How Green Becomes Wood

"I think there are few things she would be more delighted about than getting to see her brothers unexpectedly," Dark pointed out.

"She's going to be so confused when I walk away and don't come back for hours," Daizi said, kissing Ivy on the head.
 
"You are going to have such a fun time at work," Alec said cheerfully.

"Speaking of work, got all your stuff together?" Xander asked Alec.

"By the door waiting," Alec assured him.
 
"I think so too," Daizi said, and after finishing her breakfast went upstairs to style her hair before coming back downstairs. "Ivy-Qadira, we get to go in the car! You have to come say goodbye to Mama at the train station!"
 
The twins had their stuff ready to go and were waiting on Daizi and Dark. Alec offered his hand to Ivy to walk with her out to the car. Xander made sure everything was stored in the car and everything was ready to go. It felt like so much more than just a trip to school now.
 
Dark found it a bit strange to leave the house with Ivy but without anything she needed. Sure, she brought a toy with her to the car, but he didn't pack her diaper bag, snacks, any of it. They were just driving first to the train station, then to the school, then back home. There was no need to pack. It made him yearn for when she was potty trained, but they couldn't even start that, yet.

Daizi spent the drive to the train station talking to her sons and to Ivy, and once they parked, she got out with a stretch, asking, "Are you coming to the platform or are ate saying goodbye here?"
 
"We'll walk you to the platform," Xander said, getting out. "We came all this way."

"Might as well," Alec agreed, following him. "We can say goodbye there and see you off. Unless it's going to be a while before the train gets here."
 
"It won't be more than five minutes or so, unless the train was delayed," Daizi said, unfolding her cane.

Dark went into the backseat for Ivy, scooping her up, "You have never seen a train before, Tifla."

"I hope she's not stressed when she doesn't get to ride it," Daizi said, feeling increasing unease about how her toddler would react.

"I do not think she will understand," Dark assured her, being forced into an optimistic role to help soothe her fears, "but one day we will take it into the city so she knows what the train actually does."
 
"She might be upset, but facing bad things is how you learn!" Alec said cheerfully. "She'll have us to help her get through it."

Xander wondered if maybe it would have been better to say goodbye inside the car instead of going to the train, but too late now! They stuck together as they walked to the train platform to wait for the metal monster to arrive.
 
"I know," Daizi sighed, cupping Ivy's cheek in her hand.

Soon enough, the train pulled in, and after taking a breath to steady her nerves, Daizi turned to kiss Dark goodbye, "Don't get lonely, Goose."

"I will be okay," He promised, hugging her tight with his free arm. Truthfully, he'd miss her during the day. It had been lovely getting to be around her so often, but at the same time... "I am so proud of you, Spider. Have a great day." It inspired him to see everything she had done with her career.

"You too, I love you," She said, squeezing him by the waist for only a moment before kissing Ivy on the cheek and rocking her for a moment, "Do not make Baba cry today, okay Ivy-Qadira? You are very mischievous, so I need my sweet baby to be good, okay? Mama loves you," then, after hugging Ivy one last time, handed her to Dark before hugging Alec, "Have a good day, you too. I'll be home probably an hour or two after you."
 
"You're going to be late for your train! You have some awesomeness to dish out!" Alec told her, hugging her tightly. "I want a full debrief after your first day."

"Same," Xander agreed. He took her sleeve and held it longer than usual before letting go. "But don't be late."
 
"Unless my train is delayed, I'll be home on time," Daizi promised, and then hurrying to the doors as she heard the warning ding said, "And I'll tell you everything! I promise!"

"Wave bye-bye to Mama," Dark told Ivy, bouncing her on his hip. Ivy waved, but as the train doors closed and she realized she wasn't following, she looked anxiously up at her father and over at her brothers before beginning to whimper.
 
"Mama is going to go play with her friends," Alec told her. "Mama always comes home, right? Mama will be back later. Just like how we come home from school."

"And we gotta get to school," Xander said, checking the time.
 
"Yalla," Dark said, nodding in that direction while rubbing Ivy's back, "Tifla, do not worry. You and I are going to have a very special day, we are. It will be just Baba and Ivy, and what fun we will have."

Once they made it back to the car, he buckled her in and handed her a toy before getting into the driver's side, "Unless traffic is awful, we will still get to school on time."
 
"That's good," Xander said, not too worried about it. Even if they were late, it wouldn't be by much.

"It was fun seeing Mama off, especially on her first day," Alec said happily.
 
"I am glad we could do so," Dark said, driving towards the school and feeling surprisingly nostalgic, "It has been a long time since we all drove her to the train station together. It must have been, what, since the last day of Fall break back in 2028?"
 
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