Tonks smiled tightly with some amount of effort, "Who in the history of the world has ever known when they needed to be saved? If anything, it's the ones who say they don't need saving that are always in the biggest danger." She shook her head, forcing herself to look at him even as her emotions became harder and harder to control, "And I don't care. You're the one I want to save, you're the one I want to protect." Her voice broke with the pain she felt but she refused to look away, looking into his eyes with resolute determination, "I don't care if you're a bad guy, and you're not!" Surprised at the sudden outburst she stopped, looking down in embarrassment until she felt she could regain some amount of decorum. Taking a deep breath, she smiled then, stroking her hand down the side of his face, "Don't you see? You just offered to put yourself at risk for people you don't even know. To put yourself in harms way and potentially betray your own people for strangers. How can you say you're a bad person? I look at you and I see someone caught up in something they have no control over, someone who made one bad decision that threw them into a life they didn't want. And someone who, despite all that, is still willing to risk everything to do the right thing." Her voice softened, "How can you do all these things, say all these things, and tell me you're a bad guy? What scares me, what terrifies me, is the fact that I know you're not. And every day you're out there, surrounded by those people and the games they play."
Tonks laughed then, a small and somewhat strangled sound, but only he could have that effect on her even at a time like this, "It scares me you know me that well." Sighing, she shook her head, "You're right. I can't leave. Not now. Not at a time like this. I can't.. I can't abandon everyone," Tonks pressed her hand against his and turned to kiss his palm, "But.. It's not because I don't want to." She'd never do it, she knew that. But the idea of just going away with him, just them.. She sighed, "I'd give anything to be with you like that. But there's too much at stake," Another laugh and she smiled at him, "When am I ever stupid or impulsive?" It was a bad sign when even she had to fight not to roll her eyes at that.