Always

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The day before the wedding had begun rather normal. Well, as normal as a household full of creatures and a fiancé who loathes coffee can be. They had both gone to work to sort out anything before taking tomorrow off, sharing their usual breakfast down with the creatures before parting with a kiss. She knew Newt was planning something as he had that look that was bordering between overjoyed and smug, a look more common with Theseus. But she put it aside momentarily as wedding plans had been entirely organised down to Dougals boutonnière thanks to Helena's extensive network of friends and Newt had spent the past few days down in the case organising the wedding area with a small collection of wooden chairs and enough anti-Niffler to charms to stop- well a family of Nifflers allegedly but she was sure she had seen the little devils eyeing up the wards eagerly while she tended to some of the plants in the case. So all in all bordering on the side of dull as she dragged herself into the office. There was still a stillness to the atmosphere but any sadness at the loss of colleagues or exhaustion had been replaced with jubilation at defeating Grindelwald. Many auror departments had returned to their corresponding countries but there was some from Brazil and they obviously the MACUSA group that had been with them since early October. The two rookies had also seemed to have knuckled down but as she walked into the briefing room that morning there was an air of the usual teasing between groups being led by Percival Graves, Theseus and Carlos Silva who seemed to be encouraging the light-hearted banter about continental differences.

"Ah, Goldstein you can back me up. Tea is a waste of time and coffee is superior, no? Or has having an English fiancé finally gotten to you?" Graves asked her as he gestured between the half-drunk cup of tea in Theseus' hand and the mug of coffee in his own.

"Honestly Percy you can't drag the woman who becomes my sister in law tomorrow into this" Theseus whined jokingly and Tina shot back.

"Why 'cause you know you'll lose?"

There was a silence where the only motion was her cocking an eyebrow and Theseus looked at her with eyes narrowed before he brandished his arm and went

"You Americans really have a knack you know!" Before taking a sip of his tea. The American and Brazilian convoy burst out laughing at this comment and Silva chuckled

"You sir, have never had to try and work with a man as proud and proper as an Englishman"

"Alright that's quite enough of that, take a seat everyone" Theseus called over everyone's chuckling with a slight furrow to his brow as he strode to the front of the room.

She nodded and took her seat beside Ben, forcing herself to ignore the two vacant seats beside him.

"Good Morning everyone. Now I know today is the final day for a lot of you as those who have been here for a year on loan from MACUSA will return this weekend and our lovely Brazilian Aurors have a portkey awaiting tomorrow morning. So today is going to be quite dull as we tie up loose ends, cross the t's and dot the I's as it were, but I think we are all glad for a little dullness after the past two years or so. However, I cannot convey this ministry's thankfulness for your continued support and intervention during such a bleak time and it has inspired an entire program based around international cooperation amongst all wizarding communities. There will be some more of that dribble later in the final meeting of today at 3 pm which afterwards you can all go to the pub and enjoy some beers before alcohol becomes scarce in your home countries. Have a good day"

The congregation broke up and started walking to their desks. She started to follow Ben and Tolliver out when Theseus tapped her shoulder and whispered.

"Come to my office"

Narrowing her eyes she followed him to his office and sat down opposite his ostentatious chair. It had been a while since she had been in the heavily furnished office so as he flicked through files she let her eyes wander from the wizarding portraits to the collection of moving photographs which consisted of a portrait of Leta, Leta, Cepheus and Theseus in what looked like the garden and a larger one taken last Christmas with everyone including the American additions besides the Christmas tree. As she let her eyes try and look at the stack of files and- steamer tickets to South Africa she was interrupted by Theseus.