The Tribrid and Her Reflection {Book Two - - Complete}

To Love and Let Love

Chocolate can heal most wounds.

Hope took another small sip, letting the rich goodness warmly cover her soul. The guilt eating away at her since she'd woken from death was finally being soothed. Newt and Albus were like a balm to her burn, helping her at her weakest moments.

They always had, she supposed.

The thought made her smile.

"Hm, I love that," Newt murmured.

Glancing over at him, Hope tilted her head to the side. What did he mean?

"Your smile," he bit his lip, "I've missed it..."

Swallowing a little more hot chocolate, she glanced over at Albus. "I still don't understand it. What I did was..."

"Terrible," Albus nodded, pursing his lips, "but not unforgivable."

Hope sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear. It had grown since having it cut, and she was happy for it. She'd missed high ponytails.

"I brought something evil back to life-"

"Love." Albus finished for her.

Hope gave him a look. "Weakness."

Not only had she disturbed the forces of nature, but she may have set loose a crazy evil thing in a forest on the outskirts of a sleepy little town in Alabama.

"You weren't in your own mind, Hope," Newt argued with a slight frown, "you were drunk and depressed. You wanted your family back and were willing to break the rules to accomplish it. It was...unfortunate what happened as a result, but let me ask you this. If you had been in your right mind- if you hadn't been drinking or turned your humanity off, would you have still done it?"

"Of course not," Hope scoffed, "what's dead should stay dead. I know that."

"Exactly. So then there's no question. What happened was terrible, but..."

"I know that, Newt," Hope sighed in exasperation, "I know I wasn't in my right mind, but I chose to drink from the bottle. I chose to never ask for help and then push it away when anyone was willing to offer it. If anyone dies from that thing, I'm responsible for those deaths."

Newt frowned now and moved closer. "You chose to drink. You didn't choose to feel the way you did that led to the drink."

Hope clenched her jaw. "I don't want you to defend me."

"Too bad."

Hope blinked in surprise. This Newt differed from the one she'd edged that night in New Orleans. That Newt was submissive and took what she said. This one...was actually arguing with her.

And he was winning.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my squishy Newt?" Hope eyed him suspiciously.

Newt grinned in response. "Still squishy, as you say, but..." he eyed her with a frown, "watching the light leave your eyes made me realize I needed to be stronger than I had been. I want to...protect you too. Even if you can do so yourself."

Hope bit her lip and sighed but smiled softly. "The guilt isn't going to go away, though. You know that, right?"

"Well," Albus nodded, stroking his beard, "technically, since you haven't been born...no one has died by your hands yet. Well, let me rephrase that," he chuckled, "no one from your time has died by your hands yet."

Hope paused and stared at him. "You're right," she made a face, "that's trippy, but you know time travel should definitely not be a thing." She sipped her mug again. "Back To The Future taught me that."