I. The Depth

Fingers, frozen yet liquid wrapped around Chihiro, pulling her into deadly arms. She didn't struggle, though she couldn't figure out why. All she knew was the glowing orb so far above her. Her hand reached out, stretching towards the light.

The edges of the orb were eaten away by darkness. When the last speckle of light vanished, Chihiro found herself floating in endless, watery night.

One thought came to mind. A whispering thought that she forced from her mind and into the sea.

"Haku..."

II. Rescuer

Haku stopped midway down the hall, placing one hand on the nearest wall. He slumped forward slightly. A tugging at his heart had halted him, mid-step. He breathed heavily as his body hunched.

"So, this is where you're hiding out, eh, Dragon boy?"

Lin's booming voice startled him. Haku pressed his free hand to his chest, but made no other movement.

"I wasn't hiding," he mumbled.

Lin scoffed as she approached him. She moved in front of him and the moment she did, her mouth dropped open.

"What happened to you?!"

Her hand grabbed his shoulder while she peered at him with concern and fear. After a long moment, he looked into her eyes allowing all the weight of his misery to fall on her. She bit her lip and raised a brow, silently pleading for an answer.

Haku's answer came out as a strangled and aching whisper, "I kissed her."

His apprentice made a slightly disgusted face, "Haya?"

"No," he croaked, "Chihiro. I kissed Chihiro."

"Oh," she responded seriously with a nod. And then, a delighted smile spread on her lips, "Oh! Well, what's wrong with that?"

He gaped at her, "Everything! Lin, she's a human. I'm a spirit. A mated spirit, at that. Think with your head, woman."

She put her hands on her hips. All concern was lost. The only thing that remained was agitation.

"Think with my head? Maybe you should think with your heart," she hissed, "if you have one," she added on as a mutter.

He sighed as he rubbed his forehead with his fingers. It was a useless battle. Lin didn't understand the lack of propriety and never would. The situation was beyond improper decorum.

"Lin..." he started calmly, but never continued.

His eyes widened as the sound of chimes filled the air. The sound pulled at him, tugging him towards Chihiro's room. It was as though the world began moving in slow motion. He whispered her name as he broke into a run.

"Haku!" Lin called out from what sounded like far away to him.

The door to the room tore open before he even reached it. Wild-eyed and desperate, he looked around the space, finding it empty. Panic and dread filled him as his attention moved to the opened balcony door.

"What's going on?" Lin yelled once she reached the room. Quickly the situation and horror hit her, "Oh, Gods! She couldn't have..."

The pair rushed over to the balcony door and peered over the side. Wind whipped at them as the sea blow tossed and turned as though vengeful. Haku's hands gripped the railing nearly to the breaking point. He gave Lin a brief glance before gracefully jumped to stand on the rail.

"We're under attack," he told her.

She gasped, but readied herself, "I'll take care of things here. Do what you have to do."

He nodded and leaped from the rail towards the water below. As he headed down, shining silver scales danced around him. Just before he entered the water, his body turned into his dragon.

"I'm coming, Chihiro. Hold on a little while longer," his mind whispered out to hers.

III. Under Attack

Lin sucked in a deep breath as she closed her eyes. She brought her hands together in a clap. From within the building, a loud gong sounded. In moments, the staff would awake and join in the battle. For now, she'd have to defend her master's home.

"Alright, nasty, time to show you who you're messing with," she said with a dark smile growing on her lips.

She chanted into the night, calling on the power of light. A ball of white light formed, floating just above her open hand. She tossed it towards the water. The light spread across the sea, making it shimmer with dazzling colors.

"Hope that helps, Dragon boy," she whispered.

There was a roar of wind and something else. The sea and air began to form long arms that climbed the building. Lin's eyes widened as they banged into the side of the bathhouse until the foundation shook. She stumbled forward after a particularly rough jolt.

"Hey, knock that off!"

The arms heard her and turned on her instead. Lin managed to cross her arms moments before the water attacked.

"Shield, shield, SHIELD!"

She managed to get the shield spell to work. The force of the water pushed her back, but didn't manage to bowl her over. Once she found her footing, Lin uncrossed her arms, pushing the water arm away.

Lin raised a hand, palm facing outward. She chanted again, this time to trigger a much larger shield that would cover the entire building.

The Foreman joined her on the balcony along with several other frogs.

"Guh!" he gasped, then turned to his men, "Help her shield!" When they didn't respond due to fear, he yelled angrily, "I said help her!"

The Master of the Baths had found it prudent to teach several members of his staff some rudimentary spells. Together, the spell could be powerful enough to fend off an enemy for a fair amount of time. They chanted in unison and Lin's shield expanded, encompassing most of the building.

"What is that thing?" one of the frogs whimpered while pointing to the raging sea.

The group focused onto the spot where he pointed. A bubble was forming on the water. A rather large bubble.

"Trouble," Lin told him.

IV. In Truth

Haku swam faster than he'd ever swam. Thanks to Lin's light, he saw Chihiro being sucked further into the water. He rushed to her in a blur despite the water's effort to stop him. It was like a million hands grabbing at him, slowing him down. Just not enough. Never enough from saving the one that had stolen his soul so long ago.

Once he reached her limp, floating form, he took her clothing between his teeth. Quickly he headed towards the surface.

The water had other plans.

It spiraled down into the dark, sucking him along its wrathful path. He fought against the current as hard as he could, but it continued to drag him further in. Haku gathered as much speed as possible and headed towards freedom. He launched himself out of the water, flying into the air.

The air itself seemed to screech in agony. Power washed over him, knocking him into the bathhouse. It forced him to change back into a man. Both he and Chihiro plummeted toward the sea.

"No!" he yelled out.

He summoned the angry water, forcing it upward until it caught them. Haku wrapped his unconscious Chihiro into his arms, protecting her fiercely.

"Be gone!"

His own power unleashed, ripping through everything with a mighty rumble. For a second, everything stopped. Then, the wave of magic rushed back at him, causing him to hit the wall, again.

The water reached for him, pulling him back in. He had a glimpse of a bubble forming on the water, but couldn't figure out what was happening. All he knew was he had to keep Chihiro safe. He held her even closer.

Wind and water formed a pillar, starting from the bubble and touching the sky. The pair was swept into it, flying around inside at dizzying speeds. The magic causing this desperately tried to pull them apart, but Haku's determination kept them together.

He waited for the worst, but prayed for someone or something to destroy this being, this force so eagerly awaiting to destroy him. He closed his eyes and silently apologized to Chihiro for not saving her.

His lips pressed on her forehead. Three damning words popped into his head. As it seemed the end was approaching, he allowed himself to feel them. Perhaps it was just the moment. Perhaps it was just the way things were. Whatever it was, he had to admit to himself that he'd loved her since the very beginning.

The world exploded. He felt the sensation of flying and the Chihiro's warm breath on his bare skin, then everything went dark.

V. The Calvary

The pillar of water and wind edged closer to the bathhouse. Power pushed down on Lin, powers far stronger than she could battle against. The frogs gathered around her, shivering just as she was. There was no way she could protect against the force barreling towards the bathhouse.

"The shield won't hold," The Foreman screeched.

Lin began throwing everything she had at the water sprout. A freeze spell his it in the center, momentarily stopping it. It shattered, blowing shards of ice in every direction. Fighting this was beyond her skills and Haku was nowhere to be found.

"Get everyone out of here!" she yelled over the roaring winds.

The Foreman and his frogs rushed to begin evacuating the building. Lin, however, stayed behind and waited. She prayed for a miracle to come.

"If anyone out there is listening, we could use your help right now."

There was a whoop that echoed off the building and the water. Lin looked up to see two new objects swirling with the rushing winds. She squinted her eyes, hoping to get a clearer picture. She gasped then smiled.

"Zeniba!" she cheered. Her smile faltered to confusion, "Yubaba?"

The old witches worked in tandem. Spells flew and magic danced. The water sprout seemed to weaken as they fought it with ease. Somehow the witches seemed to be squeezing the water pillar's life from it. It formed another bubble, this time at the top of it. One more squeeze and the bubble popped off the rest of it, launching it at break-neck speeds to the east.

The water seemed to scream, reaching out toward the bubble, but Yubaba darted through it as Zeniba pounded down it. With one more burst of power, the monster dissolved, sending water in every direction.

Once everything was still and the night had returned to calm, Lin cheered again. She jumped up in down, fist thrusting in victory. Other voices joined her as well as clapping. She looked around the space to find many of the workers and some of the guests enthusiastically rejoiced with her.

Zeniba and Yubaba joined Lin on the balcony. Both were soaked with water, but only Yubaba seemed grumpy about it.

Lin launched herself into Zeniba's arms. The old witch hugged her back, rubbing a hand down the younger spirit's back comfortingly.

"There now, it's all over," she said with her sweet, tender voice.

"Thank you so much!" Lin thanked her as she took a step back to bow. She bowed to Zeniba, then turned to Yubaba for her own bow.

Yubaba scoffed, "I leave and this is what happens. Random spirits attacking the place. Where is Haku?"

Lin's eyes widened. Her master was nowhere in site. She looked over the edge of the balcony, finding only calmed water below.

Zeniba gently patted the girl's shoulder, "No need to worry about Haku or Chihiro. They're safe."

"Where are they?" Lin asked, full of concern.

"On their way to some place secret and quiet," she answered with amusement in her words. "I'd imagine they have much to talk about."

VI. In Rememberance

The sun was on the brink of rising, leaving the sky as a rainbow of colors. This is what Chihiro saw as she slowly came to. That and the fact that she was wrapped up in strong arms.

Eyes fluttering, her attention turned to the man holding her. A small smile crept across her lips. He seemed so unreal, yet so very real. Like a doll that had come to life. She brought a hand up to his face, stroking it with her thumb.

Memories washed over her. She remembered Kisa and the water. She remembered the touch of Haku's lips on her own. She remembered him rescuing her as he'd done so many times.

Her eyes widened as a flash of memory surfaced. She saw herself flying in the air, riding a majestic silver dragon. It wasn't the first time even then. The thought caused her chest to tighten. She'd told him his name and freed him. Kohaku River. He'd saved her twice as a child and now as a woman.

As she watched the scene in her mind, the moment the dragon shattered into glorious silver scales, the lock on all of lost memories shattered with it. Everything that had happened spilled to the surface of her mind. She gasped with intense pleasure as Haku once again came into her life.

"Haku," she whispered, then spoke louder, "Haku, wake up!"

His eyes fluttered open. Those beautiful green orbs looked into her eyes. He seemed confused at first, but soon that look turned into a tired smile.

"Chihiro," he said, his voice sounding hoarse.

She didn't say anything for a long moment. She let herself take all of him in. This face was so different than the one she remembered as a child. So handsome and manly. So perfect.

"I remember..." she told him finally.

His eyes widened. They seemed misty as he watched her in almost disbelief. The hope in his face was almost frightening. The longing there was even more so.

"You do?"

"Yes."

A long pause, "Good."

He pulled her tighter to him, then brought her mouth to his.

A/N: I sincerely apologize to the incredibly long wait on this update. For a long time, I hadn't been inspired to write anything. Recently, I've gotten back into writing, however, I've been focusing on my original fiction. In fact, pretty soon, I'm going to be published thumbs up

Anyway, I figured it was time I start neglecting those waiting for this story. I can't promise frequent updates and I have no idea when I'll be able to finish the story, but I can guarantee it's on my to do list.

If you want to know more about my original works, you can find my blog at edbeale(dot)info. Thanks to everyone who has been reading this far. Please hang in there with me a little longer!