(Kirito's POV)

We walk back from a long stand off, and they got away yet again.

But what haunted me is Ken smirked before they did.

"We didn't leave without doing some damage,".

Hikari then used her fog ability on us by blowing a kiss. I turn to my friends by my side, all alive. But it haunts me. What did he mean by that?

We saw the house in sight, now I'm wondering how long has it been now? A couple hours since we trapped in here.

I hope Shino's body is found in the real world. Last time this happened they all located the players bodies. Would Shino be found.

So many things occupied my mind, making me worry.

"Why look so glum? We got out alive," Klein patted my back.

"But we're stuck in a death trap again," I mumbled. Klein sighed.

"We'll come out alive again," Silica reassured. Asuna and Lisbeth gave me a reassuring nod.

"Guessing Suguha didn't log in, that's a relief," I said.

We walked up the porch and about to open the door, until we heard sobs on the other side.

Shino.

We rushed inside to see Sinon hold Yui in her arms, wrapped around a blanket.

"What's wrong?" I kneeled in front of them. Sinon shook her head vigorously.

"It's Yui. She's-she's," she stumbled on her words, unable to finish her sentence.

"Yui," Asuna rushed towards her. Sinon respectively handed Yui to Asuna.

"What happened?" Asuna growled, catching Sinon by alarm.

"I don't know," She mumbled.

"You were supposed to take care of her!" Asuna snapped, obviously upset. Sinon simply glared at her, although her eyes looked sorrowful.

"It happened out if the blue," Sinon whispered, sounding like she was losing her voice.

"Asuna, I'm sure its not her fault," I said in a calm tone. Asuna was about to reply angrily until Yui mumbled.

"Mama?" She said weakly, her body going back and forth from her normal appearance to being pixelated.

"Yes?" She asked, bringing her closer.

"Can you please put me in bed?" She pleaded.

"Sure Yui," Asuna almost choked on her tears, taking Yui to the bedroom that used to be ours. A room I haven't visited in a while.

"Go," Sinon mumbled, wiping her tears away, now putting on a brave face.

"Go to them. They need you," she said. I nodded.

"Thank you," I said, before entering the room.

•••

I entered the room and saw Yui's little body get distorted into fragments of pixels.

"Oh Yui," I almost choked on my tears. I kneeled down next to Asuna, facing Yui, wrapped in a blanket.

"I'm sorry Papa. I shouldn't have taken any think from a stranger," she mumbled.

"A stranger?" We asked.

"That bad blue man," she whispered. Ken.

"What happened baby?" Asuna even didnt know. And she was there first.

"He handed me a beautiful sapphire rose that sparkled really pretty like. It was like it was glowing, shimmering," she described the rose.

"But when he handed it to me, a thorn got stuck in my finger, and it hurt really bad, and I dropped the rose. That's when mama came out of the house," Yui explained. Asuna his herself in her folded arms, kneeling in front if the bed.

"It wasn't Sinon's fault, it was mine," she cried, sounding muffled. Yui rubbed the top of her head.

"He was just being a distraction, and when we would come back, we'd find you like this," I said, feeling a mixture of feelings to strike me. Anger. Sorrow. And guilt.

"Its no ones fault but mine," she whispered.

"No no baby, you didn't know," Asuna lifted her head, holding her hand.

"And neither did any of you," she smiled reassuringly.

"Tell everyone its okay. Tell Sinonononon she couldn't do anything to stop it. And," she paused, before her body got even more distorted.

"I love you, mama. Papa. I really love-" she said before she dispersed into many colorful pixels. Asuna desperate tried to grasp them in her hand, but failing. That's when she gave out a loud cry. She instantly rushed into my arms, and I tried to comfort her, although I felt pretty horrible too. But I couldn't show it. I shouldn't. Asuna. She needs a rock. Someone to be strong. Couple or not, I knew that role still applied to me. Yet I feel like crying just as loud, and I felt just as bad. But I didn't dare show it.

•••

(Sinon's POV)

I saw him rush into the room. And I don't know why it pained me to. He's going because of Yui. And I know Asuna was only like that to me because of Yui.

I know that. But why does my heart ache a little. I'm selfish. I'm horrible. Horrid.

Even though I have what I want, I still envy that. What those three had. Family.

But now, now that Yui's like that. I hate myself for even envying that. For even almost hating. I must be so horrible. A monster. But it comforts me to know this hurts. Because deep down I know this isn't what I wanted. I love Yui. I love Asuna. I love Kazuto more than anything in the world. And I wouldn't have wanted this to happen. Even if I felt a bit envious, I wouldn't for this. And that comforted me. I wasn't a complete monster.

I felt a warm firm hand gently land on my shoulder, and the other wiping the tears from my cheek.

I didn't even notice my eyes were filled with tears that fogged my vision, but I knew for sure it was Silica and Lisbeth, with Klein behind them. I knew because I saw a blur of pink, brown and red. Who else could those three be?

"It's going to be okay," Silica reassured, making sure to get every tear threatening to drop from my cheek.

Lisbeth gave me a sweet smile, that honestly I haven't seen in a while.

"None of this, its not your fault," Klein mumbled, suddenly followed by a distinct cry from the other room, and it belonged to the sorrowful Asuna's.

I shook my head. I should've just went to look for them. I shouldn't have listened to Yui.

I walk away from the three, and hide away in the only room I felt familiar in. The blue room with the nice big, soft bed. I wanted to hide away, from all of this. I get under the blankets and my body got into a ball.

I heard the door slowly creak open, and creak close.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. I knew who it was. It couldn't have been Asuna. She's too upset.

I sat up and peek my head from the blankets to see him at the feet of the bed.

I felt guilt overwhelm me. I take off the blanket from me and patted my hand on the bed.

"Come here," I whispered, and he did what he was told, taking the place next to me.

"Yui's gone," he mumbled. I could feel his voice giving out.

I take the blanket and wrapped it around us.

"I know," I replied, my voice was evident I was crying. He stayed silent.

"Its okay if you're not fine," I mumbled the familiar words he spoke to me. He nodded, and his eyes turned to me.

The eyes are the window to the soul. Because looking right in them, I saw everything he was feeling. Anger. Sorrow. Guilt. All in a dangerous mixture.

That's when I saw tears actually fight through, and finally escape, rolling down his cheeks.

I wrapped my arm around him, and he rested his head on my shoulder. I heard him quietly sob.

"Oh Don't let your heart feel blue
Let me hold you
Oh Don't let your heart break
Let me fix you
Oh Don't let your heart feel pain
Let me sooth you
Oh Don't let your heart be afraid

Don't be scared oh
Don't you cry
I'll be here to sing this lullaby
And Don't you fret
Oh Don't you sigh
I'll be here by your side
I'll be here to hold you"

I sang softly as best as I could. I wasn't the best singer, but my voice resembles my mothers. I was glad it did, because it was soothing. It was nice to hear. I looked towards him and saw he had calmed down a bit.

His breathing slowed down, he wasn't sobbing, although I still saw tears threatening to escape.

"What was that?" He asked, almost child like. I smiled, I saw the same expression I made when I first heard the lullaby, on his face. Relaxed. Comforted. Not feeling so alone. This is what I saw in his eyes.

"A lullaby. My mom's lullaby she used to sing to me, with a few alterations on my part," I mumbled.

"I liked it. A lot," he said in a hushed tone. I blushed.

"Its not just her lullaby anymore, its yours," he responded. I made it my own...

"She used to sing it to me when I couldn't sleep. Or when I had a bad nightmare," I paused, a not hesitant.

"Or when my dad died," I mumbled. He held my hand. I shook my head.

"I can't pretend I know how it feels like right now, for you, after you lost Yui. But I can say I know what its like to lose someone of great importance. And I'm not just talking about my dad," I said, squeezing his hand, referring to my mom. I think he knew that.

"Kazuto, I am so very sorry," I felt my voice tremble and my eyes began to get foggy. Despite what he's been through he wiped my tears away and I returned the favor.

He stared at me for the longest time, and took my lips with his, feeling the warmth I missed that came from his lips, that I yearned for. I never knew how bad, and how much I needed it after the horrific day we've had. And I had a hunch he felt the exact same way.

I felt something moist part my lips and explore inside my mouth, and surely I knew it was his tongue. This was all new to me, I could tell the heat in my cheeks got hotter, and my body did too. It was a all new sensation, and I'd didn't hate it. It was opposite actually. And I wanted more. Although I knew it wasn't right. Not after Yui... left.

As if he read my mind, he slowly, pulled away, almost reluctantly.

"Can you sing the lullaby again?" He pleaded, pulling me closer to him, so he could hear better.

"Of course," I mumbled, still affected by the heated kiss, out of breath, face flushed. He took note of that and I saw a small mischievous smile took over his lips. Although I knew he was still sad, angry, and guilty. I saw happiness. I saw hope.

Now laying down, we were sharing a pillow, that's how close we were. And it made my heart go crazy. But despite that, I opened my lips and started to sing the harmonious tune known as my lullaby.

"Oh Don't let your heart feel blue
Let me hold you
Oh Don't let your heart break
Let me fix you
Oh Don't let your heart feel pain
Just let me sooth you
Oh Don't let your heart be afraid
Let me hold you

Don't be scared oh
Don't you cry
I'll be here to sing you this lullaby
And Don't you fret
Don't you sigh
I'll be here by your side
I'll be here to hold you"

I sang. The room was filled with the echoes of my song, that played over and over again throughout the night, with Kazuto listening intently. It felt as if it filled the house, because the atmosphere seemed to quiet down, and didn't feel so sorrowful as it did before. I hope this reached them.

With the lullaby echoing in the room, we stayed all night like this, until he finally rested his sore tearful eyes, and his breathing was relaxed.

Goodnight Kazuto. I'll put you back together. So you don't be so broken anymore.

•••

Authors note: Yeah I like Yui so this was a hard decision to make. But it brought them closer together then they have ever been before. I'm glad I brought back the lullaby from the chapter Visitation.

I don't know if anyone noticed but this chapter was like twice as long as my usual "lengthy" chapters so I'm quite satisfied by that.

Anyway let me know what you think of the chapter.

A moment of silence for the beloved Yui......

To be continued.

Until next time.

-InGameProdigy