Chapter Text
“I hope you can hear me, I remember it clearly.
The day you slipped away, was the day I found it won’t be the same.
I didn’t get around to kiss you, goodbye on the hand.
I wish I could see you again, I know that I can’t.”
“Mom, where are we going?” All Rhaenyra could see through the rearview mirror of the car was brown hair and brown eyes. The curls that framed those big beautiful brown eyes. He has his fathers’ eyes. Jacaerys Strong was almost a copy of his father. One would know right away that his father was Harwin Strong just by looking at him. Harwin, my love, I miss you so much.
Rhaenyra couldn’t help but feel a knot in the pit of her stomach just by thinking of Harwin. He had died one month ago and it still feels like it was yesterday. She had received the call in the middle of the night. He was stuck in the building that was engulfed by flames, trying to rescue an eight-year old kid. The kid had made it, Harwin did not. Rhaenyra knew that he loved what he did as a firefighter and she also knew that every time he received a call, that there was a chance of him not returning. She always prayed, and her prayers were answered, but not this time. This time the Gods were not on their side and Harwin was gone.
“I thought we needed a fresh start somewhere, so we are moving to New York to be closer to your aunt Alicent.”
“Aunt Ali?” Jace asked. “She’s going to be here? I missed her sooo much mom! She’s the best!”
“Yes baby, aunt Ali is going to be here and we are on our way to meet her at a coffee shop so we can buy you chocolate milk with a muffin and a latte for me.” With a double shot of espresso because it’s been a long day, Rhaenyra sighed under her breath.
And it had been a long day indeed. Her day started by waking up at four in the morning to take a nonstop 8 hour flight from King’s Landing, London to New York City. Rhaenyra thought it was a good idea to give Jace a hot chocolate before the flight, but it turns out that it wasn’t. A three year old kid with sugar in his system was definitely not a good idea and she suffered the consequences by having Jace bounce in his seat for the majority of the flight, and only crashing in the last two hours on the way to New York.
Rhaenyra turned a corner and she could see a Starbucks ahead. Finally! Rhaenyra parked the vehicle and helped Jace get out of his booster seat and out of the car.
As she opened the door of the Starbucks she heard, “Rhae! Over here!” She turned to where she heard the familiar voice. Alicent was sitting at a table close to the window. With the way the sun was shining, Alicent looked like a princess, her long and wavy hair flowing down her back. She was wearing a sky blue checkered dress, one of the colors that she liked to wear.
"Mom! Hurry! Aunt Ali is over there!” She heard Jace exclaim. Without any second thought, he had let go of his mom's hand and ran over to where Alicent was.
“Aunt Ali! I missed you so much!” He said as he ran to hug Alicent. “I missed you too buddy! How are you?” She asked Jace, holding him tight.
Before he could reply he heard, “Jacaerys Strong! You never let go of my hand and run away from me. Do you hear me, mister.” Coming from the direct of where Rhaenyra was standing, with hands at the hips and a stern face.
“Sorry mommy, I was just so happy to see aunt Ali again, I promise I will never do it again.” He replied back with a pout on his face, as he looked down. He hated being in trouble with his mom, but he was just so happy to see his favorite aunt.
He knew that she was not really related to him, but she has always been a part of his life, so she was always going to be Aunt Ali to him.
“Relax, Rhae he didn’t mean to do it, and he promised that he won’t do it again. Right J?” She asked Jace with a smile and holding out her pinky, making him pinky swear that he wouldn’t do it again.
“Right mommy!” he replied back, with a smile on his face. Rhaenyra knew that she couldn’t be mad at him anymore, not with the way that he looked when he smiled, once again reminding her of Harwin.
He has his fathers’ smile. Not wanting to think of Harwin again, she let it go, instead she replied, “Ok, you pinky swore, so make sure you never do it again, my love. Well let’s get you that muffin alright?”
After ordering and receiving the chocolate milk, muffin and latte, with two shots, she sat down next to the Jace facing Alicent.
“So how was the trip over here?” Alicent asked, taking a sip of her own coffee as Rhaenyra gave Jace his items.
“It was long, way too long and very tiring. I am ready to go to the apartment and get everything settled, but I still have to figure out what I’m going to do about my job. I only have so much saved and I don’t want to take any more money from my parents.” Rhaenyra replied, thinking of her parents, Viserys and Aemma.
Rhaenyra was her parents’ delight, and she didn’t know what she would have done without their help after Harwin passed away. She had stayed with them after the funeral but there were too many memories back in King’s Landing and she needed to get away. She knew that moving to New York would make her parents sad as both Viserys and Aemma would often take care of Jace while she went to work and loved spending time with him. Rhaenyra had promised that she would facetime her parents as much as she could so they didn’t have to worry about how they are doing.
Her parents had helped Rhaenyra locate an apartment that was cheap and in a somewhat safe area that was close to a daycare. She just needed to find a job to help make next month's rent.
“Well, if you want I can see if there’s a job at the company I’m working at. I heard that there was a job opening as someone was fired the other day. I don’t remember what job position it was, but they pay really well and they have good health benefits. I’ll give you a call when I have more information, ok?”
“Yes, that’s fine, thank you Alicent, you’re really doing me a favor.” Rhaenyra replied.
“Don’t worry, you know that I’m always going to be here, for you and this cutie pie,” she said back pointing at Jace, who had his mouth filled with muffin and crumble all around his mouth.
Both ladies couldn’t help but laugh as Jace looked way too cute for his own good. “I just have to enroll Jace to a daycare so I don’t have to worry about him during the day.” Rhaenyra said in a huff.
“Oh, yeah, Laena said that she had space available at her daycare and that she doesn’t mind if you enroll him there. You know that she’s more than happy to look after Jace, Rhae. She loves this kid just as much as I love him.” Alicent replied back.
“Thank you Ali, I just don’t know what I would have done if it wasn’t for you and Laena. You both have been life saviors to me and I really appreciate what you guys are doing for us.”
“Like I said, we love you guys and we are here to help you with anything.” Rhaenyra knew that she was so lucky to have both girls in her life. Sharing a dormitory room at college, the three girls had created a bond so close that it was beyond friendship. What the three women were, were truly sisters in everything but blood.
They were there for eachother in the good and the bad times. They were there for eachother like when Alicent’s mom had died, when Laena quit job after job because ‘it didn’t feel right’ and eventually found her passion as a teacher at a daycare.
They were also there for Rhaenyra when she became pregnant with Jace and were even there for the birth. Rhaenyra knew that it was fate that had brought them together and so did the other girls. They truly were sisters.
After saying goodbye to Alicent, Rhaenyra drove to where her apartment was. As she puts Jace to bed Rhaenyra looks around her apartment. The apartment was bare looking as they only had the essentials, like a coffee table, a sofa, and a TV, so Jace can watch his cartoons in the morning but that was about it.
She knew that she would need to start looking for a job as soon as possible as she needed everything new so she could make a new life for her and her son. She didn’t mind waiting a little while longer to get the other material things, she just needed to take her time with everything. ‘Take every day one day at a time, love, don’t rush. There’s no need to rush, otherwise you might miss something.’
Her mom used to tell her ever since she was a small girl, and she took those words to heart. A ping from her phone stopped Rhaenyra’s thoughts. As she walked across the room, she saw a notification on her phone.
A message from Alicent that said ‘So I was able to set up an interview for you tomorrow with my boss. It’s at 9 a.m. Don’t screw up! :)”