Gothic: WhoaÉ.IÕm out of school. You donÕt understand. ThatÕs awesome! No more school! Faster updates for you all! Yay! But IÕm so sorry about the late update. I just got spacing for braces, and my teeth hurt.

Haku: No! No!!!!!!!!!!!

Gothic: You know you love it!

Haku: Â_Â

Gothic: :-p anyways, so I donÕt own the lovely sp. I wish I wish I wish!!!!!!!!

WaitingÑChapter 11

Haku put a hand up to stop the girl, his pale slender fingers reaching out, grasping nothing, his fingers curled on air. Somehow, he felt sad, as if something was leaving him. Something was missing, as if he was a child, and his mother had just left him, and he didnÕt know where she had gone. He felt perplexed, because he didnÕt know her. Or, he thought he didnÕt. His hand slowly came back down, his eyes still straining, hoping that she would come back in, and take the mask from her face and tell him what was happening.

Rin looked from him to the door and back again. Her husband seemed upset. His eyes seemed sad, lost, and confused. He didnÕt like Nami? Or was it something else? He liked her? NoÉShe knew her husband was loyal to her. He loved her! And she loved him dearly. She wouldnÕt let Nami get to him. She would show Haku that she loved him more than ever before. The thought of Nami and Haku together made Rin furious and jealous at the same time. She blinked, turning her mind away from such annoying thoughts, and brushed the idea away.

ÔBesides, Nami will be down there the whole time, and Haku will be kept busy by Yubaba. IÕll make sure of that!Õ She smiled, and held Haku close to her. They stayed that way for some time; sometimes speaking, sometimes humming, and sometimes no words were spoken at all. Haku thought he felt happy, but every time he thought of that girl, something seemed wrong. He glanced at the wedding picture of himself and Rin. She was smiling, her expression one of pure joy. He seemed happy in the picture, but his smile was tight lipped, and he was stiff, straight as a board, while she was flowing, soft, and white.

He had to talk to her. Somehow, he would talk to her. Maybe if he got a message from Yubaba. He would make this work. But he couldnÕt let Rin know. She wouldnÕt understand what was going on, or why this was happening. He needed this new girl. She was a piece that somehow fit into his life. He just didnÕt know how yet. But he would talk to her. He would ask a million questions, and he prayed that she had a million answers.

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A week passed, with Chihiro barely saying a word. She helped the soot balls whenever possible, carrying the charcoal that seemed so much more heavier than before. Every time she picked up a piece she carried her own burden. The gritty feeling of the charcoal reminded her of her own life, and how it so easily could be torn apart. Once in a while Kamajii asked her to go to the kitchen and change his lunch order, or to go fetch a new herb that grew in the meadow nearby, or some cool moss from the streambed. When -ever she left the boiler room, she felt a million eyes upon her. People whispered and laughed, but she wasnÕt as excluded as before. But then, no one knew who she really was. She was even starting to forget herself.

Whenever she saw Haku, she avoided his gaze. One look into his eyes could truly destroy her. The feeling of betrayal hadnÕt fully left her. Each night, she thought about Rin and Haku, their bodies mingled passionately, each whispering a thousand words of love to each other, while she stood there helplessly. Everything in the dream was centered on the two, and she could hear each word whispered and panted, she could hear each moan, and she could feel her throat closing in a silent scream.

Each time she saw him, the dream floated up before her eyes. Each time, she had to draw a hand over her face, and try not to scream out. She wanted so desperately to ask him why he had done such a thing. She wanted to go up to him, shake him, slap him, and pound on his chest, all the while asking him why he had let go of what they had. Each time she saw him, her heart squeezed in her chest painfully, and each time she had to look up, and nod, smile at Rin, who was always by his side, and move on.

Kamajii knew what was happening. He heard ChihiroÕs screams and whimpers each night when she thought he was asleep. The poor girl was slowly dying, and there was nothing he could do. The only time she was happy, was when she was out of the bathhouse. The only time she took her mask off was when she was out of the bathhouse, or when she was in the boiler room, and only when she was mixing herbs for Kamajii.

On one such day, he sent Chihiro out for some moss that grew near the bathhouse, but just far enough so that no one could clearly see her face. Chihiro did so willingly, even looking forward to the time away. She stepped quietly, for it was just dawn, and the dew was still clinging to the lanterns, dripping off of the finely painted gutters, collecting into puddles in the ground. She didnÕt notice a pair of green eyes watching her, or another pair of darker, larger eyes that had no sympathy. All she knew was she was escaping the place that reminded her too much of what she had lost.

Walking across the stones, Chihiro felt her pain slowly ebb away, flowing down the river like a dark fish, its scales shining as it jumped, its fins working hard to leave the frail body that held so much anguish. Chihiro sighed, and sat down, her legs underneath her, and began to unwind her mask. Slowly the fabric twirled to the ground; slowly her face became plain for all to see. Her eyes, still fringed with dark lashes, holding certain sadness. Her cheeks and lips were lighter than before, only the palest blush showing through the skin.

She brushed her hair with her fingers, freeing it from its trap of braids. She looked at the color, and the wavy texture it had adapted. ÔWhy am I cursed with such hair? Why does it act so horrible? Why is this all happening to me? I should just be happy that heÕs happy, but IÕm not. I can feel myself moving on, trying to see the future, but I donÕt want a future. Not without him!Õ

She untied her armbands, and set them next to her mask, as she referred to it. Then, after stroking it for a while, she stood slowly, and stripped out of her outer kimono top. (A.N: NO idea what itÕs calledÉ.) She untied her leg bindings, and tied her pants higher, so she could walk along the riverbed. She began to hum, swaying her hands back and forth, leaving her own pattern in the water that slowly vanished.

Suddenly, she heard a footstep behind her, and a deep voice clearing. She spun around, terrified that someone had come for their amusement while she was out of KamajiiÕs protection. But she saw that the person had short hair, and looked likeÉÉit looked like Haku! She blinked, her heart racing, and turned away again.

ÒOh, Haku-sama, I didnÕt know you would come here. IÕm sorry, I should have said something, only, Kamajii-san sent me out here for moss, and I hadÓ Haku stepped down into the river itself beside her, and she stopped. Her mouth was chattering, but she tried to cover the sound by stepping back. He stared at her, his eyes no longer harsh, or cruel. His face seemed softer, kind, more gentle.

ÒYou are Nami?Ó She nodded, afraid to speak. ÒYou work for Kamajii, the boiler man.Ó She nodded again, her mind beginning to race. He stepped forwards again, and reached out his hand. She stared, and looked confused. ÒYou have answers to some questions that I have.Ó

Her eyebrows furrowed. ÒWhat? What questions? What answers? Haku-sama, I donÕt understand!Ó He reached for her with both hands, and grasped her around the upper arms. Drawing her closer, he stared deep into her eyes, and his heart began to thump loudly in his chest. She was so beautiful. Her eyes were so wide and innocent, her lips pink and open, her cheeks blushing. The black undershirt she was wearing clung to her in all the right places, and her long hair tumbled down her back and chest into the river, where the water made it flow and curl.

ÒWhy do you tempt me so? Why do you know things I cannot?Ó He leaned closer, whispering, afraid if he were to speak louder she would bolt. ÒWhy are you so afraid to tell me?Ó He knew he was going to kiss her, and he had to stop. He was married to Rin, but she never made him feel this way. Fire spilled from his head to his toes, and gathered around his heart, and tightened his groin. His fingers where he touched her were tingling. Her skin was so smooth, so soft.

They stood that way for minutes, or hours. Neither one had knowledge of how much time had passed. Something else passed between them, a current of feelings that swept them both away. Finally, Chihiro felt pain in her left ankle where a small rock hit her. She bit her lip, and looked down. Haku searched her face, not wanting to let her go, not wanting this to be the end.

ÒI need to get back. Kamajii will be wondering where I am with the moss. Excuse me.Ó She moved past him, and he whirled, feeling his heart leave with her. ÒCan I see you sometime soon?Ó She looked back, and felt as if she were separating herself from the one thing that kept her sane. She knew soon she was going to cry, and felt as if she were crying already. Why did this feel so much like saying goodbye?

ÒI donÕt know. IÕm busy and so are you. Plus, Sir, you are a married man.Ó ÔOne that I wish was notÉbut you are, anyway. I love you. I will try not to, but I do.Õ She blushed, and turned away, moving away from the tide, which flowed to Haku, the path that was forbidden to her.

When she got back to her cloth and her bindings, she saw freshly picked moss there, and some flowers that were bright blue with a center of yellow. ÒOhÉ..Forget-me-notsÉÉ.Óshe breathed. She looked up at Haku, and he stared back at her, smiling. She put on her bindings and her mask, and placed the moss in a bag at her side. As she walked back to the bathhouse, she placed the flowers at the end of her braid. Haku stared after her, a similar bunch in his sash. ÒForget me not, mysterious maiden.Ó

Gothic: Wow! I owe this chapter to Lynnie. When I read your review, I got really inspired, so this one goes out to you! I would love to be on your favorite authorÕs list. I canÕt believe it! *blushes*

As for everyone else, thank you so much. I really appreciate your reviews, and I enjoy taking the time to read them. You all give such helpful hints, and examples, it really really helps. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! *cries*