So yeah, I actually CAN NOT stop writing so here's the 4th chapter in the same day… anyways thanks!

Chihiro's POV

Once again I awoke, but this time to the sounds of snoring. Haku was snoring slightly, but not enough to be bothersome. Actually it was kind of cute; his mouth was parted a bit to show off large, gleaming white teeth that were encased by a mouth she really wanted to kiss. Wait, what? She had never thought about Haku like that, but he looked so much older now. He seemed like he was in his early twenties.

She remembered when he had walked in the bathroom to retrieve her. He had stood about 6'3, almost a foot taller than she. His hair rested just above his shoulder and was sticking out at different angles from lying on the pillows. He was only wearing his boxers, which were a dark green. He had never ending legs that were toned with muscles and looked ready to run a marathon. He needed to shave because he was forming a dark shadow along his jawline that was oddly provocative. I wanted to run my tongue along the stubble as I reached on tiptoe to lace my fingers behind his head. But alas, back to the present.

My mind was still reeling from the events that had happened last night at dusk, but Haku's late night embrace had been all I needed to fall asleep. All though it had been a fitful sleep with many nightmares riddled with men chasing me down a bank of a river. Every time I had screamed out, Haku had been there to wake me up and hold me while I wept.

Now I again gazed out the window and noticed the light of day shine through the curtains. Here, in the spirit world, this is the time that most creatures would be sleeping peacefully. But my internal clock was still on human time, not contemplating the consequences of waking up during their nighttime.

Not wanting to wake the peaceful Haku, I gently slipped out of the bed we had shared and walked to his closet. Would he mind if I borrowed something? Probably not seeing as though he gave me everything else I had needed.

I grabbed a black, V-neck T-shirt from his closet. I slipped off the kimono that Haku had given me, and slipped the warm shirt on instead. I recalled that when Haku had brought me over to this world that my panties were around my ankles. So I looked around and found the lacy, cream thong from atop a dresser. They were washed and folded. I put them on; figuring that any pants he had would be way too large for me to fit into.

I turned around and noticed that Haku was awake and watching me. The sun bathed across his features and illuminated the crevices of his cheek bones and the decline of his nose. He was breathtaking in a very manly sort of way.

I blushed at the thought that I had just changed in front of him, and that now I was only wearing a T-shirt and panties. "Is it ok if I borrow a shirt?"

"Of course, what's mine is yours." His voice was gruff and sexy from just waking up as he rose from bed to meet me at the foot. "You are very beautiful Chihiro, a young lady now." He placed his large, callused hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. His green orbs were like bottomless pits of what only Haku knew.

I timidly replied with "thank you," my voice shaking slightly because he was an intimating man. I remembered the light kisses he had given her last night on her head; the ones that had made me feel safe and out of harm's way. This is how Haku always made me feel: safe.

"How are you feeling? Better, I hope."

"Yes, much thank you… whatever happened to those vagabonds anyways?" I couldn't remember much past the rape, except for a voice calling her name.

"I silenced them, Chihiro. You need not worry about them." His eyes turned darker and the look in his eyes promised pain and misery.

"You killed them?! I don't remember…" I was stunned, how could I not remember something like that? It must have been so scary.

"Here." He motioned for me to lean forward so I complied, trusting him completely. He gently placed his huge hands on my temples. I could feel the power surge from his body to mine. She watched a scene unfold before her eyes.

Haku was pummeling one of the homeless men to the point where one the vagabond's hands was laying awkwardly at his side, out of use because it was bent at such an awkward angle. The other two men were already lying in the river, facedown being dragged off by the current.

I glimpsed the mother of the three men crying frantically looking at her boys being murdered. In her eyes I saw anguish and concern. But Haku had had enough with the limp body in front of him and tromped up to the elderly woman. I know she had stood by my rape and done nothing, even encouraged it, but really, did she need to die? I guess Haku thought so…

Haku took the pan the women had been previously been preparing their meal on and bashed her head. She was bleeding profusely when he tossed her into the river, to be carried off by his magic.

I watched as Haku walked up to a sleeping figure in the water. That's me! I must be watching from an omni-present point of view!

He knelt down in front of the version of me and lightly touched my cheek. He reached to grab hold of my limp, naked body and rose out of the water with me. She noticed there was one tear idly sliding down his cheek as he whispered "Chihiro."

With my body in tow, he stepped into deeper waters and we sank into the silt away from my current view.

The vision evaporated and I was left with Haku standing in front of me holding both of my hands in his large ones. I sank into his hard chest repeating "thank you." He just rubbed my back and lightly kissed the top of my hair by bowing his back to stoop low enough to reach my head.

I looked up and saw the grief on his face and instantly felt bad for dragging him into this. He shouldn't have the burden of an emotional, teenaged girl. But he looked content to just console and hold me so I complied.

I heard a soft rap on the door and jumped away from his embrace. He looked hurt for a second, but then strode over to the door. I ran over to the bathroom since I was barely wearing any clothes. I heard Haku open the door and initiate a greeting.

The figure on the other side of the door replied by saying "Your request for some female clothing has been acknowledged and the bundle has arrived." I watched through the crack between the door and frame and saw a frog worker hand Haku a percale. Hakue closed the door after thanking the servant.

I stepped out into the light of the bedroom as Haku set the bag on the bed. He ripped it open revealing a hoard of women's clothing. He held some up, and then handed them to me after inspecting them. I looked them over, noticed them to be my size and replied with "thank you, this was… thoughtful." I smiled because Haku had really thought of me and anything I could need.

I took out a pair of expensive looking pastel colored jeans and a cream sweater. I found a pair of Oxford's my size and zipped into the bathroom. I changed into the fitted clothing, as well as a beautifully laced bra he had handed me, making me blush once again. Everything fit splendidly, but the sweater revealed more cleavage than I was used to. At least it covered up all the bruises so no extraneous questions would be asked.

He knocked on the bathroom door and let himself in. He was already dressed in a snug pale blue T-shirt and faded blue jeans. He did look marvelous in blue, she sighed. It took a few seconds for his eyes to travel away from her chest, and then he examined my face. "Can I use your toothbrush?" I blurted out because I found the silent appraisal slightly embarrassing, even though he had now seen me at my worst.

He replied with a nod so I grabbed a light green toothbrush lying in a glass cup by the sink. I squirted some toothpaste on while Haku continued to gaze at me brushing my teeth. "After you're ready do you want to go say hello to some former friends?" He quietly intoned as I finished washing out my mouth.

"Yes, oh yes please!" I was thrilled to meet up with Lin and Kamajii. Would they remember me? If so, would they even recognize me? I look so much different…but Haku knew it was me so I guess I don't look that different. "Before we go… how did you find me?"

His eyes shifted to the mirror as he beheld both of our reflections in the glass. Mine was curious and his was solemn. "I was about to go to sleep and through the tears and blood that mixed in with my river, a vision came to me. A vision of you being… raped." He ended his answer with a bitter look on his face.

She was at a loss for words, wondering how to respond when he carried on saying "I'm glad I found you Chihiro. You were badly hurt. I tried healing you, but some of the bruising and cuts still remain. I am so sorry for what happened to you, if I had been there from the beginning I could have protected you. I am so sorry." He crushed me into a hug, stopping me from replying. I wanted to say it wasn't his fault, but he wasn't letting me speak.

After a few minutes of them holding each other, he led me off to the elevator by the hand. "We can go see Kamajii first if you like." I nodded as he pulled the lever down on the elevator and the plummeted to the ground. It always frightened me, even before, but I was comforted by Haku's big hands holding her.

The cage slowed to a stop at the basement level of the bath house and the doors slid open. Haku stepped out and helped her down as she turned to face the spirit that was asleep under some richly colored blankets, whom she had dubbed "grandpa."