Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away or any characters appearing in it.

Title: Fragile Dreams

Author: Red Light District

Rating: PG-13 for later chapters

Feedback: Yes!

Summary: Chihiro has strange dreams.

Author's Note: Hello to you all! I am thankful for all those who have reviewed my other SA work, "Theme and Variation". This story shall be much happier than the others. I promise! It may take a while to get there, but it will be H/C.

You can consider this part of T&VI. It doesn't have to be, but it could be... sort of.

This is the first thing that I've revised. It's somewhat longer and I've tried to work on certain style issues (speech tags, being too wordy, etc...). Tell me if it's improved.

BTW, I'm looking for a Beta. If anyone wants the job, then I'd be happy to give it to you. Please keep in mind that updates will be sporadic since I'm in the process of moving.

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Prologue

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She stood on ancient stone steps overlooking a meadow. It was a beautiful day. The soft breeze barely stirred the tall grasses enough to reveal grinning stone statues littering the ground.

It was a different sort of wind then the one at the tunnel. Then it had been eerie-frightening even. The wind had been trying to pull them though. Now, the breeze was so faint that it could scarcely be called a wind, but somehow she had the sneaking suspicion that it wanted to keep her away from the one who held her hand.

He seemed almost too beautiful to be true... much to beautiful to be holding her hand with such warmth in his eyes. Then as though from a distance, she heard herself speak, "Hey! There's no water here. I can cross now."

"But I can't go any farther. Just go back the way you came. You'll be fine," he encouraged. "But," he continued firmly, "You have to promise not to look back until you pass through the tunnel."

"What about you? What will you do?"

"Don't worry." He smiled briefly. "I'll go and have a talk with Yubaba. I'll tell her that I'm going to quit being her apprentice... I'm fine. I've got my name back."

A sudden thought worried her. "Will we meet again sometime?"

"I'm sure we will."

"Do you promise?" she persisted.

His eyes softened as he squeezed her hand. "I promise."

She heard him tell her to go with another not to look back, but all she could concentrate on was the feel of her hand in his and the nagging doubt that this would be their final goodbye.

As she took her first step away from him, her hand slipped from his easil and she raced towards the rising voices of her parents.

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Chihiro woke to a tear-dampened face like everynight for the past month. And everynight after waking she cried herself to sleep without knowing why.

The next day Chihiro went shopping with her mother. She asked for one thing: a sketchbook.

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TBC

As always. Please review. Tell me what you thought and all that jazz.

7/13/2003