Salamander's Eyes

Part twenty-two

Tina stared at him, completely taken by surprise, every thought blown out of her head.

"W-what?", she stuttered.

"Marry me. I mean, would you?", he asked again, very nervous and insecure now that Tina seemed to be this confused. "Because if you don't...you just have to tell me, but...maybe you would-... I thought you might...consider it? You don't have to, of course, b-but...if you really want..to become my w-wife...I would be...honoured..", Newt lost the thread and his voice faded away as he stared on the floor, his cheeks blushing in embarrassment.
Tina gathered her senses and as soon as she had, the most beautiful smile appeared on her face, accompanied by a feeling of pure bliss filling her whole body. She couldn't think of a moment she had ever been so happy. But Newt noticed nothing of all this, for he hadn't found the courage to look at her yet - but he did now, as he heard her answer.

"Yes"

His eyes found Tina's, slight astonishment showing in his, hers wet with pure joy, and he felt how a smile stole its way on his face as well.

"Really?"

"Yes! Yes, of course, yes, yes..", Tina laughed, blinking away her happy tears and hugging the still slightly surprised but blissfully happy man in front of her.

„But I have a condition", she told him after a while, when she had calmed down and gathered her thoughts.

"Which?", Newt asked slightly surprised.

"Take me with you."

"What?" A wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows.

"I want to come with you, when you travel for your work, search and study new creatures", she explained, "Promise me that I can accompany you."

Newt stared at her, apparently trying to make out if he could have understood her words correctly, his gaze full of surprise and slight confusion.

"Are you serious?", he asked, eyebrows raised at her.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't joke about something like this, so, yes, of course I am", she assured him with a laugh at his expression.

"You want to come with me..on my travels?", he reassured himself and Tina nodded.

"But what about your work for MACUSA? You're such a brilliant auror and I know you love to be one.."

"I'm planning to ask Mme Picquery if I can work  as an auror in foreign countries..", Tina explained, "but if not, I'll change my profession and help you with yours."

"But..", Newt started again, still unable to believe that she meant her words.

"Can't you just accept it?", she interrupted him. "I promise that I'll be happy, I've already thought it through and I love your work at least as much as my own...and I love you, so it would be a little price to pay if working with you instead of MACUSA means we can be together", she ended firmly. Newt stared at her, lost for words.

"Don't you want me to come with you?", Tina asked, sounding slightly insecure, although she didn't actually think that this could be the reason for Newt's hesitation.

"No..no, of course I want you to", he finally told her. "I couldn't imagine anything more wonderful, to be honest...I-I just don't want that you have to give up anything you love because of me.."

"Didn't you just say you would do exactly the same for me?" Tina interrupted him.

"Yes, yes I did, but...that's not-"

"Not the same, you were about to say? Well, why not? Why shouldn't I be allowed to make this decision too? Didn't you hear me when I said I would be just as happy doing your work as my own? But even if I wasn't...-I love you, Newt, don't you understand that? I love you and I want to be with you and it doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing there, I'll be happy just because it will be with you!" Tina had gotten more and more into her desperate attempt to show him how serious she was about what she was saying, calming down again now, she felt rather downcast.

"But I don't want to argue with you, I...I just....-" She sighed, followed by a moment of silence.

"You're marvellous", Newt finally whispered.

"What?" Tina asked, bewildered by this sudden change of temper. 

"You're incredible", he said with a wry smile. "I can't believe that you're willing to do this for me..but if you're sure.."

"I am sure. Completely sure..and I'm not only doing it for you", she added warmly, "It's for both of us."

"Well then, Miss Porpentina Goldstein", Newt smiled, "will you marry me?"

"You already asked me that", Tina said amused.

"I know, I just wanted to hear your answer again", he grinned.

"In that case: Yes", she said, her smile no less broad than his,
"I will."