I believe this is generally referred to as christmas coming early. I just couldn't keep you guys waiting that long when I had the finished product sitting in my computer. Enjoy :)

Epilogue

The skies were dark as if covered with soot. Each breath rasped and his legs felt like iron weights. Each footfall echoed through the night. Maybe the next step would be his last. Maybe he would finally succumb to the wound. It had seemed like such a small injury before. Now there was blood dripping down both of his legs, leaving a small pool in every footprint he left.

If he fell now and died here in this field, who would remember him? Few would ever think of the fallen man, his bones left undisturbed in the middle of the field. Dust would gather on them before anyone decided to look for him. There was only one person who would even care that he was gone; she was the only reason he didn't lie down and wait for death.

Far away, she was probably thinking of him, waiting for him to return, tired from the events of the day, but still awake in the middle of the night. All because he had said he would be back. She was the only person who would care if he died alone tonight.

If it wasn't for the gaping hole in his chest, he would run to her. He would be running if he wasn't so unsure of his feet. Each step was like being stabbed all over again. But he pushed through the agony, just for her. Because he had promised her that he would be there tonight. He just had to put one foot in front of the other. Soon he would be with her.

The stars seemed especially bright tonight. Like tiny pinholes showing only bits of some other wonderful universe. They say the world burns especially bright for a dying man. But he wasn't dying, because he couldn't, because he wouldn't. Because far away, in that little house, she was waiting for him.

He knew what would happen if he didn't return. It occupied his thoughts. She would wait for him and when he didn't return, she would keep waiting. But he would never come back, because he couldn't. She wouldn't give up hope, though, because no matter how tortuous, hope lives on.

But he would never come back to her, because he was dead.

The first time the thought crossed his mind, he promised himself that he would return, no matter how painful and grim. That was why he was limping across the field. His equipment seemed heavier, weighing him down more than usual and making each step shorter and more difficult than the last.

As he stepped over a hill, he saw the ranch in the distance. There was one light still burning. Even when he saw the light, he still couldn't forget the pain he was feeling. Both burning and freezing, like his life was seeping out his body.

Drop by drop.

He took another step, and the ranch stepped away from him.

She was why he was trudging across the grass to the ranch. Because no matter how far away she was, she was his world. The thing that kept him going when he was near death. She was the reason he lived. The reason he woke up every morning. And whenever he shut his eyes to sleep, she was on the backs of his eyelids.

But now it was so close, he was stepping though the gates. Walking toward the house. But he felt light as a feather, like he was floating away from himself. He stumbled to where she was. He could see her through the window.

She was sitting in a chair, staring out into the darkness. And although she couldn't see him, he couldn't look away from her.

Just one step, then another, and he would be there. He saw recognition in her eyes and he smiled. She jumped up from the chair and ran out the door. The distance between them seemed like miles.

Then she was with him

And just like whenever she was with him, he knew he was going to be alright. He smiled some more and she smiled too. Then she saw his wound.

She looked worried

He grabbed her shoulder lightly, careful not to lean on her and betray his true weakness. He looked into her eyes, her big beautiful eyes and said, "I'm fine."

She wasn't convinced.

"But you're hurt. You're bleeding so much."

He smiled some more, trying so hard to convince her that he told the truth.

"I'm fine now that I'm here with you, Malon."

She looked away from the wound and smiled.

She wrapped her arms around him, not caring about how much blood got onto her dress.

Leaning in close to his ear, she said, "I missed you."

He returned the embrace and felt the warmth refill his body.

"I'm sorry, I'm just glad to be home."

Then quieter, so that only the two of them could have heard it:

"I love you Malon."

It took a moment for her ears to process the words; it was the longest moment of Link's life.

"I love you too."

And that was when Link knew he would be alright. Because after that moment, nothing could have torn them apart.

Awww, happy ending.

I have begun the sequal, Part two of the Memorial Trilogy, What I Forgot

Here is the link

s/8879077/1/What-I-Forgot

It isn't nearly so much MaLink, but it continues the story. It is about Link's revenge on Rauru. However, after some of the chapters from this story, that might be almost as good. Anyway, decision is yours, you can go read that, or you can ignore the link because you hate me.

:D jk

30/30