Title: Greater Love
Fandom: Firefly
Summary: She wasn't supposed to be there. Mal knew in that instant, in that proverbial blink of an eye, that Inara wasn't supposed to be there.
Rating: PG
Pairings/Characters: Mal/Inara
Length: 400 words
Warnings: character death
Genres: angst, romance
A/N: Um, yeah. Sad, sad stuff. What can I say? I write angst! And I'm just glad I wrote something... And particularly Firefly something, 'cuz I haven't written Mal and Inara in what seems like FOREVER...

Greater Love

She wasn't supposed to be there. Inara wasn't supposed to – had no desire to – entangle herself in the rogue business of the rest of Serenity's crew; she'd said so herself. Mal knew in that instant, in the proverbial blink of an eye, that it was really true – shewasn't supposed to be there.

She was too pretty, too delicate. She was built for better things than this. She wasn't supposed to be anywhere near bullets.

There wasn't supposed to be a bullet flying through the air, heading towards her chest.

And so he stopped it, because it wasn't supposed to happen. He had moved without so much as a thought, but at the same time, he also knew that his actions were justified. He knew it was right.

The bullet caught him square-on, hard. Took him to the ground.

And Inara, ignoring the fight going on around them, was at his side in an instant, tears flowing from her wide eyes. "Mal, you ben dan! What have you done?" She pressed the wound tightly. "You're going to be alright. Zoë will—"

Mal had been shot many times before, but this bullet was different. He knew this one would take him not only to death's door, but through it. "No," he choked. "'Nara…" There were words, but they seemed frozen in his throat.

The tears welled, pooled, and then spilled like rushing rivers over her delicate cheeks. "Mal, I…" She choked on a sob of so full agony and grief it sent pain through Mal that was worse than the bullet lodged in his chest.

Words came to him then, old words. They were probably over-used and carried with them a lot of weight, but Mal found them suitable at a time like this. Though he spoke around, choked on, a mouthful of blood, the words came out like nothing else would.

"Greater love," he told her, struggling with all the strength that remained within him, "hath… no man than… this: that a… man would… lay down… his… life…"

THE END

Ben dan - fool, idiot

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man would lay down his life for a friend." - John 15:13, King James Version