It was about six weeks after the miscarriage. Owen had moved in to the Victorian house, soon after Cristina invited him to stay, so he had been living there about three weeks now. He didn't really have much to pack because all he had with him when he came to San Francisco was his clothes. It was just going to be a temporary assignment and he didn't bring much. All of his personal belongings and furniture were at his Upper East Side apartment in New York.

He had completed the 16th week of his six month assignment. Though he was enjoying his time in San Francisco and especially spending it with Cristina, he was becoming even more anxious when he realized that his time in the west coast city was getting shorter and shorter. He counted out the weeks left on the calendar they had up in the kitchen. He had about 10 weeks left on this assignment. He noted that his birthday was this week. He was turning 30 on Saturday. He didn't mention it to anyone because he didn't want to make a big fuss and it didn't seem like the right time to celebrate, so soon after Cristina's miscarriage.

He turned around, when he heard the click of her high heels on the floor tiles. He put out his hand for her, so she would come to him. She did, as he wanted, as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said. He felt so loved in her arms. It was the best feeling in the world.

"Good morning, handsome," she answered. "What are you looking at on the calendar?"

"Nothing, really," he said. He turned around and pulled her into his arms. "Ready to head out to work? We'll pick up coffee and sandwiches at Starbucks."

"Okay," she said. He released her to go get his briefcase. She looked at the calendar and smiled. She knew exacatly what he was looking at. It was his birthday on Saturday. He hadn't mentioned anything to her because she knew that he didn't want her to make a big fuss. He probably didn't think it was okay to celebrate his birthday, so soon after the miscarriage, she had surmised.

She had found out that it was his birthday when she had dug into his wallet to get money to pay the pizza delivery guy. She looked at his New York driver's licence and had seen the date. She had made a mental note about it, then, because his birthday was falling in the time he was going to be on the west coast. Little did he know that she was planning something special for his birthday. She had to work out several things first this week but she knew what she was going to do. Her thoughts were interrupted by Owen, coming back into the kitchen.

"Got my briefcase," he said. "Let's go." They headed down to the basement where they got into his car and they took off to go to work.

Later at lunchtime, he popped into her office. "Do you want to have lunch with me?" he asked. "My treat."

"Sorry, I have a lunchtime meeting with Janet," she said. He looked disappointed. "You know I will more than make up for it, tonight."

"Promise?" he said with a grin.

"Promise. You can count on me," she said, smiling back. He left her office to go order himself some lunch, while she grabbed her notebook and ran to Janet's office.

She opened Janet's door, pulled a chair next to Janet and sat down, eagerly.

"So where are we with Operation Birthday?" Cristina asked.

"Well, I managed to get us plane tickets for Saturday noon. I also made our room reservations. They're allowing us to check in as soon as we get there, even though check in time is normally 3 p.m. I mentioned Louis' name and they acquiesced," Janet said. "I didn't know that Louis was so influential in Las Vegas."

At the mention of Louis' name, Cristina gave her friend a quizzical look. "You don't mind, do you?"

"About what?" Janet responded, looking up from her notes.

"About Louis. After all, you and he spent a night of passion, together," Cristina said, grinning.

"So we had a one-night stand. Big deal," Janet said. "Almost everyone has had a one-night stand at one time or the other."

"Well, actually not me," Cristina replied. "My one-night stand turned out to be a relationship."

"Well, you're the lucky one," Janet said. "I have had a lot of one-night stands and none of them turned out to be a relationship. Just a roll in the hay." She was rather wistful when she said it, so Cristina knew that her lack of a steady relationship did bother Janet a bit.

"Don't worry, Janet," Cristina said. "Your person is still out there." She gave her friend's hand a tight squeeze. Janet gave her a grateful look.

"Let's get back to the birthday party planning," Janet said. "I can't let you wallow with me in my pity party."

"Well, Louis and I had a great conversation this morning. He gave me a list of names and phone numbers of Owen's college buddies who live in the California/Nevada area and between him and me, we are going to invite them and their significant others to come to the party," Cristina said. "So we're both working on that, right now."

"So, I know we can't occupy the whole place because Louis still has to make money for the night," Janet said.

"Yeah, he is just cordoning off the VIP area so it will be for Owen's party," Cristina replied. "Louis is turning out to be quite a friend."

"He really does seem like a nice guy," Janet said, wistfully.

"Well, maybe you and he – a little something something could happen there," Cristina said.

"Oh, I am not getting my hopes up," Janet said. "Louis is the kind of guy who can get a lot of girls, because he is good-looking plus the job that he has. I am pretty sure Louis has had a lot more one-night stands, since me. I am being realistic about it, even though I kinda like the guy."

"Yeah, okay," Cristina agreed. She knew that no matter what her friend said, she did have a soft spot for Louis.

Saturday morning found Owen and Cristina sleeping in. While Owen had retired early the night before, she had stayed up and quietly packed his and her carry-on luggage and placed them in the trunk of his car. When they woke up around 9.30, she told him that she was taking him to brunch. It was a birthday brunch but she never mentioned that it was. It was at the brunch she suddenly mentioned that she and Janet had planned a spa getaway and were leaving at noon.

"What?" Owen could not believe this. She was leaving him on his birthday, not that she knew it was his birthday.

"Yeah, I am sorry that I forgot to mention this. Could you just drop me off at the airport?" she said, looking at her watch.

"Don't you have to pack an overnight bag?" he asked.

"Oh, I did that, already," she said. "It's in the trunk. Let's go. I don't want to miss the flight." Owen was glum as he drove her to the airport. He was going to spend the rest of his birthday, totally alone. Maybe he should have mentioned it to her that it was his birthday and she wouldn't be going on this spa getaway.

When they got to the airport and he went to take out her luggage from out of the trunk, it was then that he noticed there were two carry-ons. Cristina did not need all of those clothes for a one-nighter away.

"Two?" he queried, as he took out the two pieces of luggage.

"Yes, one for me and one for you," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

"We're going somewhere?" he asked. She was not leaving him on his birthday, he realized. Oh, what joy, he thought.

"Yup, happy birthday, Owen," she said, as she gave him a kiss on the lips.

"You knew all along," he said, happily. "Where are we going?"

"Well, we are going to meet up with Janet and we're heading to Vegas to meet up with Louis," Cristina said. She failed to mention that it was not only going to be Louis but all of his college buddies from the west coast.

"So this is my birthday celebration – a trip to Vegas," he said. "Thank you, Cristina. I haven't seen Louis since – you know when." He gave her a tight hug.

They met up with Janet at the terminal gate and then they all headed to Vegas and checked into their hotel. Cristina and Owen collapsed on their huge, comfy, luxurious bed.

"This bed is awesome," Cristina said. He gave her a wicked look. She knew exactly what that meant. He wanted to make love. "Okay, mister, come at me with all you got." He rolled on top of her, as they began kissing furiously, pulling off pieces of clothing, until they were bare. Since they both wanted each other, there was very little ceremony as he quickly entered her, over and over again, until they both climaxed with a grunt from him and a scream from her.

As they lay naked in each other's arms, he realized that he didn't really need to come to Vegas for his birthday celebration. Being at home, making love to her would have been enough. But he was really pleased that she went to all of this trouble for him. God, he loved this woman but yet, he couldn't say it.

"Let's take a nap so we can make it through the night," Cristina said. "You know how Louis loves to party and the two of us are hardly what we call the partying type."

"I couldn't agree with you, more," Owen said, as they both settled in for their naps.

They got up, much later, feeling very refreshed. They each took a bath, ordered room service, watched a movie on television until it was about 10 p.m. before they went to meet Janet at her room. Then, they headed up the rooftop nightclub. Janet's heart was beating fast, when they spotted Louis at the bar.

"Welcome, welcome," Louis said. "Happy birthday, Owen." The two friends hugged. He gave Cristina a kiss on the cheek. "Good to see you, Cristina." Then, he kissed Janet on the cheek. "So I hear your name is Janet and not Celine." Janet blushed.

"Yes," she said, softly. She was feeling quite embarrassed. This man had known her in the most intimate way and he was now finding out that her real name was Janet. She now understood how Cristina had felt those months ago in Owen's office, when her true identity was revealed.

"Come, we are going to the VIP area," Louis said.

"The VIP area? You didn't have to do all of that, Louis," Owen said. "The four of us at a corner table would have been enough for me."

The VIP area was cordoned off and semi-tented. When Louis removed the velvet rope cordoning off the area and Owen entered, there was a loud shout of "surprise" from all who had gathered there. Owen was shocked. He was beyond shocked as he saw these familiar faces, all a bit older, now but he recognized them all.

"Oh, my God, I haven't seen you guys in years," Owen said. Everyone came up and slapped him on his back and offered their birthday greetings. "Tony, Ronnie, Michael, Shawn..." Fifteen of Owen's classmates were there. As he caught up with his old friends, Cristina and Janet found themselves a corner table, as they watched Owen chatting animatedly with his college buddies. Once or twice he looked around to make sure he knew where Cristina was, shooting a smile in her direction. He looked happy and she was elated that she was able to do this for him. After an hour or so catching up with his friends, Owen joined them at their table, giving her a huge smack on the lips.

"How did you do this, baby?" he said.

"Well, it was a collaboration of myself, Janet and Louis," Cristina said. "But of course, Louis did most of the event work. He gave me the list of your friends living in the California/Nevada area and both of us started calling. Everybody said they would come, since it wasn't only your birthday but a reunion, too."

"This is just beyond marvelous," he said, as he sat next to her and pulled her close to him. He almost said he loved her but he stopped himself. Louis came and joined the three of them and they all started to chat. Janet, who was at first, all nervous, seemed to relax as Louis' charm won her over, as it did the first night they had met.

"I am going to the restroom," Cristina said. "Janet, do you want to come?" Janet nodded and the two ladies got up and left. Owen stared at Cristina's retreating figure with an adoring look on his face.

"You've got it bad," Louis told him.

"Is it so obvious?" Owen said. "I can't help it."

"You have fallen in love. What happens when you leave in how many weeks?" Louis asked him.

"The thing is I have never felt like this before," Owen said. "Not for any of my girlfriends. I am leaving in nine weeks and when I do, it is going to be so bad for the both of us."

"So why don't you ask her to go with you?" Louis said. The solution seemed simple enough to him.

"I can't," Owen said. "Her roots are clearly here. Her parents live in San Jose, she has this beautiful Victorian home in Pacific Heights. She has a life here."

"Then why don't you stay?" Louis said.

"I have a life there. I grew up on the east coast, my whole family is there. Plus I am probably going to get a promotion, once I finish my stint here," Owen said. "It will mean serious career advancement."

"Well, it is your choice to make, my friend," Louis said. "This may be your one true love. The one that you have been searching for, all of these years." Owen sighed.

In the luxurious restroom, Cristina sat on the couch while Janet refreshed her makeup.

"So are you going to spend the night with him, Janet?" Cristina asked, teasingly.

"I don't know," Janet said. "He just makes me feel so relaxed. He is so charming and handsome but I am not sure I want to subject myself to another one-nighter. I want to be like you – in a relationship."

"You don't want to be like me. My relationship ends in nine weeks," Cristina said, sadly.

"But you love him. I know you do," Janet said. "Admit it."

"I do," Cristina admitted. "But I can't hold him back. He is probably going to get a big promotion, once he finishes here."

"He could be your one true love," Janet insisted.

"Maybe but I am going to let him go. I don't want him resenting me by begging him to stay," Cristina said. "I want him to be successful and happy."

"Maybe his happiness is you," Janet said, wisely. Cristina stared at her friend, not knowing what else to say.

A/N Please leave your comments. Thank you for your thoughts. I do appreciate when you take the time to let me know what you think.