And so we mend [cw]

Buffy smiled at his suggestion nodding excitedly at the prospect of picking out a dog for their family together.
She was too occupied with her own armies to really focus much on what Baal was doing. She couldn't hide a small smile as he had said that he wished it would be something in the bedroom. The date thing sounded nice but she wanted to raise the bar. "How about the one to win ... Gets the final say with the dog?" She said.

He thought about her suggestion as he slowly made his army grow. He could have been faster with the resources he was securing for every turn, but that would give away his evil scheme. "Are you suggesting that Saoirse wouldnt overrule any say we'd have with the dog?" he asked with a chuckle. He got to the border of what could have been another player but instead he drew a card to see what the fate for the unclaimed area would be. He rolled the dices and shrugged when they deemed him to fail in taking over. He sighed and leaned back, "Winner gets to decide our second child's name. Loser picks middle name?" he suggested instead, a smile on his lips because it just seemed to make him feel so much joy, despite that it wasnt a definite.

Buffy chuckled. "Don't you think that Saoirse would pick every single one to take with her home?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Baal. She could just imagine the toddler with a whole army of dogs walking out of the animal shelter. Chuckling to herself she shook her head, frowning as she lost some of her army in a battle, removing the pieces with a sigh before she looked to Baal once more.
Hearing what he suggested made her stomach twist with delight, mostly because she felt her breath halter a little. "You said we couldn't get me excited," she whispered, feeling her heart beat a little faster, but not by much. It was just the thought of having another child, another living symbol of the love they shared. "Alright," she said.

Buffy sighed as he spoke, shaking her head. It was her own fault. She needed to be more mindful of keeping herself calm. However the mere thought of Baal just grabbing her right now and the two of them going at it until she actually was with child, was just a thought that sent her spiraling. Would two children ever be enough or would they keep on getting more and more as time passed? "I'm losing my focus," she mumbled a little weakly, closing her eyes to just gather herself. Why did he have such a strong hold over her with this? It was like all he had to do was suggest something happening, and her mind and heart would be racing. "Now would be the best time for you to strike," she said, exhaling as she moved some of her army around. She was bracing for battle, but her mind couldn't stop going on and on.

Buffy just looked at her hand when he took it, saw how gentle he was and it made her more calm. His suggestion made her nod. "Some fresh air would be nice," she said, smiling at him, however she couldn't help but frown. Just thinking about needing to stay calm could be hard when she had hoped that this day would've been a day for the two of them just to be themselves around each other. Instead it felt like she needed to shield herself off, and it didn't feel good. She had always been one to follow her heart, but how could she trust it if she wasn't allowed to let it go crazy when she looked at him. Moving to stand up she felt a little light headed, leaning against the couch, closing her eyes. "Could you grab me a glass of water?" she pleaded, feeling like she had a headache coming on. Perhaps she just needed to drink a good glass of cold water to make it go away.

He came back with the glass of water, and as he handed it to her she reached out to grab it. Only to feel her hand phase right through it. Her eyes widened in surprise, looking at her hand as she started shaking a little from fear. Reaching out to grab the glass once more, thinking maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her, it phased right through once more. A surprised exhale escaped her lips as she stumbled a bit backwards, feeling her headache getting stronger. Frowning she placed a hand on her forehead. "I ... I don't know," she mumbled, however the pain wasn't as unbearable as it had been the first time around. She looked at her hands in disbelief, her breath getting a little uneasy as she felt herself scared. "My head hurts, but my heart is fine ... I don't understand ... I was calm, I held it together, why?" she mumbled, trying not to freak out too much as she thought it might worsen it. She looked at Baal, feeling desperation set in as she reached forward to take his hand, however as her hand went right through his, she whimpered helplessly. She couldn't even get his comfort.

Buffy felt like she was losing her mind. Not even being able to grab Baal's hand and hold it close to her, it was like some twisted and sick plot by those that had tried to keep them apart. However she looked at his hand hovering so close to her and she started to shiver once more. What if she was stuck this way? What if she would never be able to hold him again? And what about their daughter? Their beautiful little daughter that needed her mother still. "Is there nothing I can do?" she asked, feeling like maybe he knew something. He had the other part of the artifact, could he perhaps do anything? Or what about trying to call Alyssa again, maybe she could come by or send someone? She just felt this immense panic in her body and it only seemed to worsen.

"Clear your mind and focus, keep your heart calm, my love, or it'll feed on your panic" he said with a small frown, thinking they might as well do some trial and error now that she wasnt in pain like she had been the first time. It didnt seem that the artifact in his chest reacted much to what was happening to her, but it hadnt really seemed to do much since the split either way. "I know I cant help you, but you're strong without me," he said, hoping his words would somehow encourage her. "But I'm here at your side, even if you cant feel it," he assured her. He pulled out his phone to call Alyssa, keeping his eyes on Buffy as he waited for her to pick up, granted that she wasnt busy.

Buffy felt scared, but he was right. Even before he was in her life, she was strong willed and independent. However she had always felt a little scared deep down. Scared that she might be left alone and isolated because she didn't fit in anywhere. At least she wasn't turning invisible. Nodding to herself, she paced around for a bit, looking down she noticed how she had walked through the coffee table, one leg clearly phasing through the tabletop, but she hadn't disturbed any of the board pieces on there. Even the glass of water stood perfectly still.

Alyssa picked up, but she didn't seem in a good mood. "What now? Has she fallen through the floorboards now?" she asked but it clearly wasn't a frustration towards Baal. Things were just heating up at the meeting, and she was getting frustrated. "Sorry ... What's going on?" she asked.

From their last call, he hadnt expected her to be in a better mood by the time he called. He watched as Buffy paced around, frowning a little at Alyssa's words. "Not quite," he said as he then shook his head a little at her apology, though she wouldnt be able to see it. "It's happening again. But this time it seems different," he said as he went to explain how she wasnt in pain but they couldnt know if that would change due the unknown nature of the artifact in her chest. He sighed deeply and placed a hand over his own heart, "I dont know why my piece isnt seemingly bothered by hers, it would make sense that there would be some sort of reaction, but there's none," he said with a frown as he looked down at his hand.

Alyssa placed her thumb and her index finger on the bridge of her nose, rubbing it slightly as she closed her eyes. She was in the middle of a meeting, and the way she kept getting calls didn't put her in a great position. "If your piece isn't reacting, maybe it's caused by her being merging with the part of the artifact inside ... Perhaps something is making a disconnect between the two pieces," she said in a pondering tone. Breathing out in a sigh she shook her head to herself. "Or perhaps the artifact has messed with her soul, does she feel any different ... Hunger wise for you?" she asked knowing it was a troublesome topic for the summoner to even consider. However she wasn't there in person, and she needed all of the facts.

Buffy moved away from the table, but she stayed relatively close to Baal. "I don't feel different ... I mean, besides just walking through things," she said, loud enough so that Alyssa could hear her too. Buffy moved closer to Baal, standing in front of him, she frowned, mostly because she wanted to reach out and touch him, but she was scared of just phasing through him. "But ... I do hear like a faint whisper ... Not my inner voice, more like ... Something else," she said.

Her ponder made him frown a little as he thought it through. It could make sense that the pieces not being in sync with one another could cause some sort of discourse. But her suggestion that Buffy might be changing made him feel a little worried, though Buffy's answer was somewhat relieving. It could however still be a possibility. "It should be impossible that she would change. Fenixes are like a completely different breed compared to the rest of us and couldnt be tampered with, that's what the scrolls have said for at least a thousand years," he said, running a hand through his hair before he listened to Buffy. "What is it whispering to you?" he asked as he bit the inside of his cheek a little.

Alyssa agreed with a small humming noise before thinking through everything. Genetically she can't be changed, but that means the artifact needs to latch on to something else - I suspect her soul, but if that was the case then ... Then she would be splitting in half before your eyes," Alyssa said in a pondering tone.
"I don't know ... It's not a language I've heard before, it sounds ancient," Buffy said, frowning as she felt a shiver run down her spine. She still held a hand to her head, the headache still pretty bad, but she was managing it pretty well.
"It is said that inside of us all there is like a switch, basically one that determines if you have an extraordinary ability ... While Saoirse has shown that she indeed has abilities, perhaps that means that Buffy could be capable of having a dormant ability that the artifact have taken over or maybe replaced?" Alyssa said. But it was all speculation at this point.

"I'm not well known in the fenix practices, but it could be possible that your soul is keeping her stable," Alyssa said in a pondering tone. She knew about a few things about the fenix and their goddess, but she was not well versed in it. Not as well as she was in the daemonic practices. Baal's question made her frown slightly, but she thought it through. If it is indeed an ability, even if it is caused by the artifact, then she should be able to regain control ... I don't know what risks it would entail, but it could be something to experiment with while I'm stuck here," she said. It was all speculation at this point, but the worst thing that could happen was some pain for the fenix. That was at least Alyssa's thoughts about it. When he spoke about removing the artifact part in the fenix she breathed out. "Your piece haven't been too wild since the splitting, so if I'm honest, I think keeping the artifact in her is best for you ... Besides when we aren't certain of what it has latched on to, then we might risk ripping her soul in half removing it," she said thoughtfully.
Buffy felt herself needing to pace around and as she did she looked at the small photographs that she had framed on a small bookshelf. There were a lot of pictures of Saoirse of course, but there were also pictures of Buffy and her brother from when they were young. Pictures of her mother and aunt smiling at the camera. "Maybe my aunt might be the best option for training me to gain control," she said, looking back at Baal. She knew that her aunt had a hard time around Baal, but that the seraph couldn't deny the love they shared. "She's been training valkyries for many years, even some with extreme powers of their own," she said.

Alyssa bid them farewell and hung up. Buffy looked at the pictures still. There were so many things she wished she could ask her mother for help about, but the only thing she could do was keep her chin held high. She didn't really know if she could even pick up the phone and call her aunt, so she hoped that Baal would. "I don't know if she has her hands too full already, but I feel like this is an emergency, " she said, feeling bad for interrupting her life. Leona was a busy woman with a family of her own, and right now she also was taking care of Saoirse. Buffy felt bad for doing this, but in the end she knew it was necessary. Leona had so many years of experience, and training, that she was their best shot right now. Buffy found herself staring at the picture of her mother and aunt. Had her mother had any strange abilities? And what about Xander, did he hold on to something as well that could trigger out of the blue?

After ending the call, he figured that she wanted to talk to Leona. Grabbing her phone he found Leona before he placed the phone on speaker on the table. He swallowed hard and folded his lips for a moment as he just stood a bit in his own thoughts. "Hey Buffster, Saoirse is doing fine if that's what you're wondering," Leona greeted her in a calm tone, thinking that the fenix had just called to be updated. She looked at the toddler with a smile. "Do you want to say hi to mommy? She's on the phone right now," the valkyrie offered the little Saoirse before she would let the toddler greet her mother if she wanted.

"Ma-ma!" the small toddler yelled in a happy voice, followed by a giggle as she was reaching for the phone. Saoirse was still trying to grasp what a phone call was, but she was slowly learning. Buffy smiled, but there was a bitterness to it. "Hello my light, are you having fun?" Buffy asked in her soft and motherly voice. She felt herself hold back some tears as she was afraid she would never be able to hold her baby. That toddler was the most beautiful thing she had ever created, and the last thing she wanted was to break away from her. "Do you think you could go play with your toys? Mommy needs to speak to auntie Leona in private," she asked, still in her motherly voice, but she knew that her aunt would pick up on her words. The toddler waddled off, mumbling a "Wuv yu," before sitting down to play.
Buffy exhaled in a tremble. "Auntie ... Something has happened, and I need your help," she said, feeling worried as she spoke. She just hoped that her aunt hadn't put her on speakers.

How Leona always knew was a mystery, but she guessed she would be the same with Saoirse once she started displaying more independence. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a good few second before breathing out, already feeling a little better, but it didn't take away her fear. She told Leona what had happened that morning, how she had collapsed and how much in pain she had been. Then she told her about what state she was in right now. "Auntie, I can't even touch the table without phasing right through it," she said, feeling water in her eyes, but she took another deep breath to calm herself. She looked at Baal, not knowing what was going on inside his mind, but she worried he would go back to worrying more. That he would start to distance himself, or maybe something worse. However right now she needed to focus on getting herself under control.