Forever Winter // Benjen Stark

30. I Love You

"Katie!" Benjen shouted but she didnt stop. Climbing up and up she rolled up onto the cliffside and the night king stared down at her as she got up. 

"Last time I went to purgatory." Katie informed him. "Let's not do that again." 

Benjen spun around stabbing and slicing as walkers advanced on him. He saw the blade coming at him a moment to late. He saw this, he knew this was how he was killed. He saw it and he couldnt stop it still. 

Benjen sucked in a breath waiting for death. 

+

"I thought your sister was dead?" Sandor asked as they landed. 

"Apparently not." Sam countered. The walker thrashed before them.  "Dean?"

Dean pushed Sam to the ground and douses him with holy water.

''What the –? I'm not a demon.'' Sam shouted. Dean poured Borax over Sam next. Annoyed Sam stared back at him, now drenched and sticky. 'Or a Leviathan. What –' Sam told them. Dean grabbed Sam's arm and cut it with a knife. Sam gasped in pain grasping at his bloody arm.

''Or a shifter. Good." Dean confirmed. ''My turn. Come on. Let's go." He held out the bottles to Sam.

''I don't need to. I know it's you.' Sam countered. "I saw-"

"Damn it, Sammy!" Dean demanded. He splashed the holy water and Borax over himself and held out a knife to Sam. ''Come on!''

''No! Dean, can I just say hello?'' Sam countered. Dean rolls up his sleeve and cuts his own arm.

''All right." Dean agreed ''Well... let's do this.''

''I don't know whether to give you a hug or take a bath." Sam mused

''Come here.'' Dean declared hugging him tight. 

''Dude. You're... freakin' alive." Sam declared. "I saw Katie. 

"She's not with you?" Dean asked looking around. 

"No she... no." Sam answered looking back out at the great white wonder beyond. ''I mean, what the hell happened?''

''Well, I guess standing too close to exploding Dick sends your ass straight to Purgatory." Dean remarked peering out. Katie was a fighter. She was fine. She had to be.

''You were in Purgatory? This whole time?"

"Yeah, time flies when you're running for your life. Katie helped pass the time..." Dean turned around. "Can we take that thing back out there?" Dean asked pointing at the dragon. 

"No." Daenerys hissed as she marched out.

''Well, how'd you get out?'' Sam questioned pulling his attention back. 

''I guess whoever built that box didn't want me in there any more than I did.'' Dean mused. 

''What does that mean?''

''I'm here, Katie's here, well there. Somewhere with Benjen and they are okay, okay?" Dean offered

''What about Cas? Was he there?'' Sam questioned. "I didnt see him in the snow with Katie but it was hard to see..." Dean cleared his throat as he took a back. 

''Yeah, Cas didn't make it.''

''What exactly does that mean?''

''Something happened to him down there. Things got pretty hairy towards the end, and he... just let go.'' Dean murmured. 

''So Cas is dead? You saw him die?''

''I saw enough.'' Dean hissed. "I need Katie."

"So, then what, you're not sure?"

"I said I saw enough, Sam. We all did." Dean shouted back. 

''Right. Dean, I'm sorry.'' Sam whispered he looked to the walker thrashing before them. 

''Me too..."

"We are taking this thing to-" Tyrion began but it dissolved to nothing before their eyes. Tyrion blinked again as Dean stepped on the spot where the walker once groaned out. 

"What just happened?" Dean asked as a horse was heard coming up the trail. 

+

Katie broke the blade in half as the lunged at him. He grabbed her but she sliced at his arm. He felt the sting and released her. the second half jamming into his chest. He stared back at her a moment as the most satisfying of smirks crossed her face as his army fell. She took a step back just in case. She watched him fall too. 

"BENJEN!" Katie shouted down. The blade barely nicked his chest before the walkers fell. "I told you right on time!" Katie called down. 

"Get down here so I can kiss you!" Benjen called up to her. Katie slipped and slid down the icy cliff before landing in Benjen's arms. 

"What did I say? You need me. I need you." Katie reminded him. "StarChesters together surviving this forever winter." 

"I love you." Benjen declared kissing her. Her suddenly freezing cold body was set a flame with his touch.