"What would you do without me?"

Nathan and Elena sighed in relief as Tasha stepped into view, putting her pistols into her holsters before smirking slightly at the duo.

"Sam! Is he?"

"Sam's with Rafe. He's doing okay... for the time being."

Nate nodded, then noticed her neck was bare. "Where's your necklace? You never take that thing off..."

He could see the broken look on her face, the one he had seen all those years ago, and frowned. "Tasha —"

"You know, let's just save your brother." She forced a smile as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"He isn't going to change." Nathan said sadly, but honestly as he held onto her arms to keep her from stalking away. "Rafe is stubborn and unstable. He was going to kill me!"

Tears welled in Tasha's eyes once more as he spoke. "Don't let him take you down with him. You deserve happiness. You deserve a long and happy life, Tasha."

"I don't understand, whose this Rafe guy, anyways?" Elena asked Nate, eyes full of confusion.

"Go ahead, All-mighty Drake." Tasha seethed as she continued walking. "Tell her."

Tasha kept her distance as Nathan undoubtedly told Elena about the horrible things Rafe had done. She couldn't listen. She felt broken for leaving him again, but what was she to do? He nearly killed Nate and Sam... he was dangerous.

She let out a heavy, shaky sigh as she sat by the river that was shallow enough she could sit on a rock nearby and run her hands through it. She wondered if Rafe had realized she was gone yet. Does he care? Doubtful. All he cares about is finding the treasure. She cursed at herself for getting caught up in all the old feelings the moment she met Rafe again — but she knew it was all futile.

He's never going to change.

Elena sat next to Tasha, eyeing the girl while tossing a pebble into the river. "Tasha—"

"Look, I wanted to tell you." Tasha said softly as she stared at the rushing water. "I almost did so many times — but Nathan made me vow not to ever mention Sam ever again, and to do that meant I also couldn't bring up Rafe. It's just all too complicated."

"So Rafe... he was your... fiancé?"

"Mhmm." Tasha sighed as she tossed a pebble into the water. "I was with him for six years..."

"Nate told me," Elena frowned. "I always knew there had to be a reason why you never dated anyone — but you would always evade the subject."

"Gee, I wonder why."

Elena looked at Tasha when she realized something. "At our wedding... when I found you crying... that's why right?"

"Yup."

"Nate always said that you were with this guy who broke your heart..." There was a sad silence before Elena rested her hand over Tasha's. "You really loved him, didn't you?"

Tasha laughed sadly. "I loved him more than anything in the entire universe. My sole being began and ended with him. If he asked me now, I still would give my life for him. I would die for him, no questions asked if need be... but after what I saw today —"

"What?"

"I think if it came down to it... to choosing me or the treasure, he'd let me die..."

"Rafe wouldn't do that." Nate sighed as he stood behind the two. "He may be crazy but he still loves you."

"Does he?" Tasha looked up at Nate and for the first time in years he saw how broken she truly was. He remembered how bright and cheerful she was when she told him and Sam that Rafe proposed to her — now, she simply was a shell of who she once was. A girl, who fell in love far too young.

"Look... I'm not saying Rafe can be saved. He's..." Nathan rubbed his mouth as he tried to think of the proper words that wouldn't hurt her feelings. "Uh, he's..."

"He's a monster." Tasha answered for him when he couldn't say it himself. "Do you think I haven't seen the darkness in his eyes before? You have no idea how many times I've seen him kill people. You wanna know the sickest part of all of it? I don't care that he's a murderer by definition. I don't care that he's aggressive — but he crossed a line when he tried to kill you." Tasha closed her eyes as she fought the tears that threatened to fall. She felt Elena's arm wrap around her waist, a small comfort. "We need to find Sam, and we need to get off this damn island before Rafe kills us all."

•••

Nathan remembered the cold November morning when he tried to phone Tasha and didn't get a response. He had been on a mission for a few days, and the two were meant to meet up once he returned, but Tasha wasn't answering her calls.  He felt that something was wrong, and when he called again and she still didn't answer, he immediately took a cab to her place.

Nate used her spare key to get into the house, calling out to her, but only getting a mumbled response from upstairs. He rushed there, fearing a break in — but what he found was far worse.

Tasha was lying in the bathtub full of water, fully clothed with her arms hanging off the edges. Blood seeped from them, a pool gathering on the floor and filling the water a bright crimson. Nathan yelled , immediately pulling her from the freezing water before dialing 9-1-1. He tried putting pressure on her wounds as he waited for an ambulance.

Tasha tried to kill herself three times in total before she got the mental help she needed and began her recovery. It wasn't easy — but Nathan refused to leave her side and eventually the two got through the worse of it.

After that they were a bonded pair. He couldn't think of anyone who had been a better friend to him throughout his life, and he hoped that she had the same impression of him.

Seeing her now, conflicted once again because of Rafe made Nate's blood boil. But all he could do was be there for her and support her through the decisions she would have to make. As much as he disliked Rafe, he would put up with the man if he wasn't such a psycho half the time.

"What are you thinking about?" Elena asked as she brushed hair away from her face, keeping her eyes on Tasha who was quite a ways ahead.

"Just... how much she doesn't deserve going through this." He sighed. "I don't think she'll be able to give him up."

"Maybe not," Elena agreed with a frown. "But we have to protect her. She's our best friend — she's like the sister I never had. Do you know how many times she convinced me to give you another chance? She's always been our saving grace and now it's time for us to save her."

Nathan smiled at his wife in agreement, but before he could reply Tasha had yelled at them.

"C'mon lovebirds!"

•••