Keep Me In Your Heart (Or Leave Me Behind)

Chapter 1: Come Home to Me

Link placed the glass of milk back onto the table, half empty. His eyebrows furrowed together as he looked up at the girl in front of him, also holding a glass of milk, staring down at her unfinished breakfast. He forgot she was there. There were tears falling from her cheeks, and yet she smiled. Link looked around in confusion. "Dawn?" His throat was scratchy. A warm smile flickered at his lips. He looked behind her at his bed, wondering where his love had gone. "Where is your mother?"

The smile faded from the girls face. "Papa..."

Link stayed silent for a few moments, then chuckled. "Oh, my bad... She's probably feeding the Cuccos at this time! I'll go help her..." He stood up, and the girl did as well, twice as fast. "What's the matter, sweetie?"

Her blue eyes were wide as they stared into his. "Papa... Mama's.... she's not here."

"Oh." Link cocked his head to the side. She never left without telling him. He hoped she was okay. If she was out alone... she could be in danger. "Will she be back soon? I miss her dearly."

"Oh, um... yes. She's... she's just gone to the market to shop, Papa. She'll be back shortly..." Her smile appeared as a grimace.

Link's shoulders fell, and he frowned. "Oh. She went... without me?" The thought saddened him. He loved going to the markets with his lovely wife. He cherished the memories of when Dawn was just a little girl, holding their hands as they walked through the streets. He wondered when the next family trip would be. He feared the thought that she might be in trouble. He didn't know what he would do if he lost her.

"She... she didn't want to wake you, Papa."

He smiled. "She really is so lovely... isn't she...?" His cheeks flushed and he bit his lips together. He looked up at the girl in front of him. "Just like you, sweetheart." He ruffled her pale orange hair. He cocked his head when he noticed the tears in her eyes. "You're crying... why?"

"Oh, it's nothing..." She quickly wiped her eyes, then offered her father a comforting smile. "I'm okay, Papa."

Link stood up and walked over to his daughter. He pulled her into a hug, and kissed the top of her head. She trembled in his arms as a sob shook her. "Dawn—" A louder cry interrupted the hug. It wasn't either of them, so Link was quite confused. "Wha—" He released his daughter, and she released a breath she didn't know she was holding in. He turned around, and beneath the window, behind where he was sitting, was a cradle. In it, a little baby girl was crying.

"Papa—"

"Who..." Something flickered in his eye, and his face eased. "Oh, Navi..." He picked up the child and rocked her in his arms, holding her close to his chest. "It's okay, sweetheart... Mama will be back soon, okay...?" He said the words with such love and surety that Dawn wanted to scream. "I'll go make you a bottle, m'kay?" The baby hushed, and Link smiled.

He gently put the child back in her cradle, then leaned forward to kiss her forehead. He walked over to Dawn and did the same. She still poured.

"Smile, for me..." He frowned. "Dawn, are you okay?"

"Er, yes... just one of those days, Papa." She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt.

"Oh, okay. I get that, really, I do. Make sure to drink water, okay? Take a nap, too." She opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head. "I can handle everything until Mama returns. Promise."

She clenched her fists and looked down at the wooden floor. "Okay..." She wouldn't do that, though. She wouldn't leave him alone. She would take care of her baby sister until their father... forgot.

"That's my girl." He placed his hand on her cheek and smiled. Then his eyebrows knitted together. "Wait... what was I doing, again?"

"You... you were going to make a bottle for Navi."