A/N: I need to update my other fic but got inspired for this. Let me know what you think!

He's in trouble. He leans back, breathing heavily, holding his prosthetic arm at the join. There's no blood coming out from it regardless of how broken it might be, but it's stained red from his other hand - and that is the moment he knows he won't make it.

His comm crackles to life. "Shiro? Shiro, I found my family! They're here!"

He takes a deep breath, holds it. Lets it out. "Are they alright?"

Finding the Holts hadn't been the goal for the mission. They had been looking for information on a planet from the next sector over, one that had been sending out a distress signal for weeks, and knowing that the Galra ship would be moving on soon, they had to act fast.

Pidge checking out the prisoner hold after they had split up was just a plus.

The rest of the team has headed out: Hunk confirmed it over the comm, has has Keith - he assumes Lance has gone, too, since he was arguing about a race with Keith and Shiro had been too busy fighting to shut them up at the time.

"Yeah," Pidge says, and he can hear her beaming at him even though she's nowhere near close to his location. "A little worse for the wear and in no shape to be fighting or doing a lot of walking by themselves but- Shiro, they're here!"

He laughs, using his weight to drag something that looks like a file cabinet across the door. Not good. It hurts to breathe. He tests each rib with his uninjured hand and they throb angrily. "That's amazing, Pidge. I'm so proud of you."

"I can't believe this is happening." She sniffles in a way that lets him know he wasn't supposed to hear it, and he ignores it for her sake. "It's been so long, I almost- I almost thought-"

"It's okay." He half-drags himself back to the wall, hearing footsteps pound closer. There's a shout; Shiro knows what comes next. He's known since he had been forced to hide instead of fight, since he had been crushed against the floor with the metal of his hand digging into his ribs.

Something pounds against the door, and he knows there's not a lot of time left.

"Can you make it out with them?" he asks.

"Yeah," she says. "I got Green nearby. You?"

He avoids that last question. "I can't wait to see them again," he says, smiling, listening to the door splinter. "We'll eat Hunk's special goo and find those crates of Nunvil Coran has been hiding and get them to drink it."

Pidge huffs out a laugh. "That'll be a sight to see. Matt hates bitter stuff. You all set to go? The ship will be leaving soon."

Shiro's smile widens. "I'll be going right back," he says. The door starts to give away, bending under Galra force and weaponry; he can't fault it. Stars know he did, too. "Katie, I'm so proud. You're amazing to have gone this far."

He wait for her to say something along the lines of I couldn't have done this without you guys, or an embarrassed yeah, yeah, save the compliments for later, but they don't come.

Instead, there's silence.

"Shiro?" Pidge says, and it comes out a little too soft, a little too hesitant. He wasn't good enough to mask the pain in his voice even though even now he's smiling through it in an effort not to let her know. "Are you alright?"

He should have known better - this is Pidge. Pidge, who knows him better than even Keith does. Pidge, who even though she's terrible with feelings can always tell when someone is hiding something. Pidge, who he always has by his side in battle or in the ground. Pidge, who is brave and clever and strong, who can outsmart any of them in a heartbeat. Pidge, who would never leave him behind if she knew he wasn't able to come back by himself, who would have to pick between her family and him without being able to save them both.

There's something wrong, she can tell, but she doesn't know what.

And he won't tell her.

"Yeah," he says casually. If he focuses on the crackle and static of her breathing over the comm, the pain is a little easier to deal with. "Yeah, I was just thinking. I'm almost finished here."

"Alright." She still sounds dubious, but doesn't press it. She never does unless it's something urgent and she's aware of it. Good old Pidge. He hopes beyond hope she won't miss him too much now that her family is safe. "I'll see you in a few."

"See you on the ship."

Shiro disconnects the call, and the door gives one last, mighty heave. Galra soldiers spill in, weapons trained on his form, fightless on the ground. He gives a tiny smirk, one last show of bravery. For Pidge, he thinks. For her family. He can feel the ship start to move.

"Hey," he says. "Missed me?"

The commander steps forward. "You've given us too much trouble, Paladin."

He raises the gun.

Shiro doesn't see her on the ship.

Shiro doesn't see anyone again.