I am loving writing this!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 1 (JuliaAbadeerSkellington, Beanatrix LeString, Carly) I really appreciate it!

Chapter 2: Chihiro's Protector

Chihiro's POV

That severe beating Chihiro took earlier had taken a lot out of her, and she didn't understand how she could still be functioning, the pain and injuries had been so bad, but she was thankful because if she hadn't had the energy or ability to finish her chores, who knows what her parents would have done to her? That didn't mean she wasn't in pain, though. She couldn't help but flinch in pain with every move she made and sometimes a little sob would escape her throat even though she tried to hide it so that her parents wouldn't hear.

She was finishing up the dishes in the kitchen and was about to move on to doing the laundry when she got the feeling of being watched. She turned around and went over to the window to see if anything or anyone was there and she could have sworn she saw a person running away but it was so brief that she came to the conclusion that she was imagining things. She closed the curtains and went back to doing her chores, but apparently not fast enough. Her parents were behind her and they looked livid.

"Why haven't you done the laundry yet, you little bitch?" Her father, Aiko, slurred at her.

Chihiro realized that her parents had been drinking again and that meant they would be especially brutal.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm going to the laundry room right now. I'll get it done as quickly as possible." Chihiro murmured, staring at the tiles on the floor that she had just cleaned.

Her mother, Yuuko was no better than her father, "That laundry should've been done an hour ago and I see you haven't taken the trash out either. What the hell kind of servant are you?! You're good for nothing, always slacking. We should just get rid of you for good."

Chihiro knew what was coming and braced herself, hoping that they would get their anger out quickly. She didn't realize how serious her mother was, or just how drunk both of her parents were until they both picked up a boning knife. Chihiro started to turn away to run when she suddenly felt a piercing pain behind her knee on her right leg, hampering her attempts to run. She crashed to the floor and screamed out in pain, only to feel another knife enter her body just above her left hip, directly below her ribs. She cried and screamed, begging for them to stop, only making them angrier and they continued to stab her.

"Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit! No one is going to help you. Who would? You're just a stupid, good for nothing little girl!" Aiko spat at her.

"Haku… Help... I need you now more than ever…" Chihiro whimpered quietly so her parents wouldn't hear.

More stabs. Three in her legs and two in her arms when Chihiro started to black out from the pain, seeing blood cover her, the floor, and her parents. She was on the edge of consciousness, when a strange figure abruptly burst into the kitchen with a chilling snarl and a deathly look in his scalding emerald eyes. He looked familiar to her but her thoughts were so consumed with surviving that she couldn't register everything happening around her. He had black hair with an emerald green tint, but she was too far gone and finally blacked out, only seeing red and feeling pain…

Haku's POV

Haku had been watching Chihiro doing chores and saw her cringe in pain every time she moved and heard her small whimpers every few minutes. All he wanted to do was go to her side and comfort her. He wanted to make everything better and save her from this atrocious place, but he had a plan. He would wait for her to go to sleep and then give her parents everything they deserved, then take Chihiro back to the Spirit World and protect her forever. He couldn't understand how her parents could do this to their own daughter after everything she did to save them from Yubaba's callousness.

Haku was observing her through the window as she finished washing dishes, and saw her freeze for just a second before turning and walking towards the window he was standing by. He wanted nothing more than for her to see him and talk to him but that wasn't part of the plan. She needed to be unaware of him until the time was right, so he turned and swiftly ran to the forest not far from the house. He would wait there until he could hear Chihiro sleeping soundly in her room.

A few minutes later, however, Haku heard shouting coming from the little blue house. He eavesdropped easily, with his sensitive ears and heard the vile things Aiko and Yuuko slurred to their innocent daughter. He was overcome with rage and then heard Zeniba in his head, "Haku, you're losing time. The spell is wearing off. Get back here soon. I will try to hold it for as long as possible but there are no guarantees. Hurry."

"Zeniba, Chihiro is in trouble. I have to help her but I don't want to scare her. Her parents are gruesome people who get highs off beating her. I very much want to kill them, but Chihiro is so fragile, I'm afraid seeing her parents murdered will break her and she will never return to the Spirit World."

"Don't worry, child. Chihiro is a strong girl, she can make it through. Do you remember that purple hair tie, her friends and I wove for her those six years ago?"

"Yes, why?"

"I put a protection spell on it. It's supposed to protect her from all harm that comes her way. She will be fine."

"Zeniba, harm has come to her. She has bruises and burns all over her body and she is in much pain. How strong was that spell?"

"It was one of the strongest spells I have ever cast. Hmm, I guess my magic isn't as effective in the Human World. It has kept her alive but not been able to—" Zeniba was cut off by a small voice from a frightened girl who was in unimaginable pain.

Haku heard Chihiro scream in pain and cry and then heard her whisper a plea for him to help her. He was on his feet the instant he heard it and as he ran back to the house he heard flesh being lacerated and more screams emanating from the girl he loves. He ran in the house, not caring about his plan or scaring Chihiro, only worrying about protecting her.

When he found the "family" in the kitchen, the scene in front of him had him seething with rage. He looked to Chihiro, bloodied and unconscious on the floor and then looked to her attackers and saw the satisfied smirks on their faces. They didn't even seem to notice his presence. They were too caught up in the delightful sight of their useless servant finally getting what she deserved. Haku was appalled and couldn't rein his anger in any longer. He exploded.

With a feral snarl, Haku used his magic to pry the gory knives out of the attackers' hands. He walked towards them slowly, with a smoldering gleam in his eyes and Aiko and Yuuko backed away in terror. Haku lunged at them, knives held high, when he heard a movement from behind him. He turned to see Chihiro staring at him with relief and then fright, taking in the sight of Haku about to kill her parents.

"Haku?"

Chihiro's POV

She was willing herself to be conscious again. She had to know if she really just saw who she thought she did or if her imagination was playing tricks on her. She started to become aware of her surroundings again, and her pain, when she opened her eyes and saw the star of her dreams about to kill her parents.

"Haku?"

She was relieved to see he had come back for her, and saved her but as she registered what exactly was happening she became scared. She scooted away just the slightest bit and that movement had not gone unnoticed by the others in the room. Haku looked towards her and she saw a gleam in his eye that she often saw in her parents' eyes right before they beat her. She was terrified.

She watched as Haku shook his head and dropped the knives he had been holding and dropped beside her, "Chihiro, are you okay?" The evil look in his eye had disappeared, replaced by a eyes full of worry and concern. She didn't know how to respond. She just sat there staring into the emerald eyes she missed so much, and began to cry. She then felt strong arms wrap around her and felt herself being pulled up into a tight and tender embrace, only to yelp and whimper in pain.

Haku immediately released her and laid her gently back down on the floor. Chihiro watched as Haku seemed to remember that they were not alone and turned around to give Aiko and Yuuko a chilling glare and heard him say, "You are two lucky people. Had Chihiro stayed unconscious for only one more second, you would be dead. I'm taking her with me now and will deal with you later. You can no longer harm this innocent girl."

"Who the hell are you?" Aiko's voice rang with a note of fear, even though he was trying to hide it. Chihiro had never heard that tone from her father and she was surprised.

"I'm the person who just spared yours and your wife's lives. Remember that you will not be so lucky the next time I see you."

"You can't take her! She's our daughter and we have control over her until she's eighteen. She's ours to do with as we please until then. So, you will leave our house right now, before I call the police on you for trespassing." Yuuko sounded slightly more in charge than Aiko but even she couldn't hide the fear in her voice.

Haku was getting down right pissed off, "You have come so close to killing her that she wouldn't have even had the chance of surviving two more years with you. She is your daughter and you've treated her like a slave. You don't deserve her and quite frankly, you don't even deserve to live. We are leaving and if you even try to stop us, everything that Chihiro has gone through in the past six years will be bestowed onto you. Over and over and over again until you are begging me to kill you."

Chihiro was having trouble staying awake now and felt herself being lifted off the ground. She got her eyes to flutter open one last time to see her parents, the two people she hated most in this world, look completely enraged and dumbfounded, as she was whisked away out of the house she couldn't bear to look at.

The last thing she heard before she blacked out again was Haku's voice saying, "I've missed you so much, I don't know what I would've done if I had gotten here too late. I'm sorry it took so long, I…" and she was out again.

Any reviews would be greatly appreciated! I would love any feedback you could give me, and if you could tell me things I could improve on, that would be wonderful! I'm also up for any suggestions you all have, honestly, I have no idea where this story is going. I'm just writing as I go and figuring it all out. I don't want to make this a story just about Chihiro and Haku reuniting. I want it to be about their lives after they reunite... So any suggestions?

Schools out today for snow, again (I'm glad I graduate next year)... and I'm having trouble staying away from the computer, so the next chapter will probably be up either tonight or tomorrow night!