Shadowhunter High: Shadowhunters High School AU

Dead Alive

Raphael Santiago's body was laid out on the floor like a discarded rag as if he was nothing more than Camille's scraps after she had so cruelly drained the life out of him.

His brown skin had turned to a paler shade than usual due to his body being completely drained of blood. His jacket was off, revealing the puncture wounds all along his arms in addition to those on both sides of his neck which were clear imprints of Camille's fangs.

A horrified Magnus knelt down next to his fallen friend. He grabbed one of Raphael's hands and squeezed it with both of his, hating how cold the dead hand felt.

"I️ can't believe he's gone," Magnus said through tears.

Lily, who was close behind, took a few steps closer to Magnus. She delicately placed her small hand on Magnus's should.

"He's not gone gone," she whispered softly, not quite sure how to explain the circumstance in a time of distress for both Magnus and herself.

Magnus sniffled and then turned his head back, still holding onto Raphael's hand.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Lily sighed. She looked away from both Magnus and Raphael before speaking.

"He died with Camille's blood. He's in transition. We could either stake his heart and let him die a human death or-"

"Or we could bring him back," Magnus finished.

With that, Lily turned back toward Magnus. She pressed her lips together and nodded as she wiped tears from under her eyes.

The faint glimmer of hope in Magnus' eyes as he finished Lily's sentence felt like a dagger. She could tell that in his state of grief and shock, he wasn't fully considering the consequences. Instead he just saw the section option as a means of saving his friend.

Lily knelt down next to Magnus.

"I wish we had more time," she said. "But it's best if we decide tonight."

More tears fell from Magnus' eyes, causing Lily to shed more herself. She leaned her head against the warlock's shoulder.

Magnus shook his head.

"I want to bring him back, Lily. But I know if it were up to him he'd choose the stake. And we can't be selfish. I can't be selfish. We need to honor him as he was," he said.

The way that he spoke of Raphael in past tense felt like a punch in the gut. It left a bitter taste in both of their mouths as it was yet another harsh reminder of the terrible circumstance.

As Lily closed her eyes, tears fell down her face. She sighed and nodded her head.

"I know," she said.

Before Magnus even knew it, Lily had disappeared from his side using her vampire speed.

He understood if she needed a moment alone, however, he also couldn't believe that she would just leave him.

However, it wasn't long before she returned yielding a sharp wooden object that appeared to have been a piece of a table or chair that she had torn off.

Magnus stood and walked toward Lily until the two were face to face with one another. She hesitantly extended her arm as Magnus reached for the stake. Once it was in his hands, he walked back over toward the body.

He knelt down once again, laying the stake gently beside him. He pushed Raphael's dark curls back.

"I'm so sorry," he said.

Even with Lily's enhanced hearing, she could hardly even make out what Magnus had said due to the presence of hysteria in his wavering voice.

She watched him closely as he took the stake in his hand. She noticed how much he was shaking and how unsteady his grip was as he hovered it over Raphael's chest, right where his unbeating heart was.