Friend rescued me from being raped. How do I thank him?

He sounds like a great guy, not only for doing what any guy should have done by stopping what was about to happen. but also for taking sole responsibility for what could have happened to you. He either sees you as a secret love or as a younger sister, and feels a great deal of protection over you. He blames himself and there really isn't anything you can do to ease that besides reassure him as much as you can. Theres no need to go out of your way by dating him or making up feelings for him unless you actually have them. If he is as good of a guy as you make him out to be, he won't expect anything in return aside from your assurance that you don't blame him. But I think is bothering him is the thought that "What if I HAD NOT got there in time..what If I would have been 5 minutes later" and this is what is bothering him. try telling him something along the lines of "What could have happened and what did happen are two different things, you were there when I needed you to be there" He needs to understand that he made it in time to help you and what may have happened, did not happen. He was on time and you were not raped.