Link had Zelda by the throat.

He'd seen her sleeping so peacefully, and though that now would be the perfect time. Perhaps he could choke her out before she woke even. But that would mean a peaceful death. Either way, she would be in his arms when she met her end.

He eased up the pressure his thumbs were delivering, to let her gasp for air. She would wake then, and try to scream. Oh, how he wanted to hear her scream. He missed the sound. When her soul was finally delivered to Demise- that scream. He wanted to hear it again. Now.

Her eyes started twitching open. She would wake soon. He increased the pressure, accidentally too much, and heard a snap. He lifted his hands away, and her head fell into his lap. He sighed and looked up at the dripping root ceiling.

Oops.

A drop of water, grown too heavy to remain attached to the root, pulled itself free and smacked Link on the forehead. His eyes snapped open, and he took a ragged gasp. His eyes darted to his lap, where Zelda lay, nestled against his chest. Her eyes were only the thick black lines of her lashes, closed peacefully in sleep or death.

Was she breathing?

He shook her violently.

"Zelda? Zelda! Wake up!" She groaned, then pushed him back. He released a ragged sigh of relief.

"Hey…! I was still sleeping." She cracked an eye open at him, obviously confused. "Why are you awake before me?" He pushed her away, and scrambled to his feet so quickly that he smacked his head on the low root ceiling, sending the rest of the clinging water droplets down on them in a shower. "Link?" He backed away until he was in the open, and did a quick circle to look for monsters. Zelda scrambled to her feet. "Link? What is it?"

Zelda followed him outside.

"Stop!" He yelled, holding his hands out in front of himself, ready to push her back if need be. She flinched and froze. "Just…" A shiver raked his spin when he looked at her.

"…What is it?" He narrowed his eyes, and focusing in on her neck. There was no rash of red in the shape of hands. He looked at his fists. Zelda slowly approached him while his eyes were down. His downcast eyes were wide, and she could see, even from that distance, that he was trembling.

He tried to pull away when she reached him, but she held fast on his wrist until he stopping struggling.

"Link." She said his voice like a magic spell. He looked at her in surprise, his brow furrowed in uncertainty. "It's me, Zelda." He knew that very well. "Are you sleep walking again?" She smacked him in the cheek. "Wake up." The sting on his face was real. He looked to the ground and focused on his breathing.

A dream- no, a nightmare. But not real.

But why had he thought of that? How could he?

He slumped onto the ground, fatigue taking over. Zelda followed him to the wet grass, her hands firm on his shoulders.

It had all seemed too real. They had been in the same place, with the same dreary weather and Zelda in the same position asleep on his lap.

"Bad…bad dream." He managed, pushing his face into his hand. Zelda wrapped her arms around him, easing his head onto her shoulder.

"It's okay." His eyes fixed on her neck and stayed there.

Zelda had asked him so sweetly what was wrong. He forced a lie.

I can't remember.

But he could. Every detail.

They gathered dry wood from the bark on trees and built a fire beside their three walls of a house. Link offered to try his hand at cooking today, since Zelda was still . While Zelda hung their wet clothes out to dry, he offered to go to the lake to fish.

He didn't have to go far. The river had swollen because of the rain, and ebbed into more of the forest. Schools of fish gathered in the shallow ends, away from the raging current, and made an easy catch. Technically, he wasn't even in Faron's lake!

Link actually felt silly fishing for them in knee-deep water. He could have broken off a branch and speared them in less time than it took for a bass to finally notice the lure. But he didn't mind how long it took, actually.

…But Zelda wouldn't understand why he was avoiding her. He knew that much.

He couldn't take his anger at himself out on her. She hadn't done anything. He would have to do sometime though...something Faron may know about. The way she prodded at his wound made him uneasy. If she knew what it was, why wouldn't she just tell him?

He felt the twine jerk, and caught onto it before the string ran out. The largest of the fish in the pond, that green spotted bass he'd been eying, finally took the bait. He jumped to his feet, and began winding the string around his fist, gradually pulling the fish in. It jumped out of the water, and he pulled it the rest of the way to land.

He enjoyed his moment of triumph, and turned back the in direction of their camp. Zelda would-

The air was suddenly knocked out of his lungs. He dropped the fishing rod and his catch and wound his arms around his chest. He looked for something that had struck him, but he was alone. He struggled to breathe. But just as quickly as the pain started, it stopped, with no lingering side effects.

He unwound his hands and scanned the clearing again. He waited by the riverside, waiting for another spasm of pain, but none came. It was the same kind of random pain that he'd experienced in Skyloft, while he'd been trying to carve out another bird figurine. Unexpected and agonizing.

He collected his things, which had been scattered in the fit of pain, and resumed his walk. He took slower steps, and chose not to run, fearing that any effort on his part would cause an unexpected burst of pain. Like waiting for a choking hiccup to return. But none came.

Zelda beamed when she saw the fish dangling from his hands, but just as quickly, her smile faded.

"Are you all right?" She asked. He was surprised at how easily she could still read his expressions. They had been apart for so long, but still had the same facial habits that gave away their personalities. Link nodded, not wanting to worry her. She didn't seem convinced, but let it slide.

He roasted the bass over the open flame, prodding at it to get it in just the right position to cook evenly. Zelda drew her knees up against her chest, minimizing how much of her body felt the cold. It looked like another storm was coming, and she'd set out most of the heavy clothing to dry in preparation for another night of rain. She was secretly hoping that in the event of another rainstorm, Link would offer himself up as heat source like he had last night.

"I think we should stay in the temple again tonight." Zelda suggested, knowing full well that only one of the heavy blankets had dried enough to sleep on. Link was quick to agree. He hated seeing her cold, but he was nervous about putting himself close to her again. But eventually, Zelda came to him on her own, leaning against his back. "Does it rain this much on the surface often? I wonder…"

His eyes were fixed on the fish, but every other one of his senses were on Zelda. How her figure pressed against his back, melding against him. She was warm, and after only seconds, began to provide heat to his chilled skin. He straightened up, off balancing her.

"Sorry- fish is done."

They waited until after the meal had been eaten to comment on its taste. When no stomachs gurgled in protests, they finally could enjoy the feeling of fullness.

"You should start cooking. It'll be your job. I'll go and cut down the trees instead." Zelda said, resting her head on his shoulder. Link smiled at her, momentarily forgetting the nightmare, and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry about this morning." He said. Zelda twisted her neck to see him.

"For what? You're the one who smacked your head on the tree."

"Just…the way I was acting." Zelda looked at the fire, its dancing colors playing in her eyes.

"You're forgiven." She playfully looked back at him. "Feel better now?" His lips jerked back into a smile.

"Yes." He kissed her again, on her cheek this time. Gradually moving down her face. "Thank you." She locked eyes with him, then leaned closer and took him by the lips. Link slowly twisted, and she straightened herself out so they were no longer back to back, but face to face.

Zelda parted her lips to breathe in the same moment that Link's lips brushed hers, and he suddenly tasted cooked fish. He drew away, both surprised and embarrassed at his forwardness. Zelda impulsively licked her lips, then gasped and covered her mouth in shared surprise.

But it didn't last for long.

Zelda leaned in again, before Link could register what she was doing. He felt her hot breath on his face, then his eyes shut, as if he couldn't believe what was happening.

He felt Zelda's soft hand find its way under his shirt, and his own fingers danced across the back of her neck, under her hair, and to the low dip that offered up her shoulders.

Her fingers touched his stitches, and Link took a sharp breath. Zelda's fingers counted the stitches, and moved no further.

"I think it's time we cut these out." She said into his shoulder. Link opened his eyes with a sigh, and his breath collected in front of his face.

"Y-yeah…"

He tugged his shirt up past the line of stitches and stretched himself out on the ground. Zelda hovered above him with a pair of knitting scissors.

Zelda decided it was time to remove the stitches, before she had accidentally brushed her fingers past them and ruined the moment. After all, the heart potion had done most of the healing, and stitches were just a precaution. By the look on his face, and the way he kept scratching at them, she assumed they had become more bothersome than helpful. She noticed his apprehension.

"What?" She asked, eying him curiously.

"That pose makes you look kind of scary." She snipped the scissors threateningly, and Link tensed.

"Oh, the Goddess' Chosen Hero is afraid of a tiny pair of scissors?" She asked with a giggle.

"In the right hands, anything can be a weapon." He said. He heard her snip the scissors again, and felt a knot tangle in his chest. He knew Zelda would be gentle, so why was he actually afraid?

She placed her hand on the side of his wound, and used her fingers to lift up one of the stitches. There was a painless tugging.

"Wait." He said, catching her hand. She sighed and sat back. "I…Maybe we don't have to take them out just yet."

"Link-"

"It's still sore." He tried, but she wasn't having any of it. She pushed on his chest, and he let her force him to the ground again. He groaned and looked to the side. He scolded himself for acting so childish, but even the harshest of reprimands couldn't force back the sense of impending doom.

She hooked her finger under a stitch and clipped it free.

Link gasped, and bolted upright, and Zelda nearly stabbed him with the sharp ends.

"Link! Stop it." He covered his wound and frowned. He'd had stitches before. He'd sat through them just fine. So why was that in front of Zelda, he was freaking out?

He pulled his shirt back down, resolved. Zelda huffed.

"Link! It's not good to leave stitches in for so long."

"I'm not healed yet." He quietly said.

"Yes you are." She said firmly, then softened her voice to add, "Why? Does it still hurt?"

"I'm not sure." She hesitated to continue.

"Still…I used thread, not medical sutures. I brought some from Skyloft, so if it does still hurt, I should at least replace them." He shook his head, tightening his arms around his side.

"Not yet." She sighed, and reached towards him. Link flinched away, but Zelda followed him.

"Link, just let me-"

"Zelda, no! Please, just stop." She caught his shirt and tugged him back.

"Come on, I'll be gentle!" He jerked away so hard, that Zelda fell, and when she put her hand out to catch herself, she put it right into the edge of the fire pit.

Zelda screamed, and pulled her hand out of the embers. Link had already gotten a heart potion out for her. She clutched her hand against her chest, whimpering, and took the potion in her good hand. The scalded skin healed after the first swallow, but her scream was still echoing in Link's head.

That was the sound he had wanted to hear in his dream…

"It's not your fault." She quickly said, reading his horrified expression. He shook his head. Heart potions didn't heal everything. If he'd gotten the drink to her a moment later, there could have been lingering effects of the burn. If it hadn't been right there, she would have been scarred.

...If he hadn't been right there, there would never have been the threat.

"You don't…" His side throbbed, and he clutched at it.

"Link?"

"Don't touch me!" He jumped to his feet. "I need…I have to be alone for a little while." He stammered. It was all he could manage trough the sudden onslaught of pain.

That was his goodbye to her as he turned around and sprinted up the hill and into the forest. Zelda stood.

"Link! Wait!"

Look who was running away now.

He ran all the way to the bridge, and leaned against the stone for minutes before recovering his breath.

Where are these violent thoughts coming from!

He pushed his face into his hand, and pulled at his bangs until it hurt, then hurried to the end of the bridge, where the crashing waterfalls blocked out his mindless thoughts.

He stood, eyes closed, and let the sounds absorb him. When he finally stopped counting his heartbeats, he let his eyes open. Just like the rivers, the lake had overflown. The waterfalls were crashing with renew vigor, and dumping into the basin. The torrents of whitewater followed a deadly current to the bottom of the lake.

The mist was so heavy that he couldn't clearly see the lake's surface, but he knew that it would be distorted with massive ripples.

He sat heavily on the edge, so he could still look over and see the falls. He pulled up his shirt and stared at his wound. The edges were bright red, and there was a distinct spider-webbing pattern stretching from the main cut that signaled the early stages of blood poisoning. Link tossed his shirt down with a huff, then dug the heels of his hands into his eyes.

What's happening to me?

Zelda hesitated long enough for him to get the head start. Then, she broke into a run to follow him.

He was lying to her. Ever since that morning. What had scared him into lying?

She skidded to a stop in front of the bridge. He had pulled back the stone gate to prevent her from following! She banged on it and yelled, but she couldn't even hear herself over the roaring waters.

She backed away angrily, and broke into another run.

Zelda knew another way around to the bridge. She'd taken that path to avoid monsters when she first went through the forest. It wouldn't take her onto the bridge, but it would give her a view of it.

She took the low path, and came out below the bridge. The path around the lake had sunken back from flooding, so she carefully picked her way around to a pile of rocks. They rose up all the way to the top of the waterfalls, from when part of the natural dam had broken away. She tested the moist surface, and quickly heaved herself onto the first boulder. She'd been able to easily reach the top before, but the rocks had been as dry as sandpaper.

The waterfalls to her left were deafening. She climbed up the damp rocks until she could see the edge of the bridge. Spray from the falls soaked her, and the wind chilled her to the bone, but she stood her ground.

She could see him sitting there, obviously distressed.

"Link!" She yelled. His head turned and he stood, obviously disapproving of her precarious position on the rocks.

His mouth moved in a warning, but the words were lost in the chasm between them. It looked like he was saying, 'Get down, idiot!' though he had never once called her an idiot.

His panicked expression calmed her significantly. She'd seen that look so many times. When she fell from her Loftwing after the ceremony…when she had closed herself inside the crystal to sleep...and, before his expression turned to rage, when Ghirahim slung her over his shoulder and carried her off to Demise.

His expression was bordering on anger now though, with each second she remained on the dangerous rockfall.

"Get down!" She heard, his warning overpowering the falls.

"I'm sorry!" She yelled back. "But...Your running away from me! I'm here, so stop it!" She didn't know how much of her desperate message reached him. A torrent of water suddenly broke from the waterfall, and slid down the rocks. She mistook the sound for part of the waterfall, and heard it a moment too late.

It swept around her ankles, and she couldn't keep a grip. Her head cracked against a rock, and icy water rushed around her. She lost her breath in a scream, and the world went black.

He didn't scream her name.

He didn't make a sound.

He didn't think.

He just jumped.

Link dove headfirst off of the bridge. Air rushed past him for so long he could have counted the seconds, then the water hit him like a solid wall of ice. The water-dragon's scale went to work instantly, expanding his lungs to accommodate more air.

His eyes searched for her among the blurs and shapes underwater. The current tugged him back, taking up precious time to find her. He found the site of the rock fall, panic fueling his muscles, allowing him to overcome the force of water to swim closer to the falls. But it seemed that the strain was taking its toll, and quickly depleting his reserve of air. He saw a flash of yellow among the grey, and dove towards it. Zelda's dress had pinned her against the rock fall, but none of her limbs seemed to be trapped.

She had a deep gash above her eye, but the strong current was pulling the blood away in wisps.

Link grasped her around the waist with one arm, and pulled the dragon-scale necklace over his head. He instantly felt his lungs constrict and whine for air. It took all of his focus to replace the charm around Zelda's neck.

He clutched her dress, and with a mighty heave, ripped it free of the rocks. But with nothing anchoring them down, the two were whisked away by the current. Link caught Zelda against his chest, and kicked off of the ground. Halfway to the surface, they collided with a drifting log. Pain exploded in Link's legs, and he flipped over in the water.

Their heads suddenly broke the surface, and Link gasped at the air. He inhaled a mouth of foam and choked, before a wave overtook him again. Blindly, he swung his arm for something solid to grab onto. His hand grazed a rock, which was quickly felt by his knee. By some grace of the Goddess, his reaching fingers locked on an overhanging branch. Their bodies tried to go along with the current, but the branch bent and held fast. He pulled them above the surface again, and this time, he heard Zelda gasp beside him, and start coughing. He wouldn't let her go under again.

Link's arm shook as he pulled them into the shallow water. Though it was only up to his armpits now, the current felt twice as strong. One misstep and they would be hurdling through the river again. His feet scrabbled in the loose silt and pebbles, searching for a hold. He slipped when he stepped on grass, not expecting the change in footing underwater, and the branch snagged and snapped. He pushed off of the ground and leapt, catching onto a rock as the branch was tossed into the water. His bare hand scratched along the surface, but he dug his fingers into the rock and held fast.

He pulled on Zelda's waist, keeping her pinned to his shaking body. He let out a low yell as he slowly heaved their waterlogged bodies onto dry land. He pulled Zelda along further, until her feet were no longer in the water. The strain sent jolts of pain back through his muscles, and he broke into a fit of wet coughs, clearing the rest of the water from his lungs.

He punched his arm down into the ground beside Zelda's face in order to not collapse on top of her.

"You…you just can't stay out of trouble, can you?" He whispered. Zelda blinked as he scattered water droplets on her face. His vision was spotty, but he saw blood welling up from the cut on her face again. He reached for his cap, but only felt his hair. He dropped onto the ground beside her, and instead covered her forehead with his hand, gathering his sleeve in his palm to use it to staunch the bleeding.

For a while, the only sound was their breathing. Link's more so than Zelda's.

"Are you…hurt?" He finally whispered, still catching his breath.

"I'm okay." She replied, and Link was relieved to hear how strong her voice was. He spared a look at his own body, and saw blood welling up in numerous spots along his legs. He rolled over onto his elbow, and his biceps shook. He leaned over her, and brushed her damp bangs away from the cut on her face.

"Are you sure?" His voice shook as well. He lifted his hand, but quickly replaced it. "What were you thinking?" His voice held a slight edge now. "You could have died- if I wasn't right there."

"Well if you hadn't run off…" She snapped back. He sighed in defeat.

"You're right."

"Locking the door was-" She coughed, and Link helped her sit up to spit out water. "-immature." She finished. "And I need…to remove…the stitches…!" She broke down into coughing, and Link gently slapped her back. As her hands found her chest, she noticed the water-dragon's scale hanging from her neck. She stroked her thumb over it's glossy surface. "What's this?"

"It's one of Faron's scales. It lets you hold your breath underwater for longer." Link explained.

"When did…" Realization clouded her face. "That could have killed you." She was done with accusations.

"But it didn't." He said. She nodded, on the verge of tears. She held them back though. She had to remember that she was still angry at him. But…it was so hard to be. He'd just saved her life, again. She pulled away, regardless.

"You're too reckless." She could squeeze in one more.

"Only around you..." He sighed, shutting his eyes. "But you've always known that. That's why you chose me, right?" She took a short breath and snapped her eyes to him. "For…the Hero?"

"Link, you rose to the occasion. I didn't...How could I have chosen you, when I didn't even know who I was?" She closed her stinging eyes. She swallowed hard, and finally asked the aching question. "I'm still your Zelda, right?" His eyes jumped to hers. He pulled away from the cut on her head, sending a quick jolt of pain through her aching skull.

Her eyed widened. She could see the faint outline of another man, blended into the background of reality. He was taller, with war-torn features. But he smiled at her with the same loving resolve, and said the same thing.

"Always."

A/N~ That ending scene was really hard. Link is getting angsty, but it's not permanent I swear! XD

I hope you guys liked it! Thanks for reviewing!