Chapter 14
To Make Amends
Moving to round the nearest corner, Midna found herself emitting an embarrassingly loud squeak as Sheik, his hand still clenched tightly around her own, jerked her roughly backwards. Scowling almost as darkly as she was blushing, she gave her arm a fitful tug in a vain attempt to reclaim her captive appendage, but to no avail.
"Holy Din, dude, what're you-"
"Shh!" Sheik hissed sharply, cutting her off mid-sentence. Pressing his body flush against the brick wall, he slowly inched his way towards the corner to peer cautiously into the adjoining hallway, dragging a reluctant Midna along with him.
She sighed, frustrated, but let him do his thing. It had been slow going ever since leaving the gym. Sheik had insisted on making sure the coast was clear before they braved any stairwell or hallway, but thus far they hadn't seen a soul. Now that they were on the second floor, however, they were bound to run into at least a few people… but still, she couldn't see what the problem was. As far as the bad guys were concerned, Sheik was still on their side, so him wandering about shouldn't be an issue… right?
She opened her mouth to ask, but he interrupted her once again with an irritated grumble.
"They're blocking this hallway… We'll have to go around." And just like that, he turned on the spot and began pulling her back the way they came.
"Wait!" She exclaimed, planting her feet firmly on the tiled floor. It was useless, however; he continued to tow her down the hall as though she were on water skis. Really, Linebeck needed to do a better job cleaning these floors. "Wait, Sheik- ugh! Stop moving for a second, will you?"
"What?" he panted softly, halting so suddenly that she ran right into him.
She shot him an aggravated glare before giving her arm a sharp twist, violently breaking free of his grip and ending their physical connection.
"Look, I don't understand. Why are we sneaking around?" She asked, massaging her sore wrist. "You said you were sent to 'reclaim me' or whatever, so if we see anybody, they're just gonna think you're taking me in, right? I mean, they should still think you're one of them, so…"
There it was again, that brief glimpse of guilt and pain that flashed through his eyes whenever someone mentioned he had been one of them. She'd seen the same look on his face when Coach Nabooru had asked for a way out, trusting him to know of the enemy's weaknesses. Despite the fact that his knowledge of Ganondorf's movements had managed to save everyone in the gym, he still wouldn't forgive himself for his involvement in today's attack, and she was beginning to doubt he ever would.
Sheik looked troubled as he mulled her words over, shaking his head slowly. "I know, but… I just don't want to risk it. Something doesn't feel right, and I don't just mean all the psychos running around with guns. When Ganondorf told me to come get you, he looked… amused. I just feel like he's planning something. We should probably avoid others for the time being."
There was a rather intense moment of silence as the two teens stood still, staring mutely into each other's eyes, trying to convey thoughts and emotions that they couldn't bring themselves to voice aloud.
Finally, Midna found her resolve crumbling and she let out a shaky sigh, hanging her head in defeat. "Ok, I just… Ok. I trust you. If you think this is the best way, then I'll do what you say. It's just…"
"What?" he asked softly, and she felt her breath catch as he reached his hand up to cup her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair. Well this was new; Sheik usually wasn't so touchy-feely. To be honest, Midna usually wasn't either, but considering what was going on…
She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, reveling at this small comfort as she struggled to put her thoughts in order. "I'm worried, Sheik. All this sneaking around… I know you think it's for the best, but if we're caught you might lose the only advantage you have; they'll know you've turned against them. I… I don't want anything to happen to you, and I just don't understand…"
Oh Goddesses, her voice was cracking. No! Come on Midna, stay strong! Tough it out! Don't let on how weak and helpless you feel right now, how you've felt all day… You're stronger than this! Try as she might, she couldn't stop the slight sniffle that escaped her.
Sheik didn't say anything. Instead, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her into a crushing embrace, burying his nose in her tousled black-and-orange hair.
She was stunned. For a moment, she heard nothing but the feverish pounding of her heart thundering in her ears. Vaguely, she wondered how smart it was to have their little tender moment in the middle of the hallway where at any second a homicidal gun-toting maniac could walk over and blow them both away… but then she decided she didn't care. She'd waited a long time for this, and this might just be her last chance. Who knew if they'd get out of there alive?
After a slight hesitation, she hugged him back just as fiercely, placing her arms around his torso and hiding her face into his shoulder, trying to quell her trembling body.
"I really hope that whatever you came back for is worth risking your life over…" She muttered thickly, trying to keep up pretenses even as she turned to jelly in his arms.
Sheik gave a heavy sigh, the sound abnormally loud to Midna's ears due to her close proximity to Sheik's chest and stirring through her hair wildly.
"Don't worry. They are."
Midna blinked, pulling back slightly to look at him directly in the face. "'They?' You mean you came back for people?"
Sheik opened his mouth as though to answer… then froze, his jaw falling open and his eyes widening in shock.
"…Sheik?" She asked, pulling free from his embrace rather reluctantly; she'd never admit it, but she immediately missed his warmth and comforting presence. Goddesses, she was turning into such a floozy…
"Sheik, what-?" With a start, she realized his gaze was fixated somewhere over her shoulder.
Sudden terror gripping her, she whirled around, expecting to see a whole concourse of psychos ready to kill them or even Ganondorf himself striding down the hallway with murderous intent shining in his eyes. Instead, she was met with the surprised faces of the two last people she expected to see.
"A-Aryll?" She spluttered in shock, staring wide-eyed at the frightened little girl who had just rounded the corner, her gaze set vacantly on the floor. Her boyfriend was clutching her hand, looking positively terrified as he froze, staring open mouthed back at them. "C-Colin? What…? How are…?"
At the sound of Midna's voice, Aryll's head jerked up. She could see tear tracks marring her lightly tanned cheeks, her eyes were all red and blotchy from crying, and her usually prim golden pigtails were in complete disarray. Still, for the most part, Aryll looked fine. Her light cerulean irises, the exact same shade as her grandmothers, suddenly lit up as they fell upon Midna and Sheik, and with a frantic gasp she tore away from her boyfriend and all but leapt into Midna's dumbfounded arms.
"Oh Goddesses!" She breathed, relief evident in her tone, "Midna, you're ok! I've been so worried, I-I didn't know where anyone was or what was going on, and…"
Still reeling from Aryll's sudden appearance, Midna found she could do little more than pat the excitable girl gently on the back.
"And Sheik!" The little blonde girl suddenly exclaimed, jumping out of Midna's arms so she could latch onto the older boy. "You're still here! After what Link said about your guys' plan failing, I thought that-"
"Wait, what?" Midna cut in, silencing Aryll's emotional tirade. "What do you mean, 'your guys' plan'? Sheik, what's she talking about? You and Link had…"
Something had been nagging at the back of her head ever since her eyes had landed on Aryll Hero, and suddenly it hit her with all the force of a brick to the stomach.
"Oh, Farore… Link! I completely forgot about him!" As the inevitable feelings of guilt and terror washed over her as she remembered that her other best friend was trapped in this indomitable house of horrors, she couldn't help but notice Aryll's surprised and disapproving glare and turned to gauge Sheik's reaction only to find his expression oddly blank. That was weird… Sheik hadn't said a word since Colin and Aryll had mysteriously appeared. Why was he being so quiet?
"Do we know where he is?" Midna asked frantically, "Is he ok? Did something happen to him?"
"Ganondorf has him." Aryll said flatly, relinquishing her grip on Sheik so she could step back to face Midna fully, crossing her arms stiffly in front of her chest, scowling. She looked visibly displeased that Midna had forgotten her older brother was in danger. "I only saw him for a couple minutes, but he said he got captured because he and Sheik were trying to save me."
"I'm so confused…" Midna said, massaging her temples in frustration. "You… saw him? Does that mean Ganondorf had you too? How on earth did you get out? And Sheik, when were you with Link?"
There was a slight pause as Aryll hesitantly watched Sheik, looking for any signs that he was going to speak first. Sheik, however, continued his strangely silent reverie, largely ignoring Midna and Aryll as he stared sternly at Colin for some odd reason. With a tremulous sigh, Aryll turned to face Midna, her face suddenly downcast.
"I… I g-got out b-because…" The smaller girl's voice suddenly broke, her eyes flooding with tears.
Midna was utterly baffled.
"…Aryll?" She asked, worry lacing her words, but the smaller girl merely shook her head, hiding her eyes behind her hand as she turned to face the wall, body trembling.
"I got her out." said a soft voice from behind her.
Midna spun around, nearly giving herself whiplash. Colin had finally joined them, and now that she could see him clearly, she could tell he looked a little worse for the wear. His face was pale, sweaty, and heavily lined with massive bags beneath his eyes. He looked absolutely exhausted. His hair was disheveled; a trait that everyone seemed to share today, she noted humorlessly. Most daunting of all, however, were his eyes; gaunt and haggard, they looked like swirling grey eddies of bottomless despair.
"Colin? But… how did you…?" She trailed off, feeling uneasy. How in Din's name had Colin managed to pull off a daring rescue right under Ganondorf's nose, succeeding where Sheik and Link had failed? And even if he had managed it alone, why had he left Link behind?
There was a pregnant pause in which Midna silently regarded the three teens situated in front of her; Sheik all but glaring at Colin for some unknown but seemingly justified reason, Colin gazing forlornly at Aryll, and Aryll ignored them all, keeping her back to them all as her shoulders silently quaked.
"How did you save her, Colin?" Midna asked again, this time a bit more forcefully, and he sighed, closing his eyes in resignation. He seemed to mull his answer over for a moment before complying.
"I… struck a deal… with Ganondorf."
Midna felt her blood run cold. A deal… with Ganondorf? She glanced at Sheik out of the corner of her eye, and saw that his previously stony expression had darkened, resembling steel more than rock. She could tell, even without asking, that Sheik had made the connection. Likely, he'd known all along. Sheik had also struck a deal with Ganondorf, one for Midna's safety. If Colin had made one too, then that could only mean one thing…
"You're working for Ganondorf." It wasn't a question. Colin flinched as if struck by a physical blow, but he nodded at Midna's words.
She felt something sickly coiling within her. Grimacing, she took a step away from the quiet boy, heading instead to stand between Sheik and Aryll.
A look of hurt and desperation flashed across Colin's face. "No, wait, you don't understand! He was going to kill me-"
"So you decided to become his flunky?" Midna spat, disgust dripping from her words as she placed her hands on her hips and glared for all she was worth. Sheik was still being quiet, his arms crossed stoically across his chest. Aryll's shoulders had grown tense, and she could tell out of the corner of her eyes that she was crying.
"No!" Colin cried, his voice cracking slightly as Midna quickly walked over to Aryll and enveloped the girl in a tight embrace. She resisted slightly at first, but quickly gave in, clinging to Midna's neck as she sobbed quietly into her shoulder.
"Guys, please, you have to believe me…" Colin's voice had taken on a definite pleading note. Midna twisted her lips derisively as she gently stroked Aryll's hair in an attempt to calm her.
"What did you agree to do for Ganon in exchange for your safety?" She snapped, not able or willing to keep the contempt from her voice.
Colin recoiled as if stung, then shook his head slowly, muttering something under his breath.
"What was that?" she said, making her tone sickly sweet.
Colin scowled, then said, "It wasn't for me… Not that it really makes a difference. He could have killed me then and there, and it wouldn't have changed anything that happened today. I did what I did for Aryll…"
Midna opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off abruptly as the blonde girl in her arms suddenly whirled around to face her boyfriend.
"Stop it!" She wailed, sounding lost and broken. "Just stop it! You can't justify what you did, Colin! It doesn't matter if it was for you or me or anybody! You… You betrayed me! My brother, the only family I have left in the world, is going to die! And it's your fault! Yours, Colin!"
To say Aryll's little outburst took Midna by surprise would be like saying Ganondorf was a little grumpy. She had little time to wonder over her smaller girl's emotional instability, however, as the meaning of her words washed over her. Link was going to die? And it was Colin's fault?
"What do you mean? Is Link in trouble?"
Sheik's panicky voice startled Midna. He looked pained, and his face had paled a bit with what she could only assume was fear for Link's wellbeing. Colin turned his head to face Sheik, but he kept his desolate gaze locked on Aryll. Likewise, Aryll remained still, tears silently pouring from her eyes, her bottom lip quivering with emotion.
"We're all in trouble..." He muttered dully, though something in his tone suggested he was trying to dodge the question.
"He means more so than the rest of us." Midna snapped, starting to lose her patience.
Colin swallowed heavily, but said nothing. Sheik suddenly lost it. Striding forward, he seized the boy by the front of his shirt, jerking him viciously to the side and slamming him against the lockers.
"What did you do?!" He roared, slamming the younger boy against the lockers again for good measure. Aryll squeaked in surprise, looking conflicted about her boyfriend being man-handled, but Midna had lost all sympathy for him. He was one of Ganondorf's cronies now. Technically, he was the enemy, and Link's life might be on the line.
"What did you do?!" Sheik repeated, and this time Midna winced at the volume of his voice. Remembering the sentries he'd spotted only moments earlier, she felt a twinge of fear spark in her heart.
"Sheik, hold on!" She said quickly, cutting him off.
"What?" He snarled at Midna over his shoulder.
"You need to chill out, you're being too loud! Other people can probably hear us." She said, jerking her head to the corner in a meaningful way.
Sheik cast her an unreadable look before taking hold of Colin's shirt once more and dragging him across the hall to the nearest classroom. Flinging the door open, he gave the room a quick once-over before nodding to Midna and Aryll and throwing Colin in unceremoniously.
Midna groaned before darting in after him; Sheik became completely unreasonable when he lost his temper. At least he'd decided to move his questionnaire to somewhere a bit more private. Pausing momentarily to make sure Aryll made it inside, she shut the door with a brief snap and turned to survey the room.
She recognized it immediately as Professor Elzo's room. It was strange to think that less than twenty-four hours ago she had been sitting in here with Link, wondering where Sheik was and listening to a boring lecture on the Book of Mudora. The classroom itself was barren and looked virtually unchanged other than a couple of desks that were a tad bit askew.
Aryll quickly strode to the farthest desk from the door and sat on it, looking troubled. Sheik had dragged Colin to the back wall where he had him pressed up against the wall again just as he had with the lockers moments earlier in the hall. Twisting her lips wryly, she paused to make sure the little posters on the door completely covered the small rectangular window before hastening past the multitude of empty desks to Sheik's side.
"Answer my question!" Sheik snarled, not even missing a beat after their change of venue, slamming the boy against the brick wall with a bit more force than was strictly necessary, making his head bounce. "What did Ganondorf have you do? What's going to happen to Link? Talk!"
"I-I…" Colin stammered, his eyes wide in fear and panic. He cut off to cough gruffly before continuing, wincing. "Ganondorf, he… He asked me to… t-to find certain people and report where they were so that he didn't have to waste too much time looking for them…"
"You're not telling me everything, Colin." Sheik snarled. "He could have had anybody do that. What else did he have you do?"
Colin shook his head, his lips trembling, and to Midna's shock she saw tears welling up in his eyes. Though they might have just been from the headache he was sure to have.
"Y-You need to understand, even if he'd killed me, his plans would have gone through anyway-"
"What did you do?!" Goddesses, this was becoming Sheik's mantra or something...
"I-I-I gave him the frequency that the police use to communicate! My dad's the Chief of Police, remember? I spend a lot of time with him and the other officers, that's how I know them. H-He's been using it to prevent the police from coming in and stopping his plan…"
Midna felt revulsion wash over her. He'd given up the only hope that countless trapped students and teachers had for survival… all to protect one girl? Aryll was hugging her arms and sobbing, muttering softly to herself "I wasn't worth it… I wasn't worth it… Oh, Goddesses, why…?"
Sheik's breathing was rough and unsteady, his face inches away from Colin's. Midna could tell from his expression that his mind was whirling. If Ganondorf had had access to any and all messages that the police were using to communicate, then it certainly made sense why there hadn't been an attempt at a rescue; Ganondorf had known about them all before hand and had been able to thwart them.
But something in his words was nagging at her… Sure, getting access to the police scanners made sense, but why had Ganondorf asked Colin to go look for people? Like Sheik said, he could have asked anybody to do that, so why Colin? Why not just kill him and be done with it? And what 'plan'? Wasn't Ganondorf's goal today just to kill everyone and everything?
Colin had tears streaking down his cheeks now, and he was struggling to regain control of his emotions. Suddenly, the reasoning behind why he looked so distraught was clear. He understood full well what he had done; but in his mind, people were going to die today anyway, and if there was some way he could save the girl he most cared about… Different than Sheik, then. Colin wasn't evil like the other shooters and hadn't lost himself to despair like Sheik, he'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and had made a stupid sacrifice; offering countless lives that could have been spared had the police managed to break through Ganondorf's defenses in order to assure Aryll's safety. She sort of understood where he was coming from, but the monstrosity of the deal… it was almost too much to bear.
"Who…" Sheik began, then paused, licking his lips as he considered his word choice carefully. "What… What is Ganondorf's plan, Colin?"
"You… You mean you don't know?"
There was no malice in his words, but Sheik cringed as though he'd sprayed lemon juice in an open wound. He knew Sheik was, or had been, one of Ganondorf's accomplices.
"Ganondorf is… was… secretive. He didn't trust me, or anybody, with the full extent of his plans. But if you know something…" There was a definite threat in his tone, as if saying that if Colin knew something and held it back, the repercussions would be severe.
"I don't know anything…" he grunted, sounding a little strained, which made sense since he was still pinned against a brick wall. "All I know is he wanted those people found."
"Right, the ones he had you look for. Who were they, Colin? Tell us, it could be important!"
Colin blinked, glancing around between them hesitantly. "Um… Well, it's just…"
"Colin!" Sheik barked, slamming him against the wall once more for emphasis.
"Fine!" He said hastily, trying in vain to wave his arms out in front of him despite Sheik's vice grip on his shoulders. "Fine, I'll tell you! But… you're not going to like it…"
Sheik fixed him with his most penetrating glare.
Colin sighed, hanging his head in resignation. "Just… Just a few people…"
"And they are…?" Midna asked, walking closer to the two boys so she could hear better.
"…You." He said simply, looking straight at Midna.
Midna blinked in surprise. "M-Me? Why did Ganondorf want me found?"
"It was probably for me." Sheik said slowly, his brows furrowed. "So I could find you and keep you safe."
Colin nodded, though he was studiously avoiding eye contact. For some reason, Midna didn't feel any better.
"Who else?"
"Aryll." Colin muttered. At the sound of her name, Aryll twitched, but didn't move any closer, keeping her eyes pinned to the floor.
"Ok. And?" She could tell Sheik was getting impatient. Any minute now, somebody could come walking by and hear them, or come walking in; she was surprised nobody had yet, seeing how loud Sheik had been what with him yelling and slamming people into lockers and walls.
Colin was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "He… He wanted Link, ok?"
"Link." Sheik repeated, his tone flat.
"Yes…"
"Link Hero."
"Yes! How many times do I have to say it? I had to find Link Hero, Midna Twili, and Aryll Hero. Those are the only people I knew of-"
"Wait, that you knew? There were others?" Midna cut in frantically, getting on her tiptoes so she could see Colin better over Sheik's arm.
"Er… Well, not exactly…" he said slowly. Sheik and Midna wore identical scowls.
"I swear, Colin, if you don't spit it out..." Sheik growled, letting his grip on the smaller boy tighten, his fingers digging into his shoulders painfully.
"I-ah! Ow! Stop, I'm telling you! He- He asked me who Link's closest friends were and told me to find them! Ah! Cut it out!"
"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Sheik snarled viciously, and Colin's face paled even further, something Midna didn't think was possible.
"B-Because! I only had to find you three! Ganondorf asked me, but I don't know any of Link's friends besides you two! I mean, I know he's my girlfriend's older brother and he's a nice guy and everything so I'm sure he's got lots of friends, but I don't really know him all that well so…"
"So?"
"S-So I told him Link's only friends were you two! And his little sister, who I told him he couldn't hurt if he wanted my h-help! That's it! He told me not to worry about finding you, since you were with him, but that I needed to find Midna and Aryll so they could be put somewhere safe and then find Link for him! That's it, I swear!"
Sheik and Midna exchanged troubled looks. So Ganondorf wanted Link's friends. Sure, Link had other friends… but they were more like super-congenial acquaintances than actual friends, so they didn't really count. He didn't hang out with anyone outside of school other than them, and occasionally their group would go to the movies with Aryll and her friends when they were bored. But other than that…
"Does Link even have any other friends?" Midna asked, scratching her head absently as she wracked her brain for anyone else who Ganondorf could be targeting.
Sheik shrugged. "Well… I mean, he gets along well with Kafei Dotour, and I know they work together on projects and stuff when they have the same classes, but they've never really hung out… and he used to be good friends with that red headed Ralph kid until Link beat him in the spelling bee in 6th grade… Other than when he was dating Ilia forever ago I don't think he's really spent much time with anyone but us."
"That's kinda pathetic." Midna said flatly, and Sheik nodded. They both exchanged identical grins before remembering that the friend they were picking on was currently in a life-or-death situation and this really wasn't the time for jokes.
"So…" Midna drawled, realizing that she really didn't know where to go from here.
"That's all I know," Colin panted softly, "I swear."
The classroom was quiet for a moment as Colin and Sheik regarded each other silently; Colin looking both weary and fearful, Sheik looking tense and angry. Finally, after a long moment, he let out a sigh and said, "Alright. I believe you."
"So." Midna said again, this time more brisk as Sheik let go of Colin's shoulders, causing the younger boy to slump to the side before regaining his balance. "Now what?"
"Well, if that's all there is to find out-" Sheik began, then cut off as Aryll suddenly hopped off her desk and strode forward. She was still trembling, but her expression was determined. Carefully not looking at Colin, she stared Sheik directly in the eye and said, "Something isn't right."
"What do you mean?" He asked, perplexed, raising a hand to tousle his hair absently.
"When C-Colin came to get me," She said, stumbling over the boys name, making him cringe, "Ganondorf told me the people he had… him… find were a part of his plan. He said he was going to kill them to prove his power or something. Link was the first person on his 'hit list'."
Sheik and Midna exchanged slow looks. 'Hit list'? Ganondorf had a hit list? From the expression on Sheik's face, this was the first he was hearing about it.
"What else did he tell you? Tell me everything he told you, Aryll. Anything at all about this 'hit list'." Sheik said sternly, wheeling himself around to face her.
Aryll grimaced. "He didn't say much… Just that the people he had Co-…he had him find were part of it, and he was going to kill them to prove his power… Oh, and that they were 'closest to the one he despises', or something."
Midna bit her lip, hard. He was going to sacrifice Link and some other people just to show how tough he was? What kind of sick, twisted, deranged maniac does that?!
"But… But I didn't find anyone else!" Colin spoke up, sounding frustrated. "I told you! He told me I only needed to find Aryll, Midna, and Link. That's it."
Midna sent Aryll and Colin perplexed looks. Aryll looked resolute, though her eyes were still red and splotchy, and she was adamantly pretending that Colin wasn't there. Colin was clearly an emotional wreck; now that Aryll was ignoring him, he looked like he didn't know what to do with himself. Midna couldn't help but pity the boy, though she wasn't entirely sure if she forgave him just yet. He and Sheik were entirely different situations, Sheik showing remorse for his actions and actively working to undue them, whereas Colin only seemed to be showing remorse that Aryll was mad at him. Granted, he was in an emotionally sensitive state, and she knew enough of Colin to know he wasn't a bad person, but she was reserving her judgment for later. She didn't have time to waste mulling over the morality of his decision, and in any event, her best friend's life was on the line. One thing she did know, though; there would be no forgiveness for Colin if they didn't get to Link in time.
Sheik looked troubled. Digging the heels of his palms into his eyes, he let out an aggravated groan as he walked to the opposite wall and slumped against it, slowly sliding down until he was seated on the floor.
"We're missing something. It's right in front of my face, but I can't see it…" He muttered wearily, letting his head thunk back against the aged brick.
"What?" Midna asked softly, following him over and crouching down beside him.
"I don't know, obviously, else I'd tell you." He grumped. Midna scowled and flicked him on the forehead.
"Hey. Don't be taking your frustrations out on me. I'm on your side, remember?"
"I know, I know…" he muttered, letting his arms fall to his sides despondently.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly, sinking down so she was sitting sideways on her knees and leaning up against him. She felt him adjust himself so that they fit more comfortably together; it was weird how comfortable they were together, even during a high pressure situation like this. Sure, she was crazy about him, and he'd all but proven that he loved her back what with him saving her life and all, but they technically weren't together or anything. She hadn't even told him how she felt, but she could tell that he knew, and that was enough for her. For now, at least. They had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment.
Sheik drew his knee up to his chest and draped his free arm over it, looking troubled.
"And before you give me some sarcastic answer about being trapped in a school full of psychos, that's not what I meant." She added as an afterthought, and was relieved to see a small smile creep on his face.
"No, it isn't… It's not that. I guess I'm just…"
"Worried about Link?" she supplied softly, remembering the way he'd exploded at Colin earlier. Sheik gave a small sigh, nodding curtly.
"I'm worried about him too, Sheik. But… You need to take a step back and clear your mind. You'll need a level head if we're gonna come up with a plan to save Link. You almost tore Colin's head off back there..."
He muttered something darkly under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'he would have deserved it', but she ignored him and pressed on.
"Yes, Link is in danger. But you can't save him on your own. I'm here, and I'm going to help you. Both of you. You two are my best friends, and two of the most important people in my life, and I'm not about to lose either of you without a fight."
Midna didn't exactly know what she expected after that admittedly sappy little speech she just gave, but it certainly wasn't what she got.
"No."
Midna blinked. "Er… what?"
"No." Sheik replied, this time a little more forceful. "You're not coming with me. You're taking Aryll and you're getting out of here. This is something I need to do on my own."
"I'm sorry?" She asked rather sharply, pulling away from him. "Are you out of your mind?! You can't go by yourself, Ganondorf-"
"Yes, Ganondorf will probably kill me." Sheik replied, cutting her off forcefully and climbing to his feet. His eyes were blazing, but for the first time she noticed there was something vast and empty hiding behind his anger; despair. Harrowing, torturous, heart-wrenching despair.
Midna gaped and spluttered wordlessly for a moment before following his example and standing, barely managing to say, incredulously, "And you're ok with that?"
"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it's just something that I have to do. It's my fault Link is up there in the first place, it's my fault that so many people have died today, and as such it's my responsibility to fix this!"
"Stop being stupid!" Midna snapped, smacking his arm for emphasis. "How could you have known Ganondorf wanted Link for some stupid revenge conquest or whatever it is he's doing? And whether you were part of Ganondorf's plan or not doesn't matter, because you not being here wouldn't have prevented today's events from happening-"
"I left Link there!" Sheik cried out, cutting her off, and finally the desperation and pain that she could see in his eyes was reflected in his voice. "I left him there to save you! That's why I had to turn back rather than leave with Nabooru and the janitor. I couldn't just abandon him to his death! Now do you understand? I left him behind to die!"
Midna's chest was heaving with emotion, but she didn't know what to say. He'd left Link with Ganondorf to save her… Well, she could understand why he felt responsible for Link's safety, then, but really, he hadn't had much choice. Saving her in the gym was at least plausible, whereas saving Link seemed like an increasingly impossible act. He'd made the logical decision, and she knew that Link would see it that same way. No one was blaming him for Link's situation; at least, no one but himself.
"Sheik…" She began, anguished, but he rode her over.
"And the shooting? It doesn't matter if it would have gone on without me here! I was complicit, Midna! The death of everyone who was killed today is partly on my hands! Byrne and Sahasrala and Viscen and the boy with the flute and-"
"Stop it!" Midna cried out, surprised to feel tears on her cheeks but pressing on anyway. "Just stop it! The only people responsible for their deaths are Ganondorf and whoever it was who killed them! Byrne didn't blame you, Sheik, he looked up to you! He trusted you! You were his friend! Nobody's death is on your hands because you didn't kill anyone!"
"I killed Zant!" He bellowed, and suddenly the flood gate opened. Sheik sunk to his knees and hid his face in his hands, weeping bitterly in front of her like a lost child. "I killed him! Me! Not Ganondorf… Not anyone else… Just me. His death is on my hands, Midna! Mine! I killed him…"
"Zant was a monster." She said stiffly, sniffling slightly as she hesitantly approached him. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Aryll looking distraught, standing out of the way against a desk in the corner of the room. Colin was looking away, looking decidedly uncomfortable.
"It doesn't matter." Sheik mumbled, wiping at his eyes with his sleeves.
"Yes it does!" Midna cried, seizing fistfuls of his hair in either hand and forcing him to look at her. "You didn't kill him out of spite, or anger, or vengeance, or cruelty! You killed him to save me, to save Mido and Linebeck and everyone in that gym! It was in defense of the people you cared about, and that's what makes you different than the others, Sheik! You realized what you were doing was wrong and you came back! You're a hero!"
At her last word, his face contorted in anguish and he yelled, "No!"
Tearing away from her violently, he stumbled to his feet and hurriedly wadded away from her through the sea of desks. "You don't understand! For what I've done today… There is no forgiveness. Not from me, not from anyone. Not unless I can stop this. I have to do this, Midna. I have to right the wrongs I helped to make if I'm ever going to forgive myself… and if I happen to die in the process, then so be it."
As Midna stood there and watched the boy she'd loved for so long running from her, something inside of her finally broke. It was as if the emptiness she'd seen in Sheik's eyes had migrated into her chest and had taken the place where her heart used to be, bringing with it a torrent of anguish and despair that threatened to overwhelm her.
With a fresh wave of tears stinging at her eyes, and with her throat hoarse from all of the yelling and raw emotion, she felt the word escape her lips as though whispered of its own volition.
"Coward."
Against all probability, Sheik heard her and he froze in place, his hand wavering centimeters away from the doorknob.
"What?" He asked, not turning to face her.
"You're a coward." She replied softly. Even as she said it, she felt an inexplicable chill come over the room and she hugged her arms to her chest. "You're taking the easy way out because you're afraid."
"Afraid of what?" He snapped, turning back to glare at her. He looked positively livid, his eyes blazing with rage as he breathed heavily through his nostrils.
"Afraid of owning up to what you've done." She replied, and Sheik scoffed, throwing his hands up in frustration.
"That's what I'm trying to do!" He exclaimed, but Midna shook her head slowly.
"No you're not. You're running away again, just like you did when your mother died. You don't realize that you can't escape the pain you feel inside, Sheik. You have to confront it head on."
"What do you want from me?" He cried out angrily, kicking the filing cabinet, the crash reverberating around the room. "That's why I'm going to Ganondorf, to confront what I've done!"
"Not it's not!" She said in frustration. "You don't understand!"
"Understand what, Midna? What do I not understand?"
"That dying isn't going to redeem you!" She shot back angrily, advancing forward a step. "You think that going off and getting yourself killed is going to somehow absolve you of the guilt you feel, but it's not! Think about Byrne, Sheik!"
"Byrne is dead!" He hissed vehemently, placing his hands on a desk and scowling at Midna through his bangs. "He died to do what's right, and in the end he was a hero! He was forgiven! Once this day ends, he going to be mourned along with all the other innocent victims because he managed to redeem himself! Why won't you give me that chance?!"
"Because death isn't what redeemed Byrne!" Midna cried, desperation lacing through her words. "You…! Ugh! Is that all you can think about?! Dying?! Why don't you understand?! Byrne redeemed himself the second he decided to forsake Ganondorf and Zant and chose to make the right decision-!"
"By giving his life!" Sheik cut in angrily.
"No! By choosing to save Mido! Don't you get it? It wasn't his death that made us all forgive him, it was saving Mido! It was the choice! The second he decided to do the right thing, he was forgiven! He made the difficult decision, he used himself as a shield to protect a helpless boy, and that is what made him a hero! Not death! Not dying!"
"How would you know?" Sheik snarled, rapidly changing the topic. "You don't understand what I'm going through at all! You think you know me so well, but you have no idea! I don't deserve to live anymore, not after what I've done today. Do you honestly think life can ever go back to normal for me? I'm a monster, just like Ganondorf, or Vaati, or Sakon, or Zant. My life is over after today; whether I'm killed or locked up for life, I don't have a future. The only chance I have to do anything right to balance out all the evil I've done is if I stop Ganondorf! There's nothing left for me to live for!"
"So what, you're just going to abandon all the people who love you? What about your friends, your family?"
"My mother is dead!" He roared, slamming his fist on the desk. "I don't have anyone else!"
"You have me!" She said, desperation coating her words, and for the first time she noticed she was sobbing. "I love you, Sheik. I need you. And if you're not here, I…"
There was a sudden hush as Midna's words seemed to reverberate around the classroom profoundly, during which Sheik stared at Midna in astonishment and Midna tried to quietly mop up the tears on her face with her sleeves. There wasn't a sound other than Midna's sniffling and Sheik's heavy breathing.
Finally, after an eternity of pregnant silence, Sheik managed to stammer out an awkward, "Y-you… W-what…?"
"I love you." She said simply, painfully aware that her mascara had probably smeared all over her cheeks. "I really do. Please… Please, don't do this. Don't throw your life away. Don't make me go through the pain of losing you. I… I need you…"
She wiped at her cheeks again, knowing full well that she was fighting a losing battle. She couldn't bring herself to stop crying no matter how pathetic she knew she must look. She also couldn't bring herself to look at Sheik, afraid that she'd been wrong, that he hadn't felt the same. Or worse, that he'd ignore her words and leave, heading off on his stupid quest to die in the name of honor or nobility like some stupid hero from a story. Really, who does that anyway? It's like he lives in the middle ages or something-
The only warning she had was the sound of rapid footsteps before she found herself suddenly engulfed in crushing warmth. It took her a second to realize that he was hugging her, tightly.
"I'm sorry…" He whispered softly into her ear. "I'm so sorry…"
"You should be…" She mumbled thickly, slightly shocked, before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, burying her face in his chest. They stood like that for a moment, taking comfort in each other's presence until Midna's tears subsided and her trembling stopped.
"Are you still going to run off like an idiot to kill yourself?" Midna asked softly, and Sheik sighed heavily.
"No… I've caused you enough pain as it is. Although I'm still going to try and save Link."
"Good. And I'm coming with you."
She felt Sheik stiffen underneath her, but she didn't give him the opportunity to argue. "Listen. Link is my friend too, and I'm not about to abandon him to Ganondorf's sick, twisted clutches. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not so I can keep an eye on you, so you might as well get used to it. I'm not letting you leave my sight again."
Sheik chuckled lightly. "Never again, huh? So what if I, like, have to use the bathroom or something?"
Ugh, he and Link had the corniest sense of humor. "Tough."
"You realize that you can't be with me every moment for the rest of my life, right? Eventually, assuming we both survive today, they're going to arrest me."
Midna scowled, but kept her face hidden in his chest. "Says who?"
"Says… common sense? Like it or not, I did at least help plan today's events. I'm still guilty of numerous other crimes alongside accessory to murder. I won't be getting out of this scot-free." There was a forced casualness about his tone, but Midna decided to let it slide for the time being. It was probably going to take some time for him to forgive himself for killing Zant and for everything else, but she was willing to be there for him every step of the way.
"Well… We'll just have to make sure and get you a good lawyer, and even if you do go to jail, it probably won't be for long since you changed sides and saved so many people."
"Yeah, maybe…" He murmured softly, sounding thoroughly unconvinced, and Midna glanced up at him concernedly.
"What's wrong?"
He sighed. "It's just… I dunno. Depending on how long they put me away for, I may have to go to a foster home after all. I mean, Hylian law states that though I can be tried as an adult for the crimes I've committed, I'm still technically a minor until I'm eighteen which isn't for another eight months. I guess it's just weird to realize that I don't have a home anymore."
"Yes you do." Midna stated firmly, and he gave her a confused look, prompting her to clarify. "You can live with me."
"Hmm… I don't think your dad would like that too much, having a convicted felon living in the house."
"Then we'll just have to hide you in the basement."
"Your basement is creepy. And it smells."
"You'll get over it."
"Your confidence is touching." he chuckled, and she smiled at him warmly.
They stood like that for a moment, smiling softly at each other until Sheik raised his hand to cup her cheek, slowly tracing her jaw line with his finger tips, making her pulse spike. Then, slowly, he tilted her chin up and leaned forward. She quickly stretched up on her tip-toes to meet him, her eyes sliding closed.
His lips were rough and chapped but she didn't care; in fact, she doubted she had ever felt so warm or light in her life. Tangling one of her hands in his hair, she pressed herself closer against him, trusting him to support her weight as she lost herself in the moment.
After an indefinable amount of time they finally broke apart, Midna resting her head on his chest again, grinning like an idiot.
"For what it's worth," He whispered softly, "I love you too."
"Yeah, I figured." she said simply, and he snorted.
It wasn't until Aryll gave a polite cough that she remembered they weren't alone in the classroom. Springing apart awkwardly, the two teens sent Aryll embarrassed grins. She responded with a rueful shake of the head and a satisfied smirk.
"Well, that was certainly interesting."
"Er… Sorry…" Sheik muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Midna sent the blonde girl a cheeky wink, eliciting a scandalized giggle.
"Well!" Midna said bracingly, looping her arm through Sheiks, "I think it's about time we set off, don't you?"
"Right." He said, suddenly all business. "Link still needs our help. Let's go."
They turned as one, heading toward the door of the classroom.
"Wait!" Aryll cried, darting toward them.
"What?" Midna asked curiously, tilting her head to the side.
"Let me come with you." She asked quickly. "Please. He's stuck up there because he was trying to help me. I can't just leave him…"
"Aryll…" Sheik said slowly, looking uneasy, but then another voice spoke up.
"No! You can't go with them! You have to get out!" Colin said desperately, stepping forward.
At the sound of his voice, Aryll suddenly grew tense, her fists clenching.
"Midna," Colin said, turning to her, pleadingly, "Sheik, please… Don't let her do this. She needs to get out. It's dangerous, and Ganondorf-"
"No!"
Aryll spun around, her shoulders set firmly, her face a mask of disgust. "Don't you dare, Colin. You don't have any right to worry about me. Not anymore. You've betrayed my brother, you've betrayed each and every person at this school, and you've betrayed me. We're through, Colin. Just… Go. Leave. Get as far away from me as you can, and stay there. I never want to see your face again…"
Aryll turned stiffly on the spot, taking a couple of steps toward Midna and Sheik. In desperation, Colin strode forward and caught her arm, murmuring "Aryll, please-"
Pivoting on the ball of her foot, Aryll brought her free hand around and delivered a solid punch directly into Colin's eye. He let out a startled yelp of pain as he let her go, tripping over his foot and falling to the floor.
Aryll seized the opportunity and ran for Midna and Sheik. Taking Midna's hand in her own, the muttered, "C'mon guys…"
Exchanging shocked glances with Sheik, he shrugged and started forward. Giving the blonde girl's hand a comforting squeeze, she turned and lead her out the door, following behind their red-eyed companion, pretending not to notice the tears in her cerulean eyes.
She was the only one to look back at Colin, and as she did she felt her heartstrings pluck at the look of loss on his face moments before the door swung closed behind him. Did she blame him for what he'd done? Could she honestly say she wouldn't have done the same to save Sheik? She didn't know… But she didn't have time to worry about that now. All that mattered was saving Link and getting out of the school. Once they did, they could tell the police what Colin had done and maybe then the students could actually be saved. Only time would tell.