Author's Note and Disclaimer - I own nothing. All characters, except for Leandra, are the creations of Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith. Even Leandra, however, was inspired by someone else's character, yet tweaked a bit so that it fit. Now, for the record, I wrote this at about 4 am one night, so cheesiness may be on high gear. However, I roleplay Mag on myspace, and she's with a Nathan. Seeing how close the two have become and actually realising how much Mag has come to love Nathan, I was inspired. This was also something that said Nathan and I have discussed for quite some time as a "what if". So, I decided to put it into perspective and NEVER imagined what kind of raw emotion would come out of it. It made me question whether or not Mag would, although she has the strength, be able to pull through after a loss like this. The character of Leandra was based off of what was originally Mag's sister, however, I never got the permission to use the character from roleplay, and knew I'd be subjected to no end of harrassment for giving Mag a sister that is really nonexistant, so I decided to change things around. I couldn't bear to have Mag suffer through this by herself. I do know Mag's character, I do know that hysteria is a very unlikely place for her to reach, but here is a woman that has grown to love a man so much it hurts. The only person she has left, and to have him ripped out of her grasp right before her very eyes, please try to keep that in mind. Mag is not one to burst into tears at random, but after having something like this happen, I believe she'd have a hard time standing. Let me know, and enjoy! :D

It was as though Magdalene DeFoe blinked and suddenly the gunshot sounded on the stage of the Genetic Opera. It was the only thing she heard, before looking over in shock and seeing red blooming across Nathan Wallace's scrub top underneath the pleather Repo Man uniform, and only a few feet away from him stood Rotti Largo holding the gun.

"Nathan!" A strangled cry that Mag didn't even recognise as her own voice rang forth as Rotti Largo crumbled to the ground, appearing to succumb to his own terminal illness. Within moments, Mag bolted as fast as she could to Nathan's side. Even from where she stood, his breathing had grown shallow, his eyelids beginning to close over his olive-green eyes.

"No, no, no, no, Nathan, stay with me, love, please," Mag murmured frantically to him, her hand pressed to his stomach against the gunshot, trying to fumble with the restraints on the wheelchair. Nathan groaned, his head lolling off to the side as Mag tried to take him into her arms, stumbling as she finally gently brought Nathan to the floor, kneeling by his head. No, this couldn't be happening. It wasn't possible. This had to be a nightmare.

"Mag… " Nathan struggled to draw a breath, tilting his head in pain toward Mag as she held his head, cradling him as much as she could. She was desperate to try to get Nathan to his feet, but it was no use.

"Nathan, we're going to get you help, just please, stay with me," Tears welled in Mag's eyes. Her hand gently lay pressed over the wound, holding him, trying to will life to stay inside the man she loved so much that it hurt. But nothing hurt worse than this did now. The very possibility of losing him forever.

"Please… " Nathan choked, bringing his hand to the side of Mag's face, gently cupping her cheek. The look in his eyes scared him, the tears that seemed to well in them. But the look of knowing what was near. The look of acceptance. No, Nathan, it can't end like this. I'm begging you, just hold on. "Take care… take care of Shilo. You're the only one she has left."

"No, Nathan, darling, she has you, too." Mag stammered, tears streaming down her face as she gently stroked his hair. She could hear someone dialing for emergency behind her. "You're not going anywhere, Nathan. We're going to get you help. Please, don't give up, just stay with me."

"I can't… " Nathan's voice seemed to break. His gloved thumb wiped away the tears on Mag's cheek in a loving manner, his eyes weakly searching hers. Mag could almost feel a part of herself dying with him. "You have to. You have to survive this."

"I can't if you're not with me," Mag choked on a sob, bringing her forehead near Nathan's, gently laying it against Nathan's. "Don't leave me, Nathan. Please don't. Hold on, if not for me, then for Shilo."

"I love you so much," Nathan's hand slid to the back of Mag's neck, weakly drawing her nearer to him. Blood now stained Mag's porcelain skin, but it wasn't her own. She was now covered in Nathan's, but couldn't care less. She was terrified to let him go. "You can make it. You have to."

"Don't ask me to do this, Nathan, please," Mag begged. The lump in her throat felt like it would strangle her. Maybe it would. Maybe she could just choke, and die right here beside the man she loved. "I love you, too. Too much. Too much to let you go."

"You have to," Nathan repeated, his voice firm, yet gentle, choked with emotion, pain, and if Mag looked correctly, she could see fear in his eyes. Fear of leaving those he loved so much. 'You have to take care of Shilo, please, Mag… "

"Oh, God, Nathan… " A choked sob left Mag, cradling Nathan in her arms as though she couldn't ever let go. Choking on her own tears, she nodded, pain-stricken, gently stroking his hair. "I will. I won't ever leave Shilo."

"You were the best… the best thing that's ever happened to me… " Nathan stammered, closing his eyes. "I will always love you. So much. I don't want to leave you."

Mag couldn't trust herself to say anything. She could feel him weaken. She knew he was scared. She was, too, but she had to try to be brave for Nathan's sake. It ripped her up, hurt too much to bear, but Mag knew she had to do it. She gently stroked his temple, tears streaming down her face.

"It'll be alright, Nathan," She murmured, shaking her head. "Nothing bad will happen to Shilo." She could see tears welling in Nathan's eyes, but he blinked them back.

"Thank you," He stammered. "I love you so much. Just stay with me, please. Let me be with you."

If Mag's heart wasn't already broken, it slowly was breaking as Nathan spoke. She pulled Nathan toward her, holding him tightly against her, the side of her cheek against his forehead. She could feel his breathing grow shallower, soon almost to nothing. She stroked his hair, murmuring to him through his tears.

"I've got you, Nathan. It's alright, sweetheart." Mag suppressed another sob, trying so hard not to break down right this second. "I'll always love you, Nathan. Always and forever."

Nathan Wallace died that night. He died in Blind Mag's arms at Rotti Largo's hand. But it had been a bit of solace for him. He hadn't died alone. Someone had loved him, and he loved her. That someone had stayed with him until the very minute he died. Mag hadn't been aware of a friend that also performed in the Genetic Opera, Leandra, entering the auditorium to come for her cast mate's aid, when Nathan's death seemed to finally sink in, still holding onto him. Mag broke down into gut-wrenching sobs, grief stricken, crying harder than she ever had in her life. They were the kind of tears that started from your stomach and left in heaving gulps, leaving your throat aching. Her body curled over Nathan's, wracking and doubled over in echoing sobs that were enough to break every heart in the room. Mag vaguely felt her friend's arms encircle her as the medics prepared to gently pull Nathan's body away from her.

Leandra said nothing. There was nothing she could say, no words of comfort to offer Mag. But her arms offered what they could as Mag allowed herself to be pulled in and she sank into them, her body shaking with sobs that were muffled by Leandra's shoulder. Leandra tried to soothe her, murmuring to her, stroking her hair. But it was no use, however resorted to simply holding her friend tightly, letting her cry as though her heart would break.

"Nathan… Nathan… " Mag sobbed. It was almost frightening for people to see Blind Mag in this state. But it brought them to a realization. Blind Mag had grown to love. She had someone who was taken from her. The Soprano was grieving at this point, and would for quite sometime.

Fin

Author's Note - Debating as to whether or not I should finish this. R&R and let me know.