A/N: This is the first LoZ fic I ever wrote seriously. It actually was started about three years ago and has been finished on and off after having survived through three hiatuses and a serious consideration of scrapping. But I decided to give it another chance, and am actually quite pleased with the results. Rated PG-13 for violence and Link's surprisingly dirty mouth; warnings include angst, sadness, violence, Link/Zelda pairing (no citrus), and alternate realities. The timeline I'm basing things on is a quasi-alternate-reality of my own creation: I base most if not all of my Zelda fanfiction on the idea that all the deeds done and chronicled in the Zelda games (with the exception of the Wind Waker for obvious reasons) were the deeds of one brave young lad chosen by Destiny and the three Goddesses as the Hero of Time, the Legendary Hero. Oh. And I don't own Linky (more's the pity) or Zelda or any of the game's other characters. They are copyrighted to Miyamoto Shigeru-san and Nintendo, the lucky bastards. I own, however, sole copyright of each and every one of my original characters. Steal them and I will hunt you down and break your elbows. Remember: A vague threat is no one's friend. And also, this act is where things kind of get silly. Just keep in mind that most o the time while I was writing this I was in high school and that I've improved dramatically since almost four years ago, AND I had no idea what I was doing when I did start it. So if it seems a little far-fetched...deal with it. xp
-Act II-
-Dimensional Refugees-
11
Link awoke with a scream, sitting bolt upright in the darkness.
The door to John's bedroom was suddenly outlined in light as John flipped the switch and opened the door. Kate was in the hallway moments later. Both were staring at him intently. "What happened?"
Link shrugged, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself. "Nothing," he replied. "Nightmare, that's all."
Kate's expression was dubious at best. "Are you sure? That sounded like a lot more than just a nightmare."
Link laughed bitterly. "With me, there's no such thing as just a nightmare."
She frowned, and turned to John, speaking quietly to him. After a moment's indecision, he nodded reluctantly and turned, going back into his room. The door closed behind him. Seconds later, the light turned off.
Kate wandered out toward him. "Mind if I take a look at that shoulder? I want to make sure it's healing properly without the sling. Never can be too careful, you know."
Staring off into the night, Link shrugged. "Sure," he said tonelessly.
Kate shot a quick look at him, but his expression revealed nothing. If eyes are the windows to the soul, then Link was boarded up from the inside.
No vacancy.
She walked over to him, scrutinizing his shoulder through narrowed eyes.
Kate turned on the table lamp. Link jumped.
Kate grinned. "Little high strung, are we?" she asked lightly.
He shrugged again. "I guess."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kate asked.
He shook his head. "Not really."
Kate saw something in his eyes that made her shudder. And she didn't believe him. "Are you sure?" she asked.
He searched her face fro a long moment, trying to discern her motives. Finally, he took a deep, shaking breath.
Kate sat down next to him on the sofa. "It's all right," she said. "You're with a friend. Take your time."
He nodded.
Finally, after a long silence, he began to speak. Without looking up, he related the details of his dream in a long, quick rush, afraid if he didn't say it quickly, he'd never get it out. After he finished, both sat in the dark silence for a long time, neither able to speak.
Kate simply didn't know what to say. She saw him shudder a little, and put an arm on his shoulder in a comforting way. He looked at her, searching her face once more. She smiled.
"It's okay. You don't have anything to hide. You're with a friend."
Something broke inside the Hero of Time. A floodgate of emotion split wide open, and a single, choked cry worked its way out of his throat.
Very quietly, he started to sob.
In a motherly gesture, Kate held onto him and let his turmoil work its course.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, John turned on the light and stuck his head out the door. Their eyes met, and in a single glance, all was understood. He nodded once, turned around, and went back inside.
-Act II-
-Dimensional Refugees-
11
Link awoke with a scream, sitting bolt upright in the darkness.
The door to John's bedroom was suddenly outlined in light as John flipped the switch and opened the door. Kate was in the hallway moments later. Both were staring at him intently. "What happened?"
Link shrugged, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself. "Nothing," he replied. "Nightmare, that's all."
Kate's expression was dubious at best. "Are you sure? That sounded like a lot more than just a nightmare."
Link laughed bitterly. "With me, there's no such thing as just a nightmare."
She frowned, and turned to John, speaking quietly to him. After a moment's indecision, he nodded reluctantly and turned, going back into his room. The door closed behind him. Seconds later, the light turned off.
Kate wandered out toward him. "Mind if I take a look at that shoulder? I want to make sure it's healing properly without the sling. Never can be too careful, you know."
Staring off into the night, Link shrugged. "Sure," he said tonelessly.
Kate shot a quick look at him, but his expression revealed nothing. If eyes are the windows to the soul, then Link was boarded up from the inside.
No vacancy.
She walked over to him, scrutinizing his shoulder through narrowed eyes.
Kate turned on the table lamp. Link jumped.
Kate grinned. "Little high strung, are we?" she asked lightly.
He shrugged again. "I guess."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kate asked.
He shook his head. "Not really."
Kate saw something in his eyes that made her shudder. And she didn't believe him. "Are you sure?" she asked.
He searched her face fro a long moment, trying to discern her motives. Finally, he took a deep, shaking breath.
Kate sat down next to him on the sofa. "It's all right," she said. "You're with a friend. Take your time."
He nodded.
Finally, after a long silence, he began to speak. Without looking up, he related the details of his dream in a long, quick rush, afraid if he didn't say it quickly, he'd never get it out. After he finished, both sat in the dark silence for a long time, neither able to speak.
Kate simply didn't know what to say. She saw him shudder a little, and put an arm on his shoulder in a comforting way. He looked at her, searching her face once more. She smiled.
"It's okay. You don't have anything to hide. You're with a friend."
Something broke inside the Hero of Time. A floodgate of emotion split wide open, and a single, choked cry worked its way out of his throat.
Very quietly, he started to sob.
In a motherly gesture, Kate held onto him and let his turmoil work its course.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, John turned on the light and stuck his head out the door. Their eyes met, and in a single glance, all was understood. He nodded once, turned around, and went back inside.