How Green Becomes Wood

"With the case broken, we've released it upon the world already, 'cause I imagine the case is what made it possible to contain whatever malice is inherent in it." He frowned, scratching his heard, "I think I've spent too damn much time with Tarot. I wish we could ask her about this. She knows more about this than I do... But I guess we don't have to decide anything yet. We could bury is in the yard under, I don't know, a cross or some silver or something, and then ask her about when she's..."
 
Alec and Xander glanced at Cooger, but neither said anything for a long moment.

Finally, Alec said, "Do you have a box? We can put them out on the porch in the box for tonight. It seems a bit silly to get worked up over a bunch of dolls, even if they were found under strange circumstances."

"Says the person hiding behind me," Xander pointed out, but nodded in agreement. "We can set something heavy on top. That should do it, right?"
 
"Yeah, that's a good idea. We probably don't gotta be so dramatic," Cooger agreed, going into a closet where he kept all the wrapping paper and gift bags that had obviously been through probably about 12 uses, and from inside the mess, he pulled a box about the right size. He dropped the dolls into it, taped it shut with duct tape from his tool box, and carried it outside. Then, Cooger heaved a stone from his garden and set it on top of the lid.

"There. All done. Although it probably wouldn't hurt to sprinkle some salt---That seems like what Tarot would advise. Just to be safe." Still, the job was complete, and he seemed satisfied, more offering the salt to play into the teens' anxieties than anything else. Cooger checked the time, "Can you believe it's already five?"
 
"Really? Wow, it's late," Alec remarked. He reached into his pocket to check his phone for texts, and then realized he'd left his phone with their stuff so he wouldn't accidentally lose it overboard. He hurried to their backpack and found his phone. No texts. Nothing. No news was good news, right?

Xander shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at Cooger. "Time flies when you're investigating potential paranormal dangers."
 
"And I've always said that," Cooger laughed, but it didn't feel completely genuine. It was late. He and the twins had been having a fun afternoon. He wondered how his friends were doing.

There was no way for him to know Daizi and Dark were standing next to their bed, standing as if they were slow dancing, but although they were swaying slightly, her head was drooping down, and he was rubbing her back. Standing, at present, felt better than sitting, but she felt she needed something to help keep her upright when the pain came.

"It takes pizza a little while to get here," he said, "so we can order it now, and hang out until it comes. After we eat we can have a little bonfire before the rain comes. With these clouds rolling in, it looks like it's probably going to storm." Cooger looked out the window and up at the sky, which had darkened considerably throughout the afternoon, but hadn't gotten so dark yet that it was necessary to run for shelter indoors.
 
Alec looked up at the sky worriedly. "Are we going to be able to get back if it rains really hard? I don't want them to worry about us. I don't want us to have to worry about us."

Xander tapped Alec lightly on the shoulder with a fist. "The only one worrying right now is you," he lied. "Everything's going to be fine. Cooger will know if it's too rough to drive back, and we always knew there was a chance we'd be staying the night. We're going to be fine, all of us. The only thing you need to be worrying about is what you want on your pizza. Mushrooms and cheese, right?"

Alec gave a cautious nod. "I do like mushrooms and cheese."
 
"My truck can handle some rain, don't worry about it. We're stuck here until we get any word from them anyway, and that kinda process can take long time. Back in the sixties and earlier, women could be in labour for, like, two whole days. But now if it seems to be going that way, the doctors or whoever'll intervene. Which is probably for the best." He looked up at the sky again, and then shrugged his shoulders, "Mushroom and cheese is good. I'll probably also get a supreme. Variety is the spice of life and all that. I'll order, you two try to chill out, okay?"
 
Xander paled slightly. "Tha- yeah. Um. Right. Supreme. I prefer. Things that are not. Sounds good. I'll be... out counting chickens to make sure Alec didn't steal any." He turned and beat a hasty retreat.

Alec looked at Cooger. "If you want to share a pizza, just one, so you don't have a bunch of extra or spend lots of money, I'm fine with supreme. I am very good at picking off the toppings I don't want."
 
Cooger watched Xander hurry out and then turned slowly to Alec, "We should take him to an art museum and see if Georgia O'Keefe's flower paintings bother him too. But nah, I'll probably get a medium supreme and a large cheese and mushroom. Or a large of both, send yours home with you, so y'all have time to adjust to the new routine instead of diving into it head first. Sound good?"

Enkidu whined on the floor, rolling over onto his back, so Cooger knelt down to pet him, "We should probably feed this guy, too. If we get caught in the rain it's no problem, but I don't want my cabin smelling like wet dog."
 
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"That sounds good to me!" Alec agreed cheerfully. Then he frowned. "Oh no. I don't remember if we packed dog food. Xander!" He hurried after his brother. "Where's Enkidu's food?"

"What?" Xander yelled back from near the woods. "Yes I want food!"

"No! ENKIDU!" Alec yelled. "Dog food!"

"Oh!" Xander came trotting toward the house. "It's still in the truck. I grabbed his bowls, too. I'll get them. Cooger, where do you want me to set it up?"
 
Cooger looked around his little cabin and then down at the dog and shrugged, giving a few pats before standing up with a grunt, "Wherever, I guess. It doesn't really matter." He scratched the back of his neck, "we don't really need to walk him either, just let him outside. He seems to be pretty calm under the circumstances, but I take him when they go on vacation. Do you two want to go set up the bedroom? I guess you could do it later though, I just know that when I was your age, I'd stay up way too late and then crash. It's got pillows and blankets and everything already on it, but... I don't know, sometimes people want to make everything cozy in advance. Like at a hotel where you arrive at 3pm and immediately rip apart the blankets so it feels like your space."
 
"I'll go set things up," Alec offered, trying to decide if Cooger was just trying really hard to make them feel at home or was nervous about something. He decided the first one, if either were right, and headed to the bedroom with their backpack.

"I'll set up Enkidu's food on the porch, I guess, so we aren't tripping over him," Xander said. He went out to the truck and fetched the bowls and food. He found what looked like the most sheltered spot on the porch near the door and measured out the right amount for the dog before closing up the bag and taking it to the truck where, hopefully, the cats wouldn't get into it. "Come on, Enkidu, chow time."
 
Enkidu, despite seeming pretty much like his normal, happy self, followed Xander outside, and took a few typically voracious bites of food before sitting down and leaning against Xander's legs. Nobody would ever be able to answer if he knew something weird was going on, or if he could just sense some anxiety in the people he was with, but either way, when it was just him and Xander out on the porch, he was a bit less like himself.

Cooger knew perfectly well he shouldn't be expecting any texts during the process. Unless there was an emergency or the baby had been born, they'd have nothing but radio silence. But as he placed the pizza order, he was surprised to realize he was more excited than anything, which took him by surprise, considering how much he missed the years where it was just the three of them and children were a future plan. He made his way over to the guest room and poked his head in, leaning against the door frame, "They ain't got clothes small enough for her."
 
Xander sighed and crouched down. Gently, he rubbed his hands along the dog's fur, digging in to scratch Enkidu's favorite places. "I know. It's weird all around, and I don't think I'm helping much," he said softly, "but it's going to be okay. I promise. We're going to go home, and things will be different, but it's going to be okay. Don't worry. I'll always look out for you, okay? No one will forget to feed you or walk you or play with you."

Alec paused in his sorting of the blankets and looked up at Cooger. It took him just a second to realize what Cooger was saying. "Oh. Oh dear. Well... maybe the midwife will be able to help for the immediate need. They are always prepared, right? And I bet Mrs. Hollis would be overjoyed to send more clothes." He frowned. "I haven't told Peter or Sloan what's going on. Should I?"
 
Enkidu looked up at Xander and pressed himself further against him. Then, eventually, he flipped over onto his back for a big good belly rub before finally getting back up and eating his food, albeit more slowly, and still keeping a bit closer to Xander than he otherwise would.

"She probably would be. And I've got people who I think would do what they could to help out, I'll bet some of them has stuff they're able to send. And yeah, the midwife might have something to put her in." He hummed, immensely glad this was a temporary situation for him and not a permanent one, "You could, I guess. I don't know. It's affecting you, so I guess it would be okay? But I also don't know if it's news they want out yet. Do Sloan and Peter know them?"
 
Xander normally would have left Enkidu to eat in peace, but between the dog's clinginess and his own unease, he decided to stay. He sat in silence and waited for Enkidu to finish.

"A little bit, but you're right. I'll wait until they say it's okay to tell other people," Alec agreed.
 
"That's probably a good idea. But I understand the desire to tell people. I really wish I could tell my mom." Cooger admitted, and was completely honest in it, "but my mom's just about adopted them both. Terrified of planes but flew to Egypt for their wedding. But I guess if you think about it she met them when they were your age."

When Enkidu finished eating, he got up, stretched, and then scurried down the steps into the grass before pausing and checking to make sure his person was still there.
 
"They lived a lot of life, and they aren't even that old yet," Alec said soberly. He shook his head and continued fixing the bed. "At least now they get to have the one thing they really, really wanted in life." He smiled, truly glad for them even with the other conflicting feelings.

Xander stood and brushed himself off before following Enkidu as far as the bottom of the steps. He stood there, hands in pockets, watching the dog and taking a bit of comfort in being needed if only for his presence.
 
"People'll say the same about you when you're their age," Cooger assured him, "and yeah, they have really wanted this. But it's not the only thing they've ever wanted. For all the tough things they've lived through, they both fell in love, got married, got a dog, built a house, found fulfilling careers..." he shrugged, "they've had a lotta good to balance it out, so you don't gotta worry. And even if this baby never happened, the way they talk about you and your brother?" He whistled, "they'd have been doing just fine."

Enkidu walked a bit, and then finding his dog confidence again, ran. But after not too long, he ran back up to Xander, stick-in-mouth, tail wagging.
 
Alec blushed deeply and awkwardly fluffed a pillow. "So... when is that pizza going to get here?" he asked, looking for a way to change the subject.

Xander grinned and took the stick. "What, you want something to chase? Something that won't get Hank mad at you?" He waved the stick playfully, teasing Enkidu a little. Then he pulled back and sent the stick flying as far as possible.
 
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