Disclaimer: I only own Vladimir Shepard, everyone else is owned by Bioware.
Summary: Loving someone is being able to sacrifice yourself for them. One sided M!Shepard/Joker
Author's Note: Entry 1 for a series of dabbles that I call 'Vlad the Spectre'.
Into Eternity
I love you… those words had never left his lips, and he didn't have a chance to say them anymore.
Pulling Joker along, Vladimir Shepard had a determined expression behind his visor, one that no one would see again. He didn't blame Joker for staying behind, the Normandy was his home too, but he had to abandon it, or Vladimir would lose the dearest thing to him in his whole world to it. He had never longed for the love of another, for he had never sought it himself, but Joker was the one person that invoked those feelings inside, even if he didn't mean to.
The escape pod was in sight, so close, but the explosions were getting worse. As gently, but as quickly as he could, he set Joker inside, and readied himself to get in himself. But there was a noise, one that sent his ears ringing, and he felt it. The feeling of knowing that he wasn't going to make it. The Normandy pulled him out of the escape pod; if he fought he wouldn't have been able to save Joker. Grabbing the control pad quickly, he slammed his fist down onto the ejection button, releasing the escape pod from the ship and he swore he could hear Joker screaming his name.
The first thing he was aware of, watching Joker's face slowly become smaller and smaller until it disappeared, was that it was getting warmer. The leaking of air from his suit was dulling his senses, but he knew that everything was going to be okay.
"Hmm…" Struggling to take another breath, Vladimir smiled. "Not…as…bad as…I thought…it…would…be…"
The world around him faded to black and Vladimir died with a smile, knowing that his love was safe to live another day.