When Jacob and Theseus had reached the second floor, where Jacob's flat was, the baker turned to the auror and said, "You mind if we talk for a while? I can make dinner."

Theseus, who had learned never to turn down anything made by Jacob, nodded and followed Jacob inside his flat. After setting his coat and suitcase aside, Jacob headed into the kitchen. Theseus followed, seating himself at the kitchen table after taking off his own coat.

"So, how are you doing?" asked Jacob as he began cooking. The question was one that was asked by so many to so many, but Jacob's tone revealed the serious and caring nature of the question.

Theseus didn't mind. Far from it, in fact. Both men had lost the woman the that they loved to Grindelwald in Paris – one by murder, one by corruption. The pain was just as strong and poignant for each, and their bonding over shared grief had been the start of their friendship.

"I'm…tolerable," Theseus replied carefully. "I don't think that it will ever stop hurting, and I don't think it should, honestly. Once you accept that rather than try to deny it or avoid it…at least you can find a way through it, you know?"

Jacob nodded. "Sometimes the only way out is through, and there is no way around, above or under."

"Before Paris…I stood against Grindelwald mainly because it was my job to do so. Don't get me wrong, please, Jacob. I've never agreed with Grindelwald's extremist views of non-magic folk. But the main reason that I and the Ministry have stood against Grindelwald is because those views are destroying the peace that our communities have lived under. But now…after Leta…" Theseus paused, blinking hard and swallowing audibly. "It's for her, and all of you. So that you will not live in a society where you will be no better than a beast of burden…and so that nobody else's family will be torn apart by that monster."

Both men shared a moment of silence and resolution, and Jacob expressed his appreciation and gratitude with a look and a nod before turning back to his task.

"And you, Jacob?" asked Theseus, his tone of voice as gentle as he could. "I'm sure that being in New York again couldn't have made it easier for you…"

Jacob heaved a huge and deep sigh as he began chopping up vegetables. "No, it wasn't," he said. He remained quiet while he worked, and Theseus prudently kept silent.

Jacob didn't speak again until a one-pot recipe of chicken and vegetables was in the oven and he was seated across from Theseus at the table. He looked weary, and he rubbed his hand over his face before speaking again. "It wasn't easy to be back there, especially the days I helped Tina pack up their old apartment…God, that was hard…"

Jacob's elbow rested on the table, and his hand covered his eyes for a long few moments. Theseus knew better than to disturb him. The day he had packed up the flat that he'd shared with Leta had been among the most excruciating of his life. Every sight and every object bringing memories you both remembered and forgotten back into your mind…only to remind you that the person you loved was gone.

But then, Jacob lowered his hand and fixed Theseus with a truly sorrowful look. "But you know something, Theseus? As we packed up that apartment, I realized something: as hard as this was for me, it couldn't compare to Tina's heartbreak. I mean, when it was over and she was looking around this bare apartment, where she'd lived all her life…she just completely broke down. She's been so strong since Paris, and if she's cried, she's only let herself cry when alone with Newt. And when she caught her breath again, she kept apologizing for making this harder for me." He sighed, wiping his eyes. "Even in the middle of her sorrow, she still puts others before herself."

Theseus just shook his head. He too had marveled at Tina's strength by observing her in the weeks after Paris. They had spoken at length several times, mostly about Tina's transference to the Ministry from MACUSA, and all that it would entail. Theseus knew what an asset she would be to his team. Theseus then sniffed the air and said, "Judging by the smell coming from the oven, please tell me that what's in there is ready."

Jacob managed a chuckle and got up from the table. He pulled out the one-pot wonder and set it on the table between them. Theseus used his wand to pull plates from the cupboard and divide the meal into equal portions onto them. Jacob poured some milk into glasses and brought them to the table.

Once the two of them were comfortably tucking into their supper, Jacob began a conversation again. "I told Tina the last evening I was with her that we needed to find the beauty and the good in things now more than ever. I'm taking my own advice when I say that there was something good that came from those weeks in New York."

"What was that?" asked Theseus.

"Really getting to know Tina," said Jacob, finally letting himself smile. "To be honest, I didn't really know what to think of her before Paris. I just thought of her as 'Queenie's older sister' most of the time. She struck me as a bit…well, prickly, stressed, awkward and intense."

To Jacob's surprise, Theseus laughed. Thankfully, he soon explained himself. "You could have just described the impression that Newt makes on a lot of people."

Jacob laughed too. "You're right! Those two really are kindred spirits."

They lapsed into a more peaceful silence as they finished their meals. Theseus, wanting to pay Jacob back for the supper, washed the dishes clean with a flick of his wand and sent them back to the cupboards with a second flick. He then turned the conversation into new territory: "Jacob, I'd like your opinion about something. I ask because my brother is very guarded when it comes to this sort of thing.

"It's clear to me that Newt has feelings for Tina…how deeply do you think they run? How serious is he about her?"

Jacob smirked at him, clearly delighted to be able to answer this question. "Well, how about I tell you a few things that I've observed Newt doing since just before going to Paris?" He indicated each point by raising a finger: "He keeps a picture of Tina in his suitcase, he sought my advice about how to express his feelings towards her, he resorted to licking the pavement in order to find her again, described her as beautiful to a person trying to describe her, and looking completely devastated when she walked away from him?" Jacob's smirk widened as he lowered his hand. "And that's only before we left Paris."

Theseus let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head. "Well, he's head over heels, then…and I'm pretty sure that she is, too." A smirk of his own appeared on his face. "The first time I saw her, she and my brother were running away from me in the French Ministry. I tried to stop Newt, and she responded by tying me to a chair with a flick of her wand."

Jacob laughed heartily, and so did Theseus. He had to laugh about that now in retrospect. Tina had once tried to apologize to him for that, but he hadn't the heart to take it. Too much had happened after that to make that incident seem completely ridiculous in comparison.

When he could speak again, Jacob said, "I told you Newt asked me what he should say to Tina when he saw her again. Well, I told him it was best not to plan those kinds of things, you know? Say whatever occurs to him in that moment. You know what he came up with?" He began to giggle as he tried to imitate Newt's accent. "He said, 'She has eyes just like a salamander.'"

Both men practically collapsed over the table in laughter. There was no malice in it at all; it was just so perfectly Newt. Theseus murmured, "Oh, Merlin," as he wiped a tear from his eye. Then, his expression froze in shock and he looked back at Jacob. "Wait…did you say salamander?"

Theseus's tone and expression sobered Jacob's laughter. "Yeah, why?"

The auror leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin as he said, "I've just remembered something that puzzled me at the time…It was about a week before you and Tina left for America. We were all down in Newt's basement, helping him put his creatures to bed. I found Tina sitting by the bowtruckles, but she wasn't looking at them. She was looking into space with a dreamy look on her face. I hated to break it, because I'd never seen her look quite so peaceful, but my curiosity got the better of me. I asked her what she was thinking about, and she blushed beet-root and said, 'Just salamanders,' and wouldn't say anything more about it."

If Jacob had been hit on the head with a brick, he couldn't have looked more stunned. "Oh, man…it actually worked!" He shook his head as a smile formed on his face. "They really are perfect for each other!"

"I don't disagree," said Theseus. "To be honest, it's quite obvious just seeing them standing next to each other."

They both smiled, and because the moment felt right, both men got up from the table. Jacob walked Theseus to his door and handed him his coat.

"Thank you for supper, Jacob, and the company," said Theseus. "You were missed, and honestly, this has been the first good laugh I've had in a while."

"My pleasure," said Jacob. "And I know it's your duty as the big brother to tease the little brother, but maybe not until we know when Tina's coming home? May do more harm than good now."

"Mmm, absolutely," said Theseus, nodding. But after opening the door, he looked over his shoulder at Jacob with a twinkle in his eye. "But the moment that owl arrives…"

Jacob chuckled as he shut the door after Theseus. It was good to be home.