(for inyourdreams )

[gcpd]

John had been fiddling with her card for the rest of the afternoon. He really thought about it - really thought about calling her and asking her out on a date. She couldn't have had a boyfriend, right? Otherwise she wouldn't have given him her number. But then maybe she just wanted to "hang out" with no romantic connotations...or maybe he was just over thinking it. It was so unlike John to over think things. He had, after all, been called a "hot head" by the late, great Peter Foley.

But then Bane and Batman had messed everyone up. "Fuck it," he said under his breath and dialed her number on his cell phone.

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[gcpd]

John set his phone aside and started cleaning up. He didn't know why he did, he figured she wouldn't come up tonight, but just in case she did, he wanted to make a good impression with his cleanliness.

[inyourdreams]

Ari went to her hotel and ordered some room service and took a quick shower. She was happy to be able to dress down in some skinny jeans and a flowy blouse instead of whatever she would have had to wear to the other bar. Her clothes nowadays were much more expensive and neat looking, but they still reflected her artistic, bohemian side. She slipped on some riding boots before grabbing her purse and taking another cab to the address John had given her.

Once there she found the correct buzzer and hit the button.

[gcpd]

John was dressed in a t-shirt, jacket, and some jeans. Inside his jacket was his balaclava and taser, two items he started carrying everywhere with him just in case. Some nights he'd just walk around Robinson Park looking for trouble.

When he heard the buzzer, he took a quick look around and them went downstairs. He opened the building door and smiled when he saw her waiting. "Hi."

[inyourdreams]

"Hi," she said, smiling back. Her hair was down now and she was wearing a little less makeup, making her look less like a serious business woman and more like an art student.

The only thing that might give away the fact that she was really neither was the small beretta concealed in the bottom of her purse.

[gcpd]

"You look nice." He walked down the front steps and met her on the sidewalk.

[inyourdreams]

"Thanks, so do you," she said as she waited for him. She took in his appearance more, and the more she saw him move and heard him talk, the less she saw Arthur.

[gcpd]

"The bar's about a block from here," he said, hands in his pockets, as he started down the block.

[inyourdreams]

She nodded and fell into step with him.

I"ve never been to this area of the city," she said, looking around as they walked.

[gcpd]

"If we were going northeast, you'd be able to see City Hall," he said, pointing in the general direction of it with his thumb. "And southwest from here is the court house."

[inyourdreams]

She nodded.

"Sounds like a prime location for a cop," she noted.

[gcpd]

"I suppose. A mile or two from here is GCPD Headquarters," he added.

"Can I ask what you're doing here in Gotham?"

[inyourdreams]

"Client meetings," she said. "I'm an architect."

[gcpd]

"An architect?" He said. "Are you here to help rebuild?"

[inyourdreams]

"Well, I'm here to try anyway," she said, which wasn't a complete lie. She actually was doing some consulting on the up and up as well as meeting with a potential side-job client. She was a good multi-tasker and she found the legit jobs helped mask the less-legit ones.

[gcpd]

He nodded. "Good. We could use some help around here." More so now now that not all Blackgate prisoners or Arkham patients have been caught.

[inyourdreams]

"I noticed," she said.

[gcpd]

When they go to the bar, they found a booth in the back. There was a good number of people there tonight since it was a Friday.

[inyourdreams]

She slid into the booth and looked around a bit. It was a nice place but much more modest than anything near Wayne Tower would be. It felt...comfortable. Like a lot of the bars she'd been in before.

"So, does everyone know your name in a little neighborhood place like this?" she asked.

[gcpd]

He half shrugged. "I know a few people.

"So what are you going to drink? It's on me."

[inyourdreams]

"Whatever beer is on tap that's good is fine with me," she said.

[gcpd]

He nodded and called over a waitress. John asked for the best beer they had on tap, two glasses. The waitress went to the bar to get their drinks.

[inyourdreams]

When the waitress left she focused back on him.

"I was surprised you called," she said.

[gcpd]

"Were you?" He asked, looking at her.

[inyourdreams]

"Well yeah," she said with a shrug. "I mean, I'm just this crazy, nosy stranger you met on the street who threw their card at you.

"Plus, you kind of made it clear that you don't really socialize much."

[gcpd]

He shrugged again. "Maybe I don't go out much because I have no one to go out with."