A/N ~ Hello... um, sorry for not updating in a while. I don't exactly know what I've been so busy with... so... yeah. (O.o) Anyway, this chapter is really really sad. At least, I think it is. It's the second to last, too. Please R/R! Thanks!

Disclaimer ~ Nintendo owns Zelda and Link and all the other stuff they have copyrighted and trademarked and whatever.

Chapter LII * Fade Away

Marissa sat next to Link with her legs crossed on the suede navy blue sofa. Outside, they could hear the laughter and the happy voices of those who lived in all the regions of the land. The balcony at the end of the room had its French doors open, also allowing them to hear the upbeat music that filled all of the market.

The sun had just set behind Death Mountain, and the sky was painted with tropical colors; tangerine, peach, rose, coral, and lavender.

The colored lanterns strung from tree to tree dangled outside and burned with the expectation that the celebration would last until dawn.

Link leaned backward and sighed.

After the Gods had warped them back to Hyrule, the three of them, Link, Marissa, and Zelda had all gone to the castle.

The princess told them that they could get cleaned up there.

But Link also knew that she was going to take back the Ocarina of Time...

With another deep sigh, he gazed about the room. The atmosphere was warm and comfortable, something that was unfamiliar to almost every other room in the castle.

The mansion was always quiet and lonely. At least, to him it seemed that way.

But he particularly liked this room. The walls were a pale aqua and the four corners of the room were decorated with tiny blossoming trees in clay planters. The soft futon they were resting on went perfectly with the room.

It was getting dark outside. Soon, the hanging lanterns would be the only light while the festivity carried on.

He wanted to be down there with everyone else, but... Zelda had told him to wait here when he was done taking a quick shower. Farore had healed his wounds and Zelda had supplied him with clean clothes.

Now they were just waiting...

For once, Navi was quiet. Ganon had taken a lot out of her when he had slammed her into the wall...

Ganon. Link still couldn't believe the story that Marissa had told him... about how a beam of light had suddenly shot from his hand, taking his life... Then how Farore the goddess had come fro the heavens and gave his life back to him...

It was just incredible.

He remembered kissing her... it had been so... perfect. Be now he would never see her again.

He remembered how it felt to have his arms around her cold body... how it felt to kiss her with such... passion...

He had fallen in love with her. He wasn't sure how... but he had.

A cool breeze flooded the room as if it were stirring his memory. He suddenly remembered something he heard somewhere...

"Marissa," he suddenly looked over at her.

"Hm?" she turned to him.

"Someone... someone once told me... that in every dimension the same spirits inhabit the same souls... but with different appearances or names..." he explained.

She paused for a moment to comprehend. Then she smiled weakly. "Really?"

He smiled too and said, "I believe it..."

She grinned and then looked away.

They sat in silence a while longer.

It was completely dark outside now. Out on the balcony, the large moon glowed radiantly above the string of lanterns. The music played still, the talking and laughter louder than ever.

Marissa and Link both looked up simultaneously, as the tall mahogany door opened.

Zelda walked in.

Link stood up respectively and Marissa mimicked him.

"Link... Marissa... on Hyrule's behalf, I thank you for saving us all once again. Now that Ganon is dead, we can live without fear." She smiled. "But Link... I must send you back through time. It's not right that you can't live those seven years of your childhood. And Marissa... you belong back in your own world." she looked at them both regretfully. "I'm sorry it has to be this way..." she sighed, looking directly at Link. "Link; please give me the Ocarina of Time..."

Link let his eyes fall to the floor, and slowly he put his hand into his pocket. His fingers closed around the instrument and he pulled it out.

Zelda held out her hand and he looked at her. With a painful sigh, he placed the ocarina in her hand and drew his arm back.

She smiled sadly and said, "Thank you..."

The princess lifted the shiny chrome-purple ocarina to her lips and her eyes fell closed as she began to play.

It was the same mysterious tune that Link had played a few times before. The noted drifted around the room and as the song ended, the two were surrounded by a white light.

Marissa suddenly began to panic. 'Not yet...' she thought. 'Not just yet...' It was happening to quickly. She couldn't leave. It took all her energy to resist the temptation to grab the ocarina from Zelda and smash it to pieces so she would never have to leave...

"This song has the power to send you back through the flow of time, Link... and to send you back to your own world, Marissa," Zelda explained. She took a step back and smiled sadly again. "Goodbye..."

Marissa realized they were being lifted upwards by the mystical light. She looked over at Link.

He flashed her a smile filled with hope. It made her suddenly grin back, just as everything faded away to darkness.

But not Link's smile... Marissa doubted that would ever fade away.