Blissfully unaware of anything going on, Chihiro and Haku got to work at the bathhouse. Yubaba was on a rampage, someone had stolen some gold out of her office. Chihiro suspected it was some of No-Face's "gold" that turned to mud after some time. Haku, however figured it was just Boh doing it for his own entertainment. Whoever it was, Yubaba wasn't happy. She cut everyone's pay down to almost nothing and started charging her employees for food so until she made the amount of gold back.

Chihiro was supposed to be working with Lin that day, but Haku needed to go on a mission for Yubaba, he was to take something to Miyaki, a wind spirit. Unknown to him, Miyaki was a forced friend of Soren. Since he had to take something delicate, he took Chihiro with him to carry it while she rode on his back. At least, that's what he told Yubaba for the reason he needed Chihiro. Yubaba, who was still furious about the missing gold, was not happy about Chihiro not doing work, but Haku wouldn't drop the matter, and Chihiro wasn't under contract.

Haku made sure Chihiro was bundled up tightly in warm clothing, he knew they could end up in the coldest part of the Spirit World, depending on where Miyaki was spending the day. All Haku knew was that wind spirits enjoyed blustery conditions, so he wasn't going to take any chances. After making sure Chihiro could barely walk, Haku transformed himself into a dragon and Chihiro climbed on his back. Yubaba handed her the parcel, then, in a moment of kindness, fashioned a rope around Chihiro and Haku's horns so she wouldn't fall off. Of course the moment was ruined when Yubaba said that it was only because the package was so expensive.

They had barely taken off when another dragon was approaching in the distance. Haku's eyes widened when he recognized her. Soren was going to pay him another visit.

"Haku, who's that?" Chihiro asked.

"It's Soren. Don't worry Chihiro you'll be fine" Haku told her, she didn't know where his voice came from, only that she felt his words.

"How are you talking to me?"

"I can talk to you through the water in your body."

"So can I." Chihiro felt physically sick when she heard that voice, "You're supposed to be dead. What are you still doing here?"

Chihiro frowned, "Dead? Who told you I was dead?"

"But I...I burned your heart myself. I know I did." Soren kept saying.

Chihiro was forced to grab on as Haku dove to get under her. He was glowing and Chihiro could feel his power.

"Chihiro, I'm going to make sure you're safe. Wait for me until I come back for you."

With those final words the world shifted. Chihiro was back under water and the sun was bright. She felt strong hands lift her up.

"Are you alright miss?" A man asked her.

Chihiro gasped when it dawned on her. She was back in the human world. She felt herself being dragged out of the river. She tried to fight back, but more hands pulled her out onto dry ground.

"No! Haku HAKU!" She cried and struggled.

"Haku? Did someone fall into the river? It's not safe, there is a strong current." The man said and released her.

Chihiro fell to her knees crying. Why had he taken her back? Why? She slammed her fists on the ground. She didn't hear when he told her that he would be back for her. Her heart hurt when she thought that he didn't want her in the spirit world with him anymore. She stood up and refused the towel that was handed to her. All she wanted to do was get out of there and try to make her way back through the gate. She walked to where she had left her car days ago, relieved that no one had moved it. She climbed in and started it with the spare key that she had taped under the seat. She started on the long drive home.

Chihiro checked her house first. There were countless messages asking where she was. It seemed like she was gone for a month. She blinked at the thought then remembered, she had been in the spirit world for a month. It didn't feel that long. She called her mom and told her a lie about visiting a friend. Then called Nagiori and told him the same lie. Both people believed her story, especially when she mentioned that she couldn't deal with Nagiori's proposal. Both parties were just relieved that she was ok. She assured them that she was, but she was just tired.

Instead of going to bed, Chihiro drove to the entrance to the Spirit World. She walked through the weird building, and came to the other side...nothing. She sighed and walked back out. Of course she didn't expect anything to happen. The only way she made it through the first time was by sheer luck. This last time was because Haku pulled her through himself. Then he sent her back. She fell to her knees as a sob broke in her throat. He had sent her back. He didn't want her there. She was just a pain to him and as soon as he saw that and he saw that Soren wanted him, he ditched her.

Wait...Haku wasn't like that. Why was she thinking that? She KNEW Haku, he saved her more times than she could count. Why did she doubt him. Was it because of the abrupt way they departed this time? She shook herself and stood back up and got in her car. She would figure out a way to get back in, one way or another.

Haku could have kicked himself. He knew Chihiro wouldn't stay at the river, but he had to leave her behind. Soren was getting ready to attack her and try to kill her. He had to keep her safe in a place where Soren couldn't get to her. He searched for her frantically when he finally got rid of Soren. That in it's own was a pain. He had to race back to the Bathhouse and frantically asked Yubaba to keep her out. Yubaba was sarcastic about it, but Boh got her to put a protection spell around the house and keep Soren out. He paced his room, knowing that Soren was outside waiting for him to come out. Where was Chihiro? Why did she leave the river? It didn't occur to him that Chihiro didn't hear him telling her to wait. Maybe she just doesn't want to come back. The thought entered his head Maybe she is tired of this world and wants to return to her old life. He shook his head. No Chihiro loved being in the Spirit World. She wouldn't leave us. He mentally shook himself and sat on the floor and started meditating on the Kohaku River. He would wait until he felt her presence.

A week after returning, Chihiro still couldn't get to the river. Nagiori was constantly with her, and her parents came down to visit. They kept her busy and chastised her for leaving for so long without telling them. Chihiro knew that she had to get back if she ever wanted the hope of returning to Haku. She eventually had to tell her parents and Nagiori that she was tired and needed time to herself. They finally relented and she hopped in her car and drove back to the river.

Within the week Haku hadn't emerged from his room. Yubaba was getting angry, and was demanding him to get back to work. She had tried to drag him out of his room, but when she walked in it smelled of water and the room rippled as if it was under water. Haku was in the center if it, in his dragon form, and looking powerful and dangerous. Yubaba backed out of the room slowly, suddenly afraid of her old apprentice. She suspected that he had that much power, but he had never shown it before. The old crone sighed and grudgingly gave in, but she gave the other workers of the bathhouse a hard time for it. Especially when Miyaki knocked on the door of the House and demanded her parcel, only to find that it was lost. Yubaba made life hell for her employees, since Miyaki demanded payment for it.

Unfortunately, when Chihiro set foot in the river, Haku wasn't there! The dragon had gotten hungry and decided that she probably wasn't going to visit the river at 3 in the morning. He left his river a second before she stepped in. Chihiro waited for about an hour then gave up. She walked to the edge and sat down with her feet still in it in case he returned to it.

"Haku where are you?" she said to the river. "It's been a week, I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, my family and Nagiori, who is not really my fiance, kept me busy. I barely got away and I decided to come visit you, since I couldn't sleep. I drove for a long time, since I live many miles away. I miss you. I want to go home. Please come back." she waited for an answer, and when she didn't get one she stood up and kicked at the water. "I waited years to go back Haku, YEARS! When you took me back in, I thought you were finally going to let me stay! Then you brought me back here...that hurt Haku. It really hurt." Tears fell into the glassy surface.

Haku was just finishing up eating and cleaning up his meal. He was just putting away the last bowl when he felt the tear. The bowl slipped out of his hand and he turned to his dragon shape. He connected with his river and found her. She was just a foot away from the water and she was putting on her shoes and rolling down her pants. Haku tried to reach out to her, he tried to make the water lap up to her, but it was no use. She was walking away! Growing frantic he searched within himself for something that he could use to get her back. Pulling everything from himself he was able to surface in the human world! He was transparent, but it was a start.

"Chihiro!" he called, his voice sounded like the wind but he was relieved when she turned.

"Haku?" She squinted, "I could have sworn I heard his voice."

She took a step towards the water and Haku used that as his chance to show her that he was there. She gasped when she felt his presence. She fell forward and let herself be carried away by him. Gripping his horns she smiled when they emerged in the kitchens. Yubaba was standing over them, looking furious. Smoke was curling out of her mouth and her eyes snapped angrily.

"Finally! Haku, Sen, enough playing around! GET TO WORK!" she ordered and pointed towards the main building, "And Haku, find a way to fix her so this doesn't keep happening!"