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Judging by the fact that he could hear Ivory storm into the apartment next to his and slam the door and that Chase failed to appear, Angel correctly guessed that something had gone wrong. Worried, he shut off the TV, threw a few empty blood packets in the garbage pail, and went next door to see how his daughter was.
Angel knocked gently, identifying himself when his daughter didn't answer right away. After a long while, he was rewarded when she came to let him in, appearing all torn up over something and hugging herself. Angel entered quickly, touching her on one arm. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.
Instead of answering, Ivory went to sit on the sofa and looking up at him with confused and frustrated eyes. Ever the concerned father, Angel seated himself next to her, saying, "Take your time. I'll be here for hours if you need me."
Ivory managed a small grin, but it only took a few minutes for her to muster the courage to speak. "I kissed Chase," she said aloud. "I don't know what happened! I mean, we were dancing, having a good time. And, then that song that was playing! It got to me somehow... God, what could I have been thinking?!"
Angel sighed, settling back against the couch arm. "Ah, the pangs of being in love."
Ivory started. "I don't love Chase!" she denied angrily. "I mean, not when Kenyon..." She growled in frustration, burying her head in her hands. "I don't know!"
Angel smiled sympathetically. "But you care about both of them, am I right?"
Ivory considered this for a long while, then nodded haltingly. "Yes, I do," she admitted. "But not in the same way. I..." Ivory cut on, thinking over the right way to voice what she was feeling. Finally, hugging a pillow to herself, she said, "Chase and I had our shot, but I broke things off because I felt I couldn't trust him... After he'd lied to me about his parents still being alive and Cinnamon... And then Kenyon, the boy whose guts I hated because he kept making all these inappropriate plays for me... He turns out to be the sweetest guy I know."
Angel nodded, reaching over and placing his hand over both of hers. "You broke things off with Chase... but did you ever really get over him? That's what you should be asking yourself. Why did you jump so readily at the chance to go out with him?"
Ivory pursed her lips together, deep in thought. "You just had to pick the tough question, didn't you?" she said at last with a short laugh, looking up into her father's eyes. "Honestly, I don't know! I'm confused about this whole thing, what I feel for Kenyon and what I feel for Chase. I don't know how to... What can I do to sort this out? How do I know...?" She paused, taking a deep breath. "How do I even know what love is if I've never experienced it before?"
Angel gave a half smile, all too ready to dish out a little fatherly advice. "I told you once what love is... It's when you care so much for someone, you'd lay down your life for them. It's when being around the person you love makes you happy beyond your wildest dreams. It's when... when you can imagine spending the rest of your days with them." He paused. "If your feelings for either Chase and Kenyon sound like they match those descriptions, then..."
Ivory shut her eyes momentarily, trying to envision such possibilities with both the men in her life, but came up empty on both counts. "I can't do it," she admitted with a deep sigh. "With Kenyon... Well, we're still just getting to know each other, it's not that serious yet. With Chase... It seems like there're times where I can just lose my head entirely when I'm around him. He seems to have this unexplainable effect on me and my common sense..."
"I know," Angel filled in when she faltered. "Ironically enough, your mother confessed at having the same reaction to me around the time we first met... If I may be blunt, I would have to say that what you're feeling is desire."
Ivory blushed, but felt nevertheless glad that she had someone to psychoanalyze this for her. Looking up at him, she said, after a moment, "Thank you. It helps to put things in perspective... I know we're still kinda new at this father\daughter stuff, but... It's good to know I can come to you with my problems. That is, if you don't mind discussing my so-called relationships."
Angel reached out to brush her hair back from her face, chuckling softly. "You can come to me with anything you like. I have lots of sage advice I could give you, regarding any concern you have... Either way, you make me proud, Ivory, in every respect," he said. "I couldn't have asked for a more darling daughter than you. You and Buffy... The two of you are my world. I hope the three of us are given many years to be the family we should have been."
Ivory bit her lip, holding back tears. "I'd like that," she answered, leaning over to hug him tightly and give him a peck on the cheek. "And I promise you, I'll do my darndest to make sure that happens, that the rescue goes smoothly."
Angel hushed her, cutting in with, "We both will. We're in this together, no matter what happens."
"And Chase as well," Ivory added quietly after a moment. "I look forward to putting this all behind us. It will be good to get it over with... When Cordelia calls us saying she's secured things on her end, you'll be ready, right?"
"Always. Until then," Angel assured her, rising from the sofa. "Now, you should be getting some sleep, Ivory. You look like you need it."
She groaned softly, standing and escorting him to the door. "I FEEL like I need it," she emphasized, giving him another hug at the doorway. "Goodnight, Dad," Ivory said to him. Then, as he started to turn away, she added, "If not the guys I'm involved with, rest assured... I love you."
Angel smiled, treasuring those words. "I love you too, sweetie," he replied warmly...
Cordelia lay half curled up on her side tangled in the bedsheets, head resting on one arm that was stretched up towards the headboard. She was perfectly still, listening to the sound of Riley's light breathing behind her and feeling numb inside over what had transpired.
Cordelia bit her lip, recalling what had led to this point. Leeloo hadn't been gone for twenty-four hours when Riley had approached her, asking her to fulfill her part of the bargain. Cordelia had stalled at first, buying herself a few tenuous days. The grace period had ended earlier this evening though, and Cordy could see no way to avoid spending the last few hours in Riley's bed.
Cordelia froze when she heard him stirring behind her, mentally preparing herself for what she was sure was coming. She was proved right when Riley scooted closer, kissing her on the shoulder. "Was it good for you too, my lovely Cordelia?" he asked, his sugary tone making her feel sick.
Nevertheless, she forced what she hoped was a convincing smile, rolling over onto her back to look at him. "The best," she lied outright, knowing by the way Riley smiled back at her that he was buying this hook, line, and sinker. Silently commending herself for being such a good actress, Cordelia reached up to touch his face, staring at him quietly a moment. Then, she followed it up by curling her palm around the back of his neck, pulling him close and crushing his lips to hers. "Leeloo probably doesn't know how lucky she is."
Riley laughed, propping himself up on one elbow. "You could say that. I mean, she's mature enough in all the ways that count," he said in a low tone. "But, in most other areas, she's still incredibly naive. Still thinks she can have it both ways. Live among her own kind while still harboring some degree of loyalty towards her mother... Not that it will matter in the coming weeks. By summer's end, they'll both be dead and out of our hair."
Cordelia cocked her head to one side, staring up at Riley curiously and imploring with her eyes for him to tell her more. "And you don't care?" she asked when he failed to speak.
"Why do you?" Riley asked suspiciously.
Much as she wanted to pursue this line of questioning, Cordelia elected it'd be safer to steer back into safer territory. "Why would I care?" she said with a small shrug of her shoulders. "Just curious, is all... Can you blame me? It's hell trying to get anyone to open up around here, plus I don't know which subjects are off-limits and what isn't. How would you feel under those circumstances?"
Riley weighed the validity of her words, then gave a short laugh. "Pretty darn lousy, I imagine. Speaking from experience, of course... I came here about sixteen years back... And it took months after our initial arrival here that my lover at the time and I were considered worthy enough to be offered important positions in everyday life." He paused, turning his eyes towards Cordelia. "But you seem like the loyal type, someone who's going to stick around for a very long time... So I'll make you a deal. Meet me here tomorrow morning, and I'll give you the grand tour. There's so much to see and learn here... I guarantee it's not to be missed."
Cordelia pretended to muse it over for a while, then let her grin grow wider. "You got yourself a deal." With that, she sat up, working to untangle herself from the sheets. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll like to get back to my own quarters."
"Suit yourself," Riley called as she walked out. For the duration of the walk back to her chambers, Cordelia pretty much shut down, keeping a tight lip on her shame and revulsion. Once she was in her room and the makeshift curtain as the cavern entrance had been closed, she finally found the opportunity to break down in tears, feeling dirty and disgusted with herself for the lengths she'd had to go to.
Looking skyward, tears forming streaks along the sides of her face, Cordelia whispered, as a sort of mantra, "It was worth if it helps free Buffy." She repeated the phrase once, then twice, every so often, but it didn't help much towards making her feel any better...