Blessed

Chapter Six: Doctor

A/N: *throws this chapter at you* LOOK! IT'S AN UPDATE! GO GET IT! *runs*

He was up and about the next morning, but the burning had returned, and his shoulder was too damaged to do much with it. Ghirahim had disappeared, nowhere to be seen, and Jaden successfully tried to be as little of a bother as possible.

The next couple of days followed in a similar fashion. Jaden helped out around the house and city as much as he could, following Link around and helping him carry groceries and other things when he couldn't quite manage with the injured shoulder. Ghirahim didn't bother making another appearance, and the child didn't mention him much other than to ask where he had gone, to which Link responded with a shrug.

He received a letter from Kiara via pigeon on the fourth day since the family had left.

'Hey Link! How are you and Jaden doing? Is everything okay? Has the house burned down yet? Just teasing. Dad says that we're going to be a little late getting back, like several days or so more than we expected. He says it's nothing to worry over. We'll be back before you know it! Love, Kiara.'

Link smiled affectionately and showed Jaden the news before writing promptly back, 'We're not starving yet. I haven't burned down the house yet. Everything on our end is fine. Don't die. Love, Link,' and sending it off with the bird.

He followed Jaden inside and went to prepare something for the picnic they had planned for lunch. Once he finished, he hadn't even managed to put everything in the old, worn basket before he felt something. There was some foreign presence, snarling his name over the same plane of thought that Link had previously used to speak to Ghirahim when Jaden was around. The presence emanated hatred so strongly that Link felt almost as though he could reach out and touch it.

"I await you, Hero..."

A low, ominous laughter filled his mind, making him flinch sharply. This wasn't some random monster. The force was larger, more powerful than anything he had ever encountered - even Fate or Ghirahim. It scared him, and fear wasn't something he had come by often, or perhaps ever.

"Who are you?" he thought in the direction of the presence, mouthing the words to himself. He felt as though his words never made it that far, as though they bounced off of the menace's swirl of power.

It started to come closer towards him, encircling his mind, and all of a sudden a splitting headache struck his forehead, making him stagger backwards, his knees trembling.

Jaden, looking worried, started to approach, and Link straightened himself, pressing his hand gently to his brow, shaking his head and offering a weak smile. He was about to continue finishing everything when another stabbing sensation drilled through his head and he fell, barely catching himself on the island in the center of the kitchen that served as a table. He gritted his teeth, swallowing hard, and Jaden took a hesitant step forward, resting his hand lightly on Link's uninjured shoulder.

The mental force continued to jab at him until he felt his vision growing hazy, and his head felt as though it was about to crack open.

"Ghirahim, help, please," he begged silently, worried that his thoughts would never reach beyond the cloud over his mind. He couldn't depend on Jaden - by the Goddesses, he was a seven-year-old boy - but where had Ghirahim been for the past few days? Was he reliable?

"Mid-mission," the quiet voice of the demon came in response. "Are you in danger? You sound in pain."

Link never got the chance to answer - he felt a blow strong enough to break a bone crack through his thoughts. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed to the ground, unaware that Jaden had started to panic, sobbing, shaking him and asking what was wrong.