Star turned and it was if everything was in slow motion. Although what she was looking at was far away, Star could see everything clearly, especially the gaping hole ShadowMan had inflicted.

ProtoMan seemed to have a shocked expression on his face as he fell, landing on his back.

"PROTOOO!" Abandoning her task, Star dashed over, gingerly taking her partner's head and putting it into her lap. "Speak to me Proto…"

Peering out from behind his sunglasses, the red Navi coughed thickly, blood smeared across his face. "I…I think this is it for me…"

"No!" Unbidden, tears sprang to Star's eyes. "Don't say that Proto! You'll be all right, you'll see…" But Star knew it was over.

Coughing again, ProtoMan shook his head. "Agghh… No Star, I'm done. Bass is already dead…" He looked up at his partner, who had tears streaming down her face. "Hey…" Reaching up, he brushed away a tear.

Taking his hand, Star sniffled. "Don't leave me Proto. I love you."

Strangely, ProtoMan smiled. "I love you too. But please…smile for me…one last time…"

Smiling through her tears, Star continued to hold Proto's hand. "I think I always knew it'd be you. You'd be the one I'd spend my life with."

Closing his eyes, Proto sighed contentedly. "Sing for me…once more Star…"

Tearfully, Star sniffed and began to sing a sorrowful lament to her partner. "Under the weight of your wings, you are a god and whatever I want you to be and I wonder if truly you are nearly as beautiful as I believe…

In my head, your voice… you've got all that I need, and this make-believe will get me though another lonely night…."

Everything seemed to be fuzzy now for Proto. All except for Starfire, who seemed to be ringed in a halo of light. All around them battles raged but all that really mattered was what was happening there and now.

"Under the weight of your wings, should ever we meet on your side of the stereo I will pretend I know not of your thoughts, or even the way that they mirror my own, I'll take you away in the way that you take me and go where I go….

In my head, your voice… you've got all that I need, and this make-believe will get me though another lonely night…."

The blonde Navi's mind was in turmoil. It wasn't supposed to end like this! It wasn't supposed to end at all! But another part of her mind, the part still rational, said that it would have ended someway or another. Nobody could outrun or evade death. It was just a part of life they had to accept. "Fall away to the sound of my heart to your beat, melancholy and cool, kinda bitter sweet. Love on, repeat, I'm echoing all your philosophies and as I…. Fall away to the sound of my heart to your beat, melancholy and cool, kinda bitter sweet. Love on, repeat, I'm echoing all your philosophies and as I….

I don't wanna be fool hearted. Baby I'm outnumbered in my head…I don't…. I don't wanna be fool hearted… Baby I'm outnumbered in my head, my head, my head…."

Breathing was getting harder for ProtoMan. He felt a pull, like someone was calling to him. Blinking hard, the red Navi spotted a ghostly figure standing behind Starfire, grinning a familiar roughish, lopsided smile…

"In my head, your voice… you've got all that I need, and this make-believe will get me though another night…. your voice… you've got all that I need, and this make-believe will get me though another …lonely night…. Lonely…lonely night…."

As the blonde Navi finished, ProtoMan sighed one last time and his body relaxed. Pulling him close, Star whispered the last lines into ProtoMan's deaf ear. "Under the weight of your wings, I make-believe you are all that I'll ever need, all that I need…."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The song is called "In My Head" By Anna Nalick on her first album, Wreck Of The Day. Wonderful CD, I recommend it. Plus I messed up a lyric. It's supposed to be 'Fall AWAKE' not fall away. Just thought you should know that.