A/N : Well, it's my first fiction. Hope it won't make you blind after reading. I won't be like everyone else and tell you to review after reading to make me feel better.

But I will tell you that there is a large man named Molly standing behind you holding a tranquilizer syringe. Heh...

Nothing had been the same in her life ever since Link left Hyrule. She was haunted by a sense of infinite darkess, darkness that absorbs everything, even time. She stared into the night sky, trying to find the sense of tranquility that it gave her so many years ago. But even the sky had changed over those 3 years, ominous clouds masked the stars and the moon and never seemed to depart, which made the darkness around her feel even thicker. She felt a certain emptiness inside her, like when he left, he took a part of her with him. He was her first friend, her ONLY friend. He was her knight in shining armor who swept her off her feet, took all her cares away; made her feel…special. Each night she spent hoping to see his gallant return, and each night, this hope was thwarted. The world turned a shade darker the day he left; that day, still hung fresh in her mind even now.

"Link…my fairy-boy…"

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"Link! We can hold Ganon for only so long! Deal the killing blow with the master sword now!" Zelda seemed within an inch of exhausting her powers. Link snatched his sword from the scorched earth, and mustering the last of his strength, buried the master sword deep within Ganon's skull.

"Sages! Now! Seal him into the realm of darkness!" The six sages gathered around Zelda and began chanting an ancient incantation in a long forgotten tongue. A portal of darkness erupted behind Ganon and, with the last of the sages' power, banished him into the gap between worlds. Zelda collapsed, and Link rushed to her side.

"Do not worry for her; she has merely fainted from the strain. I will return her to the village, for her to rest. Din knows we've all earned some," Impa placed her hand on links shoulder. He turned around and stood up to face her. Cuts and bruises covered his face and body, it was a miracle he could even stand. "You should come to the village as well. Zelda will return you to your own time in the morning, to give you back the seven years you lost. You'll be free to live as a carefree child once more." Impa gave him a nod, and with a flash of light, she was gone. Link let out a heavy sigh, not from the pain, but from relief, as he took out his ocarina and played the noctourne of shadows.

With a final wave goodbye to the sages and Zelda, he returned the master sword to its rightful place in the pedestal. With a flash of blue light, he was back to being a child.

"Well Navi, I'm glad that's finally overwith." Link said, grinning.

Silence.

"Navi?"

Silence.

"NAVI!!"

In his rush getting out of the castle town, he didn't even see Malon standing in front of him before it was too late.

"Hi there, Fairy b- OOF!!" she screamed as they both sprawled into a graceless heap on the floor.

"Oh gosh! Malon, are you all right?" He asked, offering an arm to help her up, which she graciously accepted. She dusted herself off and put her hands on her hips. This never meant good news for Link.

"And just WHAT are you in such a rush for? Off to see the princess again I suppose?" She had a cross look on her face.

Link put one hand behind his neck and gave her his innocent smile. He knew she couldn't stay mad at him for very long. "Actually, it's not the princess I'm looking for," he said with a sigh.

She cocked her head, the crossness immediately replaced with curiosity. "And who might that be?"

He chuckled to himself. He could never keep the truth from her. "Do you remember the fairy that was with me when we first met?" She nodded, a sudden wave of realization washing over her. "My adventure is over, but Navi vanished along with it."

Malon put her hand on links shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sure we'll find her." She smiled warmly to him.

Link nodded, and smoothed out his tunic, turning to the drawbridge. Right when he started to go, he felt someone grab his wrist, effectively stopping him dead in his tracks and sending him back to his graceless position on the market floor. Standing above him, was a very cross Malon.

"Oh, no you don't. Not this time fairy-boy. You're always running off to who knows where doing who knows what, always taking the weight of the world on your shoulders and leaving me behind at the ranch to worry about you. Well, you're going to spend today and tomorrow at the ranch with us. And don't even try to get out of it. We haven't seen you in weeks." She was turning pink, on the verge of tears. "I haven't seen you in weeks," she mumbled, almost inaudibly.

He laughed. "Malon, has anyone told you that you have a grip that could crack marble?"

And with that said, she half led, half dragged Link all the way back to the ranch.

They walked in silence for about 5 minutes. "Why cant I talk to her? I always used to feel so comfortable around her, but now I'm scared to breathe!"

Malon broke the silence.

"What have you been doing all this time? You used to visit so often to play with me and help Daddy and Ingo, but you stopped coming weeks ago…" Her voice trailed off.

He chuckled. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." Link could tell he could trust her. He saw it in her eyes.

"Why is he hiding so much from me?" Malon wondered.

He took a deep breath. "Ok, but try and keep up, because once I start, I'm not going to stop for questions." She nodded. "Where to start…Ive been in forests and through deserts; under volcanoes and lakes; fighting the living and the dead…" He continued explaining the whole story to her, from taking the master sword and travelling 7 years in the future, to the sages and the climactic battle with Ganon, and finally returning here where no one remembered anything and Navi was missing.

He didn't finish his story until they were back at the ranch, safe in Malon's room. Night had fallen shortly after they arrived. "Wow…I had no idea you had been through so much. Guess I feel a little dumb for being angry at you now." She smiled sheepishly. "I can tell he isn't lying. His eyes have changed; grown a new determination to them."

"Don't be sorry. I would have felt the same in your place. Honestly, I'm surprised you even believed me." Malon giggled; something she hadn't done ever since Link left.

"Malon, are you ok?" Link asked. She hadn't even realized she was staring at him.

"Oh! Yeah I'm…I'm ok…Just tired." "Smooth one girl, now he thinks you're weird!"

But as it turned out, Link hadn't thought much of it. "All right then." Malon headed towards the door.

"Wait! Where are you going? I thought you were going to sleep." Link asked in confusion.

"Well, there's no other beds, save for Ingo's. I'm going to go sleep in the barn." She replied.

"This is your chance!" Link thought. "Not if its storming you won't," he said as he pulled out his ocarina; a devilish grin on his face. Just as Malon realized what was happening, Link was playing the song of storms. And within seconds, it was raining too hard to open the front door.

Still grinning, Link scooted over so he was only taking half the bed, and patted next to him. Malon sighed. "I'll get you for this, fairy-boy." Were her last words before turning out the lights and slipping into bed. She couldn't complain though. Crowded as it was, the bed was much more comfortable than the hay in the barn. She found herself involuntarily scooting closer to him, and his arm instinctively came around her.

"Thank Din it's so dark in here. I must be as red as my hair by now…"

She placed her head between the groove of his shoulder and neck, falling asleep to the scents of the forest, with a smile on her face for the first time in weeks. The last thought on both their minds was "I wish this moment could last forever"

When Link awoke the next morning, he was alone in the bed. The storm had stopped, and he could smell breakfast cooking downstairs.

Still groggy from sleep, he made his way into the kitchen. Malon was there cooking breakfast. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, she had to stand on a stool to be able to reach the counter.

She craned her neck around and looked at him, not stopping what she was doing.

"Well sleepy-head, I see you finally woke up. Teehee, you're worse than dad!"

"What time is it?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

"8:30!" she said proudly. "I've been up for two hours."

"…" Link's eye twitched. "Malon, you have too much energy." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Well fine then. I guess you don't want breakfast then, do you?"

"Lets not be hasty now" Link laughed. "I don't know if I'll have the energy to help you with your chores if I don't eat."

"Actually, I was thinking about us taking the day off." She smiled. "I already fed the animals today, and the stables can wait to be cleaned. This is your last day here after all." She paused for a few seconds. "You know, I've lived in Hyrule my whole life and still haven't been to the lake?" she laughed. "I've wanted to, but there's always so much work to do. Dad's always too lazy to get any work done."

"And I suppose you want us to go there today?"

"You catch on quick."

After finishing breakfast, the two of them mounted Epona and rode out towards the lake. Even on horseback the lake was a long ways away. It was at least 10 o' clock before they got there.

"Oh wow, it's beautiful!" Her eyes were sparkling. Link could tell she was enjoying herself."Now this brings back memories…" Link looked towards the fishing pond. Then towards the water temple. "Some memories better than others…"

Malon noticed his absentminded stare. "You ok?"

He snapped out of it. "Yeah. Just…memories. Sometimes it's hard to remember what's really happened and what hasn't."

"I know what'll cheer you up."

Link had barely even started asking his question before Malon was upon him, tickling his sides unmercifully.

"Come on Malon! I can't breathe!" She released him. Big mistake. With the quick breath he took, he turned the tables on her.

"Say uncle!" he commanded.

"No!"

"Say it!"

"Fine! FINE! Uncle!"

"Now say 'Link is a hottie!'"

"You're asking for it!" She threw him off of her, straight into the lake.

He resurfaced, and spit a mouthful of water out of his mouth, much to Malon's amusement, who couldn't stop herself from laughing hysterically. Link couldn't help but laugh too.

Night fell upon the lake swiftly. The two youths were at the waters edge, feet dangling in the water. Malon rested her head on Link's shoulder. He blushed, hoping she wouldn't notice. Even after years of being around animals, she still smelled like flowers.

"The sky…when its lit up by all the stars and the moon…its so ro-…" She cut herself off. "Was I really about to say this was romantic?"

"What?" Link asked.

"I said it looks pretty." She lied. In an attempt to change the subject, she asked Link "Why don't you play your ocarina for us?" Link took the bait, and started playing a slow melody, full of rhythmic eighth notes and quarter notes, and graceful trills. It was mystical, the way he blended them together made it difficult to catch the tempo. Before he knew what happened, she had fallen asleep. Link carried her to Epona and they rode back, and somehow he was able to keep from waking her. After he tucked her into bed, he silently crawled in after her.

"Link…" she said, fighting back the sleep that threatened to overtake her.

"Yes?"

"I'm happy we're friends."

"Me too."

"We'll always be friends, won't we? You'll always be there for me, right?"

"Until the end of time."

Satisfied, Malon inched closer to him and submitted to the blissful sleep that awaited her.

The time had finally come for him to leave. He had Epona all saddled up and ready to go, when Malon came running out the door.

"Damn! I was hoping to avoid any long goodbyes…"

"You're leaving, aren't you? To go find Navi…"

He nodded, his face burning with resolve.

"You better come back this time! If you don't come back, my cuckoos will hunt you down!!" She was in tears. "He just got here though! How can he be leaving already?" She rushed up to him in an embrace that was a surprise to the both of them. He shyly returned it. His tunic was getting wet from her tears.

"This is what I wanted to avoid…I can't stand to see her cry like this."

After thinking for a few seconds, he took out his ocarina and started playing the song she taught him, so long ago. As he played, her skull-piercing sobs slowly subsided to faint, almost inaudible sniffles. She slowly released him when he came up with an idea. "Malon, I want you to take this," he said, handing her his bow and quiver. "This way, I have to come back to get it."

"But…what will you do without your bow?" she asked, still sniffling

"I'll be fine, I hardly use it anyway. I'm more the type to rely on my brute strength." He said, flexing his arms, which managed to pull a few giggles from her. "Now I expect you to be a better shooter than I am by the time I get back." He joked with her.

"Somehow, I have a feeling that this time; it might take a little longer for me to find my way back, ok?"

She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, blushing immediately afterward. "Good luck, fairy-boy." She whispered softly in his ear.

"Stay strong, Malon."

And with that, he rode off into the sunrise, to an unknown destination.

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3 years without Link…she felt like the empty shell of a girl; a body without a spirit. Still focused deeply in the night sky, she didn't even hear the horse being tied up to a pole by the loft, or the footsteps slowly approaching her.

"Kind of reminds me of that night years ago." Malon whipped around, alarmed to find a cloaked figure standing behind her. The cloak he bore was thick and brown, with a hood on it. It was too dark to see inside the hood of the figure standing before her. "The flow of time…is a funny thing. Like a river, where all the water ends up back at the beginning of the stream, time will bring all people back to the place where they most belong." He continued. "Childhood friendships will flow into deeper bond…" A blue light floated out of his hood. She quickly recognized it to be a fairy.

"It can't be him…can it? He's been gone for so long…"

The figure removed his cloak, revealing unruly blonde hair, blue eyes that could pale the sky, and a face of fierce determination.

"A bond that time itself could not hope to sunder."

Malon fell to her knees; tears streaming down her face. A hand, soft but calloused from battle, reached out and offered to help her up. "You aren't gonna stay out here all night, are you?" He asked, giving her a warm smile. She looked up, and saw that the cute friend she once new was now a handsome adolescent. Just like that, the ice that built up after years of being alone melted away. She took the arm gratefully and brought herself to her feet, immidiately afterwards pulling and tugging on his face and nose. "Hey! Stop it, Mal. That hurts!" The confused look on his face was enough to make her crack up laughing like she used to.

"So you arent wearing a mask..." she started, giving herself a quick pinch "and im definitely not dreaming..." she paused for a moment, throwing her arms around him, instantly feeling his warmth rush to her. "It's real this time! Oh fairy-boy, you're back! We're gonna have so much fun now!"

"Mal-."

"We can go back to the lake and fish..."

"Mal-..."

"And you can tell me all about your adventure and we can finally have a peacful life together here, on the ranch!"

"MALON! LET GO, I CAN'T BREATHE!!!"

She released him, feeling the immediate wave of cold wash over her body. She reached out her hand, which Link took, and the two of them strolled back to the loft.

At long last, her best friend returned home. They slowly made their way back to the loft, taking their time, neither wanting to rush the moment. Link opened the door and let her in. She gave a sigh of relief; contented, the bottomless pit in her heart finally filled.

"Malon?"

"Yes, Link?"

"You still have a grip that could crush marble."