The Space Between

Disclaimer: Spirited Away is belongs solely to Hiyao Miyazaki.

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PROLOGUE: unspoken good bye

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The cheers faded behind her as more distance came between them and the Bathhouse. Chihiro was only aware of her feet pounding on the cobblestone road, and how Haku's steps were beating rhythmically beside her. Before she had realized how far they had run, Chihiro could see the stone frog that marked the end of the Spirit Domain. She'd been here twice before; once when she had initially stumbled into the derelict shopping district, and another time when she had tried to escape back to the human world. Back then, the steps ended at the edge of what she could only describe as an ocean. Water stretched out from her shadow to the unknown horizon, marked only by the string of lights that decorated the edge. Now, the water was gone and the luminously green field she had first crossed was back with no signs of every having been flooded.

"There's no water here, I can walk across now." Chihiro whispered as realization dawned on her.

"But I can't go any farther." Silence passed between them. It was only for a second, but a million thoughts stampeded through her mind, no her heart, as he stated his fate. In her excitement over the idea of finally going home, she had forgotten about that detail. Kohaku… Feeling his very real, very warm hand in her's had made her forget- he was a spirit, the Kohaku River. It was it's destruction that had sent him to the Spirit World. Of course he couldn't return with her- where would he return to? He had no home, he had only the Bathhouse now.

"Just go back the way you came you'll be fine-"Chihiro felt his eyes on her. She turned her head to meet them. Just as they connected, something flashed over his features. Was it worry? No, no it was… "But you have to promise not to look back- not until you've passed through the tunnel."

"What about you? What'll you do?" Haku straightened up and a confident smile played across his face.

"Don't worry- ill go back and have a Talk with Yubaba. I'll tell her I'm going to quit being her apprentice." He had meant for it to be reassuring, she knew this, but still… tears threatened to crawl along the rim of her lashes. His smile dropped a little. Haku squeezed her hand. "I'm fine- I've got my name back."

With a promise and instructions being his last words to her, Haku led her hand in front of them. Pulling her ahead he encouraged her to move down the steps, towards her parents, her life, her world.

"Now go- Don't look back." His words echoed.

The comforting warmth of his hand lingered in her palms when they finally separated. Her fingers tingled as they slid off his. Knowing her parents were waiting for her kept her feet moving, but knowing Kohaku was watching her go made her heart stop.

It was perhaps one of the most difficult things to do, not look back. She had not thought that it would be so tempting to get a last look at the place that had caused her so much grief. But at the same time, it was where she met a loving grandfather who constantly ran baths. It was where she had gained an older sister who acted tough but really wanted the best for her, who had given her a lift to the train tracks in a wash basin. It was where she met a white dragon who had a double identity. It was where she had felt so many things.

The Spirit World was not a place she could revisit and ring up on the phone. Saying good-bye here never meant "See you next time" because there would not be a next time. It really meant, "Good Bye". Haku had told her not to look back. It was because of both loyalty to her words and fear of what she might see she obeyed. Chihiro could only revisit it in her memories, and she feared that maybe, if she turned back, she would see nothing but a derelict shopping district of an abandoned theme park behind her. No, she would not taint her memories. She would immortalize them in her thoughts, from the first time she saw a strange boy on the bridge to when the same boy sent her on her way home.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Chihiro forcefully pushed them back. He had promised her- but somewhere inside, Chihiro knew that it was their wishful thinking.

Rocks slid under her feet as she climbed down the empty stream.

"Chihiro!" Her head snapped up. Her mother waved to her from by the Train Station's exit. Her father stood impatiently behind her. "Where have you been?- hurry up!"

Chihiro blinked to make sure it was real. When the image of her parents did not fade away, she ran down the hill recklessly to meet them.

It was the last few steps towards the end of the tunnel that proved to be most difficult. Chihiro clung to her mother's arm, trying to force herself to keep her eyes ahead. Why did they seem to be walking so slowly? They crept slowly towards the entrance of the station.

"We made it." Her father said ironically. Chihiro exhaled deeply, releasing the last of the air she had held since before entering the tunnel. Now, every evidence of her time at the Bathhouse was gone. Chihiro slowly turned her head towards the tunnel. She couldn't see anything.

"Will we meet again sometime?"

"I'm sure we will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Haku…

Good Bye…

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A/N:
My first Spirited away fanfic. I just watched it on my computer for about the fifth time when I suddenly felt a huge need to write the "-and then" story. I wanted to start with their departing moment because it would be too difficult to keep the story feeling authentic to the movie if I just started somewhere in the middle of Chihiro's life after leaving the Bathhouse. With magic and other world's, its hard enough to really convince any reader/audience that what happened was real and not just a dream or the character's imagination after all. That's going to be a main focal theme in my fic. How magic and the spirit world is so intangible that it's sometimes easier to believe that it never happened at all. If only it weren't for that pesky magic band reminded Chihiro. Heheh, that's going to be important to remember. Also, pay close attention to the titles of each chapter; they're, dare I say, precognitive?

Please REVIEW! I could really use some feedback!