The nightmare faded from my vision as I snapped awake, still feeling tired, sore, and like my blood was trying to catch on fire. I stiffened as I felt the soft mattress beneath me and uneasily shifted, snatching my hand up with a hiss of pain as I pushed myself up with my bad wrist. Looking around, I could faintly recognize Tim's bedroom as morning light drifted in through the curtains.

"How...?" I glanced to the side as I registered the faint scent of cigarette smoke and an arm over my back, which I carefully moved away as I shifted and stared over at Tim. "Did he carry me all the way back!?"

"Tim?" I felt bad for waking him up but the sudden change in location was freaking me out. "What if this isn't real? Am I hallucinating?"

"Tim, wake up." I called out louder, my voice wavering as I tried to determine how this had happened.

There was a muffled sound as he slowly woke up from his slumped sitting position. Once he saw me looking at him however, he immediately became alert and sat up straighter. "You're awake."

"Uh... yeah? I should be saying that to you. Last time I tried waking you up you didn't even respond... I almost thought you were dead." I couldn't understand, why was he so surprised?

"You've been unconscious on and off for a week. The guy in the skull mask won't tell me why let alone how we got out of Rosswood-"

"Wait, I thought you got us out." I glanced at the door. "Was it Skully? Or Hoodie?"

"I hope it wasn't Hoodie... he might've spared us but I don't trust his intentions."

"He won't talk to me- no surprise there- pretty sure he's trying to avoid me everytime he breaks in." Annoyance crept into his sleepy tone.

Despite the confusion and unease, I couldn't help but smirk and look back at Tim. "Guess you're just a scary person."

Tim stared at me, as if trying to figure out if I was hiding something from him, before getting up. "Apparently."

"So uh..." I trailed off, unsure how to word the question I wanted to ask about being in his bed. I could feel heat rising to my face the longer I took to continue, as he was now glancing back at me again. "...Um, you could've left me on the couch. I don't want to take up your bed."

"It's fine." He fidgeted and stared at the open doorway. "I'd rather let you stay in here where I can keep an eye on you than on the couch with that leg injury, especially with that guy-Skully- around."

"He's still here?" Well of course not, Tim had just mentioned Skully would break in. However the words left my mouth before my foggy mind could stop them.

"On and off. I need to change the locks or something."

I gave a hum of acknowledgement and carefully shifted my injured leg. Grimacing as pain shot through me from the movement. It was times like this I wished I still had my mask. At least then my pained expressions weren't out on display.

"Is this even real? What if I'm just in a coma or something? Why can't either of us remember coming back here?" I stared at Tim as he took out clothes to go change into. "Surely something would be off right? Aside from the whole change in location bit."

Once he was out of the Room I began moving again, shakily getting to my feet and limping over to the window. "...It... it looks real... feels real too..."

A small coughing fit hit me. I panted tiredly, tasting azoth as I slumped back down in the bed. My throat burned for a few moments before fading away with the taste. Despite the warm apartment, I felt cold.

"So weak." The uninvited thought crossed my mind and I tried to push it away. "I'm not... Otherwise I would've become a proxy... but I'm still alive and fighting against it... We're close to the end- I think... I hope."

"Are you feeling okay?" Tim walked back into the room.

"As good as I can feel with an injured leg and wrist." I shrugged. "Why is he so concerned? I've had worse."

"Being passed out for a week isn't exactly a good sign." I shifted as he sat next to me. "Are you positive that stuff-"

"Azoth."

"Are you sure it didn't do anything?" He pressed the question. "I mean, I don't know much about it but I doubt being injected with it was good considering what you did right after."

"I don't remember doing that... I just feel sick, I guess." I scratched subconsciously at the mark on my wrist. "Should I tell him about coughing it up? ...What if something does happen? He should at least know in case it makes me... hurt people again."

I looked over at him, carefully judging his expression before nervously speaking up again. "I... I think it's still in my system. I could feel the burning it causes fading away when I woke up and... and I coughed some up in the tunnel I think... But I-I feel fine! I'm not... Pawn. I don't think that's what will happen."

There was silence and I anxiously looked at him, waiting for him to say something. It felt like minutes were ticking by. Why wasn't he responding? Did he think I was lying? What if he thought killing me was the safest option- before I did hurt anyone else? I tried to keep my breathing calm and steady. Panicking would make things worse. "Tim...?"

He gave a drawn out breath and ran a hand through his hair without looking me in the eyes. When he spoke his words were slow and calculated. "You should stay here where I can keep an eye on you."

"Not like I have much of a choice." I scoffed aloud at the thought.

"It's to keep you safe."

"Because it worked so well with Jay." The growled comment slipped out before I could process that I'd even thought of it.

A cold look crossed his face before fading to one of regret. Seeing it only made me feel guiltier; why had I said that?

"That's exactly why you're staying here. It's getting to you just like it did him." There was pain breaking through his voice. "It won't end up like Jay. I'm not leaving you behind. I'm just saying don't go anywhere without at least telling me."

"...I'm... Alright." I sighed in defeat and lightly leaned against him. "Sorry... I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." We sat like that for a few minutes before he got up. "I can make something to eat if you're hungry."

"I'm more interested in a shower and new clothes at the moment."

"I have some you can borrow until we can get yours."

Tim got up and handed me a pile of clothes before helping me walk to the bathroom and leaving me to get ready. It was difficult at times to do things but after a while I managed to finish getting ready and limp out to the living room to see Tim standing right outside the screen door smoking. I fell back onto the couch with a sigh of relief as the weight was taken off my leg.

"I think it kind of feels better... my wrist does... Wonder if it has to do with the azoth- I don't feel it burning." I glanced up at Tim as he walked back inside.

"Hungry?"

"Um... not really. Probably should eat something though." I admitted, though the thought of food made me feel ill. "It's just because I haven't eaten in a while... nothing more... The azoth isn't changing anything... I hope."

I knew exactly what the azoth did to people after my time in the ARK. Surely at this point if it was going to make me go full proxy it would've by now. The uncertainty lingered in the back of my mind as I got up and limped out to the kitchen with Tim.