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Author's Notes: The song used in this chapter is "Here We Are," performed by Gloria Estefan.
The moment she saw Kenyon at the away basketball game for the following Tuesday, Hannah just knew that something was eating at him. Where normally he would be ruling the court and scoring basket after basket, today he seemed awfully agitated. It was all Hannah could do to continue her routines with her fellow cheerleaders, even cheer Kenyon on specially all by herself, as his anxiety slowly spread to include her. By game's end, the opposing team had won, and the spirits of Sunnydale High's students had sunk quite low.
Hannah changed in the locker room quickly, then hurried out to catch Kenyon before he left, knowing he had driven here. She called his name when she spotted him about to get into his car, but he either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her. Putting on an extra burst of speed, Hannah dove at the passenger door. Before Kenyon knew what was happening, the redheaded cheerleader was seated in the car next to him, a stubborn look on her face.
Kenyon let out an exasperated sigh, leaning back in his seat. "Hannah, get out of the car," he said flatly.
"No," she challenged. "Not until you tell me what's wrong with you." When he remained silent, Hannah added, "Kenyon, talk to me. If something's bugging you... Did you and Ivory have a fight?"
Kenyon looked at her so suddenly that it made Hannah wince slightly. "Boy, do I wish it were that simple!" he said angrily, his tone scaring her. "But here's a bit of news for you. I won't be taking Ivory to any dance! Not now, not ever!"
Hannah took a few moments to absorb this, then launched into a stream of questions. "What? Why? I thought you were so jazzed about this! What's happened to change that?"
Kenyon sighed again, throwing a slight punch at the steering wheel in his frustration. "What's happened is that my father chose this weekend of all weekends to come home from an extended business trip in Japan! My Mom has made it clear that I am required to be there for his welcome home party," he replied in a quieter tone. Looking at Hannah again, he added, "Sucks, doesn't it? I've been looking forward to this dance ever since Ivory suggested it! And now..."
Hannah bit her lip, looking down at her hands. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You're right. It's not fair." A pause, then, "Have you called Ivory and told her yet?"
Kenyon shook his head. "I was going to do that tonight, after I had cooled down some." He crossed both arms over the steering wheel, peering out into the lot through the windshield. "How do you think she'll take it?"
"I'd imagine she'd be upset too. Considering she already bought a dress and everything," Hannah replied. "Oh, I wish you could be there to see it, Kenyon. Ivory looked so stunning in that gown..." Then, seeing her carrying on was upsetting him further, Hannah added, "I'm sorry. I know, I talk too much..."
"Don't sweat it," Kenyon told her, observing through slightly teared-up eyes that the bus carrying the basketball team and other cheerleaders was departing. "Well, would you like a ride home? It appears it's too late to catch your other mode of transportation."
"I'd love one," Hannah replied softly, watching as Kenyon started the car and pulled from the parking lot. They were both silent for the entire ride back, but, stepping from the vehicle at her house, Hannah did offer a parting remark. "It'll be okay, Kenyon. If I know Ivory, she'll understand. The last thing she'd do is hold it against you."
"Thanks," he answered, looking at her once more. "The vote of confidence means a lot to me... You're really a good friend, Hannah. Thanks for listening."
"Anytime," Hannah said, shutting the car door and watching from the curb as Kenyon drove off down the street...
Upon receiving the call from Kenyon and learning he wouldn't be able to make it, Ivory spent the first few moments moping about her room. But, at last, she called over to Chase's room, asking him to accompany her for another round of slaying. If Chase noticed her foul mood, he didn't comment on it during the drive out to the desert or even after. Falling into their roles of 'Carmelita' and 'Antonio', the twosome managed to draw in three random vampires, then chose to call it quits.
"Mind telling me why you're so quiet all of a sudden?" Chase questioned during the ride home.
"I'd rather not talk about it," Ivory replied sullenly, legs hugged up close to her chest as she gazed out the window. But, after a moment of silence, she turned to look at him. "You ever have one of those days where you were really looking forward to something, only to have it blow up in your face when you learn it's not going to happen?"
Chase remained still for a long while, appearing deep in thought. Finally, he said, quite softly, "Kenyon's not taking you, is he?"
Ivory cast her eyes downward, then shook her head. "No," she said. "Circumstances beyond his control are keeping him away this weekend... And what really sucks is that I spent so much time preparing for this. I bought the tickets, I got a new gown..." Ivory cut off, her frustration bringing tears to her eyes. "Well, that's over with now... Tomorrow, I should just see if I can return it..."
Chase's breath caught in his throat, and after a second, he ventured into risky territory. "What if...?" he started. "Why not just take someone else? I mean, surely, your Dad or... or..."
Ivory froze, catching the implication of Chase's words. She looked up at him again, eyes filled with surprise and wonder. But the more she thought about it, the more the sentiment of it overruled her common sense. While her mind tried to remind her that her relationship with Chase should be nothing more than platonic, her heart reveled in the idea.
He, on the other hand, took her silence as an indication that he had said the wrong thing. "I'm sorry," he said abruptly. "I should learn to keep my big mouth shut, I know that..."
Ivory cut Chase off by reaching for his hand and clasping it in hers. "I'd love to," she whispered. "You don't have to beat yourself up. I'm flattered that you asked." A pause, then, "You're a good person, Chase, and so very sweet. Don't ever change, kay!"
Chase threw a quick glance at her, then returned his eyes to the road. A twinge of guilt overtaking him, he could only reply, "I promise..."
As the night of the Spring Fling approached, both Ivory and Chase found themselves growing all the more anxious, as they each took care of last minute details for the event. On the big night, it was undetermined as to which of the two was more of a nervous wreck. Angel, however, was vying towards Chase, as he was elected as the one to help the younger man with his necktie. Or at least, that was what Angel was attempting to do; the fact that Chase was shaking pretty badly wasn't helping matters.
The elder vampire let out a breath, momentarily dropping his arms to his sides. "I can't get this tied for you if you don't relax some," Angel admonished gently. "All I'm asking for is a minute or two."
Chase gave a deep sigh, letting some of the tension flow out of him. "I'm sorry. I can't help being nervous..." He closed his eyes momentarily, trying to relax while Angel worked at the necktie. "Do you think it was wrong of me to suggest this? I mean, I'm probably the last person who should be taking Ivory to a dance..."
Angel sighed. "She's the one who agreed to it. She didn't have to," he assured Chase. "I can't explain at her reasoning, but... Ivory seems to want this. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in that apartment next door getting ready for it herself." Angel paused, finishing with the tie and going to sit on the arm of the sofa. "But I don't think you should get your hopes up. This is just for one night."
Chase seemed to accept that answer, remaining silent for a second or two. "As long as I don't read too much into it, we should be fine, huh? Is that what you're saying?"
Angel cocked his head to one side. "Essentially, yes... I know how you feel. Everytime I saw Buffy with another guy... But I learned to step aside gracefully each time, and so should you. Ivory is her own person, and she should be free to make her own choices."
Chase shifted his weight, turning slightly to get a glimpse of himself in the mirror. For a moment, his breath caught in his throat. It was his first time wearing a tux and it amazed him how grownup the clothes made him look. Nevertheless, Chase turned back towards Angel, running his hands over the vest to smooth it out. "How do I look?" he asked with a small trace of nervousness.
Angel rewarded the younger man with a tiny grin. "You look fine. And I imagine Ivory will be fairly pleased herself." Angel stood up straight, heading towards the nearby dresser. "And we only have a few minutes before she drops by here, so I'm gonna say this now... I want to thank you for doing this for her, Chase. If nothing else, it proves just how noble you are. You've done a lot for my family, and I can only hope that the years ahead won't do anything to change that."
Chase looked downwards, a warm feeling washing over him. But with it came a great deal of guilt that threatened to tear him apart. After a long moment of silence, he looked up, only to see that Angel's attention was elsewhere. Clearing his throat, prepared to clear his conscience, Chase started, "I'm not..."
Once more, Chase's attempt at a confession was halted, as Ivory's arrival at the apartment was announced by her knocking on the door. Collecting himself, drawing in a calming breath, Chase moved to open the door... and lost that same breath when he caught sight of the Slayer.
Angel, too, was awed at Ivory's appearance. His daughter stood shyly, self-consciously, in the doorway, then moved to enter. She was clad in a sleeveless flowing dress of dyed silk, a pearly white at the top that faded down to a nice shade of onyx. And her hair had been curled into little ringlets, accentuating her small angelic features. In essence, she was the very image of loveliness.
When Chase didn't speak right off, Ivory took a step forward, gesturing towards the corsage on the table next to him. "Is that for me?" she asked sweetly.
Chase followed her gaze, giving a short laugh and reaching for the white orchid. "Yes, of course," he said evenly, slipping the band over her wrist, his fingers brushing her arm ever so lightly. "I hope you like it... I wasn't sure what your favorite flower was."
"It's perfect," Ivory assured him. "A perfect beginning to a magical evening. Cause I refuse to let it be anything less." She stared at Chase a moment, her emerald eyes drinking in his features, then added, "Well, we should be going. Now, Dad..." She turned towards Angel at this, her eyes going wide. "Oh, no! No way! Forget it!" was her instant reaction when she saw what her father had in his hands.
Angel smirked. "Come on," he appealed. "Indulge your father... An event like this isn't likely to come around often."
Ivory rolled her eyes. "Stereotypical much?" she asked in a slightly humorous tone, already giving in. "Okay, just a few pictures..."
The gym was teeming with activity when Ivory and Chase arrived, arms linked. For a few moments, the two just milled around on the sidelines, admiring the decor of flowers and plants and fake cardboard trees and cacti. It was accented by a blue and white sign reading "ENCHANTED EARTH," and the scenery around them certainly lived up to that title.
Ivory sighed, resting her head briefly on Chase's shoulder. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked him over the pounding music.
Chase nodded. "As are you," he answered, steering her in the direction of the seating area. "Well, what shall we do first? Head for the dance floor or just rest here for a few minutes?"
"Resting's good," Ivory said. "I'd like some time to just chat."
Chase held out a chair for her and waited until they were both seated before he spoke. "What would you like to talk about?"
"Well, tell me more about yourself, about my Mom. What was it like for you, seeing her those first few times?"
Chase sighed, looking away a moment, then turning his eyes back towards her. "At first, the situation was kind of unusual. I'm still surprised that Cinnamon offered me up to someone else, even your mother, as food. Or, maybe, it was because their blood supply was kinda low at that point, so they had to make do... When I first saw Buffy, she was vamped out, snarling at and threatening Riley over something or other when he delivered me to her. Definitely no love lost between those two..."
"Go on," Ivory said when he hesitated, causing him to falter further.
"Are you sure you want to hear this?" Chase asked seriously. "It gets kind of ugly." When Ivory nodded, her features set in determination, he went on. "Buffy tried to escape when Riley unlocked the cage door, and they fought for a bit. Finally, he shoved me at her, and locked us both in within seconds.
"Buffy pushed me away and went to her bed, sobbing and letting her vampire facade drop. For a while, I just sat there watching her, unsure what to say. But finally, I got ahead to asking her gently why she was there, what had made her so much of an outcast that she had to be locked away... She opened up to me over the next month, the duration of time I was in there with her, told me all about you, Angel, her friends... Amidst the occasional small amount of blood she would take when the hunger got to be too much. By the end of it, I was seeing Cinnamon, Riley, all of them, in a whole new light. I didn't like what I saw and vowed to myself and Buffy that I would get away from them. Her last action took me by surprise, as she cut open one of her wrists and forced me to drink her blood.
"I think your mother's intention was to make me a vampire like her. Probably would have worked had she not neglected to drain me beforehand. Nevertheless, she gave me a rare gift by doing what she did: the power to control minds," Chase finished, letting out a deep breath. "It surprised both of us when we figured out what had happened. And fortunately, it deterred Riley and Cinnamon from the truth when they came for me. They couldn't sense what I had become."
During Chase's monologue, Ivory listened with nearly rapt attention, checking occasionally to be sure none of her schoolmates seated near them were catching any of this. Sensing he was finished, she said, "God, she must have suffered so much. To take such desperate measures... What were my Mom and Riley arguing about when you first saw her? Anything that made sense to you?"
Chase swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "Apparently, Riley had been making suggestive comments to her up till then, tormenting her with all the things he planned to or would like to do with... well, with her daughter. You, Ivory," Chase half lied. "Buffy told me later that Riley had been to Sunnydale once, that he had seen you when you were around thirteen or so." Chase paused. "Whatever he saw in you must have had an impact on him... Either way, he's filth. Whoever does him in deserves a reward for it."
"Second that," Ivory agreed, pausing for a moment as she rubbed at the back of her neck. "Well, shall we dance? Are you ready?"
Chase grinned, standing and holding his arm out towards her. "Whatever the lady wishes," he answered, escorting her to the dance floor where a soft haunting slow song was playing. Once there, they melted into each other's arms, held close by one another, as they swayed in time to the music.
Here we are
Face to face
We forget, time and place
Hold me now
Don't let go
Though it hurts and we both know
The time we spend together's gonna fly
And everything you do to me
Is gonna feel so right
Ivory's breath caught in her throat as she listened to the lyrics, as her head rested comfortably on Chase's shoulder. Feeling him tense as well beneath her, she pulled back to gaze at him, meeting his bewildered and somewhat hesitant look with her own. *How ironic,* she mused, *that a mere song can have us acting nervous all of a sudden.*
Baby when you're loving me
I feel like I could cry
'Cause there's nothing I can do
To keep from loving you
Chase froze at those words, which so perfectly described what he felt for Ivory. But there was no chance she loved him in return, was there? Not when she was with Kenyon, not when he still had Cinnamon "waiting" for him in the background. Especially not when there were many truths he was still keeping from her... How could she trust him, let alone love him, when she learned it all?
Here we are
All alone
Trembling hearts, beating strong
Reaching out, a breathless kiss
I never thought could feel like this
I want to stop the time from passing by
I wanna close my eyes and feel your lips are touching mine
Ivory blinked back tears, trying to keep her eyes from darting to Chase's lips, but ultimately failing. She had kissed him once, back before she had learned about Cinnamon, his supposed girlfriend. *It had felt so right,* she realized now. *Couldn't it be so again?* Banishing all thoughts from her mind, Ivory leaned forward slightly, closing her eyes.
Baby when you're close to me
I want you more each time
And there's nothing I can do, to keep from loving you
There's nothing I can do
I'm helpless in your arms
Oh baby what you do
I'm in love, this is it
There's no turning back this time
No no no
Chase let his eyes go wide when he saw Ivory blatantly inviting him to kiss her. While part of him argued that he shouldn't, his heart won out in the end. He leaned closer, gently pressing his lips to hers and was quickly swept up in the passion of it, as was she. It seemed to last forever, and was filled with such sweetness and poignancy that it brought tears to Ivory's eyes. And the longer it went on, the more she came to realize just how much Chase meant to her...
Here we are
Once again
But this time we're only friends
Funny world
Sometimes lies
Become the game, when love's the prize
And though no one knows what's going on inside
And all the love I feel for you
Is something I should hide
When I have you close to me
The feeling's so sublime
That there's nothing I can do
To keep from loving you
As the song ended, so did Chase and Ivory's kiss. Forcibly so, as the remaining lyrics cut through her clouded mind. All at once, she was reminded of Kenyon, of why she and Chase had broke things off to begin with, of her vow to have him only as a friend. Stepping from his embrace, Ivory headed back towards the seating area, half wiping at her mouth. After a moment, Chase followed, seizing her lightly by one arm before she could sit.
Ivory turned to look at him, appearing confused and scared. "This was a mistake," she said when she found her voice, hugging herself. "Chase, I'm sorry, I... I want to go! I should have known better than to agree to this. I should have known it would be too much!"
"Ivory," Chase pleaded, dark eyes searching for something, some indication that what she claimed was false. "Please..."
"Don't," she warned, reaching for her purse and jacket. A pause, then, "This never happened. You understand me? The last thing I need in my life is a complication, Chase."
He bit his lip, fighting to keep his emotions in check. "I understand," he answered quietly, following her from the gym even as his ruminations threatened to tear him apart. Upon dropping Ivory off at the apartment complex, Chase spent half the night just driving, until he wound up at a deserted rest area where he spent the rest of the night trying to sort out his muddled thoughts...