Disclaimer: Howl's Moving Castle is the property of Diana Wynne Jones and the anime people and Disney and all sorts of other people who aren't me. In other words, I don't own it, so don't sue!

Author's Note: This takes place in the movie when Howl first sees Sophie asleep and looking like her usual self. I took liberties, as I always do. I hope you like...

Sleeping Embers

I should be in bed. Really. I should be sleeping off this horrible pain and exhaustion. Sleeping like she is. I shouldn't care.

But, no. Instead I find myself incapable of resisting the temptation placed before me. She's sleeping right behind that curtain. "Grandma Sophie," she said to call her. The intriguing old cleaning woman with a spark in her eyes and a feeling about her that reminds me of the girl I met on the streets only a few short days ago. A relation? Doubtful. She was marked by the Witch of the Waste. I have a feeling about this. And honestly, I'd just like to ignore it.

If I go to bed now... if I turn around and walk away...then I don't have to know. I won't have to worry about who she is or how she got here. I canjust sleep off this headache that feels like a thousand hangovers. Can wake up to bacon and eggs. Hell, maybe I'll even eat them this time.

I don't have to know the truth. It's never bothered me before. I don't have to see.

Yet still I pull the curtains back and peer into the darkness, waiting a moment for my eyes to adjust. It doesn't take long.

I see that it's exactly as I thought, and I find myself staring, fascinated at her lovely young face. She isn't my type. Small. Obsessive. Feisty… Okay, well maybe she's a little more my type than I want to admit.

But she's under a spell, a witch's spell, the Witch's spell, and I honestly don't want to deal with that right now. I have this ridiculous war to deal with, I'm having problems with my hair which I'll have to touch up in the morning, and I'm tired. Really tired. I need to go to bed.

I've only been saying that for five minutes now. But still I stand here watching her sleep. This is absurd. Finally, after a moment more, I let the curtains drop, and walk to the stairs. Let her sleep. Let her rest. I'll just forget about her until morning, when she ransacks the castle again for more things to clean.

Sophie… so that's her name…

I drew her into this. I know it, and for once I care, if only a little. I find myself wishing that I could break her spell for her, knowing full well that she'll have to figure that one out herself. If I can't even work out my own problems, I can't fix hers…

"Sophie…"

I am empty as always, even when I say her name. But something makes me want to say it again, so the soft sound of it remains on my lips. Sophie…

The name even sounds familiar. I feel a fire inside of me… a familiar, distant fire… just for a moment and then it's gone. And as make my way up to my room, I try to ignore how Calcifer had flared at the same moment before cooling back down to sleepy embers…

Author's Note 2: Just saw "Howl's Moving Castle" for the first time today and completely fell in love with it, so as I ALWAYS have to do after seeing a movie I love, I wrote a quick one-shot in the mind of my favorite character. I know the fic is short. Those of you used to my style probably have gotten used to that. To those who arent used to it... if I'm going to get into a character's head, I find it too cramped to stay in there for long...

Anyway, thanks for reading. Please review!

Dewa mata!