Unlikely Companions

Chapter 10 Making Amends

She was crying. He had begun to think that she would never stop crying.

He could hear her, day and night, curled up on her bed and crying. She had lost everything, he reasoned. But he was feeling lonely, and desperate to have her back.

"You need to get out of bed," he said, kneeling next to her.

"What for?"

"The fight. Our fight."

Their eyes would lock, and then hers would fill with water until she was crying again.

One night, when he had simply had enough, he decided to stop speaking to her.

It would be less painful, maybe, if he was busy ignoring her. Maybe she'll even get a taste of her own medicine and end that ridiculous silence that had taken over the room.

"Credence?"

"Yes?"

She was staring out of the window, which opened onto the deserted London street below them. Her body was stiff, her arms folded in front of her chest.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

Mathilda turned. Her eyes were shiny, rimmed red, and conveying a thorough embarrassment.

"For everything," she said tremulously. "I shouldn't have brought you to London. All you've done is witness the horror that was being part of my family."

"No," he said. "I've seen many other things."

"Like what? Tom's dirty old pub?"

"I've gotten to see you," he said. "The many sides of you and your strength when..."

"...when I was kicked out of my own home?"

"They weren't good to you," he said, loud. "They were mean and rude and you... You're not like that. You're too good for them."

"How can you be sure? They're my family, the same blood runs through our veins..."

"Blood isn't all," he stated. "Sometimes your blood is bad, and they don't treat you like they should. But, you can surround yourself with others who care about you, regardless of blood."

"Like you've done with Newt?"

He nodded.

"And like you can do with me," he added. "If you like."

Her eyes filled with tears again, but somehow, he knew that they weren't the same type of tears than before. He reached out to her, letting his fingers brush against her arm.

"I'd like that," she said. "Thank you, Cre-Credence."

She hiccupped, ran her hand over her cheeks to push away her tears, and smiled softly.

"I'll stay with you," he said. "I don't care if you were disowned or if you lost your money and power. I'll stay."

"I don't care about the money," she said. "It's been years since I started taking my money out of the family vault. I knew they'd kick me out, eventually."

"That's the smart girl that I know."

She grinned, and out of nowhere, threw her arms around his neck. He staggered, surprised, but soon found himself patting her waist to bring her closer.

"I'll help you get through this," he said. "I promise."