This Isn’t Goodbye

The car came for Asuna to take her to the jet that would take her and Kirito to New York City. She watched out the window as the lights of Tokyo sped past her hoping it wouldn't be too long before she saw them again.

When Kirito, Suguha, and their mother pulled up just moments after Asuna's car drove off. "So, I guess this is where we say goodbye." Kirito said while staring out at the hanger.

Suguha huffed with crosses arms behind Kirito. They all exited the car to be greeted by a young man. "Hello, I'll collect your bags Mr. Kirigaya." The young man smiled as he was handed the duffle bags and placing them on his cart and toward the hanger to load them into the plane.

Kirito was surprised by the sudden hug from his little sister. "Listen dummy, don't do anything stupid and come back soon."

And with that she quickly got into the car to wipe her tears.

He stood there for a minute with his mom as a gust of wind blew past them. "I believe in you two. We'll be sending you soon and finally celebrating your marriage." She looked at him with a closed eyed smile.

"Thanks mom—" he looked back at her for a moment. Memories of his child with her flashing before his eyes. "For everything." He said as he pulled her into a hug.

Asuna had been escorted into a waiting room that had windows looking in at where the large black private jet was waiting for its passengers. A lady asked if she could get her something and she just wanted some cold water.

Kirito caught the woman just outside the door and offered to take the water bottle to his fiancé. When he came in and saw her standing by the window he felt a small amount of relief. He notice she had changed into a pair of grey leggings and a white long sleeve tunic with cut out shoulders and her hair was up in a messy bun.

"Did someone order bottled water?" He teased as he held it out in front of her focused gaze. Her eyes didn't leave the jet as she took the water and thanked him.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked desperately wishing he would look at him. She didn't even respond though. "Asuna?" He asked getting concerned. Whenever she zoned out his heart froze with fear ever since Ordinal Scale.

"Huh?" She said before finally looking to him. "Sorry. I think I'm just really tired." She leaned over to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Knowing that she was okay he finally looked out at the plane. "Wait. No way!" His face was glued to the glass as a some drool started to fall from the corner of his mouth. "That's our plane! That's the Lineage 1000E: the Kyoto Airship!" His fingers were dancing on the glass in excitement.

"I didn't know you knew so much about planes." She raised her head and watched as her man drooled over the big black jet.

He pulled himself together and looked at her. "Yeah..." he scratched the back of his head. "It's kind of one of my dreams to learn how to fly and own a plane."

"But we fly all the time in AOL?" She titled her head.

He reached out to find her hips and slowly pull her closer to him. He pressed his lips against her neck and chuckled at how red her cheeks were. "I think we both know that some things are better IRL."

"Okay, I get your point." She gently pushed him away but he just wrapped his arms and pulled her in for hug instead.

"Excuse me Mr. and Mrs. Kirigaya, we are ready to board now if you are." The attendant smiled at the couple who were looking a bit embarrassed.

Asuna spoke up first. "I'm, we aren't— I mean we are— just not—"

"Thank you. We'll be right down." Kirito interrupted as he squeezed he a little closer to his side.

When the attendant left he was met with a very frustrated looking Asuna. "As for as I'm concerned your my wife." He smiled before kissing the spot between her eyebrows where they were knit together.

"We should try to call Yui again before we take off... I think the plane uses an unfamiliar server, possibly U.S." she humphed.

"Yeah, lets call her." Kirito smiled as they pulled their eye gear on.

When Yui appeared in her normal form, Asuna and Kirito couldn't help but notice the changes she had made to her appearance. She rarely ever appeared to them as the little girl they first met in the Forrest all of those years ago, she preferred to be a sprite. First, she seemed to have gotten a little taller and her hair was pulled back in a high pony tail. She no longer wore the white nightgown she first appeared to them in. She wore deep violet sweater and grey jeans with black converse. "Our little girl is growing up." Her parents both thought as they looked at each other fighting back bitter sweet feeling in the pits of their stomach.

"Yui— we're about to leave—" Asuna could hardly get her words out above a whisper, not wanting to say them wasn't helping.

"Goodbye." Yui said with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yui." Kirito sounded a little more stern. Before a sudden smirk formed on the corner of his mouth that Asuna could help but notice out of the corner of her eye.

"Do me a favor and check my emails for something from your uncle Kouichirou."

He kept his eyes on his daughter even though Asuna perked at the mention of her older brother.

A moment later Yui turned around with little happy sparkly tears falling from her face and turning into sparkles before hitting the ground. "Thank you Daddy!" Her smile was so bright and as she reached out to hug him his heart broke a little, wishing that he could feel her hug IRL.

"I'm lost. What did my brother say?" Asuna stood with her hands on her hips leaned to one side.

"Daddy reached out to Uncle Kouichirou to see if he had any business connection in the US that could help! He has a few but the best one to help is based out of Seattle. So my coding has been sent there to be looked over and adjusted for the systems over there." Yui wipes her little tears away with her sleeve, looking entirely too much like Kirito.

Asuna hugged Kirito, nearly knocking him to the ground. "So, that means—"

"This isn't goodbye!" Yui yelled one excitement, throwing her hands up just for emphasis.

"Not sure we could do this without our little girl." Kirito shyly stared as Asuna squeezed him tighter.