Usual disclaimer. I still can't fins anyone to order me in the books and have no credit card. So still just movie and the other wonderful stories I have read.

I didn't know what Gareth's job was so I made him what fit best with the story, please don't be mad. I know it's probably wrong but it worked for this so please ignore it. Okay thank you very much.

And without more Delay on with the story!

And Then Some.

Ja Ne, Kat

"Howl I'm so pleased with your training that I have decided to be merciful and give you this weekend off for your anniversary. Besides you children should be born anytime soon and I'm not so evil as to have a father miss out on the birth of his children. I will expect you back bright and early Monday morning. You are dismissed."

Howl glared at the woman as she rolled out of the room. She'd kept him there almost every day for the past 2 months, allowing him to go home for brief periods on Sunday. In a small fit of anger he turned and roasted her favorite palm tree and left her clones to gap at the mess as he walked out and past the guards and the grinning king.

Fools all of them. When he got to be Royal Wizard, Howl would make that man regret wanting his talent this badly. His children would grow up without a father. And Sophie was already practically a widow. The nerve of these people to break up a family. What gave them the right?!

Daddy? Don't be so mad. I'm here with you, and William knows you through me. We really will get you out of this mess one day. Please go home and make mommy happy. She misses you so much that we can feel it sometimes.

I'm sorry Mika. I didn't mean to be so mad, and I don't regret the choice either, it just seems so . . . wrong for a King to break up a family in his territory. They are supposed to protect them.

Things are never the way we want them to be Mom says. No matter how hard we wish sometimes things don't work out.

I know. I hope Calcifer went to go get Megan. I finally get to see you guys this weekend. And nothing will make me miss that. I promise to be there. I just have to grab something for your Mom.

Daddy? Do you think we'll still be able to talk like this when I'm born? Right now we use Mom's knowledge and some of her magic to talk to you. Will we lose it when we're born?

You may for a little while till you learn the words for yourself. But I'm sure if you want, someday it will come back to you.

Okay if you say so. I hope you're there when we come.

With that Howl felt her fall asleep. His daughter had a fiery little temper and he loved it. Reminded him of Sophie's.

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She hated being tired, hated more, that almost nothing got done around the house any more, at least not by her. After his banishment Justin had moved into the room that Howl had made for Sophie when they had first moved. He was always helping around the house and learning to cook under Sophie's watchful eye and teaching Markl better reading and writing. Calcifer help by not complaining about someone else treating him like a cooking fire and even Gran and Heen did their part to keep the house clean for Sophie.

Sophie insisted that she still run the flower shop. Howl had trusted her with both it and his garden and as she didn't want to share that place with anyone else it was her job to get the flowers every morning. Which, since her belly had gotten so big, was starting to be a bit harder then she thought.

"Oh Howl. . . I wish you could come home. I don't want to have the twins by myself. I miss you so much. I wish I could tell you how sorry I am that you lost your hard sought freedom for me."

"Cariad don't be. Markl is worth it. Never be sorry for wanting what you see as your child to be happy."

She spun around a smile on her face because she would not stain the time when he was here with tears.

"Howl! I'm so glad your home." saying so she ran and buried herself in his arms. Breathing him in, never wanting to let go of him again."You won't believe how much growing Markl has done since you left. I had to go and get him new clothes just the other day. At least the woman pays for having kidnaped you."

"I'm so glad to see you. Just let me hold you for a minute and then you can tell me everything that I missed."

"Anything for you Howl."

"I didn't lose anything Sophie and if I did you gave it to me in the first place. I owed you at least one rescue."

"You owed me nothing everything you owed me was paid for when you told me you loved me."

"I only wish that was true. So how are all my favorite children today?"

"Markl blew up your work room practicing some of the spells you left him. You may want to put that to rights so he can finish those spells you set out for him to do. The twins are being terrible monsters kicking me whenever it suits them. Which seems to be all the time and William is worried that he won't be able to talk to me anymore and I'm not sure what to tell him since I'm not sure how he can in the first place."

"Tell him not to worry. If he does lose it he'll get it back later. I just had that conversation with Mika earlier. And what was he doing that he blew up the work room? None of the spells were violent. They shouldn't have blown up."

"Well. . . he was trying to put a spin on it. His words not mine."

"Not even going to ask."

"I didn't either. I figured you could sort it out."

"I will." he said laughing, happy to be home where he belonged. "Shall we go in and tell the others I'm back?"

"If you'd like to." Sophie said knowing that she couldn't keep him all to herself. Everyone else had missed him too.

"And how has it been going? Justin said he thought you were doing to much last time I was here. Have you shortened the list of things you do?"

"All I do is pick the flowers and run the shop now."

"YOU pick the flowers? Sophie, couldn't Markl or someone else do it? Or close the shop till after the twins are born?"

"Certainly not. I'm not invalid and I won't be made to feel like I am either, Howl Jenkins. Your sister said it was perfectly fine for me to do so long as I felt well enough for it, and I do close it on the days when I don't fell well. I'm wouldn't risk my children just so I don't feel useless.!"

"I love you when your mad. Your cheeks turn pink and you spit fire at me and . . . I love you. Did I mention that?"

She smiled up at him.

"No, but feel free to tell me anytime."

He loved her teasing too. He wouldn't ever get enough of here. Even if they both lived another couple hundred years.

"Lets go in. I don't want you to get a chill and I won't be able to fuss over you soon." he was stunned by the sudden pull on his hand as she stopped. "Sophie?"

"Neil was here last Tuesday for more magic lessons, and he said he had a dream where something went wrong with the twins birth. So I want you to promise me that no matter what happens you will not let OUR children die."

"Sophie nothing is going to happen to any of you. I will not LET anything happen."

"All the same I want you to promise that even if . . . you have to . . . let me go, the twins will be alright."

"Sophie . . . your not going to die on me. I wouldn't survive."

"I meant it Howl, promise me. Promise both you and the twins will survive and be happy. Please promise me, I'll feel so much better if you do, please Howl?"

"I . . . promise that we will survive even if something were to happen to you."

"Thank you Howl. I know that it must have cost you to promise me that. It means a lot to me that you did. I want you to know I love you more then life."

"And I you Cariad. And I you."

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Howl was snuggled up in his own bed with his wife when suddenly the bed was soaked. And his wife screamed coming out of a deep sleep.

"Sophie?"

"Ho . . . wl? It's . . . time now. Please help?"

She was crying and biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, just to keep from yelling again. He whisked her up and down to Calcifer's hearth.

"CALCIFER! Get everyone up now and get Megan fast! Sophie in labor and I have a feeling we are going to need help with this and Gareth's a doctor."

"Shit! Going Howl. He hit the alarm above his hearth that was there just for this. And the bedrooms were filled with noise. Everyone poured out of there rooms ready to help. The witch went to the kitchen to make Sophie a tea to help with the pain. Markl got busy getting hot water and Howl sent Justin to get towels and blankets.

He felt totally helpless not being able to do anything for her other then run his hands and magic over her belly to try and help with the pain.

"Stop that!" the witch said as she came back. "If she can't feel how will she know when to push?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think of that. . . I just wanted to help."

Sophie tried to smile up at him so he wouldn't worry but not screaming was taking all of her energy. The witch held the cup to her lips so she could drink it and she bravely coughed some down. As this was going on the door spun to black and the Fairchild's burst in to the room Gareth at once starting to demand things that he would need and looking far to grim for Howl's liking. Megan got to work organizing things so that they would be easily reachable for her husband if he needed them quickly and she sent Neil to go and make sure Markl was holding up alright.

"Did you really see her die?" the younger boy asked him.

Neil looked at the other boy for a moment and remember how much he'd hated it when the parents didn't treat him like a person, so he asked his own question back instead.

"Do you really want to know what I saw?"

The boy, smartly, took a few seconds to think about it.

"Yes."

"I did see her die, but in my vision Uncle Howell wasn't here. He makes miracles. I know he will make one for her. I have faith in him. Everything will be alright. Don't you believe that?

Markl took a deep breath, and centered himself they way he was supposed to when doing a spell. Howl's voice ringing in his ear.

You should always be clam when working magic. Panicking never saved anyone and it never will.

"Yes I believe that. Master Howl always makes it alright."

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Gareth was talking to her but she was having a hard time concentrating. Which, she supposed, was a bad sign. So, she buckled down and made herself pay attention to what he was saying.

"No pushing, okay Sophie? You can't push till I give the go ahead no matter how much your body tells you too. Otherwise you might not make it."

"So long as the twins make then it's okay. The twins have to be first priority. Understand Dr. Fairchild?" she wanted him to know that she wanted her children's lives to happen, even at the cost of hers. They were a gift that Howl had giving her and shown her the beauty of. She'd been scared of them at first, afraid she would fail them, she wasn't going to! They were going to be alright Howl had promised. With that thought firmly in mind she gave in to the tirednesss that seemed to be eating her body. Gareth getting swollowed by it for a moment before she forced herself to focus.

He looked at her sad for a moment then his doctor face went up and he nodded.

"I understand Mrs. Jenkins." he noticed his brother-in-law tensed when she'd given him her edict but, Gareth had to give him credit, the man didn't contradict her. He took one last deep breath and prepared for the fight of his life.

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Hours past but Howl only noticed that Sophie was getting weaker. Her breathing was barely noticeable at this point and . . . and he had to try and save her promise be damned! He wasn't giving her up without a fight! His magic poured into the body he loved so much and he felt it hit the twins, he was worried for a second that he may hurt them but they took the magic and still drew more out of him. He didn't know what they would do with it but he gave it to them and all the rest besides. Gareth backed away as Howl and the Sophie began to glow.

"Markl!?" he yelled and both novice Mages ran down from the top of the stairs. "What's going on?"

"I have no clue!" the smaller body yelled. "But that's a whole lot of magic. More then even Master Howl has!"

As they watched the light condensed into two forms and a boy and girl of about 3 were suddenly standing in the room. The girl had silver hair and too blue eyes. The boy had dark brown hair, and eyes such a dark brown they were almost black. They collapsed to the ground and Gareth gathered enough of his wits to run over and check on them. The seemed fine both were breathing and there were no deformities. The rest he'd have to check when they woke up. But the other pair in the room was still glowing. With one final, blinding burst of light the much bigger bodies where tossed back. Sophie hitting the couch and Howl hitting the wall in the kitchen. As they watched Howl slowly raised his head.

"Gar . . eth is she . . .?" he trailed off with a look at the unmoving body on the couch.

He made his way over to the couch afraid that he'd have to tell his brother-in-law that the thing he lived for was dead. He took his time checking her over wanting to be sure before he told Howl.

"Your children appear to be fine Howl. As for your wife. . . well why don't you come and see?"

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Sorry short chapter this time. And yet more evilness cause it seems to work and you come back for more.

Thank you to everyone that volunteered to be my new reviewer. This one is for you. And thank you more for your kind reviews. Sorry to have made everyone wait so long and sorry it's short. Oh well.