Unsettling news - Boadicea

He had gotten home, seeming a bit off as he sat down on the couch just to cup his face for a bit and exhale deeply. He leaned back as his hands fell onto his lap and he took a moment to stare up in the ceiling. He knew he was behaving oddly, but he couldnt really help it. He looked at her and sighed before he shook his head, "I'm sorry my love," he excused himself as he reached out for her hand. "This... is going to spark doubts in your mind, but I couldnt ever hold a secret from you," he said, grabbing her hand with a gentle yet firm grip as he looked into her eyes. He looked at her for a bit as he was searching for the right words, yet it didnt seem like there was an easy way explaining any of this. "I spoke to Eaden and Dinah today," he said with half a smile as his eyes moved from hers and into the room. His irises moved a little even though it was clear he wasnt looking at anything particular. He wet his lips, "Boadicea... I..." he looked down at his lap and frowned a little. He could barely believe it himself.

Buffy had been enjoying the day, things had finally seemed to go back to somewhat normal. Though she still had her fair share of troubling thoughts, she decided to hold it in for now. She wanted to just be a family, just be together as they could. She heard the door opening, moving in to the livingroom as Baal entered. She held a cup of tea in her hand, looking at him, but as he spoke she felt her heart sink. She felt nervous, feeling like she was ready to cry without even knowing what he had done. Buffy pulled her hand out of his, shaking her head and remained silent for a while. ” You speak with your children before me in pressing matters?” she whispered. It sounded like he was confessing something. Something so serious that he used her name and not just her nickname. She felt her stomach turn, her thoughts going on and on. What would she do? What about Nessa? Their little family? ”Look – I know I haven’t been easy to work with,” she whispered, trying to swallow the clump in her throat. ”But …” she couldn’t even finish her sentence, fearing what he might say.

Her whisper made him frown a little as he shook his head as he couldnt believe she was thinking he would do such a thing to her. He sighed deeply and shook his head, "Never. They were to ones to tell me of this matter," he explained before he ran a hand through his curls, grabbing her hand again as he moved closer to her, placing his hand over the back of hers in his, just to make sure she couldnt pull it away again. Her words made him smile faintly even though he wasnt finding it humorous at all. "Boadicea please," he almost whispered as he looked at her with worry. "It's not what you think. I still want to be your husband," he said as he rubbed the side of her hand with his thumb. He looked down at their hands, sighing shortly. It had to be said, there wasnt a way around it. "The mother of Dinah and Eaden, my former wife Ivory, is still alive. And she's trapped in hell," he said, feeling a sour taste in his mouth as he felt a similar feeling as to when he saw that Dinah wasnt gone as well, a bit of relief but shame for not knowing.

To tell him? Buffy felt herself confused once more, frowning as she looked at him taking her hand between his. Still wanted to be her husband? She could feel her blood boil. Would he take her for a headless fool? That she would marry him even if he had proven himself to be unfaithful? She looked down, feeling herself so torn. The hybrid loved her demon, loved him more than words could describe, and she had not been careful. Then he spoke again, swallowing at the mention of his former wife. ”Well … If she’s alive, she’s still your wife, right?” she felt her heart sink lower, her face showed how hurt she was feeling. She couldn’t hide that, not when she was afraid. Would he choose his former lover over her? Buffy could feel her body shaking a bit, scared of what was going to happen. Of course she would not let anyone be stuck in hell if they didn’t belong there, but what would that mean for her? Most importantly, what about Nessa? ”I – I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, scared to speak up in fear of breaking down crying.

Her question made him sigh as he shook his head and looked away. "We werent married like that. Marriages back then had to be before god and as a demon, there was no way a bond like that was permitted," he explained as he gave her hand a soft squeeze, wishing he could take the hurt from her and make it go away - But it had been proven over and over that he was powerless on the pain-removal department. He whisper made him sigh as he let go of her hand and got to his feet. He felt restless, knowing that the mother of his children were stuck in hell didnt sit right with him, even if his feelings towards her had changed. He looked back at Buffy and went to her, placing his arms around her as he felt the need for her comfort. It was fine if she wasnt feeling the same, even though he was hoping she wouldnt push him away. "Boadicea, I wouldnt give up our family or our bond for anything in this world. I hope you know that," he said, trying to catch her eyes if she was looking away.

Buffy didn’t know what to do with herself. She felt so selfish worrying about such things, but she soon felt herself relax into his arms as he pulled her closer. She tried her best to still hold the tears away, but she felt like this fear had been in her for so long already. It was not the fear of losing her life or anything like that, it was the fear of losing the family they had started together. He might say now that he would choose her over his former love, but what would the verdict be once all was said and done? Perhaps it rooted in her insecurity, the fact that she only had ever felt attracted to him. He spoke as his arms were around her, and she slowly wrapped her arms around Baal to show that she was there for him too. ”I feel so narcissistic,” she whispered, a clear shame showing on her face. She had doubted him, but how could she not? Buffy still saw herself as a stupid human girl, but she feared that him giving her a part of his soul had turned him off from her. She was no longer a pure soul, at least not as he had put it. ”I want to believe that, but my doubt is mostly in myself – That I’ve pushed you too far away that I can’t pull you back again,” she whispered, feeling her eyes water. Sure, they had had one night together, but it hadn’t fixed anything. It had been more of a need for both of them, more than her actually healing. She looked into his eyes; the pale grey with the green in them, the green specs that she loved watching move around. ”I worry that you might seek comfort in someone else,” she whispered, feeling shame in even saying this, but she knew the statistics. She knew what happened if a partner grew distant, or at least she had an idea about it.

He was thankful that she wasnt pulling away, placing his chin over her head but applying no pressure, he just wanted to feel her close. As she wrapped her arms around him, he moved a hand up her back in a soft caress. Her whisper made him turn his eyes down to her as he clenched his jaw shortly. Did she think he was minding it, even if it was true? The shame on her face made him feel a knot around his heart. His mouth opened but closed again as he seemed to swallow his words. She whispered again and he pulled her closer if that was even possible, pressing his face gently down into her hair, "Dont say that, please," he begged her in a soft whisper that muffled in those beautiful strands of golden strings that made out her hair. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes, her whisper making his nostrils flare shortly as he narrowed his eyes in disbelief. Where were all these doubts coming from? He looked away for a bit, feeling his body slowly heat with the anger he suddenly felt. But there was no way he'd take it out on her, knowing she felt shameful saying it. He looked back at her and placed a hand over her cheek as he looked directly into her eyes, which probably seemed more intense than he intended it to be, he just wanted to be sure she knew, "I would never find comfort in anyone else but you," he said rather sternly, but that was just because he took it rather seriously. "I cant prove it to you right here and right now, but I will," he explained as he looked at her with wounded eyes.

She should’ve stayed silent, not spoke of what she feared, because she had hurt him. As he looked into her eyes, she could see how serious he had gotten. She let him speak, mostly because she couldn’t really figure out what to say. A few tears decided to make a run for it, but she couldn’t really care. She knew that jealousy could be a healthy thing, but this was a fear in her stomach. A fear that he would not be satisfied with only her, that he wanted someone else also, and she couldn’t bear the thought of it. She sniffled, looking down as she hid her face in to his chest. ”I’m sorry,” she mumbled against his shirt. These days she was either crying or laughing, like her body couldn’t find a point of balance. Buffy knew that he probably wanted to go to hell and retrieve the mother of his children by himself, but she couldn’t allow that. ”Promise you will not go alone,” she said and looked up at him, her tears still running, but her eyes was serious. ”I saw what that place did to you, I can’t handle the thought of you alone searching,” she whispered in a hoarse voice. She took a deep breath, moving her hands up to remove the wetness from her cheeks. Nessa would be home soon, she needed to get it together. ”It’s not just me that needs you anymore,” she said, sending him a trying smile, but she really wanted to cry again. ”Dinner,” she mumbled, breathing out as she needed to prepare it. She shook her head. ”I’ll order take out – Invite Dinah and Eaden over too; I want to hear more of all of this,” she said, placing a hand on his cheek, leaning up to place a tender kiss against his lips.

He placed his hand over the back of her head as she hid her face in his shirt, moving his eyes up from her and into the room. He wasnt focused on anything, just sort of stood there in his own thoughts as his thumb gently caressed her scalp. He looked down at her at her words and sighed deeply as he shifted between her eyes in silence. Her whisper made him look away as it felt quite shameful even though it was true - He was a prince of hell that couldnt bear being in the realm he belonged in. What a terrible irony. He just took in a deep breath and made a small nod, not wanting to think further of it yet, noticing how she dried her cheeks in the corner of his eye. He had wanted to do that for her as he normally would, but he realized he had been too caught up in his mind.
He looked back at her as she spoke, the trying smile making his heart ache a little. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before resting his lips shortly on her skin, "I know," he whispered as he closed his eyes for a bit. He couldnt just go off on a reckless mission to hell without any plans or needed help. Her mumble pulled him out of his small ponder, turning his eyes to the clock. He nodded at her words and felt the kiss on his lips. He pulled her closer, grasping softly at her shirt as if he hadnt kissed her in ages, even though they had exchanged kisses more frequently since the night. He just felt a bit overwhelmed by it all, needed her to ground him once more like she always did. He let go of her after a bit, caressing her shoulder as he hadnt let go completely. "I'll call them," he said before letting go and moving away to grab his phone. He called Eaden first which was a rather simple and quick conversation. He sighed as his son hung up, looking down at the phone. "Even after all this, he still hates my guts," he mumbled to himself as he shook his head. He made sure to call Dinah as well, asking her if she had time to stay for dinner when she had picked up Nessa. He glanced to where Buffy had been before his eyes sought her.

He said that he knew, but did he understand what she was asking? Buffy exhaled, feeling his arms around her calmed her, it made her feel secure even through her insecurities. Finding comfort in each other like this was all she really needed at this point, that and knowing her family would be safe. The only problem was that she couldn’t be sure of their safety. Nessa had started speaking english, and she spoke it with the same sophisticated manner as her father. It was strange how the girl had gotten from mute to quite talkative. It made her happy to see her girl blossom so, but so many things were unknown. How long would they have their little miracle? There was no doubt about her being a human, as she hadn’t craved souls or anything else than human food for that matter. Buffy went in to their bedroom to change to something a bit more acceptable for having guests over. Mostly she would just stay in her pyjamas. She had one semester left, one more to finish and she was done with her bachelor. She was still amazed that she had managed to pass the last semester with everything going on.

Dinah picked up her phone, smiling to herself as she saw who was calling her. ”We are on our way, Nessa just had to find her jacket, don’t worry,” she said, immidiately thinking that it was because they were not home yet. When he suggested eating, she agreed to stay before hanging up and called Eaden. They had plans to see each other to do homework, but to be honest she was feeling more for eating some take out and hanging out at her father’s place. ”Ead, I know he called you; Can we push our study date to tomorrow?” she asked, smiling a bit to herself. It was strange speaking so casually with him, but on the phone people couldn’t see who he actually was. ”Come and join us,” she said, a hint of a teasing tone in her voice before she hung up.

Nessa almost ran up the stairs, unlocking the door and stood in the door with a big smile. Her pale hair messy from having spent a whole day in the forest with Dinah. Nessa had been promised to start at the academy if things could work out, but she was patient. She was having a lot of fun learning things from Dinah and even Eaden when he joined them. The person she missed the most right now was Jake. She hadn’t seen him in a few weeks, and it felt like her heart was hurting. ”I’m hooooooome~” she sang with a small giggle and stepped in and took off her shoes and jacket. She shook her head, a few leaves falling to the ground and she looked at them rather suprised.

He smiled a little as she immediately assured him when they were on their way. "Oh, dont worry Dinah. Take the time you need, there's no rush," he started out with a chuckle before he scratched his neck a little, "I actually just called to hear if you could be interested in staying over a little longer and eat some takeout with us," he then asked. She agreed and he felt relieved even though he felt like he should have told her that he wanted to talk about something. He placed his phone back in his pocket and exhaled deeply. He glanced towards the bedroom door before he walked out into the kitchen to grab a vial of liquefied soul. He inspected the essence before he emptied the vial rather quickly. He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed as he still couldnt shake off his worries.

Eaden was sitting in his room, throwing a baseball at the wall as his phone rang. He first thought it would be their annoying father again, but a smirk spread on his lips as he saw the beautiful picture of his sister smiling flash on his phone. He picked it up and pressed his ear down on his shoulder, sighing as she mentioned him of all. He let the ball roll across the floor as he laid down with a thump, "Since when have we started pushing dates for him?" he asked a bit annoyed, but it wasnt aimed at her. He smiled at her invitation even though it felt a little more like a demand. It wasnt that he minded that either way. "You know you have me around your little finger, mnh?" he mumbled to himself looking at the black screen on his phone. He got up from his bed before he grabbed his jacket, pulling it over his shoulders on the way out.

Baal had moved out of the kitchen as Nessa seemed to barge through the door, watching her messy white hair tell it's own story. He walked into the entrance, leaning his shoulder onto the doorframe as he looked at his two daughters with a bright smile, "I see. Had a lot of fun in the forest have we?" he asked with his bright smile lingering as he pushed off the frame to reach out and carefully pull a stick out of Nessa's hair with a surprised expression as he then showed it to her. He pulled both of the girls into his arms and held them close. He let go after a bit, knowing Nessa, she probably had some place to be, even if it wasnt anything particular. He looked at Dinah, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's good to see you," he said with a warm smile before he gave her shoulder a soft squeeze before letting go. He was trying his best not to seem more bothered than usual, but he did feel a bit restless.  

Buffy came out as she heard Nessa, smiling as she let Baal greet the girls first. As soon as Nessa spotted her mother she ran to her, and Buffy held her arms out, pulling her child into her arms and holding her tight. ”Welcome home, had fun?” she asked, pulling a bit away to look at the messy hair and the blushed cheeks of her daughter. ”Go clean yourself up,” she chuckled, placing a gentle hand on the blushing cheek before nodding towards the bathroom. Nessa chuckled and did as her mother asked. Buffy then walked to Baal and Dinah, smiling at the angel.

Dinah was still taking her time accepting Buffy, so she simply nodded as a greeting and then looked at her father with narrowed eyes. She couldn’t read minds, but she could see that something was bothering him, mostly because she knew how Eaden looked when he had something on his mind. ”Good to see you too,” Dinah replied with a smile. ”Eaden is joining us too – He’s probably just around the corner,” she added, knowing that her father had failed at inviting him. Dinah exhaled, smiling as she looked to Buffy. It was still strange seeing her father be with someone that wasn’t her mother, but she was slowly adjusting to the idea at least. Eaden had seemed to take it easier, but he also seemed to get along well with the hybrid.

Nessa came back after washing her face and hands. She had also managed to pluck a few more leaves out of her hair as she was brushing it. She joined her parents and sibling shortly before sitting down in the couch and resting her head backwards looking at the ceiling. The girl was a happy and spirited one. She rarely cried, and when she did it often felt like the world would crumble at the sadness.

He watched Nessa run to her mother and he smiled softly at the sight. He looked at them for a bit before he turned his eyes back to Dinah. "I think his hatred is everlasting," he said in a soft chuckle to her addition. He wasnt quite happy about it in any way, but he couldnt deny that there had been progress in getting Eaden at least to come to terms with accepting Baal's existence in his life. He entangled his fingers with Buffy's and closed his eyes for just a second as he seemed to be a little calmer by the contact. He was about to say something when the door opened and Eaden stepped in, looking at them all with a surprised frown as they all seemed to still be in the entrance. "Goodevening," he greeted them as he pulled off his jacket and placed it on the hanger. He then saw Nessa and made a small smile at her as he made a short wave with his hand wave, "Hey mami," (Cutie) before he went over to Dinah, running his fingers gently up her spine as he looked at Baal and Buffy. By the look in Baal's eyes, he already knew. He looked back at Dinah and sighed deeply. "I told him that you met our mom in hell, so by that look in his eyes, he is definitely planning on getting her back" he then elaborated as he wasnt that keen on keeping secrets anymore. Baal sighed and made a small nod, tapping his fingers gently yet impatiently against the surface of the table, "That is true. I do want to find your mother and bring her back to us. It's..." he paused as he noticed he was tapping. He moved his hand off the table and frowned a little, "... saddening that I've managed to let you all down in such a way," he admitted, making Eaden narrow his eyes a little as he actually found himself feeling bad for his father. He moved away from them and went over to Nessa at the couch, sitting down next to her, "Heard from Jake recently?" he asked, rather curiously in his tone as well. It was quite obvious that he cared for his sister but he had always cared for her even though he didnt spend as much time with her as Dinah did.

”As long as he shows some kind of feeling, he must care for you,” Buffy said, smiling at Baal as she spoke. Their fingers entangled, making her chuckle softly, looking to the door as it opened. She sent the demon a trying smile before excusing herself to go order some food for them all. She knew that Baal would prefer something simple, so she decided to order pizza, mainly because it was easy to share.

Dinah looked up at Eaden as he joined them, feeling his fingers run up her spine gave her goosebumps. She could see he had something on his mind, and soon enough he opened up about telling their father. For a second she wanted to hit him, because she wasn’t even sure if she had been alive, or it had all been part of that world the corrupted Belial had shown her. Breathing out she looked down, gritting her teeth as she thought about what she could possibly say. Luckily her father decided to speak, Dinah gestured for them to move into the livingroom, sitting down at the dining table. ”Father, you haven’t let me down,” she said, frowning at his words. It was clear he was blaming himself, but she didn’t see why. ”Besides I’ve tried going back for her,” she mumbled, looking down. It hadn’t been the wisest thing, especially seeing as hell was such a huge place, she had barely even mentioned it to Eaden and it made her feel a sour taste in her mouth. ”It’s like she doesn’t want to be found,” she said, looking up at her father again. There was confusion in her eyes. Why wouldn’t her mother see her? Why wasn’t she answering when she tried to summon her in hell? It all felt off, and too strange to be real.

Nessa smiled brightly as she saw Eaden step in. She bore no hatred in her heart for anyone, and she loved almost everyone she came in to contact with. However she liked her big brother, liked that he took time out of his day to spend it with her from time to time. He sat down next to her and Nessa snuggled up next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and looked up at his face with her big blue eyes. His question made the corners of her mouth turn down shortly, leaning a bit away to shake her head. ”No,” she said in a defeated voice. She didn’t know why it hurt so much to not see Jake. It was like part of her was missing, but she also knew he was working to get himself under control. ”I want to, but every time I call I get the same answer; ’maybe next week’,” she said lookind down at her fingers as she scratched her palm. ”However Larry have joined me and Dinah from time to time; He’s really great with flowers,” Nessa said with a half smile.

He followed her gesture and sat down in front of her at the table. He rested his head in his hand as he listened to her speak, shaking his head as she said he hadnt let her down, "It's hard to believe otherwise. I didnt manage to keep my children or their mother safe from my own father," he sighed and leaned back into the chair. He listened to her as she spoke of already having tried. Eaden moved his eyes to the table but kept his place in the sofa, he wasnt very happy to hear it, yet he still managed to smile at Nessa and let her cuddle up to him. "I cant tell you why she wont see you," Baal said rather truthfully with saddened eyes, but it did seem odd. He wasnt really sure if it was wise looking if she didnt want to be found, but he wasnt going to let her think that he had completely forgotten her and left her to stay in hell forever. He just couldnt find rest in his soul till she had been found. "But I might have an advantage. We spent quite a while together before having you two," he said with a smile that had a slither of a hope.
Eaden looked on as Nessa answered in her defeated tone, sighing as he shook his head at the words of this silly guy. He smiled as she mentioned a Larry, nodding as he looked at her. "Well it's good that you meet more people, hopefully soon you'll be joining us in school," he said as he nudged her shoulder gently with his. He looked at Buffy and narrowed his eyes a little as if he was trying to figure out what she was thinking about it all. Surely it couldnt be pleasant knowing that someone Baal used to or might still love would be out there. He looked back at Nessa and ruffled up her hair with a smile, "This Larry guy better make you laugh and smile," he said in a warning tone, yet he chuckled to let her know he was kidding.
"I'll get us all something to drink," Baal excused himself as he got up from his chair and walked to the kitchen to grab a couple of glasses. He placed them on the counter as he just leaned his forehead onto the cabinet's door as he closed his eyes for a bit.

Dinah exhaled, looking towards the window as her father spoke. He was blaming himself, but she didn’t see the reason as to why. Everyone knew that safety was never guarenteed when of the Morningstar branch, so why was he being so hard on himself? She couldn’t help but shake her head, biting her lower lip as she got up from her seat and moved to the window. She was at a loss for words. Her father spoke of getting them drinks and she simply nodded, moving over to sit on Eaden’s lap on the couch. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before looking at Nessa with a warm smile. ”She’ll probably outsmart us in every class,” she chuckled, looking at her littlesister which she had grown to care so deeply for. It was strange. Somehow she felt so connected to her, even though they were simply halfsiblings. It didn’t really matter in Dinah’s eyes, she looked at Nessa as the littlesister she had always wished for. Dinah rested her head against Eaden’s, smiling as she saw the two interacting.

Nessa giggled, blowing at her bangs that was not completely messed up by Eaden’s hand. ”Larry’s fun … But he’s not Jake,” she said, her smile turning a bit sad, but she seemed to snap out of it. She looked curiously after her father as he left for the kitchen, wondering if she could do something to cheer him up, but she really didn’t know if there was anything to be done. She looked to her siblings. ”Why is daddy and mommy so sad?” she asked with a worried frown. Many things she understood already, but sadness she hadn’t experienced yet. Not to the extend that her parents were showing.

Buffy hung up the phone after ordering, watching as Baal joined her in the kitchen. She saw how he leaned hiss forehead against the cabinet, making her sigh as she walked over, wrapping her arms around him from behind. She kissed him on the back a few places. ”Tell me what you are thinking,” she pleaded, but she knew he was thinking of his family, of what he had or hadn’t done. Buffy merely wanted him to put a few words to it.

A smile spread on Eaden's lips as Dinah sat down on his lap, placing a resting hand on her thigh as he gladly took in her gentle kiss on his cheek. He wasnt sure if it was a good thing for Nessa to see them like this, but on the other hand, he knew she was going to find out either way. He chuckled at Dinah's words and made a small nod as he looked back at Nessa, "She definitely would, ahuvati shelli. The fastest learner in the family, so far," he said with a short pondering expression. Nessa's answer made him look at her with rather understanding eyes. He knew all too well, from before how he couldnt find anyone that would remotely compare to Dinah. The reminder made him clench his jaw as his eyes shortly seemed distant. He shook his head and looked back at his little half-sister with half a smile at her question as he shortly turned his head to the kitchen. "Well, mami, I wish I could tell you," he said as he scratched his neck and looked up at Dinah. He sighed shortly. "It might have something to do with me telling father that Dinah and I's mother might still be alive," he then wondered as he kept his rather serious eyes on Dinah. He knew he hadnt had permission to go and tell, but he did miss their mother, which probably had been why he bonded so easily with Buffy.

He felt her arms around him and he sighed deeply as he lifted a hand to grasp softly around her arm. Her plea made him move his head off the cabinet as he sighed shortly, looking down at his hand holding her arm. "I'm thinking that this whole ordeal is a terrible mess," he said in a low tone as he moved his hand down her arm to her wrist to lift her hand to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand gently before he inspected it as his thoughts ran wild in his mind. What was going to happen when he did find Ivory, would she come back, and if she did, what was then going to happen? He surely knew that his feelings towards her still were of love, but probably not the same kind it had been so many years ago. He had mourned her in the beliefs that she had died and he had moved on from that. He looked at the ring on Buffy's hand and touched it lightly. "That there wont be any easy way through this..." he paused for a bit, sighing deeply, "That I'll end up failing once more," - "Or hurt you in the process," he added. He shook his head. The list was long and quite frankly he didnt think that listing all his bothers would soothe the restlessness he felt. "Now tell me what's on your mind, my dear." he said as he wrapped his fingers in between hers.

Dinah knew they had to keep their touches to a minimum, especially with their father there as well. But she had accepted at this point that keeping their distance from each other didn’t benefit either of them. Something as simple as his hand on her thigh was enough to calm her mind, make her body relax, even if she had so many worries. She noticed how Eaden became a bit distant, reaching down to give his hand a soft squeeze, signalling she was there. Nessa’s question was valid, but before Dinah could answer, Eaden did. She exhaled, looking at her brother, watching his serious eyes look back. Dinah wasn’t really happy that Eaden had told their father, mostly because she couldn’t really distinguish what had happened in hell yet. ”He has just as much right to know as we do,” she said, letting him know she was not angry with him. Dinah rested her body against Eaden as she looked at Nessa with a smile on her lips.

Nessa looked at Eaden as he explained, and she understood fairly well that it was something serious. However she had not been told the full story yet, but from what she could gather it could go both ways. ”But if she’s alive, why is daddy with mommy?” she asked, not knowing the full implication. She was still a child to some extend, still learning and trying to figure out the things around her.

Buffy felt his hand, felt his gentle touch, but there was something distant about them. Something that made her heart hurt. He spoke, and she couldn’t help but agree. It was a bit messy, but she needed to have faith in her fiancé. She felt the kiss on the back of her hand, and she wondered how much he was trying to hide what he was feeling. She swallowed at the sentences following, feeling like a deep worry was already in her chest. How could he not choose his former love over her, especially if she was an angel? Buffy hadn’t met many angels, but those she had met had almost supernatural beauty. He returned the question and she felt like she had a knot in her throat, leaning her forehead against his back as she exhaled. ”So many things, so much worry,” she whispered against his shirt. ”I’ve always feared that you would leave me in some way, and my heart can’t take that thought,” she whispered, scared to speak too loud to let the other’s hear. She swallowed, feeling so selfish, but she loved Baal more than anything. ”I don’t know if I could handle if you … Chose her instead of me,” she whispered, feeling sad at the thought. Of course she would have to stay strong for Nessa, but she knew herself well enough to know that she would merely be a shadow of herself if it were to happen.

"Of course he does," he agreed with half a smile as he felt thankful that Dinah wasnt angry at him for what he did. Eaden sighed at Nessa's question even though it seemed logical enough. He straightened his back as he leaned up to Dinah and placed his chin on her shoulder looking at Nessa. "Well, he thought like Dinah and I that she was dead all this time. She might not even be alive and all this could be in vain," he explained as his eyes shortly moved towards the kitchen door. He looked back at Nessa. "But a part of me wants her to still be alive. To have been there all along, to sort of watch over Dinah and I," he then said with a hopeful tone as his eyes got a bit of a sadder look in them. He pulled Dinah a little closer as he moved his eyes away from Nessa. "There isnt a telling what's gonna happen," he said as he shortly looked up at Dinah.

He listened to her as she spoke, even if she whispered, his hearing caught on perfectly. He just kept looking at her hand as he took in her words, even though he couldnt quite understand where it all was coming from, at least from his perspective. Had he shown some sign that he was looking to leave her? Or was there something else that had triggered these strings of worries that seemed to bother her? He frowned as she voiced the possibility that he would choose his former lover, and deep inside he couldnt help but feel a bit at a loss. He held her hand in his, but he let go as he instead turned to look at her. Even if she wanted to hide, he wasnt going to let her, placing his hands on her shoulders as his eyes sought hers. "You think I would that?" he asked her in all seriousness. He moved his hands from her arms and grabbed her hands, only to move them into a ball with his hands around hers like a barrier. He held their hands at some sort of middleground between their hearts as he was quiet for a bit looking down at them. "I would say it as many times as you'd need if it would make you happy, but I feel like it would make you feel like it was less true," he then said to break the silence, looking up into her eyes as he held her hands so gently in his. "So I'll say it once. And hope that you'll believe me," he said as he clenched his jaw shortly at the thought of her not actually believing him. He moved their hands up to his heart as he didnt move his eyes from hers, "I was in love with Ivory. But to my knowledge, she had died. So I mourned her and grieved my loss, before I eventually moved on. And now, all I see in my future, is us two together," he said a bit more sternly than anticipated, which made him sigh as he moved his eyes back to their hands. "All I ask is that you trust me," he whispered as he gave her hands a soft squeeze before letting go.

Dinah smiled at Eaden as he placed his chin on her shoulder. Even as kids they had been told they had moved like magnets reacting to each other, so she found it so calming to sit here with him. She looked down at the mention of hope. Dinah wasn’t sure what she was hoping for, mostly because she was afraid of the image of her kind mother being ruined somehow. She felt Eaden pull her closer and she turned her head to him, placing another sweet kiss, but this time on his forehead. ”No matter what, we will stick together,” she promised in a soft tone against his skin. There was no way that she was losing anyone, especially not Eaden. Maybe that was a selfish thought, but Dinah just knew it was the truth. She would not be herself without her other half, and she had taken too long to realize it to ruin it now. Dinah knew life was never meant to be easy, she had seen that so many times, but it was more than clear now. It all sounded too good to be true. She wrapped her arms around Eaden, placing her cheek against his. ”I think Cobbs might know more than he leads on,” she whispered into his ear, pulling away and placed an innocent kiss on his lips before looking into his grey green eyes.

Nessa could understand a lot, but this all seemed so weird. She felt the need to tell someone, but Jake wouldn’t really speak with her, and Larry didn’t seem like he would be able to handle it. She exhaled and looked at her palms as she tried thinking of doing something that could help. ”I brought Eaden back … Could I do the same for your mommy?” she asked, frowning as she didn’t really know how her abilities worked. Nor what she was capable of. Surely what she had done had been nothing less than a miracle, healing and bringing back an unholy soul from being killed by something holy. Nessa’s blue eyes looked at her thumb, rubbing the tip against the tip of her index finger. Small circles as she thought.

Buffy felt him turn around, leaning a bit away. His eyes pieced through her and she felt like she had spoken about her worries, only to cause him distress as well. It was strange trying to explain something she just feared in her gut. To be honest, she couldn’t answer his question, looking at him with hurt lurking behind the green color. She felt her hands in his, looking down to see what he was doing, before turning her gaze back to his face. His words stung a bit, not because she couldn’t handle the thought of Baal having had a life before her, it was more the thought of what could happen. Surely, he could say one thing, but Buffy did not know Ivory. She didn’t know if the angel had an intend to get her family back, nor if she even was alive after all. Breathing out she nodded at his last whisper, but as he let go of her hands she cupped his face, looking at him with a serious expression. She wanted to do something in this, but she didn’t know what to do. Buffy pulled his face down to hers, kissing him with something that was more than tender. Her body pressing itself closer to his as her lips were carefully savouring his taste. She pulled away slowly, feeling the need to pull herself closer to him again, but it was not the time or place for that. ”I trust you, my love, I just don’t trust the unknown,” she whispered against his lips. She wanted to say something to comfort him, soothe his aching, but what could be said that hadn’t already been said a milion times? She was there for him, she knew that he knew that, and she had promised him to stand by him no matter what. Breathing out she felt the need to change the subject a bit. ”I ordered one family sized pizza, so there should be enough,” she said, frowning at her own words. It was strange going from something so intense that made her heart beat so fast, so something as mundane as take out. ”Let’s go back to the kids,” she whispered. ”If you’re ready?” she added, questioning if he needed some time to adjust.

Eaden felt the kiss on his forehead and a smile formed on his lips at her promise, feeling her lips on his skin for a bit before he moved away so he could see her face. He nodded now when she could see it and looked into her eyes as he placed a gentle hand on her cheek, "That we will," he returned with his own promise, as he ran his thumb along her cheek. He removed his hand and felt her wrap her arms around his neck, as their cheeks connected. Her whisper made him look at her with a thoughtful look as he felt like she was right. He indulged in the short innocent kiss, flashing a smile as she pulled away to look at him. He turned his eyes to Nessa and he quickly noticed her pondering. "Maybe.... We wont know till we figure out if she's even really out there and alive," he said as he shook his head. It felt like a sore topic for him to further talk about.

He let her pull his face down so their lips could meet in a kiss ever so loving. His arms moved around her body as he pulled her closer in the sync of her body pressing itself closer to his. And like a switch, his mind was shifted from his worries to just focus on her and the moment of feeling her lips and her love. When she pulled away slowly it felt like a slow burn inside of him, a need to pull her back and let her know just how much he only wanted her, though it wouldnt solve their issue nor be the right place in the moment. Although, he felt it so strongly, even his breath had gotten heavier. He sighed deeply. It was scary how much power she held over him at times, had she truly wanted him to stay, he would have let it go and let the unknown stay so. But he knew she wouldnt, despite how worried and scared it made her feel - He envied her for it, not knowing how he would have been, had the tables been turned.
Her whisper made him pinch his lips a little as he shifted between her eyes. He didnt really know what to say, as he didnt want to just blurt something in the hopes that it would be of comfort to her. She changed the subject and he felt quite thankful of that, even though he noticed her frown. "That's good," he said a little hoarsely as he still held his arms around her. When she asked her question, he swallowed hard and thought about it for a moment. Her addition made him shake his head, "Yeah, I'm ready," he said, knowing it was better that they went back. He let go of her, despite how little he wanted to and grabbed the cups. He looked back at her and sighed, "You know how much I love you right?" he asked as he leaned in to kiss her temple, just a short but sweet kiss. He made a small smile at her before he went to walk back into the livingroom, seeing Eaden and Dinah so close didnt seem to bother him anymore, even though it had taken him a while to adjust to.

Eaden looked at Buffy and made a short smile as he held Dinah close, "I did hear pizza right? Or was it just my imagination?" he asked with anticipation, as he subtly tried to lighten the mood from all the mournful talking. He nuzzled his cheek against Dinah's with a bright smile before he pinched Nessa's cheek, "Let's live in the moment for now, alright?" he asked his little sister as he placed his now free arm back around Dinah. Baal had placed the cups on the table but caught himself observing how Eaden was behaving in the given moment, feeling both a bit surprised yet proud of how his son seemed to care for Nessa. Eaden noticed Baal's look, turning his eyes shortly to meet with his father's, and even though he wanted to scowl and frown, he didnt. He just pulled Dinah closer and looked back at Nessa. "Tell me Nessa, what's your favorite topping on pizza?" he asked to try and divert her thoughts.

”I know, because you keep telling me,” she said in a soft voice, smiling more genuinely now that they had spoken for a bit. Going in to the livingroom she couldn’t help but smile at the family that she had. She knew that she could never be a mother to Eaden or Dinah, but she still saw them as part of her family now. She was afraid that Baal would tell the twins off, but luckily it seemed to get ignored for now. Buffy still thought it was weird that they were siblings and doing something so taboo, but she had also seen Eaden without Dinah. She had seen how broken the poor guy had been and how empty he had seemed. Seeing him ooze with life, seeing him smile and how he handled Nessa was heartwarming in it of itself. Buffy chuckled at Eaden’s question, nodding. ”You heard right, and I’ve ordered more than plenty,” she said, smiling at the demon.

Dinah couldn’t help but giggle a bit as he kept pulling her closer. ”I won’t live much if you keep pulling at me,” she giggled, but didn’t move away. It was like she couldn’t. Eaden was who she was supposed to be with. Seeing her father not commenting on their closeness made her send a thanking look to Baal. Restricting herself to not do as her body told her too was not easy. ”Eaden and I have to be back at the academy before midnight, the curfew is getting pretty strict,” Dinah said, sending a smile to Nessa.

Nessa looked up as her parents entered, smiling brightly as she looked from one to another. If they couldn’t be happy, she would do her best to be happy enough for all of them. That was what she told herself at least. Eaden asked her about toppings and she turned her head to look at her brother. ”I like anything, but I think I prefer chicken,” she chuckled, reaching over to grab a cup of water, taking a few big gulps. Placing the cup back on the table she looked to her father. ”Abba?” she asked, smiling sweetly as she got up from her seat. She moved over to him, digging her hand in to her pocket as she pulled out a small acorn, looking at it in her palm. She handed it to him, smiling a bit excited as she waited for his reaction, but she knew it wasn’t going to be much at first. ”Larry taught me something,” she giggled, leaning forward and placed her lips against the acorn in her father’s palm, placing a soft kiss on it. As soon as she moved away, the acorn transformed into a small golden pendant of the acorn it was before. She felt a bit dizzy, but didn’t show it as she smiled proudly to her father. Her vision got a bit blurry as she stood for a second, unable to really do anything before a small stream of blood ran from one of her nostrils and landed in her father’s palm, making the golden pendant turn back to it’s acorn form and rotting instantly. ”Eema” she said in a slurred voice, looking at Buffy but not really before she collapsed.

"Perfect," he said with a big smile as he turned his eyes back to Dinah. He stuck out his tongue at her words as he tugged at her once more just because he could. "You'll survive, I reckon," he said with a chuckle as he loosened his grip a little on her without letting go. He nodded at Dinah's words in agreement as he smiled at Nessa. Her answer made him scrunch his face as he tried to remember the taste of chicken. "Mnnhh. You can have any piece of chicken on my slice, if you'd like," he offered as her attention diverted to their father.

"Hmm?" was heard from Baal as he looked at her. He watched her pull out the acorn and observe it, narrowing his eyes as he had a feeling that she had learned a new trick with her powers. He took the acorn, inspecting it shortly before he flattened his palm just a little bit to hold the acorn in. Her words made him nod as he watched her kiss the little seedling. It turned to gold and he made a short gasp.
He observed the golden acorn with fascination before he looked at Nessa with her proud smile. He smiled brightly looking down at the acorn again before a droplet of blood landed in his hand as the golden acorn withered away. He looked up at Nessa with worried eyes as she looked for her mother. He grabbed her arms and pulled her into his embrace as she otherwise would have collapsed, rendered speechless as he looked to Buffy. Eaden's eyes widened as he pulled at Dinah's arm as a signal for her to let him get up. He hurried over the back of the sofa, almost stumbling over his feet as he walked over to Baal and Nessa, looking up at his father with angry eyes, "How did this happen?" he demanded to know. Baal looked back down at Nessa, lifting her up into his arms as he seemingly ignored Eaden's answer. He walked over to the sofa where he laid her down, Eaden following in deep worry, "I dont know Eaden," Baal said as he moved some hair from Nessa's face.

Baal's expression changed to something uncertain as he moved his hand up to his chest, moving his fingers around the fabric where the artifact sat in his body. Shortly after a loud bang on the door sounded, but it seemed more like a ferocious attempt to get in, than beg permission. Eaden went to the door, opening only to frown a little as his face darkened. "Interesting," he muttered as he stepped aside to let Jake pass. Jake just went directly to sit down on one knee at Nessa's side without really saying a word.

Everything seemed to fit together, Dinah chuckled at Eaden’s words, their father’s mood seemed to improve. But then it was like all the air in the room got pulled out. Dinah stood up, standing a bit confused as she just kept her eyes on Nessa. She felt herself in shock, confused, as she hadn’t seen the girl pass out like that before. It was almost like it hurt her deep down. Like this was wrong, more wrong than any injustice in the world. She made room for her father and Buffy as Nessa got placed on the couch.

Buffy felt herself smile at her daughter’s showcase, hearing the hebrew word for mother made her look to her child with a mild smile on her lips. Her lips seperating, eyes widening as she saw her daughter collapse, thankful for Baal’s reaction, following them to the couch. She stroked Nessa’s head, at a loss for words as she looked only at Nessa’s face. It felt like her heart was being torn apart, the unknown hitting them once again. ”I’m here,” she whispered, pleading with her unconcious child, stroking her hair, running her fingers through the pale locks. ”What’s going on,” she whispered, but didn’t expect an answer of any kind. The loud knock on the door she barely heard, but out the corner of her eye she saw Dinah moving to the door with Eaden.

Dinah grabbed Eaden’s hand, staring in disbelief as Jake came through the door. Why was he here? Why now and not when Nessa had called him? So many questions, yet she had to agree with her brother in this. It was really interesting in a way. She pulled Eaden with her back to the livingroom, watching Jake sit down made her angry for some reason. ”Hello stranger,” she said in a cold tone, void of any of the emotions she once held for him. It was like she was angry on Nessa’s behalf right now. Dinah was not usually one to yell and scream, but she felt like she needed to. ”What are you doing here?” she asked in a snarling manner, holding Eaden’s hand to not fly at Jake and shake him up. The lone string of blood from Nessa’s nose was slowly drying, her eyes moving under her eyelids as if she was dreaming.

Baal stepped aside as Buffy came to let her have her space. He was just as worried yet instead of showing it, he more so just rose to his feet while his head was trying to figure out a million reasons for this to have happened. Jake eyed Dinah shortly in the door but it seemed like he had something more important to do than greet people, lest so talking to people who seemed to have more questions than answers. "Hey Dinah," he said in a neutral tone as his eyes didnt move from Nessa. He barely blinked as he placed a hand over the human's just to hold it. He sighed at Dinah's aggression, turning his head slightly without taking his eyes of Nessa. "I felt this happen. I had to come," he said, keeping rather calm despite the whole situation going on. At any rate, the normal Jake would have been head over heels with aggressive worrying, but ever since the wolf in him had been triggered, he seemed calm and collected, a lot more like his father than ever. "I know I havent been there for her as I should have," he said as he frowned a little before he finally turned his eyes to Dinah, the grown deepening as he barred his teeth a little as he spoke, "But I'm here now, alright? That has to count for something" he added, the last sentence sounding more defeated than angry, before he shortly eyed Eaden, then to look back at Nessa. Eaden had wanted to intervene but decided against it, knowing that Dinah could handle Jake just fine on her own, yet the way the wolf spoke to her made his blood boil. He clenched his fist to control his anger.