Second Chances
By Chomper318

Author's Note: Tales of Symphonia belongs to Namco. I'll String Along With You belongs to Diana Krall. This ficcy belongs to me. I hope readers will like it, it's my first TOS fic.

I'll String Along With You

You may not be an angel
Cause angels are so few
But until the day that one comes along
I'll string along with you

I'm looking for an angel
To sing my love song to
And until the day that one comes along
I'll sing my song to you

For every little fault that you have
See I've got three or four
The human little faults you do have
Just make me love you more

You may not be an angel
But still I'm sure you'll do
So until the day that one comes along
I'll string along with you

--Diana Krall

Chapter Seven

It took a bit longer than expected to get to Dirk's. While Kratos and Lloyd's sail boat performed amiably on water, the Katz rafts were a bit slower, a bit more flimsy. When they did finally make it to Dirk's it was dark.

"Come on," said Lloyd excitedly. "It's just a few more steps."

They had all docked at the make-shift pier on the northern shores near Dirk's house. Despite being a dwarf, Dirk dwelled above ground. The group made their way from the sea and into a thick forest. Kat, though she had never been there before, felt a sense of déjà vu.

There's something about this place. Though Kat had no recollection of actually being near Iselia, something about the forest struck a chord within her. Somehow, she knew, she felt that she had been at this place before. If not exactly here, it was a place near here.

Her body was reacting to something from long ago. She was afraid and jumpy. Everyone was following Lloyd as he led them to his father's house. They were all bone weary from the long boat ride. Kat was lagging behind, her heart racing. The forest seemed to give off an eerie foreboding presence but no one seemed to sense it but Kat. She was physically dragging and willing her body to move, to walk along the dirt path just like everyone else. But all she wanted to do was just turn back and run. She was seriously considering that option when she felt a warm hand on hers. She looked down at the hand that covered hers and then up at the source of assurance.

Kratos had quietly moved towards the back to be with Kat. He had noticed a dramatic change in her demeanor. She was withdrawn and quiet. And scared. He had looked around the forest to make sure that there were no monsters around. Despite the reunification of the world and the regeneration of the Great Mana Tree, monsters still roamed the world. Not as many as before, but there were still monsters. The forest was quiet right now. No monster in sight. Something else was scaring Kat. He could see it in her eyes. The look of terror was on her face and he was once again struck by how much this Katz looked like Anna. But as everyone pointed out, Anna was dead and he ought to know. This woman must be a relative. They must get Raine to help her recover her memory. Only then would he know for sure. He made his way towards her and it seemed as though Kat was frozen on the spot. He reached out towards her hand and held it gently in his own. Just like Anna's.

"Are you alright?" he said quietly.

Kat swallowed hard. She couldn't speak. She simply turned towards Kratos and held his hand tight. She looked around. Then, almost in a whisper, she said, "There's something. I don't know what. There's something. Something...no. Someone. Someone's after us. Someone after me...."

Kratos eyes widened. "Kat...."

Tears started streaming down her face. "Please, please Kratos." She pleaded with him. For what she did not know. All she could feel was fear and anxiety. "Please...."

Kratos put his arms around her shoulder, which was quite difficult considering the fact that Kat was in a Katz costume.

Kat frantically looked around her. She was drowning, something was pulling her down. She tried to fight the sensation, she reached out for Kratos. Shaking her head, trying to clear her mind, she murmured, "Please, please. There's not much time. Make haste—be quick. Protect...protect...."

Kratos stared at the woman in front of him. He saw her struggled internally. He heard those words said to him a lifetime ago. "Kat? Anna?" as though confused over who he was talking to. Then, with conviction, he said, "Anna...." He gave her a gentle shake before continuing, "No one is here. No one. You're safe, I promise you. I'll protect you. I'll protect...."

For both of them, it was startling how familiar this scene, these words that were uttered and emotions that were felt, was to the same tragic event that occurred thirteen years ago. In fact, it wasn't too far from where they stood that thirteen years ago, Anna, Kratos, and Lloyd were hunted down by Rodyle and Kvar. Except for the Katz outfit, it was almost exactly the same. Almost.

"Dad, sheesh, what's taking so long?" Lloyd's voice brought them both back to reality. It wasn't thirteen years ago. It was now. And their group was waiting for them.

Kat stepped out of Kratos' embrace. She felt tired and drain. What is going on? Lloyd's voice got through to her and grounded her to the present. For a moment, she thought...well, she thought she was Anna. But that doesn't make sense. Anna was dead. She didn't want to look at Kratos, embarrassed by her lapse. Instead she hurried past Kratos and caught with Lloyd.

Lloyd's warm smile reassured, "It's just over there. That's dad's house." He took Kat's hands, "Come on," and led her to Dirk's house.

Kratos stood where he was. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that the woman in the Katz suit was Anna. He just had to find out how.