A/N: This chapter was revised as of 12/11/2019 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed.


When Heroes Fall

By: Selphie Kinneas 175

Chapter 19: Renewal

.:.

Midna stood just outside.

She wasn't waiting, for that would have indicated a desire to go back inside. She did have that desire, but she refused to acknowledge it. So it as good as didn't exist.

No waiting, just standing. Avoiding, one could even call it. Avoiding was easier. Standing and staring at a blank spot of the dark, night sky was the only way she could place herself elsewhere. Every other resting spot for her gaze brought on too many memories. Every other physical presence she could find herself in the company of brought on too much of everything else. Out here, standing, nothing in her presence save the twinkling stars so far away it was like they weren't even real, she could at last breathe.

She felt as if she'd been holding her breath since Ren came to get her from her world. Everything was a whirlwind – when she looked back she thought it all must have been some crazy dream. Perhaps one of her advisors finally poisoned her chalice like she'd been paranoid of all these years, and it sent her into a crazed delirium, seeing things that simply could not be real. But every time she closed her eyes, expecting to either wake up back in her own bed or in the hands of whatever deity awaited a twili, she would open them to find herself still standing in the same spot.

She wasn't so sure she'd ever gotten used to... nighttime. Daytime made enough sense, with the sun still being present in her own world. Growing up in the twilight, she never expected that the sun was supposed to fully disappear each day, and she never forgot how strange it had been when she'd first seen its last rays of light diminish beyond the indistinguishable horizon. Looking at the sun in her world always reminded her of her hero. It shone without fail, perpetually bathing the twili in its consistent, loyal glow. It was always there. In the light world, the sun set each day, and she couldn't help but wonder if this sun was like her hero, too – all things at one point must set, she supposed.

She didn't know how much time passed – it felt both like a lot and at the same time none at all – she only knew it had passed by the light at last piercing the comforting darkness from the east. A deep voice jolted her from her thoughts.

"You should go to him."

She turned and saw Rusl exiting the inn.

She sighed and faced away again, "Should I, really?"

He approached and stood beside her. For a moment, that was all he did, taking the time to think of his answer. When she looked at him, his reply was a simple one.

"I think so, yes."

She breathed deep, one question forever burning in her mind. Rusl had been the first one to find out about her existence all those years ago, and she felt trusting in the man who her hero considered his father. She didn't hesitate.

"How was he after I left?"

Her question was blunt, but she had always been just that, Rusl knew. He looked taken aback, and then, in pain. Recalling that time of all of their lives was misery. Remembering how horribly his son had taken the end of his journey sent his heart beating fast all over again.

"You want the painful truth or shall I sugar coat it?"

"Surely you remember me well enough, Rusl," she said with a look.

He stared at her a solid minute before answering, "He was awful. He was no longer himself. Frankly, I was quite angry at you for some time. But I understand that you had duties to see to. It... was just hard."

She didn't say anything, so he went on.

"I haven't even gotten to speak to him at all myself, really. I imagine he is... unrecognizable."

Midna turned to him, "Haven't spoken to him? What do you mean?"

"He hasn't been home since you left. None of us had seen him at all until Ren got the idea to go look for him."

Her brow furrowed, utter disbelief on her features, "Hasn't been home? You mean to tell me he left all those years ago and never came back?"

Rusl nodded sadly, "Yes... It pains me to admit I had given up hope on him. Fifteen years without a word will do that to most people."

"What an idiot," she mumbled.

Rusl pretended not to hear it.

"To just leave you all like that... All the people he loved and cared about so much... It's not like him."

"I know."

She thought on it a moment. That was not her hero. He didn't quit, he didn't give up, he didn't abandon people. She had a bone to pick with him.

"I will go to him."

Rusl gave a sad smile and simply nodded.

No one was in that room at the end of the hall save the hero. The morning was so young, she imagined most everyone was catching up on the sleep they missed the night, or nights, prior. She stormed through the threshold, her frustration at the news she'd just learned fueling her feet. When she entered and saw him there, however, she melted. Her anger dissolved, her disappointment flittered away in the wind. She felt nothing but compassion when she looked at him. Guilt, regret, sadness...

She closed the door quietly behind her and sat in the chair at his bedside. She saw that Renado had already worked his magic. Clean cloth was wrapped around Link's chest, arm, and hand, though little speckles of red already dotted them. He was tucked under a thick, warm blanket, and a damp rag lay across his forehead, likely in an attempt to lower his apparent fever. Glass bottles sat on the table at her right, remnants of purple liquid in one and red in the other. She remembered him being given these medicines so many years ago, and she was positive one was for pain and one was an antidote. The shaman had used the purple one often times to battle poison, but it was also used to fight off infection. She guessed by his ghost-like skin and overall appearance of a corpse that this time it was for the latter.

His breaths were shallow and virtually invisible. Had she not paid extra close attention, she would have thought he wasn't breathing at all. Once she heard those raspy breaths, she focused on them, and the sound helped her to think straight. She wrapped her hand around his wrist and felt his pulse there, weak and struggling. She closed her eyes and simply listened and felt... Inhale, exhale, the beating of his heart. Inhale, exhale, the beating of his heart. Inhale, exhale, the beating of his heart...

He was alive. He was here, physically, in her presence. She could touch him, reach him, feel him. He was real, when for so many years he was only a thought in her mind. For so long he had been nothing more than a dream, an apparition that haunted her, an image in her mind she conjured day after day to prevent forgetting his handsome face. To have him truly here, before her, the freedom to grab his hand in her own again... it was almost impossible to believe it was real.

She opened her eyes and just stared at him for so long. She remembered looking at him like this so many times. His mind asleep, his body teetering on an invisible edge, messy hair clinging to clammy skin. She had seen this so many times, but this time felt so different.

So much of what happened felt unreal. When she recalled it, she was sure she was just exaggerating the details – he wasn't really gone for a moment, his heart hadn't really ceased to beat, his lungs hadn't really stopped breathing. But those were the details. She'd really lost him. Whether the moment was brief in reality or ages in the space of how her heart perceived time didn't matter. The fact that he let himself slip away, for even a moment, spoke volumes.

What if she'd gotten to him even just a single minute later – would it have been too late? Would his heart have been still for too long to remember how to beat again? Would she have lost him forever?

She didn't want to think like that.

He was here. She was here. She was mad at him, but he was alive. For that, she was happy.

She couldn't help the tiniest smile that pulled up the corner of her mouth, and she didn't even realize that she reached out and grabbed his freezing hand in hers. She held it, and she drunk in the feeling. She closed her eyes and relished in it. She remembered this feeling, too. Holding his hand tighter and tighter, but getting no reciprocation. It never ceased to worry her, but now, more than worry she felt contentment. She would have been confused as to that feeling's current place in her heart, had she paid cognizant attention to it. But contentment unknowingly washed over her, contentment in being with her hero again, in no longer wondering what he was doing, where he was, who he was with, if he was even alive. He was here, physically, with her again, and in that her heart felt peace.

Then his fingers twitched.

She snapped out of it. She retracted her hand back and her serenity melted into the same confused, anger-fueled desperation of years of buried torment and suffering.

His eyes started to flutter, and her heart did the same. She got to her feet and hurried to the door. What she heard prevented her from leaving.

"Nothing... to say this time?"

His voice. For the past fifteen years she'd only heard such a sound in her head. She wasn't sure she'd accurately kept the memory of it alive. She remembered it... deep, smooth, most times annoyingly optimistic even when all the world crashed down around them, and it was so strong. Now, it was none of those things. It was loose gravel beneath heavy footfalls. It was a lone frog croaking on an empty pond. It was the whisper of a frightened child. It was ragged, mumbled, glaringly pessimistic when all the world stood still around them, and it was so weak.

The state of it prevented her from realizing what he'd actually said at first. What did he mean 'this time'? She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want to face him. Her heart beat so hard it physically ached. She swallowed the uncomfortable lump in her throat and at last turned to him.

He looked no different. Still a shell motionless under thick blankets. She saw him looking at her through slits so small she wasn't sure he could even see her. She had no idea what to say. She was frozen. She'd imagined this moment for so long, but she never thought it would really happen. It was in her nature to have a witty remark to make, some sassy one-liner to reunite them with a laugh. She had no such thing.

They stared for what felt like a long time. When he started to close his eyes again, she worried it would be her last chance to speak to him, and she blurted the only thing that came to mind.

"You're an idiot!"

He opened his eyes, but they were so heavy. He looked at her, but he had no expression. Midna did not understand.

"I said you're an idiot! Don't you have anything to say?"

"That's all you ever say," he whispered, "Leave me alone."

She furrowed her brow. Why did he keep talking as if he'd already seen her? She did not understand.

In his blurry mind this was just another ghost, the same phantom that tormented him day in and day out. Through the filter of muggy consciousness and hazy vision there was nothing distinguishable between this Midna and the Midna that had not let him forget any of his shortcomings over the past fifteen years. He was just hallucinating again, he told himself, though he was barely even cognizant enough to understand it. He was alone in this room, and he was seeing the shadows of his former friend, nothing more.

What a dumb expression, she thought, he must not even realize who he's talking to, if anyone. She was angry that he would dare tell her to leave him alone, even if she could tell he didn't understand to who or what he was saying. She let herself feel that anger, and she hastened back to his side and plopped down in the chair.

"Link, you idiot, it's me!" she spat.

He looked at her. His movements were sluggish and his eyelids were attached to anchors. His lidded stare was blank. He said nothing.

She forcefully reached out and grabbed his hand. She squeezed it so tight his fingertips at last found color again. His eyes perked open only the tiniest bit more, and he stared in pure confusion down at their clasped hands.

Midna saw him begin to understand, and she smiled.

"It's me."

He stared, and stared, and stared. His body was a good ten paces behind his brain, which was already a good twenty paces behind his surroundings. Midna loosened her grip, and Link tightened his. He felt her touch, felt her warm hand in his, felt her familiar presence. He looked up at her at last, and the lights were beginning to flicker on.

"M... Midna?"

She felt the tingle of tears asking permission to release but she refused them. She resigned to simply keep smiling.

"It's me."

He stared into her eyes for what felt like so long. Eons passed, seasons changed, the old withered and the youth in turn grew old. Reality told them it was only moments, but their hearts told them the opposite. His eyes were exhausted pools of ice. Hers were the very fire burning up her anxiousness. She never thought she would look into these eyes again, and at that the tears previously begging permission no longer cared to ask for it.

The lights in her hero's mind turned to full blast – he understood who he was looking at.

He shot up. He grimaced something awful, but he acted as if he hadn't.

"It's you?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder to ease him back down, "Lay back down, please."

He pushed against her, objecting obstinately.

"It is you."

His rattled voice pained her. It was like rocks were banging around inside his chest.

"Link, please... lay down."

He didn't oblige. He grinned so wide his chapped lips cracked and bled.

"I can't believe it..." he rasped, reaching out to her.

She pushed his arm down, "You're gonna exert yourself. Lay down."

He ignored her. When in one fluid motion he swung his legs over the bed and rushed to his feet, his body did not agree with him. The room spun like a loose tumbleweed, his head all at once became too heavy to hold yet light as a feather, and his legs mushed instantly beneath his weight.

She grabbed him, easing his fall as she descended to the floor with him. The jostle on his weak body forced a fit of coughs, each splattering a few more speckles of blood than the one before it. She held him steady, both wanting to cradle him and hurl him through the window at the same time.

The latter was the feeling that surfaced.

"Why are you always so stupid!" she yelled, getting to her feet and pulling on him with all her might to try and get him back on the bed, "I told you to lay down! I told you you would exert yourself! I told you! I told you!"

She started to cry harder, and she knew she did not have the strength to get him all the way up. She collapsed down to her knees and held her hands to her face, dropping Link the short distance they'd risen. Link braced himself on all fours, and pain hit him like a horse at full speed. He took a moment, endured it, it remained, but it dulled enough to let him move to sit and lean against the frame of the bed at his back. He rested there with a long, deep breath.

Midna sobbed in front of him. She refused to care and just let it all out. He felt more emotions at his core right now than he had felt combined over the course of so many years. He had difficulty even registering what they were; his mind was still too dazed. He truthfully did not fully understand what was going on, but still he tried to say something, anything, to fix it.

"I'm-"

But that was all he could get out before Midna heard the peep and exploded.

"You were dead! All this time, all these years without you, learning how to deal with how much it hurt, and you bring me back here?"

Her breaths hitched and some words came out as yells while others were merely gasps. Link just listened.

"Leaving you killed me, you stupid, stupid, idiot. It killed me! And you have the nerve to bring me back here just to have to do it all over again? And the first time I see you when I get here is you dead and in chains? Did you even think about the way bringing me back would make me feel? Or did you only think of yourself as usual?"

He didn't say anything. There was nothing fitting to say. Only half of it made sense anyway. In his heart he felt a reaction he perhaps should have shown, but his mind and body were too tired to act on it.

Instead, he simply held his arms out toward her. She stared at him. After all she said, his reply was non-verbally asking for a hug? It made her furious. She wanted to scream at him for being so insensitive, for ignoring her open, bleeding wounds right in front of his face. But her logical mind did not dictate her, her heart did, and her heart had longed for that embrace for a lifetime.

She dove into his arms and wrapped hers around him just the same. Neither said a word, neither made a single sound, neither moved a muscle. They held each other and at last satiated a starvation they had both harbored for as long as there was time. That very construct slipped through their fingers like grains of sand, and neither paid attention as their exhaustion grew stronger than them and they soon lie on the floor where they had sat, now fast asleep in each other's arms.

Renado came in the room soon after to check on the hero, but upon seeing the two reunited in a deep, calming slumber, he let them sleep. He was sure, without a doubt, this was the best rest Link had gotten in too many years. He could only assume the same could be said for Midna.

And their rest was just that, for the both of them. For once there were no nightmares. No demons from past and present joined forces to bring up old terrors. No death by horrendous measures, neither experienced nor witnessed. No pain, no suffering, just peace. They both had much to say, anger and confusion pent up over the years, but now, simply being in one another's company was enough. Simply feeling the presence of the one they'd been without for so long was enough. The rest could come later.

Later came, as it always did. Midna woke the following morning. Her memory was foggy as her slumber had been so deep and relaxing. She blinked her heavy eyes and wiped the spot of drool from the corner of her mouth. She licked her lips and stretched her arms out wide, accidentally hitting the still-sleeping hero at her side. She jumped, realizing for the first time that he was there. She stared and tried to remember what happened. She yelled at him... he offered to hold her... and they simply held each other until they drifted off. She looked out the window to see the sun high in the sky – she had no idea how long they had been out.

She sat up and looked around. Link was still fast asleep, and he still looked absolutely awful. He was pale, freezing cold yet clammy at the same time, and his bandages were now much more red than they'd been when they'd gone to sleep. He had one arm under his head and the other now stretched out in front of him, where Midna had been laying beneath it previously. She smiled when she heard his breaths, though they were raspy, they were there.

His dirty gauze worried her, and without another thought elsewhere she went to find the shaman. She opened the door with quiet caution to prevent him from waking up, though, she knew he likely wouldn't wake up even if she plowed straight through it.

She heard the quiet murmur of voices as soon as she was in the hallway. She glanced over the banister to see mostly everyone downstairs.

"It is most unfortunate..." Shad whispered, "We may yet be in danger."

"Do you really think that stupid king would go out of his way to get back at us?" Ashei asked.

"Yes," Zelda answered.

"I do not surmise it would be entirely for 'getting back at us,' but... he knows the queen is alive..." Shad said, "Do you suspect he knows of the portal to the Twilight Realm being opened as well?"

"Yes," Zelda again replied simply, "He knows."

"He does not know where it is located though, correct?" Renado questioned.

Zelda sighed, "That is the only hope I cling to."

"If there's any chance he knows where it is then Ordon might be in danger, too," Rusl said, "That's not something we can simply hope."

"Should we go home then, dad?" Colin asked, "We got Link after all, should we maybe just go home and make sure everything's okay?"

"No, we have to go back for Emeline," Ren interjected.

"We will," Rusl replied, "But we must-"

"Hold on," Talo chimed in, holding up his hands, "You can't all just go running off after basically poking the tiger and painting a giant red target on all of Kakariko. He came here before and he'll probably come here again. We can't fight the king of all people on our own."

"Teach me to fight," Luda spoke at last, having been quiet for what felt like centuries. Her eyes were weighed down by heavy bags and she wore a thick shawl over her meager frame. She stared right at Ashei in particular.

Talo looked at her, "Luda-"

"I will help you all fight him," she spoke with calm resolve and determination. It rendered the room silent for only a moment. Ashei gave her a nod and the two understood one another.

"Do you really think the king would attack us here?" Colin asked.

"It is highly likely," Zelda said, "He knows about me, about Midna, and we have Link. We have all the information he needs, and after Midna's reaction... I do not have the full support of the people."

"How stupid," Ashei scoffed, "She ruined the whole thing, yeah? We shouldn't have even gotten her at all, she just made everything worse."

"It was an unfortunate turn of events..." Shad offered.

"Tch, understatement of the century," Ashei shook her head, "No. It's 'unfortunate' that we wasted time and energy on bringing back someone that singlehandedly ruined everything. What happened at the castle was downright moronic."

"How about you tell me to my face you think I screwed up instead of discussing it when I'm not in the room?" Midna said, descending the stairs and joining them.

There was no anger in her voice, no accusatory or defensive tone, just a question.

Everyone looked away, either flushing a shade of embarrassment or avoiding eye contact. Ashei, however, swallowed the initial shame and spoke up.

"Fine. You screwed up. Big time."

Midna folded her arms over her chest and glanced out the window. She took only a second to look back and reply.

"You're right. What do you want me to say? Sorry? What does that fix?"

Ashei shrugged, "Just majorly sucks for all of us that you went and let your emotions get the better of you, yeah? Now who knows what the king will do. Send someone to assassinate the queen in the middle of the night? Paint it as Link's doing again? Or maybe he'll just attack the whole of the village. There's little kids and elderly here, like, did you even think about any of it? Did you even think about your actions? How it would ruin everything we planned? How it could ruin literally everything?"

They all were silent. Her words were blunt and they struck everyone to the core.

Shad was the one who found the courage to speak, but it didn't last long.

"Ashei, that is quite harsh-"

"No, she's right," Talo cut in, "I've got two little girls here. I've already lost one kid to this stupid fight that my family isn't even a part of. It shouldn't have come to this."

They stared at Midna, simply because there was nowhere else logical to look. She stared back for a while before all the eyes on her felt like heat on her flesh, and she had to look down. She was hoping the correct words to say would be written on the floor, but no such thing appeared. She met their unifying glare and said the only thing that made sense to say.

"I'm sorry."

It was silent for only a moment.

"We forgive you, Midna," Zelda said with a forced smile, "We will be alright."

"I wish you wouldn't lie to me, Your Majesty," Midna said flatly, "I thought you had more respect for me than that."

Zelda furrowed her brow. She opened her mouth to respond but Midna was quick to interrupt her.

"I only came down here to get Renado. Link's bled through his bandages. Figured you'd like to know."

And with that she didn't even wait for a response. She turned and made her way back up the stairs and into the room at the end of the hall. The others stood in dumbfounded silence before Renado wordlessly followed her.

She sat on the opposite side of the bed from where she knew the shaman would need to sit to reach his tools. Renado was close behind and was not blind to the fact that Midna was trying to avoid conversation like the plague. Still, he chuckled at the sight of the hero on the floor.

"I am glad he is at last able to get some sound sleep."

He lifted Link with a strained grimace, Midna noticed it, and he tried to brush it off.

"Ah, the joys of growing old."

He lay Link down on the worn mattress and Midna ignored his statement. She looked away, desperate to appear so cold and aloof that the shaman would have no desire to speak to her. He knew what she was doing, but he let her think for a few moments that he didn't.

"It is wonderful to see you again after so many years," he said as he began undoing Link's dirty gauze.

His voice was gentle like his hands. Every word was carefully chosen and each movement had meaning. She ignored him, but he'd expected that.

"No doubt our hero will be ecstatic to see you when he has at last fully come to."

That made her look at Link, and Renado only briefly glanced up at her as he unwrapped Link's bandages and discarded them. She had something on her mind, the wise old man could see it as plain as day, he need only coax it out of her.

"How lovely it will be to at last see him happy aga-"

"He was dead when I found him."

Renado paused to look at her, but she was not looking at him. She stared blankly at the closed lids of her hero. Her voice was flat, emotionless, and her expression was the same.

"No heartbeat. No breathing. Nothing."

"Yes..." Renado whispered, disposing the last of the dirty bandaging and reaching now for a clean rag and alcohol, "Ren mentioned that to me."

Midna didn't even blink. Had she not just spoken to him, Renado was sure he would have thought she was in a trance. She looked so tired, mentally, emotionally, exhausted beyond comprehension.

"I guess my power restarted his heart. He would've been gone forever if I was even a second late."

"But you weren't late," Renado smiled, "For that we are all thankful."

"It doesn't matter," she muttered, "I imagine he's not doing well, considering."

"Not particularly, no," Renado said as he dabbed Link's wounds clean, the most prominent being the one on the front of his shoulder.

Midna watched through half-lidded eyes, her body mimicking the exhaustion of her mind. She could tell the gash the shaman currently saw to was originally caused by an arrow – she'd seen her hero harbor many of these wounds in their time – but it was so disfigured. It appeared as if the arrowhead had been removed very crudely, as the wound itself was large and misshapen. His forearm looked like it had been brutally stabbed, and his hand was grotesque. The skin there was thin and tight, and Midna was able to guess that it had been flayed. Did the king do all that? She had to stop herself from thinking about it, lest her anger get the better of her... again. Still, the triforce on the back of his hand shone through the malformation. It wasn't bright, but it was there.

"His wounds are mostly stable," Renado explained, now wrapping them back up, "Now he battles infection."

Which is still serious, Midna thought, but her thoughts never made their way to her lips. She just sat, staring at Link, remaining quiet and still.

"Infection eats away like a poison, but our hero always overcomes," Renado said, "And Ren has been quite helpful in making sure I always have what I ne-"

"Did they name him after you?" Midna asked, and finally she looked at him.

Renado met her stare, "Ren?" he smiled, "Yes, actually, they did. Such a lovely gesture... Not one I am positive I am worthy of."

"Were they in love?"

Renado breathed deep and focused back on his work, "I do not believe you should be asking me."

"How did she die?"

Renado looked at her. She didn't display any particular emotion very strongly. Only curiosity surfaced, pure curiosity.

"You and Link can discuss these things, I am sure..."

"Rusl told me he left and never came back. How soon did he leave? How was Ilia okay with him leaving when they had a son together?"

Renado sighed. She clearly needed elaboration that she wasn't getting from anyone else. He knew she was important to Link, and while he refused to divulge everything, he could at least alleviate some of her burning questions.

"Link left almost immediately," he said sadly, "He... was not aware they were having a child."

Midna stared at him, "What? He left... not knowing?"

Renado nodded, wrapping the last of Link's wounds.

Midna glanced down at her hero. What a lonely life he must have been living. What heartache he must have unknowingly put Ilia through. What turmoil he submitted Ren to, growing up wondering, questioning everything... What a mess. She made this mess.

She felt that annoying wetness forming at her lashes again and she said, "He's... a good kid?"

Renado gave a sad smile, "He is. In spite of everything he's been through."

Midna nodded, but she said no more. She fought with the last of her strength against her emotions, desperate to keep up that stone exterior. Renado saw her struggling internally, and he finished his task. He cleaned up his tools and stood from his seat. He headed for the door, knowing she would much rather be alone. Before turning the handle, he made a comment he hoped would help her if only a bit.

"Everyone struggles in their own way. There is no right or wrong way to cope with trauma. We all know how much you mean to Link. We are all glad that you are here."

He gave her one last smile, but she did not look at him. He nodded and took his leave. When she heard the door click shut she let the tears fall. They were silent and controlled, but she let them do as they wished. Her mind ran her ragged. She had too much to think about, too much to contemplate, too much to feel. She looked at Link, lying there, breathing hard, and she felt her heart hiccup.

He looked just as tired as she felt, and she knew that meant he felt it times one hundred. It was so surreal to see his face... She reached out and brushed his cheek, but he made no response. She wiped her tears and felt her eyelids resist her. Even though she'd only recently woken up, she felt as if she could sleep another ten nights. Everything simply felt so heavy. Everything that had happened and everything that she knew was coming. Her body knew now was likely the only time she had to relax, and it wouldn't let her forget it.

She lay her arms down on the mattress just at Link's side, and she rested her head on top of them. She stared at her hero as she drifted off, and she was soon fast asleep just the same.

Her dreams were sweet and they carried her far away. She saw her hero alive, well, and happy, and her feelings reciprocated his. But it didn't last.

She heard something outside, and it woke her from her dreams. She picked her head up in a flash and looked at her hero – he was fine, still deep in a tranquil slumber. She heard the noise again. It was a dull thump followed by grunts, and she knew she needed to investigate. She opened the door cautiously, and she instantly heard chatter from downstairs.

"Ashei, what on Farore's green earth is this?" Shad asked.

Midna peered over the banister and saw Ashei with her arm wrapped around a strange man's neck. She held him with obvious strength as the man struggled against her. Her free hand held her blade, but it was clean – she hadn't used it.

"Found this creep sneaking around outside, peering in through the windows and trying to see inside. He's been sent here by the king, I just know it, yeah?"

Zelda approached them, staring at the man groaning and wriggling.

"Is this true?" the queen asked.

The man opened his mouth to respond, but his throat was too crushed to make a sound. Ashei sighed and released him, but she kept her blade pointed at his back. The man rubbed at his neck and looked at his queen in disgust.

"I don't have to answer to you, imposter. You're nothing but a fake made by that witch!"

Zelda narrowed her eyes at him, and Ashei glanced at her for the go-ahead, pushing her blade just a tad firmer. Zelda did not give it to her.

"So be it," the queen said, and she gave a bow, "Thank you for dutifully serving your king. You are an honorable man, I am sure."

The man looked at her strangely, and Ashei furrowed her brow. Zelda nodded to her friend, and with an agitated huff Ashei lowered her sword. The man immediately ran for the door and flew out of Kakariko like a bandit.

"Forgive my frankness, but what the actual hell, Your Majesty?" Ashei spoke angrily.

"There was nothing we could do," Zelda replied, clasping her hands before her, "If we had taken that man as prisoner or killed him, the king would have known we were here when his spy never returned. In letting him go, he will alert the king, but at least we have no blood on our hands. There was no option that would have prevented Viscen from knowing we are here."

"He's gonna know we're here?" Ren asked, "Does that mean he's gonna attack the village?"

"I'm sure he already figured you all were here," Talo said pessimistically, "This only confirmed it."

"I am afraid you are right," Shad interjected, "He likely sent that scoundrel only to ensure the trip would not be fruitless."

"Then... what are we supposed to do?" Ren asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"Should we leave?" Colin suggested, "That way if he comes here looking for us, we just aren't here?"

"No," Talo shook his head, "You'll only piss him off. He'll take it out on whoever is unlucky enough to be around when he shows up. That's how Luda and I got involved in the first place."

"Then we make our stand," Rusl said confidently, "Maybe a fight won't be necessary. Maybe Queen Zelda can talk him down, and should anything go awry, we will be here to protect her."

"No!" Talo slammed his fist on the table, "I'm sick of my family being caught in the middle of this! You ask for a fight here, and someone innocent will get hurt. I won't have it."

"Son..." Renado began, reaching over and grabbing his hand, "We are all deeply troubled by what happened, but what would you have them do? You do not want them to leave, but you do not want them to stay. What can they do?"

"I don't know," Talo huffed, "I don't know."

"You leave then," Ashei offered, "Go back to your family in Ordon, yeah? Stay where it's safe for a little while."

"No," Luda spoke with confidence, "I want to stand with you. I want to fight this injustice with you."

Talo reached out to her and whispered, "Luda, please. You and the girls mean too much to me. I can't lose any of you."

"You won't," she said with a determined stare, "But we cannot run and hide. Not from the man who took our son... We need to be brave."

Talo sighed and rubbed his temples. Renado placed a calming hand on his back – he felt the same fear he did.

Midna didn't care to listen anymore. She didn't care what diplomatic decision they came to. She turned back toward the room and saw her hero through the threshold. He had sat himself up just partly, resting back on his bent elbows. His eyes were still so heavy but she saw him looking right back at her. She didn't say a word. She entered the room, closed the door behind her, and sat beside him. He spoke instead.

"I thought I was dreaming..."

His voice was still nothing short of a sack full of pebbles. He breathed deep and it sounded like rubbing sandpaper. He gave a long pause before he went on.

"I didn't think you were real."

She swallowed a painful lump in her throat – part of her wished he still wasn't sure, or that they were simply both caught up in the same elaborate dream.

"And now that you know I am?"

He stared at her for the longest time. His arms shivered beneath his weight but he ignored them.

At last, he found the words though they came out slow, "I've waited for this moment for so long, I've... had so much to say, but... now that you're here I'm speechless."

Midna had to glance away. She felt her heart getting too involved again. She'd had the time to register that he was real, that they truly were reunited – she'd had the time to think of what she wanted to say. When she returned to his eyes, she mustered her composure and spoke with grace.

"Why did you want to bring me back?"

Link looked puzzled, "I... lost myself after it all. You were the only thing that made sense."

"Why did you leave your home and never return?"

Link, again, narrowed his tired eyes in confusion, "Well, I... I was searching for a way to get back to you."

She ignored his expressions and continued to ask with detached composure, as if she was merely an outsider inquiring about an event she took no part in.

"How did you manage to get captured?"

"He had Shad... he knew where the others were... It was the only way to make sure they were safe."

"Oh, then you cared about your loved ones? But you didn't care when you abandoned them all without a word?"

There was her heart getting involved again. She cleared her throat at his look of utter hurt and resumed her severed stance.

She glanced at his chest wound, "What did he do to you?"

Link shook his head in frustration, "Why does it matter?"

It's always mattered to her, she thought, she would always worry over him, that much would never change. She didn't voice that thought though.

"I guess it doesn't."

Link looked at her, desperately trying to read her face, but he couldn't.

He sighed, "I didn't expect it to go like this."

"Well, I didn't expect to get dragged back to the world of light."

He furrowed his brow, "I don't understand... Is it so bad to be back here? Is it so bad seeing me again?"

"Yes," she answered without a second contemplation.

He went to sit all the way up as he declared, "Why?"

But she stared fire straight through his soul and said with the deepest sincerity, "We are not having a rerun of earlier. Lay back down."

He'd never felt such coldness from her, not even in the very beginning. He did as she said and he stared at the ceiling without a word. She watched him close his eyes and begin to allow his exhaustion carry him away again. She immediately felt that same fear that he would be gone forever, that this moment together would be their last, and her voice pulled him from the brink.

"Why did you leave Ilia?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her. He thought on it a moment.

"She told me to."

"Why?"

"To find a way back to you."

Midna's brow scrunched up tight. Ilia told Link to leave? To find her, of all people? They had never gotten along, barely pretended to like each other for Link's sake, and in the end... she sacrificed her happiness?

She kept the shock masked.

"Even if she told you to, I still can't believe you'd actually do it. All those people that loved you," she shook her head in disappointment, "You made them worry over you all that time. That's so unbelievably selfish and stupid."

He looked away again, his eyes glued to a particular wooden plank in the ceiling. She watched him and her anger grew again. How could he just have nothing to say to that? How could he be so careless?

"You don't care about anyone the way you used to."

He sighed, "I guess not."

She scoffed, "You're an absolute idiot."

"I guess so."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You're not the person I remember."

"You're exactly the person I remember."

She was taken aback by his emotionless response, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You were always cruel to me," the gravel is his throat grew louder, "From the very beginning you made that much clear and you reminded me of it in the end."

For the first time she displayed her pain clearly, "And what about everything in between? None of that matters?"

He didn't say anything.

His silence hurt more than any words could have. She looked away and summoned all the strength she had to keep those stupid tears away and appear detached.

He was exhausted. From his stiff legs to his swollen arm he was beat. He felt the infection in his veins like venom, and his pulse ran hard through his wounds. For once, he tried to focus on that physical pain. Instead of ignoring it for others, he put all of his concentration into it, hoping that it would distract from the mental and emotional nonsense being around Midna brought on.

No matter how hard he thought about the burning infection in his chest, the stinging inflammation in his arm, or the tight rawness of his skinless hand, his mind still claimed precedence. He still couldn't bring himself to ignore her vacant expression or the overwhelming anguish radiating off of her. As his mind closed in on it, honed in tight... he felt her anger, and his heart surged an anger that rivaled it.

Suddenly, he sat up. She turned and looked at him with confusion. She opened her mouth to urge him back down, but he raised a hand to silence her. He swung his legs over the bed with a grimace that surfaced just as quickly as he tucked it away. He faced her head on and she saw nothing but seriousness on his weary face.

"Everything in between mattered to me," his voice was low and he put forth so much effort to sound strong, "You negated it all when you left."

She recoiled, "I had to, don't-"

"No, you don't," he interrupted, "I let you sit here and berate me. I've always just sat here and let you berate me. I wanted nothing more than to see you again. I was happy to see you, but you've reminded me that I'm also pissed off."

She was silent. His brow was tight and she could feel how genuine his words were. She was captivated by his sudden burst of honesty, and she didn't want to stop him, even if it would be hurtful.

His knees buckled when he stood up, but he straightened up and was strong despite them. He rested his good hand on the dresser against the wall and simply stood for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He rolled his shoulders and got a feel for his body again. He'd been unable to move for what felt like months – he still wasn't sure how long it had truly been. He rubbed at his wrists and at his sore neck. Then, he faced her again.

"I do stupid stuff," his voice was quieter now, "I know I do. You've told me from the beginning and you really never stopped telling me. But, in this case... leaving my family and all that... Midna, I didn't know what else to do."

They locked eyes.

"You abandoned me. You led me on. From the very start you told me you wouldn't leave me, you lied to me again and again and again. You lied even when it meant my life was in danger. I was stupid to believe you, but I always did, every single time."

She wanted to cry, but she refrained. The Link she remembered would have chuckled to lighten the mood, but this Link did no such thing.

"I've lost count of how many lies you told to get me to keep going, to do what you wanted and get you what you wanted. I really did believe you every time, too. Even at the end. You told me you loved me, then you told me you didn't, then you left me," he stared at her and she felt like his gaze burned through her, "You just... left. That note you gave Ilia made me think, maybe somewhere in there was the truth. Maybe, just maybe, something you said wasn't a lie for a change. It gave me hope that you did love me. It gave me the confidence to go out and find a way back to you. Now, I don't know what to believe. I find myself wondering, was even that a lie? Was even the note, the message you relayed through Ilia, was even all of that just a web of lies to keep it all up? Was there no truth in there anywhere?"

Midna only had to blink for her cheeks to become wet, "It was the tru-"

"I don't want to hear it anymore..." his voice grew weak again, but it was demanding enough to silence her, "I mean, honestly, how did you expect me to pick up and carry on after that? Did you really think I could just go back to the way I was living? After all I went through, all we went through, and after you just... left me on a whim without even a proper goodbye? Maybe you knew there was no positive way I could move on, and you just didn't care."

"I did care," Midna sobbed, "I really thought... you and Ilia could be happy..."

"You knew I loved you!" he shouted, and the outburst forced him to cough. He wiped the back of his hand across his chapped lips and his voice quieted again, "Maybe I should have just stayed in Ordon with Ilia. She was selfless and always sacrificed everything for my happiness. I can't believe I never saw that."

That made her angry, "Yeah, maybe you should've. Maybe you shouldn't have wasted so much time trying to get me back."

"You're right, I probably shouldn't have."

She scoffed, "It wasn't just hard for you, you know. I had to teach myself how to live again. I had to bury so many painful emotions when all I wanted to do was scream. It was like learning to walk again for the first time. I had no idea how I was supposed to move on. It killed me."

"Me, too."

"Now you've gone and reopened all those wounds. All the hurt that's been buried under years of pretending. You've gone and just yanked them wide open again," she shrugged, "For what? You get my world open and get me back, but you know I'll have to leave again. You know I'll have to close that portal again. So why? Why in Din's name would you want to relive that pain? Why make us go through all that again?"

He shrugged, too, "Didn't think that far. I just wanted to see you again. Remember, I always was stupid."

She didn't know what to say. She had a million thoughts running through her mind. She thought of how she didn't really want to be mad at him. She thought of how she wanted to run up and grab his hand and fall in love with him again. She thought of how she wanted to destroy that stupid portal and just be with him forever. Her pride, however, wouldn't let her act on any of those things. She was too scared, too angry. Her ego was stronger than her heart, and so she found nothing to say.

He had hoped beyond hope that she would have said something, anything. He didn't know what she was thinking, but he just wanted to hear something from her. He'd always imagined their reunion being nothing but joyous. He'd pictured them embracing and spending the rest of their days together. It was a naïve thought, he realized now.

He gave her the time to reply, but she didn't take it. When the silence lingered, he went for the door. She heard the knob turn, and her brain shouted, 'wait, stop,' and 'please come back.' Her jaw clenched tight and her throat seized up and none of the internal screams made their way out. She let him go without a word of protest.

Then she heard him collapse.

She ran to the hallway like mad. She knelt down to him and his eyes fluttered wearily.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," she whispered, stroking his hair, "You're okay..."

Then his eyes closed and he was unresponsive. Her heart sank like a boulder in the deep, deep sea. She couldn't lose him... not again.

Renado was there so quick she hadn't even noticed him until he was lifting the hero up with another struggled expression. She glanced behind the shaman and saw the others gazing on in worry. Zelda closed her eyes and prayed. Ren hung his head and received support from Colin. Ashei... just looked mad.

Midna didn't care. She shut the door behind her and once again sat opposite the old man. She still had no interest in talking, but the fear for her hero trumped her ego.

"Is he okay? What is it now? What can I do?"

Renado covered Link under the warm blanket up to his neck and uncorked another bottle of purple liquid. He pressed it to Link's lips and lifted his head to ease the drink down his throat.

"His wound has been deeply infected for many days, which has allowed the infection to spread and wreak havoc on the whole body," Renado explained, "It is a nasty thing to battle when it has been allowed to manifest to this intensity."

"What can I do?" she repeated, and it made Renado smile.

"Just be here with him," he answered simply, "You hold his very world."

Midna's jaw hung open just partly. She had something to say, but she lost it. Renado saw her dumbfounded expression and gave her a nod. He cleaned up his supplies and took his leave.

Midna looked down at her hero. All at once she felt so stupid, so selfish. She was still angry at him for bringing her back, for she knew they would have to relive such horrible pain in parting again. But that was not now. Now, they were together again. She should be relishing in this reunion, not bashing him for past mistakes. She had enough of those herself, how dare she come down so hard on him for being human?

She grabbed his hand and simply watched. For the longest time his expression was tight, discomfort clearly prevalent. Then as the hours ticked on his face relaxed, and she hoped that meant the medicine was kicking in again. She smiled, thinking of all the time they'd missed and how they could make up for at least some of it now. She did still have questions, she did still have frustrations, and she did still have concerns, but more than all that... she adored him with all her heart, and it hurt her more to be cruel to him.

What if that time he'd passed out had been it? What if that conversation they'd just had had been their last? She couldn't get it out of her mind that she'd actually lost him. He'd slipped almost past her reach and she couldn't forget it. She couldn't stop thinking each moment she had with him could be the last... She couldn't keep letting her anger get the better of her. He and Zelda had taught her the compassion of the people of light, she need only remind herself that she had that same kindness inside of her.

She held one hand in his and used the other to stroke his cheek. She truly was so happy to see him again; it was time she showed him that.

When her grasp on his hand got just a tad too tight, he started to wake up. She recoiled a bit out of instinct, but then had to remind herself that it was okay. She could be herself around him, she could show her feelings, she could be happy.

He looked up at her through heavy lids.

"Sorry..." he whispered.

"For what?" she asked.

"Being too weak."

She laughed, "Never stopped me from liking you before."

He looked at her strangely, "Did I... miss something?" he croaked with a furrowed brow, "I thought you were mad at me."

She still was, but it was not the most important emotion right now. She ignored the statement entirely.

"Hey... remember that time you killed a dragon?"

He narrowed his eyes, "Yeah... I do."

"Did I ever tell you how badass it was?"

He chuckled, "No, I don't think you have."

"How about a bedtime story?"

His face lit up with a genuine grin, even through the drowsiness. It made Midna's heart skip a beat.

"I would love that."

She smiled, too.

"Well, it all started when we reached the top of the City in the Sky..."


To start again.


A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!

Big Jake, Jared Thomason, Moonfairy, Jacob Peachey, Lee Glerum, Owen Reilly, Anonymouse, Ivalee, Lotus Eater, Ethan Carney Fesler, Silvia Delgado, Sabine, wingdesire, Brandan Saldaña, Eponas, Rob Walters, Yami No Nokutan, Mandelbrot, Jessie, Gabby-J, Claudia, Chloe Rose, Debora, SonadowKokoro100

You guys are amazing!