Chapter 2~What do we do now?

Sophie opened her eyes and looked at her ceiling, What a strange dream I had… she thought as she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She looked around her room, it was fairly large since her family was well off, it had it's own little fire place. And, for some strange reason, there was a small fire in it at the moment that had a blue-green tint to it.

"No…it was just a dream…wasn't it…?" Sophie silently said to herself as she shuffled over to the fire pit. With a deep intake of breath to steady her frazzled nerves, "Calcifer?"

"Hmmm…Oh Sophie, your awake…glad you seem to be feeling better, Howl said you left in a daze when he dropped you off last night. I was concerned so I came to your house, but you were sleeping and you had this convent hearth so I grabbed a few logs and decided to take a nap…used up way to much energy last night…" Calcifer said as he let out a large yawn.

"So last night wasn't a dream?" Sophie asked the fire demon.

Calcifer gave her a toothy grin, "Sadly no, it was real. We need to go and meet Howl today, do you have to go to school today?"

"No, it's Saturday, no school. Why do we have to go see Howl?" Sophie asked her tone sharp, she wasn't to keen on having to see him again, not after last night. It was slowly coming back to her, she had been in a dazed form of shock still. She had willing let Howl lead her up to the front door and then lead her inside. She faintly recalled him saying something to her family about there being some guys trying to mess with her and he had come just in time.

"Well, it will be easier to fortify Howl's house than yours. Howl and Michael live alone in their huge house and you live with a bunch of people. Alexander will be targeting you three, thus why living together is the best choice." Calcifer stated as if it were the easiest thing possible in the world.

"Calcifer, I can't just go live with them. People don't just up and go live with other people. My parents won't let me go and live with Howl, plus I would never want to live with him! He's a vain idiot! Who wants to live with a guy like that!" Sophie huffed out angrily.

"Glad to hear you think so highly of me Sophie…" Howl said as he walked into her room.

Sophie glared at the blond man, "Ever heard of knocking! And get out, I just woke up!"

Howl held up his hands and turned around and walked out of the room. Sophie only glared at the closed door as if she could burn the rude man who had walked into her room uninvited. With a huff, Sophie stormed into her bathroom that was attached to her room and started to get ready for the day. For once she took her sweet time, taking a small amount of pleasure in making the fool Howl wait for her.

Sophie exited her bathroom and glanced over at Calcifer, a small smirk on her face. "Sophie…is it just me or have you become more…ah…what's the word…"

"More than likely whatever you are thinking Calcifer is probably right…" Sophie said as she walked to her door and opened it, Howl fell backwards and onto his back looking up at a smug Sophie.

"You sure took your time…" he said as he got up dusting himself off, he wore jeans and a simple v-neck t-shirt, it was rather simply attire for Howl, Sophie thought. She was wearing black slacks and a long, almost dress like, brown sweater top. Sophie ignored Howl even through she noticed how he looked her up and down a few times.

"So Calcifer what do you propose we do about this problem of ours? After last night there is no way we can really say your lying now can we?" Sophie said as she made her bed than sat upon it, crossing her legs. Howl nodded, sitting down on the floor and using Sophie's bed as a back rest.

"Like I said, our best chance is to put protection charms and spells all around Howl's house and for you two to live together. That way I only have to worry about protecting one house. Plus Sophie, by living here with your family you're putting them into danger." Calcifer replied.

"And like I said, I can't just up and go live with someone else. And even more so I can't go live with Howl, it would cause an uproar at school and my sisters would be the main cause of it. Fanny would be against it as well! There is no way it can be done." Sophie concluded.

Howl nodded, "It's not really possible…not in this day and age…there is a break coming up in a month and a half through…"

"My family is planning on going on some trip to some spa or something, I wasn't planning on going, I was going to just stay here for the week…" Sophie added.

"That will be to our advantage then, I hope we can get this done in that week, but until then we need to find a way to get you two up-to-date on your magic…" Calcifer replied.

"Why not have Sophie tutor me or Micheal…people would believe that since she is the only candidate for valedictorian. She's the smartest person in the whole school. It would be believable until we get to that break. Then we should be able to work something out so to keep Alexander off our tail. We can go over to my house now and go over some of the books I have and see which Cal approves of and what not…" Howl offered, looking from the fire demon to the fiery tempered girl.

Cal mused over the idea for a second, "That should work for now. We'll your parents buy that Sophie?"

Sophie nodded, "From what I recall from last night, Howl you told my parents that I had been harassed by some strange men."

Howl nodded, "It was the first thing that popped into my head. I apologize if that might have caused a problem."

"No, it shall work to our advantage. My parents will see you as a hero type and since I am me will not suspect anything kind of fornication between us. They will easily let me get away with a lot more than Lettie and Martha. And I can use tutoring you as a way to pay you back for 'saving' me." Sophie says.

After finalizing their plans, Sophie and Howl make their way downstairs to find Fanny lounging on the couch reading a gossip magazine. She glanced up and a huge grin appeared on her face. "The knight in shinning armor appears once again! Thank you again Howl for saving our dearest little Sophie. I hope you've said thank you as well Sophie."

Sophie rolled her eyes and sighed, "Yes I have, and I am repaying him by tutoring him and Micheal. So from now on I will be spending a lot of time at their house, I don't need Martha getting in the way when it comes to tutoring Micheal."

Fanny just nodded, "I'm honestly just glad you are all right Sophie, and Howl darling, don't let Sophie over work you like she sometimes does with her sisters!"

Sophie rolls her eyes again as Howl laughs joyfully, "I'll hardly let her do that!"

"I didn't over work them, they just complained about having to actually study so they could pass. And they did pass with flying colors if I do recall right." Sophie replied dryly with a small glare.

Howl laughed harder, "Well, Miss Fanny, I must take your dearest Sophie away for a bit. She is going to help me start studying for my test on Monday. And I might have to drag her around with me for a few chores today so I can get her a house key, Martha and Lettie already have one so it would be a shame for Sophie not to have one as well!"

Fanny merely waved Howl away, "Be nice to him Sophie!" she said as the red-gold haired girl dragged a grinning Howl out of the house.

"You would think she would be more worried about me hanging around you." Sophie muttered.

Howl grinned, "From what Lettie has told me, I think your family is more worried about you being an hold hermit that lives alone forever."

Sophie glared at him and smacked his arm, hard enough to make Howl wince but still have a grin in place on his face. And like the perfect gentleman he was, he opened up the door for as they got to his car to go over to his house and work on a plan.

Hey! So ~DBH~ here! sorry for the long wait! had writers block and now i have job so it is hard to find time to spare! Anyways I hoped you liked the chapter! R&R so i know how you felt about it! XD

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~DBH~