[Why does he keep doing this. Why does he keep befriending these - these fucking martyring, self-sacrificial, selfless types who think they can fucking save him? What is it about him that draws them to him like a magnet?]
No. No, you don’t. You need to forget what you saw, ‘cause that’s the only way any of this goes away!
[It’s wanting to help, needing to help, that walked Jay into the line of fire. It was his stupid optimistic impulse to try and fix someone else’s years-old problems that got him where he is now. He’s not doing that to someone else. He’s not.]
[She can’t know. She can’t know how much he doesn’t want to do this again. How much he can’t watch some other well-meaning Good Samaritan sink down this pit and never crawl back out.]
[Her first instinct is to keep pushing this. To just-- twist her way in, break down the walls, get something. The fear of running into the unknown is lessened somewhat from the years she's been going, but it's still there. She can still be afraid.
But this isn't working. So she relents. Shepard pulls herself to her feet, making no motions to quiet her footsteps.]
[Fuck. Hell if he remembers. Hell if he remembers what he promised her or didn't, right now. He can't promise anything but the fact that he's ruined her. He's ruined her, and everything she knows is going to burn.]
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Some of my best friends are liars. Cheaters and scoundrels, too. Tim, you're not some irredeemable demon. And I believe that even if you don't.
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[Why does he keep doing this. Why does he keep befriending these - these fucking martyring, self-sacrificial, selfless types who think they can fucking save him? What is it about him that draws them to him like a magnet?]
Just - stop!
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[She has to.]
If you don't wanna talk now, that's fine, but-- I'm not just dropping you.
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[It’s wanting to help, needing to help, that walked Jay into the line of fire. It was his stupid optimistic impulse to try and fix someone else’s years-old problems that got him where he is now. He’s not doing that to someone else. He’s not.]
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[And she knows she can't do it alone.]
I need you more than you need me right now. I know that. So I can't give up.
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[She can’t know. She can’t know how much he doesn’t want to do this again. How much he can’t watch some other well-meaning Good Samaritan sink down this pit and never crawl back out.]
Just try and forget. I’m not doing this again.
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But this isn't working. So she relents. Shepard pulls herself to her feet, making no motions to quiet her footsteps.]
Fine. But we have to talk, Tim. Eventually.
You did promise.
[And she starts to walk off.]
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[Fuck. Hell if he remembers. Hell if he remembers what he promised her or didn't, right now. He can't promise anything but the fact that he's ruined her. He's ruined her, and everything she knows is going to burn.]
[Because of you.]