Name of drabble: Baby Steps

Pairing: Newt/Tina

Prompt: Babysitting

Prompter: Lamia of the Dark

"You want me to do what now?"

Tina stared incredulously at the child in her sister's arms.

"Babysit Ruthie." Queenie smiled down at her baby. The child giggled and waved her chubby fists in the air innocuously.

"Let me get this straight. You want me to babysit Ruthie. Your child."

Queenie lovingly smoothed back Ruthie's brown hair. "Of course I do. Jacob has a business conference in Philadelphia, and I have to go with him. And frankly, I'd rather you babysit Ruthie. It's practice for when, you know..."

Tina bit her lip. Lately, she and Newt had been toying around with the idea of having a baby, since her sister had one. To be honest, she'd been contemplating about it ever since Queenie had announced her pregnancy.

Now, Tina watched as Queenie affectionately tickled the baby, resulting in the baby's cheerful laugh ringing merrily through the air. Queenie's baby was quite beautiful, with a cherubic face, big blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a tinkling laugh.

"Okay," Tina relented, reaching out and brushing Ruthie's hair lightly with her fingers, "I'll watch her."

Queenie beamed with delight. "Thank you, Teen! You have no idea how much this means to me."

Tina gently took the baby from her sister's arms. The baby squealed as she was transferred from one pair of arms to another.

"When are you leaving?" Tina asked, bouncing Ruthie softly.

"Thursday," Queenie answered indifferently, her intelligent eyes following the baby's movements.

"She's hungry," Queenie said suddenly.

Ruthie did indeed look hungry, her face pouting and her wide eyes staring imploringly at her mother.

"If you'll excuse me." Queenie daintily exited the room, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor.

Tina sighed. Now to tell Newt.

Newt took the information in stride. Caring for children was practically his second nature. With his numerous beasts, he was natural-born mother.

Tina was more anxious, however, as she'd never taken care of her children. It wasn't as if she had a role-model to follow in the footsteps of. Tina and Queenie had basically raised themselves, with little help.

Queenie dropped Ruthie off at their place at promptly eight in the morning. Newt was occupied with feeding his creatures, so Tina was alone with Ruthie.

The girl looked expectantly up at Tina, an inquisitive look in her large eyes. "Wan' Mama," she mumbled.

Tina released a heavy breath. "I'm sorry, dear, but Mama isn't here. It's me and you and your uncle Newt.""New'," Ruthie repeated, brightening at the name.

"That's right. Here he comes now."

Newt walked into the kitchen, his eyes immediately landing on the baby in his wife's arms. "I suppose Queenie already stopped by?"

"She did," Tina confirmed, "and she brought us a little package."

Ruthie's round eyes swiveled around to Newt, and she stretched her tiny arms out towards him, wordlessly requesting for her to be moved to Newt's arms. Tina passed Ruthie over to him, and Newt looked down warmly at her.

"She's quite bewitching," Newt remarked, stroking her hair, "Of course, she inherited her mother's charm, so she'll have boys drooling all over her when she goes to school."

Tina gave a small laugh. "Don't mention that to Jacob," she warned jokingly, "He's not prepared to see his little girl grow up yet."

"Right," murmured Newt absentmindedly, a new, hopeful light in his eyes. His mind was drifting away to another ambition of his, something he'd been wondering about for a while, but was too afraid to ask.

"What's wrong, darling?" Tina asked concernedly, upon noticing the slight gleam in her husband's eyes. It wasn't the malicious type, but he was yearning for something, but his memories of his youth were springing up again; the shy, unconfident side to Newt had returned for the briefest of moments. As a child, he was not permitted to ask such childish questions, therefore, he still hesitated sometimes in adulthood.

"Nothing." Newt snapped out of his daze and shook himself. "Nothing's the matter, dear."

"If you say so..." Tina was not completely assured; she still had some reservations, but put them aside. It wasn't the time to press him. There was still a child in Newt's arms.

"What do you suggest we do with her first?" Tina inquired. This was more Newt's department than hers; she was still adjusting to the fact that there was a baby in the house. She wanted one, but it didn't mean she was absolutely prepared for the huge responsibility that came with taking care of one. Babies were cute, but they were dependent primarily on the mother, or in this case, the babysitters.

"I was thinking—wait, has Queenie fed her already? We can't do anything until she has been."

Tina opened her mouth to answer, but Ruthie did it for her. She burped loudly, her chest heaving, and the pair chuckled. "There's our answer," Newt joked, "You're a clever thing, aren't you?"

Ruthie giggled. Her giggle was like music to their ears; so sweet and melodic. Tina was instantly enchanted by it.

"She's so beautiful," Tina mused, gazing with tenderness at the small girl in her husband's arms, "So angelic...so innocent...so unaware of the troubled world she's growing up in. And yet, she is so blissfully peaceful. I wonder what it would be like to not worry about anything."

"I want one," said Newt unexpectedly, blushing at Tina's incredulous stare, "I mean, only if you want one."

Tina looked from Newt, to Ruthie, and back to Newt. She noted the earnest look on his face as he played with Ruthie."I-I think I want one too," Tina agreed, almost inaudibly. Her face was glowing with heartfelt longing.

Ruthie, impatiently waiting for the spotlight to focus back on her, squealed piercingly. Their attention effectively diverted, appeased her with a genial smile, but secretly shared a glance of jubilation. They were ready for this, no matter what the stakes.

They had just taken a baby step, but there were more to come, but these were going to be bigger and more formidable. This was just the beginning.