How Green Becomes Wood

"Oh my god." Her voice came out both soft and shrill. The pitch of it bothered her, because she wanted to be the strong one, since Dark was hurt and couldn't be. But they had been stalked, and attacked, and threatened, and she couldn't keep the emotions from her voice hearing it. What else could she do? She set her spoon down and walked back to them, taking Alec's chin in her hand, because she needed to touch them. Her other hand trembled with how hard she fought to resist touching Xander, "How badly did he hurt you?" She asked, because she needed to know, she knew she'd go crazy if she was guessing. Her mind conjured up horrible realities, because she couldn't see them. "And Dark stopped him? He found him off?"
 
Xander wanted to touch Daizi. He could see how much she wanted to touch him, and he knew she needed that sense, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't touch her. He couldn't take that much more sensory overload. He gripped his own forearm tightly. "We'll be alright. We'll heal," he promised her.

"He pulled my hair a lot," Alec said quietly, willing to be more honest with Daizi. "And he hit Xander on the face a couple of times. He has a concussion now."

"I'll be alright. The paramedic said it wasn't bad," Xander told her. "Ba did stop him. Knocked him down with one sock to the face. It was intense. Ba wasn't letting him hurt us."
 
She grabbed onto the lip of the island counter to steady herself while pulling Alec in close. "I wish it took more than one hit," She said, her throat tight, "Going down in one hit is too good for him." She kissed her hand and pressed it gently against Alec so she wouldn't risk hurting where he had been grabbed, and as hard as she tried to surpress it, a little whimper escaped her throat. "I'm sorry," she said, breathing in sharply and letting it go, "I wish you weren't hurt, and I wish I wasn't so emotional. I'm just very scared for you, I don't want you to have had to experience any of that." Again, she tried to fight it back, but again she squeaked out, "Oh my god."

It was difficult enough knowing Dark had been raised by parents like that, but they had been kids together. It felt complicated different listening to Alec and Xander tell it. They were so much younger because she was so much older. "If he ever shows up again, I'll kill him," She promised, "I don't care. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you ever again. Okay?" She knew she'd be helpless in that situation, but she also knew she'd die trying to do something, "I'm really, really glad Milo fetched Dark. I'm so glad he was there to save you."
 
Alec caught Daizi's hands gently. "Mama, please don't cry. Please don't worry. We're okay now. We're all safe." He couldn't help his own tiny whimper as he tried to reassure her. "We'll be alright. We'll heal up. We always do. And it's thanks to Milo wanting to join us for ice cream."

Xander turned away, feeling worse. He knew it wasn't his fault, yet it did feel that way, somehow. It couldn't possibly be his fault, yet he felt like it was his fault for not fighting harder to keep this kind of pain from his family. Under that guilt was an anger at someone else.
 
She curled her long, slender fingers around Alec's hand, "No, I'm sorry. I should control myself better, it's not your job to console me. I just love you very much, and I don't like to think of you in a situation like that. It's not fair you've both had to go through so much. It breaks my heart the world is so adamant to keep you from... just getting to be happy, and secure. Nobody should have that kind of fear, you don't deserve to be assaulted."

She pulled Alec close. Although she could wear the majority of her pre-pregnancy clothes again, she was softer than she was before Ivy. It wasn't something she was willing to express, but she was still afraid for them, and not just because of this crazed man. Dark had been through trauma like this, he had been treated that way. And he almost ended his life as a result. "You have to promise to tell your therapist this, okay? Don't keep this a secret, this is important. This is so important."

Daizi swallowed hard, "You didn't do anything wrong, you just wanted to get ice cream with your friend. You don't deserve this."

Upstairs, Dark was lying on his back, breathing in as deeply as he could, wincing, and then repeating the process.
 
"I'll tell her. I promise," Alec assured her. He retreated back to sitting next to Xander and took Xander's hand, holding it gently. "We'll be alright. All of us. But... I'm worried about Ba."

"He'll be alright. He just needs a bit to breathe," Xander tried to assure him.
 
She dried her eyes with the back of her arm and took a breath to steady herself. "I'm sure it was difficult for him, seeing you both like that." Daizi cleared her throat and went to the sink to wash her hands, having touched too much of everything to feel comfortable returning to the soup unless she did, "Especially with all of his own trauma. He never got the opportunity to stand up to his own abusers. I'll talk to him. I still have to bring him some ice. And probably some pain medication... his poor ribs..."
 
After a moment of silence, Alec declared, "I hope that when he punched Dax, he was seeing the face of the people who hurt him."

Xander raised his brows at Alec. "I doubt his closure is going to be that simple."

"Maybe," Alec relented.

Xander sighed and rubbed his not-bruised temple. "I should text Slo. She'll wonder where we are tomorrow."
 
"I hope so too," Daizi said, although she agreed with Xander. Partially, anyway. She didn't believe he'd ever have true closure. "He never had someone like him to rescue him, either. The world is unfair like that." She gave it another few moments of silence before taking a small taste of her soup and then adding a few extra ingredients, "Are you going to tell her what really happened, or just that you won't be there?"
 
There was a long pause as Xander considered this. "Dunno," he finally admitted. "Maybe some of it. Definitely not all of it. Least, not over text." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Lots of people are going to have lots of questions if anyone saw what happened. I don't know if anyone did or not. We weren't in the middle of the street or anything, but we weren't exactly hidden, either."

"Let the gossip mill commence," Alec muttered.
 
Daizi shut her eyes and cooked until there was nothing more to do with her soup again but let it simmer. "I am going to bring your father some ice and some medicine. And water, so he can take the medicine. Do either of you need something? You should be resting too, I think. Especially you, Xander, I'm no expert, but I don't think phone screens help sighted people in your state."
 
"We're good," Alec assured her.

"I'll keep it short," Xander told Daizi. "I was told minimal stimuli, but I think a couple of quick texts will be alright."

"I'll text for him," Alec told Daizi. "You go ahead. We'll be fine."
 
"Just don't stress yourself," Daizi urged him as she poured a glass of water for her husband and fetched two ice packs from the freezer. They had pain medicine in both of their bedside tables, so that was sorted. Upstairs, she lingered just outside of their doorway for a few moments to collect her thoughts, and then she stepped inside.

"Hey, Goose," She said softly, walking around to his side of the bed, pulling their canopy drapes back, "I brought you some water, and ice packs. You should take something."

He took a deep breath, winced, and exhaled, "I am okay,"

"Don't be stubborn," She set everything down on the bedside table, opened his drawer and, opening his bottle, handed him two tablets and the glass of water, "Take it."

Despite wanting to argue, he obeyed her, although sitting up to drink hurt, and lying back down hurt, and he corrected his earlier statement, "I will be okay."

"I know," She sat on the edge of their bed, "What side are you hurt on?"

"My left."

"Okay," She gently placed the ice pack on his side, and he put his hand over hers to move it to the correct spot.

"It is broken, I think," He admitted to her, staring up at their ceiling.

"You have to get it looked at," Daizi told him, caressing the side of his face that hadn't been hit. "The twins told me what happened. I..." Her throat tightened, and ran his hand through her hair. He couldn't say it aloud, out of respect for her boundaries, but he thought she was beautiful, with the sunset in her hair and the little wrinkle between her eyebrows. She was about to cry, he saw that, too.

"It is over, now.'
 
Downstairs, Alec and Xander had moved to the living room and sat nestled together on the couch. Xander had almost gone to his room, but for once, he didn't want to be alone. So, they sat together in the quiet dark, having closed the curtains and turned off the light, and rested. Xander leaned back against the pillows with his eyes closed. Alec had Xander's phone and texted as Xander dictated.

To Milo, he merely said, Thanks.

To Sloan, he sent, Won't be at school tomorrow. Things are okay. Lemme know what rumors are flying, will ya?
 
Oh no, Sloan replied, What trouble did you get into this time?"

Milo only responded with, That's friends.

Upstairs, Daizi sat in bed, above her husband who was lying on his back and tried to talk to him about what happened, but although Dark was able to tell her all about the aftermath, he couldn't bring himself to talk about the fight itself, claiming he was too tired, that he just wanted to rest. He would tell her in the morning, and he did mean that. Or meant to mean it. Or meant to--he didn't know. He was tired, his head was loud, and he didn't know what to say. And Daizi wasn't going to force him, so she with him, icing his ribs, icing his face, kissing his hand, until Ivy's cries dragged her away.
 
Xander smiled a little at Milo's response but had to think about how to respond to Sloan. is fuzzy brain did not want to have to deal with figuring out how much to tell her, so he told Alec to write something up and then run it past him. Together, the pair cobbled together what they hoped was a lighthearted response.

Nothing big. Just a parking lot fight with a druggie who thought we could give him money. Our Ba interfered.
 
Jesus, dude. You make a soap opera look tame. I hope you're all okay.

Daizi did her best to shush Ivy. With how everyone was feeling, and especially Xander's concussion, a crying baby seemed like the last thing any of them needed, but thankfully, Ivy just needed a diaper change and a good snuggle and she settled down. Then Daizi brought her into their bedroom, to try to make Dark smile. She was as happy as always to see him, happily squeaking and kicking at the absolute sight of her father, and Dark did take her from Daizi and set her down on his chest, so he could look up at her pretty, smiling face.
 
"Tell her at least there's no unexpected babies," Xander said, wincing as Ivy started to cry. She settled pretty quickly, though.

"Ivy," Alec reminded him.

"Yeah, sounds unhappy, but Mama's got her," Xander said, misunderstanding.

"No, I mean Ivy was an unexpected baby," Alec elaborated.

"Oh, yeah, never mind, then," Xander said.

To Sloan, they responded, Bumps and bruises. We'll be alright.
 
Let me know if you need anything, alright? And like, actually let me know, don't just pretend like you don't need anything because you think it's stronger to not ask for help. That's stupid.

Upstairs, Dark held Ivy, even though, despite Daizi trying to prevent it, she kept accidentally kneeing where he was hurt, because he loved her, and missed her, and couldn't take the thought of upsetting another one of his children. And maybe those quiet, peaceful moments listening to her babble and laugh might have helped him shake off some of the weight of the day, but then his phone rang. Word of what happened had reached his boss, and she demanded to speak with him.

So, Daizi took Ivy back from him as he forced himself to sit again, and listened to his rather unhappy boss tell him what she thought the correct thing to do would have been.
 
Yes, Sis. Will tell you all. And since you say that, can you see if you can find my backpack tomorrow? I lost it somewhere in the parking lot area, Xander responded via Alec. The "Sis" bit was supposed to be "Slo," but Alec caught the mistake too late. He stared at the wrong word and chose not to tell Xander.

Once Dark was done talking with his Boss, Lance of the CPS called. Lance was, at least, more concerned about whether or not Dark and the twins were okay. He did ask for a few details for his report, since the police had contacted him in an official capacity, but tried to keep it as brief as possible. He seemed completely unconcerned with the fact that Dark had punched someone.
 
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