Author's Note: Not an amazing chapter but it does see the arrivial of some well known characters. So hopefully this will be enough to keep you hanging on till next time. Just a quick edit (27/12/05): Karen (formally named Bianca) is supposed to be Bumblebee. Thanks to Daybreak25 for correcting me. : )


Chapter 2

Tossing his coffee-stained shirt aside, Dick stepped into the shower, allowing the warm water to run down his back. Today had been stressful, that was for sure. Bruce had decided that today was the day that he would inform Dick of each and every one of his faults.

"Number one, you're late. Two, you're shirt is a disgrace. You look like you've just woken up, your shoe laces are untied, you've left half your paperwork at home, you broke my secretary's heart and therefore she left…"

He went on like that for 15, whole minutes and Dick was sure he was about to be fired. Instead, he was given a warning and a great, big boost of confidence…not!

Dick leaned back and let the water fall onto his tired face before sticking an arm out from behind the shower curtain and groping, blindly for his towel. Wrapping it around his torso, he made his way into the bedroom just as the phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Richard, it's Vic."

Dick smiled. Victor was one of his oldest friends. "What's up?" He asked coolly.

"Gar and I are heading down to that new club tonight. Thought you might wanna come."

Dick chuckled. Victor knew full well that he worked for the man that owned the new club. "Are you just trying to get in without paying again?"

There was a silence, followed by a laugh. "You know me too well, man!" Vic replied. "But seriously, you wanna come and hang out? I heard Bruce is driving you pretty hard these days."

"You don't know the half of it." Dick mumbled. "Yeah, why not. I could use a night out. See you there about 8?"

"8 'o clock it is."


The name of the club was 'Jam-Packed' and it fitted perfectly. The place was buzzing with people and Victor and Dick had trouble trying to find a place to sit. Eventually they found a table and a few chairs in a corner and decided to call it 'home' for the evening.

"Can't Garfield ever be on-time?" Dick complained, getting slightly agitated with the amount of women who had come over and asked for a dance. He had dismissed each one with a polite refusal but his patience was running out fast. Victor eyed him suspiciously.

"You ok, man? I mean it's not like you to turn down a pretty lady."

Dick sighed. "I dunno. I'm just…something happened on the train today and now I don't feel like dancing with every dumb, blonde that comes my way."

"Surely not all blondes are dumb, are they Richard?" A voice interrupted just as Victor was about to ask what had happened on the train to change his entire personality. The two men looked up to see Garfield, Terra, Raven and Karen; a few well known friends of theirs.

"You are the exception, Terra." Dick replied with a grin.

"I found these lovely ladies outside," Gar explained. "And thought you wouldn't mind if they joined us."

"Actually," Karen began. "We're waiting for our ownfriend, Kori Anders soon-to-be Harper."

"Yeah." Raven agreed. "She's getting married next month and we wanted to take her out for a bit of fun before she completely ruins her life."

Dick raised and eyebrow. "Ruins her life?"

"The guy's a great, big-"

A hand suddenly covered Raven's mouth.

"That's enough, 'Miss Pessimist'." Terra joked. She turned to the guys. "What Raven means to say is that…we're not overly keen on jacka-I mean bloke."

Karen rolled her eyes. "You guys need to butt-out. It's her life and she can choose whoever she likes. Anyway, you boys gonna buy us some drinks or are we just standing around for nothin'?"

Dick rose from his seat. "I'll go. You all want your usuals?"

The girls nodded and Dick headed off in the direction of the bar.


Author's Note: Reviews will be much appreciated.