Before I say anything, thank you so much to Crystal Katanmiri for your reviews. Bless you.

Well...this is my fourth update in the past few days. Just three more to go. It is my hope to reveive at least thirty five reviews before I can write the sequel. SO PLEASE REVEIW!!! But , I hope all who are reading but not reveiwing are enjoying my story too.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia.

Kratos smiled at Lloyd, who stood before him with a pair of tiny twin blade swords. "Good. Now…point one sword in front of you." The two year old did so, struggling to hold them up. "Now what do you do?"

Lloyd thought for a moment. "I don't tell mommy I'm playing with swords?"

Kratos bit back a laugh with difficulty. "What else?" Lloyd frowned, concentrating very hard for a child his age. Finally his face lit up in excitement. He turned his sword sideways and swung it to the left, bringing the other up so it was pointing at Kratos.

Kratos ruffled his hair. "Good job. You'll be as good as your mother soon!"

"Really?" Lloyd said, putting one of his swords on his shoulder, just the way Anna did. Kratos laughed and said "I promise. Now let's go inside before your mother wakes-"

"KRATOS AURION!"

Kratos froze and his face paled considerably. Lloyd, even at two years old, knew what that voice meant and he tried to hide his swords behind him. An extremely irate Anna marched across the yard surrounding their small hut on the very outskirts of Palmacosta. She stopped, her face two inches from Kratos's, hands on her hips. Her eyes shot flames and daggers and lightning at her husband, who gulped and said, "Anna, my love-"

"Don't give me that 'Anna, my love' crap," she snapped. "Why does Lloyd have swords?"

Kratos drew himself up and said confidently, "I know you were two when you started training as a Jalisa assassin. I would think-"

"Kratos!" she snapped. "Are we in Asilaj?"

"No."

"Is Lloyd being raised in a village of assassins?"

"No."

"What did I say about teaching him to fight before he was four?"

"No."

"Then would you explain to me WHY HE HAS SWORDS?!"

"Um…well dear…"

Anna drew her own swords and advanced on Kratos, who had picked up Lloyd and backed ten feet away from his furious wife. "Oh no. Lloyd, hang on. I think we made mommy very mad this time!" Kratos whipped out his angel wings and took flight, hovering just out of reach of Anna, who was leaping at him, trying to hit him.

"KRATOS YOU GET BACK HERE!!!" She screeched, pegging a sword at him, missing completely. She knew Kratos wouldn't be hurt or cause any harm to Lloyd. It made it much easier to try to hit him.

"Daddy?" Lloyd asked. "Is mommy going to chase you on Noishe with her swords again?" They boy grinned at the memory. Kratos gulped and paled at the memory.

"I don't think she can reach us," Kratos said, as Anna stomped off into the house. "I love you!" he called before the door slammed. He chuckled. "Well, Lloyd my boy…since mommy is mad at both of us…well mad at me, shall we fly around for a little bit?"

Lloyd smiled and climbed up onto his father's shoulders, holding onto his spiky hair. "Yay! Birdman! Birdman!" Kratos groaned at Lloyd's favorite nickname for him and took off, flying in circles around their house, holding onto Lloyd as the boy laughed and flapped his arm like a bird. Kratos laughed with his son. Suddenly, there was a cry of "UP!" from below, followed by a bark and something heavy attaching to Kratos's waist. He looked down at Anna who grinned triumphantly at him. "Do you really thing the leader of Jalisa is easily defeated?" She tilted her head to one side and smirked confidently.

Kratos grinned back. "You're forgetting one thing, love." Anna looked up at him curiously. "I'm Kratos Aurion, paired with my brilliant and strong son, Lloyd Aurion. Lloyd?" he said, looking up at his son. "Do you want to go higher and faster?"

"Kratos!" Anna pleaded. "Don't you dare-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Anna screamed as Kratos shot off, holding Lloyd tightly and rising higher into the air. Lloyd and Kratos laughed loudly over Anna's shrieks.

"Daddy?" Lloyd said from atop Kratos's shoulders. "How many stars are there?"

Kratos looked up. "More than you can count in your entire life, my son."

"Wow," Lloyd said. "Even in you and mommy's entire life?"

Kratos chuckled. "Yes. Even in my and mommy's entire life." Although if I had started when I was twenty eight, I might have counted them all by now. A streak of light raced across the sky and Kratos pointed upward. "Did you see Lloyd? A shooting star. Make a wish."

Lloyd frowned for a moment, as he always did when he was thinking. "I wish I could be a good fighter."

Kratos smiled. Spoken like a true son of Anna. And me too, I suppose. "You will some day. But not now because your mother will have a fit."

"And don't you forget it," Anna said, joining her family on the porch. She put her arm around Kratos's waist and gazed upward, enjoying the brief moment of peace. Above her head, Lloyd yawned. "Bed time, little mister."

"Do I have to?" Lloyd asked. Kratos laughed. Lloyd had inherited his father's dislike of sleep.

"Yes you do," Kratos said, carry Lloyd back inside and putting him in his bed. "You want to grow up to be a big, strong fighter don't you?"

Lloyd nodded, nearly asleep. "I wanna be as strong as you Daddy," he said, clutching his teddy bear. "But I wanna be fast like mommy. That way, I can chase you around like she does."

Anna smiled and kissed Lloyd's cheek "You will be, sweetie. You will be."

Kratos kissed the boy's forehead. "We love you, little one." Kratos and Anna turned out the light and closed the door.

Anna looked at Kratos. "Well…" she said heavily. "I finished the packing today. Did you get supplies from town?"

"Yes," Kratos said. "I think we're going into Tethe'alla this time. Maybe somewhere near Ozette. It's quiet."

""We thought that about Iselia," Anna muttered.

"True…maybe we could try Flanoir again," Kratos said. "It is unlikely that they will search the same place twice."

"I suppose," Anna mumbled, looking down out the ground. She gripped the locket in her hands and sighed.

"Anna, love?" Kratos said, walking towards her. "What is it?"

Anna stood up and shook her heads, smiling. "Nothing. Just a bit tired is all." She faked a yawn. "I think I'll go to bed." She turned and walked into their bedroom, closing the door behind her. Kratos sighed and looked around the room. It was completely bear. In a few hours, no one would know that a family had resided there for almost two months.

If it weren't for me…Anna would be happily leading Asilaj, free from the exsphere which is now paining her, despite her efforts to hide it. Maybe if I left…she would be free…

Kratos shook his head, knowing what Anna would say about that. He had tried it countless times before. He stood and followed Anna into their room. She sat on the bed, cradling one of her silver armor plates in her hands. She only wore them if they were on the road. Kratos sat behind her and rested his chin on her shoulders, kissing her on the cheek. Anna sighed and almost smiled. "I was thinking about the time we first met. You remember?"

"When I helped save Denise from the Nimora poison?" Kratos asked, but Anna shook her head.

"No before. When we met in Iselia."

"Ah," Kratos said smiling. "Where you rushed carelessly into the fight and I saved you…though I knew you would have done ok on your own." He chuckled.

Anna nodded. "The minute I looked at you…I wanted to kill you. I hated you and what you said as you walked away. I sent people looking for you so I could kill you, all the while tormented by my parents death. Then you saved Denise. And I realized if I was ever going to lead Asilaj…I had better live in the now, not in the past." She smiled. "Then…the Trial…I watched you from that balcony…and you were holding back the entire time…I knew it then, even though I didn't know you were an angel. And when you fought me…I decided to throw everything I had into it, forcing you to step up a bit. But you still held back."

"Yes," Kratos agreed. "Had I fought with my angelic powers, I would have killed you all."

Anna was silent for a while, then she stood. "Kratos…will you fight me again? Now?"

Kratos looked startled. "Anna, considering your condition with the exsphere, I don't think-"

"Don't tell me I shouldn't fight," Anna said firmly. "I was born to do so. In spite of this wretched object, I wanted to live my life the same as always. But since I can't stay in Asilaj, I at least want to be able to fight. You held back before, thereby disgracing me as leader. We are both tied to Asilaj, you know that. In or out."

"Anna, I don't think-"

"Kratos Aurion," Anna said, the ancient challenge coming to her lips as she smiled recklessly. "I Anna Aurion, descendant of Jamison, leader of Asilaj, challenge you. I want satisfaction for disgrace made unto me in the Trial of the Jalisa."

"Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Did you actually think that would work?" Anna sighed.

"It was worth a shot," Anna said. She looked down and bit her lip. When she looked back up, a devious grin lit up her face and Kratos felt his heart start to race. "How about…this!" she cried. She jumped on him, pushing him down on the bed and started kissing him senseless.

"Ok…" Kratos panted when she pulled away. He looked at her, her eyes bright with excitement and her cheeks rosy. Anna started to get up, but Kratos seized her wrist, grinning suggestively. "Can't we finish up here, love?" He kissed her hard.

Anna smiled and leaned in slowly, brushing his lips with hers, "Only if you can beat me…" she whispered.

"No magic," Kratos warned. He tried not to laugh at Anna's outraged expression. "I'd kill you with one Judgment attack."

"Fine," Anna grumbled. "But that means I can use acrobatics. So can you. But no wings." Kratos nodded and unsheathed his sword.

"I'm not going to hold back this time," Anna said raising her swords in the block position.

"I know," Kratos replied. "I won't either."

There was a pause as the wind rushed through the trees. Anna stared at Kratos, who stared right back. Suddenly they both ran at each other, Kratos running impossibly fast, but Anna was ready. Kratos swung swiftly, but Anna had already dodged to the side and scored a scratch along his purple-clad arm. Kratos pivoted and struck out with a foot, connecting solidly with Anna's leg. She faltered, hunched over and Kratos lunged, hoping to tap her cheek and end the duel. Anna brought one of her blades up and locked her hilt with Kratos's. She assaulted him with a series of small stabs with her other blade, each of which, he dodged while trying to free his hilt. He didn't actually want to hurt her. Seeing an opening, he turned into Anna's body, griped their locked hilts, and flipped her over his hip. She landed on her back and brought her swords up, just in time to block Kratos's kick. She swung one leg out and tripped him, surging to her feet and kicking his sword from his hand. Kratos jumped up before her kick could connect with his cheek and dove for his sword. Anna caught him swiftly in the back with a sword hilt, sending him face down on the ground. He rolled onto his back, trying to will air into his lungs. Despite his angelic form, her hit was enough to knock him breathless. As he choked Anna drove her foot towards his neck, but he blocked it, crossing his arms. For a moment they struggled. Then Kratos pushed, causing her to fall. He scooped up his sword, and heard her blades slicing through the air, towards him. He turned and swung up powerfully, causing both his sword and Anna's to fly through the air. Kratos seized Anna's wrist, and twisted it up and behind her, drawing a dagger from his belt and touching it to his neck…only to find that one touched his at the exact same moment. The duel was over.

Kratos let go of Anna's arm and spun her around, kissing her hard. "I love you, my fearsome warrior." But Anna did not respond. Suddenly he felt her stiffen and her eyes closed peacefully as her head drooped. "Anna?" Kratos said, his nerves igniting with fear. Suddenly, Anna pushed him away. Hard. Much harder than she was capable of. She fell to her knees, clutching the hand with the exsphere in it, which flickered with a blue light. Anna let out a high pitched scream and collapsed on the ground.

"Anna!" Kratos whispered in horror, running to her side and picking her up. She was breathing heavily, her face screwed up in pain and exhaustion. She opened her eyes and stared up at Kratos, smiling slightly.

"Well," she said, wiping sweat off her brow, "It was worth the pain. I nearly beat you…but you're better than me after all."

"Worth the pain?" Kratos replied, his voice low and dangerous. "Anna, you could have been in serious danger from that thing. And all you care about is-"

"Living my life the way I was supposed to," she interrupted. She jumped out of his arms and turned to face him. "Kratos, please. This thing has already taken my home from me. Don't let it take my sword from me."

"What about your family?" Kratos snapped. "Have you thought about that? What if the thing kills you because your caught up in some silly fight?" Anna looked shocked and bit her lip, gripping the locket very tightly.

"I know," she whispered. "I know I need to be here for Lloyd," she sighed. "But I couldn't face my son knowing I hadn't done this. I couldn't teach my son to fight, knowing that I had held back from a worth opponent in battle. I won't do it again Kratos. I promise. But I had to do this now…in case I'm not here later… In case I'm no longer with you and Lloyd."

Kratos's heart pounded. Everyday…Anna died a little bit more and he never fully understood that until then. He had denied for as long as he could, just as he had denied his conscience and helped Mithos. Now he reaped his rewards. Kratos took Anna in his arms and stroked her hair. "That will never happen, Anna, Never." He looked up at the stars, gazing at the sky where Derris-Kharlan drifted out of sight. "I think it's time we return to Asilaj." I can save her life. I know I can. But I'll be damned if we run another step. Kvar…Mithos …do your worst for I swear you will meet your downfall.

begs REVEIW PLEASE!