*** This is a little Spirited Away story. Summary pretty much explains it all. I might start a Studio Ghibli one-shots story, so let me know what you guys think.

After All This Time

Chihiro sighed, glancing out the window at the cherry blossom trees, which were in full bloom. It had been six years since that fateful day she'd stumbled upon Ubaba's bathhouse in the spirit world, and Chihiro was beginning to think it had all been a dream. After being so adamant with herself for years that she hadn't imagined it, Chihiro was starting to lose hope. Haku hadn't come for her; she hadn't even caught a glimpse of him in six years. If it wasn't for the hair-tie Granny had made her, which she wore everyday, Chihiro would have convinced herself long ago that it had all been a figment of her imagination.

But Haku had said they would see each other again, so where was he? Did he not want to see her? Chihiro had thought that they had a special bond: She had helped him remember his name, after all. She had helped him find himself again, after Ubaba had stolen both of them. So why? why wouldn't he come for her? Her mind was so torn up Chihiro didn't notice the nasally voice calling her name until her classmate's giggles tore her out of her depressed stupor.

"Miss Ogino, please answer the question!" her teacher snapped, and Chihiro quickly stood, glancing at the blackboard and fighting down a blush. It was a relatively tough question, but luckily, Chihiro actually knew the answer. "The translation is 'She stood atop a tranquil hill', sir."

"Very good," her teacher grumbled, clearly annoyed that she had gotten the question right when she hadn't even been paying attention. "Take your seat."

Chihiro breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down, resting her chin in the palm of her hand and glancing back outside at the falling cherry blossoms. Spring was Chihiro's favorite season because it was the perfect time for swimming. In fact, after school ended, Chihiro would be heading out to her family's lake-house for the weekend. She was over excited, because whenever Chihiro was feeling sad, the water always seemed to cheer her up. She had to wonder if Haku had something to do with that.

When the bell rang signaling the end of the day, Chihiro sighed and gathered up her things, heading up the hill and back towards her house. She passed the entrance to the old amusement park there, and smiled faintly, rubbing a hand along the strange little statue in the middle of the road before continuing back towards home. The afternoon was warm, the sun high in the sky and fluffy white clouds drifting along leisurely, a calm breeze lifting the ends of Chihiro's long ponytail.

As soon as she got home, her parents loaded up the car and they started the two hour drive to the lake-house, leaving the windows open to air out the stuffy car. Resting her forehead against the window, Chihiro thought back to that long ago day when her parents had been driving to their new house for the first time. Glancing up at the sky, Chihiro could swear she saw the white body of a dragon spiraling through the air until it was blocked by a large cloud.

The lake was large and the gentles waves lapping against the shore sparkled in the setting sun. Chihiro sighed, tugging her knees to her chest and hugging them. She was sitting on the beach, wearing a comfy mint green sweater and white shorts, her hair flowing loose around her shoulders. The wind off the water was nice, blowing the ends of Chihiro's hair to the side, obscuring her view in brief flashed of brown.

Getting up from the long beach chair she sat in, Chihiro kicked off her shoes and padded through the sand to the water, teasing the very tips of her toes with the cool relief before walking in up to her calves. Out in the water, she thought she saw a flash of silver, and leaned forward to look, and saw a school of fish swim by her feet. Chihiro laughed and waded deeper in, up to her thighs.

The sun was slowly replaced by the moon, and Chihiro watched the waves shine white. Sighing, she started padding back towards the shore, her feet catching on the sand and rough stones at the bottom of the lake. Suddenly, something large brushed against her leg, and Chihiro stiffened, up to her knees in the dark water. The thing had been huge, and scaly.

Chihiro, too afraid to move, held her breath, hoping that it wouldn't hurt her if she stayed still. Behind her, Chihiro heard a splash, and slowly turned. The tips of two tan horns slowly sprouted from the water, followed by a long, graceful white neck, and a trail of blue fur. Chihiro's mouth dipped open as she watched a dragon rise from the water, its intelligent olive eyes meeting her dark brown ones. "It- It can't be," she whispered, silent tears breaking from the corners of her eyes to trace trails down her cheeks.

The dragon raised its feet, and stood on top of the water. As it walked towards her, it shrank, its from contorting to fit that of an eighteen-year-old boy with dark green hair flowing loosely around his shoulders, and olive green eyes, wearing a short blue hakama, white kariginu with a blue kimono underneath, and light brown sandals. Chihiro's breath caught as he stood eye to eye with her, her having to crane her neck up slightly to look at him.

"Ha-Haku?" she whispered, afraid that saying his name might break the spell or wake her up from this dream.

"Chihiro," he breathed, breaking her out of her frozen state. She threw her arms around him, crying into his neck as he held her. "It's really you!" she cried. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"It took me a long time to find you," he said into her hair, his voice breaking as he rubbed a hand along her back soothingly. "But I never gave up on you, Chihiro."

Chihiro smiled over at Haku, who sat two seats away from her. It had taken a lot of explaining when she brought Haku back to the house with her, but they'd come up with a convincing enough story, and everything had seemed to work itself out from there. She'd told them that he was unconscious when she found him in the woods, and she woke him up and brought him back.

It had been two weeks since then, and Haku had been staying with them, and eventually started attending school with Chihiro. She had had to hold back laughter several times explaining the different subjects and things to Haku, who had never experienced any of it, but she was the happiest she had been in six years with him by her side.

It had taken her a few days to convince herself that he was really there with her, but now Chihiro felt as if he'd always been there; like he was the other half of herself that she'd lost all those years ago. And their relationship had changed, too. The night after she brought him to her house in the city, Haku had kissed her, and she had kissed back. The feelings she hadn't been able to understand fully as a child were now clear to her: She loved him with all her heart.

When the bell for lunch rang, Chihiro, Haku, and two of Chihiro's friends, Michiru and Suzue, headed for the courtyard to eat lunch. Chihiro sat back with Haku under the shade of a tree, and they shared suhsi and things from their separate bentos, while Suzue and Michiru sat together, watching. "Chihiro," Haku said, laughing. "You have soy sauce on your chin."

Chihiro blushed. "Really? Where?" She wiped a hand to the left of the stain. "Did I get it?"

"No. It's- Here, let me get it." Haku grabbed a napkin and wiped it under her lips, their eyes locked.

Michiru and Suzue rolled their eyes, sharing a smile. "So," Michuru said, smiling mischievously. "With how lovey-dovey you two are, one would think you would've come up with a nickname for Chihiro, Kohaku. I mean, she has one for you."

Chihiro and Haku shared a look. "Well," Haku said, tugging a hand through his hair. "Chihiro's name is too important to shorten."

"Awww!" Suzue cooed, clasping her hands together and leaning into Michiru. "That's so sweet."

Chihiro shared a look and a smile with Haku. With what they knew about names, they would hold theirs close, forever. Chihiro yawned and leaned against Haku's shoulder, who wrapped an arm around her and rested his chin on the top of her head, their legs sprawled out in front of them and tangled together. Chihiro looked up at the clouds, and for once she was glad she didn't see a white dragon flying above. Her dragon was right there next to her, and she would never let him go again.