Whoa, for once I'm not writing a Potter fic! Spirited Away is the name of the game this time, and I hope you like it…I haven't decided how far to take this story, maybe your reviews could sway my decision eh? Anyway —enjoy!

Summary: Chihiro was ten years old when she stumbled upon the spirit bath house. Its five years later, and she is approaching her 16th birthday. The one thing she wants is the one thing she doesn't think she can have.

The morning sunlight streamed through the curtained window in Chihiro's bedroom. Rolling over in her bed, Chihiro opened her eyes and glanced at her alarm clock: 7:30. She groaned and sat up, stretching her arms out wide.

'Another night of dreaming about him…Oh what I'd give to see him again, especially today.' Chihiro thought as she put on her slippers and bath robe and got up to go eat breakfast.

"Happy birthday, Chihiro!" Chihiro's mother beamed when she saw her daughter come into the room.

"Thanks mom, what's for breakfast?" Chihiro asked as she sat down at the table next to her father.

"I thought I'd make you a special birthday breakfast of pancakes with fresh blueberries in them and maple syrup, does that sound good darling?" Chihiro's mother chirped happily.

"It sounds great Mom," Chihiro gave her mother a small smile, "thanks…But while you're cooking, I think I'm going to go take a walk outside."

"Just don't be too long Chihiro." Her father spoke up from behind his newspaper.

"I won't!" Chihiro called as she ran up to her room to get dressed.

Chihiro left her house and let her mind wander. She didn't realize where her feet had taken her until she ran out of paved road. Gasping slightly, she looked up and knew immediately; the little house-like shrines told her exactly where she was. She took a deep breath and looked once behind her. Her parents could wait; she had to get to the spirit world. With that thought, she broke into a run for the tunnel that would lead her to the bath house, and to Haku.

zzzzz

About a half an hour later, she emerged on the other side. She trudged up the grassy hillside, stopping for a quick breath at the crest. When she looked up, tears welled in her eyes.

It was just as she remembered it. The restaurants, the bath house, Kamaji's boiler tower. She darted up the stairs and through the streets, and finally came to the bridge that led to the bath house. "Here goes nothing…" she mumbled to herself as she stepped onto the bridge.

Chihiro took slow and deliberate footsteps, taking in everything around her. Once she was over the bridge, she decided to first go see Kamaji. She made her way to the boiler room, and sure enough found Kamaji inside.

"Kamaji, Kamaji, wake up! It's me, Chi—Sen." Chihiro hissed, remembering that he only knew her by the name Yubaba had assigned to her.

"Eh? Who's there?" Kamaji grumbled, waking up.

"It's Sen!" Chihiro said quietly.

"Sen! Yubaba had let you go years ago, why come back?" Kamaji sat up and took a drink from his teapot.

"I—I just had to. Kamaji, do you know where Haku is?" Chihiro cut right to the chase.

"Ah, you came to see Haku," Kamaji smiled briefly, "I haven't seen Haku in weeks, maybe a month…Not since Yubaba tried to enslave him again. Rumor has it that she trapped him in the bath house somewhere."

"What!" Chihiro cried, panic rising inside her.

"Lin might know more. She'll be here soon if you're willing to wait." Kamaji said gently.

Chihiro nodded and sat by the soot balls' holes, dozing off to sleep.

zzzzz

"What the—Sen!"

Chihiro was jolted awake when Lin came into the boiler room to give Kamaji and the soot balls their breakfast, "Hello to you to Lin…"

"What are you doing here Sen? And—whoa, you've really grown up!" Lin exclaimed as she watched Chihiro stand up.

Chihiro smiled, "It's my sixteenth birthday today."

"Well then, happy birthday…But still, what are you doing here?" Lin asked.

"I wanted to see Haku…I need to." Chihiro said, looking down at her shoes.

"Oh Sen…Yubaba has Haku locked up. It was the only way she could keep him around long enough to find a way to control him again. Before he disappeared, all he could think about was getting out of here. You were all he thought about ever since you left." Lin told Chihiro.

"No…" Chihiro breathed, her heart plummeting, "Do you know where she put him?"

"Actually, I do. For some reason, Yubaba put me in charge of giving Haku his food and water. I can take you there now, I'm about to go there." Lin grinned.

Chihiro's face lit up, "Oh please, take me to him!"

"Follow me then, but you can't let anyone else see you, I mean it." She said, quickly handing Kamaji and the soot balls their food.

Chihiro nodded and followed Lin as she left the room, "Thank you for letting me sleep here Kamaji, see you!"

"Good luck Sen…" Kamaji said, already eating his food.

Chihiro followed Lin up a flight of rickety old stairs and through a doorway on the landing. They walked down a dark hallway and through another door. On the other side of that door were what looked like a hundred steps…

"Ready?" Lin asked, glancing back at Chihiro.

"Yes…" Chihiro nodded and proceeded to follow Lin down the steep set of stairs.

Once at the bottom, Lin opened a hatch in the floor and climbed inside, "He's in here."

Chihiro felt tears stinging her eyes. She took a deep breath and climbed inside the hatch with Lin. Once she was down the hatch, she looked around. The room was small and cold. It was solely made of concrete, and had one tiny circular window covered with bars. The bars let in a little bit of the sunlight that seemed to be already fading from the sky. It was just enough to reveal a figure huddled in the corner of the room, apparently unconscious.

"Haku!" Chihiro cried, running to him and pulling him into her lap.

Lin set a bowl of rice and a cup of water next to Chihiro, "Please make sure he eats this Sen. I had Kamaji put a spell on it to give Haku some strength back."

Chihiro turned her head and gave Lin a watery half smile in response. Lin stared at her for a moment more, and then nodded before turning around and climbing back up the hole. Chihiro heard the hatch door close, but not lock.

"Please Haku, wake up…You've got to wake up. I need you! I can get you out of here so Yubaba can't hurt you anymore…Please, Haku…" Chihiro let her tears flow, sobbing into Haku's blood-stained shirt.

"Chi…hiro…" Haku murmured a few moments later.

Chihiro gasped and looked up to see Haku opening his eyes, "Haku, you're okay!"

"You shouldn't be here Chihiro…If Yubaba finds you…" Haku said, using every ounce of strength he had to speak.

"I don't care if she finds me Haku. I won't let her hurt you anymore!" Chihiro tried wiping away her tears, but more spilled from her eyes.

Haku smiled gravely, "I can't leave this world, not if I don't have a home to go back to."

"Haku, you've always had a home with me. Just let me take you from here, please." Chihiro begged.

Haku shifted in Chihiro's arms, "How do you propose we get past Yubaba and everyone else?"

"Zaniba." Chihiro answered.

How do you like the first chapter? There's probably only going to be 4 more left. Okay, I want lots of pretty litte reviews! Thanks!