Finding you again

The Night Before

Theseus heads back to Newt's to see Tina, sitting at the kitchen table, fiddling with the locket that hangs around her neck. As he closes the front door, Tina looks up at him, watching him stride towards her and take a seat on the chair next to hers.

"Tina", he begins, his voice gentle, "would you like to tell me what happened between you and Newt the night before his accident?"

"We-we were-" she stammers before sighing "we were in his basement together. He had just finished his nightly rounds and all the creatures were asleep. We sat upon the steps and just looked out at all the different habitats...:

She could see it all so clearly in her mind's eye. Everything from the way she twiddled her thumbs to Newt fiddling with the sleeve of his white shirt.

"Newt, do you have to go tomorrow?" She remembered asking him, as she finally looked up at him.

He turned towards her in kind. "Of course, they need me. Those dragons are in trouble, Tina. I have to help them."

She smiled despite herself, taking one of Newt's hands gently into her own. "I know, it's just.... it could be really dangerous. What if you get hurt?"

Newt looked down at her hand on his, he turned his hand so it faced palm up and interlocked his fingers with hers. "I promise, Tina, I'll try my best to keep away from any harm. But these dragons need saving, I can't bear to think of these amazing creatures getting tortured or used. They should be free."

Tears started to sprout in Tina's eyes. She quickly wiped them away with her other hand. "I understand. You're always so considerate to all creatures. It's one of the reasons I love you."

Newt quickly looked up at her. "W-what?" He swallowed. "W-what, erm, what, what did you s-say?"

As Tina realised what she just said, a blush formed on her cheeks.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Tina quickly answered "N-nothing. Just forget I said anything." She let go of Newt's hand and stood up, and stepped down onto the basement floor.

Newt got up swiftly, standing in front of Tina's eye line, trying to make eye contact. She avoided his gaze and felt a lump in her throat. She should-

"Tina." He spoke her name so softly, as though he were afraid of her running away. He was right to be, there was nothing she would rather do right now.

She watched him carefully step towards her  slowly, like he did when treading cautiously towards a new creature too afraid to go near him, scared of showing him any kind of vulnerability. The image almost made her laugh, it might have if things were any different. The thought is just long enough for him to slowly reach out, gently taking her hand into his own. He then used his thumb on his other hand to bring her face to look up at him, and they looked into each other's eyes.

"Please tell me you just said what I think you just said."

Her heart felt as though it was about to burst from her chest. "How could I know what you think I said?"

"Did you say that you... you l-love-love m-me?"

Tina closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"I did" she breathed before suddenly looking down again "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Tina, please look at me."

She slowly looked up at him to be met with his smiling face and tear filled eyes.

"There are so many reasons why I love you."

Her eyes widened, a smile forming on her face as she began to speak "I've wanted to tell you for so long, Newt. I just couldn't through a letter. I didn't know how to word it and then I saw the magazine article, it was all so messed up-"

Suddenly a pair of lips met Tina's own as Newt kissed her, his arms wrapping around her waist. Instantly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingertips playing with his hair as their lips moved in sync, gentle and slow before breaking apart after a few moments.

Newt looked at her "Well, that was..."

"Amazing?" Tina suggested.

"Extraordinary."

They smiled at each other.

"I love you" they said in unison.

But of course, Tina couldn't tell Theseus all of that. The thought alone made her cheeks rosy again. So instead she said "The night before Newt's accident, we admitted our feelings for each other."

Theseus stares at Tina, his jaw dropping.

He stands up, moving away from the table and starts pacing across the kitchen. When he returns to Tina's chair, he faces her. "You and Newt kissed?"

"Yes" she nods.

"This is great!" Theseus throws his arms into the air.

Tina looks at him with a frown. "Is it?"

"Of course" he answers.

"How?" She asks.

Theseus sits back down at the table. "The doctor told me that significant events could bring some of Newt's memory back. If you kiss him, it could bring back his memory of you. Then you he already knew before."

Tina's eyes widen. "Could it work?"

"We have to try, Tina, if there is one thing I learnt about loved ones, it is to never give up on them. Even when it seems like a lost cause." Theseus looks down at the table, drumming his fingers.

Tina watches him for a moment before speaking. "I understand this must be hard for you  Theseus. You're having to re-live Leta's passing with Newt's memory loss and I'm sorry you have to go through this."

"Thank you, Tina." Theseus looks up at her and smiles a little.

She smiles back. "I'm starting to seea lot more similarities between you and your brother. Your smiles are the same."

Theseus' smile grows wider.

And here is the next chapter at last. Sorry it's taken so long. I'm hoping to get through this story a lot quicker now. Don't worry we are close to happier chapters. I hope this puts smiles on everyone's faces. More updates will come as soon as possible. Until then..... enjoy!