Ok I have finally caught back up. For those of you how enjoyed this post-a-thon it will likely happen again. In a sense bad for me good for you, enjoy.

Link was at the Fontaine home early the next day, but still he missed Zelda. Blossom told him that she'd gone very early with her father to the store. She briefly explained why he needed to see her and was surprised when Blossom ordered Ruto to go with Link and take Zelda's place at the store.

"It won't take that long to tell her, Mrs. Fontaine," Link said when Ruto went for her coat.

Blossom stared at him. Why were men so stupid at times?

"Well," she said, "I think she might be sad, and Ruto could help out until she feels like working."

Link shrugged and waited for Ruto to come. He was completely unaware of the way Blossom scribbled a quick note for Ruto to put in her pocket and give it to her father. She saw both Ruto and Link out the front door and then bundled into her coat, and right now she had to talk to Uli.

(&)

"Hello," Link greeted Zelda as soon as he found her upstairs in the kitchen. The cleaning of Uncle Error's apartments had been put off way to long, and now Bipin wanted it done. He'd taken Zelda with him early to see to it.

"Well, now." Zelda smiled at the sight of him. His face was red from the cold, and he was so handsome in is heavy leather coat that her heart ached. "You're certainly out early today to pester people."

Link smiled in return and did some admiring of his own. Zelda's face was flushed and just a little dusty, and he thought she looked like an adorable street urchin.

"Yes, I am. I've come to tell you something."

"Good news?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to Labrynna."

"Labrynna?" Her face held a puzzled expression for several seconds and then brightened. "Oh, Link, you're going to school! That's wonderful!" Zelda nearly hugged him but caught herself in time. She felt flustered by her own thoughts and shuffled the dust rag in her grasp from one hand to the other.

"Your dream, Link," she finally managed. "You get to realize your dream."

Link nodded. It was still not real o him, but he was very pleased at her genuine response.

"When do you go?" she asked suddenly.

"Next week."

Some of Zelda's elation left her. Next week. But of course, she realized, it would have to be soon, or the snow would hold him up. She opened her mouth to ask something else, but Link continued.

"There's more, Zelda. My father's been offered a job in Labrynna, so we're all going."

This time she took a moment to respond. "You're all going?" Zelda's voice was uncertain. Link liked to tease her, and she didn't want to be caught out.

"Yes. My grandmother still owns and operates a mill in Labrynna, and Dad will be taking an office job. It'll be hard to leave Kakariko Village-he loves it here- but we all feel a peace about this."

"Sure," Zelda said and wondered how normal her voice sounded. "I'm glad he's doing so much better. I'm sorry I haven't been able to come as often, but it's hard with school."

"Oh, Zelda, don't apologize," Link swiftly told her, his voice sincere. "You've done more than enough, and we'll always be grateful."

Zelda nodded. "Well, if there's anything else I can do, let me know."

"Thank you, Zelda; I'll let you get back to work now."

"Sure, Link. I'll see you later."

He was gone in the next instant, talking the stairs in an easy stride. He probably hadn't needed to rust and tell her; after all, she took it very well. But he was glad he had. He suddenly shook his head. What had he expected? Screaming hysterics? It's not as if they were engaged to be married and the separation would upset their whole world.

Link was amused by his own worry and then realized he had to get home. There was plenty to do. He stopped for a moment to tell Bipin and Ruto of their plans and then went swiftly on his way.

When he left, Ruto turned to her father with tears in her eyes. Bipin looked at her with compassion. He'd asked her daughters many times to move from their friends, but never had Ruto had a friend move from her. Blossom was going to be equally upset about Uli.

"Oh, no!" Ruto suddenly exclaimed. "He's already told Zelda."

"Is that bad?"

"Oh, Father," Ruto's voice was hurt. "She's in love with him."

Bipin mouth opened in surprise, and then he asked himself why no one ever told him anything.

"You'd better go and check on her. Ruto. Tell her that is she wants to go home, she can."

Ruto went without another word and was surprised to find Zelda working. Her back was to the door as she knelt on the kitchen floor, scrubbing it with all her might.

"Zelda?" Rout called and came forward, but the arm motion didn't stop. Ruto moved so she could see her sister's face. "Please stop, Zelda, and talk to me."

Zelda sat back on her heels and stared straight ahead. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, Father said that if you'd rather go home, you could do that."

Zelda shook her head, her eyes on the counter she had just scrubbed. "I think I'd rather work."

"Oh, Zelda." Ruto started to say more, but the older girl shook her head.

"He doesn't have any idea, Ruto. In fact, he's very excited about leaving. He gets too got to school now, and he's naturally pleased about that." Zelda finally looked at Ruto. "I'm sorry that Aryll's leaving. I know you'll miss her. Mother will miss Mrs. Taggart too."

"But what about you, Zelda?" Ruto persisted.

The older girl shrugged. "I didn't think I would survive when Malon left, but I did. I'll survive again." She went back to the floor. Ruto wanted to burst into tears. She had never seen her sister give up so quickly.

I have to believe that she'll be all right, Ruto said to herself as she returned downstairs. She believes that she will be, and I must believe it too.

But it was not to be. The news had come on Saturday, and by Wednesday Zelda was so drawn and pale that several customers asked Bipin if she was coming down with something. She and Ruto had needed to keep busy, and so they worked at the store ever day, but both were depressed.

Zelda almost invariable waited on Link when he came into the store, but on this occasion she was bust with tow other customers. In fact, she didn't even see him. Ruto went to the other side of the counter to see to his needs, but for a moment she could see only his profile as he stared at Zelda. Ruto waited patiently until he turned.

"Did you need something, Link?"

"Ruto." His face and voice were serious. "Is Zelda ill?"

Ruto frowned, and anger, anger she suddenly realized had been simmering in her since Saturday, came to the surface. She did nothing to hide this emotion.

"How thick can one man be, Link?"

Link was so surprise that he blinked.

"Have I done something, Ruto?" His face was so vulnerable that Ruto's ire broke and so did her heart.

"Oh, Link," she sighed. "You know better than anyone how hard it is for her to make friends. Fist Malon goes and now you. How do you think she should be feeling?" Tears had come to Ruto's eyes, and she dashed them away with an embarrassed move.

"But I thought she and Kafei-" Ruto's mouth came open and Link left the sentence hang.

"Kafei O'Brien?" Ruto's voice came out in an incredulous squeak.

"Well, yes. I thought maybe that they were-" The look of shock in Ruto's eyes brought him to an uncomfortable halt.

Ruto's felt as if the wild had been knocked out of her. She looked down at her hands and then back at her customer, her voice suddenly tired. "What can I get for you, Link?"

"Sari, dear," old Mrs. Laruto Greeley suddenly spoke in a loud vice from Link's side, "can you help me?"

"Go ahead," Link urged her in a low voice. "I'll look around."

"Sari, can you help me?"

"Yes, Mrs. Greeley, and I'm Ruto."

"Oh, think you, dear." She was deaf as a post. "Now, Sari, I need some thread. Blue. Not too dark and not too light."

Ruto sighed but then thought it might be for the best. Maybe Zelda could help Link, and he would say something kind to her. But it didn't wok out that way. Link's gaze was still on Zelda, but she didn't notice. Mrs. Greeley was shouting again in order to hear her own voice, and when Ruto looked one last time Link was gone.

(&)

Blossom watched Zelda pick at her food that evening and begged God for wisdom. Mother and daughter had prayed together ever night over the Taggarts' departure, but Zelda acted like she was in mourning. In a way she was. Blossom was much the same way when she was upset. She lost all interest in food or coffee. Blossom was old enough to know she had to eat, but right now, Zelda simply didn't care. Blossom worried she would come down sick before she felt up to eating again. She had tried to discuss it with Bipin, but his answer had been to order Zelda to eat and to punish her if she didn't. Blossom wished she'd kept the concern to herself.

It was a surprise to everyone when Link came to the house that night. They were all aware of how hard the Taggarts were working to get ready to go, but Bipin had a rare moment in insight when he let Link come in the front door.

"I'd like to talk to Zelda, Link told him."Is she around?"

"Sure, Link. Go right into the living room. I'll send her in."

Bipin went back to the family still gathered in the kitchen.

"Link is here to see you, Zelda. He's in the living room."

"Oh," was the only reply he received, and for a moment he wondered if Ruto had known what she was talking about. Romani began to slip past him to see Link as well, but he caught the back of her dress.

"Not tonight, Romani. Let Zelda go on her own."

Bipin was rewarded by Blossom's loving smile of approval. That smile did things o his heart. Ruto had known what she was talking about. Bipin decided than and there to ask Blossom about it when they were alone; after he would kiss her until they were both breathless.

(&)

"Hello, Link," Zelda spoke as she came into the room. Link came to his feet.

"Hi, Zelda. I hope I didn't take you from anything." He tried not to look at how think she had become, but it was impossible; her dress was beginning to hang on her frame.

"No." Zelda smiled, her voice sounding normal. "Just the dishes and I won't miss those."

She sat on one end of the chairs, and he sat across from her. To Zelda's surprise, and uncomfortable silence fell. If she hadn't known better, she would have said Link was nervous.

"Are you all packed?" Zelda rescued him.

"Almost. Tomorrow should be a pretty easy day, but then we have lots of goodbyes to make."

"I'll bet you do. Be sure to tell us all goodbye tonight, and then you can scratch us off the list."

Link stared at her. Why had he never notice how few demands she made of him? It wasn't that way at first. At first she had all sorts of expectations, and he hadn't caught half of them, but in the past year she never made him feel bad about leaving or pressured him to do anything for her. He thought of her as another sister, but she was far less demanding than Aryll, who was a wonderful sister in her own right.

"I'll write to you," he suddenly said, and watched a grimace of pain cross her face.

"Oh, Link, don't say that," she said softly.

"Why not? It's true."

Zelda shook her head. "It never quite works that way."

"I don't know what you mean."

She sighed softly. Zelda usually had a hard time sharing her feeling for fear of rejection, but Link was leaving and suddenly she didn't care what he thought. She was going to be honest even if it hurt him a little.

"It's nothing intentional, Link, but when a person goes away he sets up a new life for himself. Malon hasn't written anywhere near what she'd promised, but I understand. She has her life there in Hyrule, and she's busy with that. I'm sure it's much more healthier than constantly trying to live in the past."

"I'm going to write to you," he stated emphatically, but Zelda didn't comment. Link let the silence hand between them for a moment. She wasn't even looking at him. How had he been so blind to her feelings and need for friendship?

"Zelda." He waited until she looked up and then asked plainly, "Will you write back to me if I write to you?"

Zelda let herself really look at him now; telling herself it might be the last time. She knew her heart would always melt at eh sight of him, but she had to say what was on her mind.

"I honestly don't think you will, Link, at lest not over once or twice, but I'll answer ever letter you send me."

Link nodded. "It's a deal then."

Zelda actually managed a smile, but her heart knew the truth.

Link didn't say his goodbyes that night but came by briefly the next day with his mother and Aryll. There were tears on nearly everyone's part, but Zelda was dry-eyed. Why this stuck out to Link more than anything else, he didn't know. But even when the stage pulled out of Kakariko Village the next day, his father made as comfortable as possible for the long trip, the look in Zelda's eyes still haunted him.

If it was too easy for them to get together then it would be boring.