Good Enough – Chapter 4
"Let me get this straight," Saria began. Following several minutes of yelling, panting, and laughter, Link's hospital room finally began to calm down to the point that those present could speak to each other instead of over them. After a retelling of the whole story, as well as the answering of a myriad of questions from the three arrivals, the green-haired girl at last asked to clarify her first concern. "Link isn't dying?"
Saria Evergreen was Link's oldest friend. The pair had been inseparable as schoolchildren and had remained close into adulthood. As such, it came as no surprise that Link's earlier wails of pain had caused her great concern. It also came as no surprise that her concern swiftly morphed into anger directed towards the man she believed had misled her. Even Groose was unsurprised. He had been at the receiving end of Saria's wrath many times. Saria was not particularly quick-tempered, but her sisterly affection for Link mixed with Groose's aptitude for troublemaking produced many an opportunity for the short girl to scare an apology out of the man who towered over her physically.
"That is correct," Link grinned, still greatly amused by the entire situation. Aryll and Zelda nodded to confirm. While Link and Aryll could not stop laughing, Zelda had, after a few chuckles for herself, successfully managed to calm the trio of Link's oldest friends. "Just stretched my leg wrong. Nothing else to it." Link knew that Saria slightly doubted the truthfulness of his words, but he meant them. Sure, he really did not know just how bad his condition was, they were all still waiting on the doctors, but he figured now was not the time to share any fears of death or disability just around the corner.
"Good," Saria smirked and approached the bed. She previously stood in the middle of the room dressed in an emerald tank top, blue jean shorts, and white sandals. "You really scared me you know," she gave her friend a quick hug. "Stupid over there didn't do much to help either," she gestured to Groose. "All I could get out of him was a 'he's fine.' You'll have to forgive me for shouting. And please be more careful with that leg." Looking back, Aryll realized Saria should have been assigned the 'family' label whose calls fell under her purview. Stepping away from the bed, Saria wagged her finger admonishingly. Turning back to Groose, Saria decided she had been perhaps a bit harsh. "Sorry Groose," she uttered playfully.
"Uh, no worries," Groose smiled nervously. He would never admit this, but Saria terrified him in high school and his fears had not diminished since.
"And I'm especially sorry for dragging you into it Mikau. You do have a nasty habit of getting involved at the wrong place at the wrong time, though." Saria giggled lightly to herself. Link cracked a smile. He had never been a troublemaker, never gotten into big trouble at school, but he tended to associate with people from whom trouble was never far. When such situations arose as often befell Mido or Mikau or Groose, especially Groose, Link tried to be the voice of reason and solve the problems as best he could. Mikau's proximity to Link frequently resulted in his becoming entangled in issues that would otherwise not have involved him.
"You're fine Saria. Lulu tells me the same thing all the time." Mikau through a fishy hand in the air, expressing his resignation to the tendency.
"It's good to hear you're doing okay, buddy. I figured you wouldn't go down so easily, but I'm glad to know for sure." Darunia grinned. Link and Darunia became friends on the first day of middle school. Although his exterior intimidated many, it never phased Link. Darunia Chiefson was the definition of a gentle giant. His size had scared away most of the non-Gorons in the class. Link was the only one who approached him. Afterwards, the two became incredibly close and formed a bond that persisted into adulthood. "Luckily, I ran into these two in the lobby. I kind of forgot the room number." Darunia rubbed the back of his hair in slight embarrassment. A black tee shirt of considerable size–Link could hardly guess how many 'X's came before the 'L'–covered his stony body, beneath it a pair of beige cargo shorts. Unlike Zelda, it seemed that his friends either were not working today or had run home to change first. He wondered if more would have arrived sooner should the accident have been more severe… "But, here we all are. Like middle school all over again!" Darunia's booming laughter fortunately interrupted his negative train of thought.
"Just like old times, huh?" Mido chuckled and adjusted his glasses. "Except normally it was you three visiting me in bed." Zelda let out a light snicker and turned away, remembering something. Mido and Link's history was complicated to say the least. In his early years, Link's only real friend had been Saria. Mido's longstanding crush on the girl caused him to view Link as a rival. As they aged, however, the two managed to work out their differences and become friends. That worked wonders for Mido who, after being the biggest and meanest kid on the playground in elementary school, rapidly became a massive nerd once they reached middle school. The fact that Mido was frequently sick until his teenage years did not help. Zelda would never repeat it, but Link once confided in her that he secretly believed Mido Forester to be a progenitor of the 'man-cold' many of their male college friends experienced during flu season. Seeing Mido's raised eyebrow, Zelda quickly came up with a response.
"Sorry. Just musing on how the times must have changed." Zelda considered herself deprived of knowing Link during their childhoods. Therefore, all she knew came from stories and anecdotes, of which there were many. From what Link had told her, Zelda understood it not to have been uncommon for Mido's closest friends to visit him after school on days he was sick. She wondered how nice it felt for Mido to finally be able to return the favor.
"One thing certainly hasn't changed," Mido mused, taking hold of Saria's hand. "Link still figures himself a hero." The young man let out a chuckle. Link rolled his eyes. Zelda could not help but snicker to herself. The joke was not exactly original, but she still found it terribly funny on account of its accuracy, even after being on the receiving end of it. "Seriously, dude. You're crazy. Good crazy, don't get me wrong. But wow! You got hit by a car today!"
"Thanks, I'd forgotten," Link muttered under his breath, wincing at the memory of the screeching and the solid metal crash. Though he knew all in the room would disagree with him, Link did not consider his actions particularly heroic. Of course, it had been the right thing to do, but that was not what made you a hero. Heroes, like the ones on TV and in the old legends, went above and beyond. Link had just been at the right place at the right time. Also, heroes did not get hit by cars during their exploits.
"Hey, I'm just telling you how impressed we all are. You did a good thing today man, you should be proud of it." Mido was short, taller than he was in elementary school sure, but he and Saria had topped out early into puberty. Link had been a head taller than them even before his delayed growth spurt. Saria and Mido's similar heights formed just one of the reasons they made such a good couple. The two had been together for almost ten years now. Mido sported a white dress shirt and a black vest, as well as a pair of black jeans and black shoes. Link's memory flashed to a time when Mido was significantly less well put-together. Back in 1st grade, Mido only wore green. He said it was because it was his favorite color, which was because it was Saria's favorite color. Green also happened to be Link's favorite color, and so he wore it frequently. Mido, who believed Link desired Saria's attention for himself, resented him for that fact as well. Link smiled to recall how much Mido hated him in the past. Life had been so simple then. They were just kids…
"Groose," Link called to the side of the room nearest his left, ignoring Mido's attempts to cheer him from his suddenly soured mood. "Do we have any idea how the kid is doing?" His brief trip down memory lane ended with the recollection of the boy Link had tried to help that day.
"Like I said before, I'm pretty sure he's fine. You don't need to worry about him anymore." Groose offered an assuring smile, but Link's thoughtful frown refused to budge.
"It's just…" Link trailed off. Zelda gave him a concerned glance that forced him to ignore his insecurity. "What if I traumatized him or something?" The entire room stared at him, puzzled. "It's like this. I didn't say anything. I didn't call out or try to warn him. One moment he's minding his own business and the next a grown adult, a stranger, runs towards him and picks him up before he even knows what's going on. Then, he gets hit by a car and needs to be pried out of the stranger's hands. That would be terrifying. He wasn't even crying. I would've been bawling my eyes out! Think about how scared you have to be to not even cry after all that. He might have years of therapy waiting for him down the line and it's all my fault!" Link finished, finally remembering to breath again. As his eyes darted around the room, all he received were pitying glances.
"Dude…" Mikau began, but no words followed.
"Oh Link…" Aryll said, beginning to tear up. The thought of his sister crying only worsened his feelings.
"Darling," Zelda's heels clacked across the floor as she took a few steps to reach the right side of Link's bed. Placing a kiss on her husband's cheek, Zelda continued. "I highly doubt that. You saved his life. I'm positive he knows that you did everything you could."
Aryll had said something similar earlier. Link knew that, yes, he probably did everything he could, but that did not suddenly make it alright. If he had only been faster, if he had only jumped farther, if he had only been more aware, if he had only gotten the kid's attention sooner, if he had only thought it through more swiftly then… For starters, he probably would not be lying uselessly in a hospital bed. He knew full well what everyone thought. Yes, he had ultimately done a good thing, but was it good enough?
"Link," Zelda's sweet voice knocked him out of his contemplation. "I know you think you should have done better, but honestly it doesn't matter. Even if what you say is true, you're forgetting something. That boy is alive because of you. Any trauma, any fear, any problem he might face on account of the accident will at least be something he can face and overcome because you saved him." Link opened his mouth instinctually to protest but Zelda shot him a glance that caused him to shut up and process what she had said. Thinking her words over for a minute, Link discovered that he, currently, had no counter to them. That did not mean she was one hundred percent correct, as she usually was, but it meant that there was no further discussion to be held at present. With this in mind, Link tried to believe her, but a part of him still doubted the veracity of his wife's argument.
"Listen," Groose said, taking notice of Link's conflicted mental state, "I'll tell you what. Next chance I get, I'll swing down to the child wing of the hospital and see if I can figure anything out. Sound good?"
"Thanks Groose," Link sighed, capitulating for now. The room had sided with Zelda, if the caring looks he received from his sister and friends' eyes evidenced anything. "That would mean a lot to me."
"You got it pal." Groose shot him a thumbs up. Suddenly a low grumbling sound murmured its way through the hospital room. The eyes of most of the room's occupants, currently focused on the tall Hylian, immediately flashed to the source of the noise.
"Uh, buddy, I think that's for you," Mikau snickered deviously. Link sat upright, completely red-faced.
"You feelin' hungry Link?" Darunia let out a low chuckle. He could recognize a stomach growling anywhere. He had heard his enough times already.
"Oh, how foolish of me!" Zelda exclaimed, placing her hands on both sides of her face. "I meant to ask you earlier. Is there anything you'd like to eat? Let me know and I'll arrange it to be delivered. Surely you must be starving by now." Link's eyes turned to the digital clock on a shelf in the corner. It read 3:47. Eating at four PM constituted an early dinner for Link, but he supposed his exhausted body did not want to go too much longer without eating.
"Please Zel, you don't have to go through the hassle of ordering food for me. We shouldn't force some poor delivery guy to find my hospital room."
"Who said anything about ordering?" Zelda smiled gleefully. "Remember Link, Impa's dropping by later. If you'd like, I can have her pick up something on her way here. We'd pay her back, of course." Zelda was right. Impa was visiting later. As was Daphnes. To discuss business. Link also remembered he was expecting Ruto, the Lon sisters, Medli, Makar, and an undisclosed number of Zelda's side of the friend group sometime this afternoon or tomorrow morning. Recalling that made him remember how much he wanted to sleep. The thing he wanted most right now, however, was to eat. Zelda's attention turned to the others in the room. "Excuse me for my rudeness, but I do not believe I can extend the offer, I'm afraid." Her disappointment was genuine. Zelda hated not being able to be generous. At the moment, she was in no position to pay Impa back for an order of eight people, assuming no one else ran through the door.
"Don't worry about us, Zelda," Mikau smiled, speaking for the group. "Most of us will probably be out of here by then anyway." Link and Zelda had always been generous with him. The least he could do was ease Zelda's guilt.
"Save the offers until after reading the medical bill," Saria laughed. Hearing her joke, Link looked down at his covered legs and prayed he had a good insurance plan.
"We'll be fine Zelda," Mido added.
"What the little guy said," Darunia echoed. Mido normally resented comments concerning his height, but Darunia numbered among the few who could get away with it. Groose nodded his head, surprised at how not disappointed he was at the fact that he would not be receiving a free meal.
"You don't need to bother Impa," interjected Aryll. "I'm not going home for a while so I can run out and grab something if you'd like."
"I might have to take you up on that. Thank you so much Aryll!" Zelda replied, feeling as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders. She knew Impa would never complain, but she dreaded piling favors onto the older woman.
"No problem, sis." The younger woman smiled cheerfully. Zelda's lip quivered slightly upon hearing the nickname. While the two blonde women were not blood, Aryll treated her like family since before she and Link married. Having grown up with no siblings, Zelda found in Aryll the sister she had always wanted.
"And on that note," Mikau began. "I should head out. I've got to pick up Lulu. We'll be back to visit you in the morning Link."
"Looking forward to it." Link shot back a grin. "If Ruto makes it tonight, we'll tell her you said hi."
"I appreciate it." Mikau motioned for the door. "Take care now. Eat up and get plenty of rest."
"Will do," Link nodded.
"We'll make sure of it," Aryll added. Before Mikau could reach the door, however, the nurse re-entered the room, followed by a trio of men in white lab coats.
"The doctors are here Mr. Hero," the nurse announced, gesturing behind her as if revealing a game show prize. All in the room scanned the newly entered medical professionals and came to the exact same conclusion.
Wow. That one guy looks super old.
The first of the doctors to enter stood significantly shorter than the other two. He was wrinkled and hunched, with massive spectacles resembling goggles far more than glasses. Two large plumes of white hair on the sides of his head interrupted his otherwise bald head. The doctor also had something of a scowling look to him.
Behind him stood another doctor. This one was taller and younger than the first, although most likely around his forties or fifties. He had a large nose, a bushy mustache, and much more appropriately sized glasses. What stood out the most, however, was his hair. There was quite a lot of it. Dark green hair–a similar color to Saria's–shot upward into the air like a skyscraper, two to be more precise as his hair formed an elongated heart shape. Unlike the first doctor, this one had a kindly grin on his face.
Last to enter the room was the final doctor. His furry gray mustache denoted him to be older than the second doctor, but likely younger than the first. His eyes appeared to be in a state of perpetual squinting. This doctor held a neutral expression on his face. In his hands, he held a folder which presumably contained the diagnosis.
"Mr. Hero, these are Drs. Borville, Left, and Troy. They have been examining your X-rays and are ready to share their assessment with you." The nurse stepped to the side of the room to allow the doctors to walk closer to Link's hospital bed.
"You're Link Hero?" Dr. Borville leaned in to observe him better.
"Uh, yeah. That's me," Link replied, his head a mere six inches from the doctor's inquisitive glance.
"You were hit by a car, correct?" Surprised by the question, Link briefly looked to Zelda, who returned a puzzled glance of her own. Link then turned to the nurse, who shrugged as if this was routine.
"That's correct." Link finally answered, still confused on why the doctor did not already know the answer.
"Interesting…" Dr. Borville remarked. The occupants of the room all gave each other curious looks. "Are these friends of yours?" Dr. Borville inquired of the over half dozen visitors.
"Yes," Link said before turning his head to the right side of his bed to look at Aryll and Zelda. "Except this is my sister and my wife."
"Hm…" Dr. Borville grumbled, leaving Link unsure if he missed something.
"I think what my colleague here is trying to suggest," Dr. Left began quickly, "is whether or not you are comfortable hearing the assessment with so many in the room." He smiled uncomfortably, hoping Borville would not snap back with something.
"Oh okay. No, I'm fine," Link replied before remembering to see if Zelda had anything to say on the matter. "Is that fine?"
"Completely fine with me," Zelda nodded.
"Let's get to it then," Dr. Troy stepped forward, folder in hand.
"One moment," Dr. Left interjected. "Mr. Hero, how are you feeling? Is the medication effective?"
"I'm feeling fine. Pain's pretty dull."
"Excellent. Now, Dr. Troy, continue."
"Thank you, Dr. Left." Dr. Troy opened his folder to reveal a series of photographs depicting Link's skeleton from various angles. He drew special attention to a set of photos containing zoomed in shots of Link's right arm, lower ribcage, and left thigh. "See here."
"What exactly am I looking at?" Link wondered aloud. He could see cracks on certain bones, which did not seem like a good thing. Sure, he studied the anatomy in school, but the finer details of osteology. In fact, he was surprised he remembered that at all.
"That's just it, Mr. Hero. We have good news and bad news." Mr. Left paused for a moment after speaking, providing Link an opportunity to decide which news he wanted to hear first.
"Uhh, what's the-"
"The bad news," Dr. Borville selected for him, "is that you have a fractured femur, two cracked ribs, and a sprained elbow." Link could not help but wonder if Dr. Borville enjoyed giving bad news. Still, from his extremely limited medical knowledge, everything other than the fractured femur did not seem that bad.
"And what does that mean for him?" Zelda asked before Link could inquire further. Her tone carried a great deal of the concern kept hidden behind her eyes.
"Well," Dr. Left began, "that's the good news. You see, Mr. Hero is in remarkably good condition considering the nature of the accident. His ribs and elbow should be healed within a month."
"What about the femur?" Zelda continued. Link shared his wife's concern. The fears he managed to suppress previously bubbled up to the surface once more. Would he need surgery? Would he have to hobble for months or years? Would he have to use a wheelchair? Would he ever walk again? Link very nearly blurted those questions out in rapid fire, but Dr. Troy cut him off before he had a chance.
"More good news," he seemed rather pleased. "The fracture is not severe enough to require surgery, at least upon first glance. With the right physical therapy plan, Mr. Hero could be walking again within eight weeks."
Eight weeks? That was frankly unacceptable for Link. True, he had been terrified of never walking again, but he had no timeframe for potential recovery to work off of. The image of his immobile body lying motionless in a hospital bed for two months sent shivers down his spine.
"Eight weeks!" Zelda repeated gleefully. She did not share her husband's view. "Hear that honey? Two months and you'll be walking again!" She smiled so joyfully that Link could not help but grin back, in spite of himself. He loved it when she smiled. If the news made her that happy, perhaps he could live with it. The others in the room grinned and gave each other pleased looks.
"How long until he's out of the hospital?" Asked Aryll. She knew Link was not going to be pleased with waiting long.
"That depends. Mr. Hero, do you sleep on the first or second floor of your house?" Dr. Borville answered.
"Uh, the second. Why do you ask?" Now Link was confused as well as anxious.
"Because now I have more bad news," Dr. Borville answered. The mood of the room fell slightly. Dr. Left cleared his throat and picked up where his colleague had sharply left off.
"Normally we would suggest keeping Mr. Hero here for another day or two, just to monitor for any unseen injuries and prepare a preliminary PT plan. After that, we'd suggest a few days of bedrest at home before moving onto crutches."
"But…" Aryll cocked her head to the side, awaiting the rest of the doctor's sentence.
"But," Dr. Troy continued, "Because of his sprained elbow, Mr. Hero can't use crutches properly. As such, he cannot resume undertaking regular tasks until it heals. Under normal circumstances, we would recommend the usage of a wheelchair, but the mere act of getting out of bed may prove difficult. Furthermore, there is no safe way of getting Mr. Hero back into his own bed without the use of crutches. So, we strongly advise keeping Mr. Hero at the hospital for the next week or so, at least until the elbow heals enough for him to begin using crutches."
"Oh," Link mustered through the shock paralyzing his body. He wanted to protest. He wanted to argue. He wanted to fight, but suddenly he felt very exhausted. Of course, he did not want to languish in a hospital bed uselessly for a week. If he was going to be unable to walk, he would prefer to recover in the comfort of his own home. However, he understood not only that disagreeing with the doctors likely constituted a bad idea, but that it also risked upsetting Zelda. The best thing he could do right now was cooperate. "Okay." He turned his head and gave Zelda an assuring smile. She grinned back, pleased that her husband had decided to preemptively relent on this issue. She understood why Link dreaded staying a week in the hospital. The idea did not please her either, especially since it meant that she would be staying in the hospital for a week.
"Is that the earliest he can be released?" Zelda's question visibly took Link by surprise. She smirked and shot her husband a sly wink. Link may have decided not to inquire further, but nothing stopped her from playing the role of overbearing wife. After all, no one could judge her for making sure.
"Not that we can actually keep him here," Dr. Borville replied, "but yes. Unless you want to risk further injury that may in fact require surgery. Mr. Hero's femur is in a very precarious state right now. If not given time to heal properly, it may take up to year to fully recover." As he finished, Zelda swore she saw the little old man smirk before returning to his resting frown.
"We can go into the details later," Dr. Left added, having taken notice that Link's eyelids had begun to droop slightly, "I'm sure you're very tired and would like us all out of your hair." Dr. Left smiled warmly. Zelda decided he was her favorite. The other doctors nodded and began making their way towards the door.
"Thank you," Link waved with his left hand, not wanting to risk aggravating his sprained elbow. Before he made it out the door, however, Dr. Left turned around and addressed the patient.
"You're incredibly lucky, Mr. Hero. Not only are you already a healthy and strong young man, but you sustained relatively minor injuries. It isn't often I can outline such a short road to recovery for victims of car accidents. Stay in bed, stick to the treatment plan, and do the assigned therapy and you should be back to normal in no time. I'll have the nurse here send in the paperwork for the length of your stay and the rest of medical history and insurance information tomorrow morning."
"Again, thank you Dr. Left," Link said, deciding that Dr. Left was his favorite as well. Maybe it all would not be so bad…
"Oh, Dr. Left," Zelda called out before Dr. Left could make it to the door. "Are there any specific dietary restrictions or foods for Link to avoid?"
"Good question. No, but he should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Healthy food makes healthy bodies."
"Understood. Thank you. Have a good evening, Dr. Left." Zelda waved goodbye.
"Good evening, all." Dr. Left waved back to the room and stepped out into the hallway.
"What was the diet question for?" Groose asked, still standing at the back of the room.
"I just wanted to make sure that Link could eat whatever he wanted for dinner tonight."
"Aw thanks Zel," Link smiled. Honestly, he had forgotten how hungry he was earlier. It seemed that the pangs had departed for now, but he knew they would be back.
"Of course. Oh, nurse?" Zelda called out to the nurse, who stood patiently by the side of the door, waiting for the conversation in the room to die down.
"Yes Mrs. Hero? What can I do for you?"
"Would it be possible to fill out an overnight form so I can stay here in the room tonight?"
"Certainly. I can bring it in for you when I come back to restore Mr. Hero's supply of painkillers. There's a pull-out bed in the sofa over there, but it isn't working correctly so I'll have another one brought in for you."
"Excellent. Follow up question: do I have to fill out individual overnight forms for every night I stay here, or is there a different form for a longer visit?"
"How long are you planning to stay?" The nurse looked puzzled.
"Oh, about a week or so. Is that not allowed?" Zelda answered nonchalantly.
"Uh, wha-, I mean…" the nurse sputtered, taken aback by Zelda's casual display of devotion. "I'll see what I can found out. With luck I'll have the answer for you when I come back."
"Thank you very much."
"My pleasure. Mr. Hero, is there anything you need? I'll be back in about an hour."
"Not at the moment, thank you."
"Be sure to press the button if you need anything. Mrs. Hero, I'll have bedding sent sometime this evening." The nurse waved farewell and walked to the doorway. Before she left, however, she turned and gave one final look at the patient. "You are one lucky man, Mr. Hero," she smirked and exited into the hallway.
"Yes I am!" Link called out into the hall, just loud enough for the nurse to hear and emit an audible chuckle.
"Really dear, it's nothing." Zelda placed a loving hand on Link's shoulder.
"Anyway guys," Mikau interjected, "I'm glad that's all settled." Looking at the clock, panic seized his face. "Oh Nayru! It's 4:15! I got to go pick up Lulu! Alright Link, sorry to go so quickly, but I'll see you tomorrow!" Mikau quickly waved goodbye and walked out the door.
"Bye Mikau!" Link cried, echoed by the other occupants.
"Give Lulu our regards!" Zelda added. Hearing an 'okay!' from the hallway assured her that her message had reached its target.
"You really are one lucky dude, Link," Darunia laughed. "Not the car accident part, of course."
"I figured." Link rolled his eyes. Rationally he knew the diagnosis was good, but it did not feel like good news yet.
"See Saria!" Groose began, approaching the diminutive young woman, "Totally not dying. I was sure before the doctors even entered the room."
"As if you knew what they were going to say!" Saria crossed her arms in playful annoyance.
"What? Listen, I have a sixth sense about this stuff, honest!" Groose protested. His tone was such that those listening could not be entirely sure if he was completely joking or not.
"Yeah sure." Saria muttered, shaking her head.
"So, Groose," Mido added, "what you're saying is that you used your supernatural powers of deduction, without looking at an X-ray, to determine that Link, a man hit in the thigh by a moving automobile, had a broken leg?"
"Pretty much, yeah." Groose's reply showed no signs of breaking character, if there indeed was a character he was playing.
"You're a genuine oracle, Winger." Mido snickered.
"I could've told you that!" Aryll giggled. "Wait guys! Maybe I'm psychic too!" The room began to chuckle.
"Oh great. My sister can read minds," Link cried in mock horror.
"And see the fuuuuture," Zelda added, cherishing the image of the tortures a psychic Aryll could inflict on her beloved older brother.
"Too true, Zelda. Too true. But I think we should allow the mighty oracle Groose to give us a prediction and demonstrate his power." Her voice echoed with overdramatic fervor.
"Ya want a prediction? I'll give you a prediction. 100% certain." Groose grinned a cocky smirk. The room waited for a moment with bated breath as Groose tapped into his sixth sense. "Someone," he began, "is going to walk through that door!" Groose's right hand shot up from his side and pointed rapidly towards the hospital room door. The occupants of the room remained unimpressed.
"Uh, yeah man," Darunia raised his finger to point at the door as well, "the nurse is in about an hour."
"Maybe," Groose crossed his arms condescendingly. "Maybe not. We will just have to wait and see." For a few seconds, silence fell upon the room. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered the quiet. In a mixture of shock, alarm, and disbelief, all eyes turned towards the door.
"Hey everybody! How's Link doing? Any idea when he'll be out of here?" A cheerful young Zora woman walked through the door only to be greeted by a collection of blank stares. "Did Mikau leave yet?" The Zora paused, her smile fading as none of her questions received answers. "What?" Immediately the entire room burst into laughter, starting with a dumbstruck Aryll and working its way across to an unbelievably proud Groose.
"Hey Ruto!" Zelda called between fits of laughter. "Thank you so much for coming!"
"Uh," Ruto began to blush, completely confused as to what was going on. "Did I miss something?"
A/N: Well, that chapter was a bit longer than I anticipated. Hello dear reader. I hope you enjoyed the fourth and, currently, longest chapter. You may or may not have been able to guess this, but I have little in the form of medical knowledge. Hopefully the injuries described in comparison to the accident that caused them don't seem too unrealistic. I'll be honest, I had to search for existing doctor characters in the Zelda series. Big surprise, there aren't many, so I had to get a bit creative. Dr. Left and Troy come from the Oracle games, which I have not played. I want to, but they aren't particularly accessible. Hopefully they'll get the Link's Awakening treatment on the Switch some time soon. Introducing three characters at once can be a bit difficult, and I technically did it twice this chapter, so I hope that turned out well. Oh, and for those of you who didn't notice, the nurse is based on the Healing Ladies from Adventure of Link, which I have played, albeit briefly. If I ever getting around to beating Zelda 1, I might force myself to suffer through a playthrough. Fitting for its length, this chapter also took me the longest thus far to write. Personally, I think it came out rather well, but that's not for me to decide. Also, upon uploading this, I am now finishing up a week-long vacation. I unfortunately did not get much work done, but you will hopefully never be able to tell the difference. Another note, I'm uploading this story on Ao3 as well soon, so feel free to read there if it is your preferred site. Thanks again for reading, please provide any and all feedback, and stay tuned for the next chapter!