Are you ready Chinatsu?"

She didn't know quite what to expect, but she knew she had to do it for them. Haku was standing, staring at the ground, his hands clasped together. Was he nervous? She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Do it. I'm ready."

Lord Mimato took a similar stance as Haku. His hands were folded together with his index fingers pointing down. He closed his eyes and bent his head and began muttering words Chinatsu couldn't understand. After several long moments, she began to feel dizzy. "Ooh…" she groaned, falling to her knees.

Haku was ready to help her at any moment, but decided against it. This was normal.

Lord Mimato's voice was getting louder and louder. The last words Chinatsu heard were "Set her free!" and everything went black.

Haku's heart almost stopped. Rin, Lord Mimato, and Kamaji sitting off to the side all disappeared. It was just him and the girl. Who was she exactly? He wondered. Chinatsu? Chihiro?

She was kneeling on the ground, her head down, hair covering her face. Slowly her head came up. Chocolate eyes blinked up at him. The facial features were slightly different then Chinatsu's. Her chin was a little more round, eyes slightly further apart. He would remember that face anywhere.

She was frozen in that one spot on the ground for so long, Haku wondered if she would ever move. Slowly Rin and Lord Mimato reentered the picture.

"Chihiro?" he whispered hesitantly.

She blinked again, then a smile slowly spread over her lips.

Haku let out a sigh and closed his eyes. She's really here…

She stood up, and turned to face him.

He took two giant strides to her and hugged her like he would never let go. He had waited for this moment for almost 100 years. He let out a shaking breath and buried his face in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his back and they stood like that for several minutes. Reluctantly, he pulled back.

"Chihiro…" he whispered.

She smiled and his heart melted.

"Haku, would you like to go talk somewhere?" were the first words out of her mouth. All he could do was nod.

They walked together, and she took him to the bridge.

"This was where we first met here in the Spirit World. You remember that?"

"How could I ever forget," he replied.

She leaned on the railing and stared down at the railroad track.

"Chihiro… I'm so sorry," he finally managed to force those words out.

He saw a sad smile on her face. "It's alright. I was naïve and only thought of myself. But after living through a full life I've come to understand that things happen. However, I couldn't leave this world without seeing you once more."

"So you chose to be reincarnated."

"I worked in Chinatsu's life. I made it so she would come here. When I eventually passed on as Chihiro, I realized why I was never able to come back, or why you to me. It must have been because I was then a spirit as well. The secret of the tunnel revealed itself to me. It took a lot of work to get Chinatsu to come here, but hey, I had to do something instead of just sit and wait for her to stumble upon this world." A small chuckle escaped her mouth.

"I was pretty amazed when I saw Chinatsu for the first time. I thought it was you. But I knew it wasn't. You had… passed on a long time ago."

"It's been so hard to watch you develop a relationship with Chinatsu just like you did with me. I wanted it, but I know that's impossible. This body belongs to Chinatsu, and I don't have much time. I have just enough time to see you again and tell you that I love you. I always have." Chihiro looked up from the bridge and walked over to Haku, who placed his hands around her neck.

"I know. I loved you too."

Chihiro rested her head on his chest. "As much as I don't want this moment to end, it has to. My life is now complete because that promise has now been fulfilled. I would never give up until it was. That promise was never broken, Haku. Me standing here with you is proof of that. You don't have anything to apologize for anymore."

So how was that guys? I know it's kind of short, but a lot happened. Reviews would be amazing and they mean so much to me!! See you guys next chapter around!!

Takara Taji