"Well, it looks like we're all back in detention again," Claire told Andrew as they weaved their way slowly through the rather heavy concentration of people in Del's rec room.

"Yeah, funny how fate works, isn't it?" Andrew commented. He tilted the crutch supporting his right arm enough to pick up a handful of cheese curls from a basket set up on the table. "I mean, just when you think you're finished with something for good, it comes back on you again, like this."

"Once again, I have no idea why the hell I'm going there," Claire said firmly. "Someone stole my mother's jewels why I was in economics. I knew she'd flip if I came home without them, so I was well within my rights to appropriate replacements. Not that Simone would really have noticed, since she's always losing hers half the time anyway."

Andrew muttered something under his breath. "What was that?" she asked him.

"Nothing, nothing," Andrew said quickly.

"Well, at least this time it won't be as icy between us all as it was the first time; that's always a plus," Claire said, helping herself to some chips, "although if the rumors are true, Brian's going to be a total wreck; not that he..."

Alison came over. "I think it's time we head out, Andy," she told her boyfriend.

"What time is it?" Andrew asked; he hadn't brought his watch.

"It's about quarter to eleven by now; your dad did say no later than eleven ten."

Andrew sighed. "Just as I was starting to get warmed up to this!" he groaned. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow in the library, Claire."

"Have a good night," Claire called after the two of them as they headed for the door. She sat down on the one open chair left in the living room. The party had been going quite well so far, but there was still one thing that wasn't quite right: Bender had said he'd be there top greet her when she'd first shown up, yet she hadn't seen him all night...

"Tired out already, Claire?" It was Blaine--one of the few of the rich kids Claire had always felt truly comfortable talking with. He was lounging against the wall, looking quite bored. "Oh hi Blaine," Claire greeted him with a wave. It had been a while since they'd seen each other last. "What brings you here tonight?"

"I really don't know," Blaine admitted. "I guess I just wanted to see the old crowd one last time before we all graduated, I guess."

"Well I can see that, seeing how you've been hanging with that little slut Andie Walsh the last few months that..."

"She is not a slut, Claire!" Blaine yelled so suddenly that Claire jumped a little, "She's a good and decent human being, and being with her is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"So you really believe that?" Claire still wasn't convinced. "Blaine, she's not right for you. Why are you the only one who can't see that?"

"Now look here Claire," Blaine began, but just then Steff came striding up.

"Well well, Miss Standish, and my oh my, the long lost Mr. McDonough," he commented dryly. Blaine frowned. "I thought I made it perfectly clear that I have nothing further to say to you!" he snapped.

"Well excuse me, my hearing isn't the best anymore these days," Steff leaned against the wall next to his former friend. "So, the grapevine says you've finally got the nerve to tell old Bill and Joyce about Her," he continue.

"I really don't think what I do with Andie is you're concern anymore," Blaine retorted.

"Well maybe you're right, maybe you're right, but it's just that as a former confidant, I'm just trying to give you one last warning before they hurl you out into the snow," Steff continued, taking a huge chug of Bud Light.

"Now what's that supposed to mean!?" Blaine demanded.

"Blaine, Blaine, could you really be that blind?" Steff inquired. "All I'm saying is that Bill and Joyce want you to live respectably. Do you really, really think that they'll accept her after they learn where she's from? And after they find that out, do you really think they'll accept you anymore either? I mean, by choosing her, you've sentenced yourself to expulsion and revile in your own household. I know, I've been there loads of times.

Blaine gave him a harsh glare and abruptly stormed out of the room. He looked rather torn for some reason, Claire noticed. Steff now turned on her.

"Waiting for Mr. Bender I presume?" he inquired. "Well you're out of luck there; as we speak he's hotter than Laguna Beach in August. Second door on the right at the top of the stairs if you don't believe me."

Claire was both annoyed and dumbfounded by this allegation. She never really trusted Steff anymore, but then again, Bender wasn't always exactly a bastion of honesty himself. "You're absolutely sure about this?" she asked him.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Steff insisted, still smiling that dry smile.

"Well you'd better be right," Claire got up and walked at a brisk pace toward the stairs. Marching through the heavy traffic on it, she thrust open the door to the room he'd mentioned...and was appalled by the sight of Bender lying in bed making love to not one, not two, but THREE attractive girls. Worse yet, he seemed to be enjoying it.

"BENDER!!!!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs. Bender turned ever so slowly, looking irritated. "Wait your turn please," he asked abruptly.

Next door, Samantha buried her head under the sofa pillow in a futile attempt to drown out the loud party noises next door. She'd been trying to get to sleep for the last half hour, but Bender and his damn Christmas frat party had made that impossible. And now somebody was screaming at the top of their lungs, which was further grinding away at her patience. As there came the sound of breaking glass from Del's house, she growled and threw the blankets off herself.

"All right Bender, that does it!" she shouted to herself, "Now you're really in for it!"

She picked up the phone off the table and dialed 9-1-1. "Shermer Police Department, how may I direct your call?" asked the receptionist.

"Yes, I'd like to report a major noise disturbance at 127 Elm Street," Samantha told her. "I'd like you to send everything you got: police, S.W.A.T. National Guard; the works. The person making this disturbance is John Bender--but why am I telling you this, you probably already knew that?--but anyway, come as quick as you can, I can't take it anymore!"

Just as she was hanging up, there came a loud crashing noise from out by the garbage cans, as if someone had been lurking around by them. Samantha froze: she'd read all about the apparent return of the South Bend Shovel Slayer in the paper; hopefully this wasn't going to be his night out on the town.

There now came the sound of footsteps pounding down the stairs. "Honey are you okay down here?" came Mr. Baker's voice.

"Yeah Dad," Samantha called to him.

"Well just stay there while I go check something out," Mr. Baker headed for the back door, flashlight in hand. For a few tense minutes, he was outside. Finally, he came back in, looking much relieved. "No sign of anyone trying to get in," he told his daughter, "it was probably just a raccoon or something."

"That's a relief," Samantha commented. "I'd hate it if it were the South Bend Shovel Slayer or something."

"Yeah, well, we don't even know if he is back again, Sam, but I sure hope he's not too," Mr. Baker said, looking nervous at the thought of a serial killer loose in the neighborhood. He leaned against the sofa. "So, is anything bothering you lately?" he asked her.

"Now why would you think that?" Samantha asked him.

"Well, you've seemed a little uneasy lately." Samantha took a deep breath; it wasn't all that pleasing to her to be discussing her personal problems in the middle of the night like this. "Well to be perfectly honest Dad, I'm not all that comfortable with the Donger's family coming over and all," she told him. "He's bad enough as it is, and I'd hate to see what the rest of them are all like."

Mr. Baker looked like he was thinking the same thing. "I know, Sam, it's uncomfortable meeting people for the first time who..." he began, but just then the sound of sirens wailing pierced the evening air. Puzzled, he walked over to the window. "What could that be about?" he mused.

"Oh don't worry about that Dad, I called the cops on Bender," Samantha told him.

"You did?"

"Yes. I've had it with him and..." before Samantha could finish her sentence, there was a loud crashing through the window in front of them. Several more dark forms smashed through the other living room windows; a few missed the windows and came through the wall. Screams from upstairs indicated the forms were invading the house up there as well.

"Down on the ground!" yelled the apparent leader of the invasion. Both Bakers dropped to the floor. "Sam, what going on here?" Mr. Baker asked, quite worried. Samantha slapped her hand to her face; she realized where she'd gone wrong. "I gave them OUR address by mistake, Dad!" she groaned. Raising a finger, she pointed out the window and shouted, it's NEXT DOOR!!"

"Oh," one of the S.W.A.T. teamers said, glancing around, "I thought this place looked a little quiet."