Strings Attached

Chapter 8

Both of them standing in front of each other, no words spoken, just stares were exchanged. Celeste didn't waste a moment before bringing the man standing in front of her into a tight hug.

She broke down in tears as she wrapped her hands around his shoulder tightly. Newt did the same as he tightened his grip on her waist.

"I missed you." Celeste whispered as she sobbed softly. "There are no words to describe how much I missed you. The war, everything was scary." Newt mumbled into her hair.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Celeste was sitting on a chair in the case that she gifted Newt when they moved into this flat.

They sat in silence and nobody said anything except Newt making sure she was ok. There was a small smile on Celeste's face as she stared at Newt.

Newt cleared his throat finally and looked at Celeste. "I think it's time I do this. I almost lost you to this war. And I can't afford it again." Newt began to speak, his eyes not leaving Celeste as he approached her.

She gave him a confused look. "Celeste, you have been there for me. We had our ups and downs but at the end of the day, we would talk it out. And almost losing you opened my eyes." Newt said as he stood in front of Celeste and took her hands into his calloused palms.

"I don't want to take any more chances. Celeste, will you marry me?" Newt asked, staring into the yellowish green orbs.

A bright smile took over Celeste's features as she gave out a breathy laugh. "Yes, I will." Celeste answered in a whisper. Newt smiled brightly as he stuffed his hand into his plant's pocket and removed a small ring box.

"I bought it in Ukraine. I saw it, and I thought of you." Newt said as he opened the ring box. He removed the ring that was sitting elegantly in the box.

He took Celeste's left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger. Celeste smiled as tears glittered in her eyes

She admired her ring, the diamond was a beautiful blue sapphire on the rose gold band that had diamonds attached to it. The details on the ring were amazing.

"Its beautiful." Celeste whispered before pulling Newt from the collar of his shirt and placed a kiss on his lips.

"I was genuinely scared to lose you." Celeste whispered as she pulled away. "So was I." Newt said, giving her a smile.

Dinner was at Celeste's family house. But the reality hit Celeste as she was tense the whole time she was talking to her parents.

Her parents shed tears when they got to hug their daughter. But Celeste was silent, with just 'hmm' or "yeah" as her answer.

Even when she told her parents about her engagement, she was distracted by something else.

Gilbert was also uncharacteristically silent while they were sitting on the couch. Celeste's parents shared concerned and worried glances.

Newt felt that too. Celeste was so quiet that it scared him. "So shall we eat?" Stefanie asked, trying to distract the trio.

They all hummed, while Newt's mother looked at Newt, concerned for Theseus, who was barely blinking.

"So while you were all away, being heroes and all, we managed to renovate this house. Your complaint for the blush pink color has been answered Celeste." Stefanie said as she served the steak to everyone.

"That's fantastic." Celeste answered, playing with her food. Her stomach turned into knots at the sight of food.

"What is wrong Celeste? You have never been this quiet." Albert asked, concerner about his daughter.

"Nothing is wrong." Celeste said nonchalantly as she picked up her fork just to aimlessly poke at the steak.

Nausea filled Celeste's stomach and sudden urge to throw up overwhelmed her senses. "I will be back in a minute." Celeste said as she dropped her fork and stood up.

The chair's legs screeched on the floor at the sudden movement. Celeste made the beeline to her room.

She entered the bathroom holding on the bile that was rising through her throat. She emptied her stomach content once she kneeled in front of the toilet.

The only thing that was in her vomit was bile and acid on her stomach. She heaved again and again until there was nothing but empty heaves.

"Celeste? Merlin's beard, are you alright?" Newt was once at her side keeping her hair out of her face.

After a while when heaving stopped and her stomach was completely empty, Celeste stood up and gave a weak smile to Newt before walking towards the sink.

"I am fine. Just a bit nauseous." Celeste said as she rinsed her face and brushed her teeth to get rid of the disgusting taste that settled in her mouth.

"Same thing happened with Gilbert. Are you all alright?" Newt asked, concerned for the blonde.

"Yes I am fine. We are fine." Celeste unintentionally snapped, before closing her eyes and breathed out heavily.

Newt blinked, that was really out of character for Celeste. Horror of the wars. The only statement screamed in his head.

Celeste turned around and threw her arms around Newt and hugged him tightly. Celeste started sobbing. Newt was more than shocked as he wrapped his arms around her.

Celeste didn't say anything, but continued to hug the man. Newt tried to calm her down. This was a melt down Newt never witnessed.

After Celeste calmed down, she found herself sitting beside Gilbert and Theseus while the others monitored them.

Trio sat in deadly silence and all their family could do was worry about them. "They look extremely disturbed." Dora said as she noticed her son not speaking or making a movement at all.

"War is the reason they are like this." Newt said as he watched Celeste playing with her wand.

"I am scared for them." Stefanie said, her face stricken with worry and concern.

Nights for Celeste became a challenge. She couldn't sleep, and when she slept, she would be shattered by her nightmares.

And the same happened a week later with her. Celeste woke up with a gasp and looked around her.

It was silent and dead at night. Fortunately she didn't wake Newt up like she did every time. She silently got out of the bed and walked to the bathroom.

She flickered on the light of the bathroom. She walked to the sink and leaned on the sink . She breathed in and out heavily before lifting her head.

She was not what she was used to. The playful yellowish eyes dulled drastically. Her usually warm skin looked paler and more cold.

There was a hollowness to her appearance and she looked like she aged drastically. She sighed and turned on the tap.

She splashed her face with the cold water. She turned off the tap before grabbing the hand towel and wiped her wet face.

She was tired of feeling this empty and nothing at all. She was becoming distant from her family more and more as the day passed. War did shattered and changed her in ways she couldn't word it.