Author's note: I do not own Hylia, Hyrule, Dragmire, Link etc, or any variation thereof. They belong to Nintendo.


Chu Memorial Hospital, Hylia

"Just one more, hold still. There. I got it," the technician droned as Sarah lay on the cold surface in the recesses of the hospital. She waited impatiently in her awkward position until she was helped off the uncomfortable slab and into a slightly less discomforting wheelchair. "As soon as the doctor takes a look at these x-rays he will let you know what needs to be done."

"Thank you," Sarah replied politely, holding back the urge to demand information the tech wouldn't know anyway. She stared at the floor as it rolled by; bringing her closer to the small room in the emergency department at Chu Memorial Hospital she now occupied.

Sarah lay back in the narrow bed, trying to process the recent events. Her time at the hotel now felt like it was an entirely different time and place. The minutes ticked by as she lay in tortured thoughts before a brief knock preceded the curtain being pulled back.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Shikashi. I have the results of your x-ray," the old doctor smiled.

"Come in," Sarah offered, still maintaining an air of controlled dignity despite being confined to a bed in an unbecoming hospital gown. The doctor nodded and entered the room. He placed the pictures in a slot and back lit them. "Well?" Sarah prompted.

"There isn't anything to be done," The doctor admitted. "The break way pretty severe, but whoever set the bone knew what they were doing. All we are going to do is give you an orthopedic boot and some crutches so you can be up on your own."

"That will be a relief," Sarah sighed. "How is Mr. O'Dragmire?"

"I'm sorry but privacy laws do not allow me to discuss patient information."

"Where is Natalie?"

"I am sorry. There is nothing I can legally disclose to you. I'll let you get dressed and the nurse will come in to fit you with the boot." The doctor smiled as he rose from the chair. He collected the x-rays and left her alone in the sterile hospital room. Sarah sighed in frustration and clumsily maneuvered into a clean set of clothes her father had procured for her. She had barely said a few words to him in passing and sorely longed for his counsel. Sarah had barely finished fastening her pants when the curtain slipped open with a brief rap.

"Miss Hyrule, I'm here to fit your orthopedics." The nurse gave as introduction. The young nurse quickly fit a clunky boot that reached to her knee without giving much effort to conversation. Another rap announced the arrival of another hospital employee.

"Miss Hyrule? I am Ms. Yan from social services. I need to ask you a few questions about a young girl." The newcomer was an overweight woman with gravity defying hair.

"How is Natalie?"

"Yes, that is the one." The Ms. Yan smiled kindly. "She is in a bit of a predicament. She is underage and she doesn't have anyone we can release her to at the moment. Natalie gave us your name. I didn't think you would account for her, given the circumstances, but we have to try to find any pursue any leads to suitable guardianship. If she doesn't have a guardian we will have no choice but to admit her to the psychiatric unit."

"Of course I will assume responsibility for her," Sarah replied instantly, "but where is her father?" Ms. Yan looked genuinely surprised at her answer.

"Legally I cannot disclose that information to you."

Sarah rolled her eyes in such a way that Natalie would be proud. "Why is she up on the psyc unit?" Sarah asked bluntly.

"It is against policy to say."

"I'm her temporary guardian but I can't know what is going on with her?"

"I have paperwork you need to fill out first, then I'll get it signed as a court order. Only then can I give you information, but I'm sure Natalie will tell you before then. I'll call you when you can pick her up."

"I'll just wait here for her. How long will it take?"

"A few hours, perhaps. We have a judge already coming here today so there shouldn't be a delay in getting the papers signed." The social worker flipped through her briefcase and fished out a packet. She handed it to Sarah and excused herself. Sarah furiously filled out the paperwork while absently listening to the nurse give her instructions on her boot. She left Sarah to finish the discharge paperwork and Sarah filled over half the packet out before a returned. The nurse gave her more instructions and handed her papers and a prescription for pain medication.

Sarah hobbled awkwardly to the waiting room, juggling papers as tried to find a good grip on the crutches. "Sarah," her father said in relief as she left the emergency department.

"Hi, Dad," Sarah replied flatly as she lowered herself into a nearby chair. The short distance had already exhausted her. She let her crutches fall unceremoniously to the floor as her father sat next to her. A young man moved to pick the crutches up and propped them against the wall with a smile. Sarah gave a quick glance and then smiled fully at Link, who took a seat opposite of her.

"Can someone tell me what has happened?" Sarah pleaded. "I couldn't get anything out of the staff and I've been in there for several hours. What is going on?"

Link's lips pressed into a thin line but it was the mayor who began to speak. "We lost two officers in the raid. One was critically injured but it looks like he will pull through. There are some other minor injuries but they are getting patched up."

"And what of the Gerudo?"

"Who?

"The employees from the Hotel Gerudo."

"I can't attest to anyone currently in the hospital. The others are currently in police custody."

"Why are they still in custody? I thought we had it straightened out they didn't do anything wrong?" Sarah demanded.

"Honey, we are still trying to get the events of the past few days in order. We are still collecting affidavits. You will need to submit one yourself, by the way."

"Always more paperwork," Sarah grumbled, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" her father asked. He gazed at her apprehensively. Sarah's sweet demeanor was completely gone.

"Yeah, fine," she replied curtly, not bothering to look at him in reply.

"You don't sound or look fine. What is going on in your mind?" Mayor Hyrule asked insistently.

"I need some time to process everything that has happened. In the meantime there are papers to fill out and other things to worry about. I want a moment to myself but I know I have responsibilities," she said bleakly while motioning to the waiting papers.

"You have had a hard weekend. Take care of yourself for now and worry about the other things later,"

"I have some things I have to do before my pity party."

"You are mayor potential to the core," he responded with a hint of pride.

"I don't know, Dad," Sarah responded, opening up the packet to begin filling out the forms again. "After all that has happened… I made a mess out of things. If I hadn't insisted on pressing that stupid proposition through this wouldn't have happened."

"You were dead set on it before, what changed your mind?"

"I didn't know how it would truly affect Mr. O'Dragmire. I was so focused on how it would "help" him that it didn't occur to me that it might actually hurt his business. I spent several days with him and I see things differently now. I don't know how to describe what happened up there. It is just… I don't know."

"Did he do anything to you?" her father asked looking at her sternly. Sarah looked at him and noticed suspicious look he shot her. It was reminiscent of the way he would question her when she got back from dates. Link was a little too interested in the answer.

"What? Dad, no!" Sarah replied in exasperation, blushing slightly. "It isn't anything like that. I guess I just got a different perspective on the land acquisition, and… life I suppose. I'm just confused right now."

Her father beamed down at her. "It seems you've learned some very important lessons. You've learned some things in the past few days that most politicians don't learn in their entire careers. There is always a different perspective. Don't let this one setback deter you from your dreams. We all make mistakes. Take what wisdom you can and move forward."

"I doubt your mistakes got anyone killed," Sarah replied sarcastically.

"That part is not your fault," the mayor answered sternly. "That was, in part, my mistake. That was the mistake of Mr. O'Dragmire and his employees who chose to fire instead of negotiate. There were so many mistakes made in the last week that we are all tangled up in the blame. That is why I am asking you to learn what you can and move on." Sarah merely huffed and sank lower in her chair.

"I'll move on once this whole thing is sorted out and I know everything is going to be okay. How long will it be before you release Mr. O'Dragmire's employees? There doesn't need to be an investigation. I can attest for them."

"Do you honestly think you can twist the laws in your favor to get what you want then disregard them when they don't suit you? You know that isn't the way it works. Knowledge of our government both gives us freedom to initiate change and chains us to protocol," her father lectured, slipping back into mayor mode. "I hate to leave you now, but now that I know you are alright I have to go talk to the media before this story gets out of hand. I love you, Sarah. I am proud of you, too."

"Thanks, Daddy," Sarah whispered as her father disappeared down the corridor. Link immediately occupied the chair the mayor had vacated. He didn't speak but sat in silence while Sarah finished filling out the forms to assume temporary guardianship of Natalie. Sarah fidgeted irritably in her seat, glaring at people who came into the emergency department as if they came just to annoy her. She didn't speak to the boy waiting patiently by her, thankful for once of his characteristic silence.

"I'll take that for you," Link offered once Sarah had finished. She handed him the packet and watched him walk away. She once again closed her eyes and tried to sort out her feelings. Things just felt wrong to her, but she felt like she was being swept helpless along a predestined current. She was so consumed with her thoughts she didn't notice Link had returned. "Are you going to be okay, Sarah?" he asked quietly. She immediately straightened up, and began to compose herself, once again assuming her usual collected demeanor.

"I will be fine," Sarah replied, willing herself out of her sour mood. "What about you, you had a couple of crazy days as well." Link merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Just another day for me. I'm just glad everything turned out okay."

"I don't know how things turned out at all," Sarah declared, shifting impatiently in her seat. "I don't have the slightest idea who is hurt and to what extent. I don't know Mr. O'Dragmire's status. I don't know how Natalie is. I don't know how the city is handling this hoopla."

"Do you want to find out?" Link asked slyly, interrupting her before she began to rant. Sarah gave him a confused look until Link grinned and pulled out his phone. "The hospital has free wi-fi, so it makes it pretty easy. I've been bored waiting on you so I've been testing their security. See? I'm in the system already. Who do you want to check on first?"

"Mr. O'Dragmire," Sarah replied without hesitation. Link shot her a questioning glance but went back to his phone and began searching.

"The hospital's charting system is all computerized right now, so we should be able to see what is going on, as long as it has been documented. Ganondorf? What kind of a name is that?"

"Irish, I think."

"It isn't an Irish name I've heard of before," Link replied suspiciously. "Okay, here we go. It looks like he is in surgery. He has been there for a few hours already. They are trying to close an abdominal would and he is getting a blood transfusion. Wow, that is a lot of blood." Link shot Sarah and apologetic glance. Sarah was looking rather pale.

"Just find out about Natalie," she whispered, looking pleadingly at Link. She knew Mr. O'Dragmire wouldn't be doing well, but knowing he was undergoing major surgery made the reality of his condition set in. Link fiddled with his phone again.

"She is up psychiatric unit. She had a mental evaluation done, which shows that she is not a danger to herself or others, to be discharged pending suitable guardianship." Sarah nodded numbly.

"Do I really count as suitable guardianship?" Sarah mumbled, slipping back into self-pity.

"Sarah, snap out of it," Link replied sharply. Sarah looked at him immediately, shocked by his bluntness. She was a bit used to people sugar coating her reprimands.

"What do you mean?" she demanded indignantly. He shrugged his shoulders and looked away.

"Like it or not, at this time you are in the public eye. As soon as we leave here you are going to have to think about what kind of image you project. I'm not trying to discredit your feelings, but think about this wisely. O'Dragmire has already been painted as the bad guy. That is a fact. If you go out there acting like a damsel in distress do you think that is going to change their opinion? You put yourself in a position where everyone is watching you. They are going to tear you to shreds to find out how strong you really are. They want to see you hurt. They want to see you cry because it validates their bias. They want O' Dragmire to be an evil villain. They want this to be a huge tragedy because it makes a better story. If you play the helpless victim O'Dragmire is going to lose any understanding he ever had. There goes his business; there goes any future Natalie had in this community. There isn't much you can do about the past. Right now, O'Dragmire needs an advocate. The public needs a strong princess…uh… mayor… intern… yeah."

Sarah had been staring at Link in disbelief at his passionate impromptu speech. She started to giggle at his slip up, despite the tears that spilled as the truth sank in. She buried her head in her hands and both giggled and cried in turns. "You know a lot about public image for someone who rarely talks," she teased, wiping the tears from her face, a smile forming. It was Link's turn to become sullen.

"When your father is an alcoholic you learn when to hide your feelings and the value of being insignificant."

"Link, you aren't insignificant."

"I've spent how many years single handedly keeping the City of Hylia's technology department running and you didn't even know my name until last week." Sarah cringed at the truth of Link's observation. She may not have officially worked at the city but she spent considerable time at her father's office since she was a child. Link gave her a knowing, but non-condemning look before continuing. "I'm just the idiot who swam across a swollen river. No biggie. Hopefully the most I will get is a lecture from Sara, from Parks and Recreation, about how stupid that was. Never mind everything that happened because of it. Do you know they haven't asked me for an affidavit? They haven't done a psyc eval or questioned me at all and I'm the one who stabbed him. I didn't mean to. It just happened. The only thing I was thinking about was getting you out of there and it just… happened. It was almost like…" Link trailed off.

"It was supposed to happen," she finished for him. Link nodded numbly. Sarah found herself surprised at him once again. Link kept his thoughts in check and maintained a blank face. Had he not just spoken his mind so plainly; Sarah would never have known he was even upset. "Thank you for coming for me," Sarah whispered, reaching over and squeezing his had. Link gave the slightest squeeze back.

"Any time," he replied sincerely. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"So where do we go from here?" Sarah asked bleakly. She didn't know how things were going to play out but it was comforting to know there was one person who understood what she was going through, and didn't judge her in the slightest.

"You are going to go to meet your father in the lobby for a touching public reunion where you can do some PR and damage control." Link replied plainly, giving her an unreadable look.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Sarah pleaded. She wanted the comfort of knowing he was there. Link only shook his head slowly.

"No, the main server crashed again," Link shrugged. Sarah was starting to get annoyed at the gesture. "The backup is doing okay but it is slow. I need to have it up and running before it gets bombarded again." Sarah shot him a disappointed look but he returned with a smile. "That is just how things work out. I bust my butt in solitude so everyone else can have the glory. You can handle this part on your own. Just get through this afternoon and then one step at a time from there." Link smiled as he walked silently away out the emergency room doors, ignoring the few reporters that pounced the moment he hit the parking lot. Sarah wished she could just follow him and leave quietly, but she turned to the lobby and steadily gimped her way down the hall.

She had enough time to get annoyed that Link had ducked out instead of helping her before she made it to the main lobby. Her internal annoyance had taken the edge off her nervousness to where she was surprised to find herself immediately surrounded by flashing lights. She quickly put on a smile when she saw her father and greeted him as if she hadn't just seen him a few minutes before. She once again assured him she was just fine and she just had a broken leg from the car wreck.

It felt like an eternity passed as she tried to answer questions about her ordeal as lightly as possible. The circus had just begun to subside when Natalie was escorted to the lobby. The remaining reporters took the opportunity to question the overwhelmed teen who had no qualms about expressing her very negative opinion on how the city was handling the situation. Sarah had to drag Natalie out of the foray before her attitude could undo the image she had tried to paint of her rescuers.

"I am nae leaving here until I see Da," Natalie insisted, crossing her arms in front of her and assuming a cocky stance.

"Natalie, I don't know a thing about him." Sarah confessed. She was slowly steering the teen down the corridors where the media couldn't follow them.

"All I know is that he is in surgery," Natalie spat. "No one will tell me anything more than that. People at this hospital are jerks. They took me to the psyc ward and tried to give me all these tests like I was a loon."

"Would you rather be in jail like your aunts?" Sarah finally snapped back, tired of Natalie's attitude.

"Excuse me?" Natalie demanded in shock. Sarah flinched, realizing Natalie did not know this piece of information.

"Your aunts are all in jail," Sarah explained. "They are being held until this mess can be sorted out."

"I guess that is why they wouldnae release me to them." Natalie huffed. "That lady told me they werenae considered suitable guardians and I thought she just didnae like that we are nae Hylian."

"Honestly Natalie, your family is more worried about that than we are."

"You did nae hear the gossip in school."

"Real life is hardly like high school, thank the trinity."

"It better be different, cause life sucks about now. Where can we find out about Da?"

"The surgery waiting room is this way," Sarah sighed slowly navigating the halls as she became familiar with her new mode of walking. They entered the waiting room and Natalie immediately demanded that the secretary let her in to see her father. Sarah had to intervene before security was called. Natalie finally settled down and mindlessly flipped through a magazine only after being promised to be allowed to see her father after he came out of surgery.

More hours ticked by. Sarah sat numbly, hardly moving as exhaustion and pain medication rendered her useless. Natalie fidgeted and paced, consuming cups of complimentary coffee that only increased her agitation.

"O'Dragmire?" a monotone voice called that diverted Natalie's attention at once.

"How is Da?" she demanded immediately. Sarah roused herself from her stupor and began to rise.

"I can give you an update in the consultation room. Please follow me," The apathetic doctor told her.

"Hold on a second. I have to go to the bathroom," Natalie declared as she dashed off. The doctor gave a small huff of impatience, but smiled as he saw Sarah gimp toward him.

"Miss Hyrule, what can I do for you?" he asked as warmly as his sternness would allow.

"I would like to find out about Mr. O'Dragmire as well," She replied groggily.

"I need to have permission from his next of kin first," he replied. Sarah nodded, too tired to offer any resistance. Natalie returned and helped herself to another cup of coffee before following the doctor while practically dragging Sarah with her. They settled down in a small room hardly larger than a closet.

"Mr. O'Dragmire is out of surgery. We had more trouble closing the abdominal wound than we would have expected, but it is as good as it is going to get. The organs aren't severely damaged but there was a lot of bleeding. He's already had several units of blood and we expect to have to give him several more. We patched him up as best we could but his vitals started getting too unstable and we had to finish quickly. Frankly I'm surprised he survived but he is a strong man. Right now we are sending him to the intensive care unit and will observe him closely. There isn't anything we can do until he stabilizes."

"I guess that is good," Natalie replied, looking utterly confused as she let the information sink in.

"As good as we could hope for, given the situation," the doctor affirmed.

"When can I see him? When will he wake up?" Natalie asked.

"That is the thing, Miss O'Dragmire," the doctor replied tentatively. "He should have already woken up."

"What do you mean?" Natalie asked warily.

"Natalie, your father is comatose."

Natalie stared coldly at the doctor silently for a full minute before she could speak, "What do you mean?"

"Miss O'Dragmire, your father is unresponsive. We are unable to arouse him at this point," The doctor replied impassively.

"Bring him back!" Natalie demanded, throwing her half finished coffee at the doctor. Luckily he had quick reflexes and dodged the projectile.

"Your father has gone under a lot of stress. It is going to take time for his body to heal. It is like his spirit has been sealed away," the doctor tried to explain gently.

"Do nae you have drugs you can give him to wake him up?" Natalie tearfully pleaded, her brogue deepening with her agitation. Sarah laid a comforting hand on her shoulder as Natalie struggled to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry," the doctor replied. "It is a miracle he is even alive. There is nothing more we can do but try to keep him alive and see if he wakes on his own."

Natalie's mouth moved wordlessly in desperate protests, but finally she hung her head. "Can I see him?" she whispered, letting her tears fall uninterrupted.

"He is being taken to ICU now. I'll have someone escort you," the doctor replied before leaving the room. Natalie sat making strange noises as she tried to stop crying as Sarah silently held her hand. Natalie continued to breathe raggedly as she was led through the hallways, but was able to regain a calmer demeanor by the time she was buzzed into the intensive care unit. She walked into the unit silently and uncharacteristically timid. Sarah had been made to wait outside due to the cluster of people trying to get O'Dragmire hooked up into various machines.

"Da?" she mouthed, wide-eyed as she leaned against the door frame to her father's room. One nurse was checking his vital signs while another was hanging a bag of whitish liquid that drained down a tube inserted through his nose. He hardly looked human in his current state. She shifted to bring herself fully into the room.

"You must be Mr. O'Dragmire's daughter," one of the nurses greeted when she noticed Natalie staring in shock. Natalie could do little more than weakly nod. "I'm Ima. I'll be his nurse. I am just finishing up his admission assessment. I'll be glad to answer any questions you have." Natalie nodded again and sank into a vinyl chair in the corner of the room as she silently watched the nurses perform their tasks. They swiftly finished checking lines and tubes and double checking the doctor's orders. Ima left to type her report into the computer but returned as soon as she finished. She found Natalie still sitting stiffly staring at her father.

"You seem to be upset. Is there anything you want to talk about?" Ima gently asked.

"He is nae dead," Natalie whispered, her eyes still locked on her father's still form.

"No, he isn't," Ima affirmed.

"He is nae there, either," Natalie continued, finally looking at the nurse. She was tall and sturdy with grey hair pulled tightly back. Her face was youthful, making it impossible to guess her age.

"There is no way of knowing what he is experiencing right now," Ima explained. "Some people can still hear and feel while in a coma, others are completely unaware of their environment."

"How do you know he is alive then?" Natalie asked desperately. Ima crossed the room to stand by her and pointed to a monitor on the wall.

"The line up top shows his heart rate," she said as she pointed to a green line blipping across the screen. "It is a little slow, but your father was in excellent condition, so I am not concerned. The line underneath shows his breathing, which is normal. The numbers underneath are his blood pressure, which is excellent. By all his vital signs he is in perfect health. Even his brain activity appears normal. He just…"

"Is nae here," Natalie finished for her. Ima sighed. "When will he come back?"

"I can't tell you that," Ima apologized, crouching to put herself on eye level with Natalie. "We don't know why he isn't awake. Medicine isn't as exact a science as some people would believe. We will do the best we can, but even I can't work miracles."

Natalie nodded slowly. "Can I talk to him?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Ima replied encouragingly. "He may be able to hear you. I'll give you some privacy, but I'll be just outside charting if you need me."

Natalie nodded slightly again and stood by her father as the nurse left the room. She stared blankly at her father for several moments, trying to take in the shock of the last few hours. "Da?" she asked softly, the word chocking in her throat as she spoke. No response. "It's me, Natalie, your daughter. Wake up." There was still no response. The monitors kept their rhythmic beeping without pause. "Wake up Da," Natalie pleaded. "Mum died after going into the hospital. Do nae you dare die on me. You have to wake up. Wake up." Natalie slapped her father's arm. There was no change whatsoever on any of the machines hooked up to the silent man. "Da, wake up," he cried desperately, letting her tears spill unabashedly. She sobbed openly in the seclusion of the hospital room, sinking down against the side rail of the bed. "Wake up," she demanded, once again striking the unresponsive form of her father. She hit him again, trying to elicit any response she could.

Nothing.

Natalie pounded on him again, attracting the attention of Ima, who came rushing in. Ima caught her arm mid flail and diverted her energy away from the bed. "It won't do any good," she whispered gently.

Natalie looked at her tearfully in confusion. She was only half aware of what she was doing at that point. "Wake him up," she begged. Ima did not reply but looked kindly at the girl. Natalie melted into sobs and Ima caught her in a comforting embrace. She gently rocked the girl and held her in silence, her motherly instinct washing over the room. Eventually Natalie's wails subsided and she stood in exhaustion staring at her father. Ima gently led Natalie from the room. Natalie looked back at her father one last time as she passed the threshold.

"Just wake up."

The monitors continued their monotonous song.


Author's note: This is only minimally related. I was playing Twilight Princess and I got to the point where you meet Ganondorf in the castle and I told my brother I pictured him sounding like Sean Connery. My brother proceeded to say every line while imitating him. It was hilarious, especially when he did puppet Zelda. I realize Sean Connery is Scottish and not Irish, and the brogue is different, but that made me think of this story and is the reason I sat down and wrote this chapter even though my insanely busy semester is not over yet. Anyway, thanks for reading my story.