A/N: Yeah, I know they went to the Toize Valley Mine for the inhibitor ore for Presea. I wrote this in about an hour and did it entirely from memory for a school project so... yeah.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or anything related to it.
Colette sighed as she settled back into her chair. The fireplace cackled as she wrapped herself in a blanket she had made for Lloyd some time ago. A month had passed since their journeys had ended and the two had just managed to settle down in Iselia before the winter storms hit.
As the fire and the quilt warmed her, Colette closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift back to their Journey for World Regeneration. Everything was so much simpler back then before they learned of Tethe'alla the terrible truth regarding Cruxis. Everything was black-and-white and they never had to worry about where loyalties laid. Sure, she had planned to die to temporarily heal the world and she had made Lloyd worry about her but at least things were simple.
The Chosen smiled as her thoughts turned to Lloyd. Even if it hadn't been easy, she cherished her memories of the Journey for World Regeneration and their fight against the Vanguard. The happiest moment of her life was when Lloyd told her that he loved her when they were in Flanoir during the latter. Her happiness at recalling that memory didn't last as her thoughts took a darker turn.
Colette frowned as she recalled how much she made Lloyd and the others worry about her when she had lost her heart during the angel transformation and how she made Lloyd cry when she lost her voice and couldn't sing that song for him. She recalled Lloyd's reaction at discovering that her body was slowly turning into a Cruxis Crystal. She had caused so much trouble for them during their journey and had caused much more during her journey with Lloyd to collect the exspheres.
The Chosen shifted in her seat as her thoughts continued. Despite all that, no one ever gave up on her. No one ever abandoned her. They had fought their way through the Toize Valley Mine to find inhibitor ore so Lloyd could turn her necklace into a keycrest so she could regain her heart. They fought their way through the Temple of Lightning so Sheena could make a pact with Volt so they could use the Rheards to save her after she had been captured by Rhodyle. No matter how much trouble she was, they would always work to save her and Lloyd would always be the first one to be there to save her.
Lloyd was always there to catch her when she fell.
Colette's introspective mode was shattered when the front door opened. The frigid winter wind blew through the room and threatened to put out the fire as the Chosen huddled closer to her blanket. When the door was finally closed, she peaked behind her chair to see a shivering Lloyd set down a pile of wood. "Man, it's freezing out there!" he said as he walked over to the fire. "It's like being in Flanoir again."
Colette said nothing as she watched him take off his damp gloves and jacket in an attempt to get warm. On a whim, she rose from her chair and draped her blanket around her shoulders before grabbing the edges and wrapping her arms around Lloyd. He was indeed very cold but she didn't mind. It was her turn to be there for him; even if it was something so simple.
"Thank you, Lloyd," she said as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"For what?"
"For always being there for me."