Jason had spent the better part of two hours trying to find Mark, and was not happy. Usually, if he didn't want Mark around, he'd fall over him every two steps.

Now, when he needed to find him, he was nowhere to be found.

Mark's bedroom had, as usual, been immaculate. If Jason didn't know better, he'd swear the bed hadn't been slept in. Out of curiosity, he pulled out a coin and tried bouncing it off the covers.

It bounced three times before falling off the bed and Jason chuckled to himself. A sound in the doorway revealed Keyop giggling.

"What's your problem, shorty?"

"Mark'll kill you if he finds you in here."

"You don't know where he is, do you? I'm looking for him."

"Haven't seen him since last night. Flying?"

"Could be. Oh well, he'll be back before breakfast," said Jason exiting with his younger team-mate. "Funny though, he's not a morning person, and I've never known him to go out this early."

"Really nice day. Possibly forgot to get Princess a present and is trying to get one before he comes back."

Jason laughed. Mark's propensity for forgetting birthdays was legendary – Princess usually reminded him, but not for her own, and Mark was running out of excuses for forgetting. "Probably. I can't wait to hear his excuse this year. It had better be something spectacular."

Keyop sighed. "She'll forgive him. She always does. Mark's an idiot."

"You got that straight, Keyop. I think that's all gonna change very soon, though."

Keyop looked at him. "You got a plan?" he asked breathlessly.

"You might just say that. It all depends on me finding Mark. If you see him, tell him I'm looking for him, will ya?"

Keyop nodded. "Sure. Tell me?"

Jason shook his head firmly. "You'll know if it's successful."

"If it's unsuccessful?"

"I don't even wanna think about that, Keyop."

"Still think plank was a good idea."

Jason wandered off, trying to think of where Mark could be. Keyop's idea had merit – it was likely that Mark was out desperately trying to find a suitable gift for Princess, but, for some reason, he didn't think that was the case. When he had reminded Mark of it about a week ago, Mark had smirked (in itself something rare) and said that he definitely had it covered.

He was still musing when he passed one of the bathrooms and encountered Mark coming out, dressed, but with damp hair.

"Where the hell have you been?" asked Jason, surprised.

Mark blinked. It was too early in the morning for this. "Nowhere," he said defensively. "What business is it of yours, anyway?" he asked, putting the ball right back into the enemy court.

"I've been looking for you. Wanted to know if you wanted to do a bit of one-on-one later this morning. I thought my performance has been a bit off, and wanted some help."

Mark's eyes narrowed. That was far too much information coming from Jason. With the unnatural instinct that usually warned him against Spectra, he now turned it onto his Second. Jason was looking shiftier than usual. He was definitely up to something.

"No tricks, Jason. If we do anything to upset Princess' birthday, she'll have our hides."

"You think I don't know that! Why do you think I've been reminding you about this for the last month? I just want your help." Jason looked Mark right in the eyes, trying with every pore to ooze sincerity. At least he hadn't told a single lie to his Commander – he knew that Mark would catch that immediately.

The secret to faking Mark out was to always tell the truth – and hope that Mark asked the wrong questions.

Mark looked at him steadily. He wasn't lying, but there was something that he was leaving out. "Is there something I should know, Jason?"

Jason laughed. Right question, all right, but with millions of answers. This was going to be fun. "Probably lots of things, Mark. You'll have to narrow down just what information you're after."

Right. He was going to get nothing out of Jason. He'd try Tiny or Keyop, sure that, whatever Jason was planing, the other two would know something about it.

"You're on for that bout. Two alright with you? Then we'll be finished well before we have to go out to dinner tonight."

"Shit. I'd forgotten that." Jason swore to himself some more. He had forgotten that. "We'd better not damage each other too much then."

"Jason, you won't be able to lay a finger on me."

Jason just put his arms around his friend's shoulders as they swung down the corridor towards breakfast. "Don't be so sure of that, buddy."

Anderson sighed. He kept forgetting the noise that his children could make when they were together and excited. They didn't usually gather for mid-morning coffee, but on birthdays things were different. They did have some family traditions that they revered.

He took another sip of his coffee and spent some time looking at them all.

No attacks for the last month had given them back their energy. The look of sadness that usually haunted their eyes was fading and he listened as they discussed what they'd been up to and their plans for the next while.

It was nice to hear them planning like that. He made a mental note about Keyop's desire to start a degree in Marine Biology – he could help the boy there. Princess was complaining that nobody took her seriously – she was too young and a female. He had no doubts that she would overcome that problem.

Jason seemed to be riding high on his win yesterday, and was planning his upcoming season.

Only Mark seemed a little quiet. Oh, he was joining in with the others, but wasn't really contributing anything. Anderson smiled a little as he noticed him glancing constantly at Princess. Perhaps he did have plans in that direction. Anderson didn't know whether he wanted that to happen or not.

In all the noise, only Anderson noticed when Mark got up to refill the coffee pot. As he passed behind Princess, he saw him pause for a second, hand caressing the back of her neck. She jumped, and he was gone before she could turn around.

He put his cup down sharply in shock. That was so intimate, so familiar. Everybody stopped and looked at him, and he tried to cover his movement.

"Don't you think it's time that Princess had her birthday presents?" he asked, smiling at his adopted daughter. She grinned back, not even trying to be grown up today. It was her day, and she was determined to enjoy it.

"Mine first!" yelled Keyop diving behind the sofa where all the presents were hidden. "Wow – lookit Jason's!"

"Where?" asked Princess moving towards the sofa. Jason grabbed her round the waist and pulled her down again.

"I thought I was supposed to be the impulsive one," he laughed, tickling her into submission and then tossing her into Mark's lap.

Mark looked surprised as he caught her, and Princess' eyes glowed. Everybody noticed, however, that he didn't let go of her, simply moving her into a more secure position and pulling her closely into him. She, however, blushed rosily and moved away, but, Jason noted, not too far. Mark just looked stunned and as if somebody had taken away his favorite toy. Princess looked chagrined, yet also bereft.

Ye gods. He may actually need a bird missile to get these two together.

"This is loot, Jason. And you've never included "big" as a criteria for gifts before."

He smirked. "First time for everything. It's not every day you turn twenty-one."

"Keyop," Mark called. "While you're down there, rat mine out too will you."

"Aww. Can't I give them out?"

Anderson laughed. In many ways, they were still children, and he was glad of it. It said a lot about their strength of character that they were still able to enjoy such simple things as birthdays despite all they had seen.

"Start handing them out, Keyop. You know what Princess is like if she thinks we're holding back on presents."

Tiny smiled at her. "Yeah. Remember the year we pretended we forgot?"

"Oww! Tiny, I've still got the scars from that! Not one of Jason's better ideas."

Princess smiled primly. "You all deserved it," she said in her soft voice. "Presents. Now," she demanded, thumping Mark's leg, which was closest to her.

"Ouch! Remember, no hitting on birthdays."

"Then start hauling out the loot." Her tone was far too reasonable. It was the one she used when she was showing Spectrans the options of doing what she wanted now, or waiting and making her have to take what she wanted.

Mark noted how it worked on them as well as it did on Spectrans.

"From me!" said Keyop, handing her a slightly clumsily wrapped package. She smiled and hugged him as he gave it to her.

"Can I rip?" Keyop nodded, and she happily tore at the paper, grinning at the Discman and pile of CD's.

"Saw your's was broken," he commented.

She nodded. "Thank you, Keyop. I hadn't gotten round to getting a new one," and she looked through the CD's. "And thanks for these! How did you know I wanted them?"

"Saw catalogue where you marked them."

"Now me," said Tiny pulling his package out from the couch. He handed it to her and she grinned to see how neatly it was wrapped.

She tore at the delicate rice paper wrapping to reveal a pretty crystal dressing-table set. "Oh Tiny!" Her eyes were shining as she looked at the pieces. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, well I figured we keep forgetting you're a girl, so I thought I'd remind you. Besides, I noticed you looking at these last Christmas and thought you wanted one."

She crawled over to hug and kiss Tiny, and then curled up on the sofa next to Anderson. "And I keep forgetting how thoughtful you really are. And you're right. I did want one. Badly. I always have."

"Jason?" asked Keyop. Jason got up and dragged his parcel out from behind the sofa.

"I saw this and thought of you," he said simply.

She unwrapped the wooden chest and they heard her gasp. "Ohhhh!"

"The guy in the antiques shop said it's Colonial. Inside is supposed to be the history of it." His voice was gruff, the one that they all knew he used when he was trying to suppress some deep emotion.

This time, Princess fairly leapt into his arms. "It's wonderful," she said, eyes glowing and teary. "Where on earth did you find it?"

"Remember when I did that race through the Appalachians? Well, on the off day, I had nothing to do but walk through the town. I saw this in an antique shop and remembered how you used to tell us about the antiques here. Then I had a good look at the carving on it and knew it was yours."

Princess hugged him tightly, glad he was hugging her back. Her kiss was warm and, to his surprise, right on his lips. He did notice Mark scowl slightly. She let him go and returned to her perch, but this time she was looking closely at the carvings.

"Birds!" she said in surprise.

"Look closer."

They were all crowded around now, and it was Mark who spoke.

"It's us!" Carved onto the surfaces of the box were representations of Eagles, Condors, Swans, Owls and Swallows, in flight and at rest.

"Jason, this is the most magnificent gift! Thank you."

He took the chance and gave her another hug. "It's nothing."

"Yes it is, Jase. It's a huge something," said Mark softly.

"Yeah, well," and Jason retreated to his spot against the sofa, feeling that he was probably blushing, and feeling a little foolish.

"Mark?" asked Keyop.

"Mine last, please, Keyop. I have a reason."

"Didn't forget?"

Mark laughed. "Not with Jason reminding me constantly. No, I haven't forgotten."

"Good. Chief?" and Keyop hauled out another gift from behind the couch. This was a large rectangular box, with two smaller ones on the top.

Princess took them with interest and started ripping open the paper. She was surprised when the first box revealed a silver evening bag, and the second a pair of matching strappy shoes. She looked at Anderson in puzzlement.

"Open the rest," was all he said.

She opened that bigger box, and pulled out a shimmery silver shift dress. "I…" she began and burst into tears. She turned and hugged Anderson. "Oh dad!" she said, reverting to the form of address they had used as children.

He hugged her back. "Well, you're old enough now to attend Federation functions. And I can't have you going in Uniform now? Besides, I wanted you to have some thing pretty to wear tonight. Tiny's right. We do forget you're a girl."

"But what if…"

"I've thought of that. Like the boy's suits, it'll transmute. The shoes gave the lab hell to work with, by the way."

Princess giggled. "Thank you, Dad. I love it. I'll wear it tonight."

"I was hoping you would," he said, trying to be stern.

"Mark?" asked Princess, her eyes steady as she looked at him. Mark sheepishly pulled out the small parcel Keyop had handed him earlier.

"Happy birthday, Princess."

She took the box and opened it, revealing a velvet case. When she opened it, her eyes widened as she took in the sparkling contents.

Wordless, her eyes big, she held up the pendant to the light, rainbows sparkling off the small diamond drop, and she bent her eyes and ran her finger over the matching earrings.

"I can't possibly, Mark. This is far too expensive," she began. His finger against her lips stopped her.

"They belonged to my mother," he said simply. "You're the only person in the world who I wanted to have them."

Now Anderson recognised them. He remembered Mark's mother wearing them on her wedding day – part of her wedding gift from Mark's father. He noticed the absence of the ring – the one that had been used as an engagement ring. He couldn't remember if Mark's mother had been buried with it on or not.

"Oh, Mark!" All they did was hold each other, his hands stroking her hair, her face nestled into the space between neck and shoulder. His arms tightened around her and he rested his head against her neck.

Then they were apart again, but both had shining eyes.

Jason was jubilant. He couldn't have planned this better if he tried. Mark had, unwittingly, put himself into exactly the position that would make his plan work out completely.

The Gods were smiling on him.