Nighttime.
Near the medical center.
A classy little bar.
"Wow, this place beats McLaren's by a mile!"
Ted walked in and immediately started gushing, eyeing everything around him. "Check out these sofas, the booths, those chandeliers!"
"Well, duh—look who brought us here," Lily said, leaning against Marshall, soaking in the bar's vibe.
"If Barney finds out we ditched him to come here, he's gonna lose it," Marshall chuckled.
"Let him freak out, as long as he doesn't drive me nuts," Adam grinned. "Work as an intern doctor's been insane lately, so I picked a spot close to the hospital. Figured while I'm roping Ted into a favor, we could all hang out too."
Normally, Joe's Bar was right across from the hospital—decent vibes, great for friend chats. But after last time, Adam was done with Joe. He'd saved the guy's life, and what did Joe do? Stabbed him in the back over medical bills. Sure, it's "understandable," but Adam wasn't about to let it slide. Since then, he hadn't set foot in Joe's. This hangout needed a fresh spot.
"What favor?" Ted asked, grabbing the fancy beer Adam ordered for them. He took a big, satisfied swig and leaned back, curious.
"Here's the deal…" Adam gave a quick, polished rundown of Erica's situation. "It's my good friend's mom's wedding, so I'm hoping you can toss her some solid advice."
"Ugh!" Lily cut in, instantly annoyed, her eyes widening at Adam. "For something like this, you ask Ted? Shouldn't you be asking the only almost-bride here with actual experience?" She jabbed a finger at herself.
"Of course, I need your help too, Lily," Adam said smoothly. "But Ted's got a knack for talking to women. Those earnest eyes of his? Total charm trap. He can sneak in some emotional guidance for Erica while he's at it."
"Ted's better than me?" Lily's eyes got even bigger, her competitive streak practically spilling over.
"Not exactly," Adam said with a sly smile. "It's just… I'd feel bad if Marshall got mad at me~"
"Why would Marshall be mad—" Lily started, still not catching on.
Marshall, though, got it right away. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
"Oh, that was just a joke!" Lily's face turned red, and she waved it off. "I'm not into that…"
"Mm-hmm," Adam nodded, all serious. "I believe you."
Lily: "…"
"You sure I can help?" Ted jumped in, steering things back. "I haven't even found my other half. I'm a mess myself—how am I supposed to guide your friend's sister through her feelings?"
"Just chat with her," Adam said casually. "Think of it like saving a good girl from a big bad boss. No pressure. I believe in you."
"…"
Ted was speechless. No pressure? Right.
"We can't tell Barney about this," Adam warned. "I'm done dealing with his chaos."
"We'll cover for you," Lily said. "Adam and Barney can't clash again, or Barney'll snap."
"Not my fault," Adam shrugged. "Last time, I begged him—begged—and had Marshall back me up, telling him to steer clear of Marshall's professor. And what'd he do?"
"He went anyway," Marshall sighed.
"But your paper got a B+," Ted piped up, defending his bro. "You don't even know how hard Barney worked for that B+. Tweaked his back, landed in the hospital—again. Even then, he swore he'd get you an A next time!"
"Heh," Marshall laughed, picturing his grumpy, 50-something professor grinning as she handed him a B+, glancing at Barney on the hospital bed like he was the hero. Too funny.
"Fine, since it worked out, I'll let it slide that Barney gambled with my future," Marshall said.
"It turned out okay this time," Adam shook his head. "But can we really keep leaving these high-stakes messes up to chance?
Think about it! That's why I didn't invite Barney today and asked you all to keep it hush-hush. He's too selfish—won't rein it in even a little for his friends. I'm over it.
But since we're all buddies, as long as he doesn't mess with my stuff, I won't mess with him."
Ted, Lily, and Marshall went quiet.
"Barney's changed a bit," Lily said, wrinkling her nose to lighten the mood. "Still a clown, but he's toned it down."
"Yeah," Marshall grinned. "Adam, your lessons hit him hard."
"Hard?" Ted snorted. "Try terrifying. Even thinking about it gives me chills."
"Why're you scared?" Adam laughed. "You don't pull half the crazy stuff Barney does. Why put yourself in his shoes?"
"…"
Ted clammed up. Could he admit that, deep down, he kinda wanted to go wild like Barney, even if he always half-resisted?
"Oh, hey," Adam said, checking the time. Erica wasn't here yet. He looked at the trio. "What do you think of this bar's name?"
"Lindsay's Bar?" Lily sipped her beer. "It's fine, I guess. Why?"
"I don't like it. Thinking of changing it," Adam said with a grin. "How's 'Friends Bar' sound?"
"Friends Bar?" They mulled it over, nodding. Pretty good.
"It's catchy, but how're you gonna rename it?" Ted asked, curious.
"Easy—I'm buying the place," Adam said, still smiling. "Since you all like the name, I'll go with it."
"What?!" All three yelped in unison.
"Everyone likes it here, and it's right by the hospital where I work," Adam explained. "So, I had a lightbulb moment earlier. Once I buy it, this can be our new hangout spot. I'll drop by when I've got time, and we can all catch up more often."
"That's it?" Ted blinked, dumbfounded. "You're buying a bar just for that?"
"Isn't that reason enough?" Adam shot back, grinning.
This over-the-top, filthy-rich move left the three "broke" friends speechless.
"So, what do you think?" Adam asked. "I'll hook each of you up with a VIP card—your own reserved booth. We'll shift our base from McLaren's to Friends Bar. Sound good?"
"Uh…" Lily, Marshall, and Ted exchanged looks, hesitating. "It's awesome here, but it's kinda far from where we live. McLaren's is right downstairs. Maybe we'd swing by on weekends…"
"Works for me," Adam said, unfazed. "Weekends are plenty. I couldn't hang every day anyway—one meetup a week's perfect."
"Then why buy it?" Ted couldn't help asking.
"Why not?" Adam looked at him, genuinely confused.
"For one weekly hangout?" Ted's brain couldn't process Adam's money logic.
"Like I said—isn't that enough?" Adam smiled.
patreon:belamy20
Buying this bar? Part of it was legit about hanging with Marshall, Chandler, and the gang more. Adam's residency at the medical center still had years to go. Med life's a race against time—shaving off a few minutes a week adds up over years. He's short on hours, not cash.
Lily, Marshall, Chandler, Monica—they're bar-and-coffee-shop regulars anyway; a little travel time's no big deal for them. Plus, it's a casual middle finger to Joe for that backstab. With Adam's hospital clout, a few visits here, and the staff'll follow. That'll hit Joe's medic-focused bar where it hurts.
And finally, Adam can play the good boss—top-notch service, fair prices, occasional discounts for hospital pals. It's just networking with a side of profit. Less money's still money, right?
Three birds, one stone. Perfection!