𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄:
Endless Love
(1987)

"DO YOU EVER WONDER WHAT OUR LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF WE WERE HUMAN?" Rafael asks as they stroll around the park with a cup of hot tea in their hands. Walking in the park has always been their tradition of some sort.

The silence during the night without humans surrounding them, the sound of nature engulfing them as wind whooshes brush towards the leaves of the trees. And the distant sound of traffic that they muted.

"I refuse to think about it." Genesis answers as she looks at him with a tilted head, "But if you insist. On the practical side, we would probably still be working our asses off to get a good life. Not strolling around the park." She takes a sip of her drink as Rafael hooks his arm around hers, placing a kiss on the crown of her head. He chuckles.

"From an optimist perspective, darling," Rafael tells him with a soft smile. Genesis leaned on his chest as they stopped near the railing overlooking the lake. Genesis ponders.

She never really did think about it much. Maybe once or twice. But she never overthought it. Because her thoughts will run a million miles and ask questions she will never find answers to.

Why make it hard for herself?

"Travelling. Singing at every bar, we go to along the way, maybe even joining the opera." Genesis tells him as Rafael wraps his arms around her waist and his thumb circles her skin. Genesis sighs happily.

"We can still travel, you know? Not too late in joining the opera. You'll be magnificent, darling." Rafael places his head on top of Genesis's, hugging her from behind.

"But I like what we have now, the comfort, the domestic set-up. It's the safest and most assuring thing I have. And you made it possible." Genesis tells him, looking up, placing a hand on his cheek, pulling his chin down, and capturing his lips.

"We made it possible, my darling. And if you're okay with what we have now. That's okay for me. If you change your mind, we can travel." Rafael mutters in between their lips. His voice is deep and husky.

Genesis looks at him, looking deeply into his eyes. "I–" She was suddenly cut off by a loud howl and heavy and loud footsteps on their way. They both look at each other, then up at the dark sky.

Full moon.

How did they miss that?

Then two wolves are suddenly in front of them. Baring their sharp teeth with saliva dripping at the edge of their mouth, their eyes bright yellow, the fur of black and brown.

"Run," Rafael whispers, grabbing Genesis's hand. And they sprinted. The two wolves are gaining on their trail. One leaped, and Rafael saw it, pushing Genesis away. She stumbles on the ground hitting the concrete wall, and she groans.

Then she hears Rafael scream.

She looks up to see the wolf biting him, and she looks at it in terror as the other wolf is in front of her, and the wolf growls at her. She holds her necklace and mutters a spell under her breath, then the wolf's neck snaps, hitting the pavement. Dead.

Genesis motions her hand to Rafael and the wolf's direction, fleeing the wolf as it hits the concrete wall. Genesis sprints to his side, carefully wrapping Rafael's arms around her shoulder. He groans. Genesis settles him on the park bench.

"I've been bit." Rafael hisses in pain, turning his arm, a big bite residing. Genesis suddenly feels a rush of nervousness, and panic is suddenly rushing in her veins.

"A spell. I'll do a healing spell." Genesis sputters out as she mutters under her breath. They watched as...it didn't work.

"Why isn't it working?" Genesis cries out. Rafael places a hand on top of hers that's on her neck, holding the necklace.

"I still have a few more hours left, then." Rafael gives her a forced smile, pursing his lips, closing his eyes shut, and ignoring the stinging pain. He lays on Genesis's lap.

"No. No. You are not leaving me, Rafael." Genesis forces out, tears pooling in her eyelids as she combs his hair.

"You said my full name. I remember when you said it the first time when we met." Rafael chuckles, followed by a cough. His hand coming to his mouth, he places his hand back down to his lap, blood splattered on his palm. He sighs.

Genesis felt a tear slide down her cheek. "The hallucinations will start soon."

"Don't make it hard for me." Rafael requests with pleading eyes. Looking up at Genesis, she nods.

She entered his mind. And they were suddenly in the vivid and colorful streets of New Orleans. People dancing energetically with masks on their faces. Live band marching and mascots. Rafael looks around with a bright smile on his face, and he laughs loudly.

"This is brilliant!" Rafael exclaims. Dragging Genesis along with the crowd as they danced.

"How did you come up with this?" Rafael asks, smiling widely as he twirls Genesis. She laughs.

Illusion and deception.

Without the pain.

"I've been browsing some travel guides of New Orleans," Genesis tells him, giving him a soft smile. "I know you want to go. And I've been arranging some things."

Rafael looks at her with awe. "You are an amazing woman."

"I know. And I love you." Genesis tells him, placing a hand on his cheek. Her thumb brushed his cheekbone.

Realization dawned upon Rafael. His smile turns into a frown. "I am dying, aren't I?"

Genesis doesn't answer. Preventing her tears from this illusion, but in reality, her tears are streaming down her cheeks. She's sobbing.

"Oh, darling. I'm so sorry." Rafael tells her, leaning in her direction and placing his forehead in hers. Wrapping his arms around her waist and Genesis melts in his hold.

"Why are you sorry?" Genesis whispers, voice cracking.

"Because I'll leave you,"

"It's not like you want to."

"I would never leave you. I even put a ring on it, didn't I?" Rafael teases as he tucks a stray hair behind her ear.

"I don't know what I'll do without you." Genesis sobs as she cries. She wraps her arms around his neck, her grip is desperate. "Don't leave me, please." Rafael places gentle kisses on her hair, combing her hair.

Rafael makes Genesis face him, placing his hands on her face. Rafael gives her a soft smile. His thumb wipes away her tears. "To be loved by you, Genesis Ackerman is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my entire lifetime."

"No goodbyes," Genesis mutters as she closes her eyes shut, preventing herself from sobbing as she bites her lips.

"This isn't goodbye, darling. We'll see each other again but until then. I want you to live your life, continue it, and I'll be there beside you holding your hand every step of the way." Rafael assures, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I don't know how." Genesis looks at him in pain.

"Love again, darling."

"No."

"I don't want you to be alone," Rafael responds softly as Genesis' hands tighten on his shirt.

"I don't know how I will ever love again," Genesis confesses as she hiccups.

"I'll take some time, but now it's going to be alright," Rafael tells her. Then he says. "Let's sing, okay?" Genesis nodded, and they both began to sway.

My love, there's only you in my life

The only thing that's right

My first love

You're every breath that I take

You're every step I make

And I, I want to share

All my love with you

No one else will do

And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes

They tell me how much you care

Ooh, yes

You will always be

My endless love

Genesis looks at him, "I love you."

Rafael places a kiss on her lips, muttering, "I will forever love you, Genesis Ackerman." they continued to sway.

Genesis was back on the bench when she saw Rafael's skin starting turning gray and visible veins crawling in his skin, and the illusion is still playing in Rafael's mind. They're both singing, slow dancing. She gains the strength and stops her tears, she takes a branch that's fallen to the ground, and she takes a deep breath, hugging Rafael's body to her chest.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Genesis repeats as she cradles his body. Tears started to fall down her cheeks, she looked around, and the sun began to rise. She positions the branch in Rafael's chest, where his heart resides, and then the branch pierces his chest. He releases a gasp, and then his body goes limp.

Genesis starts to sob as she hugs his body tightly, and she screams out loud.

It was filled with pain and agony.

She wished the branch pierced her heart too because she didn't know what to do without Rafael Hudson.

Genesis takes her phone from her pocket and dials a number. "Genesis," The person on the other side of the line asks.

"Elliot." Genesis cries out, and she continues to sob.

"Where are you?" Elliot asks worriedly as he starts to gather himself.

"At the park. Elliot. Rafael–" Genesis releases a heavy breath, "Rafael is dead."

"I'll be there." Elliot firmly says as the line went silent. Genesis cradled Rafael's body. Then Elliot is suddenly in front of her.

Elliot looks at Rafael's body in shock. He kneels in front of her.

"What happened?" Elliot asks softly.

"It was the full moon, we didn't notice, and the wolves chased us, and one bit him," Genesis tells him frantically, and Elliot looks at her with sadness at the state she is in. He places a hand on top of hers, squeezing it.

Heartbreak. Grief.

"Take him. Prepare him for his burial." Genesis tells him, and Elliot nods as Genesis delicately places Rafael's body in Elliot's awaiting arms.

"What about you?" Elliot asks worriedly, his eyes softening as he discretely removes the branch from Rafael's chest, placing it on the ground.

"I just need some time to process," Genesis tells him with a forced smile. And Elliot nods, then he's gone.

Genesis wants to turn it all off.

The emotions, the grief, the heartbreak, and abandonment she all felt at once. It's a strong tidal wave of emotions, and she suddenly doesn't know how to swim up to the surface.

She's drowning.

Genesis looks at the tree branch, grasping it, and aligning it towards her chest as she closes her eyes, ready to turn it all off. She releases a heavy sigh.

Then a hand suddenly gripped her arm.

Her eyes open, and she sees...Niklaus is standing in front of her.

"Niklaus? What are you doing here?" Genesis asks, confused, voice weak and low.

"Long time no see. Genesis. Hoping to have a quick visit to see you, and now I'm trying to stop you from killing yourself." Niklaus tells her, his British accent thick, his expression unreadable.

For Niklaus, he didn't expect Genesis to try and kill herself. He saw Genesis's and Elliot's interaction earlier, and he knew what happened. And he is going to kill the wolves that did this.

He wanted Genesis on his side, but not this way. He had it all planned out, and his plans, surprisingly, didn't include someone getting killed along the way.

He wanted her to join him willingly.

Niklaus wanted to earn her trust first, befriend her all over again. Genesis releases a painful laugh, "You are not going to stop me."

"Oh, I will, even if I have to compel you," Niklaus tells her then Genesis furrows her eyebrows.

"Wha–"

Niklaus holds her chin, and the action is all too familiar for his own liking. He looks into her eyes as their pupils dilate. "You will not kill yourself. You will undergo the grieving process and move on. It's what Rafael would have wanted."

"I will not kill myself. I'll grieve and move on."

Author's Note:
—I was crying the fuck out when writing this cause, honestly, when I planned out Rafael's character. I knew that he was going to die. I'm sorry. But he did love Genesis immensely. It was all real for both of them, but he was meant to make Genesis believe in love and to make her feel that she is deserving of it.