Tim stood outside the front door and took his phone out of his pocket, dialing Jay and receiving voicemail, he said flatly, "I know you're probably asleep right now. But...it's me. I need you to meet me as soon as you get this."

Returning back inside her knelt down and took Sasha in his arms, her face in his chest, lips resting on the top of her head, "This is gonna be hard, Sash." he mumbled gently, "But I need you to do something to keep safe."
"I'm not leaving you." She stated,
"I'm not asking you too, although that would be safer and I'd understand if you did." he answered, "Now listen carefully, this is important." Tim released her and placed his hands on either side of her face, "I need you to forget tonight. I need you to forget this ever happened. All of it. Can you do that?"

"Tim, I...why? What is this? I..."
"Nonono, Sash, no." Tim pressed his forehead against hers, "You can't remember. You can't ask and you can't think about it. You'll just have to trust me on this one. I know that's hard, considering the...they way I am but...you need to."
Sasha placed her hands on Tim's wrists, "I would trust you with my life, Tim, I know you'd never hurt me. Even when you are like that, you've never hurt me."

Tim looked up, "What?" he asked, "What do you mean?"
Sasha gazed at him, "Even when you aren't...you, you're still, I don't know, I mean, you look scary and act scary when you go out but...you've never been scary towards me. You watch me, you sort of stand guard, you tackle me with hugs, but you never frighten or hurt me at all."
Tim let go of her and buried his face in his hands, "Thank God, thank God..."

And it hit him, Sasha had never complained about his 'Masky' side, she had no reason too. Those times he had blacked out but not gone anywhere...Masky had been next to Sasha. But from what Jay had told him, or what he had seen on the tapes, Masky seemed...feral, violent, wild. He would tackle, hit, punch, he had even gone to kill Alex before, maybe even Jay. But Sasha...

Did...did Masky LOVE Sasha?

Or did he simply sense that Sasha wasn't a threat? Or was Tim's conscience stronger inside Masky than he originally thought? What if Tim had subconsciously warned Masky against harming her at all?

Tim had resigned himself to his hopeless crush on Sasha long ago, and resigned himself to the fact that he could never be with her. How could he expect her to be with someone in as poor mental health as he was? Having to scrounge for work because of it? Being followed all the time? He couldn't drag her into this. She could do better.
Plus, she wasn't going to be here forever.

But it was ok, as long as she was happy, he was content at seeing her lips smile but never kissing them. He was fine with watching her body move as she danced around the living room in her pyjamas but never putting his hands on her. He was alright talking to her, but never telling her how he felt, and he was ok listening to her talk but never hearing what he truly longed to hear.
Fuck it. He wasn't fine with it at all. But he'd just have to put up with it, wouldn't he?

Tim gazed at Sasha, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Heart pounding, he eased off his jacket and placed it round her, laying her down on the sofa. She must have been exhausted, the second night she's deprived herself of rest to look for him.
"I'm sorry, beautiful," his faced scrunched up with emotional pain, "I'm sorry."

Tim stood outside the back door, meds in his pocket. He gripped them with one hand and inhaled his cigarette with the other.
"Are you in there?" he asked himself, meaning to speak to his other self, unsure if 'he' could hear him, "If you can, listen to me." He took out his meds and shook them before replacing them, "You're good for not attacking her, and whatever you feel towards her, it's ok. But you and I both know that I probably won't be around for much longer. I might completely change into you. I might be dead. Either way, I might have to rely on you. I don't want to. I hate being you. But if it's necessary, I will. And you can't let me down. You need to be strong for both of us. You need to defend her with everything you've got. And I don't care if it gets us shot or fucked up. You hear me?"
He took a pill and capped the bottle. He didn't know if Masky was listening to that, or even of Masky was capable of listening. But he was sure Masky wouldn't stand for anyone trying to hurt Sasha.
"Maybe we aren't so separate after all." he said quietly, blowing smoke into the dawn.