DISCLAIMER: I do not own Sword Art Online, anything related to Sword Art Online, or anything as cool as Sword Art Online, only the idea for this scenario/story.

Kirito's POV

"Kirito!"

In the darkness a voice was screaming at me. Slowly opening my eyes I caught a glimpse of something I thought I would never see again.

"Sugu…?"

Too shocked and exhausted to move, I continued to stare at her dumbstruck. Unconsciously I blinked and the face of my sister, back from reality, changed into the face of Asuna, the woman I loved.

"Kirito!"

I looked up at her seeing tears in her eyes, realizing the world I was in, and the face of my long lost sister was forgotten. Sitting up and groaning I peered around the cleared boss room and remembered my solo battle against The Gleam Eyes, and asked "how long was I out?"

Suguha's POV

It's been over two years since he left us. Two years ago he joined SAO and I never saw my brother, no, cousin, again. I make it through the day just to get to the hospital, just to see him. I've lost track of how many times I've simply walked in to his room, saw him lying on the gel bed, and simply burst in to tears. I would rush in, plant myself next to him, and just cry over his shoulder or abdomen, hoping to feel some sort of life coming from him to me. Something that told me he was safe and alive, that I would see him again.

Sometimes I charged in sobbing and I would be alone. Sometimes people were already sitting there. Neither was ever any comfort.

Once I was so absorbed and my vision so blurred that running to my regular chair I found myself tripping and landing on a relative who didn't know about my sudden moments of agony. People soon left that seat vacant knowing that sooner or later, I would show up, whether in tears or stoic.

When my head was clearer I would be able to talk to Kazuto. I would tell him about school, how my kendo competitions were going, and my experiences in ALO. When I decided to first try ALO I went to his room and asked him if he would join me. Once when finding out I would make it to the semifinals in Nationals and the first thing I did was go straight to the hospital to tell him. He never responded or praised me, but talking to him was enough. So even though he wasn't, he was always there for me.

While it didn't make me feel any better, I did enjoy being alone with him in comparison to trying to have a personal moment with someone as others looked on in pity. Sometimes I would just sit there, holding his bony fingers, and wish as hard as I could that he would open his eyes and hug me. Once in a fit of despair I climbed in the bed and held him close to me, crying in his shoulder, whimpering, or even screaming, for him to get up. It never happened but I had to try anything I could.

When I knew I would be alone with him for a while, I did try anything I thought of. I once had prepared his favorite food and wafted the smell into his nose, hoping to make his sense of smell override the evil machine strapped to his head. I read him joke books hoping that randomly he would burst out in laughter. Constantly I would pinch his face to see if anything happened. Once I covered his mouth and nose hoping the sense of shock from not breathing would snap him out of it. That last one earned me a hard reprimand from two nurses and my mother, but I had to do it. I would try anything.

At kendo one day I had just defeated my opponent and knocked him dizzy. After the match I had apologized to him in person for being so rough. I was not expecting his reply, "it's not a problem. Being able to see such a cute and if I may add, developed, girl would get me out of any daze anyway."

It was then that I realized I had already removed my gear and was a bit more feminine looking in my hakama compared to the usual thick padding.

What the kid said stuck to me though, and gave me an embarrassing idea.

After a week of pondering if it was even ethical or worth the embarrassment, I found myself in the hospital room alone, holding Kazuto's thin hand to my breast. I had to look away as I did it and for once, ironically, I hoped that he didn't wake up. I left soon after that in a stroke of embarrassment, unaware that at that exact moment, Kazuto was having a similar feeling on his side, only with a different woman.

But, the next day, I pushed my self-comfort even further, telling myself "it's for Onii-chan." Again I looked away as my hands found themselves moving towards his covered lower section. Feeling my face burn, I quickly tapped the area and then snapped my hand back feeling more awkward and embarrassed than I probably ever have. I wasn't sure if I was bothered or relieved by the fact that he didn't wake up, or at least react like a boy normally would.

Feeling stupid for attempting such ideas, I closed the door, climbed on his bed and, with tear filled eyes, started yelling his name, "Kazuto! Kazuto!" hoping to reach him somehow.