So much for a quiet life

“My lips are sealed,” he promised her, looking at her hand. He had always thought of Buffy as his elder and with that came a lot of respect. Though they werent far apart in age difference, it had just always been Buffy and Xander as the oldest of the children while Connor and Tessa would walk in their heels like minions. But that was when they were kids and now they were older with responsibilities. Connor hadnt ever expected to be protecting and nursing a child, but it was what it was. Frankly he was happy to actually get to do something helpful for the family. It wasnt a secret that he had aspired to become as good as Xander when it came to medical care.
Amos noticed Buffy’s frown but it wasnt going to soothe his anger. He listened to Buffy as she explained and so did the two others. Baal looked at her with worried eyes when she spoke so lowly at herself. Connor shook his head, “It’s what family do. We help each other out, even if we claim it’s for one reason and not a million others merged as one,” he said, which made Amos look at him with the frown, the daemon was not up for his optimistic mood-lightening speech. Connor looked at him with calm eyes before looking at Buffy. “Saoirse didnt cry for nothing today. She needed both of her parents and you both came. That’s something that should matter,” he then said, taking a sip of his tea. Amos clenched his fist at Connor’s words. “He’s right,” the daemon admitted in an annoyed tone before he sighed deeply. Baal touched Buffy’s cheek carefully before taking her hand. He was still exhausted, more so on the belief that Amos would have started an argument.

“I do feel like I havent,” he admitted, but it had been clear from the moment he stepped in that he wasnt as strong as he had been before - Which was probably why Amos hadnt demanded for him to leave right away. Amos didnt judge Buffy for letting the summoner back in, as her business was hers, as long as Saoirse wouldnt get hurt again. And he had noticed how she wasnt as weak as she had been, but he could also sense the unholy power in her. Nodding at her words, he did have the intention to stay but he kept a safe distance to the both of them. He didnt know why his skin reacted as it did whenever he had touched Baal, but he had a feeling the same may happen with Buffy. It was weird to think that you could be allergic to energy. He thought it was someting he might have to talk to his mother about.
As Buffy left, it didnt take long for Baal to get on his feet. Amos glared at him as a warning that he didnt want a single word for him, so Baal just bit his tongue and mumbled a tired sleep well before heading in to the bedroom. He got out of his clothes but couldnt muster to take off his socks as he laid down on the bed with a heavy thump. Exhaling deeply he crawled under the covers and just barely got to pull Buffy into his embrace before he drifted off in a deep sleep from the get go. But it wasnt like his dreams were pleasant, because it was just all a big rewind of the day’s bads that played in circles and interwined in a big mess.
It was just then in the midst of his dream that another nightmare seemed to flash and loop over what he had feared the most - The crying baby which had been Saoirse and the blood on his hands that was now Buffy’s lifeless body in his arms. Except this time, he wasnt allowed to give her a part of the artifact, he wasnt in any way capable of bringing her back. The crying just got louder and the frustration spread, till he woke with a soft gasp, realizing he was drenched in sweat. Gasping softly for air, he heard echos of the nightmare, feeling his eyes well up a little. He looked up at the ceiling, placing a hand on Buffy’s side to remind him that she was there and alive.