Note: Inspired somehow by Poldark (Excuse my distraction. Eleanor and Aidan were amazing!). I hope you all enjoy this and that I get to pull this off (fingers crossed).
Standard disclaimers apply.
The coast was calm on an early Sunday morning as two individuals appeared in one of its cliffs.
The woman appeared resigned, shoulders stooped and countenance blank. Shadows beneath her eyes suggested sleepless nights. The sea called to her, gaze searching the horizon for things unseen. She felt the breeze on her face like an old friend greeting.
Years passed since she last visited the place, yet its vastness always left her in awe. The calmness on top of the cliff. The lushness of the field peppered with wildflowers. The contrast of the sharpness of the rocks from the swells of the sea. She gave herself a moment to savor nature in manner she rarely sees it.
Deciding to come was more difficult than she imagined. Tina wasn't one to spontaneously jump off buildings - that would be -
Tina took a deep breath.
She turned back. From a distance, the bungalow stood amidst a sea of greens. Its roughness added to the charm of being a lone house for miles, compelling any visitor approaching. Tina stooped down to remove her shoes, letting the coolness of grass relax the muscles of her foot as she took a stroll towards the house.
She reached the porch, careful to skip the creaking step. Hesitation prevented her from moving further, recalling all the reasons she should not proceed. Biting her lip in nervousness, Tina wondered if she could still turn back and apparate.
The door opened before she even knocked.
Tousled caramel hair and green eyes observed her from behind the door.
Swallowing, Tina gave the person a small smile. "Hello Newt."
She knew something unexpected was going on when she woke up feeling nauseous to the smell of the Kowalski's handmade pie.
Tina rarely get second helpings (even third) of food. That pie was one of the few.
She rushed to the en suite bathroom, emptying her stomach with non-existent food. She had been feeling under the weather in the past few days, even taking a day off work to battle whatever illness she acquired. Queenie assumed it was a mix of sadness and loneliness, reminding her of the recent departure of a certain magizoologist by Dumbledore's request.
War is escalating. Grindelwald has begun to spread terror in European cities surrounding Britain. MACUSA's fears were not unfounded. Security was heightened in all corners of magical America. Tina, being one of the more recognized aurors, had been given successive shifts. It hadn't helped that she rarely sleeps with Newt in town, relishing every moment together. Time is a rare commodity for them, after all.
War hasn't been the only thing escalating in Tina's life.
Poor appetite. Fatigue. Nausea (and she suspected vomiting if she were to go out and join her sister and brother in law in the kitchen). She is no healer, but she isn't ignorant.
Tina stripped off her sleepwear, letting the silky material slide to the floor. She took note of her naked form, detaching herself for a moment and looking for any significant changes.
She turned to her side, touching her still flat stomach.
She reached for her wand, which fell on the floor with her robe and thin camisole dress.
Whispering a spell she never thought she would mutter until later (after marriage, after war), she closed her eyes.
The sensation of warmth it radiated only confirmed her fears.