Kirito pulled back from Asuna and opened his eyes. He still couldn't believe it. She was finally here. Finally safe. He had done it.

"Kirito, will you open the window? I want to feel a real breeze again," Asuna asked softly.

"Are you sure? Your body isn't as strong as it used to be. You could easily catch a cold," Kirito replied worriedly.

"You can lie here next to me and keep me from getting too cold," she smiled, sensing his worry since she couldn't quite hear what he was saying yet, due to side effects of the NerveGear.

"Ok then. Just for a little while though," Kirito conceded. He got up off the bed and walked around her bed to the window. Outside, snow was still falling gently in the silent night. As he opened the window, a cold winter breeze filled the room, causing Asuna to shiver in her thin hospital gown. Seeing her in discomfort, Kirito took off his coat and draped it around her thin, frail shoulders. She smiled at him and pulled the coat tight around her, nuzzling into it.

"It even smells like you, Kirito." When she looked up at him, her gaze drifted to his arm and her expression changed to shock and deep concern. "Oh my gosh! What happened to your arm!?"

Kirito looked down at the gash where Suguo had cut him with a knife during their fight in the parking lot. "It's nothing, I promise," he smiled reassuringly, but was unable to hide his wince when Asuna reached out and touched the cut. Her fingers were dark with blood in the pale moonlight when she pulled her hand back.

"Kirito, you have to take care of that!" she said, her voice filled with worry. Kirito couldn't help but smile at the beautiful girl in front of him and how her first thoughts were always caring for him in one way or another. Then again, after all that they had been through together over the past few years, he knew he would be crazy to expect anything less from his partner.

"I think I saw a cart with some bandages on it in the room next door. I'll be right back, ok?" he looked into her eyes, trying to reassure her any way he could to make up for her hearing loss.

"You'll be right back, won't you?" Asuna asked. Kirito nodded quickly and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. He got off the bed again, causing it to squeak softly in the quiet night and went to the next room. He found the cart there and found it had everything he needed. He took off his shirt to better access the wound and opened an alcohol swab. Healing himself in real life was more complicated that simply drinking a potion in SAO, but was still easily in his range of expertise. He cleaned the cut and dressed it with a gauze pad, holding it in place with medical tape. Between the adrenaline from his encounter with Suguo and his happiness at Asuna being awake, he felt no pain during the process. Satisfied with his work, he pulled his shirt on over his head and went back into Asuna's room.

The air in the room was now frigid and a small pile of soft snow had begun to pile on the windowsill, but Asuna still sat up waiting for him, still wrapped in his heavy coat. Kirito went to the window and looked down into the parking lot. Even from this high up, he could still see Suguo's form lying still beside the van where Kirito had left him. But the demon was beaten. He didn't matter anymore now that he had his Asuna back. Shaking his head, Kirito closed the window and sat on the side of Asuna's bed, feeling the soft mattress give slightly under his weight.

"Come here, Kirito," she whispered, patting the bed beside her, "Please keep me warm tonight." Slowly, Asuna slowly moved to one side of the bed until Kirito had enough room to lay down beside her. He reached over to the chair next to her bed and took the blanket, laying it over them both as he lay down. He put his arm around Asuna and pulled her close to him. As she laid her head on his chest, she whispered, "I know you'll always be there to protect me."

"Of course. Because I love you, Asuna," Kirito whispered back.

She lifted her head, smiled and looked in his eyes as hers filled with tears. "I heard you."