for the King's feast. She must have been washing up from her trip but it won't be long before she arrives.

Jon stared at his father straight in the eye for a long moment, steeling his resolve and trying to convey that with his gaze.

"This is your hall, father," He pointed out. "If you want me to leave for now so that you can have a pleasant supper with the family before dealing with any screaming, I will accept it. But if you let me stay, then I will have you know that while there are more than a few things I have been waiting for years to tell your wife, I do intend to behave...as long as she does as well."

Ned winced at that, clearly unwilling to bet against him on the odds of that happening. But before he could open his mouth, all of his trueborn siblings got closer, his brothers to his left and his sisters to his right, their silent looks of determination speaking volumes. And he realized right then and there that he had their unified acceptance and support. And to have it today, of all days, made him happy like few things have.

Despite everything, the Lord of Winterfell looked at his children with an unmistakable look of pride.

"You are staying," He insisted. "You may have achieved much since you left to forge your own path, but I never should have been persuaded by Catelyn to convince you to leave. And wolves do better together. So, tonight, the pack stands united. And we will deal with whatever comes next."

Jon inhaled deeply at that, the words he had been hoping to hear for so long moving him more deeply than he had expected. Before long his siblings have him a group hug of their own and he smiled as they embraced him, feeling so glad to be home at last.

He was so distracted by that, however, that he barely noticed the opening. But then, he heard a sharp hiss, belonging to a voice that was seared into his memory like a painful brand.

He turned around and saw the woman that kicked him out of the only home he had ever known after he had saved her cherished daughter's life and virtue.

"WHAT. IS. THAT. BASTARD. DOING. HERE?!" She demanded, her face twisting into a snarl.

And just like that, Jon felt not just happy, but thrilled at the moment at hand.

"Hello, my Lady," He said with a knowing smirk. "It has been a while."