Author's note: I do not own anything from Gintama. Please review after reading. This fic is unbetaed, as you probably know by now. This is NOT THE FULL VERSION due to site restrictions. You may check out my tumblr / wordpress / livejournal for the detailed chapters. Another delay with this chapter due to plot modifications. I'm also getting new shippy feels for HijiTae because of the Gintama forums and a fanfic. Help! Also rewatched the Red Spider arc (*cries* Why do I punish myself like this? Oh yeah, I need material for this fic.). *rubs hands together + wicked laugh + thunder + lightning effects* Everything is according to plan… Replies to reviews are at the end of the page. Many thanks to all my reviewers! $_$

Chapter 12: When Dreams and Reality Mix, a Problem Emerges

They were kissing again.

Their lips were glued and their tongues swiped hungrily against each other. Cries of gratification emerged from their throats. Her fists were crumpled in his hair, tugging him closer, while he possessively explored her body with his hands. The intensity was almost making her cave in to him… But they had an agreement. There were limits.

Gin-san was persistent with his plans of getting back with her. After their awful parting a few days back, he had immediately returned the same afternoon, waking her from a dreadful sleep.

"You weren't breathing!" He looked distraught, voice laced in panic.

"I was having a nightmare," she explained, recalling her battle with Matako. Bullets had raced toward her, burying themselves in her arms, stomach and chest. Her jaw was kicked several times causing her to spit out blood.

Some of her injuries were ultimately fatal but what concerned her were the enemy's words. Matako had taunted her first, laughing at her current situation. "You think he actually wants you? He's using you!"

Sacchan's rage at her comment made her land a kunai straight to the woman's chest.

The blonde gunner continued her mockeries despite the pain. "I really don't understand what they see in you. You're an ugly, useless, perverted, annoying freak!" She fired a few more shots as Sacchan tried to run away. Some of them hit her back and shoulders.

She fell on the cement, paralyzed with pain while trying not to let the words affect her. Grabbing a kunai, the last of the weapons Zenzou had lent her, she prepared to face her opponent once more.

But her eyes were useless; she had lost her glasses again. It was torture to move any other part of her body. The bullets had taken away her strength. Her jaw was throbbing to the point that she thought it would spontaneously fall off. A harsh ringing in her ears made her cry out.

"-raia... –sai... Complete idiots. You'll die here anyway. I'll just tell them I had no choice in the matter." The gun clicked, ready to blast her brains out.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Sacchan mustered up all the courage she could. She tried to remember every little bit of training she had undergone. With much faith and determination; speed and power, she sliced the kunai upwards.

She had done it. Matako was dead, her neck cut open with the weapon.

Then, it hit her, a sense of danger. There were more enemies in the vicinity. She jumped when a figure landed behind her.

"It's me, Sarutobi." Zenzou murmured, shoving her glasses on her palm. "We have to escape. There are two more coming this way. They must have noticed the commotion."

Sacchan nodded, fear building up inside her. She wondered if she would make it out alive. Her injuries couldn't take her far enough.

Zenzou had taken notice of this. "I'll hold them off. Go back to the hideout immediately and tell the others. I've also killed her companion. That's two of them down. But there are more approaching."

She shivered, unsure. "I can't leave you here. You'll get killed!" A pulse of dizziness and nausea hit her, making her sway. She held on to the wall.

"If you stay, we'll both be killed." He pointed behind her. "Go now. I have far less injuries than you. I'll handle this."

She was used to this, leaving team members behind. It was in the rules of the ninja. They never had bonds nor did they go in groups. It was every man for himself. So, she left, despite feeling something was wrong. She would go to the ramen place. Gin-san and the others would help Zenzou and maybe they would capture someone and finally get more information on Tsukuyo.

However, the night ended without her reaching them. She lost all energy and consciousness, collapsing on a roof. When she woke up, groggy, she was lying on her futon with a large figure looking over her. He was silent and his shape blurry. One hand was smoothing her forehead and hair while the other held something to her neck.

There was a sting on her nape and she realized he was injecting something in her. She tried to raise her hand to stop him but she was too weak. Suddenly, she felt herself floating and her nerves blazed. Sacchan screamed, unsure of the quality of the sensation.

"It's working, I daresay." He massaged the area on her neck with his finger. "Don't fight it, Ayame."

She cried out some more, trying to make sense of what was happening. The pain was disappearing, slowly being replaced by bliss. She looked up at the man, finally seeing him clearly. "K-Kawakami-san?"

He smiled, "You can see me without your glasses."

Gasping, she touched her lids and realized he was right. "W-what was that?" She sat up, feeling nervous.

"You're better now. I healed you." His hand moved to the small of her back and his face was close to hers.

Looking down, Sacchan realized she was comfortable. She ran her hands over her stomach and arms, finding no wounds or aches. She faced him again in wonder. "Thank you," she whispered, staring at his impassive face.

He remained still, holding her and gazing at her quietly. Sacchan felt herself blushing yet she was also mysteriously drawn to him. His lips twitched, and he moved closer…

Then his head snapped back and he stood forcibly, clearing his throat. "Someone's coming, I daresay. I must leave."

She bit her lip, embarrassed.

"You'll be fine now. And your friend… he's alive, just wounded. I'll see you again, Ayame."

Seconds after he left, loud, rapid knocks sounded on the door. It was Gin-san, wanting to know what happened. They had a short argument and he left, furious.

That afternoon, he returned and when he woke her, he asked her what she was dreaming about.

"I- I don't remember…"

"It's not normal to stop breathing while sleeping or dreaming!" He was outraged.

She cringed, "I don't know, Gin-san. Maybe you were mistaken-"

"YOU HAD NO PULSE!"

"I- I'm awake now, aren't I? Let's just forget it…"

He embraced her tightly, kissing her hair. "Sacchan…"

She pushed him away. "Why are you here, Gin-san? I thought we already talked about this."

"I had to see you and I said we weren't done!" He pushed her flat on the bed and trapped her with his body. "Look, I think it's best if I stay here with you again."

Her cheeks were burning, "N- No, there's no need-"

"Yes there is! It's not safe for you to live alone. You should probably stop working at the bar for now…"

"I can't! I need the money."

"You will because I said so!"

She tried to shove him off but he was too heavy. He grabbed her hands and pinned them to the sides. "Why should I do that? I can take care of myself."

"I'm staying with you whether you like it or not. I'll follow you to that goddamn bar and watch you like a hawk."

Sacchan struggled, trying not to laugh at the irony of the situation. Now he was insisting on accompanying her everywhere? He hated it when she chased him around. It was… odd.

"Gin-san… It'll… Complicate things…"

"What's complicated?" He murmured, kissing her slowly. "We're simply returning to how it was a few months ago, right?"

She shivered as he touched her, palms smoothing her waist and gliding upwards to squeeze her breasts. He nudged her legs apart and settled between them, making her moan. Her body seemed extra sensitive right now, firing up with his closeness and shattering with his touch. She wanted him badly.

He unclothed her breast and sucked on it, groaning as he moved against her. The sensation was magnified a hundred times more than before. She held his head close and wailed, wishing he would never stop.

"I SAID… EXCUSE ME, YOU TWO! OI! SARUTOBI! GINTOKI!"

Gin-san stopped and turned to face their guest. He let out a dismayed cry, tossing a pillow on Zenzou's face.

Sacchan shrieked and hurriedly covered herself, wondering how they were unable to hear him enter. "Zenzou!" She cried, appalled, "What the hell do you think you're doing here?! Knock first, you bastard!" She grabbed the nearest stick and threw it, watching it zoom straight into his ass.

"Damn it, Sarutobi! I've been knocking for the last twenty minutes and no one answered so I decided to check inside." He was rubbing his butt after plucking out the stick. He looked tired and weakened, his left arm was bandaged and in a sling. On his foot was a cast.

"Oi! Are you even supposed to be walking?" Gin-san had stood up and was peering at Zenzou's face.

The ninja's head turned to Sacchan. "I need to talk with Sarutobi…"

Gin-san glanced at her and shrugged as he left the room. Sacchan briefly heard him say, "There's no strawberry milk anywhere!"

She focused on Zenzou, taking in his injuries. He looked terrible but she wondered what he was feeling. His eyes were hidden, as always, making him difficult to interpret.

"Sarutobi…" He edged closer, suspicion in his tone. "What happened?"

"W-what do you mean?" She asked him nervously. He was starting to scare her.

"Your injuries, they were severe… But now, there's no trace of them."

She gasped and tightened the robe around her. "Forget it, Zenzou-"

"What the hell is going on, Sarutobi?" He was yelling. "Could it be… You're a traitor after all- OWW!"

Gin-san had returned and knocked Zenzou's head with his fist. "Oi, shut up and leave her alone, hemorrhoid ninja."

He rubbed his head and elbowed Gin-san on his side. Sacchan could feel his doubtful gaze. "You're right, Gintoki. Maybe we should keep an eye on her." Zenzou left after that.

"Huh…" Gin-san murmured. "What injuries? What was he talking about?"

Sacchan struggled to keep a clueless expression. "I- I'm not sure, Gin-san. He seems confused."

His eyes narrowed and he stared at her for a few seconds before crawling back into bed with her. "Now, where were we?"

Her vision returned to its old condition days after. She started to feel twinges in the areas where the bullets hit but other than that, her body was recovering. Sacchan still wondered what Bansai had done to her but she never told anyone, not even Gin-san. She was terrified that it would provoke him or worse, make him hate her for consorting with the enemy. It would be best to keep it from Gin-san to minimize his distractions.

She told herself that she hadn't done anything treacherous. What happened did not affect their plans in any way. It won't happen again, she assured herself. She won't let it.

Now, she was at the bar, getting ready for another night's performance. Gin-san insisted on staying in her dressing room while she was preparing. She tried to keep her cool as he watched her change clothes, never looking away. She saw his eyes darken as he stepped closer with an aura of determination.

"Gin-san!" She gasped when he grabbed her by the waist before kissing her fervently. She was supposed to perform in a few minutes but she was still here in her room, making out with him.

"I want you," he said, running his hands over her breasts repeatedly. He was extremely aroused and Sacchan wondered if her costume for tonight had anything to do with it.

The peach bikini barely clothed her breasts and the garment was practically see-through. A fine layer of net threads covered her abdomen. The bottom half of her costume was high cut and exposed her butt cheeks.

"Are you seriously going to perform wearing this?" He wondered out loud. "Who picks out your, um, dresses?"

She blushed, still aware of his gaze and hands on her body. "Management gives me clothes for the night."

"Those bastards," he murmured. "They're using you to rake in more customers. One look at you in that…" He trailed off, swallowing.

"Gin-san!"

A few nights ago, he had coaxed her into getting intimate with him again. All her troubles and reasons regarding Tsukki were blown away by him. She had tried to fight him off but eventually, they reached a compromise.

He could kiss her and touch her but only over her clothes. There would be no lovemaking until they had sorted everything out. Gin-san reluctantly agreed but he found ways to get around their rules.

He would surprise her by slyly slipping his hands under her clothes and touching her skin to skin, making her livid. She had to lock the door while showering because he had ambushed her several times in the bath.

Twice, he had taken advantage of her sleeping state, undressing her and making his moves then.

It was a lie to say that she wasn't happy with getting back with him but a part of her continued to feel guilty and uneasy about their relationship. She felt sad after thinking about it but eventually, she conceded, wanting to be with him.

Sacchan decided to deal with the consequences – the heartache – after, when the time would come. It was inevitable, so she should enjoy what she had while it lasted.

He pushed her against the wall as he kissed her hard and pinched her nipples, making her howl. "You know I'm not doing this to hurt you, right Sacchan?"

She nodded, speechless.

"I'm doing it because you like it rough," he explained.

"I know," she moaned.

A rap sounded on the door. "Aya-san! You're on in ten minutes!"

"Yes!" She cried in between kisses. "I'll be there soon."

Gin-san chuckled, "We still have ten minutes…" He licked her breast through the cloth, creating a wet stain on the area.

She pulled at his hair, "Gin-san! Don't! They'll see-"

He smirked before licking the other similarly, "Let them wonder."

"Ahhh! You're mean!"

He pinched her again. "You love this, Sacchan. I know…"

"Oh yes, Gin-san! B-but I have to go… The show will start soon."

Sighing, he let go of her. "You drive me crazy… Wear your glasses while you sing so you can see me in the audience."

"N- No… I never wear my glasses onstage."

"Wear them," he insisted. "They're… you."

"Gin-san…" She stared at him, his handsome face ravaged with kisses made her heart skip a beat. He looked… sincere.

"I won't let you go there otherwise. C'mon, Sacchan…" He kissed her again before leading her out the door and to the stage.

It was the first night she went onstage with her glasses but she was all right. The entire time, she looked only at him, feeling giddy and safe at the same time. Seeing him there for her, she realized that she truly loved him. He was amazing in every way. But in her heart, she tried to ignore the nagging pang of dread that portended the future.

Author's end note: We're almost there… the part where… omg! To an. co. xx and Mikishami, lol I also had that impression while editing my work but I kinda left it that way to create unnecessary suspense and anxiety for my readers. Ahahaha! Thanks for your reviews!