AN: Okay, so this is based off of a drabble in Alise-Eve's collection, The Paradox Drabbles. You should read some of her stuff, it's quite good. Now, if you don't like deathfics, this isn't for you. It's about one character being killed, and the other one dealing with the aftermath. You'll find out who if you read on. Alise-Eve, I hope this is up to snuff. Everyone else, enjoy. But bring tissues.
Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing, this time not even the idea. That goes to the wonderful Alise-Eve, and the rest, Chuck and Bill.
Hero
When the robber entered the comic store, and pulled his gun, every person froze. They stayed still as statues while he barked orders, made his demands.
But then he needed a hostage. And as he made for the girl with the glittery flower in her hair, still in her Cheesecake Factory uniform, one man unfroze.
It wasn't the cashier, who tried to talk the masked man down, and only succeeded in making the man's hand shake as he continued to point the gun at the waitress.
No, it was the lanky physicist across the shop, the one who was calculating how fast he could get to her, whether he could stop the bullet that would undoubtedly be fired when the robber was startled, and how he was finally going to actually save somebody, like the superheroes he adored.
As the robber's stress and frustration reached critical levels, Sheldon was across the shop like the Flash, leaping between his beloved Penny and the bullet.
He was a hero.
But just because you're a hero, doesn't make you bulletproof.
One moment, and Penny was at the point of a shaking gun, the next she was sheltered behind an intensely familiar beige windbreaker. But then in the moment after that, there was the gunshot, and Sheldon fell backward into her arms.
She heard the robber, the killer, say "Oh my god" and then he dropped the weapon and raced from the shop.
She knelt to the ground, cradling his head in her lap, trying not to let her eyes drift to the darkening stain on his Green Lantern t-shirt. "Just hold on sweetie. The paramedics will be here soon, Stuart is calling them now."
He shook his head ever so slightly; the action was obviously painful. "Penny, the wound is far too devastating for me to possibly stay alive until the paramedics come." She didn't realize she had started to cry, but a tear dripped onto his cheek. She wiped it away with her thumb.
"Don't say things like that." she whispered. "You're gonna be o-okay." her voice cracked on the last word. She didn't believe it, not really.
"You always were so overly positive, Penny." All was silent for several moments, until he began to cough blood. She kissed him gently on the forehead, her lips resting there for a moment. And then, stroking his hair with one hand, and gripping his tight with the other, she began to quietly sing.
"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur.
Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, pu-urr."
On the final purr, her voice wavered again, as those big blue eyes drifted shut, and his grip loosened in hers.
Penny rested her lips back on his forehead, and she heard him give a little cough, and a sigh. And then he was gone.
And her heart, broke.
AN: Well, that's that. Sad, wasn't it. Now, before you press that enticing little button down there, I have something you need to hear. I love poor Shelly as much as the next nut, really I do. He is my all time favorite character in any fandom anywhere, followed by Mara Jade Skywalker (who was cruelly killed off by a different writer), and Hatter from SyFy's Alice. But, if the only thing you have to say is "OMG YOU KILLED SHELDON NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" or any thing to that effect, I really don't want to hear it. If you didn't like the plot, don't leave me a review. That simple. Anything else though, is perfectly welcome. This isn't just a one-shot, and chapter two shoud be up within the week, with chapter three as soon as I can finish it! Until then, live long and prosper, faithful readers!