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When he exited his room to grab a bite to eat from the fridge on Saturday night, Angel had to admit that he was surprised at how tense the atmosphere in the kitchenette and adjoining area seemed. For starters, Kenyon was seated on the couch in a casual getup, fidgeting nervously every so often. Chase was next to him, facing the TV and flipping through channels by viciously stabbing the remote buttons... and much looking like he wanted to be stabbing something (or someone) else, Angel thought.
Angel sighed, shifting his weight and thinking up a quick way to defuse the tension in the room. "Is there anything good on tonight, Chase?" he asked, grabbing the younger man's attention.
Chase paused, feeling a little bit of his anger ebb away. "Not that I've found as of yet," he answered, throwing a slight glance towards Kenyon. "I'm trying to find a good action movie, but all that's on are those sappy romances..."
"Oh, like what?" Angel cut in, drawing a curious glance from his roommate. After a moment, the vampire added, "Humor me! I happen to like those sappy romances."
Sighing, Chase grabbed the TV guide from the coffee table in front of him, handing it to Angel. "Take your pick," he said, his gruff voice almost covering the sound of a soft knock at the apartment door.
Ivory tilted her head back slightly, gazing up at him. "You mean you don't want to sit around here for a few minutes? Our reservations aren't until 8:30, Kenyon!"
Even if Ivory didn't catch on, Angel was able to sense Kenyon's aversion to that idea. "I'm sure we could just as easily talk in the waiting area as we could here, honey," her date said to her. "Let's be honest. You don't really want to sit here under your old man's watchful eye, do you?"
Ivory gave him an odd look, but seemed to get it when her gaze slipped to Chase rather than her father. "You win," she consented in a slightly hushed tone. "Let's go, Kenyon."
Chase watched the door close behind them, then buried his face in his hands. "God, I can't stand this!" he moaned. "I've survived my parents' deaths from a car wreck, endured a few months with an uncle who would hit me every night he was drunk, and lived among vampires at my own risk... But this jealousy thing may kill me yet!"
Angel took a step closer, letting out a breath. "I know the feeling," he answered with a slight laugh. "Went through it several times with Buffy myself. Nearly drove me crazy every time, same as it is with you."
"Yeah, well, there's a difference," Chase cut in. "You and Buffy did wind up together. With Ivory and I... What chance do I have?"
"There's always a chance," Angel answered. "It may not work out with her and Kenyon, you know? So, the advice I offer you is, keep hope alive. You never know what the future's going to bring."
Chase remained silent a long while, his thoughts going to Buffy and life in the caverns and what exactly her rescue and its aftermath would entail. "Thank you," he said at last. *I wish you and Buffy the same piece of advice. If all goes well and we do get her out safely, those words would definitely hold true...* he added silently...
They wound up in a fancy Greek restaurant about two or so miles from the apartment complex, waiting an additional fifteen minutes in the lobby before being shown to their table. It didn't take them long to order; Kenyon settled for a turkey and cheese pita, while Ivory elected to have a rice pilaf and a plate of Saganaki (flaming cheese). Afterwards, they got right down to talking.
"So, you really don't mind missing out on the Slaying gig tonight?" Kenyon asked. "Because we could head out there after if you like."
"Kenyon, stop," Ivory replied. "It's not going to matter if I miss one night. I made that clear."
"You're right. I'm sorry," he answered after a moment, looking embarrassed. "You're the Slayer, not me, so it's not my place to worry..."
Ivory giggled softly. "And now you're rambling... Kenyon, why are you so nervous tonight?" When he didn't reply, Ivory moved to retrieve something from her purse, saying, "I think I have just the thing to put your mind at ease." She produced a flimsy green flyer, handing it to Kenyon over the tabletop. "An advertisement to the Spring Fling dance at my school in exactly two weeks... If your mom consented to let you come up this weekend, I don't see a reason why she wouldn't do so again."
Kenyon remained silent a few minutes more while the waitress delivered their food. He was, however, surprised when their hostess took a lighter to the dish Ivory had ordered, setting it on fire right in front of them, then squeezing a few drops of lemon juice on it as the flames died down. After she had left to see to another customer, Kenyon added, "You never cease to surprise me, Ivory... How you can eat cheese that's freshly flame-kissed, I have no idea."
The Slayer giggled again. "Despite the way it's prepared, it's actually quite good," she said, cutting it into small bits with her knife and fork. "Want a piece?"
"No thanks, I'll pass," Kenyon declined, looking once more at the flyer in his hands, then setting it aside to wrap his hands around the pita sandwich. He took a quick bite and swallowed, then said, "And I'd love to go with you. I should be able to swing it with my mom, no problem."
"Good, then we're settled!" Ivory said brightly with a big smile. "I'll buy the tickets on Monday, first thing!"
Kenyon smiled at her enthusiasm, loving her all the more for it. As the two of them ate and chatted over what fun they were going to have, he privately found himself in anticipation of that upcoming dance, realizing that it would be their first one together as a couple. But, little did he know, at this point, that such plans may not come to be after all...
The next few days saw Kenyon return home to Sunnydale, while Ivory continued in her base routine of attending classes, doing homework, and slaying any hapless vampires with Chase. However, on Wednesday afternoon, she had her partner in crime drive her to a sporting goods store after school.
As they browsed through the aisles of hiking equipment, looking specifically at boots, Chase said, "So how did school go for you? Still keeping up with everything?"
"Of course," Ivory replied absently, fingering a rather large pair of leather hightops. "Having a little difficulty in calculus, but nothing I can't handle."
Chase raised an eyebrow. "Oh, anything I can help with?" he questioned, causing her to shoot a curious look at him. "Math has always been one of my better subjects," he admitted. "Maybe I could provide some assistance..."
Ivory gave this some thought, letting her eyes roam over the shelves of footwear. "Okay," she said at last. "We'll give it a shot... Forego making the rounds tonight and instead stay in for a study date." She paused, then, realizing her choice of words, turned to look at Chase, noting the hopeful glint in his eyes.
Squaring her shoulders and crossing her arms, Ivory let out a deep sigh. "Chase," she said firmly. "I don't want you getting the wrong idea about us... We are not getting together. You do know that, right?"
Chase lowered his head slightly, a slight glint of disappointment in his features. "I know," he said softly, but it came out as sounding not very convincing. Rather than argue the point, Ivory returned to her browsing, at last producing an oversized pair of black leathery boots with a thick padded cotton interior.
"What do you think?" she asked Chase. "These could do... Just remove the inside lining on both sides and I have my hidden compartments where I can store stakes."
Chase took one of the boots, examining it. "They'd have to be extra thin stakes to fit," he noted. "But it should work... Thinking of getting these ones?"
Ivory nodded, moving to head for the checkout counter. "They'll do... Just glad my Dad set up a checking account for me, considering how much these babies cost."
Chase's eyes darted to the price tag at those words, and he let out a surprised whistle at the amount. "Yeah, I'm glad too," he answered. "Wow, your Dad must be loaded, huh?"
Ivory gave him a strange look. "Chase, don't fall into greedy mode," she chided.
"I'm not," he denied immediately. "It's just... I can't imagine being so rich that you'd never long for anything." He paused, then added quietly, "My parents didn't have that luxury."
Ivory remained silent as she paid for her purchase and all during the ride home. It was only behind closed doors with Chase at the apartment, at work on her little invention, that the Slayer finally thought to pick up where they'd left off. Pulling out the flimsy lining from the slits she'd cut in the boot's interior, Ivory looked up at him. "Tell me about your family," she said softly. "You haven't talked much about them."
Chase hesitated for so long, Ivory was afraid he would refuse to do so. She had just returned her attention to the boots, attempting to fit a sample stake in one of the compartments, when he at last spoke. "They didn't have much in the way of money or material possessions," he said, "But they were as happy as could be. If ever two people were deeply in love, my parents were it."
Chase shifted his weight, appearing lost in the memories as he continued on. "My mom worked in a clothing store, while Dad spent his days washing dishes in a local diner. They were just barely getting by paying rent on the apartment we lived in and providing for me. Then, one Christmas, they were surprised when their respective bosses provided holiday bonuses." He paused, wiping away a stray tear. Ivory, meanwhile, abandoned her project momentarily, turning her full attention on him. "To make that Christmas extra special, they purchased tickets to a hockey game a few miles outside town. We were on our way there when our car slid on a patch of ice into a lane of oncoming traffic... I lived, with only a fractured collarbone to show for it. Dad was killed instantly. My Mom, she held on for a few hours, but..."
"Oh, Chase!" Ivory whispered, a glint of sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry..."
He shook his head sadly. "After I recovered, my uncle, who had come to claim me, took me home to live with him... And you know how well that turned out. I don't know what was worse, the nights he would turn his drunken rages on me or the times I came home to see one of his 'girlfriends' passed out half naked with him on the couch. Finally, I got fed up with it all and just walked out one day. I haven't been back since."
"And you're an only child then? Like me?"
Chase paused, then absently nodded. "My parents had tried to have another child, but it just never happened... Which is too bad, because I'd like to know what it's like, to have a younger sibling."
Ivory bit her lip, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yeah, so would I," the Slayer admitted. "But what are the odds that my mother, as she is now, could even have another baby? Only if by some miracle she and Dad become human again..." Ivory cut off with a sigh, staring into space for a long second. "How did you meet Cinnamon?" she ventured at last, not sure how much he'd want to reveal about this aspect.
Chase turned his piercing black eyes on her, causing a slight shiver to course through her. "I didn't meet her so much as she found me. One night, walking home from a job I'd gotten here in Arizona, I was mugged. Some druggie who slammed me around some, then lifted my wallet while I was down. I tried pursuing the guy, but he was too fast. I was ready to give up when I heard him screaming in the alley he'd disappeared down... My curiosity got the better of me and I started forth to investigate. And Cinnamon intercepted me with blood on her lips and my wallet in her hand..."
"Why didn't you run from her?" Ivory asked softly when he remained silent. "You must have known she wasn't a good person from the outset."
Chase hesitated, hanging his head. "I tried. I didn't get far... Cinnamon was extraordinarily fast, you see. Wherever I turned to run, she was there, blocking my path. Finally, she pushed me to the ground, and straddled me so I couldn't move. Then, she set at teasing me, saying I was acting foolish being afraid of a real live vampire. She toyed with me for an hour, but got me to trust her in that same amount of time." Chase sighed, lifting his eyes to meet Ivory's once more. "She is quite the schemer and manipulator."
Ivory pursed her lips together, looking downward briefly. "And she took advantage of your trust," the Slayer filled in quietly. "And she took you to the caverns that night? Is that how it worked?"
Chase shook his head. "Three nights later, she was waiting on the same corner for me, and for several nights that followed. Built up my belief in her gradually before she enticed me into living with her. And shielded me from the truth until it was too late."
"How did you find out? When?" Ivory asked after a moment, raising her eyes to study his face.
"Shortly after Cinnamon invited me into her bed," Chase replied, a lump caught in his throat. "A new arrival to the caves caught me wandering one afternoon and delivered me into Leeloo's clutches. They were both unaware that I was Cinnamon's property, and it was the first I'd seen of either of them... Anyway, Cinn came along in time to catch Leeloo in the act of feeding on me. Stopped her in the nick of time. But, boy, was there hell to pay for that action! The next thing I knew, the new arrival was dead, and Leeloo was locked away with the barest amount of contact for three weeks..."
Ivory closed her eyes briefly, overwhelmed by this whole story. "My God," she whispered, barely loud enough for Chase to hear her. "It's amazing you survived there at all regarding..." Ivory bit her lower lip, tears appearing in her eyes. "And Leeloo? Why did she choose not to flee? I'd imagine that not even vampires would want to stick around after something like that. These caverns sound so very desolate."
Chase hesitated a moment. "Leeloo stays because her mother is still there," he answered haltingly. "And because Riley keeps her on a tight leash. He has her so enamored with him, she doesn't dare leave."
Ivory contemplated this, then added, "Tell me about Leeloo's mother. What do you know of her? Why do they bother keeping her around... alive... Whatever you want to call it?"
Chase kept the answer as vague as possible. "I don't know too much about her, actually. Leeloo's not exactly open about that sort of thing, and certainly not to me... I'm sorry, Ivory, but that's all I can tell you."
The Slayer took a deep breath, letting it out through her nostrils. During her period of silence, Chase took one of the boots from its spot on the table, examining the hidden compartment she had made. "You may want to sew a few buttons in here to keep your stakes in place. And replace the cotton lining with pieces of foam. That would make it more comfortable for you."
Ivory gave a brief laugh, appreciating his suggestions but knowing that a problem came with them. "I can't sew," she admitted with a trace of embarrassment. "Trust me, I was the nightmare student in shop class when it came to that... Bad enough to convince the teacher to keep sewing needles away from me!"
Chase was quick to disagree. "Oh, come on," he protested. "It couldn't have been that bad."
Ivory's green eyes twinkled as she managed a silly smile. "You have no idea," she said comically. If anything, her choice of words kicked off a playful banter between the two of them, even as the Slayer continued to work at her newest invention. Chase even offered to try his hand at sewing in the needed buttons (which she gratefully accepted), all the while glad that he and Ivory were finally finding the chance to bond...