Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away

Authors Note: I know it had been 2 years? I have no excuse, I guess things just start piling up, with traveling and also daily routines, I couldn't find the time to actually sit down to type. But I am truly sorry i left this story for so long. To those who had diligently followed all my Spirited Away fan fiction; I am really sorry and thank you for all your support always.

Happy Reading!

Chapter 8: Memories Deep Within

Haku was making his way towards his inner quarters to meet Chihiro after his daily duties was caught off guard by Masami. He frowned slightly.

It had been a long time since she actually made her appearance by her own and for her to corner him outside of his personal quarters that was very unlike her.

What was she up to now?

Not to mention he wasn't happy that she went to visit Chihiro a few days ago.

"What is it Masami?"

"It's important or I wouldn't disturb your precious time with her." She replied rather monotone.

Haku raised an eyebrow. He knew Masami had been watching over the Imperial dragon courtesans. Did she come with bad news?

"I found something that disturbed me greatly about Chihiro."

"Something happened to her?" Haku panicked and quickly turned to leave.

"She is fine…" Masami quickly added to stop him from going. She shut her eyes and sighed. How quick he comes to worry about her. "I met up with her."

Haku was about to open his mouth to reprimand but Masami held up her hand to cut him off which made him rather annoyed. She quickly continued what she was there to talk about.

"She said something about seeing something and she was chasing after it. But when I ask her about it. She said that she couldn't remember."

Haku frowned. She saw something? At the inner palace? There was always a protective charm around his ward. Only things that he approved of can wander in.

"When I took her memories…" Masami said in a low voice her eyes lowered to the ground.

She couldn't come to look at Haku when she talked about Chihiro's memories. She did regret it now. But what was done couldn't be undone. She could only make amends. Besides, there was something more important to tell Haku now. She looked up determined and not caring that Haku was glaring at her.

"I never made it disappear." She continued. "I only released it into our realm and her memories helped to the balance out the evil in our realm. Truthfully speaking, she may have gotten her memories back when you brought her here. Memories as strong as hers will always find their way back to their owners in time. But something is blocking her the ability to remember."

"You are saying someone else had locked her memories away?"

"That is just my assumptions."

"I will look into it." Haku turned and was walking away when Masami spoke again.

"Its best to return her back to her world for now Kohaku. It may be dangerous for her here. You don't know who is behind this and it is hard when you don't know the enemy."

Haku stalled momentarily in his steps at Masami's statement before making his way to meet Chihiro.

What Masami said was right. He didn't know what was going to happen. Everyday he feared someone might find her. But he wasn't ready to part with her.

When he stepped into his inner garden he realised that it was really quiet. That was strange. Chihiro was always outside the garden chasing the fishes or sketching. He caught her talking to the Koi once. He smiled slightly but his smile faded soon. He knew that she was lonely here by herself and he was being selfish keeping her here as long as he could.

He turned towards his quarters. There was a dim light coming out from it indicating that Chihiro was in his room. He walked towards it. He knocked but there wasn't any answer.

"Chihiro?" He knocked louder.

He waited and still there wasn't an answer. He could feel a chill sipping into the back of his spine. It was just too quiet.

"Chihiro?" He slides the door this time and stepped in hurriedly.

When he saw Chihiro lying on his bed sound asleep he sighed a deep breath of relief. He smiled slightly and walked over to her. What did she do today that made her sleep so soundly. He sat down the side of the bed and looked down at her.

She looked so peaceful and the dim light around the room gave her a beautiful glow, he reached out to touch her face gently…

Chihiro in a deep slumber wasn't aware that Haku had come to visit, as she plunged into a dream of her past…

She was falling and falling in a black abyss with windows of her memories rushed passed her. She could see her friends from school, Toshihiro and her parents. All the faces were so clear but why was there one that was indistinguishable…

Finally she stop falling as she land on her feet in a dark surroundings before a scenery evolved slowly before her eyes. She was down the Sakura lane leading to her high school.

She was walking towards her school. Someone was with her and they were chatting happily, but she couldn't hear what the person was talking about. Even she couldn't hear she could feel that she was happy.

Not long later like always, she could see Kokoro and Eiji coming up the same path. The images of their faces were so vivid. But why couldn't she see that person's face? She reached out towards him and the scene melted away and found herself standing in her schoolyard.

She looked around. There were stalls everywhere. It was her final year high school festival. She was with that person again. She could feel that she was really happy but why couldn't she see the person's face. Everyone was so clear to her. She reached out again only to find herself in new surroundings.

This time it was a night festival. She blinked… the surroundings kept changing whenever she reaches out towards that person.

Why?

Then she came to the Jade Palace. She recognized the palace even though the place was in ruins.

What happened here?

It was that person again there with her but he was leaving.

Wait! Her head shouted. Her voice was choked in her throat. She doesn't want him to go.

Don't go!

"Chihiro…."

That voice… so familiar and it was fading away…

Please don't go…

"Chihiro?"

She gasped and her eyes snapped opened.

"Are you alright Chihiro?"

Chihiro with big round eyes looked up to see Haku sitting at the edge of the bed looking down at her worriedly. She was flabbergasted when she realised that she had her arms around him. She quickly pulled back and sat up swiftly.

"I am so sorry Kohaku."

"It's ok." Haku told her gently.

He was surprised when Chihiro turned over to hug him in her sleep. He was shocked when he saw tears running down her cheeks onto his fingers. It was the first time he encountered Chihiro sleeping and crying.

Before she woke up he was very sure she said something that made his heart skipped.

In her slumber with her arms around him her lips moved forming one word that Haku hadn't heard since he brought her to that spirit night market.

"Haku…" She uttered in a low but clear and sad voice.

Then tears started to slide down her cheeks onto his fingers that were stroking her cheek.

"Did you have a nightmare Chihiro?" Haku asked with concern.

"Nightmare?" Chihiro turned around to look at him surprised.

"You are crying."

One of her hand flew up towards her cheeks and felt the wet cheek.

"Eh?" Chihiro looked confused. "I wonder why…."

"Can you remember what you were dreaming of?"

She shook her head. She frowned slightly. It wasn't strange to forget a dream but what was this empty feeling in her heart that she felt something was amiss. It felt like that dream was somehow important.

After the encounter with that ball of light Chihiro had been always sleepy ever since. She wasn't sure what made her so tired since she couldn't remember even chasing after it but she would always want to take a nap falling into deep slumber and dream that she never could remember when she woke up.

Haku felt his heart sink. For a moment hearing her utter the name she had always used in the past had given him a hint of hope that she might have remembered something. But he wasn't going to look upset. They did promise to make new memories. He could see she looked rather distraught and not wanting to upset her more, he smiled slightly at her and spoke gently.

"Everything is going to be alright." He reached out to touch the side of her head tenderly. "Let's get something to eat and I will be sending you home."

"Eh?" Chihiro's eyes widened.

Her worries suddenly flew out the window at the sudden surprise.

"But I will be coming with you." Haku's smile broadened.

Chihiro's eyes widened even more. It was the first time she had seen Haku looked like he was having fun.

Masami may be right that Chihiro shouldn't be staying here when the enemy may be lurking nearby. But he wasn't going to send her back alone. He would go with her.

"But what about your duties here."

"I have assistants to keep me up to date and they can always help me with my work."

"But the human world is different…"

"Chihiro I had been to the human world before. It is because you don't remember… I spent many of my days with you."

"Oh right…. Sorry…." She hung her head.

"You don't have to apologize." Haku said and lifted her head back up by her chin gently with his fingers. "We can always start anew there. Are you against it?"

Chihiro shook her head and finally smiled slightly.

"Well let's go." Haku stood up. "I am sure Toshihiro-san is waiting for your return and it is also about time I see him again."

"Ehhhh? You know Toshihiro-san personally?" She heard Haku talked about Toshihiro before but she never knew that Haku actually knew him.

"I do own the pond behind his shrine." Haku smiled slightly.

Chihiro could only stare wide eye while Haku chuckled softly as he lifted her up effortlessly off the bed by her waist.

"You don't want to keep him waiting any longer right." Haku was still smiling as he put her down gently on the ground, still holding onto her waist and their faces only inches apart.

Finally Chihiro smiled and giggled softly, then she nodded. The emptiness in her heart was lifted. For now she would treasure the time they could spend together.

Only in such a short period of time with him at the palace, she knew in her heart that he was very important to her even when she had no memories of him.

She would make the most of it now, for somehow she felt that there would be a day she may need to part with him and she dreaded that day might come…

Toshihiro looked up from his book and stepped out of the library. The wind was blowing gently and he could see the sun setting in the horizon. The kotodama and his little youkai were doing their daily chores not far from him.

Kaede was in the garden sweeping the yard. Kana and Karin were reading the ema hung up at the shrine. Kenta was cleaning the temizuya. (If anyone forgot Kaede, Karin and Kana are tree spirits. Kenta is a tanuki/ Japanese raccoon dog)

The wind was different today. Toshihiro walked around the yard slowly heading towards the back where the pond was.

When it came to view his eyes widened to see Haku standing in the middle of the pond with Chihiro in his arms. He could see the wind circling around them as Haku walked on water towards him.

He smiled slightly. It was about time Haku finally gave in and come back to the human world.

"Tadaima." Toshihiro greeted them. (Welcome home)

"Okaerinasai Toshihiro-san." Chihiro replied cheerfully. (I am home)

She looked very comfortable with Haku even he was holding her so close. Toshihiro could see Chihiro had come to trust Haku like she used to. It was a good sign.

This will be a new beginning for the both of them. But little did they know that it wasn't an easy road ahead of them.

The courtesans at the Jade Palace were enraged that Haku had disappeared without even a formal meeting with them. They had waited so long. All these time while he was at the palace he made no move to even prepare the proper congregation to choose any of them.

"Find out where he had gone to!" Shinju snapped to one of her bodyguards.

"Yes Mistress."

"If it's her again… she will pay!" Shinju sneered heading towards an item covered with a white cloth in her room.

She pulled the cloth away and stared at a glowing jar.

A few ball of light floated around in the jar with faded images on it. She could see Haku's silhouette in the light and she scowled with hatred.

"I will make her disappear with the rest of her memories if I have to!"

Shinju's eyes flared as she glared at the mirages of Chihiro's memories.

To be continued...

Authors notes: Thank you for reading and these are the meaning of the Japanese words I used in the story. There are only short explanations and some understanding in terms of Japanese cultures and believes. Do drop a review, always love to hear from you readers :)

kotodama (言霊, ことだま) 'the spirit of language' (koto); language, (damatama); spirit or soul). It is a belief based on the idea of Shintoism, the indigenous religion of Japan which worships divinity in all natural creation and phenomena.

Youkai (妖怪, "mystic apparition" or "mysterious calamity") is a term used to refer to Japanese folk creatures and ghosts, or to supernatural beings in general. Because there are thousands of stories of magical beings around the world, the different types of youkai are endless.

A chōzuya or temizuya(手水舎) is a Shinto water ablution pavilion for a ceremonial purification rite known as temizu. It's to purify visitors by rinsing their hands and mouth by themselves. According to the formal way, before we enter shrines we have to purify ourselves by performing cold-water ablutions.

Ema" (絵馬) – wooden wishing plaques of Japanese shrines. Ema consists of two Kanji: 絵馬; the one for "picture" and the one for "horse". Horses were seen as the "vehicles of gods" (神の乗り物）and during the Nara Period (奈良時代) people donated horses to the shrines so that the gods would be more likely to listen to their prayers and fulfill wishes. Now young and old would still believe that their wishes would be granted if they write their wishes down in wooden plaques and hang them up at the shrine. It can be for business, love, studies or health.