A/N: OMG! I'm the worst person ever! I am horrified that it's taken me this long to update!!! And I am so so so so SO sorry it has! I can only hope to promise that, since it is now summer, you'll never have to wait this long for an update again! Also, I plan on keeping to my 20-chapter limit so this story should be done soon!

When Zelda woke up in the morning, she had to try hard not to laugh: Link was lying next to her, his mouth hanging open and his right arm twisted in a strange angle. She was currently lying on his left arm, and she did not envy him the discomfort he would probably feel as a result when he woke up. In an effort to jerk him out of his slumber, Zelda briefly considered sliding her tongue into that wide open mouth of his, but thoughtfully reconsidered (it might've jolted him awake, but probably also caused him to clamp his teeth down on her tongue—which would most likely hurt. Also, the move was far too daring for her). Instead, she thought it might be nice to let him sleep however long he wanted to, so she got out of the bed quietly and moved for the door.

She had to work hard to suppress a shout of surprise after closing said door, because Malon had been waiting outside of it. "A-ha!" the redhead squealed. "I caught a glimpse of your room before you shut the door—you slept with Link last night!!" She continued to whisper excitedly over Zelda's attempts to butt in: "I knocked on his door this morning because Megan wanted to know where he was, but he wasn't in there, so I told her that he was out for a jog, and I've been camping outside your room ever since!"

"And how long's that been?" Zelda asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nearly two hours. But oh my Goddesses! You! And Link! Sex!"

"No!" Zelda hissed. "No sex!"

Malon at first just laughed and shook her head, but upon realizing that Zelda was quite serious, her expression became one of extreme disappointment. "What? Why no sex?" She gasped quietly. "Can't Link…?"

"I'm sure he can," Zelda said, rolling her eyes. "But if he can't, that's not the reason we didn't do it last night—and can we please move away from my door? I don't want him to be secretly awake and listening to this conversation!" She steered Malon towards the bathroom, where she thought they might have more privacy. After shutting the door, she asked, "Malon, when will you get it through your head that I just want to wait this time?"

"You're afraid, aren't you?"

Zelda sighed in annoyance. "We've been over this already. I have nothing to be afraid of, Malon. He's not going to hurt me the way Marth did. What more could I possibly be scared about? I'm not some nymphomaniac; I don't need to sleep with any guy I think I might have feelings for!"

This immediately set Malon on the defensive. "Hey! Don't judge me just because I have a longer track record than you!"

"Well then don't judge me just because I'm waiting!" Zelda shot back. Both of them surveyed each other with a suspicious look on their faces before breaking into laughter. "What're we, in high school?" Zelda tittered into the back of her hand. "I can't believe we're getting into an argument about this!"

"I think we've stooped to an all-time lameness!" Malon snickered. She sobered up enough to appreciate the fact that Zelda, her once depressed, lonely, slightly-angry friend was now doubled up in laughter, trying to control herself. "Oh Zel," she couldn't help saying. "It's so good to see you smiling again, to hear you laughing."

It was slightly unnerving to Zelda that while she was trying to control her giggling she could not make it stop. With one hand gripping the sink to steady herself, she was still chuckling as she looked up at her best friend. "It feels good to be, Malon. It really does. I'm so… so glad."

An interesting word to use in place of "happy," but whatever. Deeming it time to leave the bathroom, Malon opened the door before sinking into an absurdly low bow. "Brides-to-be first," she explained, face parallel to the floor but able to tell that Zelda was standing there in confusion. The blonde patted Malon on the shoulder before regally exiting the room.

Saria was standing in the hallway as the two women came out of the bathroom. "Yeah," she noted dryly. "Now that Zelda's getting married, you two better get your little quickies out of the way soon."

"Shut up, weirdo!" Malon grunted, mock-slapping Saria upside the head.

"Oh, whatever, Red," Saria said, ducking to avoid Malon's returning arm. "I just came up here to remind Zelda that mine and Impa's and Eliza's plane leaves in about five hours, and we thought it might be nice for Link to be able to spend some time with his mother before we have to leave for the airport."

Malon nodded approvingly. "You'd better go wake the man up, Zelda," she said with an all-too-obvious wink.

Saria's eyes widened as Zelda headed in the direction of her own bedroom. "Set her straight, would you, Mal?" Zelda asked before going inside. She heard the two of them giggling and shuffling down the stairs, so it was with a heavy roll of her eyes that she went over to the bed. It seemed such a shame to wake Link, who was looking right now as if he'd never gotten such a decent sleep in his whole life.

But, as was inevitable, Link soon squinted heavily before opening his eyes. He smiled slowly at seeing Zelda standing by the edge of the bed. Rolling into a sitting position, he quickly winced upon noticing that his entire arm had gone numb. "Ah… wow, ouch."

"Sorry," Zelda whispered with a pained smile, sitting down next to him. "I'm afraid that was my fault."

Link eyed her warily, but then laughed once he got what she meant. Flexing his arm, he said, "I guess maybe next time I should be a bit more careful about just leaving my arm lying around." His grin grew wider as Zelda rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself. Then he jumped upon noticing what time it was: "Ah, shoot! I should've been up hours ago!" Immediately, he jumped to his feet and headed for the door.

Eying him a bit warily, Zelda called after him and said, "What's the matter, it's only 11:00!" She supposed he was just anxious to see his mother, and Zelda wondered if she should stay upstairs for a spell, and let the two of them catch up sans fiancé. Fiancé. I'm Link's fiancé. I'm a fiancé. I'm getting married. Zelda still could not get it through her mind. In turns it made her delighted, confused, thrilled, embarrassed, and then confused again. Most of all, it was the spontaneity of the thing that worried her. It was just so unlike her.

"Mom…?"

Zelda looked up from where she was still sitting on her bed, and saw Megan standing hesitantly in the doorway. Sitting a little straighter, Zelda motioned for the girl to come inside (which was clearly what the child wanted). Trying her best to restrain her eagerness, Megan clambered up onto the bed next to her mother. For a few moments, they sat their in silence, not touching hands or even looking at one another. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, it just …was.

Eventually, though, Megan got the gumption to start talking. "Mom? You are gonna marry Link, aren't you?" s

With a small, amused sigh, Zelda let her ramrod-straight posture slump a little bit. "Yes, honey. I am."

This made Megan brighten up a little bit, although Zelda wasn't sure if it was because of the confirmation or because she had used a pet name (again, something rather uncharacteristic of her). Megan went on: "That's so cool, mom. It's gonna be awesome, it really is. Link is just such a… he's a…" She struggled to find words that could define what a great guy she thought he was.

Regardless of her daughter's inability to conjure up the right word, Zelda got what she meant. "I understand, Megan," she said calmly, reaching down and taking the girl's hand. "He is a great man. You and I… we're really very lucky that he came into our lives the way he did. But you know, it means things are going to be a bit different from now on. If we can help it, you'll have no more nannies." She had to smile again when Megan appeared delighted at this news. "Your Uncle Will may have a spot for him on his paper."

So overjoyed at this news (and really just the overall, incredible fact that her mother would be marrying Link) was Megan that she impulsively reached out and grabbed Zelda around the middle, giving her a side-ways hug that was the tightest embrace Zelda had ever received. For what felt like an eternity, her arms lingered there in the air, where she had raised them in surprise at Megan's sudden action. Then, ever so slowly, she tremblingly moved her arms and put them around her daughter. It felt like the first tender moment they had shared in a very, very long time.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the parent-to-child conversation that was going on a floor below them, between Link and Impa. Shut into a study because Impa had wanted some privacy, Link was staring at her completely dumbfounded as he tried to comprehend her explanations as to why she thought his impending marriage was a bad idea.

"I just wish you'd give it a little more time," she kept saying. "Link, you haven't known this woman as long as I have—"

"—mom, I know her in ways that you don't!" he cut in.

Of course, Impa misunderstood this. Her expression was akin to one who may have just swallowed a lemon, but she overlooked what she misconstrued to be a comment on her son's sex life. "I mean it, Link. Now I love Zelda very much, I do, it's just that she's not the first person who'd come to mind if you were to tell me that you're getting married to someone. I've been there, Link. I've been there on the nights she doesn't get home until midnight, then wakes up and leaves the house before her daughter gets up for school! I've seen nannies sent running from that house, some in tears, some looking as if they were being chased by the Gestapo!"

"Okay, you're going a little overboard now, don't you think?" Link growled.

With an indignant sniff, Impa drew herself up to her full height, which was admittedly not very threatening. "I would certainly say not!"

"You're comparing my fiancé, the love of my life, to a Nazi!"

Very briefly, Impa's expression softened, as though she had never expected to hear her son refer to someone as the love of his life. But she went from looking moved to looking rather sad. "Son, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you," she whispered in an apologetic tone. "I'm just saying this for your own good. I know it's said that opposites attract, and I do think Zelda could use someone like you in her life, but… marrying her just seems like it's too much! And I mean, you don't even know her that well!"

Acknowledging that his mother was trying, in her own misguided way, to help, Link took a deep breath and tried not to sound so angry himself. "Mom, you knew dad for eleven years before you got married, and you two were going out for a little less than half that time. And I hate to have to call you out on this, but I know that things aren't going the way you ever hoped or imagined they would. Dad's a deadbeat, and he doesn't deserve you. The length of time I've known Zelda for shouldn't apply, here. You said that she needed someone like me; well, I don't know for that, but I do know that I really need her."

It was so hard not to believe those sincere, determined eyes, and Impa felt her resolve continue to crumble. "I… I just wish I could feel as good about this as you clearly do," she muttered. "Link, I just feel like you're taking such a risk. And I wish you would take a bit longer to think about it. Zelda's just… she's not as family-oriented as I think you would want a mom and a wife to be. She puts her career in front of everything else; she's just like her mother—"

Once again, Link cut Impa off: "Do not say that about her! Zelda Cleverly is not the same woman her mother is! Listen, mom, you think you know all about her because you've been her neighbor for the past couple of years, but you don't really know ANYthing about her, not the things I do!" He could see her expression was slightly doubtful, believing that he was getting a little extreme. To prove that he was making a valid point, Link said, "Do you know about her first husband?"

"I know he walked out on her," Impa said sadly, clearly feeling very sorry that this had had to happen.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," Link said hoarsely. "That guy …he …he was… he abused her, mom. He abused her in every way possible. Physically, mentally, he just broke her spirit completely. And it wasn't just him! Way before Marth was even in the picture, Zelda's mother was abusing her psychologically, almost since the time she could walk! The reason you think she's so distant and such a workaholic is not because it is her nature or even what she wants; she was bred by her mother to think it was her only option, and then manufactured by Marth as just a—a—I don't even know, he just gave her no respect at all!"

"But you," Impa noted quietly. "You respect her very much, don't you, Link?"

"You know what, I do. I do, and it's not for the reason so many people profess to, either. They're scared of her, she intimidates them, and this she did because she thought it was the only acceptable way to deal with a client, or a opponent, or a judge. She doesn't scare me. She fascinates me. Every day I learn something new about her, and every day, I find something new to love and appreciate and respect about her."

Finally, Impa sat wearily down in a chair, pushing some gray hairs out of her eyes. "Link, I just want to make sure you understand what a responsibility this is that you will have. Zelda Cleverly …it's like when you're burning the alcohol out of wine. You keep expecting the flame to burst, but all the fire is contained in one, small pan. And then suddenly, it just fizzles out—" Impa snapped her fingers. "Like that. And you can't see what's been taken away, but there is definitely something that is no longer there. That's what Zelda's soul is like, I can tell. She doesn't confide in or trust anyone; she has to do it all on her own, blazing away until she thinks the hurdle is passed—but she is weaker for it. Zelda is a depressed woman, Link. And I don't mean that in just a 'oh, she can be really sad sometimes' sort of way. I mean I think that she is diagnostically depressed. Do you think you can handle that?"

Link coughed and folded his hands before him. "Mom, after growing up in a house with someone like dad, I think living with Zelda will be a piece of cake." He heaved a great sigh. "We've had some really serious conversations. She's not keeping it all bottled up anymore: I am honored to be somebody who she trusts. Please, don't worry about us. I want you to be happy for me, be happy for Zelda, for us. I'm afraid that if you're too outwardly negative about it all, she's going to listen to you and tell me she wants to slow things down."

"And you want to speed things up?" Impa asked, raising her eyebrows.

"No," Link said with a patient sigh. "Just keep them at the pace we're going. There's no point in prolonging our union, when we could both so clearly benefit from it."

Impa surveyed him long and hard for nearly a full minute. He stared just as stubbornly back at her, preparing himself as he did so to stand up once again for him and Zelda if it was necessary. But, it seemed, Impa had finally caved: "Very well," she said in the voice of one who had very clearly been defeated (and felt every blow). "You have my blessing, son. If she really makes you that happy, that's all I want."

Smiling encouragingly, Link went over to offer his mother his hand. "Then all is well in the world, because you've got one happy son."

By that evening, Impa, Schreiber, and Saria were all en route back to California. The Cleverly clan was eagerly trying to get Link and Zelda to commit to setting a date of some kind.

"I wish you guys weren't leaving tomorrow," Vivien sighed wistfully. "Then you could just get married here, which would be so convenient since almost everybody's already here anyway—"

Terra cut in: "It isn't about what's convenient, Viv, it's about what they want!" She smiled pleasantly at the couple, who both looked supremely awkward and slightly uncomfortable with the conversation at hand. "I think a California wedding would be lovely—and besides, I think we could all stand to have a little break from the ice and wintry sadness of this place, couldn't we?"

A few people nodded, and Vivien swallowed the remark she had been about to make; something to the effect that Terra lived in Arizona and would be getting back to the sunny heat all too soon, anyway. "Okay then, so we'll all come to California," Vivien said. "Find a church you like, somewhere scenic, if you can." Out of no where, she pulled out a legal pad, took a pen Terra had handed her and faced Link and Zelda expectantly: "So. I assume Megan's going to be one of your flower girls, yes?"

"Naturally," Zelda said.

Vivien made a note. "Okay… and how about the… uh… oh shoot, what are they called? The kid with the ring—the ring-carrier? Ring-bearer?"

"I think it's ring-bearer," Jack said. "Wait… right?"

"Well, whatever he's called, you guys know who we mean," Vivien said, once again giving the couple-to-be an expectant stare.

Zelda looked to Link, but after a few moments, he just shook his head. Apparently no one came to mind for him (he had yet to explain this to the Cleverlys, but aside from his parents, he had no family). "Uh, would it be all right with you then if one of my nephews were to do it?" Zelda asked, and Link nodded eagerly. "Okay, then," she said, looking back to her siblings. "I'll leave it up to you guys. Choose someone responsible, who won't do something like swallow the ring."

Jack rolled his eyes as Vivien scribbled down: "Won't… swallow …ring. Great! Okay, moving on. Zelda, have you given any thought towards a Maid of Honor?"

Frankly, this thought hadn't even occurred yet to Zelda. How could she possibly choose one? Or did she? Was it allowed nowadays to have more than one maid of honor? Was that considered tacky? Proof that the bride was unable to choose one other woman who had always been there for her? Terra would probably be the best to help direct the ceremony; Vivien was the most protective of Zelda's sisters, and the others seemed to pale in contrast to those two. Would Deborah, Rachel, Leah, and Marianne be offended if they weren't chosen? They oughtn't to be; they should know that they had never been as close to Zelda as had Viv and Terra—

At that moment, a loud screaming noise erupted from the basement, followed by several loud banging noises. Immediately, the adults were on their feet, save for Link and Zelda, who sat stock still with alarm. "Darn kids!" Vivien muttered under her breath, as insane laughter could now be heard coming from downstairs. "When will they learn that the exercise equipment is not to be used for torture devices?!" She followed her siblings and in-laws stampeding out of the room towards the basement, perhaps also for the purpose of leaving the future bride-and-groom some alone time and quietness.

"I guess I hadn't really thought of these technicalities," Zelda murmured, getting up and taking a look at Vivien's paper. "But of course they're right. Certain things need to be taken into consideration." She took Vivien's abandoned pen and tapped it against her chin, glancing at the blank next to Maid of Honor. Hesitantly, Zelda wrote Malon's name there. It felt like the right choice—she knew Terra and Viv would understand, and hopefully her other sisters would come around as well. "Can we keep it small, Link? The ceremony, the guests?"

He nodded, but as she was still staring at the legal pad and not at him, he took a step forward and said, "Of course. I prefer to keep things on the quiet side." Link put his hand on Zelda's shoulder, and she flinched slightly.

"What if, for some reason, Marth were to suddenly show up?" she whispered, feeling somewhat foolish for asking the question. "What would you do?"

Link's grip tightened ever so slightly, and Zelda bit her lip, finally turning to face him. "I promise I would act like a complete gentleman," Link finally answered. "And I'd make sure he'd leave. Just keep an eye out on your brothers, though, if you want him to leave unharmed. But Zelda, he won't come." He gingerly kissed her forehead, and he felt her relax. "He's not going to give you any more trouble, ever again. And even if he was going to …I know you can handle him, now."

With that, she realized how right he was. Zelda felt suddenly surged with a new feeling of power, one she had never known before: it had been her who'd gotten Marth to leave Vivien's house, and much quicker than she had anticipated. She had even had the gumption to punch him in the face!—which was nothing compared to what Link had done to him the previous night …no; with those two combined, there was no way he would dare to bother them again. And if he did, it was time for Zelda to exercise some legal power and get a restraining order.

There was only one other thing, then, that Zelda wanted to discuss. "Link? You know how after people get married, they… afterwards, they go on, you know, a trip. Usually for a week or two, I suppose."

Link had to smile at Zelda's inability to say a word as cutesy as "honeymoon." Thinking of where to go hadn't occurred to him, either, but as soon as Zelda had brought it up (albeit in her own, roundabout way), an answer came to him immediately. "How would you feel about New York? Where we first met."

It all came rushing back to her then, the incredibleness of the fact that it was Link Wingfield who had been the one to give her one night of true happiness in her teenage years. Going to New York for a honeymoon (good Goddesses, it even sounds stupid when I just think the word!) was sort of a kitschy, sentimental idea, yet somehow, Zelda still managed to love it. "I think that's a fantastic idea," she said, putting her arms around Link. "Let's do that."

He smiled at her, but the tender moment was interrupted when Megan and two of her cousins came barreling into the room. At first the kids didn't even notice the two adults there, until one of the boys tapped Megan's shoulder and she turned around. "Oh! Mom—we're playing hide-and-go-seek from Aunt Vivien, don't tell her we're here!"

"Er…" Zelda eyed Vivien's two boys, who had mischievous looks on their faces. "Does she know that you're playing?"

"We made it obvious," one of the boys answered.

"Well, then, I guess we'd better leave you all to your little game," Zelda said, standing up and leading Link out of the room. She was brought to a halt when Megan suddenly dashed in front of the door and took Zelda's hand. "Yes…?"

"Wait, mom! Would you kiss first?" Megan asked, looking anxious.

Zelda suddenly felt a rush of feeling towards her daughter; quite unexpectedly, she scooped the girl up and gave her a hard, affectionate kiss on the cheek. Though Megan was starting to get a little old for Zelda to pick her up and hold her, she had a hard time letting go of her daughter. But eventually setting her down, Zelda asked, "There, how was that?"

"Very nice," Megan said, looking startled yet glad. "But I meant, would you kiss Link first." Immediately her face split into an excited, toothy grin, and she clasped her hands together. "Please!"

Link barely managed to contain a chuckle at Megan's enthusiasm, but Zelda felt herself beginning to blush. After all, Megan had already seen them kiss, that time Zelda practically assaulted Link in the snow after having argued with him. But Megan looked so innocent and so desperate, that Zelda couldn't help turning around, taking Link's face in her hands, and giving him the most chaste kiss she could. Bouncing up and down, Megan laughed and couldn't help but burst into applause.

"A-HA!" Suddenly, Vivien wrenched open the door. "THERE YOU ARE!"

"Is the game over, now?" Zelda asked, ducking under Vivien's arm and taking Link with her. Apparently, all the kids had been hiding from all of the grown-ups, and Link and Zelda had to work their way through the clump of slightly-arguing families towards the stairs. Laughter and joke-shouting floated up after them as they climbed, once again winding up in Zelda's bedroom. However, they weren't alone for long.

Malon had come bursting into the room, and came to a halt so quickly that she nearly fell over. "Oh—sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to, uh, interrupt anything…"

"You're fine, Mal," Zelda assured her. "What is it?"

Noting Malon's hesitation, Link gathered that he should leave. Despite Malon's embarrassed protests, he patted her on the shoulder and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. A little shyly, Malon sat down backwards on the chair by Zelda's bed. "I saw what you wrote on Vivien's sheet downstairs. Do you …do you really want me to be your Maid of Honor, Zel? Me, not one of your sisters?"

Stretching out and lying down on her bed, Zelda slowly smiled. "I'm positive, Mal. Mostly it occurred to me because any of my sisters I'd have wanted to fill that spot are already married, and I think it's a position typically held by single women." That got Malon to laugh in realization, and Zelda joined her, although not really knowing why. "But besides that technicality, you just seem like an obvious choice. You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember, Mal. You weren't obligated like family to… to do all the things you did for me. You withstood my mom's insults, you held by me during the series of divorces and remarriages that changed my household, you stuck to me on my darkest days. You are someone truly special."

Not usually moved to tears, Malon found her eyes starting to feel a little wet. "Aw, Zel!" she said in a small voice, blinking and causing some of the tears to trickle down her face. "That's so sweet. And I am honored to be your choice."

Zelda continued to stare up at the ceiling, hearing Malon sniffle but not caring to look over and see her crying. "There's just one thing more," Zelda murmured. What she was about to say felt incredibly childish, but she couldn't help voicing it: "I don't think I'll have anyone to walk me down the aisle." This statement was met with quietness, as Malon didn't know how to respond. So Zelda went on: "I guess that'll just be keeping with the Cleverly tradition—giving myself away." The only stepfather Zelda had ever liked was now dead, and she could think of no other male relation she wanted to give her away at her wedding. "Just me… being sentimental. Stupid."

"No, it isn't," Malon said in a low voice. "It isn't stupid, Zel." She got up and sat down on the bed next to Zelda, taking her hand. "Don't let that put a damper on things, though, pal. It's going to be great."

Sitting up, Zelda said, "I know. Mal, I'm just so glad that Megan's going to have Link around, now. She's going to have the stability and the paternal love that I never had when I was growing up. I only wish I could have brought it to her sooner than now."

"Well," Malon said bracingly, putting her arm around Zelda. "Better late than never, eh, Cleverly?"

"Yes." Zelda smiled to herself at the formality of the word. "Yeah."

A/N: The next chapter will (finally) detail the wedding.