"The meeting's ready to begin, Mr. Mayor," Mayor Oaks's secretary called in through his office door.

"Thank you Linda," the mayor told her, saving his work. He'd been reinvigorated by Tyler's ideas the previous night, and he was wondering if they'd really give the project a boost.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," he said to the eight council members and the police and fire chiefs, "I know you all want to be with your families for Christmas, so I'll try to make this as brief as possible. First off, let's start with public safety. Chief Radcliffe, any word on any of those Joliet escapees in town?"

"Nothing yet sir, but my men are on full alert," Chief Radcliffe, a heavyset black man with a thick mustache, told him. "I have to report that we had no choice but to let Jonathan Marley go in connection to the recent murders in the area because we found proof that he was at a movie theater at the time of the last slayings."

The mayor nodded in response to this. "Good work Chief," he told him. "Okay, next I like to move on to financial matters. In regards to next year's budget, I.....I think we should raise it up to......about, oh, sixteen mils."

"What!?" asked the council president, "Why do we need to raise it? It's just fine where it is right now, John!"

"Well Gavin, it's just that....that I have a hunch that....it would be better higher," the mayor said quickly.

"It's your wife again, isn't it?" asked another council member sternly.

"No, no, it's not Victoria, Herman," Mayor Oaks said in a not-too-convincing way.

"I think it is," Gavin the council president added in. "Look John, I know you still want to love her even though she's turning into a miserly Scroogette, but if you can't summon the courage to tell her to stay out of our budgetary policies, we may have to go looking for a new mayor."

"Is that an impeachment notice?" the mayor gulped.

"No, but if you can't stand up for yourself and the greater good of this town, we may have no choice down the line," Gavin told him. It took a while for the mayor to let all he'd just been told sink in. "So, what shall we talk about next?" he asked the council, hoping to find something less inflammatory to discuss.

"You're late, Brian," Buck told the brain as he came into his office.

"Sorry Mr. Russell, I just forgot," Brian sighed, slumping down into the visitor's chair.

"So, are we feeling any better today?" Buck asked him.

"Well, the embarrassing blots on my record are still there, so why should I be any happier?" Brian posed him.

"Well I just thought I'd ask," Buck said, feeling disappointed that he couldn't do better in helping him.

"Although," Brian continued, I probably would have done myself in yesterday after I went home if Chandra hadn't come over."

"She came over?" this caught Buck by surprise.

"Yeah, she just came in unannounced," Brian told him. "I have no idea why, since I don't even know her, but somehow, I think she's lifted some of the death shroud off me."

"Well that's encouraging," Buck said. "Maybe the two of you are...."

"No, she won't want me now," Brian cut him off, looking even more miserable at this thought.

"Now why would you say that?"

"Because I watched her get assaulted in the hall and didn't do anything to stop it; who wants to be friends with someone like that!?"

"Well she's seems to be the type who'd forgive easy," Buck suggested, "I think she'll give you the benefit of the doubt that........."

Brian was shaking his head to this; Buck realized he wouldn't get any further with it. "So, have you talked to your parents about how you feel?" he asked now, hoping this topic would yield more fruit.

"No, and it wouldn't make any difference if I did, because they don't understand me and don't want to understand," Brian told him.

"Well, maybe I can help there," Buck told him, "I called your mom at work after I got in, and although she seemed like she didn't like the idea, she agreed to let me have a talk with her and your dad later on tonight. Maybe that'll get everything straightened out."

"Well, I think you're just wasting your time, Mr. Russell, but go right ahead if you want to," Brian shrugged. He checked his watch. "Well, I'd better get going if I don't want my dad to berate me for tardiness."

"Take care Brian, and remember, think positive," Buck called after him. Brian stopped halfway in the door, thinking something over, and then turned back and said, "Mr. Russell?"

"Yeah?"

"While you're at it, I think I know a couple of other people whose parents you might want to have a word with."

"Really?" Buck asked, "Who?" Brian pulled out a pencil and wrote down four names on a paper in front of Buck. Buck picked it up and read it over. "Let's see, Bender, Clark, Reynolds, Standish," he mused. "Thanks Brian, this is really nice of you. You know, you should....."

But Brian had already left. Buck folded the paper up and put it in his pocket. He at least now would have something to do this evening in case Bob and Cindy chose not to forgive him.

The sound of crying outside told him Chandra was coming back for another appointment, and from Brian's words, she wasn't going to be in the happiest of moods. "So I take it you're not doing better since we last talked?" he asked her as she came in and sat down. She shook her head. "Well, I'll tell you what, I'm going to talk to Mr. Vernon and Mr. Rooney and see if they'll be willing to get tougher on people who keep hurting you like this."

"I already talked to them about it eight months ago," Chandra told him between her tears, "and they told me to just put up with it and shooed me out!"

"They did THAT!!??" Buck was aghast at his superiors' reactions to this.

"Well, I'll try and make them change their minds on that, trust you me," he told her. "So, Brian tells me you have a special interest of sorts in his livelihood, and that you kept him from killing himself yesterday."

"Well, I guess I did pull him up a bit," Chandra admitted, "but it doesn't matter, because he still doesn't like me!"

"Now where do you get off saying that? From what he told me just now, he seems to like you a lot."

"He told me the opposite last night before we went to bed!" Chandra sobbed. "And I had such high hopes that he was going to be completely different form the others, since I've kind of like him since I came here, but all I've got for my efforts was a detention!"

"A detention!?" Buck gasped, "Where did that come from??"

"Mr. Vernon gave it to me this morning for leaving the school yesterday, but I couldn't just have left Brian go kill himself! He needed someone, and...."

"So no more," Buck told her. He'd never really liked Vernon to begin with, but what Chandra had just told him about the superintendent giving her detention was making his blood boil. "You stay here for a minute, I'm going to go see if I can work this out with him," he told her. He stormed up the hall to Vernon's office, flung open the door and shouted, "Richard, we've gotta talk right now!"

Vernon, who was on the phone, glared at him and said, "I'm busy right now Russell; come back later!"

Buck jerked the phone out of his hands. "He'll call you back," he told the person on the other end, and then yanked the cord off the receiver just for good measure. "Now," he said as authoritatively as to Vernon he could, "What's this I here about you giving Chandra Oaks detention!?"

"As I explained to her father over the phone, she violated the school's law about leaving the school without proper authorization, and rules are rules," Vernon said matter-of-factually. "Now if you don't mind, I was in the middle of something very important when you barged in here!"

"Oh I think this is infinitely more important, Richard!" Buck yelled at him. "This is about you being a hard case when you need to be understanding! The only reason she left in the first place was to help Brian Johnson overcome his suicidal feelings, feelings which if I'm not mistaken YOU make worse by giving him detention yesterday instead of helping him!"

"Don't you blame his inability to act like a man on me, Russell!" Vernon snarled at his guidance counselor, "If he'd obeyed the rules and not brought in that noose, he'd still be....!"

"WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP FOR ONE, STINKING MINUTE ABOUT THE RULES!!!!!!!!?????" Buck bellowed so loud at Vernon that the superintendent for once in his life cowered in fright in his seat. Buck took a couple of deep breaths to recompose himself, and then continued, "Now, as I was going to say, I'd like you to consider dropping Chandra's detention for....."

"No," Vernon said flatly.

Buck leaned in close to his face. "Richard," he said slowly, "if you say no to this, I'm going to tell the school board at the next meeting that you're turning into a tyrant and are unfit to run this school anymore!"

Vernon's face turned purple with rage. "How dare you insult my authority like that!" he spat out. "You think that just because you get to talk to these kids everyday you know more about teaching than I do? Well I've been in this since before you were even out of high school, and let me tell you that you're way off! Mr. Johnson and Ms. Oaks are both potential bad kids who.....!"

"What was that I just heard, 'potentially bad kids?'" Buck cut him off.

"Yes, you heard me right!" Vernon yelled.

"Well let me tell you something, Rich," Buck leaned in close again, "Contrary to what someone like you thinks, there is no such thing as a bad kid! Or at least they're not bad to begin with, until some burned-out, heartless Nazi like you pulls them down and convinces them they're no good! There is, however, something as a bad grown-up, and I'm sorry to say that you're definitely one of them! What do you have to say about that, huh!?"

Vernon was shaking with blind fury. "All right Russell," he said darkly, "that did it! YOU....ARE......FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"No, I resign in protest!" Buck shot back. He stuck out his tongue at Vernon and stormed out.

"Oh, and you can tell Miss Oaks when you see her next to bring her overnight stuff with her this afternoon, because she and the others in detention today are going to be here all night due to the storm!" Vernon yelled down the hall after him. "And before I forget, you're not getting your last two paychecks!"

"Fine, I don't want them anyway!" Buck yelled back at him. As he slammed his office door shut, he said to himself, "I don't want them anyway!? What was I thinking just there!?"

"Any luck?" Chandra called in to him.

"Nope," Buck shook his head, "but don't you worry, the school board's going to here about this. You'd better get going and get ready before the snowstorm hits. And don't worry about Brian; I think the two of you are a lot closer together than you each realize."

"I hope so," Chandra said optimistically. "Thank you for all your help, Mr. Russell; you're really a pretty good guidance counselor."

"You really think so?" Buck was amazed she thought so high of him.

"Much better than Mr. Hashimoto was last year," Chandra told him, "Have a merry Christmas."

"Same to you," Buck said as she left. He slouched over to his desk and slumped down in it. How was he going to tell his family he'd been fired?

"Well, we're through with this dump for the rest of the calendar year," Ferris told his friends as they strolled down the stairs toward the front door.

"Rooney's going to be mad about everything we did to him today, Ferris," Cameron said, still nervous for some reason, "He's going to get us for it, I just know it."

"Cameron my friend, there's no need to worry anymore, because from here on if Rooney chooses to continue this war, it'll be on my turf, and my parents'll press civil charges on him if he even touches me," Ferris told his friend confidently. "All in all, I'd say it was a good day."

"Oh Ferris!" came a sharp call from behind him. Andie was storming down the stairs after them, looking not too pleased. Ferris flashed her a big smile. "Well Miss Walsh, are you ready to enjoy the Christmas break?" he asked her.

"Cut the crap, Ferris!" Andie snapped at him. She pulled out the check Ferris had given her the other day and shoved it into his jacket pocket.

"I've been doing some serious thinking," she continued, "And I've decided I don't want your money!"

"But the kids will be so disappointed you won't have anything for them!" Ferris said with mock disappointment of his own, "How will you get the money for them now?"

"I'll find a way, Ferris; it'll just be without you lying to people to get it!" Andie snarled, "And after you're dangerous little display earlier today, you helped me make up my mind with this!"

"So you don't want my help?" Ferris asked, pretending to sound miffed. "A thousand dollars in a day and a half after I've given you three thousand dollars? Good luck!"

"I'll find it Ferris!"

"I'm going to make a bold prediction, Miss Walsh," Ferris told her, "that by the time Christmas is over, you'll be quite happy that I've tried to help you, and that you'll thank me on your knees for it."

"Yeah sure!" Andie started to leave, but bumped into Marv, who was coming the opposite way. "Hey, watch it!" she yelled at him.

"Why don't you watch it, toots!" Marv shot back. He chuckled at the sight of her clothes. "Hey, nice dress, who shot the couch?" he sniggered.

"Oh look who's talking!" Andie retorted. Marv, with his ugly brown coat with upturned collar, fingerless gloves, and plaid pants, wasn't exactly making a positive fashion statement himself.

"Hey Marv, get over here!" Harry yelled from the top of the stairwell. Marv scooted up to him. "Before ya begin, Harry, you see the kid there?" he said pointing at Andie as she stormed away.

"Yeah? So what?" Harry asked.

"She was talkin' to the others there, and although I didn't get the whole talk, she said she had three grand on her or so!"

Harry's face lit up. "Well, then, what are we standin' around here for? Let's go follow her home and see how much else she's got!"

"Right," Marv smiled. Then he frowned. "But Harry, Richie says we gotta be here for detention at three."

"We'll be back by then, Marv, and besides, we're runnin' the holiday to our needs, not Richie's," Harry said. "Now let's get a move on before she splits."

"I wonder what those two are up to now," Sloane asked aloud as the burglars rushed past her (neither she nor Ferris or Cameron had heard the crooks' conversation).

"Who cares?" Ferris shrugged, "They cause even more havoc at this school than Mr. Rooney claims I do. Anyway, we shouldn't worry about them. We've got nine days of complete freedom to enjoy before we spend our final two quarters in this junk heap of a building."

"The walls have ears, Ferris; Rooney could have heard that," Cameron warned, looking at the wall as if it were indeed bugged.

"Like I told you the other night, Cameron, one of these days you're going to have to stand up to....." Ferris trailed off abruptly as he went out the front door. His eyes were now transfixed on the sexiest woman he'd ever seen, who was sitting in the front seat of a Ferrari much like the one Cameron's father once had, scanning the doors for someone. "Hubba hubba!" he exclaimed, and made a beeline for the woman.

"Well hello. I've never seen you around here before," he told her, flashing her his million-dollar smile.

"That's probably because I've never been around here before," the woman said in a sexy British voice. She was giving Ferris a smile he could feel all over. "So, what does bring someone like you here?" he asked.

"I'm waiting for two friends of mine," the woman said, "Wyatt Donnelly and Gary Wallace. Perhaps you know them?"

"Miss, I know everybody here," Ferris said. He found himself leaning closer over the door, his lips puckering....

"Um hmmm!?" came Sloane's imploring voice by his shoulder. She was giving him an uncharacteristic harsh look. Ferris gave her the million-dollar smile. "Don't worry sweetheart, you're always number one in my book." Turning back to the woman, he said, "I guess I didn't formally introduce my unofficial fiancé, Sloane Petersen. And over here we're got Cameron Frye. I'm Bueller. Ferris Bueller. And you are....?"

"We're right here. Lisa," came Gary's voice from behind them. He and Wyatt stopped in awe at the sight of Ferris with her. Like so many others in Shermer High, they held Ferris to a god-like status. "Ferris, fancy seeing you here!" he exclaimed.

"Well guys, I see you really know how to make friends," Ferris told them. He turned back to the woman. "Lisa, is it? Well, you and I should....noticing the look Sloane was giving him, he thought it over before saying, "...should get you acquainted with the neighborhood. Care to come with me for the afternoon?"

"What do you think, guys?" Lisa asked Wyatt and Gary. Their faces lit up at the thought of an afternoon with Ferris. "Let's go then!" they said, hopping into the Ferrari. "Follow me then," Ferris said to Lisa, giving her a goodbye wink.

"There's something wrong about this," Cameron commented. He couldn't take his eyes off Lisa either, "Nobody could be that sexy."

"Well Cameron, we'll find out soon enough," Ferris said. Finding out was something he was very interested in in this case.