When Christmas Eve came to London, the weather was typical for the city: cold, dull, and rainy. The late afternoon found nearly each occupant of the building in the ground-floor flat. Jacob had taken over the kitchen, in the final stages of making his Christmas Eve supper. Nagini was helping him, handing him tools and lending a hand when he asked for it. Theseus helped too by preparing and setting the table (he'd magically extended the little kitchen table to accommodate Jacob's meal and five people).

Right after a white table cloth and five place settings had been set up perfectly, the door to the basement opened. Newt headed to his magnificent Christmas tree with a pail, and Bunty hurried to the coat stand by the door.

"Miranda's finally fallen asleep, poor thing," said Newt, beginning to hand out wood lice to the fairies on his Christmas tree.

Miranda was his Murtlap, who'd come down with a nasty fever the night before and now seemed to be on the mend. Bunty had stayed until she was settled, for she'd never have forgiven herself if she'd left behind a sick creature, and now she had to hurry home for Christmas.

"Are you sure you can't stay for dinner, Bunty?" asked Nagini as she brought a bowl of fruit salad to the table.

Bunty smiled apologetically as she buttoned her coat. "I wish I could, but my train leaves in half an hour and there won't be another until tomorrow. And my family would never forgive me if I missed the treasure hunt tonight."

"Then at least take something for the road," Jacob insisted, motioning towards the kitchen.

Bunty grinned, flicked out her wand, and a drumstick from the chicken that Jacob had just pulled from the oven flew into her free hand. Giggling, she hurried to the front door before Jacob could react. When she opened it, she saw a taxicab pull up right outside of the building. She recognized the passenger's profile in the back seat.

Turning her head, she called into the flat, "Yusuf has just pulled up in a taxi!"

"Just in time!" said Theseus happily, folding up the paper.

"I'll leave the door open for him," said Bunty, and then she waved to them all merrily. "Happy holidays, everybody!"

The men returned the sentiment gladly with a wave and a smile, and Nagini hugged her goodbye.

Once she'd shut the front door behind her, Bunty turned on the front stoop to greet Yusuf as he came out of the cab. He smiled at her with a twinkle in his eye and then turned back to the taxi. This confused Bunty, especially when she saw that he was reaching out a hand. Someone else had arrived in the taxi…And as the person stepped out with Yusuf's assistance, Bunty nearly dropped her drumstick as she gasped.

It was Tina Goldstein!

The American auror looked a bit thinner and paler since the last time Bunty had seen her, but Tina's entire expression lit up when she saw Newt's building in front of her. She grinned fully when she saw the red-headed witch.

Bunty had never envisioned feeling so happy to see this woman, but she truly was. So much so that she rushed forward and nearly tackled Tina with a hug. To Tina's credit, despite her surprise, she returned the hug enthusiastically. "Merry Christmas, Bunty! I'm glad I got to see you before you left."

"Merry Christmas, Tina! Oh, Newt will be so happy to see you! They all will be!" She spoke from the heart, and the words were joyful. For two months, she had witnessed Newt's sadness of being separated from Tina, and now, the next time Bunty saw him after the holidays, he would be what she wanted him to be: happy.

Tina pulled back from the hug and gave Bunty a very meaningful look. "Thank you," she said, saying so much with those two words.

Bunty, her throat suddenly a little choked, could only nod. She then turned to Yusuf, who'd stepped back respectfully and still held the taxi door open. "And Merry Christmas to you too, Yusuf! I've left the door open."

Yusuf nodded, and nodded towards the taxi. "Thank you, Bunty. I've paid the driver for you; should get you to the station in plenty of time."

Bunty grinned at him and happily stepped into the taxi. She watched through the car window as Yusuf led Tina up the front steps, and she saw them enter the building just before the cab turned the corner.

Pound…Pound…Pound…

This was how Tina's heart was beating as Yusuf led her up the front steps and to the front door. He looked at her with that piercing look so characteristic of him. To the people he cared for, that piercing gaze was softened by true gentleness, as it was now. "Are you ready?"

Tina looked at the door, took a deep breath (it did nothing to slow her heart but her eyes became clearer), and then looked back at Yusuf. He had been her saving grace during the past week; it was because of him that she was now home. She'd already thanked him with all her heart several times, and he had accepted modestly. She gave him a soft smile and nodded.

He kissed her forehead and then reached for the door handle. But before he could grasp the handle, it turned on its own. Then the door was open, and there stood Theseus with a welcoming smile on his face.

"Yusuf, welcome ba…" His voice faded as he saw who was standing beside Yusuf on the stoop. First, there was astonishment, and then a grin burst onto his face. He pulled Tina inside and enveloped her in a hug; Yusuf followed and shut the front door behind them.

Tina chuckled as she returned Theseus's hug; she's always found it rather touching that a head auror/war hero enjoyed hugging those he loved so much.

Over his shoulder, she saw that Nagini had followed Theseus to the door. Her hands were covering his joyous smile. Tina gladly hugged her once Theseus let her go to shake Yusuf's hand. "I'm so glad you're home," Nagini murmured against her shoulder.

"Me too, honey," Tina murmured back, kissing Nagini's cheek.

"TINA! Oh, my God!"

The joyous exclamation came from a joyous Jacob, who immediately pulled Tina in for the next hug. The auror practically collapsed into the baker's embrace. He had been her rock in New York City, and he was truly her brother now. The familial feeling was so strong that she almost wanted to cry.

And then she looked over Jacob's shoulder…and she saw Newt again.

The magizoologist had moved to the table, ready to eat. He stood beside his chair, frozen, staring at her. The astonishment was in every freckle and crease of his face, and in his eyes, she saw the fear that this was all just a dream.

She recognized it because she felt it herself. These last two months apart had been much harder than the first nine months apart between New York and Paris had been. Many times she had dreamed of Newt only to wake up and be reminded that he was three thousand miles away. But now…

Jacob, sensing that Tina had spotted Newt by the way her body went still in his hug, gently broke the gesture and stepped to her side. Smiling, he gently pushed her towards him, and she moved on shaking legs slowly towards him. He, too, stepped unsteadily towards him. The other four stood silently and respectfully back, knowing that they had completely disappeared as far as the two of them were concerned.

Newt and Tina stopped when they were in reach of each other, but they just stood there staring for the first few moments. Now close enough to inhale his scent, his unique Newt scent, again, the tears that had gathered in Tina's eyes spilled out and over her cheeks.

Thankfully, this was more than enough for Newt to bridge the gap. His hands reached up, cupping her face gently, his thumps brushing away the tears. Tina thought her pounding heart might explode.

"Tina…" Newt murmured, his voice cracking and his eyes wet.

"Newt…" Tina breathed, a smile lighting her lips.

In the background, Jacob smiled to himself. For once, he was reminded of a Paris memory that wasn't painful: finding Tina in that sewer, and the two of them had said each other's names in exactly the same way.

Pickett, who had been the closest witness to this reunion from the breast pocket of Newt's waistcoat, was also over the moon to see Tina again. And he now showed this by climbing out of Newt's pocket, up onto his shoulder, along his right arm and stopping atop his wrist. From there, he squeaked and chattered with joy in between the kisses he planted on Tina's cheek and nose.

And Tina laughed. Her laugh was crystal clear like a silver Christmas bell, and it was contagious. Newt laughed too (with only a little exasperation for his bowtruckle), and so did the four witnesses to the reunion.

With red cheeks, Newt pulled back his hands (and bowtruckle) from Tina's face and tucked the latter back into his pocket. With red cheeks, Tina allowed Nagini to take her coat from her (Nagini had already taken Yusuf's coat and hat after giving him his own hug). Jacob then hurried back to the kitchen so that he could bring the rest of the food to the table, and Theseus conjured up another chair and place setting at the table for Tina.

Within minutes, the family was sitting around the table that Christmas Eve, eating an amazing meal and talking in between bites.

Tina and Yusuf told the story of how, after he had heard from the others about Tina's plight in New York, had gotten himself to the city. With his help, her team had found the smuggler and his headquarters, bringing him in just in time for Christmas Eve. Theseus and Jacob gladly caught the two of them up on the goings on in London, and Nagini and Newt eagerly filled them in on how the creatures were doing.

Of course, Newt and Tina sat next to each other and could barely keep their eyes off each other for more than a few seconds. Underneath the table, they were touching. Not with their hands, no (Theseus had playfully reminded them that they needed both hands to eat). But underneath the table, Newt's left foot and Tina's right foot were planted firmly on the carpet, the toes of their shoes resting against the other.

After a long two months apart, this was enough – for now.