Chapter 3

Bear winced as the nurses around him glared. "Mr. Sakuma do be quiet, the patients are trying to sleep." Embarrassed, he went to help pick up the trashcan he knocked over. Noticing that this man was truly worried for his daughter one of the older nurses took him by the arm and guided Ryo to the seats along the hallway. Mimiru looked up from the magazine she was reading, a bemused look upon her face. "You don't have to worry about Tsukasa, trust me."

Something in her voice told Bear that something was up. He turned to the nurse next to him and apologized. "I am sorry for disturbing anyone, I just wanted to make sure my daughter was alright." The older woman's face softened slightly then she nodded. "Just stay here for a little longer Mr. Sakuma. The doctor will be here for you shortly." With that she left him alone with Mimiru, who was trying to avoid looking at Ryo by staring intently at the magazine. Smiling to himself, Bear walked over to her. "You were saying something about Tsukasa and Subaru?"

Sighing Mimiru put down the magazine. "You're too wise for your own good old man, and besides I get one more guess." Bear was slightly puzzled for a moment then the realization dawned on him. Grinning he sat down next to her and said, "Well, what do you think I do for a living?"

She was about to reply when someone walked up to both of them. "Still asking questions I see." Bear looks up in shock as tall, beautiful woman smiles down at them. Her green eyes sparkle with amusement as Mimiru's mouth opens in surprise. "Your BT?" The obvious disbelief in the heavy blade's voice causes BT to laugh. "You were expecting a old hag then?" Smiling slightly the black haired woman turns her attention back to Ryo. "What's this I hear about you and Tsukasa? Did you really adopt her?"

Meanwhile back in the patient's quarters:

Tsukasa relaxed as she heard Bear's voice beyond the doorway. Subaru grinned and rested her head on Tsukasa's shoulder and started to laugh quietly, brown eyes filling with tears from the hilarity of it all. "He's worse than Silver Knight in some ways." Mariko then sighed wrapped her arms around Tsukasa's waist. Blushing, the former wavemaster replied in her best impression of him, " Lady Subaru, you must be very careful. I don't know what I'd do with myself if I didn't have you to rely on. For I have no life!"

Tsukasa laughed when Mariko looked up from her shoulder with slight shock in her brown orbs. Blushing even darker Tsukasa tried to look away when gentle fingers cupped her chin. Slowly she looked back at Subaru and said, "Did I do something wrong?" The uncertainty in those gray eyes went strait to Mariko's heart. Finally she replied "No, I'm just glad that you are here with me. No one else seemed to care but you were different. I felt that I could open up to you." Even in the darkness of the room Tsukasa could see how much that statement meant to the former lady of the Crimson Knights. What it cost Subaru to utter them.

With those words spoken Tsukasa felt a barrier lift around her heart. "I love you Mariko. If it wasn't for you I'd still be stuck in that ludicrous game, never knowing what true friendship meant or how to care about others. All I could see in people was their ability to cause pain and suffering before you came into my life. I never thought I would be able to face my world again. Now that you are here I feel content for once, this place is home to me now."

"Tsukasa."

Suddenly the exhausted patient yawned and felt her eyes begin to droop. Seeing this Subaru snuggled into Tsukasa's neck again. The both of them fell asleep a short time later, intertwined in each other's arms.

---Within the World---

Aura traveled along the ash filled path of her former prison. The bed was nothing but a warn out carcass. The wooden posters on each corner disintegrated at the slightest touch. Even the teddy bear Tsukasa had ripped apart after his beating faded into nothingness. Crystalline blue eyes search the skies above for her enemy. Even now Aura could still feel Sora's tortured tries emanating from Skieth's staff. The twin blade's condition had worsened with each passing day. His consciousness was fighting Morganna's will at every moment. (AN: Morganna is the name of the AI that kept Tsukasa caged inside the game though out Sign)

"I must get a message to Tsukasa, he will help me."

*Silly girl, you think that pathetic individual of a human can help you? * Aura gasped and warped away at the sound of Morganna's voice.

*Skeith do not fail me again, I want her brought to me. * The first Phase faded in and placed his red staff into the ground around the remains of the bed. His white armor blazed in the moonlight. Slowly pale green arms sprouted out of the earth, beastly red eyes glowed in the darkness. From within the staff Sora screamed in pain as the energies flowed around and animated the viruses held within the server.

*Nooooooooooo, mommy help me! * The twin blade's childlike voice was filled with terror as Morganna's minions went forth to hunt Aura.

(AN: Sora is a 10yr old kid in real life.)

---End World sequence---

One week later: Mimiru and Subaru were taking the train to help Tsukasa move into her dorm room at the boarding school Bear enrolled her in. Mimiru looked at her companion for a moment and thought, "What happened with those two at the hospital anyway?" As if sensing someone watching her Subaru looks up at Mimiru and says "Something bothering you?"

Looking down at Mariko nervously, the normally cheerful heavy blade grins slightly and shakes her head.

Many thought Mimiru oblivious to the environment around her but she could see the blossoming relationship between Subaru and Tsukasa, it wasn't totally apparent to a stranger but she could see it. The way that they acted provided all the proof the heavy blade could ever need. * I thought that Silver Knight was extremely protective of Subaru, well he's never seen Tsukasa in action then. * Just thinking about it brought a grin to Mimiru's face.

"What are you so happy about Mimiru?"

Laughing she replied, " Just thinking about what happened at the mall 2 days ago."

A bright shade of crimson appeared on Mariko's cheeks and she laughed ever so slightly. Just thinking about it made her aware of how deeply Tsukasa's love for her went.

Next Chapter: the great mall incident. **Winks** Hope you like what happens next.

Silver Knight: That wavemaster has my Subaru! NOOOOOOO. * He curls up into a ball and weeps. *