Safe in Your Arms

Chapter 12

Tina blushed as well and looked down. Newt's hand was still on her arm and she was oddly pleased when he didn't move it. The Zouwu shifted behind her, pushing her forward slightly. Newt chuckled and moved to sit beside her, leaning gently against the Zouwu, their shoulders barely touching.

"You're not down here because of the letter or the dreams, are you?" Newt said presently.

Tina hesitated then shook her head slowly. 

"Well?" Newt prompted.

"I -- It's just . . . seeing Achilles here . . . I don't know. It's just strange. It startled me. This is just the first chance I've had away from him and I needed to . . . I don't know . . . collect my thoughts."

"Oh." Newt seemed satisfied. Tina sighed and leaned against Newt without realizing what she was doing. 

"I don't know," she said again. "I mean, I love Achilles. He's so nice to me and it's so easy to talk to him. He's an Auror just like I am and it's always fun to talk about work with him but we can also talk about all sorts of other things. He's so tall and handsome and he treats me wonderfully but somehow I'm not happy to see him. I --"

"You're not?" Newt cut in, sounding surprised.

Tina froze. She had been voicing her thoughts without thinking who was talking to. This was Newt and she had been talking about Achilles. She didn't know why that was a problem but somehow it just seemed wrong. She let out a gasp and scrambled to her feet. She ran out of the enclosure without looking back, even when Newt called her name. She dashed up the stairs, slowing only when she came into the kitchen.

Nagini, Jacob, and Achilles were sitting at the table. They all looked up when she entered.

"Come take a seat," Achilles said, pulling out the chair beside his.

Tina shook her head. "I -- I'm not hungry. I think I'm going to bed. I'm really tired." She quickly ducked through another doorway leading to the stairs. When she was halfway down the hall she felt Achilles's hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked.

She turned and offered him a smile. "Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Well, can I have a good night kiss?"

Tina laughed slightly and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his in a gentle kiss. Achilles immediately deepened the kiss, pulling her closer and turning to trap her between him and the wall. She slipped her arms around his neck, lacing the fingers of one hand through his thick hair. She pulled him closer, enjoying the feeling of him pressed against her. But something felt wrong. This wasn't her house, this wasn't Achilles's house, it was Newt's and somehow that made everything feel wrong.

She pulled away with some difficulty, both because she didn't want the kiss to end and because Achilles was holding her so tightly. 

"Achilles, I want to go to bed," she said between kisses.

Achilles sighed and kissed her again. "But I don't want you to go."

Tina stepped sideways, moving out from between him and the wall. "I know but I need to go. I'm really tired," she said, slightly out of breath. She backed to the stairs then turned and ran up them. She reached her room and shoved the door opened. Then she slammed it behind her and threw herself on her bed.

How could I start talking about Achilles like that? Now Newt knows I'm not happy about Achilles and he's going to wonder why. I don't want him asking why . . . I don't even know why. I don't like seeing him here. I started dating him because I thought Newt was engaged. Now I know he's not but Achilles is still here. I don't even really know how I feel about either of them. I thought I loved Achilles but I don't feel the same way about him that I feel about Newt and I don't know which one really is love. I know Achilles loves me but I don't know how Newt feels. It's obvious he cares for me but that doesn't mean he loves me.

Tina sighed and rolled over, staring at the ceiling above her.

"Mercy Lewis," she groaned. She pushed herself up and got off her bed. She quickly changed and switched out the light. Then she climbed back into her bed and tried to go to sleep, knowing that she probably would start dreaming the moment her eyes closed and that those dreams would be about Newt. She had never dreamed about Achilles. Newt was the only man, besides her father, that had ever appeared in any of her dreams.

A/N: Yay! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's a bit shorter but that's fine. Please vote and comment.

I'm supposed to be working on some homework but at least I don't have school tomorrow. Yay!

Have a good day!

Bye!