Disclaimer: Do you think that if I owned Spirited Away I would ever think about working again? And also, though I would love to say it was, Over the Hedge is not mine either.

A/N: This chapter is a little bit longer than usual, think of it as a late Christmas present. Anyway, I realize that college exams are probably not like the way I describe them, but as I've said before I haven't been to college yet so I am making it up. Haku does not appear in this chapter and probably will not in the other, except at the end. I will definitely have lots of Haku appearances in the fifth chapter. Thank you to all my reviewers, it is always appreciated.

The next couple of weeks passed with a blur. Finals were coming up and teachers were cramming to get all of their material taught. Even the light-hearted Mr. Larsson was getting a little more serious. Up to this point, a week before finals, they had covered Land spirits, forest spirits, mountain spirits, and lake spirits. Chihiro knew what was coming next, river spirits. She had both been exited and had been dreading this. She wanted to hear what he was going to say, but she also didn't want to have to think about him. And it wasn't that she hated thinking about him, it was that she hated the helpless feeling she would get. There was nothing she could do to see him. Nonetheless she walked into class and sat down her usual spot and opened up her laptop. There she sat, her fingers hovering above the keyboard, ready to type away.

Mr. Larsson walked in and put his briefcase on the desk at the front of the room. He shuffled through it, trying to find his notes. Having found them, he took them over to the podium where he laid them down and looked at the class for a moment before beginning.

"Alright class," he said, Chihiro took in a breath.

"Today and tomorrow we will be discussing river spirits. And they are so named because—class?" They class shared a collective smile before answering.

"They inhabit the water."

"Good! You all still have your brains, now onward!" He exclaimed.

"River spirits, are a lot less animated than the others, although lake spirits act much the same way. But river spirits, unlike the rest of them, tend not to take corporal form. They tend to just "exist" as it were."

'Except him,' Chihiro thought to herself.

"They also tend to be some of the oldest and most immovable spirits around. Water, is one of the most powerful elements. It, unlike the others such as land, cannot be destroyed. Humans can and will destroy land, forests and mountains. But they cannot destroy water."

"Mr. Larsson?" someone interrupted.

"Yes?" he answered, looking eager.

"Isn't it true though that humans can evaporate water?" The student asked.

"Yes, but doesn't it also condense into rain and come back to earth?" Mr. Larsson asked, looking somewhat smug. Realization dawned and the student's face and they blushed a little.

"It was a good question though, points for you," Mr. Larsson then continued, "Water can be re-rerouted and often is. To make way for cities, roads, houses, you name it. But that is indeed all that they can do. And an example of this is Kohaku River in Japan. It was thought to be destroyed about 18 years ago, but really it just got interrupted. I believe that they built a dam but eventually, it found another way out of the dam and flowed differently from then on," Mr. Larsson explained.

Chihiro was very interested in this. It had indeed been her belief that Kohaku River had been destroyed. But now that she knew it wasn't, did that mean he knew too? Rerouting a river that had been flowing the same way for who knows how many years had to be an awful experience for Haku so it probably would have forced him into human form. But she had given his name back before she left, so it made her wonder, did he find his river and join back with it forsaking his human form?

Chihiro had spent most of the rest of the class typing what Mr. Larsson had said, but think about Haku and his river. All sorts of questions came to her mind, and when the bell rang, she realized that she might be able to see him again.

As she walked across the campus to lunch however, a thought stopped her. What if he did bond back to his river? Then she wouldn't see him again. But she also thought to herself, is that the only reason I want to go back? To see him? She knew then it wasn't, it was a big reason to be sure, but it wasn't the whole reason. Ever since she had left she had felt something pulling her back, and it was something she couldn't explain.

She got into the cafeteria and got her food. She walked towards their table and sat down across from Emiko, who was studying.

"Cramming again Emiko?" Chihiro asked, her smile slightly smirking. Emiko looked up as if she hadn't heard Chihiro sit down.

"What? Oh, yeah I am," Emiko grinned and closed her book.

"I don't want to fail finals, do you?" Emiko asked.

"Well of course not, but some of us study at night, when you know, its normal," Chihiro said sarcastically.

"But Chi," Emiko whined, "That's when I go out. You could come with me," Emiko suggested slyly.

"After that last hangover?" Chihiro's eyes shot up. "No way," replied Chihiro. Emiko pouted for a moment before talking again.

"Oh! I got our tickets, we leave the day after finals. We will be flying into Tokyo and then driving to your hometown. Do you want to visit your parents?" Emiko asked carefully.

"I-I don't know right now Em, let me just get through finals and I'll let you know," Chihiro replied, frowning slightly. Emiko nodded and the girls spent the rest of the time before class chatting about random things and eating their lunches.

The rest of the week passed in a flurry of notes, reviewing, late night cramming sessions and everyone's most dreaded part of the year: finals. Chihiro stayed up late with Emiko to study. Both girls now studied every chance they got. The day of finals finally came, each final was an hour and a half and they were all taken in the auditorium. Students had to sit in the same seat for all of their exams. Chihiro looked at the clock one last time and sighed before a teacher signaled that their first exam was beginning.

Chihiro flopped onto the floor with an exhausted sigh, it was twelve o' clock. Emiko and Chihiro had both finished their exams at five. They then went with some other students to dinner and then to the Rosy Sheep for a celebration. Both Emiko and Chihiro had cut out early because their plane left at seven.

They were packed and ready to go, all of their stuff, save for their sleeping bags and pillows. They were going to sleep on the floor in their sleeping bags tonight so they wouldn't have to do any packing up of sheets and things like that in the morning. They wanted to sleep as long as they could, which at this point, only amounted to about three and a half hours.

"Well Chi," Emiko sighed happily, "That'll be the last time for a while that we will get in late from the Rosy Sheep." Chihiro just laughed, Emiko sounded more upset about it than she did. They both climbed into their sleeping bags and fell asleep immediately.

That night, Chihiro had dreamt about the Spirit World, she hadn't actually dreamt about it in a while. She was standing knee-deep in the water next to a train stop. The wind was rustling her hair as it rushed across the flooded plain. Chihiro looked down at herself, she was wearing her bathhouse uniform. She then looked at the platform that had appeared next to her. It was like the platform that she had got on to go to Zeniba's house the first time she was in the Spirit World. She looked behind her and saw the bathhouse shimmering in the distance.

Chihiro heard the train's whistle and she saw it pulling slowly into the station, making the water wash-up to her chest in a small wave. The train stopped and Chihiro could see the passengers hanging their heads out the windows. The passengers were all her friends. She saw Kamaji, Lin, Zeniba, Bou, the soot sprites, all the yunas that worked at the bathhouse, and even Emiko. They were all smiling, waving, and calling her name.

The train door opened and Haku walked out. He looked taller and older than when she first met him, but it was unmistakably him. He stood looking out to the plain; she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He seemed to realize she was there, for he turned and smiled at her. He walked towards her, his walk was slow and deliberate but almost predatory, she couldn't help but to stare.

He reached her and knelt down in front of her. He stared into her eyes and Chihiro could feel herself getting lost in the emerald depths of his eyes. He smiled warmly at her and spoke.

"Hello Chihiro," his voice was rich and deep and sounded somewhat like melting chocolate to Chihiro.

"Hi," was all she managed to croak out. He laughed, it reverberated in her chest. He held his hand out to her and spoke again.

"Come with me Chihiro, it's just one more step. You can do it Chihiro." She wanted to take his hand and go with him, she wanted to stay with him, but she couldn't even lift her hand. It was it she was suddenly full of lead and glued to the spot. He looked at her for a while before she realized what was happening. Everything was fading, it was as if the scene was made of dust and the wind kicked up.

Chihiro shook her head and tried to take his hand, thinking that if she could touch it, that the scene wouldn't go away. But her hand passed right through his, she had waited to long and now it was too late. She cried silently as she watched the scene fade away. It faded into the scene she was most familiar with, the statue in front of the grassy hill where the tunnel should be.

"NO!" Chihiro screamed, "No! This can't be happening, I WAS there!" She screamed angrily to the sky. She had been in the Spirit World and couldn't move, it wasn't fair!

"Chihiro," a voice called. But Chihiro ignored it, too focused on the statue, which she resented.

"Chi! Come on, it's time to get up," this time Chihiro opened her eyes and looked around the room, disoriented. The light in the bathroom was on and Emiko was kneeling over her, her face concerned.

"You ok Chi? You're crying," Emiko remarked. Chihiro reached up to her face and discovered that it was wet.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. It must've been a dream or something," Chihiro brushed it off. She tried to forget the dream. Emiko nodded and helped Chihiro up and roll up her sleeping bag. The girls were quiet as they waited outside for the taxi they called yesterday to pick them this morning. When the taxi arrived, the driver helped them put their stuff in the trunk, barely fitting all of it in. It was a long ride to the airport and before they fell asleep the laughed about saying goodbye to New Zealand.

"Alright Chi, better say goodbye to the sheep!" Emiko teased. Chihiro turned to the window and waved to the sheep.

"Goodbye little furry white animals!" They both laughed together, 'the little furry white animals,' had been a joke between them since freshman year. Chihiro hadn't gotten the name for sheep right away so she had referred to them as the little furry white animals that were everywhere. Emiko had teased her about it ever since.

Soon the girls both fell asleep, and before they knew it, they were there. They unloaded their bags and paid the driver. He pulled away from the curb and they walked into the airport. It was about forty-five minuets later that Chihiro and Emiko were sitting in uncomfortable seats waiting for their plane to board. Chihiro sighed, she hated long plane rides. It wasn't the flying part, she was a little claustrophobic and being packed in like sardines on a plane for ten hours really wasn't all that appealing.

'Yes, but you like flying with him,' the annoying voice in her head said to her. She promptly told it to shut up.

They boarded and took off twenty minuets later, just barely on time. Luckily, Emiko had gotten them seats that were in the section of the plane that had two seats to a row. So she and Emiko got to sit next to each other. Needless to say, for the first four hours, they slept. After that, the amused themselves by reliving their adventures the past three years.

"Hey Chi," Emiko said, "Do you remember the first time you went to the Rosy Sheep?" Emiko had an evil grin on her face. Chihiro glared at Emiko, she did indeed remember, she had gotten so sick and had the worst hangover the next morning.

"I blame it all on you," Chihiro said. Emiko put on a mock hurt face.

"Me Chihiro? Why would you blame that on me?" Emiko teased.

"Because before you, I was totally uncorrupted," Chihiro said self-importantly. Emiko laughed and replied.

"I only brought out what was already there my dear." Chihiro and Emiko laughed together, revealing in the memories. They had always managed to get themselves into the worst sort of trouble. But they had always gotten out of it with no worse for wear.

The rest of the flight was spent mocking the in-flight movie, some English film about cartoon animals and suburbia.

"Light fading, losing consciousness!" Chihiro said dramatically, throwing her hand over her forehead. Emiko laughed and added the other line.

"Is that you mother? Beckoning me into the light," Emiko looked off into nowhere and held one hand on her heart and the other one out in front of her, just like the possum.

Ten hours after they took off, they arrived at Tokyo airport; it was two o'clock in Tokyo. The three hour time difference would take some getting used to Chihiro knew. They got their baggage and went to go rent a car. They left the airport about an hour later, getting on the highway they were on their way to a hotel about a two hours drive from Chihiro's home town.

Chihiro was strangely quiet; she hadn't been back to Tokyo in over three years. But driving down the road and looking at the trees and the city lights, she remembered why she had loved it. From the time she was born until she was ten, she had lived in the city, but her parents decided that out in the country would be a better place for a young girl.

Chihiro watched the city slowly disappear behind them as they drove on. She marveled at how the city had spread out, like vines of ivy. Tokyo was a big city, there was no denying it. Emiko looked over at Chihiro every now and then but said nothing; she could tell when Chihiro wanted space.

They arrived in the town they were staying in at about seven. They quickly found their hotel and pulled in. While Emiko went and checked in, Chihiro looked around the lobby. It was very warm and homey feeling. There were stray chairs here and there, all really comfortable looking. Ink paintings hung on walls, a lit by bright white lights. The floor was made of highly polished wood and had oriental rugs sort of thrown here and there. It looked random, but at the same time Chihiro couldn't help but feel that it was thoughtfully done.

They took the elevator up to their floor and almost got lost trying to find there room. But find it they did, eventually. Soon after walking in, Chihiro collapsed on the bed, traveling had always drained her. Emiko soon bounced down beside her, making Chihiro laugh.

The girls spent most of the afternoon napping, despite the fact that it would screw up their internal clocks. But at night, when they had recovered they started chatting about when they should leave tomorrow.

"We could leave in the morning, just for extra time before we go to the Spirit World," suggested Emiko. It took a moment for Chihiro to realize what she was getting at. She thought for a moment, she should go and see them. After all, they were her parents. But she hadn't exactly been on the best terms with them when she left. Her and her mother were alright, she supposed, but her father…

"Yes, alright. I think you should meet my parents anyway," said Chihiro after considering it for a while. Emiko smiled warmly and hugged her friend, giving her silent support. She knew it would be hard for Chihiro. Chihiro had never actually told Emiko what had happened between her and her parents, but she had a good idea. Chihiro seemed like she was the dutiful daughter type, and she highly doubted that her parents came up with Chihiro's major.

That night Chihiro didn't have any dreams, but she couldn't sleep either. Emiko slumbered quietly in the bed while Chihiro sat by the window, her knees pulled up to her chest and arms wrapped around them. She had the curtain open slightly so she could look out the window. The air coming off the window was cold, and the sky outside was clear. The city lights were twinkling in the cold almost-summer air.

Chihiro sighed and watched the cars on the street down below go on their way; they were few and far between, it being three in the morning. Sleep would not come, despite the jet lag and the three hour difference from New Zealand. She was nervous, not only about seeing her parents again but going back.

The thought had entered her mind, that if the tunnel was there than what would she do? Would she after all these years, actually go in? Was what she had needed to see the tunnel for was proof that she had actually been there? That she wasn't crazy?

No, she didn't think so, if that had been all she would have known. She wouldn't have had all those dreams and thought about it all the time. It was more than that, she realized. It was like some driving force that made her want, no, need to go back. She had thought about that before, and the idea still kind of scared her. What was it that made her want to go back so badly?

She had briefly thought that it was some magical attraction, that the magic in the Spirit World had appealed to her human spirit. But she didn't think so anymore. It was too much of a strong feeling to want to go back for it to be magic. It was something more, she just didn't know what.

The morning light crept through the city, it's tendrils of sunlight found their way through the buildings and across the streets. Soon the sun was reflected in Chihiro's warm brown eyes. She blinked and looked at the clock, it read six am. She sighed; they would be leaving in a couple of hours, on their way to Chihiro's home. Although, she didn't exactly call it home anymore, she didn't feel at home anywhere really.

She sighed again and laid her head on her knees and fell into a light sleep, only to be awakened by Emiko two hours later.

Not many people were out on the road as Emiko and Chihiro were making their way to Chihiro's parents'. Chihiro was driving; she wasn't feeling any of the effect of not sleeping. What she was feeling was about a million butterflies in her stomach and a bunch of nervous energy that made her feel like she about to jump out of her skin.

They had been driving for about an hour and a half, they were about twenty minuets from the little town Chihiro had spent eight years of her life in. Eight years of questioning who she was and if she belonged anywhere anymore.

Chihiro made the turn off the highway onto a smaller road that would leave into the town. Emiko had been quiet the whole way, not wanting to push Chihiro into talking. Chihiro was grateful for this sort of silent support. She couldn't even have expressed a small amount of gratitude that she had for the girl. Emiko was like her guardian angel, so felt so lucky to have her. As the town came into view, Chihiro had the biggest case of déja-vu. She still remembered when her and her parents first came. She had been annoyed and uninterested, so unaware about what the next few days would be like.

She turned up the hill that would leave to her house. She could see the blue house from the road and pointed it out to Emiko.

"See the blue one there?" Chihiro said pointing to it. Emiko nodded and looked at it. It was a faded blue, but different from all the rest of the houses. It sat next to the forest, the one Emiko knew was more than a mere forest.

Chihiro turned into her old street and slowly drove up. She parked in front of the azure house and cut the engine. She sat, unmoving before she spoke.

"Maybe we should have called first," said Chihiro nervously.

"Chihiro I'm sure it will be fine, all we have to do is ring the doorbell. I promise I will be with you the whole time," Emiko reassured the girl. Chihiro bit her lip nervously and then undid her seatbelt and hopped out of the car, Emiko soon followed suit. Chihiro slowly walked up the driveway and then up the path that lead to the front door. She hesitated a moment before ringing the doorbell. They had to wait a moment, but Chihiro could her someone's feet padding towards the door, she guessed it was her mother.

Then, the door opened…

A/N: Please, please, please review!