How Green Becomes Wood

Daizi stood up tall, trying to keep it all together, but it was too hard. It had been too difficult a night, and despite how valiently she fought, she began to cry when he apologized, "Thank you," She made no move to wipe her face or surpress it, but she did, from some miraculous, hidden store of strength she was only now discovering, managed to stand up straight and say, "I forgive you. Because it was an accident, and I know that."
 
"I don't want it to ever happen again. I mean, I don't ever want to do it again," Xander corrected, his voice quiet and hoarse. "I don't... ever again." He folded his arms again, nearly hugging himself, exhausted and raw.
 
"I don't want it to ever happen again either," Daizi said, trying to dry her face, "We can talk about it tomorrow. I'm glad you came home," She tugged lightly at the necklace she suspended her wedding ring from and jumped when she felt Dark's hand on her back, "I didn't... I didn't want you to leave home." She turned in against Dark's chest tightly enough to hear his heartbeat. Every rational voice in her head was screaming that it wasn't her fault, but she still felt so guilty.
 
Xander looked down and shuffled his very dirty bare feet. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had," he admitted, "but I guess I reacted too hastily."

"We should go get cleaned up," Alec prodded gently after Xander fell silent again.
 
"You were hasty," She scolded although she lacked the energy Dark had been able to put behind it. Then, she stepped away, towards the stairs, "We can talk about it more tomorrow, I just--I can't, now. I want to go to sleep, I want today to be over."

"Go to bed, darling," Dark told her, trusting they'd all feel better once all of this were the events of yesterday.
 
Xander and Alec went upstairs without further debate. Xander washed his feet carefully and then went to his room and tucked himself into his corner. He didn't want bed. Alec looked at him and sighed. There was nothing further he could do. So, he went to bed by himself and allowed himself to fall into a fitful sleep.
 
Daizi went upstairs, changing into the coziest one of Dark's shirts she could find, splashed water on her face, and then crawled into bed, collapsing down against her pillow. After making sure every door and window was locked, Dark came upstairs and joined her, holding her close with their bed's canopy drawn tight.

She was able to sleep that night, not perfectly, but she felt safe there and everyone was home, they could deal with the rest tomorrow. For now, she was able to just rest. The same could not be said for Dark, who stared up at the roof of the canopy for most of the night, holding his wife, exhausted but wide awake.

Come morning, Daizi's shoulder was stiff, and as she nursed Ivy, Dark couldn't help but stare at the bruise. Actually seeing it that tore at him, he hadn't the night before. It took all he could do to tear himself away and go downstairs to make breakfast, himself feeling a bit stiff from where Xander had attacked him.
 
Alec was down later than usual, and judging from his brown short-sleeved shirt and loose, lime-green comfy pants, he hadn't paid much attention to what he was putting on. He went straight to Dark and wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight for as long as Dark would let him. Which, considering he had come in right on the tail end of breakfast preparations, wouldn't be long.
 
Dark was a bit surprised by the greeting, although he thought he maybe he shouldn't have been. But he put one hand over Alec's arm before turning as much as he could in the tight embrace to actually face Alec, "Good morning."
 
"I hope it's a good morning," Alec said fervently. He released Dark and backed up to give him his space, running his hands through his unbrushed hair, making it flop into even stranger positions. "What is for breakfast?"
 
"Just something simple," Dark told him, "I do not know how many people are going to come downstairs for it, so I did not want to be elaborate." He took a controlled breath, "How are you feeling today?"
 
Alec considered the question as he idly drew circles on the counter with one finger. "Tired," he decided. "And... Lonely, I think. I know you and Mama are there, but it's not the same. I'm sorry."
 
"I am tired too." He opened the cabinet and handed Alec plates to set out, "It is okay you miss him. If I felt distanced from Daizi, it would not matter if Cooger were with me---it is a different sort of love, and a different kind of need."
 
Alec nodded, a little relieved Dark understood. He set the table in silence, waiting until he was finished to say, "I don't think he'll come down, but he needs food. I guess I should go try to get him." He half hoped Dark would volunteer to do it in his place, but he knew he was likely the better option.
 
"It might be better if one of us just brings him food," Dark said, glancing at the stairs, "I do not want him to feel forced out if he prefers to seclude himself. Daizi will be down later, she is nursing now, or was."
 
Dark did not answer at first. It was a difficult question, and he took a lot of time to think about it while he made up a plate for Xander. Finally, he said, "She is shaken. We have not talked about it yet today. I can tell she's dehydrated--I already brought her water, but..."
 
"I'll take the plate up," Alec said quietly. He touched Dark's arm lightly before taking the plate and heading upstairs. He wanted to be angry with Xander. A part of him was a little angry. But he also understood, in a way, and knew it wasn't his fault. Not entirely, anyway. It was a strange tangle of emotions.

Xander had fallen asleep tucked in his awkward corner, he legs splayed out and his face pressed against the wall as he snored lightly. Alec wasn't sure when Xander had fallen asleep, but it didn't seem like long ago. He placed the plate carefully on the floor out of accidental kicking range but within his line of sight before closing the door and heading back downstairs.
 
Not long after Alec returned, Daizi came downstairs with Ivy. She hadn't bothered to get dressed and was still in Dark's shirt, one of the newer ones he had bought to replace the ones she had stretched out last year. Her face was still a bit pale, and seemed slightly unsteady on her feet, but her hair was brushed and she had washed her face. Ivy, the only one who didn't know what had happened yesterday, was just as bright and sunny as she ever was, but occasionally the way she shifted against her mother made Daizi wince.
 
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