Revenge is a Dish...(Ted/Hayden/Blake/OpenISH)

[Riley Neves]

It was the following day after she disappeared that Riley returned to the Ministry. She looked more awake and alert than she had the day before, and some of the color returned to her cheeks. She still had the dark circles under her eyes, but she was more lucid, stronger somehow.

It was about 5 o'clock, and she was lucky that the office was mostly closed. It wasn't exactly a 9 to 5 positions, but she rather thought she'd get an earful for disappearing the day before.

She stopped at Hayden's desk, not seeing Ted in the office. With little fanfare, she said, "I need your help."

[Hayden Ferrera]

Hayden still hadn't gotten much information on why Riley just disappeared. He hadn't seen her all day and it was getting to him. He was working late and his mind started to wonder at the whereabouts of Riley, that was until she stopped at his desk. "Riley!" He stood up from his desk, his eyes surveying her, checking for any cuts or anything. Hayden found just the opposite. She looked a lot more healthy than she did before.

"We have been worried about you! Where have you- wait need my help?" Hayden paused. "Okay, I'll help you. What do you need my help for?" Hayden was going to save the words that he really wanted to finish say to her because he knew that Ted would probably tell her about how they had looked for her and not to mention she was standing here asking for his help.

[Ted Tonks]

Ted was staying a little late at the Ministry as well, trying to keep himself occupied between thinking about Ande and her pregnancy, and then Riley going missing.

He was coming back from Arthur's desk when his friend left, and what he saw stopped him in his tracks.

"Riley?" He asked, and came forward. "Where have you been? Are you okay? What happened?" He was three seconds from being really angry with her.

[Riley Neves]

Riley took a deep breath. "I'm fine," she said to both of them, trying to get them to just be quiet. "Listen, please..."

She ran a hand through her hair. She was in muggle clothing, and didn't look like she was quite in a business mode at all. But she wasn't tired, and that was a first in the last month or so. "I found Roland's killer. And I sent him a note to have him meet me in about half an hour.... but I don't want to go alone. And if you could both help me... it's three against one, so we'll be all right. Please?"

She looked between them, her eyes wide, but determined. "If we can do this, it'll be over."

[Hayden Ferrera]

There were about a million questions that were running through his head but he kept them in. Hayden's face went from relieved that Riley was alright to business at her words. "You found him? Riley, you know that you'll never have to go alone." He was ready to help her, forget him being tired from the long day. Hayden wanted to get ready to get rid of Roland's killer. After that maybe his uncle could rest just a little better.

He looked to Ted, his expression asking if he agreed.

[Ted Tonks]

Ted was hesitant to agree, but one look at Riley told him that if he said no, she was going to go anyway. And then he'd feel even more guilty if something happened to her.

"If i say yes, you're going to tell us what's been going on. Okay? But you know I'm ready to help you. I'd rather that than have you be alone doing this. "

His arms were crossed over his chest, and he gave her a hard look, but even that didn't last long. He sighed. "Yeah. Now?"

[Riley Neves]

Riley nodded vigorously. "Yes, now. He's going to be there in ... well, soon, and I want to be there first. We're going back to the warehouse where Roland died."

As she explained, she started walking backwards, trying to get them both to follow her. This was more urgent than she was letting on. "And then I'll answer everything, I swear. But please come now."

Ted was already following her, and she glanced at Hayden. "We can apparate directly there."

[Hayden Ferrera]

He was trying to figure out who his killer could be but he wasn't coming up with anything. Hayden started to follow Ted and Riley. "Alright, that sounds good." He would finally get to hear everything and that was what he really needed.

As they were walking, Hayden couldn't help but ask, "Do we know the killer?" He needed to know. He didn't want to be surprised if he did know them or not. The answer to the question only needed a yes or no answer. Riley didn't have to tell him the name, he just wanted the yes or no.

[Riley Neves]

"You do," Riley said, looking at Hayden. It was only because of how calm he was and how willing to help her he was that she was going to tell him who the killer was. She trusted that he wouldn't fly off the handle or charge ahead, and it was better that he wasn't surprised when he got there.

"It's Blake Malfoy," she told as they came to the apparition area. "You both know where the warehouses are. I'll see you there."

Ted grabbed her arm before she could apparate, silently letting her know that they were going to do a side along. She nodded, and glanced at Hayden again. "Thank you, so much," she told him. "I promise, I'll answer everything. But we have to go."

She didn't give him a chance to respond, and in the next instant, she and Ted were gone.

A loud POP! shattered the still air around the warehouses, announcing the rival of someone. In fact, it was two someones. Ted insisted on apparating with Riley, just in case Blake did manage to show up before them.

She appreciated his concern. She appreciated both him and Hayden being here, and she prayed she didn't get either of them killed.

It was quiet until Hayden arrived, and both Riley and Ted looked in his direction. Riley turned her gaze to the ruins of the warehouse where Roland died, and she shivered slightly, unable to look at it. Instead, she looked off in the shadows near the other closest warehouse as if she were looking for someone. Blake, most likely.

Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath.

[Hayden Ferrera]

When Riley said his uncle's name, Hayden froze for a moment. His jaw clenched as well as his fist. He should have known but it still hit him a little. After repeating the name in his mind, Hayden's steps were more confident and serious as he followed Ted and Riley to the apparition area.

He could somewhat picture his uncle and father's reactions to finding out it was Blake, but he wasn't going to react that way. Hayden was going to attempt to keep a serious and determined mindset.

Once he apparated after Ted and Riley, he looked to them after he arrived. Remaining quiet, he knew that he had to do this not only to help Riley, but for Roland and the rest of his family.

[Ted Tonks]

Ted's body language was relaxed, almost as if they were waiting for a simple business transaction, but he was actually pretty wound up. He even lied to Andi, having sent his patronus to her quickly before they left, knowing that if she knew where he really was, she would either kill him herself, or demand to be here too. He wasn't going to put her in danger. Especially not when she was carrying his child.

He just prayed that he would get to go home to her.

"For the record, I hate this idea," he said softly, though it was loud enough for Hayden and Riley to hear. "We should have told Angelique."

Riley seemed to ignore him, and he wondered if she even heard, so his eyes turned instead to Hayden.

[Blake Malfoy]

At that moment, the telltale POP of someone apparating rang out, and a hush fell over the area. A moment later, Blake Malfoy appeared around a corner and quickly surveyed the scene.

Of course she had not come alone. She would have been a fool to do so. Blake was not intimidated by the pitiful trio standing in front of him. They were all merely children. Once again, Riley could have called on the entire Ferrera family and instead chose to involve mere children. It would have been insulting if it weren't so sad.

He fired a welcoming shot in Riley's direction, just a simply electric shock--the spell his departed nephew was so known for using.

"I should have known you wouldn't come alone. But really, don't you think you could have done better?"

[Riley Neves]

It shouldn't have surprised Riley, but Ted was the one who threw up a quick blocking charm for the curse Blake fired. He'd been so protective of her since the incident with Geoffrey.

"It's enough," Riley said. "I don't plan on dying tonight. One of us will, though," she said. Her voice was tight, measured, and controlled. It meant she was barely holding herself together. It meant that she was probably an easy target.

Holding her want by her side, clenched in her fist, she said, "It's time you payed for what you did to Roland."

[Blake Malfoy]

What was it about this girl? It seemed like everyone was always jumping to her defense, and it was starting to annoy him. He glared in Ted's direction, then back at Riley. "Looks like you got yourself a new boyfriend already," he remarked snidely. "Tsk, tsk. What would dear Roland say?"

Then he turned his attention to Hayden. "Oh, look. Another nephew. Good to see you, Hayden. Don't worry. You'll soon be reunited with Roland, once I kill you. I'm sure that will comfort your parents."

[Hayden Ferrera]

"I wouldn't be so sure about you killing me uncle," Hayden replied with his hand tightening around his wand. "You're the one that will be going, not us." His expression was stone but his teeth clenched. There was no way that he was going to let Blake get away with this. If it meant that he was going to go, then he would do his best to bring Blake with him. He wasn't going to go down without a fight. Hayden owed it to Roland.

[Blake Malfoy]

Blake smirked at Hayden. "So the silent one is actually just as cocky as his cousin, eh?" he said. "Roland was so sure of himself, just like you. And still he fell. I hope you're as good a fighter as he was. I'd hate to have to kill you without much of a challenge."

Really, he was quite underwhelmed with her choice of backup. He had expected her to bring some, but it would have been so much more entertaining if she had brought Mathieu or Judah. Oh, well. He was pretty confident of his chances against these children.

[Riley Neves]

Riley sighed, her eyes shifting from Hayden back to Blake. She shouldn't have brought Hayden. Hadn't she told Mathieu that she didn't want to involve his family? She wished right now that she asked Mathieu to come.

"You're here for me, Blake. I don't want to waste time with idle chit chat like last time." She was trying to keep his attention on her. Ted and Hayden were here in case things went wrong, but this was between her and Blake. She just wanted this to be over, and even if Blake killed her... he would fail against two Aurors.

She raised her wand, taking a breath. "Stupify!"She knew she was opening the flood gates, welcoming his attacks. She was ready.

[Blake Malfoy]

Blake laughed, then easily dodged her spell. "Are you that eager to die?" he asked. "I guess you really are anxious to join poor Roland. I think that can be arranged. Avada Kedavra!"

He didn't hesitate as he aimed his wand straight at Riley. His laughter continued to ring out as the jet of green light rocketed through the air toward Riley.

[Roland Ferrera]

"Deflecto!"

From out of nowhere, the voice rang out, and a jet of yellow light shot out of the shadows, headed directly for the green one. They struck in the middle, a few feet away from Riley, and the green light bounced upward, striking an overhanging tree branch. The tree immediately shriveled up, and all of its leaves dropped to the ground.

While everyone was reacting to this, a figure stepped out of the shadows. Passing under one of the light fixtures, his features were illuminated. It was Roland.

"What was that about joining me?" he said.

[Riley Neves]

Riley was holding her breath, watching the jet of green light come towards her. It wasn't the first, or even the second or third time she'd been facing this curse. But tonight... she almost would have welcomed it.

Her mouth opened, her wand up, and she was ready to block the spell when something else did, and she turned her head away as the two jets of light meant in front of her. She let out her breath, and didn't even look to the side where the second spell had come from. It could have been Hayden or Ted, it didn't matter.

But that voice.... that caused her to turn her head. "Roland." The name was whispered on her lips.