Chapter 1

When he wakes

Jake woke up in the real world in a hospital bed. "I beat SAO." he said in a short raspy voice.

"Yeah you did." Came a female's short raspy voice that Jake recognized. It was coming from the bed next to him. He turned to see who was talking and was surprised at who he saw.

"Winter" he said.

"Weiss." was her response

"Are we back, Weiss?" Jake asked

"Yeah we are Jax." Weiss said.

"It's Jake." He heard another females voice. Jake smiled for he hasn't heard that voice in about two years. He looked on the other side of him to see his sister, Nicole.

"Hey Nicole." Jake said.

"Welcome back bro." Nicole said to him. "But before we can celebrate let me go get a nurse for you two."

"Thanks Nicole" Jake said. She ran off towards the front desk. "Hey, Weiss. Do you know if anyone's in the room with us?"

"Sorry, Jake." Weiss said.

"It's fine." Jake said and a nurse came in and helped them both sit up. Weiss looked like she did when she was Winter in SAO. Jake felt his black hair was longer. That was the only noticeable thing that he could identify about himself.

He looked around and noticed two curtains were closed as they were in a 5 bed room. "Who were in those two beds?" Jake asked.

As the nurse was about to answer, a crisp sort of raspy voice answered. "My niece Yang Xiao Long and her partner Blake Belladonna." He looked up and saw a man with messy black hurt, a gray shirt, black pants, black shoes and a red cape. He also carried a sword on his back. Also when he said those names Weiss's head went down.

"What's wrong Weiss?" Jake asked not knowing the true problem.

"That was Fire and Darkness." Weiss said

"Oh." Jake said as he turned to the man. "Sorry I couldn't protect them."

"You protected this one though." He pointed to the person's bed he was sitting next to. "My other niece Ruby Rose."

"Summer." Weiss said knowing Jake's next question.

"Nicole, help me walk over to her." Jake said.

"I'll do it." The man said. "My name is Qrow"

"Jake." Was all the crippled boy could say. Qrow helped him walk over to Ruby's bed. Ruby's eyes shot open.

"Can someone take this helmet off my head?" Were her first words.

"Nicole?" Jake asked. Nicole nodded went over and took the helmet off of Ruby's head.

"Jax, is that you?" Ruby said making Jake smile.

"It's Jake." Jake said and told Qrow to sit him down. "Ruby it's good to finally meet you." He turned to Weiss. "It's also good to finally meet you, Weiss."

"When can we go home?" Weiss asked the nurse.

"For Ruby it shouldn't take more than 2 weeks. But for you and Jake a month should do it." The nurse said.

"Hey Jake. You told us in SAO that you and your sister lived alone right? Why don't you move into our house after we get out of here?" Weiss asked.

"No, Jake and Nicole are moving in with me." Ruby said.

"Where's Rika?" Was his response.

"We don't have a patient by that name." The nurse said.

"Please see if other hospitals have her in them." Jake said.

"Of course. We'll bring food in for the three of you." The nurse said and she ran off but came back "What is the last name?"

"Shinozaki" Was Jake's response

"Alrighty then." The nurse said.

"So Qrow, if your Ruby's uncle where's her father?" Jake asked

"Taiyang is organizing two funerals." Qrow said.

"Weiss where is your family?" Jake said

"I don't know Jake." Weiss said. "Maybe they don't care about me to be here."

"I wouldn't say your full family is like that." Came a sterner seemed older voice. They looked and saw Weiss just older and stood straighter.

"Winter how good to see you." Qrow said.

"I'm just here to see my sister Qrow." Winter said

"Winter, what are you doing here?" Weiss asked

"I heard that SAO was beaten. I'm also to look for a boy that went by Jax. But I wanted to make sure you got out of the game safely first." Winter said

"Well you completed both your tasks." Weiss said motioning over to Jake.

As Winter was about to say something the nurse burst in and walked over to Jake. "I've got good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?"

"Let me guess. The good news is that you found Rika. The bad news is that she hasn't woken up yet."

"The good news is right. The bad news is that she refuses to see anybody before you. So you have to leave and go see her." The nurse said.

"Why is that bad news?" Jax asked

"Cause she won't even eat until she sees you're safe and sound." The nurse said.

"Fine I'll go." Jake said.

"Good." The nurse said. "We'll get you set up to be transported right away