A/n:Can anyone do a title for me? I really coudn't come up with anything that fit it. I don't own anything Gibli...

Two years later.

"Markl get Howl!" Sophie shouted. Her hands were moist from wiping the sweat away, her hair hung stringy in her face.

"I'll be right back Sophie!" Markl said handing her the pan of warm water, he stood back

up and ran tripping over the fallen dining chair.

"How are you getting worse?" She took the pan and dipped the towel in the warm water. "Howl put a healing spell on you, why is it wearing off?" She squinted and dampened the towel, "Did you eat something?" she asked, placing it on Anne's forehead.

"All I ate…this morning was porridge" she replied in between gasps. "Markl gave me… gave me a cup of tea after that… just like he always-" Anne's eyes made rapid movements, her body became rigid then began shaking uncontrollably.

"Anne! What's happening? Where's Howl?" Sophie shouted, she held Anne's body down, trying to prevent her arms from swinging. "She's having a seizure Calcifer!"

"Stand back Sophie" Howl said kneeling next to her. He threw the towel into the pan and placed his hand on top of her forehead. A warm glow shined from his palm, a moment of silence passed, and then Anne fell asleep.

"What's happening to her Howl?" Sophie asked taking Anne's shoulder over her own, Howl was on Anne's other side. "This is the third time I had to call you immediately." Together they placed Anne into her bed.

"I don't know, Calcifer and I can't seem to work it out, we know for certain, that it isn't a sickness or disease." Sophie sat by Anne and tucked her in. "Thank goodness Heene sent you a message", there was a slight pause, "Where you at Hernfree Gully again?"

"Yes, Ever since the Witch of the Waste, as some still regard her as, has disappeared, more villains are emerging to take over the land she once ruled." Howl let out a sigh, "Well, it doesn't matter anyway, Madam Sulliman should have her henchmen taking care of things."

"I hope you figure-"

"Sophie, just now, well… Anne, she isn't going to last much longer, this 'thing' she has, has, is eating away at her muscles, she, I'm trying, but you know the boundaries, I can't reverse death, I can only sustain life, and this, it's killing her."

"Howl, why can't you treat her like you've treated me, you slowed my aging by decades, like you did yourself, why can't you make her live longer?" Sophie stood up and walked out of the room in a hurry.

"Sophie hold on, it's not that simple, magic never is" he took her hand and slowly she turned around, "Anne's heart has been disintegrating from the pure heart. Her heart has been ruled by the greed demon for too long, in turn to keep her youth, she let it take over, and since Madam Sulliman destroyed her demon, her real age has been restored, her heart is no longer strong enough too hold such a spell."

Sophie pulled away from his grasp, and walked into the dining room. "Still Howl, I just can't watch her… you know…" she lowered her voice into a whisper. "Die", she clasped her hands together and took a deep breath, "I guess I should be getting back to work" she said helplessly.

"Is Anne okay?" Markl exclaimed as he barged through the door, "Heene went outside to the marsh lands again, so I couldn't find him quickly enough"

"She's sleeping now Markl, thankyou for getting Howl." She picked up the fallen chair and put the bowl of porridge into the sink.

"Hey, I would've eaten that you know" Calcifer said under his breath. "Alas!" the fire demon remains ignored" he said sarcastically.

Sophie put on her hat and a cardigan Markl gave to her for her birthday she kissed Howl and Markl goodbye. "Come on Heene" she called and left she castle through the green portal. Market Chipping was whole new place after the war. It wasn't the same, things seemed gloomier, though the town was bright and new as ever could be.

"I don't know why she still works; I can have everything before her feet in a split second. Why doesn't she take advantage of me?" Howl laughed to himself.

"Miss Sophie!" A red haired employee exclaimed as Sophie walked in. "There is a wedding ceremony and the couple…uh… Mr. Fandell and his fiancé Mrs. I mean Ms. Wilsor would like the Pigmy Blue Orchids and Yellow Tenella roses for bouquet and Pink Shillohs for decorations, I tried to tell her that the orchids can't stay indoors..." Sophie placed a bag of donuts on the counter.

"This is Ms. Wilsors third wedding for the past two years, did you know that Camilla? Oh memories come flooding back", Sophie felt the display of Pigmy Orchids at the counter, "These, Camilla, are her favourite, she's used these in each of her weddings", Sophie smiled, her eyes seemed to shine with despair, "At least somebody's getting married."

"Oh good, she just seems, you know, a bit air-headed, thought she couldn't understand me." The red-haired girl giggled, "Come here Heene", she put a jacket on Heene. "Oh, Miss Sophie I met the most darling gentleman" She was younger than Sophie by a year, her red hair brought out her blue eyes, she was very pretty, and had recently left her parents in search of a new life. Though that was all Sophie was told.

Sophie became a florist after the hat shop was bombed, she named it 'Evermore Bloom' since the marsh Howl gave her had flowers that bloomed in every season. Heene became her delivery dog, and conveniently he could fly, also now and then he would gather some flowers if it were necessary, which was very rare.

"That's wonderful Camilla" Sophie said edging away, "I need to go down to the shed to check if we have enough space to store the orchids" She left Heene with Camilla who was now strapping a box with green petalled roses on the back of his jacket.

"Well it's just me and you hey? Don't you just love working in the morning? It's all quiet and no hustle bustle, not until the afternoon anyway", Heene rolled his eyes, "Can't wait until the other hands arrive, I'll tell them all about J.P Nogard, that's my new boyfriend…"

Sophie walked into the glass walled shed; it was a big as a football field and resembled a real beautiful butterfly house. There was just one footpath that divided the shed into six perfect rectangles, it was made of glass. Beneath it showed a river flowing which continuously water the plants. Here she wrote down which, with what, and how the bouquets for the orders were to be assembled by the employees. Each section of the shed had specific temperatures and lighting so that the flowers were always in top condition. She walked into the room which held the Orchids, and slid the door shut. Then she abruptly collapsed into a weeping rage.

A/n: hope you enjoyed, i think i'm posting the next chapter tomorrow.

Please review and if you do, i'll name a few shops after you.

Cheers B.T.