Love is Patient

Chapter 24

Credence hadn't shown up for breakfast. This worried Tina so when Newt left the room, she ran to catch up to him. She reached him at the bottom of the staircase.

"Good morning, Tina," Newt said. He absentmindedly kissed Tina's forehead and started up the stairs. 

"Newt!" Tina exclaimed, catching his arm and forcing him to turn. "Where's Credence?"

"Credence? He's in his room, resting," Newt said.

Tina frowned in confusion. "Resting? It's only morning." 

"He's really tired and weak and he needs to rest." Newt turned and continued up the stairs.

Tina moved to step in front of him. "What do you mean he's weak?" she demanded. "What happened? He was perfectly fine yesterday. What's wrong with him?"

Newt glanced down. "I -- I removed the Obscurus from him," he admitted. 

"You did what?" Tina gasped. "I thought you said that was dangerous. I thought the last person you tried to do that to died."

"She did, but I was more careful this time. I promise I was. Credence knew what was happening. He said he would tell me to stop if it got to the point where he couldn't handle the pain. Besides, I had a better idea of what I was doing this time and it worked. Credence is fine, he's just a little weak. That's why he's resting."

"Well, I suppose that's good," Tina said. A smile formed on her face, only to dissolve into a worried frown. "You're not keeping the Obscurus this time, are you?"

"Of course not." Newt pretended to be offended. "I know how to learn from my mistakes. Now, can you excuse me? I need to check on Credence."

Newt gently pushed past Tina and climbed to the top of the staircase. She followed after him. They made their way to the corridor where all of their rooms were located. Credence's room was just on the other side of Modesty's. The carved Griffin on the door was asleep with its head under its wing.

Newt pushed the door open. Credence was asleep in the bed. His face was peaceful and his hair fell over his eyes.

"Credence," Tina said, kneeling by the bed. Credence's eyes fluttered open. "Good morning. How do you feel?"

"Sore. My whole body hurts," Credence muttered. "At least it's better than yesterday."

"What did you do to him, Newt?" Tina demanded.

"I only removed the Obscurus and I did it as painlessly as I could."

The three of them, joined by Modesty, spent the morning in Newt's case. The Niffler stole Modesty's necklace so she and Newt chased it around the whole case while Tina and Credence watched and laughed.

When Newt had finally caught the Niffler and retrieved Modesty's necklace, they came over and sat on the grass by Tina and Credence. Tina planted a kiss on Newt's forehead.

"Good job, Newt," someone said from behind them.

The four of them turned to the shed where Queenie and Jacob were sitting on the step.

"Are you here to tell us it's lunchtime?" Tina asked. "That's usually what you're here for."

Queenie smiled nervously. "No, it's not lunchtime yet. This time I have something more important to tell you."

"What is it?" Newt asked.

"Well, Jacob and I have been talking and, well, we've decided to stay in England. The laws about relations with No-Maj's are different here so we'd be able to get married and . . . Oh, Tina, please don't be upset."