Midna eyed the Shadow Crystal and made it disappear with a delicate movement of her fingers. Link gasped before reaching uselessly to her.

"What?" Midna barked, "you don't need it anymore."

Link frowned and sat on the floor, his legs were wobbly and he knew he could not stand. Cold sweat had started to pool on his forehead and he was sure he would begin to tremble in a minute. "What if I need to find you again, huh?" he answered, with as much energy as she had done.

"The idea was never to see each other again."

"Look how that worked out," Link spat.

Midna squinted her eyes at him, "Not the attitude someone who came to ask for a favor should have," she snickered.

Link wiped the sweat on his face, "What happened, Midna?"

Mida offered her hand, "Come on, let's get you on a chair at least."

"Mida, Zelda..." Link whispered, but Midna grabbed him by the arm and brought him to her.

"She's fine," Midna supported Link's body and before he could begin again, she said, "I just miscalculated something, but it's fixable and, I swear by the Sols, non-threatening."

Link breathed out hard, "So... I don't have to... I have time?"

"Yes, you do. So let's give you some food and let you get some-" Midna stumbled as Link's weight got heavier all of a sudden. "Link?" Link's leg were lifeless and his breathing even. Midna clicked her tongue as she carried Link in her arms.

"Overexerting yourself to help others, huh? Sounds familiar..."

Link opened his eyes to a dark ceiling in a dark room, and if it weren't for a Twili sitting next to him, he was sure he would have entered survival mode immediately.

The Twili mumbled a few words Link couldn't make out and exited the room. Link's head was pounding and he had barely sit when Midna entered the room.

"How much time was I gone?"

Midna fluttered her robes as she sat next to him, "A day and half."

"I-" Link started, but Midna showed him three fingers.

"Malnourished, dehydrated and overexerted," she counted off. Link opened his mouth but Midna raised three fingers again, "transformed into a Wolf, without the Master Sword and wandering Snowpeak."

"Searching," Link corrected, but Midna raised an eyebrow. Link locked eyes with her expecting a scolding, but she only sighed in defeat. "I didn't know what else to do," he admitted.

Midna shrugged, "I know, Link, I know."

Link felt ashamed, a little, because as much as he would have done this anyway he knew he could have gone about it in a more calm fashion. More... Less... passionate. He had let his emotions get the better of him. "What's wrong with Zelda?"

Midna smiled and kept down the teasing about calling the Ruler of your Kingdom by her first name, "Do you remember what the Mirror of Twilight did?"

Link frowned, "Uhm, connected both worlds, right? That's why you destroyed it."

Midna nodded, "That's right. And as I said, I miscalculated, do you know why?"

Link shook his head, "There was another artifact or way in which the worlds connected?" he tried.

Midna smiled, remembered the selfless gift Zelda had given her, "Us," Midna said, "Zelda and I, we are connecting the worlds still." Link looked confused, and Midna touched her chest, "She gave her life to me, Link, her Light. Whether we wanted it or not, we made a bond we didn't know about. I broke the Mirror in hopes of freeing you from us, and yet here we are."

Link tried to calm his breathing, tried to remember what Midna had told him. They were going to be all right. "Why are you not affected?"

"Because it's easier for darkness to absorb light."

Link shuffled on the bed, tried to keep his breathing small. "Midna-"

"You will go back," Midna searched in her robes and then handed Link a black, delicate looking orb, "you will crack this open on her chest and then we'll, finally, be over this."

Link could feel the sadness welling up inside, "You didn't even let us say goodbye."

Midna closed her eyes, remembering their faces as she left them behind, "It was easier that way. A clean cut."

Link looked up, hurt, "Zelda- we wanted to at least give our thanks."

Midna looked at him and smiled, "I know."

Link looked at his hands, unable to keep a straight face while looking at Midna. She had lost her bark, and he knew she too had things she wanted to say. "Zelda wanted to say so many things to you."

Midna moved her chair closer to the bed and grabbed Link's hand. His face kept away from hers and she was grateful she didn't have to deal with his eyes too. "Thank you."

"For what?" Link croaked. He was so glad to be able to have this chance, to be able to let their goodbye feel like one, but he thought about the chance Zelda would never have and his chest tightened.

"For believing in me and for helping me save my Kingdom."

Link nodded and a couple of traitorous tears fell down his face. "Thank you, too. For staying with me through our journey."

Midna squeezed Link's hand. Our journey, sure it had been theirs. Sure it had been a journey. Midna felt a tear down her cheek and snorted, "See? Now it's more difficult to say goodbye."

Link turned, tears running down his face and shook his head once, "No." He whispered, "Now it's easier."

When Midna opened the door to her room Link was still sniffling. Link stood behind her as she chanted her magic and the Mirror shards on the floor assembled.

"Do you want me to destroy any portals on the other side?"

Midna chuckled, "If you see one. After my link with Zelda is severed everything should collapse on its own."

Link stood near the hole Midna created and nodded. Midna had her arms crossed and Link looked at her as he raised a hand, hoping she would grab it.

"Do you want me to cry again?" She said as she squeezed his hand.

Link raised their hands to his temple, "I'll miss you."

Midna let the tears flow free. "I'll miss you too, you overachieving idiot."

Link smiled at her and turned, he gave one step into the hole when Midna blurted, "Tell Zelda-! Tell Zelda I said thank you!" Link looked surprised, his eyebrows went up a second but as he heard Midna's words he beamed. The same way he did when he was bursting with joy. He disappeared in the middle of a loud laugh.

Midna kneeled and kept the portal open, she put a hand to her chest and searched for Zelda. There she was, light, clear, strong, Midna closed her eyes as she concentrated on that thread, waited for it to disappear.

"-tell her I said thank you, from the bottom of my heart."