Timeline: This story takes place directly after Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I haven't actually finished the game (I've barely played the game at all), but this is what I think the ending of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time should be like.

Disclaimer: Of course, I do NOT own Nintendo or associated characters.

My Hero

I panted, clutching my side in pain, right where Ganondorf had taken a swipe at me. It had been bleeding for a while, but had just recently subsided. There were red marks and pieces of mouldy blood surrounding the wound. It had been a tough fight, but it had been worth it for Princess Zelda.

I was now making my way back to Kokiri Forest at a slow walking pace. I inhaled and then exhaled deeply. It felt wonderful to know that Princess Zelda was all right, and everything would be back to normal in just a few days.

Whispies of dandelions and whatnot floated around, reassuring me that I was near Kokiri Forest again. Green landscape came into view, and I could hear some trickling of water running in the distance. It sounded so peaceful and beautiful.

I smiled slightly, entering the small tunnel which brought me back to my home in Kokiri Forest. Memories flooded me. It had been a while since I last visited Kokiri Forest, and it felt great to be back. Everyone was out of their homes, and were all smiling at me cheerfully…as if they had been expecting me.

"Link!" some of them cried out happily.

I smiled simply.

"Link! We though you'd never come back!" one girl smiled at me. She had shoulder length orange hair. "Welcome back!"

I nodded. "Thank you," I said simply.

Some people giggled happily. I couldn't help but grin; which I had been doing a lot of lately. I wandered to where my little hut was, and climbed the rackety ladder that threatened to fall as I climbed it.

I sighed as I smiled and fell onto my bed.

"Ow," I heard a quiet female voice wince from somewhere beneath me.

"Huh?" I got up off my bed. Was I hearing things?

Sure enough there was a lump in my bed. Someone had been sleeping in it.

"Excuse me?" I said, trying to sound as polite as possible. I gently and slowly pulled the covers off of the person.

It was a female with short, shiny green hair, and big green eyes. The girl looked up at me, first in confusion, then surprise, then happiness.

"Link?" she said almost breathlessly. "I…Is that you?"

I nodded in response to her. "Mm-hmm…is that you…Saria?" I squinted my eyes and analyzed her. She smiled excitedly and nodded.

"Oh Link!" she cried happily, jumping out of my bed and wrapping her arms around my neck. "I wasn't sure if you could make it, but you proved me wrong! We've all missed you so much!" she said excitedly before releasing her grip on me and parting. "Especially me," she said rather shyly.

I'm not sure what her last comment was really supposed to mean, but I smiled warmly at her. "I've missed you too, Saria…" I said slowly, looking at the ground. What I found so interesting in my wooden tree floor is beyond me. I've only looked at it about one hundred other times.

I think she smiled again, because I could almost hear her giggle, although I'm not sure if she did. I looked up at her from the ground, and when I noticed she was smiling, I smiled.

"Link, I can't get over how great you look!" she complimented me, and I felt myself get a little warm. I didn't know woman were so into 'I haven't showered in a week, and I smell like a horse mixed with cow manure' type of guys. But for the time being, I fit that description perfectly.

She ran her hand over my green cloak before seeing my wound. She gasped. "Link, you've been hurt!" She studied my bloody wound carefully.

'Oh it's nothing,' I tried to say, but it came out more as, "Oh…noth…" I've travelled almost everywhere humanly possible, I battle the most gruesome enemies, I confront Ganondorf, and after all of that…I can't speak properly to Saria?

She ignored my flustered comment, and grabbed a cloth from my shelf. The funny thing is, I don't remember there being a cloth there. She probably put it there while she stayed at my hut. I forgot all about her staying there – but I had promised her a while ago that she could stay there until I got back.

"I'll be back in a minute," she told me gently before lying me down in my bed so I was on my back. She pulled the covers over me, and left.

In five minutes or less, she returned with the cloth. It was damp, and dripping with water, evident that she had dipped it numerous times into the nearby stream that was near my hut.

She placed it tenderly on my wound spot, before looking at me carefully.

I squirmed a little under her glance. Her eyes started to pierce into my brain, and I could feel her glance slowly stabbing into me. I looked at her, and she looked away, a little flustered. I might have been imagining this, but I could have sworn her cheeks were a light shade of pink. I forgot about it as soon as she spoke up.

"Who did this to you?" her words were soft and gentle, and she gave me a concerned, caring glance that made my spine tingle. My heart did a few backflips. I've never felt this way about anything or anyone before.

"Ganondorf," I say quickly. At least I regained my speech again.

She frowned. "I should have known!" She seems really disturbed and upset. She looks away from me, and outside as if she knows exactly where Ganondorf is. "The next time Ganondorf tries to hurt you, I'll help you!" she says bravely.

I can't help but smile. Saria's so caring. "Thanks a lot, Saria," I say gently, and she averts her gaze back to me, a little questioning. "You're a great friend."

She bats her eyelashes. "I try," she admits with a wink.

I feel a little warm again, and I give her a rather embarrassed smile. It's a good thing she doesn't notice that I'm practically glowing red. She removes the cloth from my side, and I do a double take. My wound is all better. There's no evidence of me being hurt at all, and I feel great.

She smiles at me. I guess I was looking either extremely confused or surprised, probably a combination of both, because she says "Silly Link! Didn't I ever tell you that our lake water has healing powers? The Fairies take dips now and then and they give the lake healing powers!"

Well knock me over with a feather. No one ever told me that. Hey, that could've come in really handy! I smile at her. I don't want to sound stupid, so I answer, "I guess I just forgot."

She giggles, and then hugs me. I hug her back, at first reluctantly, but then happily. This time I'm practically on fire. This blushing has to end somewhere. And how come I'm blushing now? I never used to blush around anyone!

"Link," she says softly as we part. "I hope you know that…" she eyes the ground hesitantly but then looks at me again. "…you'll always be my hero."

I blush yet again, with wide eyes. I quickly soften my glance and I smile. "Thanks," I say gently. We sit there gazing at each other.

Her eyes waver a little as she smiles. Tears start to pour out of her eyes. She doesn't bother to wipe them away. "I missed you, Link. Thank you for coming back."

I smile at her warmly, before she barries her face into my cloak, and I bravely pull her close and hug her. I realize I have feelings for her, and I'm pretty certain she has feelings for me, but I'll save the confession for another time.

I rock her slowly back and forth in my arms, and she smiles the whole time.

FIN

(The Kakoriko Village song softly plays in the background as the screen goes black).

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. This is my first (and probably for the time being, last) fanfiction in the "Zelda" section. Was it good? Bad? This story [obviously] supports Link and Saria, so I'm sorry if you didn't like it.

Please review!