Baron Johnson walks into the lounge after updating the Grey Ghost website. He looks around at the empty bar and smiles before sitting down. This place had cost a lot of money and even more work, but it was something his father had been planning for years. Finally, it was finished.

Baron: Bartender, beer please.

Johnny Johnson walks in through a back-door and looks around before spotting Baron and joining him at his table.

Johnny: I can't believe we actually did this.

Baron: I can't believe we can afford this.

Johnny: Ha ha, you know what? Even if this place never gets off the ground with other artists, I'm glad we did it just for me. Now I'll have a place to hang out at.

Baron smiles.

Baron: Only you.

The men grin at each other and Baron sips his beer which had just arrived.

Baron: You want something?

Johnny: Orange soda, my man.

Edited by user 01 March 2012 08:13:16(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Naomi walks into the bar in a 1940s inspired pin-up girl outfit, looking exhausted she walks over to the bar, and sighs.

Naomi: Can I have a scotch on the rocks please.

Seeing Johnny next to her, she smiles.

Naomi: Hello sir, isn't this place just grand?

Naomi nods at the bartender when we hands her a drink, and takes a sip

Naomi: Well, I think it was a great thing for you guys to do it. I really like it here, and look forward to come here more. Wish you success with this place.

Johnny Johnson is still sitting in the lounge when his brother Joey, who played bass guitar with The Rockers with Johnny, walks in and joins him.

Johnny: Joey! Good to see you, welcome to the palace.

Joey: No kidding John. You've got a hell of a place here. You're boy must be doing alright.

Johnny: Er...yea. He is doing okay.

Joey notices the look in Johns face as being odd.

Joey: Something bothering you Johnny?

Johnny: Oh, it's nothing really. Well, it's just there's been this disconnect with Baron since he performed at Total Annihilation. We've always gotten along really well, but I think he may be starting to resent me for something...maybe he's thinking about Robbie and stuff...how I'm not his real father.

Johnny cups his face in his palms and pushes back his hair.

Joey: Come on John, you know him better than that. He's known all his life that Robert was his dad and he's been fine for years. He loves you, and he knows you. You should talk to him and see what's going on. He'll be fine.

Johnny: Yea...you going to stay for a drink?

Joey: No, I can't tonight. I just wanted to come see the place. I'll see you around though alright?

Johnny: Okay. See ya Joey.

Johnny watches Joey leave and then reaches for his cell phone and calls Baron. He tells him to get down out of the offices and come to the lounge.

After a long wait, Baron Johnson finally walks into the lounge and seats himself across from Johnny once again. He looks agitated, and is. Johnny hangs his head and then looks back up into Baron's eyes intently.

Johnny: We need to talk.

Baron: About?

Johnny: What's wrong with you?

Baron laughs a bit mockingly and goes to stand up. Johnny stands up too and grabs his shoulder.

Johnny: Is this about your dad?

Baron: What? No it's not about Robert...it's about you though.

Johnny: Well...wait, me? What did I do?

Baron sits back down with a sigh.

Baron: It's just you. Johnny Johnson. No matter where I go or what I do, they always have to mention you and how I came to be here.

Johnny: That's just show business, you know that.

Baron: No, dad. It's not right. I don't want to get everywhere I do simply because I had two already established people as my fathers, and another for my mother.

Johnny: Yea...

Baron: It's not fair to a lot of people. I mean just look at this damn place! It's one of the biggest places within the music world, and the only reason I was able to build it was because I had your money and your guidance!

Johnny: Hey!

Baron: If I had been born somewhere else, I probably wouldn't even have so much as a record shop on some alleyway in Brooklyn.

Johnny: HEY!

Baron: What?

Johnny: The only thing you got out of me was a name. Money and guidance, maybe. But that comes with being your parent. I have never helped you get anywhere in your career. I didn't put you in places that other bands and artists couldn't get too. You build yourself and The Silver Spirits all on your own. You did that, not me. You played a great show at Total Annihilation 5, and it was without my help.

Baron: Yea, but...

Johnny: No buts, that's how it happened. Now, people are always going to talk. That is what they do best, but it was through my guidance that you learned that and I taught you how to accept it. Prove them wrong, show them you deserve to be where you are at. I didn't hand you anything, and I never will. Neither did Robert, and neither did Stephanie.

Baron looks up at Johnny with a glare in his eyes and lets out a long sigh.

Baron: You're right.

Johnny: I know it....now...don't you have a show tonight to get ready for? To open the concert hall?

Baron: Yea.

The two stand up.

Baron: So do you.

Johnny: What?

The two continue their conversation as they leave the lounge and head for the concert hall.

After giving a successful performance with his father Johnny at the Concert Hall, and then watching another by Brandon Caulfield and The Midnight Runners just moments ago, Baron walks back into The Bar and Lounge and orders himself a beer. He had never been one for drinking hard liquor, but anything fancier than a beer set him uneasy. So, a beer it was.

His phone rang.

Baron: (Answering it) Hello?

The voice that responded was instantly familiar. It was Alan Mason of The Silver Spirits, and longtime friend to Baron.

Alan: Hey B. It's Alan. Me and Miller are at my place and we've got some songs we've been working on for a few months now...there all finished now for the most part and we were wondering if you might want to check them out and think about moving forward with some material?

Baron Johnson slumped down into his booth. The guys were always trying to get him to agree to working on a debut album. Thus far, he had held back. Knowing what kind of pressure the recording process can put on a person and on a band, he wanted to make sure that everything was in place before charging ahead. After all, Alan and Miller were actually relatively new to the band. He had replaced their positions three times already, and usually lost the former band-mates as friends in the process. Alan and Miller had been friends for a very long time, and Baron did not want to be responsible for ending yet another long-held friendship.

Baron: Oh God Alan...I don't know man. You know why I don't want to do this. I've explained to the both of you numerous times!

Alan: Yea I know, but B., we've got some really great stuff lined up, and then with the songs we've been playing all of this time...man we could really work up something amazing with this stuff.

Baron: Listen, I'm working at Grey Ghost right now...I'll see if I can find the time to come out later alright?

Alan: Oh come one Baron! Can't that shit wait?

Baron: No...no it really can't Alan. It's business, kind of important.

Disgruntled, Alan agreed and ended the call. Baron, meanwhile; drank his beer in relative silence. The Lounge was quiet, and it was getting Baron worried that the entire center wasn't going to take off how he had planned. The Concert Hall was doing alright, but things were noticeably slow. Finishing off the last swallow of booze in his bottle, he waved the bartender to bring another one.

As he did, he became aware of the man standing in the corner. His face was swallowed by the shadows, but he was obviously an older fellow. Baron decided to invite him over for a drink, they were the only two in the bar besides the employees.

Baron: Hey mister, come on over and have a beer.

The shadowed man waved his head back and forth and stepped out from the corner's darkness. It was Johnny.

Johnny: I'm not allowed to drink that stuff anymore.

Baron: Oh, I didn't realize it was you Dad. What are you doing hiding in the shadows?

Johnny: Just eavesdropping on your phone call.

Baron: Imagine that. Come sit down, I'll order you a soda then.

Johnny: It looks like you've got the business aspects of running this place under control. Hiding them at the bottom of a bottle, very ingenious if I might say so myself...Though I think I came up with that one a long time ago.

Baron could see where this was going.

Baron: Dad, I don't want to get too deep into the band with those guys. They're childhood friends, and the last thing I want is for all of that history to be ruined.

Johnny: History cannot be ruined Baron, it's already made and set. The future can be ruined, and that is what you are afraid of.

Baron sat back and considered this. It was true, as most of what Johnny ever said was. The man had been everywhere and done everything. To contest him in any subject, Baron needed his guns fully loaded. Unfortunately for him, this time he came up without a single bullet.

Johnny: See there, I got ya. Alan and Miller have been good friends, and it's because of that history that they want to go further with the band now. That history is what should prevent your friendship from falling apart should things go badly for The Silver Spirits.

Baron: "Should?" That's not a for sure thing then?

Johnny: Nothing ever is. But do you really want to be one of those people who has regrets later in life? That's not you Baron, I know it's not. Look at me, I took risks in my life and look where I am now!

Baron: You've had two divorces, two heart attacks, and lost a lot of good friends.

Johnny frowned deeply and leaned to the side. He pulled his shirt open, revealing the scars from his heart surgeries.

Johnny: You see this. (He pointed at it.) This is from doing drugs, and living hard. This, Baron, is from drinking too much and being stupid.

Johnny then pointed at the two beers that Baron had drank and the third one that had just been delivered, and then smirked.

Baron: Yea but...

Johnny: Just re-think some things Baron, you'll figure it out.

With that, he left.

OOC: Yea, gotta love how I'm totally warping the time-line and no-one cares enough to...well, care. Lol. :)

Happy and proud of their just completed performance at The Concert Hall, Baron Johnson and The Silver Spirits leave the stage and head for the Grey Ghost Bar. Baron grabs a table and calls the bartender to deliver three beers. Miller and Alan sit across from him with wide smiles on their faces.

Baron: You guys seem happy.

Alan and Miller both laugh.

Alan: I would have never believed it if you hadn't have said it onstage!

Miller: You meant it right? We're finally going to record an album?

Baron sat back as the beers arrived.

Baron: Yes. I really meant it. I want to begin just as soon as possible. Tomorrow even! I just need to dig up all my old song books.

Alan: What's changed your mind? You said you didn't want to get started on an album until Grey Ghost was running smoothly...is the place going well then?

Baron frowned and sighed, but tried to explain his situation.

Baron: Actually, no it isn't. But it's actually because of the fact that it's going to roughly, that I've decided to do this album. I need a break from the numbers and red ink, and I really think an album is the best way to get away from all of that. Not to mention the fact that you guys deserve it after all you've done for me...

Alan and Miller exchanged a glance.

Miller: It's what friends do, man.

Alan: Yea, we'd be there no matter what happened.

Baron: I know, and that is why it's damned time I return the favor. This album is for all of us, guys. We need to put our full selves in it, or not at all. Are you sure you guys have the time and energy?

Baron laughed as he guess the response. He was right.

Alan: Absolutely.

Baron: Well, alright then.

Miller: There's so much to do! Things to set up, arrangements to be made, and I need to find my books too.

Baron smiled.

Baron: Then let's get on it boys! Tomorrow we go to work!

They all exchanged excited hand-shakes and farewells, before Baron found himself sipping his beer alone. He didn't realize the smile that was plastered across his face until the moment that Johnny Johnson sat down opposite him as if appearing out of thin air.

Johnny: Good to see you're happy, son.

Baron: Yea...it is.

Johnny: You made the right decision. I know it.

Johnny looked almost as happy as Baron felt, but there was a twinkle in his eye that spoke of memory searching. Johnny was thinking about The Rockers, and Baron could tell. He could always tell when John was looking back.

Baron: You know Dad...we could use a hand in the studio. Push some buttons, give us advice, maybe pick up a guitar or something?

Johnny's face instantly lit up. Standing and smiling before walking out of the bar, he waved goodbye and called out,

Johnny: I'll bring my songbook!

Matthew enters the bar of the hotel he's currently staying in, a pen and paper with him as he orders a quick beer.

Matthew looks across the bar, spotting Ashley as he gulps down a bit of the beer.

Matthew: Yo, how's it going?

OOC: Sorry had to go do something.