With every crash of the black waves that beats on the stones and pebbles, leaving only white froth in its wake, I feel our time is quickly running out.

I see his crinkled face deep in thought, his mind consumed.

I break the silence that sits between the three of us. "We have to go home soon, Dad".

"What if I didn't, Oscar".

I scoff. "Are you intending on sleeping on the beach amongst the seaweed, locals will think I've finally had enough of you and dumped you here to be washed away".

But my joke falls flat, as if I'd not even spoken.

"What if I don't go home, what if this is my last place".

I catch Liten Vampyr's eyes dart to mine, worry etched on her usually stoney face.

"I have no idea what your're talking about Dad. Come on, we need to get you home".

I stand up and try to lift him, but he shrugs me off, his eyes fixed on the waves edging closer to us.

"No oscar, I'm not going back. I'm not going back to die in that bed, stuck in that room as my son watches me slowly slip away".

"What are you saying Dad?"

"I'm saying, I've had no choice in death coming knocking for me, but I will have a choice in how and where I will die".

"No, enough dad". I yank his arm but his body barely moves, as if he's become rooted to the ground. His eyes are fixated on the crashing waves.

Liten Vampyr crouches beside him, her hair dropping over her face, hiding all her emotions. She leans, in her face just a short breath away.

He tilts her head up, her hair tumbling away as if he's removing her mask. "Old friend, I called you here to say goodbye, you knew that".

Gently, she nodded in agreement, as if they shared a secret conversation I was not privy to.

Her arms swing around his neck as she falls into his arms, melting into his embrace. A warm glow radiates off them as if their love for each other is pouring out of their souls and illuminating this night.

"No tears, my Liten Vampyr, I have had a wonderful life and it is all because of you, you saved me and in doing so I got to meet my wonderful wife, make a home where I could lay down strong roots and finally belong. I also became a father to my beautiful Oscar, but like all good stories, mine has come to an end".

"It doesn't have to," I plead, my desperate words clinging in the air.

He takes my hand and pulls me down closer so I'm now in his frail tired arms with Liten Vampyr, his body is still unusually calm while Liten Vampyr shakes with the silent sobs that ripple through her.

"Oscar, I'm not afraid of death, I do not wish to live forever. For me, to live forever would mean I will never see your mother again - we've already been parted for so long, longer than my broken heart can take, please let me go to her now".

Realisation finally has hit. He wants to be reunited with his love, my mother.
That's all he's ever wanted.
He believes she's waiting for him.
How could I deny him peace.
After all, what is the good of living forever if you can't be with the one you love.

He has fought so hard to live so he can be with me, but now is the time for him to die, so he can be reunited with Mum.

I kiss him on the forehead as I've done a hundred times before, just before he drifts to sleep because the pain has gripped him so, and I whisper the words that need to be said. "Go to her, Dad".

His eyes tear up, shining as the moonlight catches his face. A smile washes over him, I know it's relief; relief the pain will finally end, relief he will be reunited with his wife, relief I finally understood what he's been desperately trying to get me to understand for so long.