Here it is, guys - the second and final chapter of "Least Wanted" :)

In this chapter, we've got a LOT - Newtina, Jakweenie, Scamander children, motherhood woes, fluff, implied stuff... It's all happening in this chapter!

I hope you guys enjoy :)

Queenie's heart had broken cleanly in two when Jacob Kowalski had been obliviated, and Tina didn't need to be a skilled Legilimens to know it – she and her sister knew each other that well.

Her own heart ached for Queenie, though she knew that it had been for the best; it had been quite obvious that her sister had developed feelings for the stout No-Maj, even before she had given him a parting kiss in the rain, and it had certainly been an affection he reciprocated. Tina, herself, was saddened by his departure; he had been a friend to them, after all, a great help in their quest to recapture several magical creatures…she had grown fond of him, certainly, and it had hurt to say goodbye to him.

It was a few nights later that she made some hot cocoa and decided that a conversation was needed; she was the older sister, for one, and while she didn't get nearly as much out of these 'ladies chats' that Queenie did, it was clear that it was necessary. She made an extra mug for Newt and brought it down to him in his case (much to his surprise, she noticed) before entering the bedroom with the other two mugs; the blonde was curled up in bed, looking despondent and miserable – a far cry from her usual bubbly self.

"Queenie…" She put the tray down on the side table before sitting next to her sister and putting an arm around her tentatively. "I know. We can talk about it if you want – I even made hot drinks… Mama always said that things look better after a hot drink."

Her younger sister sighed heavily but nodded in agreement. "I guess so. You're right, Teen – thanks."

The two were silent for a few minutes as they sipped at their drinks, waiting for the other to speak first; Tina honestly didn't know what she could say at a time like this, unsure of how best to comfort her sister on such a matter. She'd never had to deal with love or romance, not like this, and a part of her felt guilty because as the older sister she should have been able to give advice.

"Don't be silly, Teen," Queenie mumbled, clasping her mug tightly. "You give great advice…and it ain't like I'm experienced either, you know. Most the guys I been around are far from nice about their thoughts, thinking about me like a piece of meat…not Jacob though." Her face fell, shoulders slumping. "Jacob is…was…a real gentleman."

Tina gnawed on her lip anxiously as she moved closer to her sister, putting her drink aside. "I'm so sorry, Queenie. I know you were both…you liked each other a lot," She said carefully. "I liked him too; he was pretty funny, and he didn't seem like a bad guy."

"It ain't fair," Her sister murmured, voice soft and weak. "Just 'cause he's a No-Maj…such a stupid law. He weren't about to hurt anyone, let alone tell people about magic – he'd have kept it secret, I know he would have."

"I think he would have too."

"I ain't ever met anyone like him," Queenie continued, and she sounded close to tears. "I ain't ever gonna find anyone else like him either – there's only one like him, Teen, just him. When we was together, I felt so happy and…and he was so sweet to me, so wonderful. He didn't just think what everyone else thought 'bout me – he didn't think I was 'easy' or just a pair of legs. He liked me, everything about me…not just the way I looked. It sounds silly, but it's true."

Tina was speechless, at a loss for what to say; it wasn't too shocking, of course, but to find that her sister had developed such strong feelings for a man she'd known for just a few days was admittedly a slight surprise. Her sister – her little sister who she had tried to look after and take care of since childhood – was deeply in love.

Deeply in love with a man that she legally couldn't be with.

Queenie reached out and took her sister's hand. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Teen – neither of us are. I do love him – and he loved me, I know he did. If things were different, then maybe…" She stopped, eyes glistening.

"Maybe someday," Tina said uselessly, squeezing the younger witch's hand tightly. "They could change the law in the future, right?"

It was a poor attempt at comfort, and they both knew it; nonetheless, Queenie forced herself to smile – it looked hollow and bitter, a far cry from her usual happy beam. "Maybe. For all I know, he could go back to that fiancée – the one who gave him the brush off…she could change her mind, and they could get end up married after all."

"Queenie, don't," She muttered half-heartedly. "You don't know that. If she left him for…for whatever reason, then chances are she won't wanna come back."

Her sister's bottom lip trembled. "He could find any girl in New York, any blonde, and marry her – any girl would be lucky to have him. He'd be happy and never have to know about any of this ever again…"

"Stop it," Tina scolded, though there was no conviction behind it whatsoever. "Queenie, there's no point in depressing yourself – we don't know what's gonna happen in the future, so there's no reason to get upset over stuff that might not ever happen."

A tear ran down Queenie's cheek, and she didn't bother to wipe it away; instead, she twisted and hid her face into her sister's shoulder. It was mere seconds later that her shoulders were shaking with sobs, a wetness soaking through the collar of the older witch's pyjama shirt, a gasp muffled by fabric.

Tina soothed her sister, brushing her curls back the way she had done when they were children and keeping an arm around her; she didn't speak, instead silently offering what she knew Queenie needed most – a shoulder to cry on, someone to care. Her sister didn't need to be told it would be okay, or that everything would be fine: she needed someone to be there to listen to her, to just be there.

The first time she had seen the picture had been the first time she'd been in Newt's case; it had been a fleeting glimpse, a mere glance really, and she had soon become so occupied and amazed by the habitats outside the shed that she hadn't paid it a great deal of thought. After all, things had suddenly gotten rather out of hand just half an hour later, what with the Obscurial and Grindelwald being revealed – by the end of the night, the picture was the very last thing on her mind.

She had seen it again just a few days later whilst helping Newt in his case; she had needed the distraction, frankly, needed something to do that would give her sister some space, and so she had offered to attempt to assist the Magizoologist in whatever way possible. Of course, the most she could really do was watch as Newt did his duties and occasionally help by preparing feed in a bowl, but it gave her something to do nonetheless. At one point he had sent her to his shed to collect a prepared bucket of meat for his Graphorns ("Don't worry, I've chopped it up already – if you could just bring it, that would be most helpful"), and it was in this moment that she had looked around the enclosed space properly, taking everything in for herself without any rush or anyone to judge her.

This included the photograph.

It was framed and of a beautiful woman, smiling suggestively as she looked out of picture; something curled in Tina's stomach at the sight, something unpleasant and uncomfortable. The girl was probably Newt's lover back home, or something similar, she thought to herself – and for some reason, she felt saddened. Why she felt this way, she couldn't say, but it made her shoulders droop and her heart ache in her chest. Whoever this mysterious girl was, Newt obviously cared deeply for her – he must have done to carry her picture in his suitcase.

Her mood had significantly lowered after getting a better look at the photograph, even as she returned to the habitats and continued to help Newt; it didn't even lift after eating the delicious supper Queenie had prepared, nor when she excused herself early for bed. Her sister had frowned at her, clearly having sensed the thoughts in her head, but said nothing; the Magizoologist had joined them for dinner that night, and she knew it would be best to wait until he wasn't within hearing range before pursuing such a conversation.

It was still rather early in the night when Queenie quietly entered the room, immediately looking to her sister; Tina merely gave a half-hearted smile and returned to her book – it was a conversation she knew was coming but still wished she could avoid.

The blonde sat down next to her on the bed, a look of understanding on her face. "You saw the picture."

Tina kept her mouth pressed in a firm line, forcing her mind to focus on her book and not the memory of finding the photograph or on Newt.

"Teen," Queenie said quietly. "It ain't like that, him and her – they ain't a thing, not anymore. She hurt him, hurt him real bad, and they haven't spoken in years."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're an awful liar, Teenie," Her sister tutted. "At least, you are when it's something you care about. I know how you feel about him, even if you won't admit it to yourself yet – and I know that you're upset about the photo."

Tina finally closed her book, nearly slamming it shut, and huffed. "He's perfectly within his rights to carry a picture around, Queenie – I don't care. And I don't think of him as anything more than a friend," She disagreed, though her heart still felt heavy in her chest. "Besides, even if I did think of him like that then there'd be no point in it… I mean, he's heading back to London soon, for one, and…"

And it's not like he'd ever feel that way about me, anyway.

"No, Teen, don't think like that – any guy would be lucky to have your attention. Newt likes you, you know; he's a lot more comfortable around you than me, and I know he does like you spending time with him in that case." Queenie took her sister's hands in her own, looking her straight in the eye. "That picture really upset you, and I know it did – but you don't gotta worry about it, Tina, I promise."

Tina knew better than to get her hopes up – she'd done so before and only had her heart broken – but a part of her felt admittedly curious. "The girl in that picture…do you know who she is?"

"An old friend of his from when he was at school," Queenie said, giving her fingers a tight squeeze for reassurance. "Leta Lestrange – they were real close once but she…she hurt him, Teen, she took from him without giving. It's why he has so much trouble with other people, why he ain't got so many friends – because she hurt him so bad."

She thought about Newt, about how awkward he was around other humans and how closely bonded he was with his creatures, and it made sense; his beasts wouldn't judge him, would not consider him strange in any way – unlike people. The idea that someone had done something to him to make him feel so unable to connect with others – someone who had broken his heart – made her feel so angry, and she found herself disliking the girl from the picture for an entirely different reason.

"They're through with, Teen," Her sister continued softly. "She did break his heart, and he's still hurting about it even now… A part of him still loves her, even after what she did – but that just makes it hurt more."

Tina suddenly looked away and down at their linked hands, trying to find something she could say; there was so much swimming around in her head that she felt overwhelmed, a flurry of emotion making it difficult to respond. "That's awful," She muttered finally, shaking her head slowly. "It's just…" Poor Newt.

Queenie smiled sadly. "I ain't gonna push things, Teen – it's none my business – but Leta Lestrange was a taker, someone who took so much from him without giving back…and what he needs is a giver."

It was early morning when Tina accompanied Newt to the docks, preparing herself to see him off; he had stayed for another week, just to book his passage and gather his things together, and in that time she had grown accustomed to him being around. The fact that he was going to be gone made her more miserable than she cared to admit, though she passed it off as the fact that he was a friend – of course she would miss him, as would Queenie.

He stopped walking just before they reached the boarding gate, turning to her; she smiled somewhat anxiously at him, and he offered a shy grin in return. "Well, it's been…"

"Hasn't it!" There was a pause where they merely looked at each other, somewhat unsurely, before she continued quickly. "Listen, Newt, I wanted to thank you."

"What on Earth for?"

"Well, if you hadn't said all those nice things to Madam Picquery about me, I wouldn't be back on the investigative team now."

"Well…I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have investigating me," Newt said – and then he cringed, clearly regretting his choice of words.

Tina smiled appreciatively, somewhat amused even in the awkwardness that had followed. "Try not to need investigating for a bit."

"I will," He agreed, clearly relieved that she hadn't taken his words the wrong way. "Quiet life for me from now on…back to the Ministry, deliver my manuscript…"

"I'll look out for it," She promised eagerly. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Newt looked simply stunned as he stared at her, clearly taken aback – almost as if he were seeing her in a new light for the first time. It was this that made Tina pluck up what courage she could, even though the words felt like tar in her throat.

"Does Leta Lestrange like to read?"

He blinked. "Who?"

"The girl whose picture you carry," She said carefully, heart beating in her chest hard for some reason – she couldn't quite place why though.

Newt hesitated before answering, his response careful. "I don't really know what Leta likes these days, because people change."

"…Yes."

"I've changed, I think," He continued, as though it were a dawning realization. "Maybe a little."

Delight washed over Tina at his words, even as she tried her best not to allow herself to get her hopes up – it would only end with her getting hurt, she reminded herself, as it always did. Instead, she found herself struggling not to cry at the sudden flurry of conflicting emotions running through her.

The ship's siren sounded, signalling for the last of the passengers to board; Newt turned to her quickly, his voice earnest and eager. "I'll send you a copy of my book, if I may."

Tina couldn't stop herself from beaming, eyes still glistening with tears. "I'd like that."

He gazed at her, awkwardly affectionate – and then he reached forwards, fingers gently pushing back a tuft of her hair behind her ear. Lingering, for a long intense moment they stared into each other's eyes.

Before she could think of anything to say, Newt had moved away hurriedly and left her standing on her own; stunned but also feeling her heart sinking, Tina raised a hand to where his fingers had been on her hair just seconds previously. It had been so brief that she wondered if it was possible that she'd imagined it; even if she hadn't, he probably hadn't meant anything by it: of course he wouldn't have-

Suddenly Newt had reappeared, speaking quickly and nervously. "I'm so sorry – how would you feel if I gave you your copy in person?"

In person – he would come back to New York just to give her his book, to see her.

"I'd like that." A radiant smile broke out on Tina's face, and she laughed tearfully. "Very much!"

He grinned at her, seeming almost relieved and pleased, before turning and walking away once more for the boat. She watched him, her smile still wide, as he started up the gangplank before stopping; he seemed unsure of how to act. He deliberated for a brief second before moving on without looking back, leaving her alone in the empty harbour.

Newt's coming back, Tina thought, and a burst of happiness exploded in her chest – it wouldn't be long until his book was published, surely, and then she would see him again. She would be eagerly awaiting his book, of course – all of these creatures were so interesting, and reading about them would provide her more insight on them – but it was undeniable that she would look forward to seeing him more.

With that in her mind, she allowed herself a small skip of excitement as she walked out of the harbour, overjoyed and happier than she had been in a long time.

The search for Grindelwald after his escape had led the Auror team to Paris; it was unknown as to what he was looking for or doing in the city, though it could be assumed that he was looking for others to join his cause. Tina had been among those sent to France to look for him, to help the British and French investigative teams, and while she was eager to do the right thing – in this case, hunting for an extremely dangerous wizard experienced in the Dark Arts – she did still feel slightly anxious as to what the future would hold.

Most importantly, she missed Queenie. It was difficult being separated from her sister, especially after so many years of cohabiting together. She had no doubts that Queenie could handle herself, of course, but it was only natural for her to worry – they were all each other had in the world, after all, and she still wanted to protect her sister in any way she could. The blonde had merely smiled and patted her arm when she left, telling her, "I'm a big girl now, Teen, don't you worry about me. Just keep yourself safe."

Frankly, there wasn't anything to make her feel anything but safe so far; their search had been largely unsuccessful, with no trace of Grindelwald or his followers to go on. For all any of them knew, he had already left Paris and gone elsewhere – the possibility of this being the case increased with each day, and most of the team were getting rather frustrated. It was all Tina could think about and she threw herself into her work; she wanted to assist in recapturing Grindelwald, of course, but it was also because it provided her with a distraction from other things.

Like how Newt hadn't written to her in several months.

It was a silly thing to get upset over, she knew, but she couldn't help it; he was most likely busy with his book, of course, hence why he hadn't written…but it still hurt. It was almost as if he had forgotten about his promises to her, about the goodbye they had shared at the harbour – forgotten about her. Tina didn't want to admit it, but she had found her feelings developing for him ever since his visit; he had seemed so different, the first of so many men who actually seemed to respect her work or notice any potential, and it had made her feel warm inside.

Of course he doesn't like me back like that, She would scold herself sternly, though her heart was aching; we're friends and nothing more. Besides, he's not the first guy to pass me off…why would he be any different?

A part of her wondered if Newt had rekindled his romance with Leta Lestrange – her sister had been wrong before on such matters, and it wouldn't have surprised Tina if he had decided to return to Leta. She still remembered the photograph of the other woman, of how beautiful and sultry she had looked, and it would have made perfect sense for him to want to be with her again.

I don't blame him, she thought miserably in bed one night, the one time she was unable to use work as a distraction. Who'd want plain old prickly Porpentina over someone like that Leta Lestrange girl?

But there were far more important things than men to worry over, Tina had told herself firmly, like Grindelwald being loose once more, like making sure that she and her sister had enough food to eat and enough money for the rent. If Newt didn't want to write her back then that was his decision – he had his own life to lead, and she had hers.

After all, there were people being killed every day, wars brewing – feeling upset over not being wanted by a man was really ridiculously trivial in comparison.

The last person Tina would have expected to make her feel loved and beautiful was an awkward British Magizoologist with messy hair and freckles – but he did, and she couldn't help but revel in it.

Newt had a way of looking at her, she noticed, as if she were the most important thing in the room sometimes – as if he couldn't help himself from looking at her. It made her feel warm and tingly inside, a strange but not altogether unpleasant sensation, and she couldn't help but allow herself to fall deeper in love with him. Even when her mind reminded her of how she had been hurt, of how things were before, her heart had overruled because she knew he was different – this was different.

What he saw in her, she couldn't possibly tell – but she was happy, and so it seemed silly to question it.

It was only on their wedding night that these insecurities made themselves present once more; she had been nervous enough as it was, but then Tina found that Queenie had left rather racy lingerie in her suitcase – and her usual comfortable pyjamas were nowhere to be found. The delicate lacy slips were far too small for comfort, barely reaching her thigh and showing more than was necessary, and when she looked at her reflection in the mirror of the hotel bathroom she had found herself feeling and looking absolutely foolish.

And so she panicked.

She was not Queenie; she was not sexy or outgoing or even confident enough in herself to wear such a thing, even in front of her now-husband. Newt would most likely take one look at her and laugh, Tina thought miserably, because she looked ridiculous – no man in their right mind would have possibly thought her attractive in a slip…and then naked. No, he would most likely see her in either the slip or without any clothing and regret marrying her immediately.

As she made her way out of the bathroom, she prepared herself: once he had finished laughing, then she would offer to sleep on the couch (sofa, he would probably correct) so that he didn't feel obligated to fulfil any intimate marital duties on her behalf. Perhaps they could have a happy marriage without such a thing, even if the thought itself made her feel saddened.

As it soon transpired, there had been no need to panic at all.

Once over the initial awkwardness and embarrassment of seeing the slip (or, rather, more skin than he ever had before), Newt had been nothing but adoring and doting to her; he had murmured endearments to her as he slipped the straps off her shoulders, his kisses making her skin warm and a fire in her belly alight. Even when the slip came off completely and she was left completely naked, he had looked at her with a mix of adoration and lust, a look of hunger and want.

Don't hide, Tina…you're beautiful.

I'm not really. I'm…I'm rather plain…plain old boring Porpentina.

You're not. You're absolutely perfect.

His kisses had chased her self-consciousness away, made her feel safe, and it hadn't taken very long for things to progress from there. When they were joined in the most intimate way possible – and it was so much more intimate than Tina could have ever imagined – he had been attentive to her needs, unable to help himself from touching her; his words had been no louder than whispers, but they seemed so loud and firm to her as they made love.

So perfect…my beautiful wife. I love you so much.

Newt had satisfied her first, and it was this that seemed to be his own undoing as he fell over the edge just seconds later. He had pressed gentle kisses to her face, his smile shy but contagious as he looked down at her beneath him; he repeated his sentiments of love for her, voice soft with emotion, and it made her heart feel like it was about to explode from her chest.

Afterwards, as they drifted off to sleep together, Tina couldn't help but smile to herself; she had never been so content and happy as she was with him as her husband beside her, and she found herself looking forward to spending the rest of her life with him just like this.

By the time Tina was four months along with their first child, Queenie was six along with her and Jacob's second – and she looked extremely radiant with it too.

"I'm so happy for you and Newt!" Her sister hummed happily once they were alone together – Jacob had taken Newt out for a drink to celebrate the fact they were both to be fathers (for a second time, in the stouter man's case), and it left the two witches some time to catch up. "He's so thrilled about the baby, Teen – he's gonna be a wonderful father."

Tina couldn't help but smile in agreement. "I know…He's already started getting the nursery in the house ready, even though it's not going to happen until June."

"He's just excited," Queenie laughed fondly, and she placed a hand on her own round stomach. "Jacob's been blissful since I told him about the second one – he already loves Toby so much, spoils him rotten, and he can't wait for this one." Her eyes were shining as she looked up, beaming to herself. "He don't mind if it's a boy or girl – neither of us do – but I know he's secretly hoping it's a girl."

Tina honestly hadn't thought about a preference on the baby's gender, and she was certain Newt hadn't either; they had both agreed that the only thing that mattered was the baby being healthy and safe. Given the brewing wars in Europe from both the magical and muggle communities, it was a practical and reasonable wish.

They had talked over mugs of hot cocoa (coffee was, sadly, out of the question) before a half-hearted wail had interrupted them; Queenie had practically bounced from her seat, even with a growing bump to impede her, and left to go to one of the bedrooms in the apartment. Less than a minute later she re-entered the kitchen, this time holding a small blonde toddler to her chest and cooing gently.

"It's okay, Mama's here…Mama's got you, baby…"

Toby was much bigger than he'd been when Tina had last seen him – then again, that had been just after he'd been born. He seemed to be the perfect mix of her sister and Jacob, she mused, with blonde hair and pink chubby cheeks; when he peered over at her curiously from his mother's arms, she noticed that he now had brown eyes like his father.

For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder what her and Newt's child would look like; a little boy with dark hair, perhaps, or a girl with his ruddy coloured hair running about the case and giggling. Maybe their baby would take after their father completely or – Morrigan forbid – be her spitting image.

"…M'ma," Toby lisped, suddenly burying his face into his mother's shoulder. "M'ma…"

Queenie's voice was a soft whisper as she murmured sweet nothings to him, rubbing his back and beaming to herself; her sister suited motherhood well, though this was far from a surprise. Toby seemed to melt into her touch, clinging to her and giving a small sleepy smile; it was obvious that he adored his mother and loved her unconditionally.

A flash of bitter panic ran through Tina as she watched her sister and nephew – she wasn't anywhere near as maternal as Queenie, not even close, and it struck her that it was highly likely she never would be. Toby clearly loved his mother so much, loved her because she was soft and warm and a mother, but Tina couldn't see herself as any of these things: she was practical, a career girl, an Auror – but she wasn't a motherly person at all.

What if the baby hates me? She wondered anxiously, suddenly feeling unwell, What if they never want to be near me?

Queenie was suddenly frowning, even as she cradled her son in her arms and sat down. "Teenie, stop it: that's not gonna happen and you know it. Of course the baby will love you."

"I'm sorry," Tina mumbled, and she lowered her head to hide the fact that the thought had made her eyes sting with tears. "It's just…hormones, I guess. It's stupid, don't worry."

"It ain't stupid," Her sister huffed. "Tina, you're gonna be a wonderful mother and I know it - Newt knows it too."

The older witch sighed, shaking her head. "It's just… It's silly, but…"

"It ain't always been easy for me, actually," Queenie said carefully, reading her thoughts. "I was scared too just before I had Toby; I was scared he wouldn't like me, scared MACUSA would find out 'bout our family and tear us apart… But when I held him, Teen, it fell into place so easy."

"It…It did?"

The blonde nodded, her lips tugging up into a small fond smile. "Just you wait, Teenie; it all seems so scary now, waiting for all these months for it to happen, but when that baby comes you'll know what I mean. You won't be alone either," She reminded her earnestly. "You'll have Newt – and you know he'll be a fantastic father."

Despite the worries still nagging on her mind, Tina couldn't help but smile to herself in agreement; her sister was right, of course. Even if she was an atrocious mother (and she desperately hoped she wasn't), Newt would be by her side the entire way through; he would be there to help, no matter what, and they would be raising this baby together – as a team, she thought to herself.

The thought of impending motherhood still daunted Tina, and it would for some time, but she allowed herself to be comforted by the knowledge that she wouldn't be completely alone.

The sound of Phoenix's cries from the front room made Tina immediately start to panic; she had left the room for just a few seconds, just to collect some paperwork that needed finishing, and her son had been happily playing on the floor with some enchanted wooden blocks that his uncle and aunt had sent over for his first birthday. Her stomach – now noticeably swollen, thanks to another baby – prevented her from moving too quickly, but she hurried as fast as she could down the stairs and to the sitting room.

Her son – only barely seventeen months old – was on his side by the coffee table and screaming loudly; Tina felt her heart constrict as she bent to pick him up from the floor, worry overtaking her. "It's alright, Phoenix, it's okay…I'm here, it's alright…"

He was still screaming as she checked him over for injuries; to her horror, a large egg-shaped bump was forming just above his eyebrow, the area already purple and bruised from where had presumably bumped his head. When she tried to get a better look, he merely squirmed and tried to pull away, wanting to get away from her touch – wanting to get away from her.

Tina felt like bursting into tears herself just as the fireplace roared to life; Newt stepped out, the grin on his face immediately fading as he took in the situation. "Merlin's beard, what's wrong?!" He dropped his case rather carelessly to the floor, hurriedly making his way over to the two of them. "Tina, is he alright? What's happened?"

"I…I don't know," She choked out, shaking her head. "I think he bumped his head… I left the room for less than a minute, I needed the paperwork to send in to Dawkins, and he just started screaming…"

"It's fine," He assured her quickly, and he took their son into his arms. "Alright, Phee, I know that hurts…let me take a look at you…"

Phoenix started to quieten down as his father gently pushed his hair back to look at the area, still sniffling but growing calmer by the second. Newt hummed before rubbing at his son's back to comfort him, his tone soft and low.

"That's right, there's no need to kick up such a fuss… You promised you'd behave for Mummy, didn't you?" He joked weakly. "You need to look after her, remember? Wouldn't want to tire her out when she's carrying your little brother or sister now, would you?"

The calm look on their son's face made Tina burst into tears as she left the room, hormones getting the better of her; leaving her husband bewildered, she retreated upstairs and to the bedroom before locking the door behind her and sitting down on the bed to have a good cry.

What kind of mother am I? I can't even get my son to stop crying… Mercy Lewis, it's no wonder he loves Newt more.

She really was an awful mother, she thought miserably: first, Phoenix had gotten hurt because she'd been stupid and left him alone – and then she couldn't even comfort him when he needed it. He had wanted her to get away from him, and it hurt Tina more than she cared to admit; her own son hadn't even wanted her near him, sensing how inadequate she was as his mother.

And then there was the new baby.

How was she supposed to be an adequate mother to two children when one already seemed to despise her? They hadn't planned this at all – they hadn't planned Phoenix, and they certainly hadn't planned to have a second child so close after the first – and she found herself overwhelmed by it.

It was only ten minutes later that she heard a tentative knock on the door and her husband's voice; he was capable of unlocking the door himself, of course, but she knew he would leave her for a while if she wanted. A part of her wanted to hide herself away, was too ashamed to face him – but the other part reasoned that she had to talk to him about it, to clarify and sort things out, and it was this that made her unlock the door for him.

Newt was silent as he entered the room, leaving the door slightly ajar before making his way over to the bed to sit with her. "Tina…"

"I'm sorry," Tina blurted, hiding her face in her hands. "I shouldn't have left him, I know, but it was for a few seconds and I thought it would be okay-"

"I'm not angry at all, love," He interrupted, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Tina, this isn't your fault – accidents happen, especially to children when they're playing. It's just a part of life."

"But…But he didn't want to be near me," She disagreed tearfully. "He hates me."

Newt looked appalled. "Of course he doesn't hate you, Tina! Merlin, he absolutely loves you more than anything – he was just upset because he got hurt, that's all. I put him down for a nap, and when he wakes up he'll have forgotten the entire thing altogether-"

But she was shaking her head, hands on her stomach and shoulders trembling slightly. "I'm an awful mother, Newt: I'm usually at work and you're with him, but the one day I'm left alone with him and he gets hurt. And then there's this baby – this one will hate me too-"

"Tina, love, that's ridiculous," He muttered firmly. "Contrary to what you seem to believe, there have been days where I've been alone with him and he's gotten hurt – or where he's simply just continued to cry no matter what I do. It doesn't mean he hates either of us, I promise you."

"I know, it's just…" Tina gnawed on her lower lip nervously. "I worry every day, Newt, that I'm not a good enough mother to him; I want to be, I do, and I want to keep him safe from these wars that are going on, but…but I feel like I'm failing."

Newt's arm tentatively wrapped around her shoulders, and she welcomed his embrace by leaning against his side. "You're not failing at all – neither of us are; Phoenix is a healthy, wonderful little boy, and I'm sure that we'll do just as well if this next one. You're a fantastic mother, even if you can't quite see it right now… Do you know how much he misses you when you're away at work?" When she shook her head, he smiled. "He misses you terribly, Tina, and it's only when he sees that you've come home that he seems light up. He loves you so much, and I know that the new baby will too when they arrive."

Her eyes were filling with tears again but for a different reason entirely, and it felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders all of a sudden; it was almost certainly her hormones making her more emotional and self-conscious than usual, but it was still a relief to hear her husband say these things aloud. It seemed silly, in hindsight, to allow herself to grow self-conscious over this – but it was truly something that had been playing on her mind for some time.

When Phoenix woke from his nap an hour later, Tina was sure to be there immediately; the moment he saw her enter the room, he beamed and reached out for her. As she picked him up and held him against her chest, she couldn't help but feel her heart soar in her chest.

Sure, she wasn't a mother quite like Queenie was – she didn't stay at home or know exactly what was bothering her child immediately – but Newt had been right: if the way their son had beamed at her was any indication, she really wasn't doing such a bad job of motherhood after all.

The best part of the evenings were always when the children had been put to bed; they both loved the children dearly, of course, and they would do anything for them – but it was nice to have some time alone, even so.

The sky outside had turned a dark orange as the sun set, casting looming shadows across the Scamander property and bathing the grass in a warm glow. Newt had retreated inside just to make himself a cup of tea and a mug of hot cocoa for her, and so Tina was left alone outside to look over the garden.

The quiet evenings gave her a lot of time to think, she had found, especially with how busy things were during the day; between the children and work, it was difficult to have time to think properly. As she looked out at the countryside beyond their home, at trees and green hills, it was easy for her mind to wander and consider things.

In the aftermath of Grindelwald's defeat just months previously, Tina had found herself remembering her encounter in New York with him more and more; something he had said to her whilst pretending to be Graves, whilst duelling her, had started to play in her mind recently. It was so many years ago now that it was irrelevant, really – but she couldn't help it.

Tina, you're always turning up where you're least wanted.

Perhaps it had been because he'd been wearing Graves' face – or maybe because she knew, deep down, he had been right. At Ilvermorny, the other students hadn't wanted to be near her – they had thought her odd or strange because she felt out of place and awkward, because she wasn't sure what to say to get them to like her; since she'd been a teenager, any boys she had ever felt even slightly attracted to had preferred her younger sister, finding her plain and boring in comparison. Even when she had worked at MACUSA, in a job she had loved more than anything, she had felt that her colleagues were irritated by her because she always stuck her nose into other people's business.

But then she had met Newt, and it all changed.

Her husband was always sure to remind her how much he loved her, how much he appreciated her, and she always felt wanted by him: whether it was her company in his case or in bed he craved, he wanted her by his side and no one else. He wasn't the only one who wanted her: their children – four beautiful, healthy children – wanted and needed her too, and she would have done anything for them. To add, her career since joining the British Ministry had taken a positive turn; she was a part of the Senior Team, highly-trained Aurors who dealt with the more dangerous and extreme criminals as well as training the younger and newer recruits – and she was well-respected for it, something she hadn't quite achieved with MACUSA.

As Newt returned, setting her hot cocoa down and pressing a kiss to her forehead, Tina couldn't help but smile to herself; here, with her husband and their children, she knew that she was far from unwanted at all.

So that ending sucked but…yeah. I tried :')

I hope you all enjoyed this fic – I can't believe it's over! It's been 9-10 months in the making, and I'm so glad that I've finally managed to post it because I wanted to get it out there. I have loved studying Tina, I really have, and I've put a lot of myself into her in this fic whilst also staying true to her character – I just hope I did her some justice.

Please let me know what you thought :D