This isn't how it's supposed to end!

What if Chihiro failed Yubaba's final test by guessing the wrong pigs, mistaking then for her parents? She would then be forced to work at the bathhouse. Chihiro and Haku must find a way to return her to the human world with her parents, but what if she wants to stay. An alternative timeline.

(A/N: First fanfic. I try to figure out how all this works.)

(Beta-reader's Note: Hello! You will see another note from me later down the line. Believe it or not, this fanfiction is being beta-read by not one, but TWO people. As you can tell, this story is littered with grammatical errors. But as you keep going, those grammatical errors will decrease. The reason there is more than a handful of them is because there was a bigger handful of them and I reduced it. I am a busy student so fanfiction does not rule my life during the school year (in America) and the other author also has their own life. As I said, I am still a student so there may be things I missed or ignored which are due to me rushing through it all, letting it slide, or being confused. English is a very hard language to learn, writing-wise, due to the many nuances and exceptions, to the point where many English-born speakers have a hard time with grammar. So please, do not be harsh about the grammar because all three of us are trying our hardest. For anyone learning English, in an English-speaking country or not, we all know how difficult English is. Thank you for your time, and please enjoy the story that will unfold before your eyes).

Disclaimer: I don't own 'Spirited Away.'

Prologue

It was a beautiful morning at the bathhouse. The birds were chirping. The wind was blowing softly. It was just a perfect summer day.

Yubaba was pacing in front of the entrance of the bathhouse where some pigs were gathered, waiting for Haku to bring her baby back and waiting for Sen -just waiting to see her fail her final test.

''Hey, here they are!'' shouted Lin excitedly. The crowd gasped and looked up. Yubaba did the same when she saw two figures land at the other side of the red bridge.

''I see you failed to bring my baby back!'' exclaimed the old witch with an angry tone. Suddenly, a small bird with an overweight mouse flew to the old witch.

The mouse changed back to the form of a giant baby and landed in front of Yubaba, surprising her and the crowd.

''Mama!'' cried Boh childishly.

Yubaba ran towards her son and gave him a big hug.

''My baby!'' Yubaba cried as she held him, ''Are you traumatized? Did they do horrible things to you? You're standing by yourself, when did that happen?''

''Don't forget your promise!'' Haku shouted, ''You must return Chihiro and her parents back to the human world.''

''Not so fast Haku!'' shouted Yubaba back, ''I have to give Sen one final test!'' The crowd booed.

''Shut up!" she roared. The crowd quickly turned silent again.

''Stop it mama, leave her alone.'' Boh said to Yubaba, causing her to be shocked. ''Sen and I had a good time.'' he continued. Yubaba was almost breathless.

''But a deal is a deal, sweetie. I have to give Sen one final test.'' the witch explained to her son.

''If you make Sen cry, I won't like you anymore.'' threatened Boh.

''But….''

''Hey granny!'' exclaimed Chihiro, interrupting Yubaba.

''Granny!?'' Yubaba turned, still shocked from the threat of Boh. The witch could not believe the girl dared to call her that way -did she really want to get into trouble?

''You're right. A deal is a deal.'' said Chihiro. She walked across the bridge. The eyes of the crowd were all set on her. Chihiro didn't have a problem with that.

Chihiro now stood in front of the old witch. ''Okay I'm ready. I'll take your test.'' she said.

''Hmm you've got guts.'' commented Yubaba with a smirk. ''I've got your contract right here. Come this way,'' she turned to her baby and said ''This will only take a minute.''

''Don't worry.'' said Chihiro confidently to the baby, then she followed the witch. They stopped in front of a bunch of pigs. Yubaba began to speak.

''See if you can tell which of these pigs are your mother and father.'' Chihiro looked closely at the pigs -they looked almost the same.

''You get one try. If you get it right, you can all go home.''

Chihiro looked at the pigs who were all making some sort of grunting noises. It was impossible to guess who her parents were. She felt the pressure coming down on her. Then Yubaba spoke again.

''But if you fail the test, you're mine.'' Yubaba released a small laugh.

She began to look worried after hearing that.

''And what about my parents?" inquired Chihiro -she knew what was going to happen if she failed, but she asked anyway.

''Well, they will probably be eaten for dinner.'' answered Yubaba in a sarcastic way.

Now Chihiro began to panic in her head. One chance, one mistake and all her efforts would have been in vain. She still looked closely at the pigs. The crowd watched, probably just as nervous as she was feeling. Her heart was pounding and she felt sweat sliding down her forehead. Then she realized Haku was standing just behind her.

''You can do it Chihiro. I believe in you.'' said Haku to encourage Chihiro.

''I can do it,'' thought Chihiro to herself, but the pressure was too much for a 10-year old. ''If I fail," Chihiro thought, "my parents would be eaten and I would be working till my last breath for the witch.'' Then she was brought back to reality by Yubaba.

''Hurry up, I don't have all the time in the world, you know! So, do you want to give up?'' asked Yubaba.

Chihiro shook her head.

''So hurry up then!'' shouted Yubaba.

Then suddenly she lifted her right hand. Not knowing that the choice she was about to make would change everything forever.

''That one is my father,'' said Chihiro while pointing at one of the pigs in the back row.

Then she pointed her finger to her right at one of the pigs in the front row.

She hesitated a little, ''And this one is my mother.'' she concluded with a confident voice.

''Are you sure?'' said the witch now with a creepy smile.

The crowd looked nervously at Chihiro. Even Haku looked nervous.

But what she was about to do was indeed the biggest mistake of her life. Her fate and that of her parents were weighting on the shoulders of a 10-year old little girl.

She nodded.

''You are wrong!'' yelled the old witch and then she started laughing.

''What?!" cried Chihiro, hoping she heard that wrong.

''Wrong.'' repeated Yubaba, ''None of these pigs are your parents. You failed my test and therefore you and your parents can't go home.'' She started laughing again and turned the pigs back into bathhouse workers who looked disappointed at Chihiro. Yubaba was waving Chihiro's contract in front of her face.

''No…'' she whispered.

The crowd gasped and shouted at Yubaba. Haku was furious. His green emerald eyes were filled with anger. He clenched his fists.

There was a lot of panic and commotion around the bathhouse. Bathhouse workers and customers were all shouting and yelling at Yubaba.

''Shut up!'' shouted Yubaba at the crowd again. The crowd was once again silenced by the witch, the only noise being whispers.

''Please let me and my parents go home.'' begged Chihiro. Tears began to run down her face, ''I will work hard and stay here, but at least let my parents go.''

Then Boh stepped in front of Yubaba and began wailing and shouting, ''You made Sen cry, so I don't like you anymore.''

Yubaba sighed and then looked at Chihiro.

''I didn't give anyone else a second chance. You are no exception. You guessed wrong. I cannot allow a second chance. You must understand that Sen.'' said Yubaba with an irritated voice.

Chihiro began to cry and sob. She wrapped her arms around Haku. He embraced her tightly while she buried her face in his chest. Haku glared at Yubaba.

''Let Chihiro go! She doesn't belong here. She is just an innocent girl. Her parents would probably get eaten.''

''That's not my problem Haku,'' said Yubaba with a calm voice, ''she guessed wrong and she said it herself. A deal is a deal.'' Yubaba chuckled.

Kamaji and Lin walked up to Chihiro and Haku and stood next to them.

''How could you be so cruel?'' cried Lin, ''Look at her, she's crying her eyes out. Just return her and her parents to the human world.''

''No!" snapped Yubaba. ''Sen will stay here at the bathhouse and she will continue to work and besides, she owes me money for the damage that stupid No-Face caused.''

''Yubaba, just let her go! She is just a child!'' shouted Haku at his former master.

Yubaba looked at him like she wanted to strangle him.

''And who are you to order me around, Haku? You know I'm still your boss.''

''I'm Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. God of the Kohaku river.'' Haku replied.

Yubaba's mouth dropped open. The crowed began to whisper again.

''Silence!'' shouted Yubaba. ''H-How do you know?'' Yubaba was shocked about the fact that Haku was able to say his real name again.

''Chihiro helped me to remember my name.'' replied Haku. Chihiro was still crying and sobbing. Kamaji put his right hand on her shoulder.

Yubaba looked at Chihiro; her eyes were still watery and full with tears.

''You!'' raged Yubaba. ''Because of you I lost my apprentice!" she yelled, "and you have caused a lot of damage by letting that stupid No-Face in! I'll make you work till your last tiny breath!''

Yubaba ran towards Chihiro and Haku, but got stopped by Boh.

''If you hurt Sen, I will never forgive you!'' said Boh to Yubaba.

Yubaba sighed and growled out of frustration, ''Fine then. Everyone get back to work. Boh and I will speak with you in my office.''

The crowd was leaving the garden and the balconies. The workers were going back to the bathhouse. The customers went back inside. Some of them stayed outside and watched the two figures still standing outside.

''Sen, we have to go. We will speak to you soon.'' said Lin. Then she walked away with Kamaji.

Yubaba turned her head. ''Haku, Sen, get back to work or I'll turn you two into pigs.''

''She needs time. Just leave us for a while!'' shouted Haku.

Yubaba knew that he was more powerful than her and so didn't want to get him angry, especially now that he recovered his real name and has gotten even more powerful than before.

Yubaba sighed, ''Fine then, but get back to work soon. It's a busy day.'' Then she walked away.

''Where are my parents?'' asked Chihiro while still sobbing.

''They are probably still at the pigpen. Look, everything is going to be fine. Can't Zeniba help you?'' asked Haku.

''No. It's one of their rules. I will be stuck here forever until the day I die.'' She continued crying.

Haku hugged her tightly. ''Chihiro, everything is going to be okay. I will always be with you. I promise. I'm going to find a way to return you and your parents to the human world.'' said Haku in a calm and comforting voice.

''My parents are going to be eaten, aren't they?'' Asked Chihiro.

''Maybe. Yubaba may spare them though, but it's highly unlikely. Yubaba is a cruel person.''

Chihiro wrapped her arms around Haku. She was still sobbing.

''I'm so sorry Haku.'' Chihiro apologized.

''No, Chihiro. You did your best.'' replied Haku.

''This isn't fair.'' said Chihiro.

Chihiro looked at Haku. Her eyes met his. It hurt Haku to look at her in this state. It hurt him that she failed the test, but it hurt him even more that he also failed to bring her home, to protect her and her parents. It was indeed not fair. He just failed and couldn't return the favor to his friend -his only friend. A friend for a lifetime, but Chihiro wasn't just a friend, for him, she was more than that.

''This isn't how it is supposed to end.''

(A/N: First Fanfic. So tell me what you think about this story. Was it good or bad? please leave a review.)