Rafael Barba Imagines

Am I The Only One?

You knew that Rafael had been more stressed than normal. What with the threats he'd been receiving, as well as the added pressure he put on himself to stand his ground, he'd been very hard to live with. You didn't question it for a while. You figured that if you were receiving death threats, you'd be a bit of a mess too.

And then things began to change. Rafael, who generally worked late days to begin with, began coming home later and later. He seemed to not even want to speak to you. He even snapped at you a few times to just leave him be. You knew it was the stress, but you had a bad feeling in your stomach. You pushed the thought back for days, not wanting to believe it was even possible. And then your worst nightmare came true. You received a text at 11:04pm. "Hey, I won't be home tonight. Will explain later. Te amo querido."

You spent half the night tossing and turning, deep in thought. You cried a little, though you tried so hard not to. By the time you fell asleep, your eyes were bloodshot and puffy.

You woke the next morning to a movement in your bed. You rolled over to find Rafael sitting on the edge of the bed, twisting around to run his fingers through your hair. "Morning querido," he said in his softest voice, a voice you only ever heard when directed at you. You wondered if anyone else had heard that voice the night before.

"Nice of you to make it home," you said bitterly, rolling back over, turning your back to him.

Rafael frowned. "Your eyes are puffy. Have you been crying querido?" He asked.

You felt tears begin to sting your eyes again. The thought of losing him, was like a punch to the gut. You kept your back to him as you spoke. "Where were you last night?" You demanded. You weren't sure you wanted to know the answer.

You heard him sigh, as if your question was such an inconvenience. "I've got a big case coming up in two days. I figured I'd just stay in the office and work all night. I get nervous in that parking lot."

It was a believable excuse, but you didn't buy it. "Mhm. And was anyone else with you?"

"Liv stayed for a while, but it was just me," he said simply.

Right, Liv. He was very generic when he spoke about the people he worked with. He always referred to them by their title. A lawyer, a detective, a sergeant, but for whatever reason, Liv was the exception. He spoke of her frequently, by name. It had always bothered you, but you kept your mouth shut for fear of looking jealous. That was all out the window now.

"You're cheating on me," you said. It was not a question, it was a statement.

Rafael sighed again. He paused far too long. "I had a feeling this was coming. Can we talk about this later? I need to change and get back to work."

That set you off. You turned around and sat up, glaring daggers at him. "When would you like to talk about it Rafael? You're never home! Now I've got to worry if you'll even come home tonight! If you're cheating on me, then I don't even want to hear it. Just pack your stuff and get out!" You said, your voice cracking a little.

Rafael took your hand. "Querido... I'm not cheating on you," he said calmly, his eyes wide.

"You talk an awful lot about Liv," you said bitterly.

Rafael smiled slightly. "Liv is a good friend. Nothing more. I've been spending a little more time with her lately because of the threats. She's a good cop that I trust, and I feel a little safer beside her and her gun. I could never cheat on you querido, I love you too much. Besides, what more could I possibly be searching for?"

You looked up at him nervously. It wasn't like Rafael to say such things. He was a man of few words when it came to your relationship. He tended to express his love with gestures, pet names, and of course, kisses. "Do you mean that?" You asked him softly.

Rafael smiled. He kicked off his shoes, loosened his tie, and crawled under the covers with you. He rested his head on your chest, something you'd always loved, and he hugged you tight. "Every word," he said. He lifted his head and propped himself up. His eyes met yours as he caressed your hair from your cheek. "You're mi reina, my queen. I'm so sorry for worrying you querida." He leaned in to kiss each of your eyelids gently before his lips met yours. His kiss was breathy and longing. You felt every bit of suspicion melt away, replaced with relief that took your breath away. You attempted to roll him over on his back, but he resisted. He then separated himself from you, and he pulled his phone from his pocket.

"What are you doing?" You asked, pouting.

He smiled. "Calling my assistant, telling her I'm going to be late." He made the call, and he turned his phone off. He then hugged you tight, smiling widely. You knew that smile. And you knew that you weren't about to get any sleep.