He had always been there for her, ready at any moment to whisk her away.

Except, he hadn't ever had the means to. Till now, anyway. He had freed himself from Yubaba, stayed with Zeniba for a stretch, and now…

Now…

Now he would take Chihiro. She would come willingly, he knew. Her nightmares haunted his mind, her cries pained his heart, and yet, he was glad. If she spent that much time mourning him, then she must have felt something for him…

Nigihayami Kohaku-Nushi

He had shed that name when the spirits of his world had refused to help him over such 'a trivial matter.' If they couldn't be persuaded to help him, then he wanted no ties to them. He no loner wished to be counted among their ranks. Besides, it was Haku that fell in love with the human girl, not Nigihayami Kohaku-Nushi.

But, he didn't know where he fit in now… He had no reason to stay with Zeniba; she had a more than willing helper in Kaonashi. He refused to grovel at Yubaba's feet for a job. Not that he would ever go back to the bathhouse. Not unless he had a real good reason for it. He did miss Kamaji, though. The old loon was entertaining, at worst.

So, he had toiled, day and night, for over six years to find a way to bring his Chihiro back to him. He lived solely by his own resources, hunting for food, living beside a river. He hadn't really changed. H had let himself age, according to the path of time on Chihiro's world. He was taller, physically stronger, though still lithe.

He had found a way. In a small book, in a very large library, he had found an old, outdated spell, of sorts. It was something the humans used to summon spirits. So, presumably, if he made a few changes, here, and there, then he could summon a human.

He gave a pleased smile. Today was the day. He couldn't wait any longer. Patience hadn't ever been one of his strong suits.

Kneeling by the bank of a small stream, Haku murmured a few select words. "By this blood I summon thee, to me only may you come!" He pulled a knife from a sash a round his waist. With a sharp jerk, he sliced through a vein in his thumb, and let the blood drip into the river. It clouded for a moment, turning the water thick and crimson.

It rippled and cleared, revealing a strange room, with a very familiar girl inside. He had watched her over the years, seen how she had grown. She was very beautiful now, and yet, so unaware, so innocent. She fell back on her bed, rubbing her eyes. He took a deep breath, praying that this would work.

It was his only chance.

She had stood up now, and was walking towards the mirror. Her words just barely reached his ears. "I'm in deep, aren't I?" He smiled as she rested her head against the mirror in her room, his window to her world. Up close he could see her beautiful brown eyes, and had to remind himself more than once that she couldn't see him. She stamped her foot and turned around. He shook himself and continued.

"Chihiro, to me!"

She gasped as if someone had punched her. Surely, she recognized his voice, surely? She whipped around, once again facing the mirror.

"Chihiro!"

She took a wavering step forward and placed a hand on the mirror. He had to get her to put the other hand there too, else it wouldn't work.

"Haku?" Her voice wavered and stretched, like elastic.

Hesitantly, she placed her other hand on the glass. Now both of her hands were just beneath the surface of the river, and he could grab them.

"TO ME!"

He plunged his hands in the water and grasped hers, holding them like he had so long ago when they had fallen through the sky together. They were so warm and soft, just like he remembered. And then he tugged, hard, pulling her from one world to the next.

Chihiro squealed as she started to fall into her mirror. First, up to her elbows, then her shoulders, then with another wrenching pull, she fell all the way in. Her world shifted, and suddenly, instead of falling, she was being pulled up through water. Bubbles swirled around her. She managed to open her eyes and saw a blurry outline of tan and green. She gasped and spluttered as water went up her nose, and she thought for a moment that she was going to drown. The world shifted again.

Haku grunted as the last restraints that kept Chihiro in the human world dissolved, and she came flying out of the stream. She was soaking wet, half drowned, and very, very confused, but Haku decided he had never seen her looking more beautiful than he did now.

"Oh, Chihiro!" He lost control of his so carefully hardened façade, sobbing and laughing at the same time as he pulled her close. He buried his face in her neck, and somehow, all the stress of the past six years dissolved into nothingness. Chihiro slowly relaxed. There was something familiar about this person, even if she couldn't see them properly. The cool skin, the soft green hair… If Haku's voice was deeper, then…

"Haku?" She pushed him away, not unkindly, just so she could see his face. Wild green eyes stared back at her, framed by locks of darker green hair. The both froze, like deer in headlights, taking in each others' presence. Haku's hands shook as he pushed wet bangs out of Chihiro's face.

"Chihiro, I… I…" He couldn't think of anything to say. He had rehearsed plenty of times, had thought out lines that would sweep any girl off their feet, but he couldn't think of them. They were all vanished, like clouds in the sky. He could feel her breath on his face, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to think. And then there were those big brown eyes, just waiting to hear what he had to say.

He couldn't! The words just wouldn't come! Why now, of all times?

Chihiro's thoughts ran along the same lines. All Haku was doing was staring at her, and she couldn't think of anything to say! What could she say? 'Hey spirit boy, kiss me!' Gah! And those deep, deep, jade eyes! Of course, don't forget the way the too long bangs fell into his face… She was going to go crazy!

They stared at each other a moment longer. Finally, Haku had to break the silence!

So instead of a flowery speech, he settled with what first came to mind. "I've m-missed you!" His words somehow shocked her to life and she pressed her face against his chest. Which… happened to be bereft of clothing… (A/N: -nosebleeds-) She blushed as she realized he didn't have a shirt on, but didn't move. He was so cool and refreshing… His arms tightened around her as he mumbled her name again. "Chihiro…"

He just couldn't say it enough! He had to say it, to reassure himself that it was indeed Chihiro in his arms. Slowly, she pulled away, to better look at his face. After a moment, she raised a trembling hand to trace the features of his face.

Around the full mouth, across high cheekbones above too thin cheeks, gently across closed eyes, and down a straight, sharp nose. She fluffed his hair around.

"It really is you, isn't it, Haku?"

He smiled tentatively. "Yeah… it is."

"You look different."

"So do you. You've grown very beautiful." She glanced away, blushing; his words had the ring of truth to them that couldn't be denied.

"You too… I mean, not beautiful, but… um, handsome!" They smiled cautiously, then broke out into bursts of nervous giggles.

Then Haku's hand went through Chihiro's shoulder.

"What?" Chihiro's eyes were wide, but Haku nodded knowledgably.

"C'mon, you need to eat something. My camp isn't far away." She clambered to her feet and walked alongside him. She wanted to hold his hand, for comfort, she told herself, but when she tried, her hand just went through his. Still, he felt it, and gave her a smile.

When they arrived, not even five minutes later, he rummaged through a bag till he found some sort of meaty substance. Chihiro gave it a suspicious look.

"Don't worry, it's not pork. Fish, actually. Now eat." She took the food slowly, and hesitantly bit down on it. Wonderful flavors of garlic and rosemary flooded her senses. She was ravenous; lunch had been awkward and she hadn't really wanted to eat.

She found Haku had been watching her intently. "I know, I'm a messy eater…"

He shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm waiting for you to solidify."

"Oh…" Suddenly, he had wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her close. He loved the way she instinctively pressed against him, the way she wound her hands around his torso to rest on his bare shoulder blades. And she was so warm… her body seemed so frail, and yet, it housed a spirit so strong! He wouldn't ever be able to completely understand this girl. He gently pressed his lips against her hair. If only they could be this way forever!

A merry voice rang out from behind them. "Well, well, it seems I'm interrupting something!" A few bushes were pushed out of the way and a blond haired boy stepped out from behind them. He was grinning slyly. "Hey Chihiro! Wassup?"

(A/N: I should end it here, just to be mean! D But I won't…)

"Whitney?" Incredulity laced her voice. Haku glanced between the two of them, feeling decidedly out of the loop. If there was a loop. All hail the proverbial loop.

"Hey, you remembered my name! Alriiiiiiight! But yeah, I'm here, in the flesh!" He faded slightly then his image wavered, but steadied. "Sort of. My body is tired after all the world jumping I did today, you understand! One moment!" He flashed a peace sign and closed his eyes while beginning to glow a pale red. Fire burst out of his skin, looped around his body, like waves flowing in a whirlpool. He let his head fall back, gave himself totally to the flames. He started to chortle, then give full-bellied guffaws. He started to actually catch on fire. The flames at away at his hair, started to peel away his skin.

As the other two watched in horror, his body was incinerated, burned up while he laughed. Chihiro whimpered as the last of the pale grey ashes fell to the ground.

"What… happened to him?"

"I don't…" Haku soothingly rubbed her face, his other arm twined around her waist. When they started to turn, a bright flash of light stopped them. The flames grew up again, growing into a vaguely human shaped form. The fire licked at the air around it, snapping and sparking. The fire being took a step forward, but paused when Chihiro and Haku took a simultaneous steps backwards.

It shrugged, as if in apology, and glanced around. Seemingly satisfied, it rubbed at it's 'eyes' and shuddered. Bending forward, as if in pain, it clutched at its stomach. Two bulges grew in its back, slowly moving outwards.

They were wings. Beautiful wings that spread like an eagle's above the creature's head. Made of fire that changed color from dark blood red to purple to a pale blue-green, they flapped once, twice, blowing up dust and dead grass into Chihiro and Haku's faces.

Slowly, they lifted, dragging the humanoid shape along with it. But it changed, grew shorter and stouter, like an osprey, or a falcon. It flew upwards and in a shower of sparks, disappeared into thin air. Haku stared after it, though Chihiro looked back to where the ashes still were. Whitney stood in the middle of them, head tilted back, eyes closed. He let out a deep sigh and looked at Chihiro. His eyes blazed bright orange for a moment before returning to their deeper brownish color.

No one dared breathe till Chihiro's thoughts finally processed themselves.

"Who… what ARE you!"

He grinned. "Me?" He tilted his head to the side, looking at her through hooded eyes. His smile was mocking for a moment before it filled with genuine amusement at their expressions. It was so fun to confuse creatures!

"I am Phoenix."

………………………

So, anyone expecting that? No? Didn't think so! Sorry 'bout the wait, my internet has been down for a while… C Leave a review, if you will, and flames, well, Whitney here will handle those! I love him so! He is my favorite OC ever! –huggles Whitney-

Whitney: -staring adoringly at Chihiro-

Chihiro: -hiding behind Haku-

Haku: -glaring daggers at Whitney-

Me: -is ignored- Aaaaaahhhh… –pouts in corner-