There's a first time for everything so here it goes:) You can R&R if you want to (it's not required)

I do not own Spirited Away. This was work was inspired by creations that came forth from Miyazaki's head, not mine.

The cool water sent chills up Chihiro's legs as the Kohaku River's strong current rushed past her.

"At least I know he 's alive…" Chihiro whispered to the river as she walked about it creating small torrents. Chihiro had seen Haku twice since her visit to the spirit world five years ago. The first visit had been a couple months after she had returned home. His visits were really random now that she thought back on it. She had been cleaning up her room when all of a sudden Haku just appeared. It kind of freaked her out, but Haku explained that he had been working on a transportation spell that only worked when you thought of the person you wanted to visit. That night they flew to a nearby theme park and just had fun. It was the first time Chihiro had seen Haku act the age he appeared to be. Upon entering high school Chihiro joined the environmental club in which she pitched her plan to reroute the Kohaku River. The other environmental club members were ecstatic about the idea and that's what they did, it was really amazing what a handful of high school kids could accomplish. That was when she saw him next, when she was hauling dirt from one place to the next. When he realized what she was working on, he grabbed a shovel and began working too. It was a fun day just digging and working with him and her other environmental friends. She had hoped that she would see him on the day his river finally ran free, but he never showed. She had the feeling he knew his river was restored. She also realized on that day just how much she loved him, and how much she wished she could be with him.

Unbeknown to Chihiro she was being watched by the object of her thoughts. His brow was quizzical. He had not seen her in a long time. He wondered if she would be upset at the delays in-between his visits. The last time he saw her was 2 years ago right before the completion of the rerouting of his river. Instead of running under ground, the river could now freely run in-between the apartment mansions that once filled it in. He still couldn't get past how each time he saw Chihiro, she seemed to be different yet not so different. Two years ago she was just budding into maturity. Her legs and torso were becoming longer, and her shoulders broader. She was losing some of the baby fat that once clung to the edges of her face, creating a slender chin and face. But now the creature before him was no longer a girl on the verge of womanhood. No, the girl before him looked like she had jumped head first into the waves of puberty, and had emerged a woman. Her legs and torso were still long but they had become shapely. Her hair was still tied away from her face with the hair tie that Granny and her friends had made, but it was long, lustrous chestnut hair that hung high and tight on top of her head and it gleamed in the rays of moonlight. Her face and eyes were still child-like untouched by the cruelties of this world. She was still his innocent friend, Chihiro. He smiled to himself as her clay colored brown eyes focused in on him.

Chihiro smiled at the figure under the tall willow tree. She ran up to him, and crushed him into one of her famous bear hugs. As she inhaled his earthy scent she was immediately reminded of the reason she had come to the Kohaku River in the first place. She slowly slid away from her friend, and shyly looked up into to his eyes. He was still the same Haku… no longer in His boyish form, but in that of a man.

'I guess with his river running freely now, he can finally mature into the strong river god that he is,' she thought to herself. She looked down at this point. She could not be selfish. She had to think of her family and her friends. He was her friend nothing more, nothing less. Again she looked up into his face.

"Hello, stranger, how have you been?" She casually asked her old friend, as she backed away from the hug.

"Not bad, can't complain, Yubaba has finally let me leave the bath house. Now I can come to the human world whenever I like. No more orders or special requests. I am free to do what I want, that's why I came back, Chihiro. To tell you that I am leaving and I won't be able to see you again for quite some time. You'll still be able to talk to me here at my river, but we won't be able to speak or see each other directly. I just wanted you to know that our friendship has meant more to me then all the," he thought for a moment, "all the dried newts in the spirit world." He finished with a smirk on his face. Chihiro stifled a small giggle from the last comment, then looked solemnly into his regal face, and said.

"That's okay; to be honest I saw it coming. I know you are a powerful god and I can't expect you to limit yourself to just one place, just please promise to let me know somehow or someway that you're okay?"

At this he embraced her and looked deeply into her eyes. He leaned in closely and said the words that Chihiro had longed to hear for two years now, "I love you." With that he closed the short distance between them, and brought his head down to hers so that their foreheads were touching, slowly his eyes drifted to her soft lips. Chihiro saw the action, but was too shocked to respond. She was still trying to comprehend that his body was embracing hers in something other than a friendly hug. His arms and hands were snaked around her waist and his breath was huskily blowing against her cheek. Never had she been this close to a man, never had she allowed a man to be this close to her. Now, she could react and slowly she lifted her hands to fall gracefully around his neck. Gently his lips came closer towards her, but for a split second he hesitated, and Chihiro found herself closing the small distance between their lips, both clumsily kissing the other, until Haku's tongue bravely brushed the outside of Chihiro's bottom lip. Chihiro allowed him in, her tongue immediately making contact with his. They continued kissing for what seemed like hours. But they innocently broke apart allowing the mortal to breathe, and the immortal to regain composure.

"I….," Haku began, and then kind of just hung his head looking down slightly. Chihiro put her arms around his waist this time bringing him closer. "I love you, too." She whispered her hands traveling down to his hands; interlacing their fingers. Unlocking one of their hands, she moved away and sat down beside the roaring river (the current had picked up speed as they were kissing) pulling Haku down with her. She leaned her head against his chest, and closed her eyes.

"Let's stay here like this forever…" He whispered resting his head on hers. She could hear him taking in a deep breath inhaling her scent. His heart beat quickened.

" I know you'll be gone in the morning," she began quietly, "but at least we'll be able to spend this night together." With that she opened her eyes and smiled a sad smile. And wished with all of her being that he would take her with him, but deep down she knew that she couldn't leave the human world……yet.

Haku changed into his dragon form, and Chihiro quickly fell asleep with Haku coiled around her creating a superb blanket, but Chihiro woke up the next morning in her own bed with the sun shining deliberately in her face. Though she was angry that she couldn't remember the flight home, she knew that if she had been awake she wouldn't have let him leave without taking her with him.

"But one day, I know I'll find my way back to you…" she confidently said with a smile.

See that wasn't so bad, and besides if you didn't like it, no worries. Now you know not to read this story :)