3rd Person's POV

Buffy and Chambers are at the counter turning in their shoes. Xander, Willow, and Laney run up, breathless.

"Buffy, I'm glad we caught you." Willow says while holding onto the counter.

Chambers smiles, "Well, look at this. You guys are just showing up everywhere."

Buffy looks at them with wide eyes, "What are you doing here?"

Xander waves his hands frantically towards the door, "Quick, we've got to get to--"

Willow nudges him and glances over at Chambers.

Xander smiles quickly, "Uh, we thought it'd be fun to make this a double date.

He puts his arm around Laney. Laney looks at him like he's crazy then smiles and holds onto his waist realizing what was happening.

Willow frowns then covers it quickly, "Apparently I'm the third wheel."

Buffy looks at the two suspicious, "With you two? I didn't know you two were seeing each other?"

Laney nods, "Oh, yeah. Going on nine days now. We knew it would happen eventually and figured, hey, why fight it?"

Xander pulls Laney closer, "Yeah. We tried to hate each other but sometimes love just blossoms."

"You've hidden it so well." Buffy frowns still suspicious.

Xander whispers to Laney, "I don't think she's buying it."

"Ugh yeah sorry about that. We just didn't want anyone to know until we were sure of our feelings for each other."

Buffy's frown deepens as she opens her mouth to say something but is cut off by surprise looking at the two kiss. Laney holds onto Xander's shirt and pulls him down towards her. She crushes her lips onto his and their lips move in sync.

They kiss for a minute then pull away as someone clears their throat. Willow frowns with her arms crossed looking at the two. She knew something was going on between them.

Chambers has a polite smile as he throws his arm around Buffy's shoulder, "Actually, Buffy and I were just about to leave."

Xander smiles, "Hey, if you guys are exiting, maybe we should all go somewhere together."

"Gee, that is so nice of you to ask. But Chambers and I were kind of, well, Chambers and I."

Laney smiles, "Come on. We can go... some place. We can do... some things. It'll be a blast!"

Buffy frowns, "Where were you guys thinking?"

Xander shrugs, "Oh, there are so many options. You know what would be fun? I hear there's kind of like a party going on... At the cemetery."

Willow nods, "Giles is there."

Buffy frowns mocking their tone, "Thank you, I know."

Laney bites the inside of her cheek. How dense can this girl be.

"With some friends..."

Buffy realizes what they're saying.

"Oh, no Giles... We've got to get over there."

Chamber nods, "Cool. Party."

Buffy looks over at him with a sad smile, "Oh. Chambers. Maybe we should do the goodbye thing here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this party... After bowling, it'll probably be anti-climactic."

"You don't want me to go?"

Buffy quickly shakes her head, "No, it's just, well, you wouldn't really know anyone. They don't go to our school."

"That's okay. I'm always up for meeting new people."

Willow grimaces then sighs, "Buffy, we really need to get there."

"I know, I know. But... Okay, let's make it a fivesome."

They all run towards the door.

Buffy and the gang run into view. There is a crash from the mortuary. They look to see shadows bouncing off the walls inside the mortuary as the clamor continues.

"Must be a wild party." Chambers says looking in excitement.

"You guys stay here. Let me check it out."

Buffy runs ahead.

Willow smiles as she looks over at Chambers, "She likes to make an entrance."

After a minute, the gang starts to worry so they enter the building in hopes of finding Buffy or Giles. Hearing Giles' voice Xander, Willow, Laney, and Chambers enter in one of the rooms.

Chambers looks around the empty room, "Where's the party?"

Buffy sighs, "It's pretty much over."

Giles takes off his glasses and wipes them with his shirt, "On the contrary, it's just about to begin."

"Meaning exactly-- huh?"

"Our previous two 'guests' were, as you noticed,  only two. If you'll recall, the announcement about
tonight's event specifically stated there would be
seven in the attendance. Too, the invited ones will
be dressed in, shall we say, their 'funeral best.'"

"Because this is their first night."

"Exactly. And we mustn't forget about the 'guest of honor' who will be rising-- coming to the party with evening."

Laney frowns, "So when do these guests arrive?"

Unseen by the gang, a drawer on the wall behind them slowly opens and a vampire (the driver from the van) sits up.

"I have no idea. They were scheduled to be here by now."

Still unseen, more drawers open. Four more vampires (passengers from the van) sit up.

"Maybe this time you forgot to account for Daylight Savings." Buffy says impatiently.

From behind them, they hear a voice.

"Sorry, we're late."

Buffy and the others turn to see the vampires have them surrounded. The vampires are partially dressed as if being prepared for burial: the van driver is in a suit, the young bride and groom are in a wedding dress and tuxedo, the mother is in a black dress, and the old man is in a naval uniform.

"Ugh I am so not dressed for this!" Laney whines as she looks down at her crop top, skirt, and heels.

Chambers frowns as he looks at the vampires, "These are your friends?"

Buffy quickly shakes her head, "No. They're crashers."

"Why do they look so weird?"

Xander scratches his head trying to come up with a lie, "They're, uh, on something."

Willow nods then leans over to whisper into Chambers' ear, "Probably PCP."

Laney shrugs, "Just say no."

Then the fight starts and the vampires go after the gang.

Buffy and Laney dive right in while Giles, Xander, and Willow go on the defense. They huddle close to Chambers, keeping the vampires at bay with some of the stuff from Giles' bag.

"Here. Hold this garlic."

He hands Willow some cloves.

Willow frowns at Giles, "These are shallots."

"Drat. I always get those confused."

Xander pulls a cross out of the bag, "I think this is a cross."

"That should work."

The vampires are all over Buffy. She kicks one, punches another, and elbows a third. Laney lunches one in the face, then flips another over. She kicks ones chest making him fall into one vamp that Buffy was fighting.

Chambers frowns shaking his head, "Buffy could get hurt out there. What are we doing just sitting here?"

Giles holds his hands up to stop Chambers, "She knows what she's doing. Plus she has Laney."

"We've got to help her!"

Chambers breaks away and goes after the Groom, who is getting the upper hand on Buffy.

Buffy sees him coming over, "Chambers, no--!"

Chambers puts his head down and rams the Groom in the midsection, pushing him up against a wall of drawers. Chambers follows up with a couple of hooks and an uppercut. The Groom goes down. Chambers turns around and smiles at Buffy.

"I'll bet he's sorry he messed with me."

The Groom immediately pops up behind Chambers, grabs him, and slams a drawer into his head. The Groom holds the lifeless body up by the collar and taunts Buffy.

"Now see what you did? You went and got your friend killed."

The Groom lifts Chambers' body over his head, then slams him into the ground. Buffy looks on, mortified. She looks up and glares at him, making him flinch at the dead stare.

"You killed my date!"