Can Heaven Wait?

I was in my house, thinking. Zelda and I were in love, but I didn't know what to do. Sure, I loved her, but I also loved Malon.

I went out, and a messenger from Hyrule Castle came up to me, breathless.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's Zelda!" he gasped.

"What about her?" I became concerned.

"She's been shot with an arrow," he answered. "Many in fact. We don't know if she'll make it."

I ran with him, to the castle, and passed him when he couldn't go on. I had to get there. She was my life! Sure, I loved Malon as well, but I loved Zelda even more. And I had just realized it.

I ran into the room, and saw her, lying in bed. She was barely breathing, and it didn't look good.

"What happened?" I asked the nurse.

"She was attacked from behind," she replied. "They shot her with arrows, and she tumbled down the stone stairs."

I winced. I couldn't imagine how much it hurt. "Will she be okay?"

"We don't know," she told me honestly. "If she makes it through the night, then maybe. But we don't know."

I went to her side, tears streaming down my face, and took her hand in mine. I sat down in a chair, and watched and waited.

I woke up to the sound of a doctor yelling.

"What happened?" I asked groggily.

"We're losing her!" the doctor shouted to the nurses.

It didn't register at first, but when it did, I knew exactly what was happening. "No," I whispered. "It can't be. She can't."

Everything happened too fast, and before I knew it, the doctor said, "Write down the time of death."

"No," I said. The doctor looked at me.

"She's gone," he told me, then left.

I was alone with her in the room, and I sat down, numb. I took her hand, and whispered to myself.

"Couldn't Heaven wait? Why did she have to go? Why did I have to lose her? Why did she die? Why now? Why her, out of all people?

"Was it something that I did? Did I not love her enough?

"Goddesses, please let her come back to me!" I screamed.

I heard a screaming voice, sounding throughout the castle. "Why did you taker her away from me!" It was fairy boy! I ran to the place I had heard it come from, and found Link crying on his knees, beside Zelda's bed.

"Link," I whispered.

"GO AWAY!" he yelled. "JUST LEAVE!"

I felt tears come to my eyes, and ran out of the room, and out the castle. I ran to my house, and cried myself to sleep.

I held her hand, and asked the Goddesses, Nayru, Farore, and Din, if she could come back. If Heaven could wait for one more day.

I felt a very, very, faint pulse, but it didn't register at first. Then I felt it again, and immediately, I went into action. I didn't think about the fact that I was touching her, I only thought about not losing her again.

"HELP!" I yelled. I kept on using CPR on her, doing my best to keep her alive, and the doctor came in.

"Step aside," he told me.

I did as he said, and he got to work. He pushed on her chest, and checked her pulse, as I walked in circles. It was all I could do not to push him aside, and try to help her myself.

It was later that night, and the doctor had successfully revived Zelda. I was sitting by her, in the chair, waiting for the morning sun to shine in through the window.

Slowly, but surely, the sun came up, and with it, came Zelda. She woke up, and looked around. She saw me sitting in the chair.

"Zelda," I said.

"Link," she responded.

"Don't scare me like that again," I told her.

"Thank you for saving me," she replied.

"You know?" I asked.

"Yes, I saw everything," she answered. "Even the part about Malon."

I sighed. "I should go apologize," I said.

"Go," she began, "I'll be fine."

So I rode Epona to Malon's, and found her sitting in the rocking chair. I went up to the house, and I stopped in front of her.

"Come to yell at me again?" she asked, not looking at me.

"I'm sorry," I tried.

"You should be!" she told me.

"I was scared I would lose Zelda," I admitted.

"Don't you love me?" she questioned.

"I-" I began. "I do, but I love Zelda more. I'm sorry." I hung my head.

"I understand," she spoke softly.

My head shot up, and I gaped at her.

"Shut your mouth before something flies in," she told me, laughing.

"You-you," I began, "understand?"

"Yes," she said, smiling. "I don't like it, but I know I will have to deal with it. I know that you truly love Zelda. Or loved, should be the word."

"She's alive," I replied.

"She's-" she began. Now it was her turn to gape.

"Yeah," I laughed, seeing her reaction.

"That's great!" She finally said.

She hugged me, and held me close. But not too close. She didn't want me to get confused. I could tell.

"Hug me like you mean it," I told her.

"But Zelda-" she began.

"But nothing," I replied. I held her close to me, wrapping my arms around her. "You'll always be like my little sister."

"So I'll always be a part of your family?" she asked.

"Yes, and if Zelda doesn't agree with it, then I won't marry her," I assured her. "I want you both in my family."

She smiled, and held me close to her. We stayed like that for ten minutes, but it felt like forever.

I got onto Epona, and rode back to the castle.

"Link," I greeted him as he came into my bedroom.

"Hey Zelda," he returned. "I have a question for you."

"Okay," I replied. "What is it?"

"Would you mind if Malon was in our family?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"As my little sister," he answered.

"Sure she can," I told him.

"Thank you," he said. "I've been meaning to do this, so here it goes."

He knelt down on one knee, and I wondered what he was going to do. He took something out of his pocket, and when I realized what it was, I gasped.

"Zelda, will you marry me?" he asked.

"YES!" I screamed in delight.

He wrapped me in his strong arms, and I sighed. I would never get used to him. He always surprised me. I could never figure out what he would do before he did it. And that was what I loved about him.

We got married on a sunny day, by Lake Hylia, and when we kissed, it was like we were lost in time. I could faintly feel him holding me, but it seemed so far away. All that I sensed was his mind. We were connected, in so many ways. That was when I realized that this was meant to be. We were Soulmates.

Author's Note: I based this fanfic off of the song, "Can Heaven Wait," by Luther Vandross. I had heard it so many times, so I wondered what would happen if it was LoZ style.

Author's Note 2: A heads up on all my stories. I don't plan the stories out in advance. I just wonder what would happen if such and such happened, and so I start there, and the stories write themselves. I've always said that my characters are alive, and it's true. For all of you who agree with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I admit, I get stuck, but I think that's because I'm not listening to my characters and what they want.

Thank you for reading my stories. This is NOT goodbye.

Michael Storm