I tried to stay away from Newt. I wanted to go inside the case with him to help with the Zouwu and make sure he doesn't get hurt. But Tina stood by my side to make sure I wouldn't do that. I'm grateful for that. She may be a bit harsh but she's right. If Newt's moving on then I should, too. So I'm putting all my focus on finding Credence.

I knew something seemed off about Kama. I should have grabbed Tina when he took us to the sewers. I should have punched him and forced him to tell us where Credence is but I know he wouldn't talk. I didn't like Tina's interrogation idea from the start but she wanted to do things by the book. We just wouldn't mention to the other Aurors that she took a Muggle with her.

Jacob, bless his heart, was trying to get me in the suitcase with Newt. He tried everything in the book for me to go talk to Newt but I stood my ground. I stuck by Tina while she was examining Kama's unconscious body. He gave up after half an hour and went to look for food. He came back momentarily and stood over the opened case while Tina went to look for anything that could help us wake Kama, leaving me to do nothing but sketch.

"Hey, uh, Newt, buddy," he called down. "Uh...Alina's up here. She's all by her lonesome, and, uh, maybe you want to come up and keep her company until Tina gets back?" I shook my head behind Jacob's back before I went back to my sketches. "Uh, I've been looking for food, and I ain't found any, so, uh...so I guess I'm gonna go upstairs and try my luck in the, oh, I don't know, the attic." Nothing happened. "Ok."

Jacob sighed before he went upstairs. A few seconds later Newt's top half came out of the case. I stopped doing what I'm doing and stared. Merlin's beard, he's even cuter from the last time I saw him. I just wanted to drop my book and hugged him.

"She's responded well to the Dittany," he said awkwardly after a moment. "She was born to run, you see. But I think she's...she's just lacking in confidence." I slowly nodded, not sure what to say to him. I went back and started drawing again until Newt cleared his throat. "If you don't mind me asking...what are you drawing?" I left out a sigh as I got up and walked over to him. I knelt down and showed him the Zouwu I've been drawing since we arrived. "Amazing."

I tried to cover my tinted cheeks. "Thanks," I said monotone. I moved my hair out of my face. "And thanks for removing the enchantment from Jacob."

"What Queenie was doing wasn't right. I understand why she did it but she shouldn't have removed his free will. We all know Jacob loves her so there's no need for him to be enchanted." Newt slowly lifted his hand up and rubbed this thumb across my cheek. "I've missed you, Alina."

Don't lean into his touch. Don't lean in and kiss him. Newt's an engaged man. Don't get between him and the woman he loves. But I couldn't help but get lost in his inviting eyes.

"Mr. Scamander," I heard Tina say with a little bit of venom in her voice. I jumped back from Newt and thanking God for Tina interrupting. I might have done something I'll regret later. She gave me a look that was practically scolding while I stood up. "Mr. Scamander, have you got anything in your case that might help revive this man? I need to question him. Alina and I think he knows who Credence really is. And the scars on his hand suggest an Unbreakable Vow."

"An Unbreakable Vow," Newt finished the same time she did. "Yeah, I noticed that, too."

Newt went back down to the case and popped back up moments later. He climbed out and handed Tina a small vile. She opened it and waved it under Kama's nose.

Newt pulled out his wand. "Lumos," he cast.

The wand became his version of a flashlight as Tina opened Kama's right eye. I leaned over to get a better look and gasped when a worm looking creature came out of his eye. Not going to lie, I wanted to puke.

"What was that?" Tina asked.

"There must be a Water Dragon in that sewer," Newt answered. "They carry these parasites, you see. They, um..." Newt turned and spotted Jacob, who had a small grin on his face. "Jacob."

"Yeah?" he asked.

"In my case, in the pocket there, you'll find a pair of tweezers."

"Tweezers?" he repeated before going to the case.

"They're thin, pointy..."

"Little pointy things," Tina said as she looked at the worm.

I sighed. "He knows what tweezers are." We might not know that much about magic but we know what tweezers are. We're not stupid.

"Alina, can you -" Newt trailed off as he handed his wand over to me while grabbing the tweezers. I nodded and grabbed it, ignoring the small spark when our fingers touched. "All right. You might not want to watch this."

"We can handle it," I said. Ok, Tina and I could handle it. I'm not entirely sure about Jacob.

Newt had a small grin on his face before grabbed the worm from Kama's eye. I scrunched my nose up in disgust as Newt started to pull the thing out.

"Come on. You're all right," Newt said. Jacob made a face as Kama's feet started to shake. "Come on. I got you." I didn't realize I held my breath until Newt pulled out the parasite. It's slimy legs trying to clutch itself to a host. Newt held the tweezers towards Jacob while Kama slowly woke up. "Jacob, will you take that for me?"

Jacob looked like he didn't want to take it but did. "Huh. Ugh! Calamari." I chuckled at my friend's attempted joke.

Kama tried to get up but Tina and I held him down. "Must kill him," he whispered.

"Who?" Tina asked. "Credence?"

Kama didn't say anything before he was knocked out again. He better not kill him. No one is going to hurt Credence as long as I'm alive.

"It may take him a few hours to recover," Newt said. "That parasite's poison is quite strong."

Suddenly, Tina grabbed her jacket. "I have to go back to the Ministry with what I've got. It's nice to see you again, Mr. Scamander."

I thought this was a perfect time to leave with her. My chest still ached being near Newt and I can't be in the same room with him without trying to convince myself not to cry. Like right now. My throat felt like it was closing up while water tried to leak out.

"I should go with you," I started. I tried to make up an excuse besides the fact that we're partners in this. "You're going to need me as a witness."

Jacob's eyes bugged out of his head while I followed Tina. "Hey. Hey. Hold on a second, will ya?" he asked me. He tried to grab my wrist but I yanked it away from him. "Hold on. Hold on."

"I've got to go, Jacob," my voice cracked as Tina opened the door for us.

"Wait, Alina!"

Tina waited for me to catch up. She noticed the small tear that escaped my eye before she wrapped her arm around me.

"You ok?" she asked.

I nodded as I wiped my eye. "No. I never thought I'd see him again, that's all. It still hurts seeing him knowing that what we use to have can't happen anymore."

She pulled me closer. "You're ok now. We got what we needed and you're away from him."

"Tina! Alina!" Newt yelled after us.

"Or not." She hugged me tighter before pulling away. "Remember to calm down. Don't let him get to you."

"Alina!"

"Just ignore him as best as you can."

I tried to. But it was really hard when Newt was walking next to me, trying to get me to look at him.

"Alina. Please, just listen to me," he started.

I have to be strong. "Newt, I really need to head to the Ministry with Tina. I know how you feel about Aurors."

Newt looked at Tina. "You told her?"

"She might have preached to me about it," I defended her.

Newt was struggling to catch up. "I may have been a little strong in the way that I expressed myself in that letter."

That's when Tina spoke. "What was the exact phrase? A bunch of careerist hypocrites?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't admire people whose answer to everything that they fear or misunderstand is kill it."

"Tina's an Auror and she doesn't," I argued.

"Yes, I know. That's because she's gone middle head."

Tina groaned before she started walking ahead of us. I stopped and gave Newt a look. "What?"

"It's an expression derived from the three heads of the Runespoor," Newt tried to explain. I have no idea what that is. Newt understood my confusion and clarified. "So the middle one is the visionary. Now, every Auror in Europe wants Credence dead, except for Tina. She's gone middle head. And you just got your friend back so you want to protect him under any circumstances. Which makes you his..."

I crossed my arms. "Which makes me his what?"

Newt sighed. "It makes you his angel." I didn't catch the double meaning behind that sentence.

Ok, I might have given Newt a small smile. I ignored that small thump in my chest while my gut was telling me to kiss him but instead I said, "About the middle head...is that really an expression?"

"No, I think I'm the only one who uses it."

"Well, maybe I could use it sometime whenever Jacob decides to go middle head."

Newt let out a soft chuckle. That small smile didn't leave his face as he stares at me. Which didn't last long before Tina came running back as the wind started to pick up.

"Guys, look," she panted. Newt and I looked up as we see this dark cloak flying over us. Newt grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him as the dark cloak covered each building. "It's Grindelwald. He's calling his followers."

My mouth flew open as the cloaks continued to cover each building. "He's coming for Credence," I breathed. I gave Tina a panicked look. "What if he already has him?"

"It's not too late," Newt said. "We can still get to him first."

Newt pulled me with him towards the other side of the street with Tina following.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"The French Ministry of Magic."

I gave Newt a confused look. "Credence would never go there. It's the last place he'll look," I said.

"There's a box hidden in the Ministry. It's a box that can tell us who Credence really is."

"A box? What are you talking about?"

Newt gave me a pleading look. "Trust me."