Genis stared dully at the bed in which Presea slept. Concern for her and confusion kept him from falling asleep or even leaving the room. Everyone else was walking around the town for fresh air and supplies. After he had wrapped his arms around his knees he buried his face. Questions bounced endlessly around his head. Why did her cruxis crystal react like this? Why isn't she better yet? Why is this happening to her? Why do her wounds reopen with any physical effort? Genis sighed, knowing he wouldn't get any answers until she was better. Faintly, Genis heard the sheets brushing together. He stood up and walked over to Presea's bed. She must have been turning onto her side, he thought.

"Genis," she mumbled, eyes closed. The silver-haired boy's attention was immediately caught.

"Yes?" he replied softly.

"You can't leave me alone...why can't we be together?" Presea murmured. Genis was confused and almost responded before he figured out she must be talking in her sleep.

"I'm not a monster...I love you...don't leave me," she said, louder this time. Presea sounded close to tears, and Genis didn't know whether to wake her up or let it pass.

"G..Genis! Come back! Don't leave me all alone again!" she shouted. Genis himself was extremely scared and knew this must be a terrible nightmare. He grabbed both of her shoulders and shook her harshly.

"Presea! Wake up!" he cried. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed, jolting upright in her bed and looking around frantically.

"Genis? Genis!" she yelled. He grabbed both sides of her face and forced her to look at him. Presea was shaking violently and her blue eyes were cloudy and full of fear. She was breathing heavy as well.

"I'm here, I'm here! Shh, it's okay," he cooed. Tears began to stream down her face, and she placed her hands on top of Genis'.

"Genis....it...it...it was...horrible!" she cried in between sobs. The mage released her face and she dropped her head to her knees, crying. Genis sat beside her with his legs dangling off the bed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Shh...shh...calm down. It was only a dream," he whispered in her ear. Her sobs reduced to hiccups and she lifted her face. Genis wiped away her tears and Presea sniffled, staring directly into his eyes.

"Tell me, what was your dream about?" he asked gently. She took a deep breath before beginning.

"Well...I was in a forest chopping trees like I used to before you guys returned me to my true self. Except this time, I was my true self, and you appeared. I called out your name, but you just stood there, emotionless. You told me....you told me we couldn't be together because I was a monster. A person who had been lost in time, a little girl with abnormal strength. Then...then you left, and I chased you and told you I loved you. However, I..I never found you, and you never came back," she finished, tears returning.

"Shh, don't cry, it was only a dream. It's not your fault you are this way, and if you hadn't been lost in time I would have never met you. Possibly it was fate. I would never leave you, Presea. I'm here right now at this moment, so just relax and let go of that nightmare," he said. Presea's tears gradually stopped flowing and she looked up at him.

"Thank you, Genis," she whispered sincerely. He kissed her gently, and she kissed back just as soft. They both broke it with no blushes or averted eyes, just sincere emotion. Genis moved his hand to her cruxis crystal that sat in between the base of her neck and chest.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, remembering her earlier episodes. She shook her head.

"Not as much as before. I can sit up now, see? Before it hurt very much. I think the medicine is starting to work," she told him.

"Good," Genis replied with a smile.

"Genis, I do not wish to return to sleep. Perhaps you could help me walk a little? Or at least let me see how much strength I have at the moment," she bargained. The half elf sighed.

"Alright," he agreed. Presea smiled and he hopped out of the bed, offering her his hand. She took it and put one foot on the ground. Genis held his breath, ready to catch her if she fell. Presea put the other foot on the ground and took a slightly unsteady step.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned. Presea nodded. She took step after step, until Genis finally let go of her.

"Does it hurt at all?" Genis prodded, hoping she would be honest.

"Not much, I will be okay. Where are the others?" she probed.

"Taking a walk around town," Genis said. She nodded.

"May we join them?" Presea asked, looking up to see his face.

"Sure," he shrugged. Grabbing her hand, they made their way to the door and met the rest of the group in the medicine shop. Colette's face lit up when she saw the two. The blonde ran away from Lloyd and left him utterly confused.

"Presea! I'm so happy you're okay!" she exclaimed. Forgetting that Presea is Presea, Colette wrapped her in a hug. Genis held his breath, knowing Presea was never hugged except by him. Colette, upon noticing the ax-girl's stiffness, started to pull back until Presea returned the hug.

"Thank you," she said after breaking the hug. Colette beamed, and the rest of the group came over.

"Are you sure you're okay? No pain, no aches?" Raine and Regal prodded.

"The pain is bearable, I will be alright. However, I have a suggestion. We should see Altessa to find out what went wrong with my crystal," she concluded. Altessa was the dwarf that had experimented on Presea and got that crystal on her. Lloyd nodded vigorously.

"Yeah! We need to know what's going on," he declared.

"To the rheairds!" Zelos chanted, pumping his fist in the air. Sheena rolled her eyes.

"How immature," she mumbled. Everyone got on their rheairds, but Genis insisted Presea ride with him in case of her pain returning. They secured a rope to her's so it could still come with them and they took off. Presea stood behind Genis and had her arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. She pressed her face to his back and relaxed, enjoying the exhilaration of flying. Genis could feel her clinging onto him tightly, and he smiled. I'm so lucky she's my girlfriend, he thought. When they finally reached Altessa's place, they found the dwarf sitting at the table with Tabatha, a robot in the body of a young woman with green hair woven in a long braid. Altessa must have been eating his supper.

"What brings you here?" the old dwarf grumbled.

"We have some questions about Presea's cruxis crystal. Something happened the other day," Raine told him. Altessa's eyes widened.

"Sit down, and tell me everything," he commanded.

"Well, on the way to Flanoir, Presea fell down in the snow screaming and writhing in pain. Her cruxis crystal turned black and was extremely hot, and gashes formed around it after a few minutes," Genis said, looking over at Presea. She winced at the memory, and Altessa's gaze shifted to her bandages.

"Presea...you are lucky to be alive," Altessa told her, and she turned her head up to look at him.

"What?" she asked, curious.

"Your crystal may have had a slight moment of rejection to your body. It is very rare and my research said almost impossible. However, here we are. Also, a victim of the crystal's rejection is lucky to be alive, it should have killed you," Altessa explained. Genis paled at hearing this.

"Will she be okay? Will it happen again?" he asked, scared for the answer. Presea, noticing the fear in his eyes, attached herself to his arm to reassure him.

"Presea should be fine. Whether it should happen again or not...I do not know. Fortunately, the chances of it happening again are about one percent, so I wouldn't worry much. If Presea's alright with it, I would like to take a look at her to make sure she's alright," he said, looking over at her. Genis looked into her eyes.

"You don't have to," he whispered so only she could hear.

"I need to," she replied, just as soft. Turning her attention back to the dwarf, she answered him.

"Alright."

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For those of you that don't play Tales of Symphonia, rheairds look like a small platform for them to stand on with handlebars, and two curved wings on the sides. They also have an exhaust on the back that glows. They fly these standing up, and if u google them I'm sure they'll come up. If someone could comment on how to post pictures I'll post one of Genis flying a rheaird or something. I know this chapter wasn't very long, but it took me forever to write so I'm just keeping it short:) Also, I'm going to thank you guys again for reading this story, and to please vote, comment, and fan! Love and darkness,

BE