Author's Note: Hey everyone! As some of you may have figured out already, this story is rapidly reaching the conclusion. Thank you so much for all of your views and support! In celebration of CAD coming to a close, I am hosting a giveaway!

During the month of May, I would like to issue an invitation for people to recreate their favorite moment from the story, either in art or written form. On June 1st, I will select a winner to receive a free oneshot of their choice, set within the CAD universe. This commission can be focused on existing characters or be a 'what if' where we integrate an OC into the story to interact with Link and Zelda!
I will be accepting entries on IG, so give me a follow there, and post your entries with the hashtag #CADGiveaway .You can find me here: mickeytaco
I look forward to seeing your favorite moments! If you're so inclined, you can also drop me a DM with your feedback on what you enjoyed or how I can improve for my next stories! Thanks! - Mickey

Link was grateful for many things when it came to the auto shop. But several things stood out above the rest. Namely, the people he could call friends and colleagues. It didn't matter how long he was away. The moment he returned, he was greeted with warmth and good-natured teasing. The welcoming atmosphere was a direct reflection of his father's influence. Happy employees meant higher productivity, and Deku swore by this model in how he ran his company. Fair wages and camaraderie only heightened the desire for people like Elle, Zaeva, and Teake to stay.

Only two orders had come in since the rapid request from Ganon, but neither had the urgent timeframe, which allowed them to pay the necessary attention to detail that Deku's prided themselves on. It felt good for him to walk the floor again. To check on the progress in various stages of production. To hear Elle grumble and curse under her breath about how things weren't coming together the way she wanted them to for setting up the delicate electronics for the vehicle. Or listen to Zaeva happily humming while she worked on piecing together the initial framework for the car.

Not only did the phone call from Zelda catch him off guard, but it brought his heart to his throat when she asked him to meet at the police station. Sure, the thought had crossed their minds to check in with Tuft, but that was going to be later. Vaati was the reason for their immediate change in plans.

Link's blood boiled at the thought of the slimy bastard being at HIS Zelda's house without invitation or permission. Would he have touched her? It didn't matter if Vaati had been the one to take her virginity. Link would be damned if he had his hands on his girl again.

He didn't care that he was pushing the speed limit on the way to the police station. Zelda was waiting, and he had to be there with her. Not to mention, following up from the night before. His mind idly wondered if Ganon had gotten any sleep the night before, or allowed the officers on duty with a moment of peace.

His girlfriend's car was parked in the lot when he arrived, so he pulled in on the right side. He got out of his SUV just in time to see her open her door and slide her purse over her shoulder. "Zel." Even though he'd seen her just a few hours before, he marveled at how beautiful she was in her blue tank top and brown tennis skirt that revealed the new tattoo.

She turned and he could immediately see the look of relief on her face. "Was your pedal to the floor the entire way over?"

"Almost," he quipped with a faint grin. He opened his arms to offer a hug, which she immediately accepted. "What happened?"
"He's working for Ganon. He wanted me to exonerate his employer. And he threatened to publish a piece exposing me as a corrupt lawyer who's sleeping with an exotic dancer." Zelda chuckled against his chest. "But he made the mistake of trespassing and threatening me. So, I made sure that he wouldn't try to run before the police arrived."

Link caught the mildly sadistic chuckle in her voice. "What did you do, Princess?"

"Kneed him in the testicles. Then when he was on the floor, I stomped on the hand covering his balls. He might have a couple of broken fingers."

He laughed and shook his head as he pulled back from the embrace. "Goddess, I love you. You know that, right?"

"I might have an idea. Come on. I need to file the paperwork to formally press charges against Vaati." Zelda brushed a kiss across his cheek. "Thank you for being here."

"I wouldn't miss it." He kept a hand at the small of her back while they walked to the door, then opened it for her.

Lasli, the young, blonde receptionist, greeted them when they entered. "May I help you?"

"I need to press charges against the man that was just brought into custody on trespassing and criminal threats." Zelda pulled out her ID. "I'm Zelda Hyrule, and he was trespassing on my property."

Lasli rose to her feet and brushed off her navy blue pencil skirt before gesturing to the heavy door beside them. "Of course. Come right this way. We'll have you fill out some forms, and you'll take copies of them–"

"-To the courthouse. Yes, ma'am. I'm at the courthouse on a weekly basis for my occupation. I'm a lawyer. I just haven't had to handle this side of things for myself before." Zelda followed, pausing at the threshold. "Can my boyfriend come too?"

"I don't see why not, provided he's willing to go through the same screenings you do." Lasli looked him up and down, making no effort to hide her approval of Link's snug black jeans and faded green button-down. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"
Link internally groaned as he emptied his pockets and followed Zelda through the metal detector. Some days it seemed like half the women who ventured into Champions recognized him outside the club. And inevitably, it was going to click to her exactly why his face looked familiar. He only hoped that he would be long gone from the precinct when that moment came.

"Link! And Zelda too! I was hoping you'd come by today. Whoo, boy, do I have a story for you." Tuft caught them on the far side of the security checkpoint. "I can take it from here, Lasli."

"Are you sure? Ms. Hyrule was here to file charges–"

"Against the guy who was just hauled in here from her address, clutching a broken hand and moaning like a little girl? I got this. Oh, and will you let the captain know that Revali is handling the second round of paperwork? I'll be joining him once I'm done helping out these two." Tuft flashed the receptionist a winning smile and a quick wink.

Lasli blushed and nodded. "Of course. I'll be up front if you need anything."

"Thanks! Alright. Follow me. We'll take care of those forms in my office." Tuft drummed on the cubicle wall beside him as he led them down the hallway.

Link had to swallow back a chuckle when he heard the distant sounds of irate shouts and screamed obscenities. "Is it always this peaceful here?" he quipped. He shoved his hands in his pockets while he looked around. The police station had an odd tranquility to it, despite the commotion from the lockup– wherever that was.

"Oh, you've caught us on a good day. You should hear it at Halloween. You'd think we had a whole swarm of banshees in our holding cells." Tuft laughed and pushed open a door bearing his name on it. "C'mon in. You're lucky I got half my desk cleared off. Revali and I have been up to our eyeballs in processing everything from last night."

"What happened? I mean… beyond the situation with Ganon?" Zelda asked. She claimed the seat furthest from the door while Link chose to lean against the opened door.

Tuft settled into his seat and folded his hands behind his neck as he leaned backward toward the wall. He sighed, closing his purple eyes for a long moment before he responded. "Well, the situation with Ganon was the tip of the iceberg. We left the hall at around, what? Nine or so last night? We came back to the precinct, got him booked on the initial charges, then I started going through what we retrieved in the glove box. By midnight, we had warrants out for the arrest of a dozen people on his payroll for involvement and connections to the manufacturing of cocaine. Revali and I dipped out for a few hours of sleep, but by a quarter of eight this morning we were back to handle things here for booking and processing while the other teams went 'hunting.' It's been a long-ass twenty-four hours already!"

Link let out a low whistle. "Goddess, above! That is a lot."

"Tuft, we hate to add to your burden, but…" Zelda gently began.

"Vaati Daemon. I had a good laugh when we were called down to handle the booking. Guy was in pain! What'd you do to him? What'd he ever do to you? Do I need to watch myself around you, just like I do with Link?" The tanned officer teased with a grin. "I have no doubt that you can keep Link in line, though. You practically domesticated him already!"

"You say that like you're any better," Link snorted. He shook his head at his friend. "Vaati is Zel's ex."

Tuft leaned forward, his elbows landing on the table with a thud. "No shit. You serious?"

Zelda looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "It wasn't one of my finer decisions in college," she murmured. "But yes. He was."

"And he showed his true colors like the cheating bastard he is," Link said with more sharpness than he needed to. "He deserved what Zelda gave him, and more."

Tuft's gaze shifted between the blondes. "What'd you do to him?"

"Kneed him in the groin." Zelda blushed when the young officer raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "And when he was down, I stomped on his hand and his balls."

Tuft burst out laughing, shaking his head at her. "He might try to press charges against you too. You know that, right?"

"It was a risk I was willing to take. He was in my face, making threats against me and my boyfriend. I wasn't going to allow him to leave unscathed. Broken fingers and bruised testicles were merely a reminder to be cautious about whom he deigned the threaten." Zelda demurely folded her hands in her lap. "Now, about the paperwork to press charges for trespassing and criminal threats?"
"Oh, we're going to add drug charges to the list as well from our end. So, you'll be glad to know that he's not likely to be bothering you again." Tuft pulled open a file drawer by his knee and withdrew four sheets of paper. "Fill these out, front and back. Then I'll take copies for you to have as well as what we're going to have on file."

Zelda nodded and picked up a pen, her hand quickly flying across the first page. Link peeked at the neat, curved script filling the form, silently marveling at how perfect it was.

"Oy. You done sittin' on your ass, or do you got a sec, Tuft?" Revali peeked his head in without knocking. "Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. You need an encore after last night?"

"Depends. You offering to let me clock you in the jaw?" Link teased, crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean, I won't turn it down, long as you're not gonna turn around and shove me into the back of your cruiser."

Revali sputtered and growled, shaking his head at the dancer. "Oh, fuck you! You lay hands on a cop, and your smug ass will be down in lockup faster than you can blink."

"Pity. I thought it might be fun."

"Boys! I'm trying to concentrate!" Zelda looked up from her paperwork in exasperation. "Will you keep it down or take it outside, please?"

Tuft threw his head back laughing. "You tell 'em, Zelda! Alright, Revali. What'd you need?"

Revali straightened and tugged his dark blue uniform to remove the wrinkles. He shot Link a dark look and growled under his breath when the blond smirked at him. "As I was trying to say– You've got someone asking to talk to you specifically, Tuft."

"I can take these somewhere else so you can talk to them." Zelda was already on her feet with the paperwork in hand. "Is there a quiet cubicle or room that I can utilize for a few minutes?"

"Of course. Follow me. And I guess you can come too, lover boy." Revali gestured for the couple to follow him. "I'll have Lasli send her your way, Tuft. And when you're done, I need you to help me finish that damned paperwork. And there's something you'll want to see about the bastard who punched me in the face."

Tuft gave his partner a two-fingered salute off the top of his head. "You got it."

Link rested his hand on the small of Zelda's back to escort her and reassure her that he was close. Part of him considered requesting to go to the lockup so he could speak with Ganon. But poking the hornet's nest would only serve to further the hatred against him and Zelda, and stir the tycoon's desire for revenge.

He had to step aside with her when Lasli came back down the hall with a familiar face in tow. She was back in the dress she had worn on the fateful night, when she had gone out to dinner with his father. The snug, ruched black dress with a high neck and flowy half sleeves. He would never forget it. He swallowed thickly to force down the emotions that bubbled up.

Mar's dark eyes met his and she paused. The carefully curated mask she wore while she walked in fell, allowing Link to see the pain and regret all over her face. "Link… What–"

"I'm here with Zelda," he awkwardly explained. "Her ex caused an issue this morning."

She licked her lips, visibly weighing her options before she spoke. "Forgive the request, but would you consider accompanying me while I give my statements?"

Link was at a loss for words. It wasn't something he had even considered. The thoughts he had from the night before again flashed to the forefront of his mind before he could stop them. He nodded but gestured to his girlfriend. "If she has no objections."

Zelda turned at that point, recognizing in moments what was happening. "I can handle the paperwork I have without difficulty. I'll finish this and meet you for lunch after I take it to the courthouse."

Link leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before brushing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Thank you, Zel."

Lasli stared at both the tanned woman and the blond dancer. "Did I miss something?"

Mar shook her head. "Please don't concern yourself over it. I'll explain everything to Officer Tuft."

"Very well." Lasli turned on her heel when the two reached the doorway to Tuft's office.

Tuft's eyebrows were at his hairline at Link's return. "What's going on?"

Mar took several steps into the room, demurely folding her hands in front of her. She exhaled before meeting Tuft's inquisitive gaze. "I'd like to confess my part in the drug empire established by Ganondorf Dragmire. And… the murder of Deku Forrest."

Link could have heard a pin drop in the room when Tuft's mouth fell open. The officer sat perfectly still for a full thirty seconds before he caught himself.

"Uhm, right. Have a seat, and let me take out my recording equipment." Tuft glanced over at Link. "Did you know about this?"

He took a deep breath and nodded. "She made me aware of what transpired with my father. I wasn't prepared to be present while she gave her statement. But here we are."

Tuft cleared his throat awkwardly as he finished setting up the recorder. "Alright. Shut the door, Link. And when you're ready, you can begin by stating your full name and your purpose for being here."

Mar sat on the edge of the chair across from Tuft. She glanced over her shoulder at Link when he closed the door and leaned against the empty wall behind it. Then she turned to face the officer, squared her shoulders, and began to speak.

"My name is Mar Ebon. I am the personal assistant to Ganondorf Dragmire, and his right hand in the management of both G.K. Industries in the Capital, and the extensive cocaine manufacturing and distribution effort operating out of Kakariko Village and the surrounding era. I am here today to offer my knowledge regarding his operations. And I wish to confess my role in the murder of Deku Forrest."

Link gulped softly while Mar methodically went through every detail of the cocaine operation. Names rolled off her tongue of all the people involved, from the person directly below her on the chain of command all the way down to those directly responsible for processing the cocaine itself. She paused periodically so Tuft could write them all down.

The officer leaned back in his seat once Mar was finished. "Wow. We've picked up about half of these individuals in the last twelve hours thanks to what we found in the glovebox. Now, as to the other matter…"

Mar looked over expectantly, waiting for Link to give some sort of reaction. He gave a slight nod, even as his heart twisted in his chest. This was the moment of truth.

"It was no secret to anyone in our organization that Ganon wanted the deeds to the land where both Champions After Dark and Deku's Custom Automotive were built. He had done his research and found that they were once a single property, and there was a huge, underground petroleum reserve left untapped." Mar paused and ran a hand through the long part of her hair while she chose her words. "He approached both Urbosa and Deku separately, eager to purchase the land from them. His goal was to demolish the two existing buildings and build a new, larger car factory on the property. The development would allow him access to tap into the reserve and give him enough material to make him richer than a king for decades, or longer. But neither of them were willing to sell to him."

Tuft leaned forward in his seat, sparing a brief glance at Link. "What happened then?"

Link stared at the floor, his arms crossed against his chest. He knew how the story went, basically. Knew what the outcome was. His father was dead, all because of another man's greed.

"Ganon was furious, more angry than I've seen him. He swore that he would get his hands on the land, one way or another. So, he sent out a few of his guys to scout the club, to get the lay of the land for how it was set up, even as he made an in-person approach again to Urbosa. He had the same men on a mission to break into the auto factory next door to trash it, steal what they could carry, and send the message that Deku was being targeted."

A knock on the door interrupted them. Tuft hit pause on the recording equipment. "Enter."

Lasli opened the door and apologetically bowed. "Sorry to interrupt but Ganondorf Dragmire's lawyer is here and demanding to speak to the arresting officers. He is also demanding to know what formal charges are being made against his client during the arraignment. Revali's taken his lunch, so I thought I would come talk to you."

Tuft set his jaw, shaking his head slightly. "He has to wait. I'm currently in the middle of handling another matter. Let him know that I will be there when I have the opportunity, but in the meantime, they will need to be patient. If they become insistent, have the chief step in."

"I'll let them know, and make sure they know about the coffee and pastries while they wait." Lasli bowed slightly. "Sorry again to bother you."

Neither Mar nor Link said anything until the receptionist closed the door behind herself. Link continued to hold his tongue. Keep the neutral expression he had learned to maintain any time he needed to for the sake of keeping emotion and personal thoughts at bay. Things were coming to a head. Her testimony was going to be used to take down Ganon, and seal her fate.

"He didn't expect the scare tactics to work, so he already had a plan in place, at least for Deku. He knew the older man was going to be a hard sell. He made the decision to make him even more ill so he would potentially 'see reason' and cave with selling. So, when I was sent to pick up the car that Ganon had ordered for me, he sent me with several grams of the purest cocaine that we had, for the purpose of dosing him with it during the dinner he had invited me to afterward." The woman exhaled and stared at her hands. "I warred with myself on whether or not to follow through with it from the moment I first met Deku. He was nothing like Ganon had led me to believe. He was congenial, professional, and an absolute delight to interact with."

Link instinctively balled his fist and closed his eyes. He leaned his head back against the wall. It hurt. He expected that. But hearing the details from her mouth was like a knife driven through his very soul.

"In the end… I let my cowardice and fear of Ganon's wrath supersede my morals. I convinced myself that it would only make Deku ill and he would easily recover, like anyone who'd been dosed with it in such a way." Mar looked over at Link with tears streaming down her face. "If I could go back and undo one thing in my life, it would be that moment. I will forever be living with his blood on my hands."

Link gave a terse nod as his own eyes threatened to well up. She had to finish her statements. Then, and only when she was off the record, would he be able to fully respond the way he wanted to.

Tuft handed her a tissue and gave her a minute to collect her composure before he gently prompted. "What happened after that?"

"Ganon couldn't stop telling me about how happy the old man had 'gotten what he deserved'. It sickened me to see how flippant he was about the illness then death of a man who had done him no harm. Deku's only 'sin' towards Ganon was denying him the property. Property that Deku legally owned and had every right to continue owning." Mar let out a mirthless laugh. "I had previously known the type of man I was in bed with, figuratively and literally, but never had it been more apparent the lengths he would go to simply for the sake of his own twisted pleasure and furthering his vast fortune. I had to do something. I couldn't undo or take back what I had done to Deku, but I wasn't about to let Ganon continue to walk free when he had orchestrated all the crimes against the innocent people of Kakariko Village. That's when I reached out to Link again to confess what I had done."

Tuft's mouth fell open once again, and he turned to stare at the blond silently leaning against the wall. "You knew what she had done, and still you're here with her while she's confessing?"

"Yes." Link didn't say anything further. He gestured for Mar to continue talking.

"My original plan was to plant kilos of drugs in the car he'd just purchased from Deku's shop, and make sure that he was caught with it, as well as with a copy of his employee roster for the cocaine side to prove his illegal activities. But Link and his girlfriend decided that wasn't the right route to go. Instead, I put the files in the glovebox of the car with his gun and wallet before going to the fundraiser. As you might have already seen when he was booked, he has previous arrests on his record but the charges were always dropped. We just needed him to be arrested so a case would be made against him that he wasn't going to be able to talk his way out of." Mar took a deep breath and looked up to meet Tuft's gaze, even as she wrung her hands in her lap. "I have been knowingly complicit in Ganon's crimes. I've followed orders and done a great many things I regret. But I'm willing to pay for my crimes, no matter the cost. I have earned every bit of the punishment that will be coming. I have apologized to Link, and when I have the opportunity, I will do the same to his sister. So, please. Take me into custody. I will answer any further questions that you might have, and I will be pleading guilty to whatever charges you raise against me."

Tuft sat back and ran a hand over his face while he stopped the recording. "I know I'm not supposed to really react, but holy shit. I had no idea. And Link… What about you? How are you taking all of this?"

Link pushed himself off the wall and faced the woman responsible for his father's death. "When you first told me, I hated you. I was angry. I won't deny that my blood still boils, knowing you dosed him with the cocaine that killed him. But at the same time, I know that you were just following orders. I've done a lot of soul-searching, and…" He took a deep breath, drawing every bit of his courage and sincerity.

"I forgive you, Mar."