To everyone's relief, Saria and Darunia's baby was deemed much healthier a month later. There was still a chance that it would be born with a small hole but the doctors believed it would heal up before Saria even gave birth.

To the fan's sorrow, however, the break regarding tours was extended for a year but LOZ promised to have a new album out in six months.

Link had it out in four and it skyrocheted through the charts in days and weeks afterwards...

Daisy's face was like that of a manical chesire cat as she stared down the LOZ group... so much had changed since they had appeared last on the woman's show.

Saria was dressed in a white, cotton, tunic that stretched over her quite visible belly. She seemed content in her somewhat conservative attire and greeted Daisy with a hug. Darunia shook the talk show host's hand in his same old outfit and waved at the crowd with a grin. Link walked across the stage, dressed to kill, in black dress pants, white button up shirt, black pin striped vest, black fitted jacket, and dress shoes. He kissed Daisy's hand and sat next to Zelda.

Zelda crossed her legs and the red, silky dress that showed them off, fantastically. "Hello, again."

"Hello, indeed." Daisy winked. "Now, lots of happened since we've last seen each other... most notably, Saria and Darunia's pregnancy. Congratulation's guys."

"Thank you..." Saria blushed and then turned to the camera, suddenly. "And thank you to Mario and Peach for the beautiful basket of goodies!"

Darunia just beamed, ever the proud father to be.

"So, Link."

He laughed. "Yes?"

"Care to enlighten the world about," Daisy waved a finger at him and Zelda and wraggled her eyebrows. "you two?"

Link sighed. "We're a couple. Finally, offically, and yes, we have moved in together."

"How's that going?"

"Horrible." Zelda joked. "Kidding, of course... Link and I have been...

"Fantastic?" The man in question offered with a grin. Zelda nodded. "I really can't complain... I've had feelings for her ever since that dance long ago so this is a culmination of years of ardor. So, yeah, it's great!"

Daisy smirked. "I noticed you skipped around the word "love". Do you love her?"

Darunia laughed. "They haven't worked up to saying that to each other yet. Let's not force them to on T.V, yeah?"

A frown played across the brunette's face for only a second before she continued her barrage of questions that ranged from Saria's pregnancy, Sandra and Evelyn's relationship, Darunia's impending fatherhood, the next tour, side projects, and whether rumor's were true that the band had considered making the break permanent.

The four friends finished the interview, escaping more prying questions, and enjoyed a quiet dinner at Sandra's house but 11 o'clock came quicker than all expected, sending each to their own homes.

- Later that night -

Zelda braced herself for the cold winter air that slammed into her face. Her front door swung open, she dashed out, threw away her trash, and ran back to her door where she slammed it shut. She shook and shivered, sitting down on one of her vents with a blanket wrapped around her.

A cup appeared in front of her face, steam tendrils rising over the rim, and the voice of her boyfriend came with it. "Coats make chores like that easier..."

Zelda looked up into Link's cobalt eyes and took the cup graciously. "If I would have thought about it then I would have just stared out the door for an hour."

"You could have asked me, goof ball." Link slid her over, lifted up the cover, and snuggled in next to her shivering body with one arm about her shoulder. He drank from his own cup, coffee, and chuckled. "You should have got a house in Florida."

Her golden head leaned against his shoulder while her hands warmed themselves via the cermaic cup holding hot chocolate. "I wanted a home not a vacation."

"Just saying." Link chuckled. "You hate the cold."

"That's why I have you to warm me up!" Zelda laughed, slipping a freezing hand beneath Link's shirt.

He tumbled away from her, scowling, and stared down at the floor where some of his coffee spilt. "Vile woman." He mumured, playfully.

A horrible evil laugh was executed before Zelda stood up and took the cup from his hands. "I'll get you more, you big baby." She walked into the kitchen, the tiles were much colder than she would have liked on her barefeet, and sat Link's cup onto the countertop to begin making a fresh batch of coffee. She changed the filter, the grinds, the water, and then sat the pot beneath it so that the drink could drain. "It may take a while I started a new bat-"

His arms encircled her waist and he breathed agianst her neck. "Changed my mind... I don't want coffee anymore..." He chuckled when she gasped, ripping her hair out of its ponytail, and kissed the tender flesh of her neck. "I hate when you put your hair up. I really, really do."

Zelda leaned back against him, heart pounding in her chest, and bit her lip. "Why?" Her right hand slipped into his left as her pressed it against her stomache. "One day, I'm going to cut it all off and then wh-" Link's index finger turned her face toward his. "Yes?"

"Stop talking. I'm trying to seduce you." Link's lips found hers, kissing slowly at first but speeding up with intensity, and pulled her fully against him. He turned her around to face him, one arm holding her body close to his, while his other hand gripped golden locks. He moved his mouth from hers and left trails of bites up and down her neck.

Zelda slipped her fingers through his hair and flicked her tongue across his lips, begging entry. Link backed Zelda up into the counter his hands squeezing her breasts through the silk, red fabric of her dress. "Why keep my hair down when it excites you this much?" Zelda chuckled, nipping at his jawline and jerking his shirt open. "And why do you wear so many bu-" She groaned as Link stroked her secret place with his middle finger. Zelda gripped him as he hooked a finger around the garment and tugged it away, swiftly, after recieving no objections. "Touch me." She whispered into his ear and moaned when he complied by slipping a single digit into her.

"More?" Link murmured, one hand between her legs and the other undressing Zelda's top half. Zelda nodded and the twenty-five year old added another finger, continuing his actions more fervently when his lover slipped her hand down his pants to pleasure him.

"Link..." Zelda whispered his name, amorously, bucking against his hand as he did her own. "I..." An orgasm caught her off guard and she released a muffled cry into his unclothed shoulder. "I'm ready. More, Link, more."

Her dress dropped to the floor, her bra tugged away, and his mouth found her breasts, nipping and sucking and kissing and tasting whatever it could on this newly discovered plain. Link's hands roamed over her body with a brave hands almost reckless in their abandon while Zelda's did the same. Link's pants were jerked from his body as Zelda dropped to her knees to remove the clothing. "Wore boxers today."

Zelda hooked her fingers around them, removing them just as violently, then jerked her lover down toward her. "You shouldn't have." Her voice dripped with lust and want... emotions that had haunted Link's dreams for years before this night. "Don't stop, Link, I want you. I want you, now." Their tongues waged a war, fighting for dominance, as the two toppled back onto the cold tiled floor. Link's kisses trailed down her neck, traveling between her breasts, past her stomach, but no farther because she had pulled him back up to her face so that she looked up at him. "Take me."

A single moment of clarity shined onto Link's lustful brain and he shared it with his love. "Zelda, are you sure?"

Violet eyes met cobalt in that single moment of perfect clarity as her legs dragged up his, wrapping them around Link's waist. "Yes. I'm not afraid anymore."

Link took Zelda's hands in his and, positioning himself, gave her a soft smile. "This will hurt."

"Love me."

"I already do." He thrust, hard, and stole away the last traces of his lover's innocence. He waited a moment for her to adjust to the new sensation, a moment and no more, before he rocked against her, slowly... slowly...slowly... until he lost himself... faster and harder, louder and softer, lovingly and violently, her nails digging into his back as he ravaged her lithe frame.

Zelda cried out his name as Link cried out hers, meeting each thrust with a carnal noise, before ecstasy took them to blinding, white orgasm.

Link cradled her on his chest as the smell of burnt coffee hovered in the air. "You set the heat too high."

Zelda smiled, kissing his sweaty chest because she was too exhausted to lean up to kiss his cheek. "I love you too, Link." They laid there on the tiles for a while, content, before Zelda spoke, again. "Hey, babe?"

He smiled. "Yeah?"

"Did you have to be so rough?"

Link glanced down at his lover and kissed her forehead. "Sorry... really, I am, but, babe, you really have no clue how much and how long I've wanted that to happen."

Zelda giggled. "No, I pretty much know exactly how long and how much." She turned her face upwards and kissed him.

- A year later -

Saria collapsed onto Zelda's couch with a groan. "Sandra called. She said Avery just now fell asleep." The Kokiri had given birth prematurely in late spring but was proud mother when presented with a perfectly healthy baby boy who had taken after her in everything except the eyes because he had his father's earthy brown ones. "So, you wanna know what sucks?" She had worked hard after his birth to get rid of the baby fat and was suceeding with stunning results. Saria had almost regained her old form.

"Let me guess...Mother Nature?" Zelda smirked. "I got Tylenol, Midol and I think I...I... I-Oh, my Gods..." Her voice trailed off for a few moments and Saria propped herself up to look through the window into the kitchen where Zelda stood.

"What?"

Zelda dashed over and grabbed her keys. "We need to go to the store, now."

"What?" Saria blinked, rolled off the couch, and stumbled up." Why?"

"I-I- I think I might be preg..." Zelda stared into her friend's eyes and together they made a mad dash for Saria's car... for Zelda only had her motorcycle. On the way to the store, they were pulled over by a cop who questioned them on their reasons for speeding...as it just so happened, he knew who they were, so he let them off after getting an autograph... and yelled at by Saria.

They grabbed one of each test, raced back to the car, and slammed Zelda's door behind them...

A two liter and ten tests later, the results were in... Zelda Rayne Harkinian was, indeed, pregnant.

Her violet eyes stared at the plus mark and several emotions were running through her at once. "But...I...was on birth control."

"For how long?"

Zelda frowned. "I've been on it since I was fifteen... severly irregular and what-not." She ran her hands through her hair and shook her head. "I can't be... be... pregnant."

"Well, we have a week before the boys get back." Saria rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We can, um, call my doc and talk to him."

An appointment was made, the tests were confirmed to be true, something about how certain vitamins messed with birth control was explained, and there was lots of crying on the way home.

Saria pulled into Zelda' driveway, rested her on the steering wheel, and sighed. "Should I be saying congratulations, I'm sorry... or what?"

"I'll get back to you on that."

"Alright, girl. If you need me then let me know cause me and Avery will be over in five minutes. Five minutes, got that?"

Zelda nodded, hugged her friend. "Love ya."

"Love ya too, Zel." Saria back out of the driveway and began the journey to Eveyln's house where Avery had been brought at some point during the weekend.

The Zelda stared down at her stomache, in the bed that she and Link had shared for a year, and sighed. "I never imagined that I would have a baby... it...never fit in with my plans." She placed a hand across her womb and bit her lip. "Then again, Fate seems to enjoy putting kinks in my little adventures..." A pause in which violet eyes cast themselves to the ceiling and a heart reached out. "Nayru...Farore...Din, I don't know what to do... I'm afraid... and my hero isn't around to help... I need some sort of sign cause I'm freaking out right now and-" There was a warmth that grew beneath her hand at that moment, steady and strong, and it filled the woman up to the brim. Her voice came out in a small whisper. "Thank you."

That next Monday, Link stumbled into the front door, frowning at the step that tripped him, and into the kitchen. "Hey, Bab-eh." He kissed her on the cheek and squeezed her. "Guess what I gotcha."

Zelda turned with a smirk, rose a brow, and plopped herself up on her countertop after rinsing off the last of her dishes. "I bet my surprise is better."

Link chuckled. "Does yours have a little gold bland with diamonds and sapphires?" A tiny, black box slipped from the front of his pants then was flicked open to reveal a shining engagement ring with a diamond and two sapphires on each side of it. "I'm going to take the picture of this little treasure that I found in my suitcase as a 'yes'."

"Good." Zelda smiled and kissed him as the cool band was slipped about her finger. "I would have hated spelling it out for you."

Link laughed. "No, you wouldn't have." He winked. "Besides, this thing has been on hold for like two weeks now."

"I know." Zelda grinned. "I called the Jeweler and asked him to make sure it was a size four."

He leaned forward and kissed her, slowly. "I've missed you, you little sneak." Link turned away and opened the fridge. "So, what have you and Saria been up to while us men have be-" Link faced her and rose a brow. "There isn't any wine in the fridge."

"You can buy wine in Mushroom Kingdom, Link." Zelda slipped from the counter, beamed at her ring, and slipped past her fiance.

"No. I want a cheeriwine, you know, soda... but there is always real wine in our fridge." He frowned. "You're a Wino-o for Nayru's sake."

Zelda scowled. "I am not."

"Babe, you totally are." He laughed. "Anyways, what was your surprise?"

A violet eye winked at him. "I bought something I think you're gonna like." Zelda dashed off and her feet was heading up the stairs.

Link grinned and raced after her while the sounds of their bedroom door shutting him teased him. His hand grasped the handle, heart pounding from both his pursuit and his intended prey, then jerked the door open.

A cradle laid at the foot of their bed.

Cobalt eyes revealed confusion on a mass scale while the handsome face that accompanied them frowned. "Zelda..." He called out, ponderously. "W-Why is there a crib in our room?"

Zelda's hand wrapped around his waist and she laid her head against his back. "Guess."

"I don't want to." Link frowned. "I really, really don't want to."

"Do it."

"No." His heart was hammering agianst his chest and pounded faster the more he looked at the furniture before him. Link turned away. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Link, sweetheart, guess what happens when your doctor doesn't wanr you about certain vitamins and birth control?"

He whipped around and took her by the arms. "Please, please, don't tell me that you're pregnant."

Zelda grinned, leaned forward, and kissed the man she had fallen so very in love with. "Okay, Link, I'm not pregnant."

Relief registered in his eyes. "Really?"

"Nope." Zelda laughed, spun around, and sat down behind the cradle where their bed resided. "You're gonna be a daddy, babe."

Link frowned. "You're joking...right?"

"Link," Zelda held out her hands. "I know, that you think that you'll be this really bad dad and all because yours left you but... you'll be great. I've seen you with the girls and with Avery."

"I hate babies, Zelda." He frowned, stepping around the crib like it was the plague. "Toddlers are okay... and I love our nieces and Avery... for now, but, I hate babies."

Zelda giggled, biting her lip. "Why?"

"They pee and they poop and they cry and they spit up all over you. I remember, Zelda, I had to watch the girls. Babies are a menace. They-"

"Will be ours." His fiance took his hands and kissed each one then smiled up at him from her lovely face which was alight with amusement. "I want to have your kid, Link... you know, in case you and Darunia die during one of your stupid golf cart races."

"Are you really preggers, Zelda?"

"Yep. Puking and everything."

Link collapsed onto the bed and Zelda threw a leg over his lap. They rested their foreheads against each other and let silence reign for several minutes. "I love you... and I... I'll love our kid... but if I ever seem like I'm going to turn out like the bast-"

Zelda smacked him, lightly, across the cheek and glared deep into his eyes. "Lincoln Nikolas Hudson, you shut your mouth." She kissed him, lovingly, and stroked his cheek with her cool fingers. "You will be a fantastic father."

Nine months passed. Nine months, six hours, five minutes, and six seconds...

The bundle of blankets squrimed in his hands, pink fists shook, while a newborn's voice could be heard wailing clear across the ward.

The delivery had gone well for the mother but the infant had almost lost its life... for hours the parents had waited while the doctors raced to save the baby's life... and yet, even, while he held his son in his hands there was still worry lined across his face.

"Link?"

He looked up, finding his fiance's eyes, and smiled, softly. "Yeah?" Link cradled his boy in his arms and began to rock him though it seemed nothing could calm the child.

"Everything is going to be alright." Zelda squeezed her lover's arm and pressed a tender kiss to the top of her baby's head.

Link knew he should be the one doing the comforting and he felt shame with that bit of knowledge. The newborn released another scream and it tugged at his heart... his son could feel the emotions warring inside him. "Alexander." Link whispered, soothingly. "Calm down, little man, its okay now... I've got you." And how Link was afraid of that promise "I've got you". He had never expressed any true interest in having children soley for the reason that he did want to let his own kids down... like his father had him.

William Roose Hudson had disappeared from his son's life when the he had been just five. William did not even care enough to leave a note of love, reason, or excuse. Just left a boy to wonder where his dad had gone off to because they were supposed to go fishing.

Link felt tears come to his eyes at the thought of that day and how it would kill him if he became that kind of father. He looked down at the newborn that he held in his hands, his own son. "It's alright, sweetheart. Daddy's got you." Link repeated those last three words with as much feeling as he held in his body. "Daddy's got you."

Alex whimpered and opened his blue eyes, cobalt blue eyes... and stopped crying... as if to say, "I know."