But You're My Home {A Fantastic Beasts Fanfiction}

- chapter four -

Chapter Four
United States of America
Tina Goldstein

Tina did a double take, glancing into the shadows to make sure that she wasn't imagining things. But the young man sitting on the landing with his arms wrapped around his legs was, in fact, Credence.

"Oh my-" Tina's breath caught in her throat as she took a slow step down the first stair. "Credence..." she whispered, reaching out a gentle hand. She was still a few feet away from him, but he shrunk away, moving deeper and deeper into the shadows. "What happened to you?"

The young man looked up, eyes wide like a frightened deer's. He seemed to recognize Tina, the only person who was kind to him when his adoptive mother was so cruel, and took a long breath.

"Credence," Tina said again, regaining her composer, "please tell me what happened. I thought you were..." She didn't want to say dead, fearing that the word might send him into a frenzy.

"They tried to kill me," he finally said, voice raspy from disuse.

Tina's heart melted.

"Oh, Credence," she said, sinking down to the floor beside him and reaching for his hand. "Yes, they did, but-"

"They tried to kill me," he said again, and the woman could see a deep, burning anger flashing in his eyes.

"They didn't know you, though," Tina assured him. "They didn't know your whole story, how misunderstood you were...it's okay. You're safe now." Her fingers brushed his, and Credence visibly tensed. "You can stay with me and my sister Queenie, is that alright?"

Credence nodded, and Tina loosed a soft breath of relief. "Okay, just...follow me." She would ask him more questions later, but for now, he obviously needed to rest.

Tina set a light hand on Credence's back and led him up the stairs, shooting her sister a glance. Queenie nodded and turned to face the boy. "You remember me, right, Credence?" she asked, putting on her kindest smile. He nodded. "My name's Queenie, and I'll take care of you."

"Okay," he said softly, and Queenie's smile grew. She took his arm and steered him in the direction of a living room chair.

Tina sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. She hadn't slept very well the night before; thoughts of Leta Lestrange visiting the next day distracting her. Why did I ever agree to let her visit? she wondered. I am such an idiot.

Because she's Newt's friend, and you want him to be happy, she thought, answering her own question. Just for him to be happy.

When Tina glanced up at Queenie, she saw her sister's raised eyebrows and teasing grin. "Shut up," she muttered. "And stop reading my thoughts."

"Teenie, you know I can't help it," her sister pouted.

"Yes, you can," Tina said, rolling her eyes and leaving the room.

As she made her way to her bedroom, she paused outside of Newt's door. It was cracked open, and she couldn't help but to glance inside.

Newt was sitting on the bed, his case beside him - closed tightly - and a picture frame in his hand. When Tina leaned in a bit closer, she could just make out a woman with curly dark hair...

"Oh!" Tina lost her balance and fell through the door, landing on the hard ground and twisting her ankle. "Ouch..." she said quietly, standing up.

"What happened?" Newt asked, an expression of slight amusement on his handsome face.

Tina turned beet red. "Um...I tripped."

"Alright then," Newt said, setting the picture frame on the desk beside the bed.

Tina brushed the dust from her pants and slowly walked over to him. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing at the photograph. But she had a feeling that she ready knew.

"Oh, that's my friend Leta. The one who's coming tomorrow." Newt offered her a lopsided grin, but grow concerned when he saw the look on Tina's face. "Are you alright?"

Tina cleared her throat. "Oh- yes, I'm fine. I guess I just...twisted my ankle worse than I thought." She gave him a small smile before leaving the room.

She wanted to stay away from Newt, for fear that she would get close to him. Tina had already developed such an attachment to him that she was afraid that, when Leta came the next day, she would act possessive.

But Newt followed her anyways, into the kitchen, where Queenie was fixing breakfast for everyone. "Mister Scamander," she said, eyebrows raised, "we have a guest." Her eyes flicked over to where Credence sat in the living room, staring intently at the wall.

"Is that...?" Newt began, remembering the Obscurial that had nearly destroyed all of New York. Queenie nodded gravely.

"I'd just let him alone for now, if I were you," she whispered. "He's obviously very nervous, and I think Teenie's the only one he fully trusts." The beautiful witch smiled at her sister, who didn't smile back. "Anyways," Queenie said, in a louder voice this time, "who's hungry?"

---

After they had all eaten and Credence was shown to his bedroom, Newt came across Tina, sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. He took a step toward her, the floorboards creaking. Tina looked up at him and cleared her throat.

"What is it, Newt?" She said it in a tone that she figured was obviously 'I don't want to talk', but Newt took a seat beside her, anyways.

"Are you sure you're alright? Because this seems like it's about more than your ankle."

The corners of Tina's mouth twitched up at Newt's unintentional humor. "I...I don't know," she said finally, peering up at him. "I don't know what's wrong with me, and I'm really sorry."

"Well...I don't know what's wrong with you, either..." Newt paused, looking for the right words. "But if there is something you want to tell me about, I'll listen."

Tina threw out her arms and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Thank you," she said, her voice breaking. What did I ever do to deserve you?