"Honestly! I'm fine." I huffed as both Newt and Aurelius let out various sighs of annoyance that I'd smacked my temple so hard I had a large red bump. Might have had a gash too, but if you asked me-it was all fine. I'd heal.

"Ara, if you stop moving I'd be done so much faster." Newt mumbled into my ear, his eyes glancing at mine for only a short second before he focused back on my forehead. Even the bloody Niffler was clicking back at my fussing. I was just going to wave a wand over it but Newt had insisted we just took a breather instead.

He was somehow under the impression that me smacking my head against a patch of ice meant I wouldn't be very good at magic for the moment. It was utterly embarrassing is what this was. Jacob was now sitting by a stupid frozen lake, watching Newt fuss over my stupid face because of my stupid legs-

"Ow!" I hissed, biting down on my lower lip when Newt pressed a tad too hard against the welt.

"Sorry, love."

I paused at the nickname, pondering if I really had hit my head that hard, or if perhaps Newt had smacked his head as well. When I peered at my companion, I found him staring solely at the wound.

His face hadn't turned scarlet as it usually did. Nor did he seem to mind glancing curiously at me for a short second before he'd turned his attention back to my temple. Alright, Ara. You have most definitely knocked the sense right out of your own head.

I didn't turn my eyes away from him since he hadn't minded making some strong eye-contact with me lately anyway. Now it was my turn to stare a hole into his frame, hah-take that, Newt.

He wasn't paying much attention to me, apparently. Either that, or he didn't mind my outright staring at the blond stubble and freckles which covered a good bit of his face. I almost wanted him to be at least a little unnerved. Come on, I could be fearsome. Right? Had I lost that quality over our travels?

I knew I'd lost a good bit of sense. Why else would I be out here sitting on the side of a frozen lake with Newt trying to clean pebbles and dirt out of my forehead right now?

Maybe I ought to just kiss him, bet that would get him to leave my head alone. Yea-

"Alright. There we go. One down, two more to go, was it?" I blinked as I realised that Newt had finished fussing about with my head without me even noticing. Perhaps a good nap was all I needed...probably not.

In the back of my more logical-or rather less panicked mind-it synthesised that he really only cared because well...he cared. I had the option to give information-to my gain-nonetheless, I didn't. Why didn't I?

Many sorries for such a short chapter, I do realise it's A.) completely out of the blue, and B.) INCREDIBLY SHORT.

Trust me when I say, I'm likely more sorry than you are. I had a lot of plans for this, but here we are.

But! I am back, not really in black, but I am back!

-Christi.

Reviewers see here!

Guest or rather you know who, or 4: Please understand and know that I genuinely, I mean Genuinely, don't find your questions or reviews as insane or annoying! Also, it was not a guess. I don't really guess. I make educated guesses ;) (that felt less creepy writing as it did seeing it. But, please understand I have lived a wee bit longer and have picked up tools of the trade, so to speak.)

Also, as for how newt knew or figured out he loved/liked ara, or reverse-I actually couldn't tell you. I have found that we all fall in love for our own reasons, sometimes unbeknownst to us, and sometimes during when we least expect it. I'd based Ara's stubbornness off my own, to be honest-I am genuinely as stubborn as mule when I want to be. I actually just-and I mean about an hour ago-figured out that I have somehow based Newt's character off of my boyfriend's personality. To be perfectly honest, I knew him when I'd started Ara's story but I didn't think of him as such. Never even spoke to him outside of class projects. Yet, as I asked him for his manly input on feelings-they matched weirdly well with how I had pictured newts. As such, I have little to go off except what I've given you in my own personal author notes below.

reasons to care: feel complete with you/where i didnt know you i didnt feel all that happy, when i didnt know you i was kind sad and stuff-didn't know why/ what about me makes you happy/ choked up-cant explain=doesnt know how to explain "i dont know and thats not gonna change, if its similar question i still dont know" /essence is captured somehow- dont know how, but that's love. I guess.

Also, I do remember the vinyl figurines. Their eyes creeped me the hell out. Black soulless nothings. Fun fact though: my own mother always attributed tinkerbell to me. Something about personality and physical looks-well before I began dying the lower half of my hair pink/red-so i guess she stopped attributing looks about 10 years ago. Alsoalso, I had a thing with coca cola for a about a year after i started adhd meds. It calmed my stomach down, didn't especially love the taste though. I haven't read fairy tail in a while, since you apparently posted your own comment-and oddly I do remember it making me smile despite me not having read your comment as far as I can recall. We've got a small world sometimes. (also I do celebrate thanksgiving. I wish you had an account as I'd send you a rather flattering photo of my dog/boyfriend during Thanksgiving.)

I hope you're okay, and well. I've missed coming back to this story and you guys!

greymoonhuntress/Ivegotmadskills/ShamelessGamergirl/Cholrose99/Susan Drakian/Solace Actor/bored411/Ivana Bocanegera/meowmixkitkat/Guest:

Thank you all, so. so. so. much. Seriously. I don't care if you'd comment to say you like carrots, or to support me by not pitying me, or to even pity me. You lot are some of the best readers a gal could ask for. Many many thanks, and I apologise again for the short arse length. Seriously!

Thank you. I hope you're all well, and happy.