Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of 'Spirited Away'.

Chapter 7 - Together at Last

"Chihiro, Get up. Or you're going to be late" Chihiro's mother called from the main floor.

Chihiro rolled over and sat on the edge of her bed. It has been one month; one complete month, since Haku and Kira left. The first week they were gone, she spent most of her free time crying; which left her parents at a loss. She didn't know that once she gazed into his beautiful green eyes, she would want to look at them every day.

She missed him more than she did before, it was unbearable.

Chihiro walked slowly down the stairs, where breakfast was waiting for her.

All her movements were very slow, as if she had given up on life. When she finished her breakfast she brought her dishes to the sink, washed them, and gathered her things and left for school. On the way, as usual, she met up with Rena.

Rena had been careful not to mention Haku around Chihiro. The first two days he was gone and she mentioned him, Chihiro broke down in tears, and was down for the rest of the day. Rena asked Chihiro's mother if she knew anything, but the older woman had the same luck. The only thing they knew was as fall approached, the wind picked up, every time there would be a strong breeze, Chihiro seemed more content.

*Brrrrrrrrr*

The bell signalled the end of the day, and Chihiro parted from Rena. This had become an occasional habit; leaving right after school, disappearing for hours: nobody knew where she went during this time.

Rena left the school about half an hour after Chihiro did. She had club activities that she had to get away from. Today was the day that she was going to find out where her best friend went. It was too late, of course, Chihiro had already long gone. That didn't stop the eager Rena, she was going to ask around.

She asked anyone in sight. A woman walking her dog, the store owners along the way; anyone and everyone. All the leads Rena got pointed the very hill that Chihiro and herself lived on, so, naturally, Rena left towards Chihiro's house; assuming she was there, where else could she be?

Rena walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. The one who answered the door was the missing girls' father.

"Oh, Mr. Ogino. Has Chihiro come home yet?" she asked feeling a little nervous. Rena never really felt comfortable around her friends' fathers.

"No. Not yet" he answered with a sigh. At which point her friend's mother came around the corner.

"Ah, Rena. I suppose you're looking for Chihiro. Why don't you wait for her here?" she asked cheerfully.

"Sure."

Rena waited for Chihiro in the house for four hours. Then, not a moment too soon, Chihiro walked in, her gloomy self still lingering.

"Rena? What are you doing here?" Chihiro asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"That's not how you greet a friend" Rena started.

"Chihiro, why don't you and Rena go talk in your room. I'll bring in some snacks later" Chihiro's mother said with an obvious shove (AN: not in a pushy 'get out of here' way).

With that, Rena grabbed Chihiro's wrist and dragged her upstairs. Only five minutes in that Rena realized that she was thoroughly disappointed. She waited for Chihiro with the expectation that Rena could perform a friends' duty: listening to a friend vent, be their crying shoulder; that sort of thing, but it wasn't like that at all.

Chihiro was not like any of Rena's other friends. Make no mistake, Chihiro was her best friend, but sometimes, Rena didn't understand her. Chihiro wasn't much like the typical girl at all. For example, when the two girls went shopping weeks ago. A typical girl event, right? While Rena did her girly shopping; cloths, earrings, and other types of jewellery, Chihiro bought a little, twelve inch wooden statue; not something a regular girl would buy. Anyway, back on track, Rena began tapping her foot impatiently at her friends' silence.

"Chihiro, why won't you tell me what's going on? You've been like this for a month. I'm your best friend and you still won't tell me" Rena's tone of voice demanded to know the reason why her friend was so distraught.

"Chihiro looked at Rena worriedly, then looked down.

"Um...I've just been a little lonely. No big deal" Chihiro said trying to sound cheerful.

"But, why are you lonely? Is this because you haven't seen Haku lately?"

That last question told Rena that she hit the nail on the head; not that it wasn't obvious. Chihiro's eyes went so glossy; they looked like they were made of glass. So Rena did what most friends did, and started rubbing the sad girls back.

"He... he had to leave." Chihiro managed to say before the tears flooded out of her.

"The snacks are done" sang Chihiro's mother. She stopped in the doorway at the sight of her daughter crying. Her intuition told her that Chihiro had confessed to Rena.

She left snacks on the side table and left the room. After Chihiro's mother had left, Rena continued with the conversation; hoping she would have the same luck.

"So...where do you go when you disappear?"

No luck. Chihiro didn't answer Rena's last question. Rena noticed that it had got late, so she gave up pestering Chihiro, and got up to leave. She said her goodbyes to Chihiro and her parents, and finally left.

Chihiro walked up the stairs back to her bedroom. She changed into her pyjamas, turned her light off, and climbed into to her bed. Some time past and she could hear her parents talking to each other. They were talking about Chihiro's behaviour as of late. Eventually, Chihiro got bored of listening to the conversation, and her parents left to go to bed.

The entire house was dark. The neighbourhood was dark. The only light was the crescent moon, and the stars in the sky. Chihiro turned her head; looking outside. She saw the obvious moon, the stars, and very few clouds. She kept on scanning the sky from her bedroom window, until her eyes locked onto something that moved, but immediately disappeared. Chihiro sat up, trying to find the mysterious stream of white that seemed to flow across the sky, but it was no longer in sight. Just as she was turning her head away, a gust of wind, so strong, blew the window wide open. Chihiro knew this familiar breeze, and a happy grin crossed her face.

She hopped out of bed, slipped into her slippers and began stampeding down the stairs. Her parents, after hearing the loud footsteps on the stairs, came running out of their bedroom in a panic.

"Chihiro?" they said, but the girl had already bolted out of the house.

Chihiro was running down the street; surprisingly fast for someone wearing slippers. She got to the corner, and looked around frantically. She looked down the hill where the street continued, but saw no one. Then, somewhat doubtingly, looked down the grassy side of the hill, and there he was. Haku was walking up. He looked up at her and smiled. Chihiro ran down the hill at full speed. The dew that was already on the grass made it impossible for her to stop; not that she wanted to. Haku, already realizing her intentions, opened up his arm, inviting the girl in. To his surprise, she didn't slow down. When she got to him, she wrapped her arms around him, the impact sending them down the hill a little way.

Haku was now lying on his back, returning the embrace he was receiving from the girl that was on his chest. He leaned forward so that he was sitting up. Their reunion hug had diminished a little; her arms were now on his chest, and he had one of his arms on her waist, while his other hand brushed the hair out of her face. He let out a slight giggle.

"What? I don't see you for a month, and all you can do is laugh at me?" she said, tears of happiness staining her face.

"I didn't really expect you to come in your pyjamas" he started.

Chihiro blushed a little. "I missed you so much. Though it was just a month, it felt closer to a year."

Haku related to the exaggerated comparison, and his eyes softened as they gazed at Chihiro's. He brought her chin up and whispered. "I missed you too. I won't ever leave you again." Then he gently pressed his lips on hers. They had both been waiting for this moment, and now it was finally here. As he pulled her body into a passionate embrace, she brought her arms around him once more.

-END-

There, the end. I hoped you liked this fanfic, it was my first one, so please R & R. :)