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Howl had picked up the phone, dialed Kali's number, and seemed to have forgotten what he was doing with it. One could hardly blame him. Adrian De Launey had sent him a letter stating the wizard's wife was dead. A whimper, a sob, an "OW! Calcifer, don't do that!" sounded on the other end. "I know what you said, but Mr. De Launey wouldn't lie to me!"

The wizard knew that wasn't true. The vampire lord had never liked him. But--if Sophie wasn't dead, or locked in some sort of dungeon, why hadn't she come to him? And if she was alive and well, as Calcifer said she was--why hadn't she contacted him in any way? If she was alive, how come she hadn't told him she was alright? No, Sophie was dead. It was the only explaination.

"C-come over?" The typically well spoken wizard stumbled over his words. "I know it's last minute, but I really... need someone to talk to." And his best friend was the obvious choice. His older sister... was the obvious choice.

"...Kali?" As soon as Howl saw the redheaded mage, he'd hurried to her and though he was much taller, buried his face in her shoulder. "Sophie's dead," his mutter was muffled, and a sniffle escaped him. "She died in a fire. Her father wrote me. I didn't think she could die, being able to talk the fire away from her..." He pulled away, shaking his head. "I've got to find a way back to Ingary," he muttered, wiping at an eye. "Sophie's gone, but I expect she'll be there. I don't think characters can really die... We're not exactly real. We can't just vanish from the book...can we?"

"I told you, How she's not--"

"Calcifer keeps saying she's not dead," Howl informed Kali with a sigh. "But I don't know... Mr. De Launey wouldn't lie about having a funeral... He invited me to it. And Sophie...she wouldn't. She wouldn't do this to me."

"If Sophie had been in any real danger--" Calcifer tried again.

"She's dead!" The wizard's eyes flashed angrily--and with something else. "She's dead. Dead." Tears filled blue eyes, and he sat on his couch, looking lost. Calcifer had never been wrong before... Why now?

"He said the funeral's Sunday at two o'clock. I'd really like you to come, Kali... I wanted you to meet her. I was planning on introducing you at the wedding, but..." Scooting back into the couch, he slumped. "Don't listen to Calcifer, Kali," he moaned. "She's dead. All my divining spells come back saying she's somewhere...But they seem so jumbled." He shook his head, rubbing both eyes with closed fists.

"Why would he call me? He hates me. He even wrote that in his letter. He never approved of me."

Calcifer seemed to appreciate the fact that Kali acknowledged him. "I told him letters weren't human custom when it comes to the death of loved ones," he said knowledgably. "This De Launey didn't seem at all in mourning. He might as well have told us what he had for dinner. She's not dead," he said with firm belief. "I am as bonded to Sophie as I am to Howl. She gave me another thousand years to live when she broke the curse and returned Howl's heart to him; I'd know if something happened to her. I'd know if she was hurt. Sophie has a spell on her, not unlike the Witch of the Waste's. Howl only needs to find her. But he won't listen to me, Kali. He won't listen to anyone. A fire couldn't have killed Sophie. She can bully me into doing things--she can certainly bully a non-magical fire."

"Calcifer believes Sophie's pretending," Howl translated, wiping again at his eyes. "She wouldn't. She knows..."

"She knows you're heartless," If Calcifer had had shoulders to shrug, he would have. "Perhaps she's testing you. Perhaps she's fallen for another--" and immediately the fire demon regretted his words. The wizard gave a sob and rested his head on Kali's shoulder. "For you to prove your love though--we're going to have to get your heart back." He glanced at Kali meaningfully. "Someone you trust could return it, if only they knew to ask for it."

"You know I didn't mean to upset him!" Calcifer snapped back. "Why else would she leave?" The firedemon stuck his flamelike tongue out at her. "There's no curse this time," he explained. "Sophie gave me a thousand more years to live, so I needn't worry about dying if his heart goes to someone else. I knew Sophie could break the curse because she can talk life into things. But since there's no curse--and no contract between Howl and I, I believe just about anyone could get it back for him--as long as his heart trusted them enough to go to them."

"I told him that, but he hasn't listened. De Launey seems the type to do something like this. Sophie, though... I wouldn't have thought she'd be up to it." Calcifer glanced at Howl. "If someone heartless can feel so strongly about her death, than a vampire who's raised her would feel it, too."

"...Never," Howl muttered, looking up. "Calcifer's never wrong...But Sophie wouldn't. Why would she... A spell must be keeping her from telling me," he decided at once. "I'll write her a letter."

Calcifer gave a nod, which was more like a bounce, seeing as he had no neck, or head to nod. "I mean what I say."

"Calm?" Howl repeated, raising an eyebrow. His wife was pretending to be dead and he was supposed to be calm? "I'll write her. If she replies, I'll know she's alright. If she doesn't, she probably doesn't know who I am anymore. Maybe she's forgotten me... I forgot her once." Maybe Sophie had done the same, and Adrian just didn't want him to know? Maybe the vampire thought he was being kind, by saying Sophie was dead... "You'll help me?" he echoed, smiling slightly. Kali had always been able to cheer him up. "But what about Lance? You two are supposed to be getting married, aren't you? I'm still invited, right?"

He paused and pulled away slightly. "Of course I trust you, Kali. You're my best friend." Why would she need to ask? The wizard seemed completely oblivious to the conversation Kali and Calcifer had had. "Why?"

"He will soon," Howl assured her. "He loves you. He wouldn't dislike me as much as he does if he didn't." He seemed confident in Lance--at least about the older boy proposing to Kali. "Maybe he's nervous," he added, running a hand through his hair. He knew he'd been, even reproposing to Sophie. Maybe if he hadn't procrastinated so much... "Of course I'm invited," he echoed, beaming. "I'll bring you a present once he proposes. You'll have to tell me when he does!"

Calcifer gave no reply. The firedemon seemed to be concentrating. Something small and engulfed in blue flame floated so it was just hovering over Kali's outstretched hand. Small and fluttery, it rested there.

Howl stared with wide eyes. "But I thought... But Sophie..." he seemed puzzled.

Kali squished Howl's heart and he died. The end.

What actually happened was the boy, having his heart back where it should be, was suddenly overwelmed with such emotion, his mind simply couldn't take it. It was an entirely new thing, something he hadn't felt for years--something he hadn't felt since he was first brought to Gaia, as a toddler. The rapid beating in his chest was painful, only for the reason that he was unused to it. The teenager slumped forward, leaning against Kali.

He'd fainted.

Calcifer immediately went about reassuring Kali that Howl was alright. "This happened when Sophie gave him back his heart too," he fizzed. "He'll be alright. Maybe if you drip water onto him, he'll wake up."

With Howl safely on the couch, Calcifer guided Kali to the kitchen, vaguely amused. She had been there before, why was she so forgetful all of a sudden? It must have been a human thing. "Water's in the sink," he informed her helpfully, wondering if she'd forgotten that too. "Glasses are in the cupboard on the right."

"Tea's in the cupboard on the left. I suggest you make yourself some and calm down after we've woken him up. He'd never forgive me if something happened to his godson. You should hear him go on and on about what kind of presents he's going to give the kid." The firedemon rolled his eyes. "You'd think he'd never seen a baby before. Which, after you think about it, is amusing. Seeing as he has his own. Make sure you don't drip any of that on me," he added quickly.