How Green Becomes Wood

"I heard her say you both can look after yourselves, but it shouldn't be allowed to have an infant with me. She whispered something, I couldn't hear it. 'She's a nice enough lady, but she's...'" Daizi repeated, unable to put any emotion into her retelling, "'People like that are not equipped' she said. I walked away after that."

Finally, Dark walked back into the house silent and cold and festering.
 
Alec squeezed Daizi's arm gently. "That poor lady. I wonder what it's like to live with that kind of crippling disability?" he commented. He tutted. "Still, she shouldn't be trying to spread her pain like that." He fell silent, flinching a little when Dark walked in. Even though he knew Dark's anger was not aimed at him, it still gave him the urge to cower and hide.
 
Daizi leaned against Alec, but said nothing. She didn't even understand what he was trying to say or imply, although she felt she probably should have been able to. From the beginning, from the very first call, Daizi was certain it had to do with her blindness. Everyone had told her it didn't, that there was another explanation, but here it was. Now she knew.

"Daizi," Dark said, a strange incongruity in his tone. He wasn't angry with her, but he couldn't quite keep the rage from seeping in around the corners of his words, "You are an amazing mother. Anybody who matters knows that."
 
"He's right," Alec assured her. "Mrs. Harwood doesn't matter. Has she even tried to make friends with you? Like really? She's never even said hi to us. She's just a sad, lonely, nosey old lady who didn't even have the courage to use her name when making complaints."
 
"Yeah, I know," She said, pulling her legs up onto the couch with her, "Thank you." It was hard for her to explain exactly why it burned hearing those words. She knew her neighbor wasn't exactly a kind woman, and she knew her opinion didn't matter, but... She had known from the beginning what sort of discrimination she'd face. And here she was, proven right. It wasn't vindicating, but she also couldn't just shrug it off, 'the world is full of hateful people,' either, even though she was well trained for that.

Dark sighed, sitting on the couch with her, "If it helps," he began, even though he doubted it would, "She also thought men are useless with children. And that was part of why she called."
 
"Very sad." Alec sat next to Daizi and put his arm around her. "I know what she said hurts," he sad softly, "but I hope you know that it's wrong and stupid. Even if it still hurts."

Xander walked in with three cups of tea. He paused, not having expected Dark, but gave him one cup before handing Alec and Daizi the other two. He could skip tea time.
 
"Thank you," Dark said, taking the cup and sipping from it. Even though he had relaxed somewhat, his eyes were still burning.

"Is it just her?" Daizi asked quietly, holding the cup of tea for just a moment before setting it down so she could instead touch Ivy's small face, "and I... I hate how Mrs. Smyth made me feel like I was crazy when I told her I was worried this was why. She made a big fuss about a woman with no arms, mothers 'more' disabled than me, so really I shouldn't think..."
 
Alec gave Daizi a gentle squeeze. "I think it was just a really bad coincidence. Loads of other blind mothers are allowed to parent in peace. Well, as much peace as a mother can have. Fully able parents are constantly being criticized and condemned for the stupidest of things, though I guess at least they don't have to face the potential of getting their children..." He trailed off uncertainly. Then he shook himself. "I think Mrs. Smyth just doesn't see it as often, thankfully, and wanted to be sure there weren't other reasons. I don't think she meant to make you feel crazy. It's just..."

"A really stupidass move," Xander said bluntly. "Too stupid to believe until you see it with your own eyes."
 
The phrasing of Xander's comment caused Daizi to make a face, and then she just slumped back against the couch. Ivy was sleeping again, and she held her against her chest like she had in the hospital when they still needed to do skin-to-skin.

"We can sue her for harassment," Dark mentioned. He was much more retributive than Daizi, and he was facing both a woman targeting his family and watching his wife suffer the consequences of discrimination. But Daizi only vaguely shrugged.
 
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"Sounds good to me," Xander shrugged as he turned to head back to the kitchen. "She's wasted our time, the CPS people's time, and probably cause some defaming, too."

"Defamation," Alec corrected automatically. "I think we should all have a nice rest and calm down before deciding anything. It's never a good idea to make a decision when emotional. Daizi, do you want to go lay down?"
 
"I don't know what I want. I'm just glad it's over now. Hopefully. I hope she's not so bold she keeps making the calls now that she's been caught."

"I doubt she is. She seemed frightened when Lance and I both approached her," Dark replied, stroking Daizi's hair. He was less angry now that he was with his family, or at least, less rage-filled. There remained some surprising, childish part of him that wanted to egg his neighbor's house. Or publicly reveal her as the person she was. Wolf in sheep's clothing. He wanted to find out if she had grandkids and call them to let them know what their grandmother had tried to do.
 
Alec smiled a bit. "I doubt we'll hear from her again. I think we're done."

Xander grumbled a bit as he went into the kitchen and poked around in the search for something to eat. He was so tired of this drama!
 
"We better be." Daizi said flatly, and then slightly adjusting her grasp on her daughter said, even though Ivy was sleeping, "You've had a rough beginning, haven't you? First the hospital, now this mean lady..." She sighed heavily, a heartbroken look crossing over her face, "How are we supposed to explain this to her one day?"

"I think when she is old enough, it will not hurt so badly." Dark said, kissing the top of her head, "You should drink your tea, relax a little bit."

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly, not yet moving.

"I am upset, but... I will be fine." He was downplaying his feelings, somewhat, but it was easier to save the hard feelings for later. He had seen the look on Alec's face when he entered the room, he didn't want to make everything worse by fully displaying how furious he still was in front of him, "Ivy is sleeping, maybe we should too."

"You can... I want to stay up with her."

"Okay," he kissed her again, and then got up. It would be nice to lie down, think things through privately. On his way to the bedroom, he stopped by the kitchen to thank Xander for the tea, and then went upstairs. With the exception of Ivy's periodic cries, it was quiet for the rest of the day. Slowly Daizi pulled herself out from the stupor the situation had put herself in, and having time to himself let Dark calm down properly, and come morning, they had more or less made it back to their normal states.
 
Alec couldn't fully understand why Dark and Daizi were so upset. Yes, the lady had been cruel, but the mystery was solved now! And surely she wouldn't be calling anymore, meaning things would be better. Wasn't that a good thing? Why were they acting like the very first time the CPS had knocked on their door? The problem was solved! Wasn't it?

Xander had a better idea of why Dark and Daizi were upset, but he kept to himself. Like Dark, he was considering the prospect of egging the house, or maybe poisoning some flower bushes or something, but poisoning a plant would likely upset Daizi, even if the plant belonged to her worst enemy. Instead, he stayed in his room and listened to music while browsing the internet for cheap leather. He was out of materials currently.

The next day seemed to be going well until shortly before lunch when there came a knock at the front door. Two men in suits stood on the front porch, one so white he looked like he might disappear into the snow and the other a dark milk chocolate.
 
Dark answered the door suspecting he'd see CPS again, but instead, when met with two men in suits, he felt a deep sense of dread. What fresh hell was this? If he were any other man, he might have looked surprised or frustrated, but instead he maintained the same, neutral expression, "Hello. How may I help you?"
 
"Mr. G. M. Dark?" the dark man asked. He flashed a badge. "I am Hector Briggs from the FBI, and this is my partner, Austin Marks. We would like to speak to you and your wife, Daizi Wahid, please. It is important."
 
"I apologize, did you say the F.B.I.? May I ask what this is about?" Dark gripped the door a bit more tightly. He had no desire to cause a fit about knowing his rights, but the F.B.I. was law enforcement, and without knowing a thing about why they were there... He hadn't committed a crime, but after weeks of false allegations of child abuse, he wasn't above worrying something had been said.
 
"May we come in, sir?" asked Marks politely. "We have a few questions we would like to ask you and your wife, and I doubt any of us wishes to spend any longer outside than necessary."

"We have been asked to review a few details with you concerning your status here," Briggs followed up.
 
"My status?" Dark repeated, not moving from where he stood by the door. He wanted to shut it or immediately call his lawyer, because technically he was under no obligation to speak to them. But, he also knew the position he was in, and he remembered how upset Xander was when he pushed back against CPS, so even though it went against every single instinct he had, he stepped aside to let them in, "Please take off your shoes, and touch the salt in the bowl. My daughter was born here, which makes her a natural citizen, even if our status has some issue, which it should not." He wondered if he could get away with texting Ciara.
 
The two agents hesitated before awkwardly removing their shoes and even more awkwardly tapped the bowl of salt, looking faintly suspicious as they did so.

Xander sauntered in and looked between the pair. "What's this?"

Marks forced a fake smile at Xander. "Hey, kid. We're the FBI! Pretty cool, right? But we aren't scary. Wanna see the badge?" He took it out to show Xander.

Xander looked at him like he was something he'd stepped on. "Dude. Seriously? I'm not five. Still, FBI, huh?" He raised his voice a little at that. "So, shoot any aliens?"

Marks' look soured. "Why is it always aliens?" he grumbled.

At the top of the stairs, Alec paused in the middle of coming down. He crept down far enough to glance around and then went back upstairs to find his phone.
 
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