Disclaimer: All recognizable people owned by DWJ. I'm just the fanfic writer who twists the plot....

I just realized that I had made a horrible mistake at the end of the story's first chapter. After reading HMC (for about the fifth or sixth time), it was apparent that when Sophie stepped through the grey mist, it lead to Megan's house. Not Howl's. (argh!) Luckily mskatonic pointed it out to me, or else I would have posted this chapter totally wrong.

I have to apologize for uploading this fic so late. But then again better late than never right? I've started to type the bare beginnings of chapter 3, and will upload them ASAP!

Oh yes, does anyone have live journal? If you do, add me please! My user name is maplesyrup. Or you could click on the link in my bio...

This chapter is to Vickie for patiently beta-ing!

Chapter 2: In Which Sophie Stays in Wales

Sophie's first reaction was to slam the door shut, and turn the lintel knob yellow to green down, then open it again to Market Chipping. It was useless. The grey nothingness still hung, and the invisible barrier wouldn't let her pass. "Doh!" she exclaimed. She then shut the door again and twirled the knob one whole round till the yellow blob was down again.

"I'd like to get back to Market Chipping now," she told the door. Upon opening it, she was still greeted by the sheet of grey nothingness.

"Unprintable things!" Sophie yelled, slamming the door. She had no idea how to undo her spell. That was the trouble with having her unusual gift. Her habit of speaking to inanimate objects made them alive. It was a useful talent, but it had its downside as well. What use was there in talking life into things when, half the time, she didn't know what effect her magic would have. That had just cast a strong enchantment on the door and couldn't remove it didn't help.

She wished she had been more observant before walking through the door. If she had looked properly, she would have realized that the knob was black down and wouldn't have found herself sealed in Wales. And I'm stuck here with a useless magic gift that won't help me get back home, she fumed. How could she have been so rash? If only she hadn't shouted at Howl or hit him with a frying pan.

All of a sudden, there was a huge rattling from the wavy door. "Howell?!" a familiar voice called. "Howell Jenkins! Are you out there?"

From the voice, Sophie knew that was Megan, Howl's sister. Sophie swore and turned back to the door, tugging at the knob uselessly and commanding the door to open properly.

"Howell Jenkins, just a moment. If you're not out there when I open this door, you're going to be sorry!" Megan bawled.

Sophie debated whether she should continue trying to get back to Market Chipping or to run away and hide. Before she could do either, the door clicked open, and a very cross Megan looked out.

"Really," she said disgusted. "You left our front door unlocked last you left. But I supposed it wouldn't bother you if we were robbed blind . . ." she stopped short when she saw Sophie. "Goodness gracious, who are you?"

Sophie's heart jumped to her throat. "I'm, um. I'm Sophie. Sophie Hatter," she managed to stammer out. "Howl's friend."

Megan's blue eyes widened as she looked Sophie over. Sophie was acutely aware that she was dressed very differently from the custom in Wales. Megan was wearing a pale pink cardigan with grey trousers and looked surprised to see Sophie's yellow dress. She felt horribly out of place.

"Oh, are you?" Megan asked with surprised civility. "I'm Megan Parry, by the way, Howell's sister. Have I met you before, by any chance? You look familiar."

"No, you haven't," Sophie said quickly. Technically, it was true. Megan had last seen her as an old woman. Obviously she wouldn't recognize Sophie in her current state. "Howl does live here, doesn't he?"

"Yes, but I have no idea when he'll be back. I wish I knew!" the other woman began tugging at the edge of her jacket in a nervous way. "You see, we've had a . . . well, a sort of family emergency if you know what I mean. Howell has this annoying habit of not being here during times like these."

No, I don't know what you mean, Sophie thought to herself, slightly irritated as Megan went on, pronouncing Howl's faults one by one. I can't understand all the fuss about this so called Family Emergency. She hoped that Howl would find a way to get her out of Wales as soon as possible. Maybe by now he had found a way to reverse her spell on the door, and he would come any moment now.

Megan still hadn't stopped yet. "And the way he never takes his boots off when he comes into the house. Really! He thinks it's easy to get the mud out from the carpets. I've told him, time and time again, that it's a bother to brush out . . ."

Sophie began to pity Gareth Perry silently. With a wife like this, whose tongue went on and on! He must get no peace! No wonder Howl had acquired the habit of slithering out. When she married Howl, she wouldn't go on like that-- Sophie brought herself up short. Her marrying Howl! Whatever put that in her head?

"I think we ought to live happily ever after," Howl's voice told her out of nowhere.

"Gah!" Sophie said out loud.

Megan suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, and stared at Sophie, as if seeing her properly for the first time. "I mean, I really have no idea what time Howell will be back," she said with a note of finality.

"Er, yes. Of course. Perhaps I ought to come when Howell's back," Sophie she said meekly. Sophie realized Megan was actually quite nervous. "Please let him know that I came over."

Sophie suddenly felt bad. Howl was facing a family crisis and here she was, making fun of Megan and thinking of happily ever after. The family emergency was obviously worrying Megan a great deal. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked as Megan was about to close the front door.

"Not much," she said with a wan smile. "If you should see him first, just let him know that our parents will be coming over this weekend." The door shut with a click.

Sophie stared at the wavy glass. That was the emergency? Howl's parents were coming over? Of course, it had never really occurred to Sophie that Howl had parents. He had never spoken of them, so she had assumed that they were either dead or didn't bother much about him.

Megan was making a mountain out of a molehill. What was wrong with parents? Everyone had them. It was perfectly normal. And it was perfectly natural for them to come over once in a while to visit their grown children and grandchildren.

But then again, if Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins were anything like their children, then Megan had a good reason to be horrified if they were going to pay a visit. Sophie imagined Mr. Jenkins with Megan's tongue, and Mrs. Jenkins with Howl's annoying habit of slithering out, and the both of them were dishonest . . .

That was enough to give Sophie the shivers. She had to get back to Market Chipping again.

The door still didn't work for her. Sophie suddenly recollected that something similar had happened to Michael when he had tried a transportation spell. He had been working on that particular spell for weeks with nothing going his way. Howl had also been in one of slithering moods at the time. Howl had sauntered in and Michael had asked him a question. Sophie couldn't remember exactly what the question was, but Howl had given him a vague answer. Michael, who was frustrated and very angry for his spell not working, had lost his temper and shouted the words to the spell and added in quite a few rude words at the end of it. This had resulted in Calcifer's logs shooting out of the hearth, flying across Porthaven and back to the castle, and had exploding to boot. Howl had calmly dusted ash out of his new suit and told Michael that spells cast with strong feelings were one of the strongest spells of all, not to mention, the hardest to undo.

Sophie had been angry enough when she had cast her spell. It looked as if she had no other choice but to just wait for the spell to wear off. She slid down to the doorstep, feeling depressed. She wished that she hadn't shouted at Howl. It wasn't his fault anyway that Calcifer and Michael had happened to intrude on them. I'll apologize the minute I get back, she swore. That is, if I get back. What if the spell doesn't wear off? Or what if Howl can't find a way here? I'd be stuck here in Wales with Megan and Howl's parents!

Feeling weary, she rested her head on her knees. "I'm not going to cry," she told herself firmly. "I need to think clearly. Crying isn't going to help anything." Her words sounded hugely fake because she felt a sudden hot pricking behind her eyelids. She shut her eyes to stop the tears from leaking out.

"I'm sorry, Howl," she whispered. "Please come and find me."

"Sophie!" Someone was shaking her shoulder gently. "Sophie, cariad, wake up."

She rubbed her eyes blearily. She had somehow fallen asleep. halfway. Howl's face hovered a few inches above her's. "I'm sorry, Howl," she said thickly. "I didn't mean to hit you just now."

"The bruise you gave me only enhances my already charming countenance," he said. "Besides, I don't think that's going to be the last time you swing something at my head." With that, he leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"How did you get here?" she asked, still half asleep.

Howl shrugged. "You underestimate me deeply, love. After all, I am the Royal Wizard of Ingary. All I just did was risk my neck, and break half the laws of the wizarding world --, and probably the law of gravity as well -- to get here. All I ask in return, is a nice warm welcome from the fair maiden I've come to rescue." He needn't have said any more. Sophie threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm so sorry about that earlier," she gushed. "I don't know what got into me. I was just so irritated when you weren't home and I thought you didn't mean a thing you'd said to me yesterday. And when I came here, I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find me and I–"

"Sophie," Howl said laughingly, "you're babbling."

She paused in mid-sentence. Howl continued, "But I assure you, that I'm extremely flattered that you should say all those things to me. And," he added before she could say anything, "I'm sorry."

Sophie thought she had misheard. something. Did Howl just apologize? "What for?" she asked.

He shrugged again. "I could list about a hundred and one things to apologize for, but it'd take too long. So you'll just have to settle for one apology for everything. Besides," he added, "although I hate to admit this, but I was slightly to blame for this afternoon's incident."

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "Only slightly?"

Howl looked at the ceiling. "I think I gave Michael quite a shock, leaving the castle like that."

Slithering out again, Sophie sighed inwardly. She decided to give up on pursuing the topic. "So, since you're here, can you take this spell off the door? We should go back to Market Chipping now."

He looked uncomfortable at her suggestion. "Er, you have to understand that the spell you cast was on the strong side. We might have to wait a while here before it wears off."

"How long will that be?"

"Maybe a month or so."

"A month?" she repeated. Howl nodded. "What am I going to do for a month here?"

"You forget that I'll be here with you," he said.

"Can't you take us back the way you came in?"

"It involves fasting for a week, then a ritual sacrifice of seven chickens where we must pass through the gates of Hell and by quite a number of picturesque sulphur lakes," Howl said gravely. "Not to mention, you have to give the Hounds of Hell a pound of your flesh to pass through the worlds." On seeing the skeptical look on Sophie's face, he grinned. "I'm only joking."

"Then how did you get in?"

"I'm an inhabitant of both worlds, Sophie. My collective past years are both here and in Ingary. That makes it possible for me to get through worlds. You, on the other hand, have barely spent twelve hours in Wales. It's not likely we can go back right now."

"So our only option is to stay here until the spell wears out?" Sophie twisted her face in dismay, but inside, she was thinking that sounded like a good idea.

Howl nodded again. "Don't look as if it's such a bad thing. Wales isn't all that terrible."

"The food might be different," Sophie said, determined to be difficult over the whole thing. She was not going to let Howl know that the prospect of staying in Wales for a while pleased her. "Not to mention that I don't dress like the people here."

"That can be rectified," Howl said with a cheeky grin. A grey mist hung around them for a moment, and Howl's fine green and gold suit disappeared. He now was wearing a shabby brown jacket with a pair of dark green trousers. As for Sophie . . .

"Howl, this dress is positively indecent!" she stammered, as she tugged the hem of her newly transformed yellow dress lower, in a useless attempt to make it look longer. It made her legs look skinny and her knees knobby.

Howl grinned again as he surveyed his work. "You look fine," he said.

Sophie blushed a furious crimson. "Make it longer now!" she commanded. "And stop smirking!"

With a slightly wistful look, Howl made the hem of her skirt a few inches longer. Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. "That's better."

Howl just took her hand. "So where to on your first day in Wales?" he asked genially. "I would suggest that we go downtown and get something to eat first. Or you could think of something you want to do. It's a Friday night, and the cinema will be open until midnight or so."

"That sounds nice," Sophie said musingly, although she had no idea what a cinema was. She suddenly remembered Megan's message. "I forgot to tell you. I spoke to Megan earlier. She said that your parents are coming over this weekend."

Howl stopped sharply and turned to face Sophie. "Did I hear you correctly? Megan never said that said my parents are coming this weekend?"

"Yes. When I was trying the door earlier, she mistook me for you," Sophie paused. "Is something wrong?"

"My parents are coming. Good Lord!" Howl said in a queer voice. "The weekend will be tomorrow, and they'll be here. Of course, something's bound to be wrong with them around," he said. "Er, Sophie love, would you mind if we stop in with Megan for a while?"

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"We ought do it now," he said as he towed her towards the door, her hand firmly in his. Sophie heard him mutter under his breath, "I'll be damned if they're staying for a month again."

In the fading sunset, Rivendell looked like a model cottage. The last rays of the sun seemed to glint off the wavy glass door of the house. It was very pretty, but the scene was wasted on Howl. He just unlocked the door and went in. "Megan!" he bawled.

Megan was sitting on one of the puffy chairs in the front room. When she saw Howl, she jumped to her feet. "Well, it's about time you showed up," she said.

"Look, you never said anything about mum and dad coming over," Howl said.

"And you never said anything about dropping in now," Megan countered. "You never say when you're coming or going. You didn't even bother to explain about that woman who showed up in the backyard that day. Mari had nightmares after that!"

"I've been busy," Howl said evasively. "Is it possible that we ring mum and dad up before they come over and tell them that they can't come over?"

"Don't think I haven't," Megan answered. "They called this morning. I tried to stop them but mum said they bought tickets on the night train and will be here tomorrow morning. Goodness knows how I've hinted to them that we don't want them to come, but all mum said was; 'you can't turn away our own flesh and blood from your doorstep can you?' "

"Doesn't it strike you as ridiculous," Howl groaned. "We're being pushed around by a pair of old people who expects us to wait on them hand and foot.

"Well, at least they have the courtesy of letting me know in advance before they come." Megan glared at Howl. "Unlike some people I know. You haven't gotten a job yet have you?

Howl took a deep breath. Sophie could see that he was trying not to loose his temper. "You've met Sophie earlier on" he said. "She might be staying with us for a while."

Megan had not noticed Sophie. Her eyes widened dramatically as she remembered who Sophie was. She raised her eyebrows as her eyes traveled down to see Sophie's hand firmly clasped in Howl's. "Oh," she said meaningly. "Are the both of you–?"

"Yes, we are," Howl interrupted. "Sophie's come down from town this weekend for a short holiday. I was wondering if there's any room for her."

Megan bit her lip, as she considered. Sophie blushed uncomfortably. Megan obviously thought that Sophie was Howl's girl!

Megan threw up her hands in exasperation. "Oh, the bloody timing," she exclaimed. "Mari will have to move into Neil's room for the time being, I suppose. I'll get the room ready."

"Sorry for all the trouble," Sophie apologized. She really did feel sorry. Megan looked incredibly stressed out.

Megan gave her a tight sort of smile. "It's alright. Nice meeting you Sophie."

Sophie smiled back, as they left. "What's the whole fuss about?" she asked as soon as the both of them were out of the house. "It's just your parents coming for a visit."

"Trust me, if you knew my parents, you wouldn't want them staying with you," he shot back.

Sophie snorted. "They're your parents. What could be so difficult?"

"Nothing," he said. "I just thought I'd be spending more time with you. With them there. . ." he shuddered. "Let's go revel in our freedom before it's too late. Sorry to drag you into the whole thing."

"You apologized again," Sophie noted, happily.

"I had to. Or else you'll probably hit me with a frying pan again when you meet them." His grip on her hand tightened momentarily. "Come on, there's this little cafe downtown . . ."

end of chapter 2

To all my lovely reviewers (i.e. you)

butterscotchwarror! Kina the Dragon Master! LJstagflower4e/JCtigerwolf4e! Lady of Masbolle, Starr Light1! fuzzfurry! ChocolateEclar! MaidM! TeenTypist! Emerald Isle! Ggghhh! Moonlight at Midnight! Personage! Khasria! Jerrylee! Starbrow! CrystalTyres! Baru-chan! Diagnosist! Redsbury! Calcifersgrl! Bob! Demonsloth! Caudex!

Big love to you all! Without you guys, there would be no chapter 2