How Green Becomes Wood

Sloan didn't address the typo, but promised she'd look for his backpack and bring it over after school the next day.

On the phone with Lance, Dark sounded tired and hollow. Although Bernice did make sure he was okay, her demand he take the next day off tomorrow seemed only about half from concern for him, it also came with the heavy current of the school needing to do their own investigation, because they couldn't have a teacher getting into a fight on school grounds, so when he was speaking with Lance, he had little energy left to pretend. He couldn't even maintain his usual laconic responses to the usual, irritating questions both he and Lance knew were only asked as a formality. Like Xander, he played down the extent of his injuries. He was a bit sore. That was the extent of it. At the end of the call, Dark sighed heavily and shut his eyes. By that time, Daizi had left to finish dinner, bringing Ivy with her, because if the soup burned, then it would make an already difficult day that much harder.

But the soup did not burn, and Daizi made sure everybody ate. Dark even came downstairs for dinner, doing his best to seem completely okay for his children, to try to prevent them from feeling any guilt or concern for him. He was okay, it was important to him they thought he was okay, and viewed him exactly how they viewed him twenty-four hours ago. Because he couldn't stop imagining their faces.

He fell asleep that night, but dreamt of fire and bombs and more which, had he remembered it when he woke, he wouldn't be able to describe. Daizi nudged him awake a few times, once making him take more pain medicine, but there wasn't much else she could do. At least he was able to get some amount of sleep.

Come morning, Daizi was awake first, so she could make breakfast for everyone. As she sat in the quiet of the early morning, reflecting about everything that happened yesterday, she finally picked up her phone and called her friend, because everybody else was asleep, so she didn't have to be supportive just then. "Hey Sally," she said, "Sorry, I know it's early. I thought you'd probably be getting ready for work."
 
Soup really did make everything better. It didn't magically heal them or make the nightmares go away - with the twins also both had - but it helped to heal the soul just a little. Alec and Xander both thanked Daizi profusely and when they looked at Dark, they saw their father. In pain and more reserved than usual, but their father. Nothing else.

When Daizi called, Sally picked up on the second ring. "Good morning, Daizi, darling," she greeted in her usual way. "You caught me trying to decide if I should match my shoes with my makeup or my lab coat." She paused and lowered her voice a little. "Is everything alright? I do not mind the early morning call, but it is unlike you."
 
"Aren't lab coats white?" Daizi asked, choosing to respond to Sally's conflict first, "Match them to your makeup, you might take your coat off at some point." Then, since her friend asked, she took a little breath and said, "There was a problem at school yesterday. It was explained to me, it's still a bit... Some horrible man from the twin's past, an ex of their mother's, showed up at the school, and he hurt them. A-all of them. And now Xander has a concussion and Dark has a broken rib, probably, and..."
 
"Hmm," good point," Sally said, moving to do as Daizi suggested. She paused as Daizi explained more, her brow furrowing with worry. "Is Alec alright?" she asked since Daizi hadn't mentioned him. That could either be a good thing or a bad thing. She turned on her home laptop and moved to check her work schedule. Perhaps she should request the day off for a family emergency.
 
"He's..." She started, "I don't want to say he's okay, because he's not, but he wasn't hit, like Dark and Xander were. The man, he," Her voice nearly broke, "He had him by his hair, so his scalp is a little raw, but he's going to recover before they do. Physically, at least."
 
"Ah," Sally said in understanding. Her heart recoiled at the idea of a man holding anyone like that, let alone her own son, and she hurt on Daizi's behalf, but she forced herself to remain calm for Daizi. "The mind will take longer to heal than possibly even ribs. You said Xander has a concussion and Dark has a broken rib? Have they been to see a doctor yet?"
 
"A paramedic looked at them, but they've not gone to the doctor. Dark wanted to go to work today, but Bernice--that's his boss, the principal, but Peter goes to the school, you might know that--demanded he stay home. I think he's in trouble. He punched their attacker unconcious, I'm proud but it hurts, you know? Dark's not stupid, so I'm sure he'll go, but he knows how I am. We're going to make Xander go, certainly, and Dark will probably go just to make sure Xander does. We'll probably have Alec get checked too, just to be absolutely certain he's okay, but," Her breath caught in her throat again, "I'm sorry. It's just hard to think about them in that situation. Dark's trying to act strong, but something deep down inside is rattled. I can smell it on him, you know? I can hear it in the way he breathes."
 
Sally didn't know the details of Dark's past, but she could guess. She know the history of Dark's homeland, and even with that, she had caught glimpses in his eyes to lead her to guess what kind of homelife he'd had, or perhaps had dealt with only when coming to the States. She tried not to assume too much, but she knew it hadn't been easy, and she could guess how difficult it would be to deal with something like this.

"I will come over," she said, already deciding. "I will bring tea and breakfast for everyone, alright? And if you need me to drive, I can take people to the hospital, or I can stay with you while they go. Is there anything you need? Anything I can bring you? Anyone I can call?"
 
"I'm already making breakfast," She said, pressing one hand to her chest, but then laughed softly and sadly, murmuring something to Ivy, who was the only other person awake in the home, "I've already told the people who need to know. And the twins have been called out, and... I don't know. I don't know what we need. Besides... Peace, I guess. I don't understand... why. And I wasn't there, and I know even if I was, what could I have done? This man broke Dark's ribs, I wouldn't have been able to do anything, but the fact I wasn't there..."
 
Sally sighed, wanting very much to do something to help. "Alright. I'd still like to bring you tea. Would that be alright? If I brought you tea while Dark and the boys went to the doctor and sat with you? I know you wish you were there, Daizi. We all do when things like this happen, even if there's nothing we can do, but you were not there because you were needed at home. You needed to be the one they could come home to and lean on. That is worth so much more than any presence. I know it is not much, but I hope it helps a little."
 
"You can bring tea," She murmured, eventually, "I want to save them. I want to rescue them. And I know that I can't, I know that I jut have to support them as best I can, and I know that's enough, and all anybody could ask of me. But I want to save them. And I guess I'm going to stay home with Ivy while they go to the doctor. I don't want her to get sick."
 
"Daizi, darling," Sally said gently, "you are saving them. You are saving them in ways that are far more important than mere physical violence. I have seen the way all three of your boys look at you, and you are their savior. Their Mother Mary, if you will allow. I am not certain what your equivalent would be, I apologize. The world is harsh and cruel, but they find safety and rest with you. That is not something you find every day, and, quite frankly, I am envious of that trait."
 
Daizi pressed her face against the top of Ivy's head, smiling slightly at how Ivy reached up to grab her hair with a happy, if confused, little coo. Despite what Sally said, she found it difficult to believe. She was helping them, that she could trust, but she couldn't take any of the hurt they had away from them. She couldn't even get Xander to agree to go to therapy. "It's hard," She said, "We've been so happy, this year. And now, this. And this is... beyond what I thought..."

Trailing off again, Daizi thought of Ciara. It was incorrect of her to say everybody who deserved to know had been told. Ciara hadn't been. Through all the hurt and sorrow she felt in her soul, a little flame of anger sparked up. "Their aunt is in the FBI. She tracked us down, tracked their... sperm donor, down. All those resources, and her sister's ex-boyfriend had--" She stopped herself. "I'm not trying to blame her. I just. Alec and Xander deserve to not be afraid. They deserve to just get to live their lives and not be dragged away from school and beaten."
 
"I agree," Sally said with a bit more heat than was typical of her. "What happened to them was inexcusable. Truly abhorrent. I am so, so sorry that they had to go through such a thing, and that you have to deal with the aftermath. That amount of pain... I cannot say I can even imagine it because I can't. If I could make it go away, I would, but, despite what some people think, money cannot solve all problems." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Do you know if the school will be having any kind of public hearing about this? If so, as a parent, I will gladly go to speak on Dark's behalf. I cannot believe they are considering him in trouble. What did they expect him to do? Stand there and watch? He should be considered a hero!" She sniffed indignantly and then realized where she was going with the conversation. "No, no, I apologize. That's not what you need to be worrying about right now. I can call the school myself and get answers."
 
"They said he should've called the police or sought to restrain him. Or at least get the SRO. I don't think anyone, if their child was in danger would have--" Again, Daizi stopped herself, squeezing Ivy close, "I'm not worried about him getting fired or suspended, I just think they want to review everything to make sure his story is the truth of the matter. I guess I can't fault them for that. From what I understand, other students saw it happen, at least parts of it, and told their parents, 'After school a teacher punched a man in the face,' and since those students don't know everything that happened, their parents don't know, and they were pretty upset. I think he's a hero. I've thought that for longer than anyone, probably..." She sighed, "I think the only one he knows who doesn't is himself."
 
"Oh, that is a sad thing," Sally winced. "That poor dear. And those dear, deluded parents for thinking it was anything other than him protecting at least students." She huffed slightly. "But never mind that. I am coming over with some tea, and I will keep you company while the others go to the doctor. Then we can talk face to face, and when you tire of me, I will leave. Does that sound like a good plan to you?"
 
"Let yourself in when you arrive. If you knock, Enkidu will bark, and with Xander's concussion... But, yes, that all sounds fine. And I'm sure Ivy will be glad to see you. Thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt your whole day, I just... I didn't want the twins to hear me talk about it feel guilt that I'm upset. I had to call early, so they'd still be asleep."
 
"I am glad you called me, darling. Thank you for trusting me enough to call. I will be there as quickly as I can." Sally hung up and hurried about getting ready. Thankfully, what she wore under her lab coat was always comfortable - no one wanted to work in a lab in uncomfortable clothing. She started getting a basket put together with tea and other things like some of Daizi and Dark's favorite treats. As she worked, she called the information line for the police. They couldn't tell her everything, of course, but they could tell her enough. She thanked them for their service, made a note to donate to their fund, and then called the school and asked to speak to the principal, waiting patiently as she rode the elevator down from their apartment.
 
Daizi hung up the phone and set it down on the counter. Then, taking a big sigh, scooped Ivy close, kissed her on the nose and said, as cheerily as she could, "Aunty Sally is coming to visit! Isn't that so fun?! But now we have to finish making breakfast so Baba and Alec and Xander all have something good to eat, okay?"

The school had Sally on hold for a little while, but finally the line was picked up, "Bernice Taylor, Heather Hill High School, how may I help you?"
 
Alec came wandering down after a couple of minutes and sleepily went to Daizi. He hadn't slept well that night, and not going to school on a school day felt weird. "Mama?"

~~

"Good morning, Ms Taylor! I hope you are having a good day so far," Sally said, pleasant yet firmly professional. "I heard about the teacher yesterday, and I hoped you might be able to tell me what it is you intend to do about it?"
 
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