The Day Before...

The say dragged on as Tina went to work and the three of them were left at home, waiting. The plan was to head to the site as soon as Tina got home. Something about the day made them all want to stay in. Even knowing that they usually hunt at night and having an idea where they could be, something didn't feel safe about going out. There was something wicked hanging in the air, and they could all feel it. Queenie was pacing, she had some thoughts floating around in her head that just would not leave her alone. About half an hour before Tina was supposed to get home, Queenie finally spoke her mind.

She had been in the kitchen, stress-baking as she thought about what she wanted to do. ______ and Newt sat on the couch, ______ laying across Newt's lap as she looked up at him and they talked. Technically, the way they were sitting was 'improper,' something ______ was sure Tina was going to point out when she got home, but they didn't care. This is how they acted at home, and this was their vacation. They were going to act as they pleased. Queenie walked into the living room and walked in front of the couch, catching their attention. ______ sat up straight and looked at her, she had a serious expression on her face. "I can't go with you guys," she told them, concern on her face.

"What?" Newt asked, surprised. "Why not?"

"I would, I really would... but something keeps bothering me. Something about this night just doesn't feel right, and knowing what kind of people they keep targeting..."

Queenie trailed off, but ______ knew what she was trying to say loud and clear. "You're worried for Jacob," ______ said matter-of-factly.

"I can't help but be. The area isn't close to his shop, but I'm still worried. It didn't bother me so much up until now, but I want to be near him. Newt said the only way to defend against these is a patronus, and that's something Jacob doesn't have. I want to be there to protect him, even if nothing happens..." Queenie trailed off. "It just keeps bothering me."

Newt was silent for a moment before speaking. "You should probably go now then," Newt told her. "We'll be heading out in a while. What do you want me to tell Tina?"

A faint smile appeared on Queenie's face. "Just tell her... tell her that I couldn't handle going out tonight and that I want to be alone. She'll understand. If not... tell her it's about Jacob."

"Won't she suspect then?" ______ asked.

"Maybe, but probably not. She'll understand though... she knows that I still think about him all the time. I know she does, and she feels guilty, but she really shouldn't. It's my choice to keep this from her..." Queenie shook her head. "I already said too much. I'll get going."

Queenie took out her wand, and with a swish, she was gone. ______ looked over at Newt. "I don't blame her," she told him. "She loves him, of course she would want to be with him."

"I know that," Newt told her with a smile. "After all, I wouldn't be going through with this if I didn't think I could keep you safe. I'm doing this for you, to keep you safe. Can't have Lethifolds flying around and ruining our vacation. I'd do anything for you."

Looking into Newt's eyes at that moment, ______ saw something she hadn't seen for a while. She saw vulnerability. Newt was nervous about this, she could tell, and she was too. She'd be lying if she said that she was brave enough to face all of this, but she had to. She knew she could do it if Newt was by her side, and it was the same for him.

"I love you," she told him. "I love you more than anything." She leaned towards him, kissing him. As he put his hands on her waist and she put her hands on his shoulders, he leaned over her, pressing her down and flat onto the couch.

That's when Tina walked in.

"Really? On my own couch?"

Newt's lips left ______'s as he sat up straight and looked at Tina. His face was flushed a deep red, and Tina just sighed. Meanwhile, ______ sat up slowly, not looking over at Tina. "Sorry," Newt mumbled, looking away from her.

Tina just shook her head and looked around the apartment. "Where's Queenie?" she asked after a minute. "We need to get going."

Newt and ______ exchanged glances and ______ was the one who spoke first. "She... left. She said that she wants to be alone, she just couldn't handle going out tonight?"

"Why?" Tina asked, but after thinking about it, her face changed as she answered her own question in her head. "Oh..." she whispered, trailing off. "Well, I guess it's just the three of us then. We should get going."

Just like that, Tina didn't need them to expand on why Queenie wouldn't be able to handle going out tonight. She knew what it was about, and deep inside, she expected it. At least ______ knew about the situation and Newt was around to protect her, but it wasn't the same for Jacob. Tina felt like something such as this would happen.

Walking down the streets, everything seemed still and quiet. The streets in New York were a different place at night. Ever since Apathy Syndrome started getting noticed, people stayed in their homes at night. Although no one knew what was causing it, they did still fear that it would happen to them, a risk no one wanted to take.

They were heading towards a quiet neighborhood next to a little park. The pattern showed that it was going for mostly no-maj filled neighborhoods, and the trend had been heading in this direction. It made sense that it would be here. Everything fit – including the time frame. The sun was beginning to go down, and that's always when the majority of the attacks happened.

Everything was falling into place. They had a plan.

Sadly, they had no idea what to expect. They didn't know what was coming. Newt didn't realize his mistake before it was too late – he didn't realize what Apathy Syndrome really meant until he saw the creatures and realized he made a grave mistake.

They came out of the shadows. They looked like shadows themselves. They appeared out of the tubes and tunnels in and next to the park – Newt even thought he saw one come out of a sewer. It was the atmosphere that made Newt realize he was wrong. Suddenly, it was as if all happiness drained from his body, and the air was cold.

They were dealing with dementors. Something that ______ or any other muggle wouldn't be able to see.

Newt's eyes widened. "We need to get out of here, I was wrong," Newt told them, speaking softly. "Tina, I was wrong, we need to leave now."

Tina looked over at him. "I thought we were supposed to expect one Lethifold, not this many-"

"Those aren't Lethifolds. Those are a fate worse than death. We need to leave before more show up, we can't beat all of them, not this many."

"What are you two talking about?" ______ asked softly. That's when they all turned around, that's what caught their attention: ______'s voice. The voice of a no-maj, a muggle, the ones they have been targeting.

The perfect victim. Someone who couldn't see them.

They all started heading towards them. "Look out!" Tina yelled, and she and Newt drew their wands out. Newt reached out and grabbed ______'s hand, pulling her towards him. She let out a small scream as a flash of light went past her head, hitting a dementor. It was no use, as soon as they hit one, another came towards them.

"There's too many of them," Newt yelled towards Tina. "We need to get out of here!"

Tina tore her attention away from the dementors for a split second, and that's when things went wrong. She looked at Newt, yelling back, "Where do you suggest-"

Suddenly she yelled, and a dementor grabbed her and started dragging her. "Tina!" ______ yelled. Since she couldn't see the dementors, she couldn't see what she was being dragged by, and that was the worst part. It was almost worse not seeing them, there was a fear of the unknown hanging in the air.

Newt looked towards the dementor dragging her away, aiming his wand carefully. As a light shot out of his wand, a thought crossed him: why were they going after Tina? She was a witch, were they simply defending themselves, or were they wrong about the pattern? Was everyone at risk?

Trapped in his thoughts by his questions, his heart dropped when he heard another scream and felt ______ leave his side. Newt looked over to see ______ being dragged by not just one, but two dementors. It wasn't like anything he had ever seen before. Right as he was about to call out for her, something grabbed him and threw him to the ground. Before he knew it, a dementor was floating above him, and Newt knew what was going to come next.

Tina got up, feeling likehell. Her head was spinning, and she didn't have much energy left in her. Something about these creatures were draining her. She looked at what was happening, and a sinking feeling went through her. ______ was being dragged away, being surrounded by what looked like ten dementors. Meanwhile, Newt was being attacked by one too, and it was right over him. She had to do something.

She had to make a decision, and it was breaking her heart. She didn't have much left in her, she knew what she had to choose. She couldn't get that many off of ______ - but she could save Newt. It wasn't too late for him.

Pointing her wand in his direction, her patronus appeared, and the dementor disappeared. She limped towards him, falling on the ground next to him. He was out cold, the dementor had been looming over him and doing something. She hoped it wasn't too late for him, and she looked over at ______.

She couldn't even see her anymore in the black mass of dementors. She was too far gone; it was a battle Tina knew she couldn't fight. Tears gathered in her eyes as she whispered, "I'm so sorry." With a flick of her wand, she apparated somewhere Newt could get care: MACUSA.

It was only then she realized his case was missing, but it was too late. She knew it was risky bringing him there, but she had to. It was the only place she knew they could treat him. They'd put him in a cell, but she didn't care. He needed help. He needed to be saved.

She knew what she did. She didn't know what she was going to do, what she would tell him. It ws too late to save ______, but he wouldn't give up. Not like Tina did. She thought of something. Something horrible, but it needed to happen. If not, Newt would never stop looking for her. He would never give up. He could get himself into trouble and get even worse – he'd get Apathy Syndrome and he'd be gone forever.

He needed to think that ______ was imaginary.