piper hates being rescued.

she hates being saved, or protected.  she hates people taking wounds for her, she hates people getting hurt for her, she hates being helped.  if given the choice between ‘having a stranger save you, or dying’ she would only BARELY choose the stranger, and if the choice is ‘having a loved one save you, or dying’ its dying without hesitation.

there’s a lot that goes into it.  she doesn’t want to feel loved, and can in fact actively not bear to feel loved, so the idea that someone would put themselves at risk to protect her is extremely disquieting.  it feels painful to be loved and protected, even if the other doesn’t get hurt doing it.  it’s also hard to claim that she’s fundamentally worthless if others see something in her worth saving, which means that she feels obligated to try to be better, which is terrifying.

most of all, though, she can’t see someone protecting her without seeing jean.  she can’t see someone protecting her without seeing her best friend bleeding and hurting and losing because of her.