Chapter 5:

A Mother's Strength

Disclaimer: don't own «Sword Art Online», just my OC's. All rights reverse to Dengeki Bunko and Reki Kawahara.

WARNING this chapter is was not an esay one to write. The next few ones won't be either. I even had I hard time trying to figure out the official script. I would suggest you'd get some tissues before reading. I am open to any critism or any suggestions any you readers wish to give me .

Friday May 2nd, 2025 «Dice Café» 4:30 p.m.

"We can finally have our party." Rika cheered after she got off the ladder to hang the pink streamers.

"Yeah thank God...we made it...in time...or else..." Keiko stopped talking after feeling light-headed from her balloon blowing activity.

"Here I'll take some." Keiko turned to Suguha.

"I hope this kendo breathing helps with balloons." Keiko teased.

"It was awesome that got blue ones, and writing and a pink marker. Thanks for the tip Kirito-kun." Asuna happily smiled at her boyfriend at the bar counter. She was taking care of a big table covered were colourfully wrapped boxes with a pink teddy bear sitting on the top. There was a chocolate cake with strawberries and whipped cream.

"Hey shouldn't Onee-san and Klein by here now?" Rika looked at her watch.

"I'm calling him right now." Kazuto took out his phone and started tapping the screen.

"Hey Klein, when are you and Onee-Sensei...What? I can't...calm down. Where are you? Okay...gotcha." Kazuto hanged up his phone. His body was starting to tremble. Why now? Why the fuck now? He gritted his teeth. His face was a mixture of terrified, anger, worried and disbelief. He felt all of his body stand up. His hands changed to shaking fists.

"Kirito-kun, what happened?" Asuna's worried tone made Kazuto flinched and cringe once more.

He turned his body but made to upper eye contact. "Onee-Sensei...is...is..."

The boy felt a strong hand against his shoulder and looked at the big bartender behind the wooden counter.

Kazuto still looking down, slowly inhaled and exhaled and began to move his lips, trying to blink away his tears. "Onee-Sensei is in...labour."

A moment of silence passed in the lovely decorated café.

Rising his head he looked at the expressions on his female comrades' faces'. All four of their excited faces turned into worried, upset and confused, with dilated eyes.

Rika raised her hands to her face and looked like was going to fall.

Keiko nodded her head in disbelief and took a small step back.

Asuna just stood with fists at thier side looking at the floor.

Suguha covered her mouth with trembling hands. "Onii-chan...where are...they?" Her scared, confused voice broke the very silence of the room.

«Tokyo General Hospital» 5:25p.m.

A woman helplessly scared out of mind lays on a gel bed wearing a hospital gown looking at a monitor with a moving, beeping lifeline, while holding the hand of a younger man in a cheap red bandanna with yellow stripes. "Ryo, I'm...I'm..." She tried to talk but her tears wouldn't let her. Klein gently stroked her face erasing the droplets of salty water.

There were two other women present in the hospital room. One woman had long dark green hair running passed her shoulders wearing a pink hat and nurse's uniform. The other one had in dark blue hair wrapped in bun, wearing a long white lab-coat.

"I managed to pull a few strings and got Fuko to be with you in case of a surgery." The doctor, Namie told the woman lying down on the bed in front of her.

"Everything will be alright. We promise, Rinrin." The surgical nurse took the cold hand of sweating woman.

A moment later, the sound of an electronic door slid open sideways, came rushing were five teenagers. Only four of them were wearing the same uniform. Each one of them had a very concerned look.

"You must be the students Koko's been telling us about. I'm very sorry but you have to wait outside until we get some news. I'll escort you out for now." Fuko led the bunch outside in the hallway.

"Rinrin-Onee-san is still in her 2nd trimester." Asuna said in a quiet voice.

"25 weeks and 5 days." Fuko laid her soft hand on the strawberry blonde's shoulder.

"Does this mean Yumeko-chan will be a micro-preemie?" Keiko whispered in fear.

The beautiful nurse nodded slowly to the statement. "You know, when she started seeing you. She's been really happy. I am very grateful to all of you for making her feel that way." She respectfully bowed to the group.

"If you need to thank someone, you should thank Onii-chan. He's the reason why we got to meet her." Suguha smiled at her cousin.

Namie came out of the room. The teenagers huddled around her hoping for some news. The doctor took a swift step back and sighed. "The next several hours may get critical. Right now, we are monitoring the fetal heart rate. Last time we checked her contractions were 40 minutes apart. This could go on overnight I'm afraid." Her words were stable but her eyes were scared.

"If something happens we may have to do an emergency c-section." She concluded leaving the people in front of her speechless.

"If you have permission, I can get some blankets and coffee." Fuko offered the group.

Within a moment's notice, a 2nd nurse with came out of the same room. "Sensei, the fetal heart rate is declining."

Namie flinched and turned her body to the second nurse at the door. "Alright prepare the patient for surgery." The doctor turned to the woman standing next to her. "Fuko come with me to the ER."

"Sensei, please help them both." Kazuto eye's were welling up bit.

Namie rubbed his head. "We'll do our best. This isn't my first time you know." She whispered. Both adults left within a blink of an eye.

6:30 p.m.

Klein came out of the room. His face was filled in disbelief. It was similar to the one he showed on the first day of «SAO». This...is for real. I don't believe it. His thought swirled around his mind.

He went over to his friends and sat down with them.

"Klein..." Kazuto moved his chair a little closer. The older gamer's gritted his teeth. Kazuto had seen this expression twice before. It was the time foolishly decided to solo kill «Nicholas the Renegade» to get the «rumored revival item». The other time was when he took «Heathcliff's» request.

"I love them." Klein murmured.

"I don't know much about love, but I know that Onee-Sensei really enjoys having you in her life. In fact, whenever she comes in contact. You're her go-to topic." The raven haired student patted his loyal friend's back.

Namie returned with her blue hair-bun under a cap. "We'll be starting shortly. Koko is getting two epidurals and going to the ER as we speak. She'll be under the affect for a while after her stitching. She said that she wants Klein-san to be with her."

She informed the group of six.

"Sensei, please be careful. They're both special to us." The girls and Kazuto chorused in unison, bowing respectfully. The woman in blue scrubs nodded deeply. She and Klein both left the waiting area.

Fuko came back with a folded piece of paper. "Koko wants you to read this." The nurse gave the note to Rika. "The surgery will take about an hour. If you need a snack, there is a set of vending machines down both hallway ends." She instructed before leaving again. The teens surrounded Rika as she unfolded the paper:

When you go home please thank your mother's for me.

Thanks to them my daughter has beautiful and strong

young women to look up too.

I will always be grateful for that.

A silent moment passed as they all joined hands and lowered their heads together, solemnly looking at the floor.

*MONTAGE*

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?"

"When she finds out about what I've done in the past. Do you think she'll forgive me?"

"This whole letter thing isn't as easy as I thought it it would be."

"I wonder how our relationship will be like when she she older."

"I'm scared that I might do something wrong with my parenting."

*MONTAGE END*

Thank you very much for reading! I hope you tune in to see the next chapter entitled "A Mother's Strength Part 2"! Please review if you want. I am open to any criticism you have for me. I am sorry if this chapter is a little shorter, but I have 2 projects due on Monday, that I am currently proofreading right now. Sorry if there any sloppy grammar or spelling mistakes.