Story of a lifetime

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia.

WARNING: SPOILERS!

A/NHere's chapter 5. Enjoy!

Italics - thoughts

Chapter 5: Hurt ----------

That night, Lloyd told Dirk everything about his parents, and especially, the stars. Dirk was amazed at the knowledge the little one had, considering his age. That's when Dirk realized he must really love the stars, cause he seemed very impatient and forgetful with everything else. Dirk smiled down on him as Lloyd pointed out several stars and told him their names. You're full of surprises aren't ye lad?

Lloyd looked up at Dirk, saw the grin and the corners of his mouth dropped. "What are you laughing about?" He asked Dirk with a bold tone. Dirk grinned and answered: "You sure know a lot about the stars, lad. Perhaps I oughtta teach ye some of my knowledge too."

The toddler's eyes grew big at these words. "Oooh, do you mean like, work with tools and make stuff?" He asked with a tinge of hope. Dirk nodded. "Sure do, lad. If ye'd like I'll teach ya when you're older." Lloyd jumped up and started dancing around. "That would be AWESOME Mr. Dirk!" He pulled Noishe's ears and crawled on his back, still jumping up and down. "Did you hear Noishy? Mr. Dirk is gonna learn me new stuffs! I'm so excited!" Noishe whined and tried to get the jumping child off, but it wouldn't work. Dirk looked at Lloyd, quite surprised. Then he looked at Noishe and asked: "Is he always that excited?" Noishe whined and nodded.

Dirk smiled. "Lad, it's been a long night. Maybe we should go to bed now." And after these words he lifted Lloyd from Noishe's back and brought him to his bed. After he tucked him in, he wanted to leave, but the child pulled his arms and looked at him pleadingly. "Please Mr. Dirk, can you sing me a song? My mommy always sang me songs and I can't sleep well without a song." Dirk stared at him and his mouth dropped. That boy is crazy. He cleared his throat. "Eh.. I don't know any songs, sorry lad. G'night." And with these words he walked off, hoping that would shush the toddler.

But it didn't. Lloyd's eyes became teary, and soon the sounds of his whining filled the room. Dirk turned around, saw the crying child, and sighed. "Aight lad, I'll sing ye a song, but only if you don't laugh kay?" Lloyd nodded, a serious look on his face.

Dirk cleared his throat, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Ehm… Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top.
Eh, when the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

Hmm, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall.

And down will come baby… Eh, cradle and all."

Dirk coughed and opened his eyes, only to find Lloyd on the verge of bursting out laughing. His cheeks turned a bright red, and he left the room, humiliated. Lloyd, on the other hand, had a great time laughing at Dirk's voice combined with a lullaby, and even Noishe, who was sleeping outside, heard his singing voice and couldn't help barking out cheerfully.

Dirk, sitting at the table with a glass of water, closed his eyes and grumbled. He had never felt that humiliated before. That brat has been way too spoiled for way too long. Suddenly Lloyd's head popped up in front of him, and Dirk fell off his chair, completely surprised by the toddler.

Lloyd smiled and crawled in front of Dirk, still smiling. "I'm sorry for laughing Mr. Dirk. I promise I won't do it again, if you tuck me in again. Please?" He said, with pleading eyes. Dirk looked at the child, and he couldn't help but forgive him. He smiled and answered: "Aight lad, now it's time for you to sleep, and NO MORE LULLABIES." Lloyd grinned and winked at Noishe, who was standing in the doorway. "Alright Mr. Dirk!"

So Dirk lead him upstairs and to his bed once again and tucked him in. Lloyd giggled as Dirk's beard touched his nose. "That tickles Mr. Dirk! How come you have hair on your face? Daddy didn't have hair." Dirk raised an eyebrow. "Yer dad didn't have eyebrows?" Lloyd gasped at him. "Eyebrows are made of hair? I didn't know that!" And he continued touching his eyebrows, amazed at the new information he had just gained.

Dirk looked at him with a smile on his face. It is quite the adorable lad sometimes. And then the toddler got tired, and fell asleep. Dirk mindlessly stroked his hair while looking at the stars outside, and sighed. I really hope yer dad will show up someday lad. I really do. After, he went downstairs and outside, looking at the stars while trying to memorize everything Lloyd told him. Finally, he got so sleepy he fell asleep while sitting outside, a soothing cool breeze blowing.

The next morning, Dirk was awakened by something white, hairy and wet on his face. When he realized what was going on he jumped up and yelled at Noishe, who had been licking his face. As he wiped the drool off his face, he walked inside cursing at Noishe, who ran after him barking loudly. Dirk turned around and glared at him. "Shush it! The lad is still sleeping ya know." Noishe cocked his head to one side and looked behind Dirk.

Lloyd, who had been sneaking up behind him, put a finger to his lips. "Sssssh." And suddenly he leapt on Dirk's back and grabbed his beard. "Good morning Mr. Dirk!" He laughed. Dirk walked around, struggling to get the little boy off his back, and fell flat on his face as he tripped over the platform. Lloyd laughed even harder and got off his back. "Mr. Dirk you're funny! Isn't he funny Noishy?" And he patted Noishe's head while standing next to him.

Dirk came upright and glared at the two, infuriated. "No more joking around here, lad! This ain't ya parents' place and I'm not ye parent! Now that they're gone ye'll hafta stick to MY rules." He yelled, with a much harder voice than he meant to. He mentally cursed at himself as the toddler's lower lip started trembling, and Noishe glared at him with so much fury. Dirk cast his eyes at the floor as he said: "Eh, I'm sorry lad. Didn't mean to be so rough on ye."

But Lloyd didn't even hear his words, he rushed outside on his little legs, supported by Noishe. "You're a mean dwarf! I hate you!" That last sentence hit Dirk harder than anything else. The child hated him, and yet it had looked at him with such friendliness. Dirk smacked his forehead. Argh, what have ye done now, you fool! He rushed after them, only to find Lloyd sitting at the creek with Noishe licking his face.

Noishe was licking away his tears. Dirk really wished he could control his temper now. Look what you did now! Ye made the poor boy cry, like he didn't suffer enough already! Get over ye pride already and go calm him down! Dirk shook his head. He hesitated as he walked to the two. What should I say? As he came closer Noishe looked up and glared at Dirk again, telling him through his eyes to leave them alone.

Dirk halted and looked right into those humanlike eyes, pleadingly. Please let me apologize! Noishe's look softened and he shook his head towards Lloyd, as if he were telling Dirk to come closer. So Dirk slowly approached the boy, who was still silently weeping. He put a hand on one of the shaking shoulders and his voice, filled with sorrow and grief, whispered: "I'm sorry lad. I shouldn't have told you off like that. I apologize, and promise it won't happen again. Will ye forgive me?"

Lloyd kept staring at the water, looking at his and Dirk's reflection. "Are daddy and mommy… ever coming back?" He asked, his voice trembling with insecurity. "Why did they leave me? Don't they love me…?" Dirk closed his eyes, trying to swallow down the upcoming tears. "They love ye more than anything else in the world lad. But they're not coming for ye for a while. Ye see.. your dad ehm… went to look for ye mom. Cause ya mom went into some sorta sleep, and she can't wake up… So your dad has to go find her in another world and wake her. And it takes a while to find her cause the other world is really big. But they'll come back."

Lloyd looked up at the sky and shivered. "But… I want them back now! I miss mommy and daddy. They promised me they wouldn't leave me alone. Why did they do it? They don't love me anymore, do they? Have I been a bad boy? I promise I'll be a good boy if they come back!" And he continued sobbing and talking to Noishe. "Noishy, can't you go find daddy and tell him to come back?" Noishe howled, and his head dropped, like he was apologizing.

Dirk thought it best to leave them alone for a while, and instead went to work on the gravestone he started making for Anna. He felt bad lying to the little fella, but he couldn't possibly tell him the truth without completely ripping the poor boy's life apart, could he? A tear fell down on the stone, and Dirk was surprised at seeing the little dark spot on the stone. He had cried. Dirk Irving had cried for the first time again in many years.

End ----------

A/N Well that was it pretty much. Couldn't think of anything else to write about. If you wanna see something feel free to drop a review and let me know. And it would be appreciated if you'd let me know what you think of it so far, Aka: REVIEW! xP

Lily Violet Oak: Hehe, thanks! I didn't think I'd continue this story either, but somehow I got hooked on ToS again. Glad you like it and I hope I'll be able to write a chapter at least once every few days.