How Green Becomes Wood

"Bye!" Alec called, waving enthusiastically to Milo and the grandparent picking him up. "Say hello to your grandparents from us!"

"Please don't 'cause that's weird," Xander called wearily.

"Only to you," Alec retorted.

Xander snorted. "I bet for Milo, too. You should ask him next time."

"Or you can ask him," Alec replied. "It sure is nice to see him so happy!"

"Yeah," Xander agreed. He glanced toward where Milo had gone. It was nice. Soon, this school year would end. It felt like it was dragging on forever, but it wouldn't last. Eventually, it'd be over, and then Milo would be gone, off to join his mother. For that, Xander was glad. He sincerely wanted Milo and his mother to have a better relationship, a happy life, but... did that happy life have to mean he was losing one of his only friends?

He shook off the thoughts determinedly and started walking toward the van. "I wonder how much time we get off for Thanksgiving this year," he said in answer to Alec's curious look. "Remember that year we only got Turkey day off and that was it?"

"I remember that. So disappointing!" Alec groaned. "I'm so looking forward to going to Cooger's parents' place for Thanksgiving. It's the best! I wonder if Lex will be coming?"

They talked about Thanksgiving for the drive home and pulled up into the driveway as usual. They headed inside, juggling their backpacks, and stepped out of their shoes with practiced ease as they walked in. "We're home!"
 
Upstairs, Daizi was singing softly. The fact her music wasn't intwined with the discordant sounds of a baby banging on her toy instruments suggested Ivy was sleeping.

The door itself was mostly closed, but through the narrow opening, she could be seen, peacefully playing her harp. Below her, lying at a strange angle, Dark was lying with his eyes shut and his head and one of his hands against her knee. He still looked tired but he also looked at peace and very much like he needed this.
 
Alec and Xander peeked through the opening, watching them quietly. Then, very, very cautiously, Xander closed the door entirely, and the pair tiptoed to their room. They did their usual putting away of school stuff and organizing their homework, and then Alec went to sit outside Ivy's room, listening intently for the noises of her waking. He'd go in and get her the moment he heard her stirring, hopefully wihtout alerting their parents. Xander went downstairs and put together a snack and then got a start on the chores, staying as quiet as possible.
 
Not hearing their children come home and having completely lost track of time, Daizi continued to play for her husband. He wasn't sleeping, just enjoying how nice it was to hear her sing. Before the vow renewal, the twins had made a comment about how boring classical music was, but as he lay there, and Daizi switched between songs she could sing to and classical music, he was completely at ease.

Not too long after the twins returned home, though, Ivy did begin to stir, and although Alec tried to get her without disturbing them, they still heard both Ivy and Alec over the baby monitor, which was enough to alert them their children were home and functioning and they had completely lost track of time.
 
Alec shushed Ivy gently and carried her downstairs once he had her up and he was certain her diaper did not immediately need changed. He wasn't sure if his parents had heard them or not, but he sat on the couch and cuddled her close. "No need to fret," he told her happily. "You slept late today! Did you know that? Are you going to go to bed on time tonight? Hmm?"
 
"Ack!" She said happily, standing up in his lap and leaning against him, babbling excitedly because it was always such a delight to see her brother.

As she did, Dark and Daizi came downstairs, "Thank you for getting Ivy," Daizi said, "I'm sorry we didn't hear you come home!"
 
Alec looked up when his parents came in and smiled. "Hi! It was no trouble. We didn't want to disrupt you. Well," he wrinkled his nose at Ivy, "two of us didn't want to disrupt you!" he held his hands at her sides, waiting to catch her, but letting her do all the standing by herself.
 
Ivy stood and squeaked at him but when she heard her parents, she turned and almost immediately stumbled over, falling softly onto the couch.

"I was just listening to Daizi play," Dark said, touching Daizi on the small of her back before going to sit down, "She napped for a long time."

"She'll be up late tonight."
 
Alec giggled, making sure Ivy didn't fall off the couch. "Aw, poor Ivy! Your sleep schedule is going to be all wrecked! But it was nice of you to let Mama and Ba have some quiet time. Mama plays so pretty."
 
"Yes, she does," Dark agreed, "She is my favourite to listen to."

Daizi smiled, turning her face away as the slightest blush came to her face, "You flatter me, Goose."
 
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"It is beautiful. We should play together more often," Alec said wistfully.

Xander stepped in wearing Dark's apron. He had his own, but he wasn't sure where it had gotten off to at the moment. "Hey, dinner's almost ready. There you are, Mini. Sleep good?"
 
"I always like to play with you," Daizi told him seriously, like she had many, many times before.

When Xander entered, Dark replied, "I did not realize you had begun to cook, I would have helped you." Then, looking up and actually seeing Xander, he paused, "That looks a bit large on you."
 
Alec smiled and reached out to squeeze her arm lightly. "I know. I'll make the time." It was just harded when he was usually at work or school when Ivy was napping. Still, he try to make himself ignore the fact that Ivy was awake and take time with his mother.

Xander glanced down at himself. "Is it? Here i was thinking I'd shrunk."
 
"At least you can be certain your clothes are fully protected," Dark replied, before thanking Xander again for making dinner for them.

The next day, Daizi was upstairs talking to some of her friends on the phone, and Dark was in the living room with Ivy. He was sat on the couch while she crawled curiously around on the floor, lifting up various pillows and blankets spread across the living room floor, squeaking while her Baba gave her gentle words of encouragement.
 
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Xander and Alec walked in kicked off their shoes, touching the salt as they went.

"We're home!" Alec called cheerfully, walking into the living room. "Hi, Ba! Ivy! Hi!"

"What are you doing?" Xander frowned in confusion, carrying both backpacks.
 
"We are playing hide-and-seek," Dark answered, "I hid some of her toys and she is trying to find them."

Ivy sat up hearing her brothers, smiling at them and waving, "Ack!" Then she moved a pillow and held up one of her blocks happily, crawling over to show her father.

"Great job, Tifla! You found one!"
 
"Ooo! That looks like fun!" Alec grinned, stepping toward them. "You're doing so good, Ivy! Maybe I could-" He stopped short as Xander grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Maybe you could go finish that English assignment," Xander said sternly.

Alec made a face. "Oh, come on! It won't hurt to play for a few minutes."

"Your assignment is already a day late, and you're lucky the teacher agreed to extend it on the condition you add two hundred more words," Xander reminded him. He handed Alec his backpack. "Homework first!"

"Ba! Xander's being mean!" Alec whined, hugging his backpack to his chest as he reluctantly started walking toward the stairs.
 
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