Warnings: mild language/violence/EXTREME sappiness

Noboru (Climb)

Gina stroked Hisagi's hair lovingly as he laid on her chest. She smiled when he'd occasionally turn his head to kiss her collar bone or reach up to touch her face. It brought comfort to her. And after what had just happened, she felt a little frantic.

"I'm so glad you're alive." Hisagi told her as he traced the palm of her hand. "But you really need to stop trying to die."

Gina rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to die."

"Seems like it to me." He smiled up at her. "Just because you got your way once doesn't mean I'm gonna let it happen again. I'm not going to let you die."

"I know that." She continued to stroke his hair. "And that's why I love you."

He paused for a second before speaking. "Why did you go up against a Captain in the first place?"

"You want the truth?" She sighed. "At first, I saw Rukia. I was going to at least try to take Aizen out, but Tosen got in my way. When Tosen couldn't kill me like Aizen ordered, Gin interfered. And then I was pissed at him. He tried to provoke me by talking about Kisuke, and no one talks smack about him around me. He's like my dad. Then he started...flirting with me, sort of. Told me I had nice legs. Then he started talking about you. About how you'd be fun to kill, that you were a fighter. And then...after he stabbed me that first time, he whispered something in my ear and that really pissed me off."

Hisagi waited patiently as she paused.

"He said, 'I assure you, he'll be one of the first I kill when we get what we want.'" She repeated. "And I just...went psycho, I don't know what happened. I screamed and then started laughing and then used my Bankai to take him out."

"So...you almost died...because of me...again?" Hisagi asked quietly, pain in his voice.

"No, no, no." She shook her head. "It's my fault."

"No, it's not." He ran a hand over his face. "Why do you have to be so selfless? I can defend myself, Gina. I don't want you running around trying to protect me all the time."

He reached up and held her face in his hands. "Know that if you die trying to protect my life, then I'm as good as dead."

"Same here." She muttered.

"Well, then, why don't we make a deal?" He grinned. "I won't die if you won't die, and you won't die if I don't die. Deal?"

"Deal." She smiled at him and kissed him softly. "I can still kill Renji though, right?"

"Of course." He sighed.

-------------------------------------

Gina's eye caught the vintage guitar in the corner, almost as an afterthought. She gazed at it and smiled.

"Do you play?" She asked as she gestured to the guitar.

"Ha, no." He shook his head. "I suck. Badly. But I just like playing around with it."

Gina rolled over in the bed and reached for it, picking it up and placing it on her lap.

"Where'd you get it?" She asked as she plucked a couple strings.

"I brought it back from the living world one time." He told her. "I've been trying to play but, like I said, I suck."

Gina laughed. "Well, the main part of your problem is that this guitar is out of tune."

He raised an eyebrow as if asking what that meant.

She sighed. "I'll tune it for you."

As she tuned the guitar, he watched her, admiring how beautiful she looked, all naked with only a guitar covering her. It was erotic in a way, but that just showed how much of a guy he was.

"There." She smiled as she strummed, playing all in-tune notes. "Key of C."

"Uh-huh." He leaned back and smiled at her. "Whatever that means."

She shook her head with a grin before playing a few notes. She strummed slowly, seductively. The notes drew him in and wiped that confident smirk off his face. She slowly began to hum her mothers lullaby.

"Your eyes are the light of the sky, close them and night will fall. But I will protect you from the worlds lies, I will cut down them all. You are the promise that lies in my heart. You are the stars above. Shine just a little bit brighter now, and I will show you my love. I will show you my love..."

She felt a sudden urge for improvization as she looked up at Hisagi and kept playing.

"I never thought it would be this way, Never thought I could love so much. So long I've been waiting to say, that it's you I love. And while your eyes shine, the night will never fall. And while those lies cry, I will block out thier call. Nothing can ever hurt you now, because I will cut it down. You are brighter than the stars above. You don't even have to shine for me to show you my love. I'll always show you my love..."

Hisagi somehow felt the tears in his eyes as she sang to him. He felt his heart skip a couple beats and his breathing hitch. He didn't know what to do, what to say. He just looked at her in awe.

She smiled at him before putting the guitar back where she found it. She was about to turn back to him when she was suddenly pulled back down to his side, his mouth on hers.

She twisted around to face him, snaking her arms around his neck. She pushed herself against him, every line of thier bodies fitting together.

When they broke apart, they were very near hyperventilation. Hisagi dropped his forehead to hers and smiled at her.

"I love you." He told her. "And that was the sweetest, most beautiful thing I have ever heard."

"The first part was my mothers lullaby." She told him. "She used to sing it to me so I would sleep better. And the second part...was just for you."

He smiled at her. "I...feel like...crazy...nevermind."

"Ha! Speachless!" She laughed. "Mission acomplished."

He rolled his eyes at her and she touched his face softly.

"I love you, Shuhei Hisagi." She kissed his lips softly.

"As I love you, Gina Keianna." He murmered against her lips.

-----------------------------------------------

"Ooo, love bug number one!" Renji ran up and tickled Gina before she reached back and smacked him right across the face. "Itai! Geez, I thought you'd be less tense after-"

"Renji Abarai, I swear to God!" Gina yelled at him.

He cowered under her glare and smiled. "Just joking, Spaz. Promise."

"Yari, yari." Kira scratched his head as he walked up to the two of them. "You are quite tense. What's the problem?"

"Nothing." She sighed. "Captain Yamamoto just asked to see me and Emo at the Captains meeting. It's gonna be a pain. And I'm worried."

"Why?" Renji asked. "They can't desert you just because you slept with the guy-"

"Renji." Kira said flatly. "You can stop bringing that up now."

He turned back to the fuming Gina and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it's nothing. Just go. Hisagi's probably waiting for you."

She sighed, calming herself. "Right. Gotta go."

She turned away, glarring over her shoulder at Renji. "Keep what you know to yourself, Renji. Or I swear, I will make your life a living hell."

"Ha. Yeah right." He rolled his eyes.

"She is going to kill you one day." Kira sighed. "And I will not stop her."

Gina smiled to herself at that comment.

She approached the 1st Division Headquarters calmly, taking occasional deep breaths and steadying her heart beat. Hisagi was waiting for her there. He grinned at her when he approached.

"You have any idea what this is about?" He asked her.

"Nope." She shook her head. "We're probably going to be executed, with my luck."

Hisagi grimaced. "And you call me emo."

The doors opened and they calmly walked into the room. They stopped where the Captains lined up and got down on one knee to bow to Yamamoto.

"Please, stand." His ancient voice told them.

They did so and gazed seriously at thier Commander.

"As you know, the 9th Squad had been abandoned by it's Captain." He went on. "You two are all that's left of the commanding officers. We have been facing a difficult decision on who is to become the Captain, because both of you are quite able."

He paused as they listened intently.

"Shuihei Hisagi." He said. "You were sent on missions even before you graduated the Academy. You rose to the position of Lieutenant quickly and did well under former Captain Kaname Tosen. You are a strong fighter with a strong will, but...you have not yet achieved Bankai, and rarely use your Shikai. Bankai is required of a Captain, unless you are in Captain Zarkai's position and take the status by...different means. Unfortunately, that is not your case."

He turned to look at Gina.

"Gina Keianna." He then said. "You were promising as a student in my school, graduation after only one year, skipping the other five. You also rose to a high rank in a short amount of time. You have a powerful will and are quite powerful yourself. Unlike Hisagi, not only do you frequently use your Shikai, you have achieved Bankai. Though, I do fear for your strong emotions. Captains of the 13 Court Guard Squads are strong and give thier lives to the Soul Society-which I have no doubt you would do- but you wouldn't, on the other hand, give the life of one of your friends to protect the greater good."

Gina and Shuhei both bowed thier heads before he went on.

"So, unable to make the decision myself, I have asked the remaining Captains have cast thier vote."

The two of them turned to look at the Captains, worried.

"As we will find what these opinions are right now." Yamamoto said. "Captain of the 2nd Division, Soifon. What do you say to this?"

"It's a hard decision." She sighed. "But I would have to go with Gina."

"4th Division Captain, Retsu Unahana?"

"I am sorry, Gina, but I will have to say Hisagi." She said quietly.

Gina bit her lip with a nod.

"6th Division, Byakuya Kuchiki?"

"Shuhei Hisagi." He said flatly, not breaking his gaze with the wall.

Gina rolled her eyes. How typical of him. Womanizer.

"7th Division Captain, Saijin Komamura?"

"Gina Keianna." He said confidently.

"8th Division Captain, Shunsui Kyoraku?"

"Why, Gina." He smiled at her and she nodded appreciativly.

"10th Division Captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya?"

"Hisagi." He said with his head bowed.

"11th Division Captain-"

"Gina." Zaraki said with one of his evil smiles.

"Very well." Yamamoto nodded. "12th Division Captain, Mayuri Kurosuchi?"

"Hisagi."

So, they were tied. Hisagi thought. He looked over at Gina. Her eyes looked hopeful, but lost. He wondered, that if he got the Captain position, if she would be angry with him.

She wondered the same thing. Hisagi was so serious when it came to Shinigami buisness, he'd surely be better at it. But this is what she had wanted from the beginning. She had dreamed of becoming a Captain, like Keisuke, hadn't she?

No... She answered her own question. If Hisagi wanted this, he could have it. She had at least wanted 3rd seat, and she had that. And she had him. She was perfectly fine how she was.

"Well, Jushiro." Yamamoto sighed. "It all comes down to you. Choose well."

Ukitake nodded. "I have known the both of you since you came here. I knew you were both strong fighters, with wills of iron. But I can only choose one of you today."

Gina's heart pounded. Maybe she did want this.

No. She told herself. Don't get your hopes up or it will come crashing down on top of you. He's going to pick Shuhei.

"Gina Keianna." Ukitake said straightly. "I choose her."

Gina grabbed her chest, unable to breathe.

"Well, then, Keianna." Yamamoto smiled at her.

He reached back and held out a peice of white cloth to her. At first she just looked at the white haori with the 9th Division's insignia on the back, ready to cry with joy.

Then she looked over at Hisagi, who looked at it just the same way, but with more turmoil in his eyes. And as Gina reached for it, her hand froze in midair.

"Sir..." She bowed her head. "I don't deserve this."

"Of course you do." He told her.

"Hisagi-san has done more for the Soul Society than I have." She sighed. "And he deserves to be Captain."

She looked over at Hisagi and his jaw dropped.

"What are you doing?" He whispered frantically.

"You want it, don't you?" She gestured towards the haori.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't want it. Take it."

"But..." She trailed off, confused.

"Take it, Gina." He took her shoulder and turned her back towards the haori.

"You sure?" She smirked over her shoulder at him and he nodded at him.

She promptly took the haori from Head Captain Yamamoto with a grin. "Arigato, sensei."

"You're very welcome." He smiled at her. "Congraduations, Captain Gina Keianna."

She beamed at him.

"You are excused from this meeting to inform your Division of the new authority." He told her.

"Thank you, sir." She told him again.

As she walked through the aisle of Captains, she smiled. "And thank you Soifon, Komamura, Shunsui, Zaraki and Ukitake!"

"Good luck." Ukitake patted her shoulder as she passed him.

"Congrats, Spaz." Hisagi smirked at her as he opened the door.

The last thing the Captains heard was, "that's Captain Spaz, to you, mister!"

And they laughed.

Comments:

Le Songy: Yet again, I improvised. :)

Yay! Gina's Le Capii-tan!: I couldn't put Hisagi as the Captain and it would just be so cool to put her as the Captain so why not?