Disclaimer: I don't own Howl's Moving Castle

A/N: If it seems like I'm moving things along kinda quickly, I apologize.

Alas, if only all men were like Howl…there would be no abandoned children in the world, at least that's how I see it. They'd turn out a little weird, but at least they wouldn't be abandoned.

Close Your Eyes

Chapter 4

Sophie crept down the stairs quietly, even though it was becoming harder to do that every day, what with how big she was getting. Five months pregnant and she swore she could almost feel the child or children moving inside of her, gender still unknown. She had observed Howl keeping his promise during the day not to overwork himself but now she began to realize he had been taking naps at odd times…one of them in his bath. If she hadn't had the child or children within her pressing down on her bladder every moment of the day he might have drown. Disrupting a natural sleeping pattern wasn't going to be good for Howl and she knew he was making himself sick.

She arrived at the bottom of the stairs and saw Calcifer and Hein sleeping peacefully, Hein curled up in front of the fire pit, snoring softly. She would have to clean out the soot from under Calcifer soon too. She crept forward towards the table that was now full of books. Trying to have a meal as a family with Markl and everyone was getting to be a bigger task now. She peered over the looming piles and saw none other than her husband Howl, snoring quietly on the table, his head collapsed on top of a book with his arms stretched out to the side of him. He had tired himself out and Sophie knew it! She should never have let him stay up and went to bed herself. She should have known better. Howl was such a child.

Letting out a sigh, she hobbled over to a chest by Calcifer, who was snoring a little himself and opened it quietly, reaching in to grab a quilt. She walked back over to her husband she spread out the quilt and draped it over his shoulders. She took the coat he had there instead and hung it up by the door, and she struggled a little to reach the hook. She walked back to Howl and tucked the quilt around him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She was so adorable when he was asleep.

"You're working so hard," she whispered. "I just don't want you getting sick or too worried…but I guess I am too late for that. You're extremely selfish you know. It isn't just you that has to deal with this. I'm the one getting fatter!" She smiled as all he did in his sleep was sigh and snore some more. She sighed herself and made her way back to the stairs. If it was one thing she hated now, it was going up the stairs. Each step seemed like a mile and she had to grip the railing to make sure she didn't fall back down. She wasn't about to do any harm to her or the baby if she could help it. She most certainly did not need Howl worrying any more than he already was. She waddled down the hallway back toward their room but not before taking a stop at the bathroom. She found herself doing that often now, making stops at the bathroom more often than she used to. Howl said that it was probably because the child was pressing down on her bladder.

Sighing as she exited the bathroom she made her way back to the bed and crawled up with the step ladder Howl had put there for her. She lay down on the bed and sighed. Maybe she would ask Howl to work a little magic on her, her back hurt a lot nowadays. She let out another sigh and relaxed among the pillows Howl had laid out for her, both to help support her and to help her sleep better. She had odd dreams on occasion now, although she thought it was just the babe inside of her teasing her lightly. It wasn't much teasing; just little glimpses of what the future could be like with a child around the house. This child's curiosity would never be sated, never be satisfied. Howl would like that, a child that would love to learn and do things as much as he did. She closed her eyes and let sleep take her, praying for another one of those teasingly pleasant dreams.

Sophie always believed that perseverance paid off, and said to herself everyday that this child would be worth it, or children, however the case turned out to be, but today just wasn't her day. She tried making breakfast for herself, as she was the only one wanting some, only to nearly drop one of the eggs on her dress because she had trouble seeing what she was doing. Calcifer hadn't been any help whatsoever, he just told her to 'watch out!' and she fumbled anyways. It didn't help either that her back ached slightly more than it did yesterday and Howl was away on business with Markl, leaving her practically alone in the house as the witch of the waste simply slept more often now. She let out a small curse under her breath before clasping her hand over her mouth at the thought that she actually said such a horrid thing.

She put the pan aside and went to sit on the couch, relaxing into the pillows there and she placed her hands on her stomach, her very large stomach and closed her eyes, resting her head on the back of the couch. Being hungry, tired, and frustrated and feeling all around moody didn't feel good to Sophie at all. She just wanted to tear something apart and take out all her anger. Maybe she should visit the field of flowers and tear a few of them out for good measure.

"I'm getting fatter, I can't cook right so I'm hungry as a bear and my back hurts! This day couldn't get any worse!" Sophie buried her face in her hands and began to cry. "I can't believe this…I didn't think a pregnancy could be this terrible but it is! I just want it to be over with!"

"Sophie, are you all right?" Markl's worried reached Sophie's ears but she didn't lift her head, she just continued to cry and let out a loud wail.

"Love, is something the matter?" Howl's more soothing voice reached her ears but she pretended not to hear. She was upset so let Howl get upset as well, he already acted like a child all of the time! "Calcifer what happened?"

"I don't know. Sophie was trying to make something to eat but spilled the egg she was trying to get into the frying pan over her dress. I watched her walk over to the couch and complain a little before breaking down, crying and complaining about the pregnancy."

"Is that all?" Howl asked in a dangerous tone, looking over at his wife. He swore to himself he wouldn't start acting childish…Sophie had enough on her mind right now with the child and it seemed it was starting to stress her out and take its toll.

"She's hungry, tired, she said she's getting fatter and complaining about her back hurts. That about sums it up," Calcifer said matter-of-factly. "I don't know what else to say, I've never experienced this problem before."

"I'll say, neither have I had this either!" Howl let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't believe this, Sophie's a mess for all the little things right now and I have no clue. Well, perhaps a little…" He went over to the couch and put his hand on Sophie's shoulder and she fell into his arms, sobbing heavily. He let out a small cry as the wind was knocked from him. He fell back against the couch but he brought himself and his wife up and shifted so he could hold her better without falling over. "Sophie, don't worry. I can help with the back pain and would you like me to make you something to eat?"

"NO!" Sophie's yell awoke the witch of the waste.

"What's going on?" she asked. "I was having such a nice nap too." Markl went up to her.

"I'd be quiet right now. Sophie's having some issues resolved," Markl said softly and the old witch nodded.

"I see," she replied. "Isn't Howl doing anything to resolve this mess?"

"He's trying lady," Calcifer piped in and all three turned back to the scene.

"No what?" Howl asked his wife gently.

"No, I don't want you to make me anything to eat! I want to be able to do it myself! I want to be able to get up into our bed without a step ladder. I want to be able to walk up the stairs without feeling like I'm going to fall back down. I wish this baby would stop pressing so hard down on my bladder!" She sobbed this to Howl in a few short breaths and fell back to crying.

Howl didn't exactly know what to say except for one thing, "So, does that mean you'll let me help you with the pain you're feeling on your back?" Sophie sniffled pitifully against Howl's clothes and he motioned to Markl to grab her… like a tissue, a handkerchief or something along those lines and Mark came back with a tissue which Howl gave to Sophie, who blew into it. Hard.

"I don't care anymore! I just want this to be over!" she sobbed. "I'll even let you see the gender since you're so determined!" Howl knew his wife really must be suffering if she was saying such things.

"No, I won't. Not when you're not in your right mind to tell me that," Howl said. "Come on, I'll get you to bed. I think a little more rest will do you some good."
"You can't carry me," she whispered. "I'll squish you. I hate being fat."

"I don't love you any less for it, in fact, I love you all the more," Howl stated, trying to remember some stuff he had read in a book Markl had picked up out of curiosity about pregnancy, how pregnant women panic and don't think their husbands love them anymore just because they're putting on weight. "And I can carry you, you're not that heavy." To prove his point, Howl stood up and turned to face her, picking up her semi-limp form with medium ease. It was easier said than done to carry her and as she sobbed into his shoulder he walked towards the stairs. Buckling under her weight he cautiously went up each step, not wanting to truly stop for fear he'd drop her. "See, you're not heavy at all."

"Liar," she murmured but he could tell she had been smiling when she said those words. He made it to the bedroom after what seemed like forever and opened the door with great effort. He walked in and laid Sophie down on the bed, of course he struggled to do that at first but he managed it! 'If this is how heavy she is now what am I going to do in another month or two?' was running through his mind as he tucked Sophie in with a blanket on the foot of the bed. He turned to leave but she grabbed onto his arm. "Stay with me until I fall asleep?" He nodded and sat up on the bed with her, taking her hand into his as her eyes began to close.

A few minutes later he could hear her soft snores and knew she was fully asleep. He pulled away his hands and laid her own gently beside her. He tiptoed out of the room and headed downstairs where everyone was waiting. Hein let out a gasping bark and Howl smiled proudly.

"Wow Howl, that was amazing the way you handled that," Calcifer said with a grin.

"She's still going to be hungry when she wakes up not to mention I have to fix a spell that will ease up the pain a little that's on her back," Howl said. "I'd like to see you handle that kind of thing."
"I won't and probably never will." Calcifer looked so smug when he spoke those words and Howl glared at him.

"I think I knew a spell that would make you a female fire demon…"
"There is no such spell!" Calcifer said.

"How do you know?"

"I have my own magic you know. If you ever find a way to make me a female, I'm returning the favor."

TBC

A/N: Yeah…I just had to end it like that. I found it funny but you probably won't. Oh well. It's like… two in the morning and I'm tired. My sense of humor went down the drain as I updated not one, not two, but this makes it four stories today! One I updated twice! Am I good or am I good?

Well either way, review or not, the choice is yours. Just don't flame…I hate flames and all flames are good for is to roast tasty marshmallows for S'mores.

So yeah, OWARI!