How Green Becomes Wood

"That's probably a good idea," Daizi sighed, knowing they had phonecalls to make, but still not wanting to make them. Dark silently agreed, and began walking down paths that led home.

He also didn't mention the phonecalls, having truly enjoyed putting them out of his mind, but instead said, "Later this summer, I think. Daizi and I still need to pick the weekend when we will go away, but since we three have no work nor school, we can go during the week."
 
Xander stretched straight up, stretching himself mightily. He actually stood several inches taller now than he had when Dark had first picked them up out of the snow. Alec did, as well, but his meek countenance tended to make him appear smaller than he really was. They were both still short compared to Dark, but finally closer to normal height for their age.

"I can't wait for summer!" Xander groaned. "Been thinking about maybe trying to figure out how job life works, but not until after a roller coaster ride that's not just my life."
 
"Don't get a job until you really need to," Daizi advised, "take some time to just be young, you have the rest of you life to work." She yawned slightly, having run through far too many strong emotions for one day, and to her disappointment knew it wasn't over yet.

When they returned to their house, they entered in the usual fashion, and Dark went to retrieve his notebook so he could write down what the lawyer told them. Then both he and Daizi sat down at their dinning room table to finally make that call, because of course she was going to participate in it. Before they did, though, they made sure to ask the twins if they had any questions, so they could be sure to get the answer to them as well.
 
"I wouldn't even know what to ask," Alec admitted.

Xander shrugged. "Just make sure they know that if anyone tries to take us, we'd rather and are prepared to live on the streets. Don't wanna, but we will."

Alec took his hand. "Not that we are going to worry you about that. It's a last measure. We'll be in our room if you need anything." He headed for their room, tugging Xander along gently.
 
"Okay, well. We will let you know what he says. If you think of anything, you can just text me, we will call on Daizi's phone so we can keep track." Dark told them, and after they had gone upstairs, they dialed the number. The conversation with the lawyer took a couple hours, but they felt relatively good about the outcome. Ultimately, despite Declan being the biological father, it was extremely unlikely he would be granted custody over them, and if he really decided to make a push for it, it would not be too difficult to fight to have his parental rights entirely removed--although, the lawyer advised them not to immediately attempt to do this, as since it may not even be necessary. A lot more was said, but for them, that was the most important summary of information.

After they hung up, the decided to eat the frog, and call the motel and have them patched through to Declan Walsh's room. When the phone was answered, Dark said, "Hello, this is G.M. Dark and Daizi Wahid, we are Alec and Xander's guardians? Are we speaking to Mr. Walsh?"
 
There was a pause at the other end of the phone, as if the recipient had to think for a moment who the caller was referring to, then the phone-line-warped voice said, "Right! Yeah. How are the kids?"
 
"...Shocked you showed up. And confused." Daizi said, attempting to be a little kinder towards him, which was easier now that she knew it was extremely unlikely he'd ever be able to take Alec and Xander from them, "and I think a little scared."

"But they agreed to meet with you, so long as we meet somewhere other than their home." Dark told him, intentionally referring to their house that way.
 
"Alright, cool," the tinny voice agreed, sounding far more relaxed now than they had in the house. Something rustled in the background, and a muffled voice said something that was lost to the phone wires. "So, tomorrow, right? Got a time and a place?"
 
"The weather is supposed to be nice, we could meet at Ashder Park, if you know where that was, at about 1 p.m." Dark suggested, glancing a bit at Daizi hearing the second voice.

She, of course, couldn't see this look, but hearing the second voice asked, "Will it just be you, or are you bringing someone? It sounds like there's someone in the room with you. It's just we have to let the boys know so they know to be prepared."
 
"I can find it." There was a thunk of a drawer opening, and the scratch of paper being torn. "Yeah, I can make it at one, and, nah, just me. That's just a delivery guy. You guys really are paranoid." He sounded amused at the statement. "I might be a douche dad, but I know enough not to show up with a bunch of strangers and kiddy toys or a pack of cigarettes. Relax! It's just a chat between dudes." There was another pause, and then he asked uncertainly, "They are both guys, right? Ciara only ever referred to them in the multiple and told me their names. Xander's a guy name, but Alec can go either way these days."
 
"We're not paranoid, we're cautious." Daizi replied firmly, "If you have a partner or someone--It just, it would be better if there are no more surprises."

"And yes, they are both boys." Dark said, mildly disgusted at how little this man knew about his own children.
 
"Just me, Mrs. Daisy," he told her, the amusement strong in his tone. "Can I cautiously ask if you are bringing an armed guard with you?" He chuckled. "Seriously, I mean it when I say I don't intend to traumatize them. I think you're more traumatized."
 
"You've met my husband, I don't think I need one." She replied coolly and the sound of her hair being flipped over her shoulder could be felt over the phone. Once again, Dark reached over to nonverbally tell her to reign it in, but privately it did fluff his ego a bit to hear her so confidently say she didn't need an armed guard because he was around. He saw himself as more brains than brawn, but the caveman part of his brain liked it.

"She's a doctor, by the way, not a 'Mrs.' And, for what it is worth, caring about the emotional well-being of teenagers is not an indicator of trauma, we are merely performing our duty of care. You are biologically related to them, but you are still a stranger to all five of us, you would want us to be cautious," Dark added, "I am sure we will speak more tomorrow."
 
"Right, well. We will see you tomorrow, at 1pm, at Ashder Park," Dark said, and after making a brief goodbye, hung up, "There is no way that is a delivery person in his room with him."

Daizi frowned, "I can't believe he's already lying to us, and then has the nerve to suggest I'm traumatized for being concerned... I am traumatized, not by this, but that's not the point."

"He is a man who ran out on his children and has made almost no effort to learn anything about them. We should not be surprised," Dark sighed, and fished out Ciara's buisness card so he could call her, too, and let her know what was going on and ask if she had anything of her sister's she would be willing to part with or share.

"You could absolutely beat him in a fight, though," She chuckled, leaning back in her seat and desperately wishing she could have a drink.

"Oh, no, yes, I absolutely could, that--that is not even a question, if it came to that," He grinned, dialing in the number, "I do not start fights, but I will end them."

"That's my man."

They made each other laugh just enough while the phone was ringing that when Ciara answered, they sounded cheerful on the phone, "Hello, is this Ciara Cunningham?" Daizi asked, "This is Daizi Wahid and G.M. Dark, Alec and Xander's guardians?"
 
"Oh, yes, hello. Good evening." Ciara's voice sounded tired and tight, as if she was making a physical effort not to be short. "I do hope everything is alright and nothing has happened already. Did Declan already skip out of town?"
 
"No, nothing like that, we just thought it was better to keep you updated," Daizi replied, mildly surprised, but not offended by, her tone, "the boys agreed to meet him, away from home. I don't know if you wanted to meet them at some point."

They didn't immediately offer the information about where they were meeting because they didn't want to be presumptuous, and it occurred to them they never asked Alec and Xander if they wanted to meet their aunt in the first place. Dark cut in, "But the main reason we are calling is because Alec wanted to know if you had anything of their mother's you would not mind to share. He specifically mentioned pictures or any of her belongings."
 
There was a pause. "I am afraid I have responsibilities that will not allow me to take time away for anything short of a life or death situation, but perhaps in a week I might be able to schedule a time to come to town," she agreed reluctantly. "I may have some things of Tara's, but I doubt it. It has been a long time." She sighed quietly. "But I will look. If I find anything I will bring it to you when I have the chance."
 
When Daizi replied, it was obvious she genuinely didn't blame her for not being able to drop everything, "You have Dark's number now, so if you ever have the time, you can just let us know. Thank you for being will to look, if you have anything at all I am sure it would bring peace to them."

"I also wanted to apologize for how we behaved today," Dark said, after a pause, "both of us are rather protective over those boys, and I think we can both be defensive as a result. We really just want to be certain no more harm will come to them, they have been through so much already, but I am sure we could stand to be a little bit more trusting." Not too much more trusting, because he still felt it was better to be cautious, but if they were too closed off, it would also cause problems in the other direction.
 
"Thank you for your apology, I appreciate it," Ciara said politely. "Things could have been handled a little differently from both our sides. I am certain our showing up on your doorstep without much by way of announcement did not help things along. Please believe me when I say it was not my first choice, but sadly the only one I was given in the situation. I am happy to know that the boys are being looked after by such cautious guardians, and I hope we can find some common ground going forward."
 
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