Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or concepts related to Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. This is written purely for my own entertainment :)
Authors Note: This will not be a single story, but a series of independent vignettes, each standing on their own.
and no one will notice
Before she even knows what has happened, Captain Hammer pulls the trigger and Doctor Horrible is flying awkwardly toward her. His arms spread as though to cover her, a silly (or rather would be, if not for the circumstances) expression of horror on his face, her mouth opens as he collides with her and if there is sound it is drowned out by the explosion. She hits the wall and there is a great flash of light.
Hours, minutes, seconds pass, she is dizzy, and there is a great weight on her. The room is silent, almost palpably so, and Penny stirs, willing her eyes open to find herself staring into a pair of clear blue.
She knows them.
"Billy?" She breathes, her eyes are wide, and they are nose to nose.
He is heavy, his weight pressing on her chest and stomach making breathing a difficult task, (her frantic, panicked breaths don't help), but she doesn't, she's not, she can't think about that because Doct- No, Billy, she is sure of it now. (The sad blue eyes, the hesitant curve of his lips.) Billy is hurt, and his eyes are wide and she is sure she spots blood trickling behind closed lips, threatening to spill from his mouth.
"Oh no, Billy," Her voice is quiet and cracking, "Billy," Almost pleading.
His unfocused eyes fix on her own and he smiles, or tries to.
"Penny," His voice is quiet, hoarse, and full of relief. A small amount of blood sprays lazily from his mouth, splattering haphazardly on her face and Billy lets out a soft "Oh,"
"Billy, you, are you?" She tries to carefully maneuver her hands, to hold him, she touches his back and feels large bits of shrapnel. Her hand comes back red and sticky, "Oh no, hang on, hang on, please,"
He smiles at her again, though it resembles a grimace he is trying, and Penny feels her cheeks dampen and mix with the small flecks of red.
She wants to believe Captain Hammer will help. That Captain Hammer will save them.
But she doesn't.
She wants to, desperately, but she can't.
Because he didn't hesitate.
He pulled the trigger.
He ran away.
As the light fades from Billy's eyes, as the lights from cameras pop and flash, nearly blinding.
As the voices around her cheer and applaud, as his breathing slows and his last, nearly soundless whisper of her name fade into nothing.
She suddenly realizes, with breathtaking, earthshaking clarity, that something, perhaps everything is horribly, horribly wrong, and as the applause continues. As they pry Billy from her shaking bloodstained hands, holding him aloft like a trophy, she is faced with the inescapable fear no one else will ever notice.