Yosh! Sorry I haven't written in forever. I'm young and busy and as much as I love to wish I didn't I have homework. So here you go another chapter. Sorry it took so long. ;D its dandy like candy of you to wait so thanks.

Chapter 4: Like an Hourglass.

Chihiros POV:

Haku! Haku! Haku! HAKU! He's here and so beautiful. Oh my darling Haku! I clung to him desperately my tear stained face pushed forcefully into his muscled chest. His arm tightened around me and his hand moved to my hair, stroking it gently. For a while I just sat there, listening to his breath, taking comfort in the solid feel of his body and enjoying the realness of it all. I couldn't wrap my mind around actually being there laying in his arms, his heart beating beneath his chest and the delicious earthy scent the filled my nostrils.

Everything seemed so perfect until finally, reality began to sink back in. Torn images of what happened last night flashed through my mind; tortured screams, a distinct growl and oh so much blood. "Haku" I whispered loosening my grip and pulling back so I could see his face. "What did you do last night?" He held my eye for a second before looking away his face a cold mask, but there was something more bubbling underneath his hard surface, hatred and anger.

I was extremely tired of crying but another wave of tears swept over me, I pushed out of our embrace and sat up. "Haku, you killed them…"

"It was necessary" he said trying to restrain himself but failing. "They hurt you, raped you. Death was the only option they had in my eyes." He stood trembling and those beautiful eyes flickered to a deep emerald green then back to jade in an instant. "When you came to this world I made it my job to protect you, to save you from being trapped here forever, and when you left it still felt like I had a duty to watch over you even there in the human world." He looked back at me his eyes softening and his lips parting, the words flowing gently through his mouth but hitting me with such a force that I stumbled back a step.

"I love you"

I must have look a little dizzy because he strode forward and caught me securely around the waist. I had always known that I loved him and was sure that he cared for me but to actually say that he loved me. I opened my mouth to say it back but something caught the words in my throat and I immediately changed the conversation back to the problem at hand. "You killed them Haku, what if someone finds the bodies!" A hurt look crossed his expression but it slipped away and was quickly replaced by that mask that I despised so much.

"The bodies have been disposed of and no one will ever know. Give me some credit; I was Yubaba's henchman for years. I've learned a lot." I looked at him unconvinced. He sighed heavily and said "Please Chihiro, just trust me." He smiled beautifully and looked at me with those twinkling jade eyes. I knew he had me and he knew it too. I walked over to him and smiled and he took my hand gently rubbing his thumb against my palm. "It's still morning, everyone's sleeping off last nights' late rush. They won't be back up till tonight. How about I take you to see Lin and Kamaji when they do wake up?"

"Haku would you!" I grinned and laughed as memories of my old friends came flooding back and as soon as they were back I remembered how quickly they had become memories. How I left the spirit world and everything and everyone became a memory. Slowly I began to realize that this moment with Haku and every second I spent here… would become memories as well. My time here was limited like an hourglass the sand has to run out eventually and I wanted to embrace every moment I had here with my friends and Haku.

"You look tired Haku… let's sleep until work starts."

He nodded and once again I snuggled deeply into his warm chest, praying that I wouldn't have to leave him any time soon.

Haku's POV:

"She had seemed so stressed over the bodies… didn't she think they deserved it for what they had done to her". He thought to himself. He looked down at the strange creature entangled in his arms and his heart rate picked up a bit. "She had forgiven him so easily yet when he had told he loved her why hadn't she…" He let out a frustrated growl and stiffened when Chihiro lifted her head to look at him through sensually narrowed eyes. She mumbled something inaudible and rolled onto her back, brown hair flowing around her head. He arched his body over her and looked over the tan, muscled young women Chihiro had become.

The yukata that he had put on her was short barely grazing her knees and the colors were to his liking but a deeper forest green would suit her tanned skin better. He desperately wanted to run his fingers over her legs. How had she become so beautiful… he sighed deeply and rolled away from her.

He couldn't risk not being able to control himself. He settled to listening to her breath and let the sweet sounds push him back into sleep.