Like a Moth to a Flame

If it hadn't been obvious before, Sandra's aversion to a psych evaluation was beyond unsubtle when Timmy sprung it on her that she was apparently supposed to accompany him. They'd both been through a traumatic experience, but she equally insisted that she was perfectly fine. Timmy, she'd argue, needed to get checked out to talk things out and be checked out because he'd been in a relationship with the man, and got closer to him than anyone else had.

She didn't see why she needed to go through all this fuss when she felt perfectly fine-- and she made her annoyance at the situation known, even though she did leave the apartment with him. She wasn't prepared to let him go alone, and she was happy to join along for moral support, but it was a different thing actually going through with it herself.

"I'm not doing it, you know," she casually remarked after a long period of silence. "I'm... fine, really. I just... I'm best not thinking about it. I'm avoiding the news about him and everything, I... I just want to forget it happened. This isn't helping, you know."
 
"I feel guilty," he admitted as the two waited in the waiting room. Despite choosing to get checked out on his own fruition, Tim's nicety was less than subtle what with his shaking leg and nail biting. Locking his eyes on the ground, his reddened cheeks grew upon admission. "I feel guilty for getting you involved, Sandra. I... I don't want you to end up doing something crazy because of me, you know? I want to make sure you're alright. It's selfish, I know, b-but... I'm a selfish person. Not to mention I don't want to leave you alone with my brother..."

Shooting her a final glance, he offered a smile despite his guilt. "I understand, though. I'm... I'm not going to force you to do this, I'm just kind of scared. You won't be able to hear from me for a few days, unfortunately, so... I've done my research, after all."
 
"You don't, I mean... I'm probably just going to head to my parents in Texas, then. I don't want to really be stuck at your place with your brother, he gives me the creeps," she admitted as she weakly straightened the clips in her hair. Being around the other's brother didn't make her feel safe at all. Ben was clearly capable of succeeding in a fight, but he still made her uncomfortable. Being around him wasn't the ideal situation if Timmy wasn't going to be there too.

"I... I'm sure you'll be fine when you get out of here, though. Alexander-- I mean-- I'll be back to give my statements in court, whenever that is, so I won't be in Texas long. I just need the break, I guess."
 
"I don't blame you," he admitted with a nervous laugh. "I'd visit my dad but I... I dunno, I don't want him to see me like this. Ben was right, he always put me up on a platter and stuff so to look like a fuck up isnt... ideal, I guess. I mean, he's the whole reason I became a cop so if he found out I was being a little bitch and locking myself up in a padded cell for a bit would be embarrassing."

Letting out another laugh, he ran his hand through his hair to calm his nerves, especially at the idea of Sandra spending time in Texas. Ben was good protection but, maybe it was his paranoia, what if Alexander managed to get to Texas? He wouldn't be there to protect the girl.
 
"...Are you going to be alright doing this? I don't think it's a great idea, personally, but if you insist, I... I support you. And hey, at least your know your rats will be looked after, right? Your brother... he's a jerk but he'll at least look after them for you," she smiled, hoping that reminding him of that would at least help to both ease his nerves and make the conversation a lot less heavy. After everything, talking more about deep, heavy stuff wasn't going to make them feel better.

"This isn't the place to really meet cute guys, but you should keep an eye out for handsome doctors or something. Move on from... Alexander, you know? The fact you still love him appals me, so the sooner you move on, the better."
 
"Maybe you're right," he replied, his cheeks blushing at the thought... though it only brought him back to Alexander's face. He chose to say nothing, though, knowing it would just irk Sandra more than she already was. "It would be nice to meet someone sweet and rich, to be honest. Is that lame to want to be a gold digger?-"

"Timothy?" Came a nurse, clipboard in hand as she greeted the pair, her eyes scanning them both. "I'm here to bring you to your evaluation...?"
 
"I'm not having an evaluation, but I'll come in and support him," began Sandra as she shifted herself from the uncomfortable plastic chair, adjusting her pink coat. Her attitude towards strangers hadn't always been curt, but since the experience with Alexander, she was hardly in the right mindset to be cheerful and friendly to people. For all she knew, the nurse could be a sadistic psychopath - she wasn't really eager to be nice to her for that paranoid reason alone.

"...I suppose this'll be good for you, Timmy. I... I'm sure that, when you're out and I'm back from Texas, we'll be right back to normality, right?"
 
"I sure hope so," he replied, though his furrowed brows and pursed lips were a big indicator of his anxiety. Coming from a family of tough guys, a part of Timmy immediately regretted being so weak as to rely on the health system to feel better. His father was rendered disabled after getting shot and he still lived his life as if nothing happened. Meanwhile he gets beaten up by his boyfriend and he wants to kill himself. It was pathetic.

"I just - I don't know what else to do, you know?" He insisted, albeit more for himself rather than Sandra. "I can't see my family b-but... I don't want to be alone, so this will be good for me. Everything is fine!"
 
"Hey, you insisted upon this literally minutes after we drove away from Alex, right? It's what you want, it's what you think will help-- so we're going to do this. Well, you are. I'm just here as moral support until you get checked in properly," she admitted, patting his back as physical evidence of her support, before weakly shoving her hands into her pockets. She'd made her feelings on the place clear, but that didn't mean she wasn't supportive.

What didn't work for her might just work for Timmy - she wasn't going to judge him for doing whatever he could to move on and get better.
 
Offering a wary smile, it faded upon the realization that his evaluation included a physical one. Despite being an officer, he was visually the weakest and smallest man on the team, even if he was rather average. The healing bruises wouldn't be seen as good, either, especially in front of Sandra. Nonetheless, he reluctantly accepted the familiar check-up gown before offering a grin once the two were alone.

"Hey, do you think this could be on the spread of Vogue?" He questioned teasingly as he showed off the open gown, unafraid to show his underwear to the woman when it was exposed from the back. "I kind of like it, it's comfy. Cold, but comfy."
 
"Well, sure-- it's a little racy, but perfect for people who aren't afraid of showing their bodies, you know? Suits you down to a T," the woman quickly replied once tearing her eyes from her phone, smiling wide in an effort to seem perfectly natural and relaxed when, in fact, she wanted to throw cold water on herself and down a few vodkas. For someone who didn't even like alcohol, that desire to have some purely for the drunkenness it would cause was a worrying sign.

Not being a good liar, she eventually broke down from the effort to keep him in the dark.

"Alexander just got released from custody, I... a girl at work just texted me saying it's all on the news. Said they... the police, I mean... said something about how he isn't to blame for murder, just assault and our kidnaps-- I mean, I... I'd rather check myself in now, I... we gave fucking statements, right? About everything Alexander told us? Why don't they believe that-- you're the cop, Tim. Why don't they believe what we told them?!"
 
His attempt to lighten the mood dropped like a lead balloon, as did his smile at the news. Staring at Sandra in disbelief, he immediately took a seat and wrapped his arms around himself, swallowing hard. After a moment of silence and an attempt to get his words together, Tim could only reply with a few nervous stutters and some sudden tears.

"How the fuck did he get let out of custody so quickly? I-I... okay, this is fine. Those fucking morons probably did it as revenge on me or something but this doesn't mean he isn't going to get locked up. I don't remember what the bail money was,b-but... this isn't safe. You need to leave for Texas immediately, then."
 
"I don't think they'd... let out a murderer just to annoy you, that's... fucking stupid, I mean-- I'm not going. I can't go, I mean-- I'm not going. I'd rather be with you and-- fuck it, your brother. He's an ass but he's... at least another person who can help, I guess," she admitted, weakly examining her phone once more. She didn't want to remind herself of it, but she also wanted to check the news out for herself, just to ensure that her friend hadn't misread something.

That was the hope. A hope that instantly vanished when seeing the dozens of online articles all documentation Alexander's swift release. What sickened her even more was the fact none of them even questioned it, or even accused Alexander. It was all one big inconvenience set into place by unnamed, disgruntled employees.

The fact they didn't actually have physical evidence on Alexander made it quite clear to Sandra at least that getting anyone to believe them wasn't looking that likely, so to get a conviction seemed improbable.

"...If you're checking yourself in, I'll just stay with your brother, I... if Alexander turns up at your apartment, I don't want your brother getting hurt-- he is a jerk but I'd rather... be there than travelling alone to Texas, really."
 
"Do you think he'd try anything?" He questioned with a whisper as he covered his face with his hands. "Do you think he'd try and hurt us? God - of course he will, that's a stupid fucking question. I... I won't - I w-wont check myself in if it means I'll have to leave you alone," he declared eventually, despite being desperate to just put in the care of someone else for awhile and not have to worry about everything. Sinking further into his chair, he let out a groan before sniffling and daring to carefully take the phone from her to scroll.

"He wouldn't hurt my brother unless he stopped by, he doesn't even know my brother is here. I mentioned Ben, like, once, s-so... I can't let him be in danger, though. I don't know what to do," he babbled out, his breathing growing more uneven and deep the longer he stared at an article.
 
"Don't look, it'll just freak you out. You're going to check yourself in here for as long as you need and I'll be just fine with your brother, I promise. I'm... sure Alexander will want to go straight back to work to fix the time he's been away, get his reputation back on track. I... I'm sure he doesn't care about us," smiled Sandra as supportively and as confidently as she could manage, snatching her phone back before the articles could do any more damage to her friend's confidence. She barely believed a single word out of her own mouth, but if Timmy believed just one of them, she had done her job.

"Relax, I... I'm sure the police have told him to stay away from us anyway, so it's... not a big issue. Don't worry about it, I... if you start worrying, you won't even get to sleep at night, so it's silly to concern yourself when you'll be really safe in here."
 
"Sure, b-but yo, Ben and the rats won't!" He quickly replied as he gripped his chest, his heavy breathing turning to wheezing. Just as Tim was enjoying his clear panic attack, the long awaited doctor stepped in, immediately horrified. Sure, many patients had anxiety disorders, but she never met a patient who was already emotionally suffering upon first encounter. The woman immediately called her Walkie Talkie for the assistant of a medic, that of which only made Tim feel worse.

He eventually relaxed enough once the medics appeared, ready to pump the cop with medication if need be. He still showed signs of anxiety by him tugging his feet to his chest and his arms nervously wrapping around his head as a strange attempt of comforting himself.
 
If Timmy wasn't in such a bad shape right now, there was no doubt in Sandra's mind that she'd be stressing out in an equal manner too. She was petrified that she'd wake up to answer the door one night and Alexander would be there. Hell, she was scared she could get in her car and drive past him in the city, which was a distinct possibility.

She wanted to freak out, but not when Timmy was in a bad way. It was hardly offering him any support if she was pressed into a corner, chewing on her fingernails.

"...I... should go, I think they're ready to, like, go and get on with everything for you-- I'll call you, right? You can get calls, so... so I'll call at about 6?"
 
"Promise me you'll call me at six?" He insisted in a whisper as his shaky hands nervously fiddled with themselves. "No later, okay? Six sharp, I don't... I don't want something to happen to you because I can't help you. God - do you want my gun? I know you're a strong woman but you and I both know that Alex is strong."

As he nervously spoke, he did eventually try to ease back to at least pretend to relax for the other... granted, it was easier said than done when he hung on the balance of another attack. Offering Sandra a wary smile, he dared to press a chaste kiss to her temple affectionately,
 
"I don't like guns-- not since my father shot himself in the foot. Literally. It was terrible, he lost, like, three toes," she mumbled, unable to stop herself drifting down a tangent of her past. It was something she tended to do, and was unaware that, in most cases, it wasn't annoying as she assumed it would be, but rather amusing - and it definitely helped to ease an otherwise tense and frightened mood.

"Of course I'll call-- 6 sharp, got it. And don't worry about me, I... I'm sure your brother has a gun or can at least handle one, so... so it'll be fine! I'll feed your rats and take them out to give them some affection, so... so don't worry about that. Alexander will... he'll be focused on his business, not us, I... guarantee it."
 
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"Yeah..." he replied in an attempt to convince them both, though he knew that was most likely the case. If it were him, he'd be furious at whoever landed him in jail, even if it were for such a short amount of time. Offering her a smile, he watched as one of the guards led her out to the door, leaving Tim alone with a complete stranger. Sure, the likeliness of this woman hurting him was low but his paranoia was through the roof, hence the fact that he immediately assumed she was helping Alexander somehow.
 
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