Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or anything to do with it, they are property of Namco. Yes.

Chapter 19: Looking at the Stars

Everyone was asleep by the time they got back. The moon was high in the sky and the black sky was dotted with tiny stars. Lloyd walked silently, barely able to believe that his mother was really walking there beside him. Anna had her arm around her son's shoulder, as if to assure him that she would never leave him. Though they said nothing, they both silently agreed that they wouldn't tell anyone about Anna just yet.

They sat on the terrace together, staring up at the stars, enjoying each other's company. Lloyd was sitting with his head on Anna's shoulder and she was sitting with her hands in her lap. They sat in silence, not wanting to wake anyone. A few minutes later, however, Lloyd had fallen asleep, and Anna sat silently, peaceful and happy, something she had not felt in a long time. As she sat motionless, listening to the crickets and other insects, a sudden noise made her jump. Kratos came out of the house and sat beside her.

"I see he's found you." he said quietly. Anna smiled and said,

"Just like you knew he would." Kratos smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned toward him and laid Lloyd's head in her lap. "So now...I guess our family is back together again."

"Yes," Kratos agreed. Anna sighed.

"Finally...after so many years..." Kratos looked up at the sky and said,

"Do you remember when we took Lloyd out to that place in the forest to see the red stars?" Anna smiled and nodded.

"He was so amazed. He'd never seen red stars before." She looked down at her only son, who was sleeping peacefully with his head in her lap. She stroked his hair softly, as she did when he was a baby. "He asked me if the red stars were the campfires of angels," she said, chuckling. "Then he said all of the stars were fireflies that got stuck in the sky." Kratos smiled and nodded.

"Yes..He was amazed by the smallest of things." he said. "I guess some things never change." Anna stroked Lloyd's hair again.

"I never got to see him grown up...but he was raised well. He's grown into a good kid." she said. Then, changing the subject, she said

"I'm glad we were able to be a family again...before...before you have to go to Derris-Kharlan..." Kratos said nothing, so Anna continued. "I don't like the choice, but...you won't change your mind, and it is best for the world..."

"Yes." Kratos said. He then thought for a moment before saying, "Anna? Why were you regenerated?"

"The Twilight Crystal," Anna replied. "The gem Lloyd found and begged you to make into a necklace for me, when he was young."

"I see.." said Kratos. "But...why were you turned into the Key of the Twilight?"

"I don't know...but.." she said. "My body was regenerated in exchange for my memories. Without my mind, I was easy to manipulate, and was soon convinced that I had always been the Key of the Twilight."

"And when we first found you..why was it that you mentioned Mithos..?"

"He was behind all of it. He wanted me to be the Key of the Twilight, because then he could use me to make you do what he wanted. The Key of the Twilight's purpose is to make sure that the Great Seed cannot be awakened. As long as the Great Seed remained dormant, Martel could be revived, and the world would live in a perpetual twilight of sorts."

"I see.." Kratos murmured. "So he planned on Lloyd finding the crystal and being the Key of the Twilight originally, but he gave it to you, which made you the key, and that worked out even better.."

"Yeah.." Anna replied softly.

The Aurion family spent a couple more hours looking at the stars, until they carried Lloyd inside and went to bed.

A/N: Wow....my chapters are sooo shortt..sigh