Chapter Text
Newt was beginning to realize that his first assumptions of Tina were incorrect. Well, some of them. He had seen her as a strong, fearless woman who had her life put together and answers to every question. He imagined she already had her life planned out to a T, and that all she had to do was dot some i’s! He still held steadfastly to his belief of Tina being courageous and sturdy in times of strife. After all, he had witnessed it! Her near two weeks of being in London were full of sleepless nights, dangerous excursions, and unsavory sights. Seeing Theseus in the role of interrogator had taken Newt aback, but he knew he wasn’t the only one. Tina had worn that look of reservation when leaving the cell, too.
While sitting at his desk, Newt arrived at the conclusion that his premonitions of Tina had been unfair. It was an unfair standard to be held to; expected to be a fearless leader or savior in any situation. He kicked himself inwardly, looking back on all the lessons he had learned through his life so far. One thing was proved to him time and time again was that everyone had a fear. Overcoming fear drove many to greatness. Succumbing to fear destroyed more. Newt was no philosopher, but it took a certain understanding of the human mind to help save his creatures.
It was all laid out in the corner of Newt’s mind. Wizards and witches grew scared of magical beasts. Instead of overcoming the terror and learning more about them, they lashed out. This was why a beast ban of epic proportions was leading to the imprisonment and slaughter of hundreds of species. Newt knew this was why his work, albeit small-scale, was much too important to let go.
The red-haired Magizoologist picked his way to his storage shed. He had a few sheds and lean-to’s spread about the biomes. His Document Storage house was buried deep in the bamboo forest where the bowtruckles hopped about. They chittered above his head, swinging in time with his strides. Newt was no fluent translator, but he could interpret their squeaks and squawks. Based on the way Pickett rushed to Newt’s shoulder to defend himself, they were being rude again. Newt had to cut the conversation short when he entered the shed and sifted through dozens of drawers. Each drawer was unlabeled for privacy purposes, but most of them just included bills and donor documents. One shelf yielded a folder of maps and notes about locations on the maps. Newt had not checked the folder since he returned from his field work. That had been before the New York incident. It had been before Grindelwald was actively killing and cutting off networks. He had been so wrapped up in caring for his excess number of creatures (and, admittedly, his struggling relationship with Tina) that he had forgotten about all the plans he had been making. Well, here they were. They were staring him in the face. Ukraine, Belgium, Romania, Zimbabwe, Kuwait—the list continued, filling the page in small font.
Queenie had been more direct in her letter than Newt realized. Tina’s clamming up? Why, it was exactly what Newt was prone to do! He studied the situation in his calculating mind now. It was like his third eye, the one he used when it came to solving the many mysteries of his line of work. The body language, the words from Queenie—Newt was beginning to have some clarity. Tina wasn’t guarded for no reason, just as Newt had his reasons for… well, the way he was! Granted, he had been tall and awkward since birth, as is evident in the amount of broken pottery around the house. However, his lack of sureness with those around him came from a single individual. Newt had been blindly wondering if this whole business with Tina could change the tides of the past. He still had important questions he needed to answer. No one, not even Tina, could answer them for him.
Dawn struck the sky and Newt allowed himself to be lulled to peace. There was much thinking to do, but now was not the time. Soon, he’d wake Tina from her slumber and try his best not to make a fool of himself. Surprisingly, a confident Tina was much easier to handle than an upset Tina.
“Good morning, Tina!” Newt tried his best to sound cheery as he knocked against Tina’s door. He heard her shuffling around the room. Presumably, she was already awake.
“Breakfast is ready.”
“I’ll be out in a minute.” was Tina’s shaky response. Newt ran his sweaty palms down the front of his gold waistcoat. He wasn’t thrilled with the color, but the laundry was backed up. Even his superb wizarding skills could not wash the clothing fast enough. The coffee hadn’t come out very good, but hopefully the cereal would be the star of the show. A jolly fire crackled in the fireplace. Spring was in full effect in London, meaning that the rain probably wouldn’t cease for a few weeks. It was more of a mist at the moment. It cast a haze across the buildings and sprinkled softly against the windows. It was the kind of rain that seemed to be apologizing for being so wet and cold.
Newt was yanked from his daydreams by Tina, who had managed to pad from the bedroom to the kitchen without Newt noticing.
“Good morning.” he smiled, ducking his head as quickly as possible. The feelings of last night had not died away.
“Good morning.” Tina replied, diving into her bowl of cereal with haste. Newt steadied himself against the countertop before stealing a glance back. Tina had already brushed her hair and gotten changed into one of her practical outfits. A genuine smile crept across Newt’s lips as he studied the way her powder blue blouse complimented her fine, pale skin. He remembered the first time he saw her when she pulled him aside in New York. Yellow mustard decorated her top lip and her eyes were wide at Newt’s insolence.
Tina caught him looking. He jerked his gaze away and continued his job of cleaning the dishes.
“Where are we headed today?” asked Newt. He whisked his wand to allow the steel wool pad to scrub by itself. Tina gulped and slowly leaned back in her seat.
“I was thinking that I should probably go on this next inquiry alone. It could be dangerous, after all.” she admitted quietly.
“Yes, it could be.” Newt said without hesitation, spinning the words to be a perfectly good reason as to why he should accompany her. His mind caught up with his heart. Tina was a grown woman. She was an auror. This was her job. He certainly didn’t want to intrude or be dead weight. Tina was giving him that hard stare that prompted a challenge. He looked away, nodding.
“Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Newt quipped, hoping to ease the tension. They laughed together while Tina grabbed her jacket and an umbrella. Newt waited at the door for her, ready to see her off. He knew something was eating at her. She was more reserved than she had been for days. It all started after her visit to the hospital. Maybe seeing the fragility of life had some affect on her. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to tell her everything was going to be alright. His brain didn’t advise it, but his heart threw itself wholeheartedly into the idea. He brought his hand to Tina’s face as she readied hserlf to step out of the doorway. Everything seemed to be screaming RED ALERT. What was he supposed to do now? He had only read about these types of starry-eyed gestures in his mother’s romantic books!
He stroked her soft cheek with the tip of his thumb. He was grateful that he had the presence of mind to wash his hands before breakfast. Tina stood still for the moment, her brown eyes gazing up at Newt. She was gorgeous. The way her hair flounced over the graceful lines of her shoulders, it made Newt want to pull her closer. He hadn’t felt this desire of close contact for a long time. Even then, it hadn’t seen so strong. He was older and more mature, as was the stirring in his heart. He rested a palm against Tina, praying that it was not an unwanted gesture.
“Stay safe.” he whispered. Tina’s eyes were damp now. Rats. A thin smile waned on her lips, so he withdrew his hand and opened the door for her.
“I will be.” Tina promised before trotting out the door. Newt leaned against the doorframe, chewing his lip in anxiety. He trusted Tina, of course, but something felt off. She Disapparated. Newt sighed and decided it was time for him to get to work.
Tina was purposely not acknowledging the brave sign of affection from Newt. She had graduated from sadness over a rejection long ago to the gnawing emotion of wondering if she was making the right decision. She wanted to sit down and have a long talk with Newt, like two adults should. She imagined it’d be very hard to come by free time. She also wondered if Newt would be able to handle a serious discussion like that.
Too many questions and not enough time. Tina Apparated into the lower neighborhood of London, landing behind a smelly dumpster. An alley-cat yowled in protest of its nap being interrupted. Tina gave the flea-bitten animal a wide berth before heading for the road. Another feline lingered in the center of her path, staring at her with expectant blue eyes. This cat made Tina stop dead in her tracks. Its black fur was well-groomed, and it did not shy away when Tina made clapping motions at it. She skirted around it. Her stomach churned as the it kept its burning gaze fixed on her. Tina picked up the pace until she reached the apartment where Mrs. O’Leary had lived.
To say Tina felt guilty for this old woman’s death was an understatement. Had she not rushed to get home to dinner with Newt, Mrs. O’Leary might still be alive. Her apartment was visibly ransacked. Tables were overturned, drawers were scattered across the floor, and bits of glass from dropped picture frames. In the case folder, it had mentioned that the M.O.M had performed a thorough search of the premises. Was this the Ministry’s doing, or the search of a more sinister group?
Meowwww.
Tina nearly jumped out of her skin. Peering into the apartment from the cracked-open door was the black, whiskered kitty. It attempted to paw its away in, but Tina shooed it away. She wished Newt was there to care for it. As she attempted to shut the door, it was forced open with greater strength than Tina could combat. She fell backwards, landing on the floor with a painful thud.
“EXPELLIARUMUS!” A youthful voice cried out. Tina cursed loudly as her wand flew into the expectant hands of.. a child?
Four of them, to be exact. They formed a line at the edge of the room, wands drawn and grimaces carved into their grimy skin. Their clothing looked as nice as a young boy’s clothing could be, but everything was stained with black soot.
“Let’s be sensible here.” Tina said sternly. The oldest of the boys, who looked to be about fifteen, clutched her wand tightly.
“Who are you?” he asked, jabbing his wand in her direction.
“I’m just a relative of the woman who lived here. I came to collect some—” Tina was trying to think quick on her feet, but the boys weren’t buying it.
“Stop lying!” the youngest boy, near twelve, sneered at her through crooked teeth. She had never wanted to punch a child so badly. That being said, they probably had no idea what they were doing. Tina could probably take a few of them on in a duel at once. After all, their magic was not as mature and strengthened as hers. They had disarmed her through a surprise attack. She was not very useful when wandless.
The eldest boy rushed forward. She played it cool while he yanked her coat from her shoulders and threw it to the floor. She concentrated on a silent incantation and hoped for the best. They didn’t find her badge. They did, however, find the one case note that Tina had mistakenly stuffed in the wrong, non-enchanted pocket. The boy read it and turned on Tina with a growl.
“Only a Ministry worker would have this. Why are you lying?” Tina thought it was obvious why she was lying. Her heart pounded in her chest and blood roared in her ears. These were not simple teenage boys. They had weapons and no supervision. What would become of her?
It was nearing the time when the sky would darken from its light gray to its dull muted colors. Newt was enjoying a swim in his ocean biome. Below him, his resident Shrake, Petunia, rushed through the water. The water was a bit chilly to the skin, but Newt found it refreshing and very helpful in clearing his head. Tina had been gone for many hours. He wondered how long he'd wait before going on a search for her. Not wishing to even mentally encroach on her independence, he continued to swim. Petunia ascended from the depths of the saltwater to swirl around him, gnashing her teeth. Shrake’s were always looking for a muggle fishing net to tear into. Newt had found Petunia belly-up and near death off the coast. She was bloated from feasting on too many nets, as well as getting caught up in them and having several lacerations along her spiky outer skin. She was all healed up now, and Newt had her on a strict fish-only diet.
Newt pulled himself out of the water and ran a small towel across his bare chest and arms to counterbalance the cold. Petunia bellowed a bubbly farewell before submerging herself again. Soggy Newt headed for his work bench, wanting to make an update to Petunia’s notes. A loud commotion beckoned him quickly. Several creatures were hooting, hollering and squawking in a tone that any knowledgeable magizoologist wouldn't like.
“Dougal!” Newt called, spotting Dougal’s silvery figure among the crowd of creatures. Dougal leaped into Newt and pointed his pink fingers at the bottom step of the shed that connected the suitcase world to Newt’s flat. Sitting among the crowd of beasts was a housecat. Black, short-haired, and calm. Its gaze met Newt. Something in its big, glimmering eyes pulled Newt closer. It was the same thing that was making the creatures of the Newtcase act up. Newt scratched his stubble for a moment, pondering the next step.
“Come here.” he commanded. The cat approached him and sat at his feet. Muggle housecats usually didn’t know commands.
“Spin.” said Newt. The cat spun in two circles before sitting again, mrowing loudly. Something was definitely up.
“On my leg.” Newt held his leg up. Was that an eye-roll he saw? The cat launched itself onto Newt’s leg. He quickly swept up the tomcat and placed him on his table.
“You’re not a real cat, are you? Go on, transform.” Newt insisted, but the feline only hissed in response. Newt was thinking along the lines of an Animagus. The cat was freely communicating with Newt but wasn’t transforming. Either they wanted their identity to stay secret, or they were unable to transform back.
“Are you stuck?” Newt whispered. He received a mournful meow in response. Newt had been caught up in the confusion of it all. He became suspicious and backed away from the cat slowly.
“Who sent you?” The cat responded in urgent meows that sent it spinning in frantic circles. Before long, it took off galloping. It was an agile little fella that crawled up Newt’s ladder seamlessly, landing with a thump in his flat. In dismay, Newt realized that the cat had broken a window to get inside. Not only would his floor be riddled with glass chards, but now he’d have to replace the window too!
The tomcat wasted no time after Newt threw the door open. He bounded, his muscular hind legs propelling him through the streets. Newt careened around Muggles, who eyed this oddly-gaited man chasing after a cat with interest. At one point, he bowled over a little girl. As she hit the cement, she cried out indignantly.
“I’m sorry!” Newt called over his shoulder before continuing the chase. He noted that the feline wanted him to catch him. It would slow down just enough so Newt could keep it in his sights, and it’d opt out of hopping over back-alley fences that Newt was not limber enough to throw himself over. Out breath and nursing aching legs, this Magizoologist had had enough.
“Excuse me! I do wonder if you could try to tell me what we’re doing.” said Newt, ready to keel over. The cat stood at the ready, its tail lashing and its meows morphing into wails of urgency. Several more minutes of galloping ensued before the cat came to an abrupt stop. Newt skittered to a halt, his mind spinning as it tried to calculate where they had ended up. With a sickening pit in his stomach, he realized this is where Tina had been doing her investigation. It was the dismal, dumpy part of London. Already, Newt felt the hair of his neck stand.
“Are you taking me to Tina?” Newt whispered, to which the cat meowed. Newt took it as a “yes” and drew his wand. He felt as if he should somehow contact Theseus. Theseus was, after all, the expert when it came to defense. Hexes, jinxes—you name it! Newt was only decent at some stunning curses. Tina might not have much time. Newt reconciled himself and plod onward, allowing the black cat to take him in the cover of the shadows.
How they made it through the alleyways undetected, Newt would never know. The cat would jump over fences and Newt would attempt to quietly throw himself over the edge. It’d usually result in a loud aluminum garbage can to clattering on the ground. His nerves were getting the best of him. His palms grew sweaty and his knees shook. He nearly buckled when the cat came to a screeching halt at the edge of a building corner. From within the alleyway, there were voices.
“What do you think Billy will do with that lady?” a female voice asked. There was a short pause before an answer came from a separate, older voice.
“Probably ransom her if she doesn’t give us any good information.” Newt flattened himself against the red, brick building and swore below his breath. It was too much of a coincidence for these chumps to not be talking about Tina. Her life could very well rest on his shoulders. Not wanting to spare another moment in which his confidence dwindled, he tapped his wand against the wall to get the cat’s attention.
“See if you can distract them. Send me a signal when you’re ready.” His voice barely escaped his throat, hoping the delicate, cone-shaped ears of the tomcat would be able to pick up the words. Immediately, the cat bounded into the alleyway. Newt could hear its receding paws tapping against the damp pavement. The talking ceased, and Newt readied his wand. He didn’t know what the signal would be, but he knew he had to be ready.
Then, all at once, an ear-piercing yowl sliced through the air. Was that the signal? Newt didn’t have time to ask. He spun from the edge of the wall, spotted the two shadowy figures of the alleyway, and aimed his wand.
“STUPEFY!” he cried. His magical volley hit the larger figure square in the chest, sending him rolling across the cement. The second shadow raised her arm in attempts to fight back, but the cat was quick on the draw. It sunk its claws and fangs deep into their shoulder-blade, giving Newt the time to freeze the enemy entirely. He stifled a cry of joy, for he knew the battle was not yet won. He hurried to the boarded-up door. A simple Alohomora and it swung open on its hinges. The room was lit only by the small amounts of light coming through the doorway. When Newt lit the end of his wand, he stood in the center of an abandoned room. There were voices echoing from within the building. Newt extinguished his wand and plod onward, feeling his way by pressing his hands against the wall. He recalled a time when he had been spelunking in Malaysia. He had done this very thing before getting rescued. Now, he was acting as the rescuer.
Newt turned a corner and spotted a blazing doorway. It was aglow with blue light and alive with chanting akin to barbaric yelling. He slunk up to the edge and dug in his pockets. He always kept a shiny shard of a mirror he once broke for this specific reason. After striking the right angle, he could see a tall boy standing near a blazing blue fire. Whatever the building had been used for, it had left a perfect room for a meeting. Seated against the walls were many boys and girls of various ages, their eyes glued on the center. Another quick adjustment nearly made Newt drop the mirror. His heart leaped into his throat. The cat cowered against his legs.
Tina was strung up. At least, it resembled Tina in a sick, twisted way. Her arms were pulled out and bound in chains that reached towards the ceiling. Her two feet were bound together by thick ropes. Newt couldn’t see more details, but he knew it could go on no longer. He had to think of a plan and he had to think of it quickly. Before he could formulate an idea, the group was roaring again.
“What spell do you think would make them take us seriously?” asked the tall boy beside the fire, to which his followers began to chant “CRUCIATUS CURSE!” Newt’s jaw nearly hit the floor. He wasn’t thinking of stunning spells anymore. If these snot-nosed buggers were going to torture his Tina, he’d dole out everything he had.
“CRUCIO!” Newt knew their eyes would be on the opposite side of the room. With only a quick glance to the cat, he splays out in the door. All the emotion of his body seeps into his words. Every pinnacle of fear, frustration, love, happiness and strife over the past two weeks is unleashed in a torrent.
“CONFRINGO!” Bellows Newt. The world explodes around him, but he’s quicker.
“PROTEGO!” is the follow-up incantation. A blue shield appears around Tina just in time to block the debris. The children of the room have been thrown onto the ground, beaten and bloody. Newt rushes in. To his dismay, the ringleader of the group appeared to be waking from below a floorboard. Newt needed a second person while he tried to unlock Tina from her bondage. The cat meowed at his feet. He looked down and stared into the blue eyes on the helpful little creature. He screwed his eyes shut and desperately tried to remember the correct incantation for the Homorpheus Charm. When he opened his eyes, the cat was no longer a cat. A big, scowling man—naked as a jaybird—glared at him. Then, the man seemed to realize that he was no longer a cat. He looked at his arms and felt his face. He hollered with glee before diving into action. He had no wand, but his fists were enough. He grabbed the groaning boy on the floor and hauled him from the ground, adding a punch for good measure. The sound of fist against flesh made Newt shudder, but he was focusing on Tina. The chains would not break without a password, which had been magically set by whoever chained her up.
“Newt?” Tina said in a weak, pitiful voice. Her black eyes struggled to open. Newt placed a reassuring hand against her face before her head went limp once more.
“What’s the password?” Newt snarled as the former-cat brought over the boy. He struggled every step of the way until Newt placed the tip of his wand against his throat.
“Just kill me!” the boy spoke through rotten teeth, winding himself up to spit. He didn’t have time before the man gave the boy a hard kick to his back. His teeth rattled, and his face screwed up with pain.
“You’re not supposed to be doing this. Is this what you want to grow up remembering?” Newt splayed his arms, his pointer finger coming to rest on Tina. The boy stopped struggling for a moment. In this moment of indecisiveness, he looked like an innocent boy caught up in a struggling reality. Newt nodded to his captor, who pushed the boy towards Tina. He swallowed hard against the dust and debris that fluttered through the room. He leaned close and whispered a word against the shackles. They unsnapped. Tina fell straight into Newt’s arms. It took him several tries to cut the ropes open. They were laced in an acid of sorts. Any time Newt got too close, they’d whip out and slash him with a burn.
“Come on, we have to get out of here.” Newt said to his newly-human partner, who showed the first sign of embarrassment for his lack of clothing. Newt shrugged his coat into the man’s hands. It wasn’t much, but it was just enough. The three of them Disapparated, coming to land in St. Mungo’s.
Their arrival turned many heads. Newt had thought only briefly about where to land in the hospital, meaning that they smacked down right in the center of the lobby. His partner’s foot nearly gouged a stretcher headed by.
“Mr. Scamander!” a voice shrieked from the front desk. Newt was a regular patient at St. Mungo’s. He pleaded with the staff to bring Tina to a room as fast as they could. They lifted her and hauled her away with Newt struggling to follow.
The steady ticking of the clock brought calmness to Tina’s hospital room. Magical poultices were pressed against her wounds and she had been given a sedative to give her a calm waking up experience, when she chose to do so. Newt had also been forced into drinking a sedative, or they wouldn’t have let him see her. Apparently, his pleas in the lobby had come out as incoherent shouting at the wait staff. Many reports said he was sobbing, but he didn’t believe them. He was simply worried.
He nodded off a few times in the hospital room, but woke to see his Animagus partner sitting across the room in a hospital gown. Newt couldn’t compare, really. He had shed his waistcoat and undone the top button of his dress shirt, thanks to the stuffy hospital. The man was awake, staring at his twiddling thumbs.
“I think the gown suits you better than my coat.” said Newt. It provoked a chuckle from the man who then came to sit beside him.
“Oswald Brown.” the man introduced himself, proffering a hand. Newt shook it, wondering if the last name of “Brown” was just a coincidence.
“Yes, I’m Ava’s husband—well, if you can call it that. She’s the one who got me stuck as a cat.” Oswald said, sighing heavily. To be married most likely meant that, at one point, Oswald and Ava had been in love. What had happened to the two of them to bring them to such an aggressive boiling point? Newt gazed at Tina for a moment. Her natural color was returning to her face and her wounds were growing smaller by the minute. Newt reached over and placed a hand on her arm.
“Your brother, Theseus, stopped by. I told him about the building and where to find it. I’m sure he’ll be pulling me in for investigation soon.” Oswald lamented, kicking his slippers against the tile floor.
“I’ll vouch for you. Besides, it’s the Ministry’s fault that this happened.” Newt replied, earning a grateful nod from Oswald. The Ministry had excellent tracking of all underage kids using magic. They received complaints for weeks before Tina had gone off to investigate. Only a murder prompted them. Tina had almost been another victim.
“What happened with Ava?” Newt questioned, not wanting to push boundaries. Oswald scratched his black stubble and for a moment, Newt could see the cat in him. Short, well-kept brown hair adorned his head and his eyes shone with icy blue intensity.
“Ava’s always been… well, a bit radical. When Anna-Marie began growing into a bit of an oddball, she was determined to keep the bullies away. She went to great lengths to protect Anna-Marie, but when her magic grew too strong to contain in our house, I demanded that she go to Hogwarts. She insisted on accompanying her. I thought the headmaster, that Dippet fellow, had given her a place to stay. When I discovered she had been lying under the pretenses of a Polyjuice potion…” Oswald’s voice faltered. Newt could understand the shakiness in his voice. This was the person he had married and vowed to spend his life with. To have such trust broken was no small occurrence.
“Then she said she wanted to bring Anna-Marie to a Grindelwald hideout, so she could learn how to be a powerful witch. I tried to stop her, but she transformed me and locked me in my form. I hung around our home, hoping that somebody would come looking. I saw you in our apartment. Didn’t know if you were good or bad.” Oswald concluded his story and scanned his arms, as if to be sure he really was a human again. Newt had often wondered what it’d be like if he took the place of one of his creatures. In the end, he was very grateful that he had been a human when Tina needed him most.
Tina stirred and Newt scooted his chair closer. Oswald placed an affirming hand on Newt’s bony shoulder, giving a pat before vacating the room. Newt hadn’t realize his hands had immediately grabbed Tina’s. They looked quite odd together. Newt had light skin, although you could hardly tell below the freckles and the pinkish scars. Bumps and ridges snaked their way around his fingers and palms, making for a rough and calloused feel. In any other moment, he’d be embarrassed. Tina’s hands were softer and smoother, although he could tell that her share of wand-work had its toll. This wasn’t like any other moment, however. He had no room left in his heart for an emotion as stupid as embarrassment. He was simply delighted that his Tina was alive and coming to consciousness. What would he say? Should he say anything? He didn’t want to overburden her as soon as she woke. Yet, at the same time, he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Finally, her eyes fluttered open.
She said nothing for a few minutes. At first, she merely stared at the ceiling and blinked. Newt hoped nothing wrong had happened inside her head when she was subjected to the brief Cruciatus Curse. After clearing her grogginess, Tina lifted her head enough to stare down at her hand. Her eyes locked with Newt, which prompted an affectionate squeeze from both.
“How are you feeling?” Newt whispered, scanned Tina’s face for any sign of something wrong.
“Sore.” Tina croaked. Newt's heart fluttered and a chuckle of happiness escaped his lips.
“I thought I told you to be careful.” he said, fighting against the tears of relief.
“I’m not very good at listening.” Tina whispered hoarsely and the two laughed together. He held tightly onto her hand, dropping his gaze to the bedside. He could feel her eyes burning into him, but it was not an unwelcome feeling anymore. Queenie had given more advice to Newt than he had realized. The talk about Tina’s walls and what she wanted in the future was valuable counsel. It was a guideline of where to start. He looked up slowly and smiled softly.
“I’ll always be here to listen.” For Newt, it was a bold promise. It was a promise that he’d be there for moments to come. It was a proclamation of trust. Whether Tina accepted it or not, that was up to her. The sedative still kicked within her. Her eyes studied his face for a few more moments before she sunk into slumber once more.