Accountability for our actions

He checked his phone for the time; almost midnight. He looked up and out upon the lake that was covered in a thick mist, clenching his jaw as he then relaxed to a deep sigh. He had kept to the safety of the darkness as he waited for her, feeling quite impatient and at the same time extremely nervous. They were going to talk it through, but what were there to talk about? Should he just lay out their options which seemed to all bring a heartbreak eventually. He looked down for a moment as he almost felt his courage fall to the ground. But then he heard noise in the distance, turning his head to step out from his hiding, "Buffy?" he called, frowning a little as he felt his heart thump in his chest at the thought of seeing her again.

Was it a bad idea to be meeting alone? He had proved to be capable of killing, killing her mother even. She moved out from the shadows of the trees, looking at the vast lake that seemed to stretch on for forever. Then she heard his voice, turning around she looked at him as he moved closer. Her heart skipped a beat and she knew if she spoke too much she would break down crying. "Baal," she said in a faint whimper, moving closer to him she stood in front of him. Where were all the words she had planned to say? All the sentences she had formed in her head? She looked down, feeling her eyes water, but would crying even help anymore? "My heart can't stop loving you," she admitted in a pained voice.

He frowned as he saw her, resisting the urge to just run to her and embrace her like he would before all this. He felt that his actions had really put a strain on what they once had and at the same time he couldnt bear the thought of ever letting her go. He sighed deeply at her words, looking a bit away at the pain he heard so clearly in her tone, "I feel quite the same," he admitted in a tired tone as he looked back at her. He shifted between her eyes as he wondered if she was scared of him now. He carefully reached out to touch her cheek, "I couldnt ever stop," he added, not being that surprised if she moved away from him.

This was wrong, this was so wrong. Yet as he reached out to touch her cheek she couldn't even flinch, making a pained expression instead at the way he touched her so gently. "You're ruining me," she whispered, leaning her cheek against his hand as she stepped closer. Why was she letting him touch her? She knew what those hands had done, they had blood all over them, and she seemed not to care to rub that blood all over her face. "I know what you did, and I know I can't forgive it, yet my body won't listen," she pleaded, leaning closer to him, placing her forehead against his chest.

He didnt really react to her whisper other than running his thumb down her cheek as she leaned into his gentle touch, "I know," he admitted in a faint tone as he looked at her with pained eyes. He didnt want this pain for her and there was nothing he could do to change what he had done. "You deserve better than this," he said in a low tone as he felt her forehead on his chest. He lifted his arms to wrap around her, sighing shortly as he wasnt sure if it was relief or tension. He clenched his jaw a little as he pressed her closer, hiding his lower face in her hair, "It pains me to tell you this. But someone saw us earlier. They know," he whispered rather calmly compared to how serious he was.

Swallowing as she heard what he said, she should've known. She should have kept her distance from the beginning, stayed out of the confrontation him and Xander had. Perhaps shouldn't even have went back to that coffee shop. "There's only one solution then," she whispered in a weak voice, wrapping her arms around him. It was not an option she had ever wished for. She was far too much a coward for such a thought, but there was nothing left for her. She couldn't live with him, and she couldn't live without him. Was it extreme? Very much so, but she was a fiery soul and she felt her flame slowly going out. "I want the pain to go away," she mumbled, whimpering as she felt so broken. Her time away had healed nothing, her soul was broken and she knew she could never heal again. This was more than her heart could handle.

This was the last thing he had wanted to tell her now when they were finally meeting here at the lake, but he couldnt keep it a secret for her. He swallowed hard at her words, feeling his eyes sting as they started to water. "Dont say that, please," he begged her as he held her like she was the only thing that he held dear in this way - Because she was. And hearing her speak in this felt like a pull to the torn pieces of flesh that once had felt like a heart. "I wont be without you by my side, I'm too selfish to let you go," he said in a serious tone as he placed a hand in her hair, sniffling a little though he didnt want to stand here and cry.

She could feel him deny it. She didn't know what to do. "Will you hold me hostage then? Keep me alive as a pet?" she whispered, feeling her eyes water. Just thinking of her family hurt her, feeling these emotions for Baal stung her. "Baal I love you," she whimpered. She had to tell him. He had to know that she couldn't stop herself, even if she tried. "And that is tearing my soul and heart in pieces, because of what has happened," she said, looking up at the soft sea of grass that was his eyes. "If I don't do this then my family will be at risk, or your kind will make sure I die on their terms," she said in a sad voice.

He frowned at her words, shaking his head as he looked at her with eyes of disbelief. He couldnt ask her why she was thinking like this, because he could understand the broken trust between them. "I would never," he said. He looked at her with sad eyes as she went on to explain, shaking his head as he felt the tears run down his cheeks, "Your family would think it was my doing," he whispered, touching the side of her face gently as he moved his arms to cup her face, "I wont let my kind hurt you," he said with a frown. He was quite serious of those words, though he wasnt really thinking about himself in the matter. Could he care anyway at this point?

Buffy whimpered, knowing that there was no turning back for them now. She was trying to explain to him what her wishes were. She couldn't just run away and forget. "I know you well enough to know you would never accept me being with anyone but you," she said in a serious voice. Not that she believed she could ever find anyone that could move her heart like he had done. "Would you ever be able to let anyone touch me like only you can? Let anyone love me like only you can?" she asked. Looking down she shook her head, before leaning up to look at him once more. Grabbing his face she pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss, one of hurt and tender love. Leaning slightly away, a tear fell from her eye, as she whispered against his lips. "Belial ... Erebus ... Kharne," she said in a whisper, but she knew what it meant. There was no turning back, and she looked in to his eyes as she wanted him to be the last thing she saw. "I order you to kill me swiftly, not to make me suffer and once I am dead, spread my ashes across the lake," she said, crying because she was doing this.

"I would if it meant you were still here," he said in a broken tone, shaking his head at her question. He would put his needs aside for her in a heartbeat if her life was at stake like this. It wasnt even a question for him whether he would think of himself. He leaned into her kiss but it feels like a bittersweet especially as she started to whisper against his lips. He frowned deeply as he started shaking his head but as his name was spoken it was too late, widening his eyes shortly before his expression disappeared like he hadnt ever felt emotion. It felt like his mind clouded and the last thing he remembered was the feeling of her neck between his hands.

--- beep boop beep blast back to the past.

"Stand down," Baal demanded, squeezing his wrist. "We wont let no valkyrie bitches get away," the daemon hissed, fighting against the grip. Baal pushed him away, frowning as he ordered his beast behind him where the daemon couldnt reach it. "What, are you sympathizing with these bastards?" the daemon spat in anger, "I'll tell the order if you dont do something right now!" he yelled. Baal looked down at the ground for a bit as he felt so torn. He closed his eyes as he swallowed hard, mumbling a dark command that made his beast turn it's head towards the valkyrie's. Leona looked at the beast coming towards them, searching her pockets, "I'm out of vials," she mumbled as she looked to her sister.

The hound locked eyes on Verona as it prepared to pounce and attack, when a loud howl was heard, coming closer as loud thumps of paws sounded on the ground. Baal and the daemon looked to the sound as well as the hound, only to watch the lycan run over the hound like a train at full speed. The lycan opened it's jaws to grab the hound around the neck to throw it back towards the daemons. Baal groaned at the bite as he felt the bite burn onto his neck area like he was being bitten as well. The hound whimpered before it returned to where it came from. The lycan watched it for a bit before he turned his eyes to Verona, growling angrily as he approached her. "A lycan?" Leona said in confusion. Baal just stood, feeling at a great loss of words as he recognized the beast instantly. "Daniel, what are you doing..?" he mumbled.

Daniel kept his eyes on Verona, seemingly angry until his eyes softened up for a moment. "Ve....rrrrrrity... be... with you..." it growled with strain before it lifted it's clawed paw. It had to be shift and fast, no suffering.

Buffy kept mumbling her love for him as he slowly strangled her, feeling her vision blur before her body went limp. There was only few seconds left of her life, and she was where she thought she deserved to be. Killed by her love, killed by the man who killed her mother, killed because she couldn't go on.

--

Xander was trying to run, he was mixing as he went and as he got there he managed to pull Verona away, keeping them in a safe bubble. Then he saw his sister running towards them. His eyes filled with fright at what he saw, the lycan killing his mother and his sister belting out a horrifying scream at what she saw. Buffy scrambled forward, tossing herself at her mother's corpse as she screamed, holding a hand over her mother's cut throat, trying to keep her alive. "Don't leave me, don't leave me please," she kept on whimpering, but it was too late. The blood lost had been too great and soon Buffy felt her mother's body go limp. Buffy's eyes widened, before she leaned forward, crying against her mother's now lifeless body. She wept uncontrollably, unable to gather herself. Xander broke the safety circle, stepping towards his sister with a weary eye on the daemon's still present. He would not let them hurt his sister. "Mummy please come back," she whimpered as Xander reached her. His eyes numb as he looked upon his mother, sitting down beside his sister and closing their mother's eyes. "She's with Verity now," he mumbled before turning his eyes to the lycan that now fled. He had no energy to run, he could barely handle the prospect of the bodies surrounding them. Sirens were heard coming closer, and with that Xander saw the daemons disappear in to the night.

The daemon beside Baal seemed to get a rush out of seeing something as big and frightening as a lycan attack like that, unprovoked and somewhat cold. Baal just watched Buffy kneel down to her mother, he wanted to sprint to her and wrap his arms around her and make sure whatever Daniel was planning on doing, wouldnt end up killing anymore. He turned his eyes to the daemon, knowing that he wasnt going to leave by himself now with the pain present, so he gave him a hard shove to let him know it was time to run. He looked back at Buffy once more before he pulled his hoodie over his head to disappear into the night as well.

Aiden had been tending to one of the wounded as the lycan ran past, she frowned in confusion before she got to her feet to follow the direction it came from. When she saw the clawed valkyrie on the ground, she lifted a hand to her mouth in confusion and felt tears press on. She just kept her distance to the siblings as she moved back to tend to the wounded angel. She wasnt sure what to say or how to react to see someone of the same race that those who raised her were. A seraph sent her an angry look as he stepped closer, "You dont belong here, taint-blood," he spat in anger which made Aiden frown, "Maybe not, but I'm staying either way. I wont let the innocent bleed out on the ground," she said in a serious tone, grabbing her bottle to let the wounded drink a little from it. "You're half them. You might as well be feeding her poison," he said, clenching his fist. Leona walked over to them as she couldnt even look at Verona, grabbing Aiden's bottle to take a small sip as she eyed the seraph, "We'll see," she said before handing back the bottle to Aiden. Aiden made a thankful nod though she quickly turned her attention to healing them. Leona couldnt bring herself to go to her sister's dead body, solely because seeing the lycan attack her with no reason as to why. It didnt make sense. Where the lycan siding with daemons now?

Buffy was sobbing uncontrollably, but who could blame her? The was her mother, the one that had raised her and had been there for her entire life, gone in an instant. Xander didn't know how to console his sister, his sat with blank eyes, staring at his mother's face, the mouth slightly open, but thankfully it didn't look too scary. "Why do they say that the dead just look like they're sleeping?" he mumbled. He couldn't find the peaceful look of someone sleeping, not on his mother's face, not on anyone around them. His wing was hurting, but he needs to help. He was a nephilim with gifts of making potions and healing people was his passion. However he couldn't justify leaving his sister alone. The police arrived, making him sigh as he looked away from them. What good had they ever done in all of this? He placed a hand on his sister's back, feeling how cold she was made him uneasy. "You'll get sick if you stay here," he said, moving his weight to his feet. His face was a display of confusion, pain and sadness as he looked around at the horror. He saw then a young woman he hadn't seen before, frowning as there seemed to be an altercation. He walked closer, looking at his aunt. "Could you bring Buffy home and perhaps stay with her until I get home?" he asked. He knew it was a lot to ask for, but he felt he was needed here. His wing was hanging lazily, dragging behind him on the ground. He looked briefly at the young woman, forcing on a half hazard smile and a nod to greet her, however he felt like nothing could soothe him right now. Maybe it was best for him to go home and rest as well, but he wouldn't stop until he had made sure that he had helped all he could. "She's cold, so maybe run her a bath; And make sure you get some rest as well, I can't do this alone," he said taking a deep breath. His mother had been the matriarch, so people were now looking to Xander for advise. He was still so young, and he didn't feel like he could handle such a responsibility on his own. He needed his aunt well rested, however for him it would be a long night. He looked at Buffy, frowning as it hurt to see her like that. Buffy's body was shaking, shaking in hurt and in cold, being unable to move because of the heartache she felt.

Xander sighed, but nodded. He couldn't do much but comply to his aunt's wishes, although he did feel something familiar about the hybrid. Aiden. It didn't spark his memory that much. "My wing is in your hands, it seems," he said, before looking around at the other people hurting. He knew he had to help them, it was just in his blood to do so. He turned his back to the hybrid, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes, flinching a bit as he felt her touch the tender wing. "I'm Xander," he said through gritted teeth. He knew her name, so it seemed only fair that it went the other way around as well.

Buffy was just sitting on the ground, freezing and holding her dead mother's hand. Then she felt those safe arms around her, pulling her close and she dove her face in to his chest, breathing in his calming scent. "Baal," she whimpered in a broken voice, however having him there made her know it was going to be alright. Even if it was tearing her apart right now, she was just happy to hear what he said. He hadn't hurt anyone, she believed those words, holding them dear to her heart. Her daemon was as pure as she had believed, wrapping her arms around him as she sobbed. His warmth helped making her tense body relax, but she would have to get inside to really be able to move with ease again. She pulled out from his chest, feeling his hand on her cheek, removing some of her fallen tears as she looked at him. "I just ... I just want to get home," she whimpered, her teeth chattering at she felt how cold she was deep inside her bones. There was so many things she didn't understand. But what bothered her the most was the fact that she couldn't understand what a lycan had been doing here. She knew some of the seraphim was staring at them now, but she didn't care. He had come back to her, holding her safe in his arms as he promised he would always do, and letting the others see it was almost a proud moment for Buffy.

Xander opened his eyes, seeing the daemon on the ground with Buffy, next to his mother's corpse, and he felt his body shake with anger. What was he doing here? Had he not been a part of that massacre that had just happened? Had he not claimed bodies that seemed countless at this point. Xander could feel Aiden heal him, but he stepped away, marching towards his sister and pulled her out of Baal's embrace. His eyes were furious, but he couldn't say a word.

"It would seem so," Aiden said with a small sad smile. She was awfully careful with touching his wing as she just wanted to touch it as little as possible to ensure he wasnt hurting. She figured out where it would have to be bound to be kept in place. She simply nodded at his greeting, drawing in a sharp breath, "Not gonna lie to you, Xander. This might hurt," she warned him as she went to gather her supplies for his broken wing.

Baal just held her close to him as he stroked her back. He couldnt imagine the pain she was in to see all this death and her mother. He wished that he could take her pain and carry it for her, but sadly there was no such thing for a summoner. He hated feeling her so cold, it made his heart hurt as he just tried to give her at least some of the warmth he bore in their embrace. He listened to her words as he removed her tears with his thumb, clenching his jaw a little as he nodded. He felt their eyes as well, some of them having looked at him when he stood with the rest of his kind. But they could say what they wanted, because he knew he hadnt been a part of the killing and Buffy believed him. He didnt need anyone else to believe him. When Buffy was pulled from him, he rose to look at the nephilim with anger. Aiden bit her lip as he had moved away while she had been wrapping his wing, leaving a long strip of the bandage dangling off him. She ran a hand through her hair as she sighed deeply. She wasnt going to argue with him when all the other wounded were waiting, turning to tend to another wounded.

Baal frowned at the nephilim that he knew was Xander. "Dont do this. She needs the both of us." he just said in a calm tone as he could feel the anger inside the part-seraph. The daemons had spoken of these not pureblooded seraphs and how they were less caring for their strict code against violence. Leona joined Xander's side, looking at Baal with anger and confusion, "What are you doing here?" she demanded to know. She turned her eyes to Xander and Buffy before looking back at the daemon. "I'm here... because I love her," he said as he looked at Buffy. He felt so angry that Xander had pulled her away, but he had to play his cards right now, at least while they were thinking he was a part of it all. "You.... what?" Leona asked before she looked at Buffy with a deep frown, till realization kicked in and she just widened her eyes at her niece.

Xander was furious, but he tried to keep his calm, holding his sister by the wrist. He stared at Baal, but he didn't know if he could handle hearing an explanation right now. His heart was hurting, his wing broken and he felt like the daemon was taking advantage of the moment. Buffy looked at her brother, a pained expression on her face, placing a hand on his good shoulder. "Xander, please," she said. She couldn't handle losing any more, not handle the prospect of more fighting after what had happened. Xander loosened his grip on his sister, turning his eyes to look at the flaming green. Closing his eyes he sighed, knowing that it wouldn't help anything to be like this. It wouldn't bring their mother back, nor any of the other lost seraphim. Then their aunt joined, Buffy felt herself a coward. It wasn't like she was keeping Baal a secret, but she had wanted to ease them in to the idea of a daemon being with her. Xander had seemed to accept him pretty much, well besides some small off handed remarks, but that was perhaps more of a banter to try and cope with having a daemon in his house. As Baal said he loved her, she looked at the daemon with soft eyes, a few tears escaping down her cheeks. They hadn't told each other yet, they hadn't said those three words, but she knew him to only speak the truth. Her aunt was clearly shocked, and Buffy couldn't blame her. She stepped out, standing between Baal and her family. "And I love him, auntie," she said, her eyes locked with her family before turning to face Baal. She reached over, taking his hand, entangling their fingers as they had only did in private. "I know it seems strange, and you might think ill of me from now on," she said looking at her aunt with pleading eyes. She was hurting, her heart a mess and her mind all over the place. "But can we speak of it any other day than today?" she begged. She couldn't handle going in to detail, not when her mother was laying on the cold ground. She looked at her mother, her lower lip shaking as she felt like she had let her family down. Xander stepped forward, nodding, placing a hand on Buffy's shoulder, however he looked at Baal. "Take her home, give her a warm bath and make sure she eats before she sleeps," he said. It was orders, but also rather big of a deal. He was basically allowing Baal to escort his sister home, keep her safe and the nephilim put his full trust in to the daemon. Xander then looked at his aunt, letting go of Buffy's shoulder, gently as he nodded at Leona. "We got work to do, and right now I don't like her being alone with a daemon much more than you, but he has proved me nothing but devotion to my sister; we are needed here to care for our kind and I need you here," he said, looking out to the people that needed help. Some of the seraphim had managed to gather together the dead in a long line. He swallowed at the look, before his eyes went to the hybrid Aiden helping out as well. "It's going to be a long night, but first I need my wing tended to; will you arrange with the morgue and call some of the other lines in to help us out?" he asked before he went to Aiden.

Leona couldnt look more confused as Buffy stepped in between them. Had it been any other instance, the valkyrie hadnt even though twice before letting her wrath out on the daemon, but she couldnt now when her niece was speaking of him like this. She was rendered speechless as Buffy had returned the three words to him, watching their fingers entangle. She felt her heart hurt, not only because she had lost her sister, but because it seemed like Buffy was with one of those who were the vile murderers of the night. Could the fenix not see that he was just a deceiver? There was no way a daemon could ever be good, that was what Leona believed. She just nodded at her beg as she had looked at her dead sister on the ground. Verona had always said that people didnt choose who they loved. Maybe Leona hadnt ever believed it because she hadnt loved someone like that ever - Because she hadnt ever allowed someone such a power over her.
Baal had given Buffy's hand a soft squeeze, but when she was this cold he couldnt just hold her hand, wrapping an arm to give her some of his warmth. He moved a bit away as Xander approached, not exactly a flinch but he was worried what the nephilim might do. He nodded at his words, sighing deeply as he looked at Buffy. "Alright," he said as he looked at the nephilim. They hadnt really spoken in all this time, but it was a relief that their first real conversation wasnt just bickery - But also bitter considering the reason why they were talking in the first place.
Leona just shook her head, all ready to object as it seemed Xander was way ahead of her, making her turn her eyes from the pair to her nephew. She turned her eyes to the daemon, stepping closer to him with a deep frown, "You better prove to be better than the rest of your vile kind. I dont condone this, dont think you can take advantage of all this hurting to ease your way into our lives," she told him coldly before she eyed him shortly. Baal just looked at her, knowing that words couldnt change her mind about him. He just nodded before looking down at Buffy, touching her face, "Let's get going before you get too cold," he said in a worried tone, pulling off his shirt to make her wear it. The marks from the lycans bite were burned into his skin around his throat over the marks but he seemed to not be bothered by it.

Leona watched the two leave before she frowned and looked down. "I'll call them," she simply said before she walked off, needing some time to just be by herself. Aiden looked up as Xander approached, sighing as she let the wounded seraph in front of her drink some of her tears. "Are you going to run off again or can I finish your wing?" she said as she didnt look at him at first, only right before finishing her sentence. "You dont have to tell me why, but I feel like wasting my time when the wounded are dying," she said. She wasnt trying to make him feel bad, she was simply stating facts. She swallowed hard as she got back on her feet, motioning for him to turn around. "I'm sorry.. I'm just a little shaken by it all," she said after a while of her own silence.

Buffy looked at Baal, feeling his shirt on her now, helping with keeping the heat in. Leaning her head against the side of his body, she walked rather slowly next to him. His arm around her was helping her slightly, however getting home would be of the first priority. She didn't say much besides sniffling, closing her eyes once in a while and just letting him guide her body. She was shaking, feeling her body ready to crumble from exhaustion, however she somehow seemed to still be standing. Looking up at him as they walked she noticed the lycan bites, frowning a bit worried, but she couldn't find her voice. Reaching the apartment took some time, walking all the way from the western part of churchill to the centre was usually not too bad, but freezing like this it took some time. Finally reaching the apartment building she looked up, already dreading the stairs inside leading to the top. "K-k-key, l-l-le-lef-t p-po-pock-ke-ket," she stammered. Her fingers were stiff from the cold, and a part of her feared they would break off if she tried turning any key.

Xander wasn't really surprised at her words, however they did sting. He remained silent, turning around to let her fix his wing. At this point he felt he didn't even deserve the wings he bore. "You don't have to apologize for the truth," he said in a silent voice, swallowing as his wing was so sore. He wanted to scream, but he kept everything inside. "I would give my wings to have more people standing alive," he admitted. He knew he was lucky just to escape with a broken wing, looking over at Victor who was having his wings removed because of the damage they had gone through. He swallowed, looking down in shame. "I should've protected them better, I should've dragged people away and tossed them down the road away from this," he whispered. Guilt was clear in his voice, but he didn't want sympathy. He was not wishing for anyone to acknowledge what he had done, because he felt like he hadn't done enough. "I have a lot of potions in the bag my sister brought; I don't know if it will be enough, but I hope," he said, wincing as she took a firm grip of his wing to stabilize it. He groaned in pain, but he tried to keep it down. He felt like he deserved the pain in a way, that he should've done more, should've protected them all, even though he knew it was impossible.

He would have carried her though he wasnt sure she would let him. And her walking could generate just a little heat rather than staying still while he’d walk with her in his arms. As they finally got to the apartments, he sighed quietly at her stammering as he grabbed the key from her pocket. He knew the stairs would be ahead so he just carefully motioned for her to get on his back, crouching down so she didnt have to jump or do any rash movement. He would walk her up the stairs, either by her side or on his back, but getting her into the apartment was the goal. Inside he quickly closed the door before looking at her. “Dont think ill of me for doing this,” he said as he moved closer to take his shirt off her. He started pulling a little at her clothes, having read somewhere that a person in risk of hypothermia had to be heated up in nothing but their underwear and a blanket. He lifted her up and walked to her bedroom to place her on the bed, pulling his own tshirt off before covering them both with the blanket. He wrapped his arms close around her, though they both were cold, soon they would heat up. “I love you Buffy,” he mumbled against her hair as he closed his eyes for a moment. One thing was telling her family before he told her, so he just wanted to be sure she knew. He didnt even need to hear her say it back, he felt like he already knew.

“Well, I apologize anyway, truth or not,” she insisted as she carefully inspected his wing again. The bandage had just seemed to make it worse, because it hadnt made a stabilizing point for the bone to heal. She frowned and sighed deeply, rolling off the dangling and dirty piece of cloth. “I think a lot of us would give many different things for the same,” she said, wrapping a piece of wood tightly along the area that had been unfinished before. She was just rather quiet as she worked, so she heard faint parts of his whisper to himself. She just swallowed and kept her eyes on his wing. She wanted to say some words of comfort but couldnt think of any. It was hard to focus with the smell of blood being so thick in the cold air. “We’ll make do. I can heal with my tears, so if we run out, I need you to pinch me really really hard,” she said, making a small sad smile as her optimism wasnt as showy as she wanted it to be.
Leona came back after a while, Aiden had finished his wing and made a nod at her, “Take it easy. We have a long night. You’ll burn out if you go all in right away,” Aiden told him, sounding a little worried. She handed him a vial before she went on her way to help with Victor, or at least tend to the stumps he now had.

Buffy felt the whole journey exhausting her further, but she also knew that once she had her heat back her energy levels would boost. She crawled on his back, not really in a state to argue. Inside the apartment she sighed in relief at the heat that hit her in an instant, however it wouldn’t be enough. She was about to move to the couch as Baal spoke, looking at him her lips had turned blue from the cold outside. Her fingers felt stiff and so did all of her limbs. It was so bad that when Baal started pulling of her clothes she couldn’t even blush, but she didn’t protest either. Laying on the bed she felt him close to her, sighing relieved at the skin on skin contact. Moving as close to him as she could she closed her eyes, trying not to make her teeth chatter so loud. It was taking time to warm her up, but Buffy also knew that it was just how it went with a fenix. As he spoke, she turned around, facing him. Her hands were shaking as she placed them agains his warm chest. Or, compared to herself he was rather warm. “I love you too,” she said though her voice was very shaky from the cold. She leaned forward, kissing his chest gently, feeling her heart beat a little faster. She told herself that it was a good thing, that her heart pumping the blood round would be good if it was a little faster. Closing her eyes she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her whole body to him to feel how they could slowly heat each other up.

Xander shrugged, but ended up making a pained groan as he didn’t think the pain had spread that far. However he was mistaken. Sighing he let her put his wing in place. It took a lot of guts for a seraphim to trust anyone with their wings. They were delicate yet strong at the same time, but with the right kind of force the could come clean off. Nodding at her words he knew she was right. He couldn’t help anyone if he didn’t care for himself also, but it was hard keeping that as a focus point when he wanted to help anyone. Turning around once she had secured his wing, he sent her thankful look. “We’re in this together then,” he said, feeling hopeful that she was willing to help. She went out to help others that needed it, noticing his aunt by his side he sighed. “Why is she here this evening?” He asked, knowing his aunt must’ve know , since she knew her name.

He felt so worried because she felt so cold in his arms. He just rubbed his warm hands against her arm and back, making sure to rub in his warmth. He looked at her as she turned, wrapping his arms around her as he felt her hands on his chest. He liked feeling her skin against his hands but he dreaded the circumstances they were in for this. He just kept rubbing his hands gently against her skin as the warmth slowly generated between them. He looked at her with sad eyes but then he just sighed and placed his cheek against her hair, "If there's anything you need, be sure to let me know. I just want to make it as comfortable for you as possible" he said in a calm tone, lifting a hand to her cheek to caress it with his thumb.

Leona turned her eyes to the hybrid as Xander asked about her. The valkyrie wrapped her arms around herself as she stuck her hands under her armpits to stay warm. She looked at Xander. “She was going to stand trial today to be let into our little assembly. Though I dont really believe she would have made it with half of her being daemon, it’s nice to see the seraph in her shine through all that darkness,” she said before she looked at Aiden. Though Aiden wasnt sure she stood a chance anymore with what had happened. Most of the seraphim around her was looking at her with either disgust or distrust. She wasnt sure which one she prefered. She glanced quickly at the two, before she resumed her work. Leona looked at Xander, “Your mother saw something in her though, that I cant seem to find myself. She can only prove over time to be either seraph or daemon. One side has to win someday,” Leona said with a shrug. She had always been black and white, no grey nuances or a chance of balance. Either Verity had blessed the girl or Bael had damned her, Leona thought. She turned her eyes to Xander’s wing. “She did pretty well on you,” she remarked before she decided that it was enough chatter and turned to go help the other seraphim move the dead.

Buffy felt so protected in his arms, however she could already tell that her dreams would be nightmares. Dreading it, she just laid in his arms, not wanting to fall asleep. His words were gentle, and she felt how his hands were working at her skin. Any other day she would've been moaning his name by his touches like this, but being cold all that his hands provided her now was heat and safety. "As long as you stay with me, I won't need anything else," she mumbled in a shaky voice. Her teeth weren't chattering anymore, but she was still shivering from time to time. His heat was helping a lot, feeling a bit of color creep back in to her face. Her lips weren't blue anymore, but they were still pale. "You could've died," she whispered, closing her eyes as she didn't even dare think about it. If the seraphim had seen him as a threat they would've ended his life before he had reached her. She shivered again, however this time it was from fear. "Please say you're alive and that I'm not just delusional," she pleaded, her eyes still closed as she feared opening them not to see him. Dreams of a fenix could always be so vivid and almost indistinguishable from reality, that sometimes she dreamt of days before they happened.

Xander listened to his aunt, and hearing that his mother had seen something in Aiden made him wonder. He had felt something about the hybrid, but he couldn't be sure of his feelings right this moment. Nodding at the comment of his wing he too set out to help those that needed it. The night was going to be a long one, and he feared they weren't enough people to handle it all.

He nodded at her mumble as he kissed her forehead gently a few times, wanting her to feel as secure as he could. He inhaled the sweet faint notes of lavender that she bore, sighing deeply as he felt his body relaxed but his mind was whirling in worry. How would she react once the shock-effect had worn off? He swallowed hard at the thought as she whispered, making him look at her with sad eyes, "Like I would let anything keep me from you," he said rubbing his nose gently in her hair. But he hadnt expected her to ask him to reassure that she wasnt just in a dream-state. He shook his head, touching her cheek gently with his thumb as he lifted her face to place his forehead against hers. "I promise," he said, tugging her closer as he grabbed her hand to make her feel the wound on his neck from the lycan, charred sores from the burns. He drew in a sharp breath as it was quite sore but he figured that it could assure her that he was actually here. "When you're warm enough to leave the bed, I'll make sure you'll get a nice relaxing bath," he said in a soft tone as he placed a few more kisses against her forehead.

"We'll have some extra hands. One of the houses are coming to our aid. So soon we can put ur dead to rest," she assured him before she went off. Aiden was just helping where she could or else she would be looking around for wounded hidden among the dead. She didnt really talk much since her mind was fully occupied with worrying whether she knew the lycan or not. She just seemed absentminded like most of the people who were shaken from the happenings.