AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow. I haven't updated in a while and I've gotten a lot of scrap for it. I'm so sorry, but see! I didn't forget. I hope you all like the chapter and I'll try to update more frequently. Thanks for all the amazing reviews. I truly appreciate them. Please keep the reviews coming, good or bad, and thanks again!

"Wow."

There was a long and palpable silence that filled the shallow air between them. Link sat on the small cot that had become his only certain bed since he was a boy. He was staring down at his weathered and battered boots. They still had a couple of blood stains on the toes, he realized. How odd.

Malon was sitting beside him, her simple farm-girl dress spread around her, also staring at her tattered boots. Hers were tattered in a much different way. Hers were devoid of blood stains.

About two hours ago, Malon had led him to small, hay-filled room and sat him down on the cot. There, it was as if everything had poured out of him. He opened his mouth and began to tell her everything that had happened, beginning with when Navi had woken him from that horrible dream so many years ago. He told her of the Deku Tree's dramatic death. He told her of Saria's parting gift. He told her of meeting the princess, he told her of the quest he had been set on years back, when he was nothing but a feeble and inept little boy. He told her of the Gorons and the Zoras, of the stones and the medallions. He told her of Sheik. He told her of Ganondorf. He told her of all that had happened to him and she sat and listened, silently and willingly endure the pain and the sorrow of the story of his life with him.

It had been a long, long time since he felt weightless, but now he was floating and a bit lightheaded. It felt good to get that out there. It felt good to finally speak out loud what had been plaguing him for so long. It felt good…

"How old were you? When this all started?" Malon asked in a hushed tone.

Link sighed and leaned back on his hands, tilting his head back and staring at the rafters above. "Ten. I was ten years old."

"Lord, it feels like so long ago. I feel like I'm fifty and I'm only fifteen."

Link's face held traces of pain and regret. "I shouldn't have brought you into this. I should never have-"

"Don't say that," Malon cut him off quickly, shaking her head firmly.

Link sighed and looked at her. "I shouldn't have told you."

She looked at him, hurt. "You don't trust me?"

"I don't trust them," he corrected quickly. He brought a gloved hand to her cheek and ran his thumb over her cheek softly. "This world is filled with evil, Malon. Sometimes I think that you're the only good left in it."

She leaned into his hand and smiled at him. "I could say the same for you. I don't think there's even a wisp of cruelty in you."

Link's eyes darkened as he remembered that night, about two months ago, when he had repeatedly thrown Ingo against the wall. "I think there are more than wisps of it."

"There's a difference," she said softly, understanding.

"I hope."

They sat in silence for a long while. Malon looked up at him.

"So what now?" she asked. "What is your next step?"

Link sighed and thought. "If the Kokiri's and the Goron's were affected by Ganondorf's evil, I assume the Zora's are in some sort of danger as well. I think I should go check on them next."

"I wish I could go with you."

"No!" She looked at him, startled and he looked petrified. He looked at her, eyes swimming. "I need you here. I need you alive. I need…" He cupped her neck and pressed his forehead against hers. "I need you."

He watched as Malon closed her eyes, what looked like tears brimming between the long, dark lashes.

"I need you too."

Link had stayed that night. When they had emerged from the little room, it had been late in the day and it would be worse if he had left at that time. They ate with her father and Ingo, chairs pressed together, arms brushing, soaking in the last of each other before the inevitable had to happen.

Link was up early the next morning. He pulled the saddle tight over Epona's back and adjusted several of the buckles, making sure the bit was set right in her mouth, making sure the seat was grease and ready. He didn't need to turn to know that she was standing beside him, but he did.

She was standing, devoid of the usual farm girl garb, dressed in a simple, white nightdress and barefoot. Her wild, flaming hair was strewn loose over her pale shoulders and her face had traces of sadness, of worry, and of utter and complete loyalty. The horizon behind her head was just beginning to be tinted with early morning pink. The glow of gold from the horizon was reflecting off her hair and bringing out flaring highlights.

Her bare feet made no noise as she stepped closer to him and reached up to run her fingers into his hair at the nape of his neck and pull him down to her. Their foreheads touched and his hands naturally came up to grip her waist gently. They closed their eyes and their breath clashed in the cool, early morning air. They stood that way for a long time and then Malon opened her powder-blue eyes, looking up at him.

"Come back to me," she whispered.

Link took in a stilted breath and then pressed a ferocious kiss on her forehead.

"I promise you."

There was a slight grunt as he swung himself up in the saddle and left the ranch. He saw the distant twinkle of the sun on the river miles away and sighed before setting his course towards the water-people's domain.

No, he should never have…

But he was glad he did.