My goal? Write death fic in under 500 words. I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID THIS TO MYSELF!

Shot Through the Heart

Buck saw the gun. Everyone else was focused on saving the dying man. Eddie was bent over him, performing chest compressions. Athena had stepped outside with the handcuffed wife. She'd confessed to stabbing her husband. The crime was solved. There was no need to focus on the teenage daughter. And no one had seen evidence of a gun. But the daughter was there suddenly, a gun in her hands. Barely a second had gone by. But the barrel was pointed at Eddie. How had no one noticed yet? Bobby had followed after Athena, trying to figure out what prompted the stabbing. Hen, Chim, and Eddie were still working on the husband.

It started like a normal call. Noting surprised them anymore. It was LA, after all. Just a domestic disturbance, called in by the neighbors. When Athena arrived, she'd found the husband stabbed and called the squad right away.

Buck was the closest. He stood between her and them. Buck lowered himself a bit and lifted his hand. "Hey." He said softly, trying to get her attention. He took a step forward. If she fired the gun before he got to her...

Seconds... it happened in seconds. She pulled the trigger and Buck didn't think. He didn't have time to think. He had to protect Eddie. He had to save Eddie. Eddie, who was his love, his heart, his soulmate, who had a son. Christopher needed his dad. Buck didn't think and he didn't hesitate. He sidestepped, directly into the bullet's path.

Seconds.

Eddie looked up at the gunshot. Buck was falling. Bobby and Athena were running back inside. Athena pointed her gun at the daughter and was shouting. Bobby was diving towards him. Hen and Chim were behind him, shouting. But all Eddie saw or heard was Buck. He didn't even remember moving, but he was across the floor and beside Buck, catching him before he hit the ground. Bobby was beside them, Hen and Chim, too. A hand was placed over the bullet wound, the cloth soaked through red in seconds.

Buck lifted his hand slowly. It shook as he brought it to Eddie's face. There were tears in Eddie's eyes as he pressed Buck's hand against him. Buck's lips slowly parted. "I... love... you..." His voice was barely a whisper. Then his head lull to the side.

Eddie screamed. Someone grabbed him and yanked him back. Eddie pulled hard against them. A second set of hands grabbed him and he watched as Chim started CPR and Hen pulled out the defibrillator.

But the long, steady beep tore his world apart.