Joe was fully dressed and ready to go in five minutes flat. He sneaked down the stairs, took Fenton’s car keys from the hook in the hallway and stole out of the house. He’d been sure to turned off the outside security lights before leaving - he didn’t want to wake his parents.

Silently opening the car door, he leant in and released the emergency brake. Putting his shoulder to the doorframe, he pushed it down the driveway, steering with one hand. He heaved the vehicle all the way onto the road before jumping in and starting the engine. He drove into town and began coasting up and down, keeping an eye out for his wayward brother. Because he was so obviously underage, the bars he approached refused him entry but were happy to confirm that Frank was not in the bar after he showed them a photograph.

His search progressed to the rougher side of town. Cruising past the Sledgehammer Bar which was, as usual, playing loud, heavy rock music, he saw a number of Harley’s parked up outside. He pull over, just in time to see another bike arriving - the driver wore a jacket which showed a picture of a jumping tiger on the back, just as Callie had described. "Well, this looks like the most likely place," he decided.

He parked the car and walked up to the bar’s entrance, fully expecting to be turned away at the door as before. This time, however, no one paid any attention as he entered. The inside of the bar was thick with cigarette smoke, and the rock music was almost deafening. He pushed his way through the crowd, keeping his eyes open for his brother. Suddenly he felt someone grab him roughly by the shoulder and yank him into the bar. He tensed, ready to put up a fight and spun to look into Frank’s grinning face.

"Joey! – HEY EVERYONE, IT’S MY LITTLE BRO!"

"YO, JOEY!" chorused a number of voices. Joe was speechless.

"Glad you could make it Joseph, have a little drinkie," Frank shouted, pushing a can into his hand.

"No thanks, I’ve only come to take you home," he said discarding the drink on the counter.

"Oh, come on Joe, the night is young…we’re young…and this place is really rocking," he leaned closer. "And there are some really hot chicks!" He lowered his voice in a conspiratorial fashion. "Play your cards right and I’ll fix you up!"

Joe was mortified. Sensing another pair of eyes looking him over, he looked towards his brother’s shoulder at a girl who stood around 5’3, with collar length auburn hair and green eyes. She moved close to Frank’s ear and whispered. Frank laughed.

"Joe, meet Gillian, she’s been looking after me tonight, and I must say, she’s been the perfect hostess - the hostess with the mostess!" he draped an arm about her shoulder and nuzzled her neck.

Joe’s mouth dropped open. "Come on Frank, we’re going now. Or I’ll have to call dad to pick us up."

Gillian pouted disappointedly at Frank and he looked sorrowfully back at her. Leaning into him, she whispered in his ear again. He nodded and she slipped from under his arm and was gone. "Okay little bro, you win, take me to your leader!" he gave a mock salute, and in the process elbowed a drink behind him, sending it careering off the bar. "Oops," turning to inspect the damage he’d done, he came face to face with a very large chest. His eyes roamed up to the face of a very huge, very scary and very angry looking biker. Frank pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and attempted to clumsily wipe the beer from the front of the biker’s tee-shirt. The man growled and grabbed Frank by the scruff of the neck, lifting him up onto his toes.

"My name’s Bull, and that was my drink you just wasted kid, and now I’m gonna waste you!"

"Can’t we talk about this?" asked Frank, grinning sheepishly.

"We’ve done all the talking were gonna do!"

"Can this night get any worse?" thought Joe and stepped forward to intercede. "Let him down," he shouted, but received no response. He tried to pull Bull’s arm down, but his arm was like iron. He threw a punch at the guy’s stomach, but this failed to make him even flinch. The effect it did have, however, was for him to let Frank down and turn his attention to Joe instead.

Joe put his hands out defensively, knowing he was in real trouble, and began backing-off with Bull advancing on him. He carried on retreating until he was halted by his legs connecting with a table - the hell’s angel took the opportunity to reach for him. Joe was tensing, ready for action when saw a movement behind Bull and watched, fascinated, as a stool arced through the air - launched from the end of Frank’s hands. He leapt out of range, ducked and covered as the stool hit Bull across the shoulders, the impact shattering it, sending shards of wood flying in all directions. Bull bellowed in frustration and landed on the table collapsing it and knocking drinks everywhere.

One of the guy’s who’d been sitting at the stricken table leaped up and threw a punch in Frank’s direction. Ducking to avoid connection, the punch landed on another innocent bystander. He crouched down next to Joe and watched as the fight escalated. "Well, I think you’ve caused enough trouble for one night…can’t take you anywhere can I?"

They made their way towards the exit, not daring to stand up as glasses and furniture were flying in all directions. A six pack of beer was slung from somewhere and landed in front of Frank. "RESULT!" he bellowed grabbing them as he crawled passed.

Finding themselves finally at the entrance, they were forced to edge their way around a mound of fighting bodies which were rolling out into the street. Hearing squad cars approaching, Joe and Frank looked at each other and sprinted for the car.

"Hey, Frankie-boy," shouted a voice. Frank skidded to a halt and turned to see Fly standing in the doorway. "See ya Frankie-Boy, great night by the way!"

"Yeah, the best, see ya round Fly," Frank threw him a can and staggered after his brother towards the car.

Joe put his foot to the peddle, just as the cops arrived to break up the fight. "I don’t believe you, Frank! Don’t you realise how close you came to getting us rumbled for underage drinking?"

"But we didn’t get rumbled, and I came away with a six…well five-pack," he held a can out of the car window and popped the ring pull, allowing the froth to spill into the road. He held the can up to Joe and took a large swig. "Want one?" he asked.

"No thanks."

"Suit yourself - hey, what does this do?" He pushed a button in the dashboard and the automatic sun roof slid open. "Well, would you look at that," he remarked, unbuckling his seat-belt.

"What are you doing?" asked Joe, watching as his brother hauled himself through the opening.

Frank stood on his seat, drinking, whooping and waving at any girls that happened to be walking by, many of the them returning the gesture. "Joe, this is great, we sure do have an affect on the ladies, must be the black eyes!"

Joe tried to dip further into the seat to hide his shame. "Oh, boy," he muttered.

***

By the time they’d hit the other side of town, Joe had managed to persuade his brother to sit down. His brother was now extremely drunk. "I want you to promise me something." Joe asked.

"What’s that Joey?"

"Don’t ever mention what happened tonight to Callie - especially the Gillian thing, and when we arrive back home, I want you to be as quiet as death. OKAY?"

"Okay, jeez, calm down!"

They reached the house and Joe halted the car at the foot of the driveway.

"We’re not walking to the house are we? Because, I can’t feel my feet!" said Frank. "Oops, and there go my knees too," he knocked them with his knuckles. "Hello…hello…anyone home?" he called.

"Get out of the car Frank, I’m going to have to push the car up the driveway so we don’t wake Mom and Dad. If they find you in this state we’re going to be in BIG trouble, and I mean trouble with a capital ‘T’!"

"Or big, with a capital ‘B’," pointed out his brother. Frank turned to his car door and fumbled around for a few seconds. "Someone stole the door handle, was it you?" Joe rolled his eyes, sighed and leant across Frank to unlatched the door. "Whoa - over I go," said Frank as he rolled gracefully out of the car and onto the sidewalk. "Wow," he called. "Come and look at this quick, the sky’s turning."

"Okay Frank, I’ll be there in a moment, you just lie there and take in the view."

"Thanks Joey, I’ll do that. Don’t be too long though, or you’ll miss the show."

Joe pushed the car back up to the house and parked it. He took the empty cans and hid them inside the van and headed back to his brother who was still lying in the road, grinning up at the sky. "Up you come, Frank," he said pulling him to his feet. Putting his brother’s arm about his shoulders and they made their way back to the house. Joe dropped Frank next to the front door and inserted the key in the lock. "Now Frank, listen to me very carefully - we’re going to have go through the house as quietly as possible, can you do that for me, old friend?"

"Yes indeedy - you just lead the way!"

"Good, let’s go," he pulled his brother to his feet again and, whilst supporting him, began silently making his was through the house and up the stairs. Joe was beginning to relax, thinking they’d managed to get away with it, unfortunately, fate had other ideas! Just as they reached Joe’s bedroom they trod on a loose floorboard and it gave off a loud squeak. Frank commenced to put his finger to his lips and give a loud. ‘Shushhhhhhh’. Seeing a light come on in Mr and Mrs Hardy’s room, Joe opened his bedroom door and shoved Frank through, listening as his parent’s bedroom door opening. They both hit the ground with a loud thud and he clamped his hand over his brother’s mouth to gag him.

"Joe, are you alright, Sweetie?" asked his mother, concerned, from the other side of the door.

"Yes, thanks mom, I couldn’t sleep and tripped over something stupid in the dark."

"Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, only my pride!"

His mother sounded amused. "Would you like me to warm some milk?"

"No, it’s fine, don’t worry, go back to bed."

"Well, if you sure…"

"Yes mom, I’m sure."

"Okay then, night Joe."

"Night mom," he waited until he heard his mother enter the room and close the door before letting go of Frank.

***

Joe lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling, the smell of Frank’s alcohol reeking breath pervading the air. Just to make matters worse, his brother began to snore loudly. "My night is complete!" he thought, pressing the pillow over his head.