"You want some humor? I'll give you some bloody humor...I'll laugh as I'm kicking your ass out of my sound room!"

Reese groaned as he pulled open the door, faced with Jason's very tensed back, and a very bewildered vocalist sitting in the aforementioned sound man's chair.

"Look mate, you're late, and we were here on time...I don't need some kid telling me what to do anyway...I bet I could do this all on my own if I really tried...Don't see why we need you, Frost..."

Reese shuddered, knowing what was coming long before the words ever crossed Jay's lips.

"Get the hell out of my studio...You may think you can treat us like trash, but when it comes to the real talent behind the albums, it's all in the studio workers. If you can't respect that, then you have no right to be here."

The 'Diva' stood quickly, thrashing the said chair into the wall. Jay didn't move, didn't flinch as the irate singer growled in his face.

"You will never work here again...I don't care what you say, what you think. You, Mr. Frost, are a total peon, as I'm sure you realize. This album will be finished, with or without your help, makes no difference to me. The recording public will be better off when you are out of a job."

"I'm the best audio person in Oz, and you are sacrificing a lot to stand there and spit in my face. I have simple rules, rules that even someone like you could follow without a problem, first one being that no one is allowed in this room...."

"And why is that, Oh Great One?"

"Because you haven't an inkling of what this equipment does...No clue that any one of those buttons could erase your entire demo, tracking, and spreads. You didn't go to school to learn these things, and you certainly don't belong back here. So, if you don't mind, stay in front of the mic where you belong, or you will be the one wishing you had a job..."

The singer visibly shrunk under the onslaught of Jay's intolerance. Stuttering for words, he finally shut his mouth, and moved towards the door. Reese moved aside, letting him slide through and back out into the main studio area, glad to be out of the firing range for the time being.

"Jay, must you always threaten these poor people?"

"Oh, please tell me you are not taking his side in this..."

"You do this to everyone...It's a damned wonder that you still have clients!"

"That's because I am the best, and everyone knows that. The music industry is not some little card game you can hope to win...You play like it's your last chance, everything or nothing at all, and that's how you do it every time. Slack off and you lose, that simple."

Jay reclaimed his position in his chair, looking over and caressing his equipment. He glanced through the glass at the now slightly unnerved singer pacing slowly across the studio floor.

"They only need the speech once, after that everything runs smooth..."

"Yeah, after they clean out their pants. They all come in here expecting a person a little bit milder than the wild-cat they find...I mean, it's almost common knowledge that you are...well..."

"If you're going to bring it up, you might as well actually say it...Yes Reese...I'm Bi, so what? It doesn't matter anymore...Even you know that."

Jay's voice had taken a slightly darker tone, concentrating on the sound board more than the conversation.

"Still, they have a perception of you before they come here, and then they suddenly get blasted with the most diligent speech they have ever heard in their musically inclined lives. It's not a nice feeling..."

"Well, neither is it when I can't keep them out of here...This equipment is worth more than their entire band, and yet they think they can play with it even if they have experience at all with it...What in the hell is wrong with these people, Reese? I just don't understand it at all..."

Reese leaned against the door slightly, folding his arms.

"They were never meant to be understood...and they never will be I suppose, just as you will never be..."

Jay glanced at him, his eyes the deep blue of his shirt.

"Why are you down here? Some news from upstairs?"

"Yes actually....Something you might be interested in, that is if Mr. Diva doesn't go running to tell on you..."

"Don't worry about him...He won't go anywhere knowing that I can erase all of his work..."

"Alright, well...Rumor has it that the guys upstairs are looking for a new producer for the new Savage Garden project, and they are leaning towards you, as long as there are no slip ups. I know that you want this, I mean, who wouldn't, but they were your first band..."

Jay smiled broadly, a flash traveling through his eyes.

"You'd never believe who turned up on my doorstep and made me late this morning..."

"No, I probably won't, but I know you're going to tell me..."

"Daniel Jones...*The* Daniel Jones...Drove me here, said he had a tape to turn in. Had to be the demos..."

Reese's expression changed drastically, his eyes going wide.

"What was he doing at your place?"

"Looking for a new pad...God clipped from his, and he found my ad. He said that Darren is coming in a bit too, so I'll be able to meet him sometime as well, I hope."

"You are just too lucky...Say, where do you think Jones went?"

"Who knows..."

There was a sudden knocking on the hall door, making Reese jump from his stance. Slowly opening it, his mouth gapped as Daniel shot him an odd glance."

"Mmmm..Mr. Jones?"

"Yeah...Is JD in here?"