Heya! Welcome to this magical world where I kill Natara five times and then let her live once. What can I say? My forte is fics where someone dies. Anyway, I'll have a few different pairings in here, just for kicks. Enjoy!

Title: Shot in the Dark
Pairing: Mal/Natara
Words: 718

Liam Hale could have been your ordinary American guy. He was twenty-six years old and about 6 foot 3, brown hair, blue eyes. He loved dogs, adored his parents, and cared for his little sister. He worked hard at his job, respected his coworkers, he even liked his boss. And every Friday night, he would always go out with his friends for a drink or two.

This Friday, though, they had one too many. If you asked him, he would not have been able how he ended up out on the street with a gun in his hand. He would not have been able to tell you where her got the gun, or why it was pressed to Mal Fallon's head.

"Sir, please," Mal said, placing his hands behind his head. "I don't know what happened to you, but killing me wouldn't do you any good. I have a wife; she's just around that corner. Trust me, you don;t want to let her see this because she will get pissed like nothing you've ever seen before. We're both cops, you see."

"Shut up!" Liam slurred. "Just shut your goddamn mouth!" He pressed the gun harder against Mal's temple, and Mal winced.

"My name is Mal," he said, ignoring what Liam said. "I was born June 9th, 1978. I have a sister and a niece down in Centerscore. My wife's name is Natara, and we've only been married a few months."

"I don't care," Liam said. "I know what you're trying to do. I saw this on Oprah. By telling me about your family you think I won't kill you. Well you're wrong." Mal closed his eyes as her heard the sound of a safety being removed. He couldn't believe he was being threatened with his own gun.

"Hey!" Natara's voice made his eyes snap open again. He spun toward the sound of her voice, a warning already forming on his lips, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of a shot.

He watched in horror as bright crimson blood splattered across her shirt. Natara's eyes opened wide in shock, and she clutched at the hole in her stomach before her knees gave out beneath her. Mal yanked down on Liam's arm, knocked the gun out of his hand, and sent his elbow flying into his face. he heard his nose break with a satisfying crack, then ran to his wife's side.

"Natara," he cried, pressing down on the wound. Natara blinked a few times, trying to clear the moisture from them. "Hold on. Stay with me. Just hold on." Sirens filled the still air, and Natara tried her best to focus on the sound of them drawing nearer and nearer.

"Mal," she whimpered, "it hurts."

"I know," he said softly. "I know it does, sweetheart. But you need to stay awake." Natara nodded, but her eyes started to drift closed. Mal gathered her body in his arms and cradled her against his own, concerned about the amount of blodd she was losing.

"Come on, Natara. Keep your eyes open." He grabbed her hand and wrapped it in his, and he squeezed it a few times. A small smile formed on her lips, but Mal could see that she was fading fast. He clutched her tighter and prayed that she could hold on long enough.

"Mal," she breathed against his neck, "I love you."

"I love you too," he said, shifting her so he could see her face. "I'll always love you." Natara coughed violently, and Mal became alarmed as he watched a small trickle of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. He began to rock her back and forth as the darkness creeping in the corners of her eyes swooped forward and she went still.

When the paramedics arrived, they were greeted by a heart-breaking sight. Mal still knelt on the ground, cradling Natara's frighteningly pale body. Her lips were stained by a smear of blood, and Mal's lips matched hers. He made strange whimpering sounds as he gazed at her motionless form, then looked up at the paramedics.

"She's gone," he whispered brokenly.