Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda series or the Characters.

Hello, folks! Thanks again for reading! I really appreciate it! Where we last left off, Link was given some sad news. Isabelle's health is failing her! What's going to happen? Read on to find out!

Please review! It makes me a better writer! :DDDDD

Chapter 21: Struggle

Zelda's POV

I was so scared that Link wouldn't make it in time; Isabelle's health was quickly fading before our eyes in that hospital room. There we were; me, Rusl, Uli, Adam, Telma, and Pierre. I was sitting in a chair by her bed, Pierre was kneeling next to her and holding her hand, and Adam was sitting in another chair across the room with a blank stare on his face. Uli and Rusl were standing near the bed with their arms around each other, and Telma was sitting in another chair. Isabelle had a cold cloth on her forehead for the fever. The air-filled pouch was on an end table next to me and another towel for any coughed-up blood was in Pierre's hand. I looked at her, but she didn't mumble a word, being conscious but weak. Each of her breaths was shallow, and some sounded wheezy. She finally turned to look at me and smiled. I held her other hand. "We're here for you."

She slowly looked around at everyone and beamed as she replied breathily, "Thank you."

Pierre looked at her hand kissed her hand. "S'il vous plaît enregistrer votre force! (Please save your strength!)" He said desperately. Isabelle nodded.

Adam went up to Isabelle and gave her a hug and started to cry. She put her hand on his back in compassion. "I promised you that I wouldn't cry!" He wailed. I put my hand on his back as well and he looked at me with tears flowing like a river from his cheeks. "Why does my sister have to go through this; she's done nothing wrong!" His crying made his breathing unsteady and gasping.

"I'm sorry; I don't know…" I looked down.

He shook as he cried and Rusl went over to cheer him up. Isabelle looked at Adam with concern.

We watched her for another minute and the doctor came in. "She needs to get some rest." He said as he took out a vile. "I'm going to give her this sleep aid." He uncorked the vile and gave it to Isabelle and had her drink it. A few minutes later she laid her head down on her pillow and fell asleep. A couple of hours later the sun began to rise outside and the sky showed a melting pot of red, orange, and pink hues. It was so lovely to see over the rooftops from the window of the hospital room! I began to hear birds chirping, a sure sign that daytime was approaching.

Isabelle woke up and listened to the sound of the birds. "How sweet." She said with a soft chuckle as she sat up in bed. "I would like to see the sunrise." She began to get out of bed.

"Isabelle, don't!" I said to her.

"It's alright." Isabelle answered. "I'll be fine." She slowly walked over and put her hands on the window sill. She unlatched the lock and opened the window.

"What are you thinking? It's cold." Rusl said with worry.

He stopped worrying when he saw what she was doing. She held out her finger and a sparrow landed on it after she waited patiently. She whistled to it and it trilled back. "Why are you still here, little one?" She asked the bird. "You should have flown south." She smiled and gave it a kiss on the head. She then gently lifted her finger to let it fly away and closed the window. She looked at the rest of us. "I've always loved birds…I'm sorry if I confused you or worried you."

"Don't worry about it." Rusl grinned.

"It seemed to like you!" I commented.

"I guess it did." She sighed. "I used to watch them and wish that I could be as free as they are." She watched the bird from the window as it flew further away.

I looked at her with earnestness in reaction to her sad statement. The interaction she had with that little sparrow was so precious. That proves all the more how she has such a good soul. She looked at the sunrise dreamily and took a deep breath and started to cough again. Rusl grabbed the air-filled pouch and Pierre went towards her with the towel. Like the thunder comes after the lightning the blood followed the coughing. Pierre held the towel to her mouth and she coughed violently. Rusl then used the air pouch on her. She fainted but Rusl caught her and put her back in bed. "This is so sad…" I finally said aloud.

"She's really weak…" Rusl added. "I'm worried…"

"As we all are." Adam said as he looked at Isabelle sleeping peacefully.

Link's POV

After putting my face in my hands for one minute, I immediately packed my bags and left. I can't waste any time! It may be a lot of sleepless nights, but I can't afford to get there too late! I paid my bill at the inn and saddled Epona, and then we were off.

The next few days were spent in anxiety as I traveled night and day in hopes to make it in time. I kept on thinking to myself, "she could be dead now and you just don't know it…" I just had to force myself to shake it off. There were things that I desperately needed to talk to her about, and I obviously can't do that if she's dead. I had to keep my hopes up no matter what! As I rode on Epona at a quickened pace I thought about one of the memories I've shared with Isabelle. She and Adam and I were at the church just sitting and chatting:

Isabelle pulled out her songbook. "Would you two like to hear a song?" She asked Adam and me.

We both nodded. Adam looked like he had an idea. "Why don't we play one of the ones that you can sing to sis?"

She laughed. "Okay." She turned the pages to a song that was written in English. "I love this one! It's a song that we've performed in church before." She showed it to us. "But it's STB, meaning one soprano, one tenor, and one bass. We can't do that, unless Link is willing to sing, that is…"

I blushed. "Well, I can read music…I'm just not that skilled at music…"

"So are you going to?" Adam probed with a grin.

"Don't push me!" I shouted, my cheeks turning redder. I turned to Isabelle. "I'll do it, but if it sounds like a cat kicking the can, I apologize."

"I don't think it'll be that bad!" She giggled and began to play the intro as we both stood at one side of her. We began to sing:

I look around.

A little scared,

I trip and fall

When nothing's there.

My heart cries

A little more

When I'm not sure

What's in store.

I…search…through

The darkness.

And when I'm weak,

I call to you…

Lord, guide me…

Guide me down this road!

You provide me

With selflessness and hope.

And it seems like

I never know who I am.

Without you,

I'd never understand.

Oh guide me

When life is fraught with ghosts.

Oh surround me,

With love that I can hold.

Help me make amends

For all my past mistakes.

I'll do my best,

No matter what it takes.

Please guide me…

Guide me through my life.

She looked at me when we were finished singing. "See? You didn't sound that bad! You actually sounded pretty good!"

"Really?" I asked her while turning red.

"Yeah!" She gleamed. "I like to think that everyone has a mutual understanding of music, they just like to think that they don't."

"Good job, Link!" Adam smiled at me. He started to smirk. "Maybe you two should sing a duet!"

"What?!" I said in a squeaky voice. I looked at Isabelle and pointed at myself like an idiot. She nodded with a grin. "Okay." I said. "I'll do it…but only because Adam wants us to."

"Uh, we don't really have to, Link." Isabelle replied. "Adam was just kidding!"

I slapped my face and the three of us laughed.

I came back to reality and had Epona gallop faster. I was worried sick about Isabelle! I have to be honest with myself; I have feelings for her. She probably doesn't have feelings for me but I have feelings for her. If she's going to die soon, I want to at least tell her that. I don't want to harbor those feelings inside for the rest of my life knowing that I didn't get to tell her. I sighed. I have been traveling for about 3 days, so I have only one more day until I arrive in Hyrule and can hopefully see Isabelle before and if she dies. Most importantly I wanted to be there to support her; that's what friends do for each other! I clenched my fists as a few tears escaped my eyes. "Quit crying, you idiot!" I said to myself. "So what, one of your friends is more than likely dying; no big deal!" That's the problem, it is a big deal! I wiped the tears with my arm and quit crying. I glanced at my surroundings as the sun began to rise and closed my eyes. "Another day..." I mumbled. "Just please let her live another day or two…I don't want to arrive to a dead friend. Let her live long enough for me to see her and speak to her…" I opened my eyes. "Hang on, Isabelle. Stay strong!" I whispered with intent. "I'm coming to help you in any way I can!"

It's getting pretty tense! Will Link make it in time? Stay tuned to find out!