August 18th, 1922.
Manhattan, New York.

  The sunshine of the early morning entered through the white curtains. The light too bright for her tired eyes. Amélie breathed in sharply as she squeezed her eyes shut.

  She exhaled and opened her eyes. Her hand tried to find Theseus' chest but, instead, her hand found a cold spot on the pillow. She sighed. Had it been a dream? Was he really here? Amélie breathed in sharply and the woodsy notes of his cologne filtrated in the air. He had definitely been here, he's just...gone now.

She looked at her pocket watch that rested on the nightstand. 7:27 A.M. She sat on the bed and looked at the window. New York was already awake and buzzing. She got up from the bed and grabbed her suitcase from the ground. Last night she didn't have the time to unpack.

She opened the trunk and, with the flick of her wand, all the clothes started to move from the interiors of the suitcase towards the closet. When all the garments were settled into place, she placed the suitcase next to the desk she had in her room.

Élie proceeded to grab a dark grey suit and got dressed. Dressing pants, white shirt, black suspenders, grey vest, grey blazer. She put on her trusty boots and tied her hair in a low bun. She grabbed her dark grey knit-felt hat, and her coat. She made the bed, closed the closet, applied some makeup, splashed perfume over her skin, made sure to have the keychain in her pocket, and headed out of the bedroom. She was locking her door at the same time Theseus was locking his own. They turned around at the same time, and their eyes met.

"Morning." He greeted as Rosier placed her hat over her head and threw on her coat.

"Bonjour." She said with a formal head nod. "Where were you? I woke up and you were gone."

"I didn't shower last night, so, I came back to my room the moment I woke 'cause my clothes were over here." She nodded, understanding him. "Nice suit, by the way. I like it." She smiled.

"Merci beaucoup, Monsieur." He smiled. "I like yours too. Haven't seen you wearing blue suits before."

"Oh, well, I decided to try out some new stuff, you know?" She chuckled.

"I'm glad, it suits you." He smiled. "Matches your eyes." His heart skipped a beat at the compliment and his smile widened.

"Thank you." A pause as they entered the lift. "Did Tina tell you when we should arrive?"

"Nine sharp." He nodded and checked his pocket watch. She smiled when she saw the blue silk still tied to the golden chain.

"Well, we have time to catch breakfast. If you're down for it, of course." She smiled at his nervousness. And said nervousness increased because, from this side and his angle, her hat didn't allow him to see her face. Theseus remembered the night when they first met yet again.

"Sure. Lead the way." He released a breath of relief he didn't notice he had been holding, nodded and scratched his eyebrow. That's when Amélie noticed the pocket watch had a picture inside. "Wait, what's that?" She asked.

"What thing?"

"That thing in the watch."

"Damn." He whispered and smiled as the doors of the lift opened. "This?" He showed it to her.

"A cutout picture of me? Where did you get that?"

"I was at my mother's house a while ago, right?" They stepped out of the lift and eventually the building. "And I was looking around in my room and I found the yearbook of the Academy and there was this section that had all the honourable students from the Academy across Europe, I flipped the pages until I found the French campus and saw your picture. So, because I'm naturally a cheesy person, I cut out your picture and found a place to keep it."

"And it was your watch."

"Well, it was the closest thing I had. I was going to keep it in my wallet, but I figured I'd look at it more often if it was in my watch." She scoffed as her cheeks turned red and he smiled.

"Let's get some breakfast." He nodded.

"Alright." Theseus guided her towards the subway station, they went all the way from Manhattan to the Lower East Side. After a quick ride, they walked down the streets until he found a bakery that he really liked. "I think you'll like this place." She looked at the glass window and saw a man inside, as well as the letters on the glass. Kowalski Quality Baked Goods. A smile quickly drawn onto her face. Amélie looked at Theseus and he smiled back at her before opening the door for her to step inside. The place smelled like deliciously freshly baked bread and cinnamon. The scent of childhood if you ask Amélie or Jacob. "He opened it few months after you and Newt were gone from the city." He said as they waited in line. There were only two customers before them.

"How do you know?" He shrugged and she scoffed.

"He told me. Not the way I just phrased it, but he told me." She looked at him with curiosity. "When I arrived at the city, I walked around and patrolled. That's when I came across this building. Newt mentioned him a couple times and I remembered the name, I walked in and enjoyed a nice conversation with him, as well as an Occamy Pretzel." She giggled as he kept his hands in the pockets of his coat with a smile. He chuckled too. "Highly recommend. Or if you are in the mood for something sweet he'd tell you to try the Demiguises or a classic cinnamon roll." Another melodic laugh from Élie.

"I'd like something salty, actually." The customers were gone, and they were the next ones in line.

"Then you'd like the Occamy Pretzel." Said Jacob with a laugh and a smile. Amélie looked at Theseus briefly and he shrugged with a smile. "Don't ask me where the names come from, Miss, that's a secret." She turned her face and Jacob's smile dropped only a little with surprise. "Miss French Witch." Élie chuckled again.

"Hello, Jacob." She greeted him.

"Hello." He looked at Theseus. "Mister Scamander."

"Mister Kowalski." Theseus greeted him back as they shook hands. "How have you been?"

"Well, you know." He chuckled as he shrugged. "I'm glad to see you both."

"Likewise."

"Well, what can I do for you? What can I get you?"

"I'll take the pretzel." Said Amélie, Jacob nodded.

"It'll be two of those, actually." Said Theseus.

"Right away." Jacob got the pretzels on separate bags.

"Very impressive." Rosier commented. "I love the designs." Jacob smiled.

"Thank you, Amélie. I'm glad." They smiled at each other. "Hey, uh...while I am glad to find you here...you guys are Aurors. Should I be worried?" Élie and Thes exchanged looks. "I should be worried."

"No, no, no. It's all under control." Said Theseus. Jacob nodded. "Do you live nearby Times Square, by any chance?"

"No, I do not."

"Good. Good. Well, while everything is under control, avoid that area until we tell you."

"Right, well, that's not not concerning at all." Kowalski said sarcastically. "What will happen?"

"We're not sure yet." Said Amélie. "Just, avoid the area. And tell your peers to do the same if they can."

"This is Grindelwald related, isn't it?" Their silence was enough answer, Jacob sighed. "Well, I won't be there, and I'll spread the word. Thank you."

"Thank you, lad." Said Theseus. "How much will it be?"

"Oh, nothing, pal. It's on the house."

"What?" Said Élie. "No, I insist."

"No, no, Amélie, I insist. Its your first time trying my pretzels, and you're my friend. I won't charge you anything. Or you, Theseus. Next time you come around, I will." The three of them laughed.

"Well, thank you, Jacob." The man nodded. "We'll see you around."

"Have a good day." They started to walk towards the door. Theseus opened the gate for Amélie. "Wait!" Jacob called before the partners walked out. "Have you, uh...have you heard about Queenie?" Amélie's heart sank. "Do you know if she's okay, by any chance?" Theseus and Élie exchanged looks again.

"No. Unfortunately we haven't." Rosier answered. "Neither has Tina." Jacob sighed, sad. Amélie stepped inside and made her way towards Jacob. "If I hear anything, you'll be the second one to know after Goldstein." Jacob smiled. "Even if I'm in Paris, if I get a lead on Queenie, I'll let you know no matter what. I promise." Kowalski nodded.

"Thank you, Amélie. I appreciate it." She smiled at him. "Good luck out there, both of you." She made her way back towards the entrance. "Stay safe."

"Thank you, Jacob." Said Theseus as they walked out. They all waved each other goodbye. "It's so sad. Their love story."

"I know." She sighed. "Why is every love story we know about sad?" He shrugged.

"I don't know and I really wished they weren't." They were in silence for a while. "Well, there's a café near MACUSA's building. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"You know I do."

"Yeah. That's the only thing that gets your dark soul going." She laughed and they walked as they ate their pretzels.

While it doesn't sound like the best or ideal breakfast, man, wasn't it good? Jacob really was a talented baker. It certainly was one of the most delicious things Rosier had eaten in her whole life. When they arrived at the café, the Occamies were gone, and they decided to share a cinnamon roll while each had their cups of black coffee.

They didn't talk, they just looked at the world and how the people lived in it. Eventually, the coffee was finished and the last sips had run cold, the bread was gone, and their pocket watches marked 8:45. They stood up, argued about who'd pay the bill, she payed and he complained, they sorted it out by agreeing that they'd go split for lunch and —if everything went accordingly— he'd pay the drinks at night. She payed their second cup of coffee of the day, though. A man was selling coffee outside the building, the man's brother was selling hot-dogs.

"Well, here's dinner." Theseus joked when they found out the brothers would leave until quarter past ten.

  They arrived at MACUSA in no time and made their way towards their working areas. Both took off their coats and placed them on the back of their respective chairs, Élie took off her hat, and both made their way towards Tina Goldstein's office. She was sitting by her desk, a cup of coffee on the wooden desk, papers before her. She was reading a report of one of her spies.

"Morning." She said as the Aurors placed themselves under the door frame.

"Hi." Élie just moved her coffee cup up before taking a long mouthful. Tina chuckled.

"Rough morning, huh?"

"And rough night." Tina made a hand movement, inviting them to sit. They walked into the office, Theseus closed the door behind him. While Amélie sat down, he stood right behind her with his hands in his pockets, his eyes pinned to the back of her neck and her red hair as he yawned discreetly. "You okay?" She asked Élie.

"Yeah, just tired. What do we have?"

"Well, the two women have been sighted. They're in Times Square as we speak." The caffeine rushed to Amélie's brain and Theseus stood up straight. "I know."

"Did they call for reinforcements?" Asked Theseus. Tina sighed. "Tina?"

"Yes." She looked at Amélie. "Vinda Rosier, Freya Carrow, David Abernthany, and Albert Krafft." Rosier sighed.

"He sent his most loyal acolytes here." Tina nodded at Amélie's words. "Vinda has seen us, the second she spots us, it's over." She sighed. "He doesn't think that the rookies could do it."

"That and the fact that the boys never met the girls. They must've sent an alert." A beat. "They'll be paranoid. It'll be hard. I feel like the attack will be inevitable, we could face an enormous amount of losses." Said Scamander.

"It is inevitable." It was Goldstein's turn to sigh. "They're here to make sure it happens. And it'll be today."

"Are you sure? At what time?"

"We don't have the exact time, we only know that it's sometime after noon or in the evening. The location you'll be stationed is an Italian restaurant on the left side of the street." She handed over a card with the location. "My Aurors will be placed in strategic points so that none of you risks their cover. I'll be there too." She stood up and the other two adults stood up too. "We leave now, but we must not be too obvious." She headed out of her office, the other two headed out too. The black haired woman entered the lift and clicked a button. "Hopefully, today won't be such a mess and, or a bloodbath. See you there in ten minutes." The doors closed and Tina was gone. They looked at each other and started walking back towards their desks to get their belongings.

"So...wanna go on a date?" He asked her as he threw on his coat and she placed her hat on her head. She smiled.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?" She said, playing along.

"Maybe some Italian food?" She laughed as she put on her coat and he called for the elevator.

"Sounds good." He chuckled as they entered the elevator and the doors closed seconds after they had stepped inside. "We need to buy something for you before we get there, though." He frowned.

"What?"

"A hat." He laughed and she smiled.

  They walked out of MACUSA's building and walked down the streets of New York until they got to Times Square. They saw many buildings in construction, a lot of cars in the street and people walking on the sidewalks. They found a small boutique and Élie bought a hat for Theseus.

"Well, thank you." He said as he put it on.

"You're welcome." She said and she looked at him for a moment, a smile slowly growing in her lips that was so contagious. He narrowed his eyes.

"What?" She started laughing.

"You look ridiculous." He scoffed.

"Shut up, Rosier." That just made her laugh a lot more.

  He shook his head and offered his arm. She took it as they walked down the street. Theseus has always loved this feeling of having her close. It didn't feel as cozy as a hug, or as intimate as holding hands and intertwining your fingers together. It was simply her closeness that made him feel happy.

After a while, they arrived at the restaurant, they sat on the terrace where they had a clear view of the street and the rooftops of the buildings that were nearby. They saw fellow Aurors in the distance and on strategic points. They saw Tina right across from where they were reading a newspaper.

  Hours went by in which these two only had some more coffee, talked, looked around, and saw no dark magic activity at all. Sooner than later noon had gone by. Amélie checked her pocket watch. 4:35. She sighed.

"I think we can eat now." She said and he nodded. They ordered some pasta and salad, as well as some white wine. They ate in silence, enjoying the jazz music played by some Muggle musicians that were on the street. They were done eating two hours later.

  Theseus was looking around as Amélie took a sip of her wine. That's when he saw a pair of men walking as they looked around anxiously.

"Don't look to the right." He told Rosier, who simply placed her cup down. Theseus moved his head slightly downward to make sure the hat hid his face. "Krafft and Abernathy." He said in a whisper after they had walked away. That's when Rosier had a better look at them.

"They turned left in the alley." She commented. "Should we go after them?"

"We should." Both payed for their food and when they were about to stand up, Rosier saw a familiar face looking around. She grabbed Theseus' sleeve and pulled him down. "What?"

"Vinda." They tried to act normal but Carrow had seen them, her eyes not leaving them. Amélie focused on Theseus and smiled at him, as if he had said something nice. "Carrow's with her and I think she spotted us."

"It's okay, just keep your eyes on me." He smiled back at her. "Everything will be fine." His hand reached out for hers. She held his hand tightly.

"What will happen after this? If we survive tonight?"

"I pay the drinks and, if you allow me, I'll make love to you." She chuckled melodically as he smiled tenderly at her.

"Okay." They took deep breaths. "I vow I will always be yours if we survive this great war." He smiled.

"So do I. For eternity, darling." He sighed through his nose. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready." He nodded.

"Me too." They stood up and kept their heads low and their fingers intertwined, squeezing each other's hand as they walked down the street and towards that alley. The two women didn't see them, Tina did. She kept an eye on them and signaled other Aurors. Now everyone had their eyes open and they started to get ready for whatever is yet to come.

The second Amélie and Theseus entered the alley, they were received with deadly green spells. Thankfully, these two wizards had terrible aim. Theseus pulled Amélie right on time, the curse hit the trash bin where they took cover. Scamander protected Rosier with his body just in case as he felt his blood sinking on his feet and extremely cold. The flashes of his nightmare rushed in his head. Rosier held on to his coat tightly, her eyes closed. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, that's when she saw Vinda and Carrow approaching them. When Vinda aimed at Theseus' back, Amélie was the one to freeze.

What I haven't told you is that she has been having this recurrent dream for weeks now, the one that happened to wake her last night. A dark street, in the middle of the night. It's only herself and no one else until a woman —whom we all know— appears before her. A heated duel. At some point, Vinda forces Amélie into hiding. That's when someone apparated to help her. This person and Amélie fight the youngest Rosier until she disappears. They keep their guard up for a while and nothing happens. Suddenly, the Dark Witch attacks from behind. Amélie would see the face of someone, the person that dropped dead because of Vinda's curse. Sometimes it was herself, sometimes it was Alexandre, Elyna, Charles, François, or...Theseus. When she saw the lifeless sight of these people she'd wake up.

Amélie lifted her wand to attack these two women and prevent any harm on Theseus or herself but she needn't throw any defensive or attack spell at all, for Tina was there to have her back. Amélie's eyes met Scamander's, a second goes by and both nodded. That's when they got out of hiding and fought back.

  Aurors that were there to contain the battle from Muggles got to it. An invisibility dome fell over this part of the square to hide them from those that shouldn't see this, while other Aurors rushed to obliviate the terrified people that ran the other way.

  It took seconds for Rosier and Scamander to contain Krafft and Abernathy. That's when other Dark Wizards apparated on the rooftops.

"Watch the roof!" Yelled Theseus. In that moment, these acolytes made the cobblestones blow up as they ran away from the attacks. One of the bombarda spells hit a bit close to their feet. The expansive wave of the explosion made them fly a few meters away. Theseus landed on his side, hitting his left ear that made him hear a very loud ring that pitched his hearing as it echoed in his head.

  Amélie fell forward, hitting her head too. The distant noise of spells being thrown echoed faintly. Her sight was blurry. She saw Theseus on the ground struggling to get up.

"Élie." Someone called, a hand on her shoulder turned her around. Her eyes struggled to assemble the image of the person that was in front of her. "Amélie, get up." Tina grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Rosier blinked a few times and her sight adjusted. She stunned a witch that was about to attack Tina from behind, her spell sent her backwards. "Thank you." Rosier nodded as Goldstein engaged on a duel with someone to the right. Amélie approached Theseus as he shook his head, blood crawling out of his ear.

"Are you okay?" She asked as his hand reached out for hers and she grabbed him firmly.

"I am." Theseus looked at Rosier. "You're bleeding." He added, pointing at her forehead.

"We'll get that fixed later, I'm fine." He nodded, worried still. Both Aurors looked out for the two witches they had been sent after. "I see the twins." She said, pointing at the two women who were closing in on a Muggle couple and their child.

"Lets get this over with."

  Both ran towards the people they had to bring in avoiding the hexes and jinxes that were being sent on their direction, as well as blocking them. They approached the twins and started their effort to arrest them. One of them, a girl that was slightly taller than her sister engaged a fight with Amélie and the shorter gal was duelling Theseus. Both girls were aggressive, and they seemed too young, too. Neither went for the kill, that's what made it easier for the Aurors.

  Amélie dodged a hex and stunned the witch, making her fall backwards. The other girl's defence weakened and Theseus managed to immobilise her. When the twins were cuffed, both tried to deapparate, but Vinda's aim was already on her sister's back.

"Behind you!" Theseus managed to yell and Amélie turned around right on time, Vinda threw a spell but Amélie dodged and threw her own.

"Take her!" She pushed towards Theseus the twin she had cuffed and he deapparated from the scene, taking the evil twins with him as Amélie engaged a fight with Vinda. The wizard arrived at MACUSA and placed both girls in a prison cell he jinxed before locking it with the key, that way only he could get them out and rushed back to Time's Square as he felt nothing but fear for Amélie.

  When he arrived, he saw the Aurors fighting the tough and strong witches and wizards whose loyalty relies on Grindelwald. His eyes quickly landed on a witch that sent a wave of spells, fast as lightning, against her younger sister. This time, Amélie wasn't holding back to survive, she was trying to get Vinda, and the speed of her spells didn't allow the younger Rosier to go for the kill.

  As Vinda's partners escaped from the law, Amélie managed to take down Vinda. She relieved her from her wand and inmovilidad her by using the shoelaces jinx.

"It's over, Vindy." Said Amélie as Vinda struggled on the ground, calling her by her nickname but it held no love anymore.

"Is it really?" Asked Vinda.

"From my point of view, yes. It is. Look around you, Vinda. The people you so call 'friends' are gone, they left you here. Alone. Just like you always have been." Vinda groaned, annoyed and hurt. Amélie's heart shrunk, she hated to make her sister feel like that despite everything, but now was her moment for revenge. She could open up that wound and dig in her finger to hurt Vinda with words, the very same way she had done with her. "And above all, you failed. You didn't kill the number of Non-Magiques you wanted, we avoided the attack and now you're going to jail." Amélie approached her sister and cuffed her wrists as the pavement was restored. "Vinda Rosier, in the name of the French Ministry of Magic, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney." That's when the invisibility dome slowly fell and the Non-Magiques started walking down the street casually, as if nothing had happened. "When we get to Paris you'll send the Owl you have the right to and listen to me carefully." She pulled Vinda in, their faces close. "I'll be very clear, sœur. When we arrive at the Ministry, I'll make sure you rot in a prison cell for all the pain and death you've caused, for the rest of you pitiful and miserable life." She picked Vinda's wand from the ground and started to walk towards where the Aurors were.

Amélie wasn't happy with taking Vinda to justice, although she knew it was the best and the right thing to do. Plus, she was relieved about not having to kill her. However, something felt off. Even if they engaged a heated duel, it still felt too...easy. And she wasn't the only one who was thinking about it. Tina and Theseus thought so, too.

"Something's not right." He told Goldstein as his soldier eyes scanned the trenches.

"What?" Asked Tina, as she started to feel the burden in her chest of something being off, indeed.

"Somethings just not right." At the distance, Amélie studied Theseus' face, frowning at his concern and nervousness. She, somehow, felt his emotions in her very skin. And Vinda took note of it.

"You Aurors always feel like you've won the second the water is calm." Said Vinda and her sister looked at her, facing a wicked smile. "It's not over until we say it is." That's when the zap of someone apparating echoed above them.

"Watch the roof!" Yelled Tina. That's when Amelie looked over her shoulder and saw how the other dark wizards and witches appeared coordinated. All of them threw explosive spells at the same time and the attack was made. Abernathy and Carrow's attacks were blocked by skilled Aurors, Krafft's wasn't.

The expansive wave of the explosion allowed Vinda to escape from Amélie's grip when they fell to the ground. Élie had to decide between saving a Non-Magique family or catching Vinda. She chose the family. Once they were away of harm's way, Élie tried to get to Vinda, but she deapparated from the scene and the rest of Grindelwald's followers mirrored her action soon after.

"Merde!" She yelled when Vinda was out of sight, exasperated and tired. Amélie looked around and her eyes met destruction, on a building and a few corpses on the ground.

"Amélie!" Theseus called and she turned to face him. The hat long gone, his hair messy, his suit covered in dirt. Élie wasted a second before throwing her arms around his neck, his own wrapped themselves around her torso. "You alright?" She nodded against his skin and he released a breath he had been holding since he left to get the twins in prison. "You're alright." They separated from each other. "Does it hurt?" He pointed at his own head, the spot where she had a cut on her skin from earlier.

"Not really." She shrugged. "It's not unbearable." He nodded. "How's your ear?"

"The ringing stopped, so, it'll get better for sure." Her turn to nod.

"I'm glad." That's when Tina waved at them. They couldn't do anything, they couldn't interfere now. Everyone had seen the explosion, everyone saw how a whole floor of that building had collapsed. They couldn't obliviate all those Muggles, what they could do was spreading a spell that'd make them think it had been a gas explosion.

  When the rumour was well spread out, they returned to MACUSA where each and every single one of the Aurors filled in the reports. Amélie and Theseus cleaned up their faces and healed their wounds first, though.

  When the papers were handed in, Amélie took the twins personally to Paris, where she met with Antoine and handed in a detailed logbook about each and every single arrest. She proceeded to tell him she had left unattended business in New York and left. When she arrived, she undo her hair and walked towards the office just to find it basically empty, only Theseus remained there.

  He was running his hands through his hair, tired. She frowned and approached him, quickly, her hands found his shoulders and he turned around, not bothering looking up knowing her touch all too well. He was holding some papers, it seemed like he also made a copy of his report and was organising the pages.

"I'm so tired." He said. "I know I said I'd pay the drinks, and that included dinner, but...I honestly have no energy left in me. Maybe, I can take you out for breakfast tomorrow before we get to the Ministries." He suppressed a yawn. "I wanna leave, I don't know what we're still doing here." The second he looked up, Amélie pressed her lips against his. Theseus' eyes opened wildly before closing, his grip around the organised pages went loose and they fell to their feet while his hands found her waist.

"Me neither." She said in between kisses. Theseus stood up and pulled her closer to him without breaking the kiss. It was urged, desperate, passionate. A kiss of lust and desire that made their skin burn. He turned them around and Élie was against the desk, her hand found the edge of the table, dropping the ink container and causing it to spill over the wooden floors. Eventually, the air lacked and the room turned too hot to handle, they had to break the kiss. His blue eyes looking deep into her green orbs.

"Not asking you to dinner first is not very gentleman-ish from me." She chuckled and shrugged as he smiled.

"I don't need dinner." A beat. "I need you."

"You what?" He asked, his lips adorned with a coy smile.

"I need you." He leaned closer to her lips again.

"You need me?" She nodded, biting her lip slightly.

"I need you as much as I need the air that I breathe." Theseus smiled. "Do you need me?" She asked with their lips almost touching.

"I do need you." Amélie could feel his breath against her mouth.

"How much?"

"Desperately." He kissed her with passion and a moment later, they broke apart to gather their belongings and headed out of MACUSA. Amélie and Theseus arrived at the Inn where they were staying and went straight up to his bedroom.

  Once the door was closed, he pressed his lips against hers gently. She removed his coat, he removed hers. He took off his blazer and suspenders, she removed hers. Without breaking the kiss, he unbuttoned her shirt while she unbuckled the belt of his trousers. Then, he worked on her pants while she worked on his shirt.

  When the fabric had fallen to the ground, Theseus' hands found Amélie's back and caressed her skin. The second her lips found his neck, he unclipped her bra and let it fall to the ground as they moved towards the bed.

  Theseus positioned himself in top of Amélie, but that didn't last long. Soon enough she was above him and he played with her hair. A moment later, when heat was flooding the room, they became one again after a very long time. A time in which their bodies craved and longed that connection.

  Like Scamander had promised, he made love to her in a way he hadn't before. It's interesting how the passion, the gentleness, the roughness, the tenderness and lust change when you know everything can be over as if it had only been a fever dream the very next morning.

  As they reached down from their high, Amélie cried. She thanked for the fact that her face was against the pillow and he was looking at her naked back from above. When both were done, Theseus laid down beside her and she turned around, whipping her tears with the pillowcase.

  Both stared at the ceiling for a while sharing only silence as their breathes regulated. Theseus incorporated, sitting down, and proceeded to look at her side profile as Amélie's eyes closed, a silent tear made its way down her cheek.

"Goodness, was it that bad?" He asked, her eyes snapped open and a tender smile that shone underneath the moonlight that came in through the window appeared on her lips accompanied by a sweet chuckle. Theseus whipped her tear away gently and kissed the side of her head.

"It wasn't bad at all." She said. "This actually might've been the best sex I've had in a while."

"You were just touch-starved." She scoffed.

"You're one to talk." He smiled and looked at his hands. "You hadn't moaned my name that way ever before." Theseus laughed and blushed. "And even if we were touch-starved," She went on after a while. "it was good. Very good. You make everything feel good." He looked at her and Amélie chuckled alongside him.

"Thank you." Rosier nodded. "But...why are you crying, then?" She sighed.

  Could she tell him? Tell him how she cried because she misses him? Because she had missed him all this time? Because she longed for the day he'd speak what he feels? Because she craved his kiss, his taste, his touch? Because she knows her heart, body and soul would never belong to another man they way they belonged to him? Because she loved him? And because she always will?

"We're at war." Élie answered instead.Theseus sighed, for a moment she wondered if he understood the meaning of her words.

"I know. I know, but we'll end this. We'll survive this and Grindelwald will be locked behind bars, Vinda...she'll be too and you'll be safe." He hadn't. He didn't. "Listen, when everything's over, the world will be at peace and you and I will go to your Mum's old house and live a quiet life in the countryside. Just like you said you'd like to do someday."

Amélie smiled. Her heart twirled in her ribcage at the thought and the fact that he remembered her words from a quiet and distant night they spent in France looking out the window with a glass of wine in hand. It meant more since he said he wouldn't move out of his home, at least not in a future he saw any near.

However, she made her heart stop dancing when she recalled why she said what she had said. We're at war. A sigh left her lips as she stood up and grabbed the shirt he had left on the floor and put it on, then, Amélie made her way towards her bag and pulled out the small box of cigarettes and took one out. She made her way towards the window, opened it and lit up the cigar. And Theseus knew she felt anxious, for she had told him when and how she picked up that hideous habit.

"That's not what I mean." Theseus frowned and shifted in his seat as he thought what could she meant then. He couldn't understand and simply asked.

"Alright...in that case, what do you mean?"

"I mean that..." She exhaled the smoke. "We are at war." She pointed at themselves. "At least our minds and hearts are." Theseus' frown increased. "I like the way you make me feel, when we're here in our bedsheets, when we protect each other's backs in the field, when we take care of each other in the intimacy of our houses." Theseus took a mental note about the way Amélie said 'our bedsheets' but avoided the word 'homes'. "I like the way my heart skips a beat whenever you look my way because I am madly in love with you." Theseus' heart was the one to skip a beat now. However, he knew a 'but' was incoming. "But, despite all that, I hate the way you break my heart when you can't speak what you truly feel for me when I could scream it through the rooftops if you asked me to. Even if you didn't." Amélie looked away for a second. "I feel like you tolerate it, you know?" She added after a pause.

"Tolerate what?"

"My love. Like it's something you barely deal with. And it's something I know should be celebrated, reciprocated, but you seem to simply tolerate it."

"It is reciprocated, Élie."

"Yeah, when we make love, when you kiss me, when you cook for me, when you walk me home or to the Ministry holding my hand or my arm, when you look after me or worry when I have a cut or a bruise on my skin. I know you do love me in your own way and you demonstrate it through actions." He exhaled. "But I, personally, need to hear it most of all."

"I'm sorry." He sighed.

"I am, too."

"Why? You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I don't know if it's too intense or too much for me to ask for this."

"No, no. It isn't, that's valid. And don't overthink it. I'm the one who's truly sorry." He said as he looked at his hands, when he looked up at her, he caught her whipping a tear away. "I just...I don't think I'll ever give you peace." She smiled tenderly.

"Don't say that."

"I feel it's true. I mean, I could bet all my wealth that over the course of these past months, whenever you think of me you don't feel good. You feel sad because..." He sighed. "Because I broke your heart." Élie simply looked at Theseus and noted how his eyes were glued to her hair to distract him from meeting her gaze. "That's why I feel like I could never give you peace, because I'll always bring blue storms to our shore."  He stood up and threw on his undergarments before approaching her. "Do you have another one of those?" She nodded and pulled out another cigarette, which he took. Amélie proceeded to light up a match and he turned on his cigar. "Thanks."

"Sure. I didn't know you smoked."

"It's something I picked up from the war, just like you. I rely more on whiskey, though." She nodded and exhaled, too as she thought of the words he had just said. Blue storms to our shore.

"You know what?" He looked at her as he exhaled the smoke out the window. "I don't care." He blinked twice. "I'll be a fire and keep your heart warm, even after the storms." He smiled.

"People started to speak, you know?"

"About?"

"Us. I heard whispers in the Ministry about us sleeping together, people noticed our proximity." She scoffed. "They say love's for show."

"I would die for you."

"I would die for you, too. And it ain't a secret." This cracked a smile in her lips. "But, would that be enough? Swinging with you for the fences? I'd give you my wild, my heart, my soul. My everything."

"And what about your words? Your breath? If we're talking about stuff we can give to each other, you know I'd sit with you in the trenches, give you my all, even a child." He looked at her side profile with shock while she looked at the city lights, took a puff of her cigar, and exhaled. Theseus remembered how, on one of those many nights he spent in Paris, Amélie told him she wouldn't have kids, not after what Vinda did to her. "I'd give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other, you're the family that I chose now that I see your brother as my brother. Is that enough?" She looked at him.

"More than enough. And I'd give you my sunshine, give you my best. But with my past...with the mind that owns me, the rain is always gonna come if you're standing with me." She looked at him and watched him take a deep puff before he blew the smoke out and extinguished the cigarette on the brick where they're reclining theirs arms at the edge of the window.

"I don't mind the rain. I never have, and never will, Theseus. The storm lives in me as well." His blue eyes met her green eyes. "And I'll stand with you in the rain because...because I love you." He held his breath. "But I can't just live with a man that won't tell me if he loves me and certainly won't tell me if he doesn't. I want to break free from that, but what would you do if I do it? If I break free and leave us in ruins? Took this dagger off me and removed it? Gain the weight of you then lose it?" he gulped. "Believe me, I could do it."

"I know you could. You've done it before." She frowned.

"What?"

"Took the dagger off you and sticking it into my chest."

"And whose fault was it?" They looked away towards the window.

"That's rude."

"I'm sorry." She sighed, finished her cigarette and extinguished it. "Is just that...it's frustrating overthinking all of this; thinking that, even if you say that it is enough, it isn't." Her eyes met his profile and he turned to look at her. "If it's all in my head tell me now. Tell me I've got it wrong somehow. Tell me that you don't tolerate me, tell me that you love me." He took a deep breath and thought: don't think too much, just say what you think. Say what you feel. What you truly feel. He closed his eyes for a second as he exhaled and his hands cupped her face.

"You have it wrong, Amélie. I don't tolerate you or your love because-" Only air left his mouth and she felt hope. Her hands finding his. "Because I- I...I-" Her eyes begged and his closed, defeated. He couldn't win over his fears again. Amélie's face turned sad and grabbed his hands into hers. Theseus' head fell on her shoulder and he cried. Then he groaned and stepped away. "Fuck!"

While Theseus ran his hands through his hair, Amélie took off his shirt and dressed up with her clothes, he turned around when he heard movement. Flashes of the last battle they had had came back to him in a blur, all the bloodshed caused by words spoken, all the tears. He couldn't bare the sight and feeling of it. "Please don't leave." He placed himself in front of her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I need you." Amélie bit her lip and stroke his hair.

"I need you, too, Theseus. But I can't. We can't. At least...not yet." She breathed in. "I need to leave. Please, let go."

"That is something you know I cannot do. I can't let go of you." She breathed out.

"Theseus, please. Let me go." He looked up at her and saw how Amélie was looking away, the sight of Theseus crying was unbearable too. "Please." She said in an almost inaudible whisper. Slowly, Theseus' grip around her softened until it was non-existent. "We are stuck and I really cannot go on like this any longer." She sighed and walked towards the door.

"At least stay the night. Please." She looked at him and then at the wood before her. She damned herself for letting go of the metal of the doorknob. Without any words, she took off her clothes again and laid back beside him.

Amélie didn't want to leave at all, she'll always want to stay. Always, no matter what. For Scamander is and will always be her reason to stay, to even wish to be alive. Without him, she'd have nothing.

Theseus' strong arms wrapped around her and her head fell over his chest, and both cried themselves to sleep as they knew that their love affair had, most likely, come to an end to vanish as the fever dream they had tried to anticipate themselves for. Truth is, none of them are ready for that dream to end.

Halfway through the night, Amélie woke up to find Theseus' relaxed face beside her. He was deep in his sleep, breathing calmly. She just watched him breathe and smiled when she assumed he wasn't having any nightmares.

"I love you." She whispered and kissed the corner of his lips without waking him up. "Goodbye, Theseus." Amélie gathered her belongings and dressed up before walking out of his bedroom. When the door closed, Theseus opened his eyes slowly. He closed his eyes again as he drifted back into sleep.