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Ivory darted towards the wall separating the cafeteria from the rink, vaulting over it and making a perfect landing just yards away from where her two enemies and two friends stood. However, that was as far as she got.
One of the vamps wrapped an arm around Risa's neck threateningly. "I'll break it if you don't back off," he warned.
Ivory hesitated, her whole body taut for a fight. "I can't do that," she returned, looking around for something, anything she could use.
He smiled sardonically. "Then I guess we've got a problem... Tell you what. You let my friend and I walk out of here, and we'll let your friends live, Slayer."
Ivory flinched slightly at the use of that title, knowing already that Risa and Kenyon may have to be filled in once this was over. Casually, she grabbed a pepper shaker from a nearby table, twirling it in her hands. "And let you go straight to Nick and spoil the surprise. Hmm, this is a tough one." During this speech, she caught Kenyon's gaze and then let her eyes briefly flicker downwards to the table in front of him.
Kenyon followed Ivory's gaze, then quickly looked up at her with a start. At his bewildered look, she gave a slight nod, gesturing to the object in her hands.
Ivory saw understanding slowly dawn in Kenyon's eyes before she focused back on the vamps. "First let her go. Then I'll consider it," she said, noticing Kenyon move towards Risa's purse that sat on the table and remove something from it. Meanwhile, she was aware of when Cordelia stepped up behind her and Angel appeared at the cafeteria's entrance
"Give me some credit!" the vampire snapped, tightening his grip on Risa ever so slightly. His captive let out a whimper at the action, her frightened gaze locked on Ivory. "I let her go, and your father and you will be on me in a second! All I'm asking for is that you let the two of us walk out in one piece," he added, gesturing to the female vamp at his side.
Ivory dropped the shaker, manuevering slightly so the fiends couldn't see her reach for an object on the seat behind her. Then, quite seriously, she said, "Now what makes you think that the people you hold captive won't rise against you as well?"
Kenyon, thankfully, took that as his cue, stepping up next to the vamp that held Risa and getting it in the eyes with a burst of pepper spray. At the same time, Ivory hefted the roller skate from the bench behind her by the laces, throwing it straight at the other vampire.
The skate connected with the vamp's forehead, causing her to tumble backwards with a groan. Meanwhile, her companion howled loudly as the liquid burned into his eyes, causing him to release his hold on Risa. The two demons were dusted by Cordelia and Angel within moments, and the Slayer took a deep breath, letting the tension flow out of her.
Ivory turned to Angel as he approached her, falling into his arms and taking comfort in his embrace. Looking up at him, she said, "I can't believe we pulled it off."
Angel smiled at his daughter. "I can," he replied. "You were brilliant, Ivory. And that thing with the mace... stroke of genius."
Ivory returned his smile, then focused on Kenyon and Risa. "Are you guys okay?" she asked.
Risa nodded shakily, while Kenyon stepped forward in anger. "Ivory, what is going on?! How'd you know those things that attacked us!?" he demanded, gesturing wildly to Angel. "And who the heck is this guy?!"
Ivory sighed, turning slightly on her heel. "Bottomline, I'm a Vampire Slayer, what we were fighting tonight were real live vamps, and the man standing behind me is my father. That answer your questions?"
Neither Risa nor Kenyon could come up with a response to this; they were too busy staring at Ivory like she was stark raving mad...
Nick returned to the rink shortly after Ivory and her gang had departed for Angel's warehouse, staring around at the dusty remains of his friends in shock for a long while. Then, rage set in, causing him to further demolish the interior before stepping out into the night.
He hadn't gotten far heading towards home when he caught the scent of fresh human blood. Eager for a kill, Nick made his way towards the source, soon finding himself sneaking up on a lone teenager standing on a street corner.
What Nick didn't expect was to hear his quarry address him, as the young man in question had his back turned to the vampire. "I'm warning you right now that I'm in a bad mood," the young man said without moving a muscle. "You really don't want to mess with me right now."
Nick stopped in his tracks, almost too stunned to respond. Yet something about that voice nagged at the edges of his memory; he recognized it from somewhere. "How...?" he started.
Chase smirked, turning his head slightly. "I can smell your kind a mile off," he said. "It was really no challenge." He turned, prepared to add more, but stopped when he caught sight of Nick's face. "You..." he said quietly, sounding almost frightened.
Nick's eyes filled with recognition. "Oh, yeah, I remember you," he replied, taking a step forward. "You hang out with that Cinnamon chick... Man, she is a piece of work! Would have my hide if I so much as got my fangs in you." He laughed, taking another step towards Chase. "Sorry about the almost-making-you-a-meal thing. But, you know how we vampires get."
Chase nodded, calming slightly. Moving right along, he said, "So, have you run into our resident Slayer yet?"
Nick growled. "Boy, have I ever?! She just wiped out all my buddies at the roller rink! That latest enterprise of mine had barely gotten off the ground and now, it's been run straight back in!"
Chase grinned, feeling elated now that he was so close to finding what he'd came for. "Her name... Do you know it?"
Nick shrugged, seeing nothing unusual about this line of questioning. "So, Cinnamon's after her too, huh?" He paused, letting out a breath. "I never caught her name. But I know that she's of medium height, long black hair, green eyes... Quite the looker."
Chase froze, his mind wanting to discredit the girl who might fit that description. "Has a vampire for a father?" he asked hesitantly, praying that Nick would say no.
Instead, Nick nodded, saying simply, "That's the one."
Chase bit his lip, then quickly put Nick to sleep via mind control. He sat on the edge of the sidewalk, his mind and heart trying to cope with the painful truth. "Ivory... the Slayer," he whispered, trying to make himself believe it.
*It's not fair,* Chase thought furiously. *I want to go back now, want to undo the promises I made about both! I didn't know they'd turn out to be the same person!* Out loud, he added, "Or that I'd fall in love with that person... God, it changes everything!"
Chase took the time needed to recover from this shocking news, only to be left with the desire to see Ivory once more, knowing it was time to confess all. He quickly drove a stake through Nick's heart, then headed for Ivory's home, praying he could get her to listen to him this time.
However, it was Stefanie alone who greeted him at the door, inquiring as to who he was and what he was doing there so late.
Chase sighed. "I'm a friend of Ivory's," he informed the elder woman. "And it's urgent that I see her. Is she home?"
Stefanie paused for the longest time, unsure what to think of this young man. "She's out for the evening. Do you want me to tell her you stopped by...?"
"Chase," he supplied. "And, no, it really can't wait... If you could just tell me where to find her..."
Stefanie stood up straight, squaring her shoulders. "I think you'd better leave," she told him brusquely, starting to close the door.
Chase pushed it back open, stepping inside. "I know what you're thinking, but I'm not a vampire," he said. "The fact that the invitation-only clause doesn't apply to me should prove that."
Stefanie shook her head, then turned and headed for the phone. "I'm calling the police," she threatened, definitely not liking Chase's attitude.
Chase sighed, then chose a different tactic. "It's too bad all your powers as a Slayer are gone now, or you wouldn't need the police to get me to leave," he said, knowing by the way she froze in her tracks that he'd definitely gotten her attention.
Stefanie slowly turned, the receiver in her hand. Her complexion slightly pale, she said slowly, "There is no possible way you could know that... Who are you?"
Chase took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Someone who knows far too much," he replied. "And who's ready to reveal everything... Now, where would Ivory be at? And don't say the roller rink, because she's already left there."
Stefanie swallowed the lump in her throat. "Maybe at the factory, where her father lives at. If the battle's already over, odds are that's where they'd be to celebrate."
Chase took another deep breath. "Okay... Why don't you call Willow and Xander and have them meet us there? This concerns them and you as much as it does Ivory."
He turned away while Stefanie made the necessary phone call, going to a photograph of Ivory and her foster family on the fireplace mantle. Carefully, Chase lifted it off to get a better look, tracing the frozen image of the Slayer's smiling face with one hand. "I wish I could change the past for you," he said softly. "But it seems all I can do is alter your future... After tonight, Ivory, nothing will ever be the same..."