She came home exhausted. Her baby bump was starting to get in the way of all the action and she knows that soon Cooper will put her on desk duty. She doesn't want that, it's not like she's sick, but she also knows it's not good for the baby to be in constant danger all the time.

She nearly trips as Hudson comes to greet her by rubbing himself on her legs, and she kneels down to pet the dog before awkwardly standing up and more awkwardly drag herself to the sofa.

When she crashes on the cushions she closes her eyes, feeling every inch of her body relax in contact with the comfy couch and she lets go a tired moan.

He comes right behind her, carring the bags with the food. He dodges Hudson and puts the bags on the coffee table. The dog puts his head on his lap, begging for attention, and only after he ruffles the top of his head does Hudson let him go.

"Liz, honey. Are you okay?" she puts her hand on his knee and then leans her body against his. He opens his arms to welcome her, and kisses the top of her head.

"I'm tired, that's all".

"You shouldn't be going out on the field." He shakes his head, worried, and she is nearly sleeping.

"Nah, don't worry. I'm fine."

"Liz, we were shot at! It's not only about you anymore. the vest nearly covers your belly anymore." She breaths in, she knows he's right, but still she doesn't like the idea of being reduced to a research agent, even if it is temporary.

"Alright, okay. I'll talk to Cooper. Happy now?"

"Always" he smiles, knowing that she finds it extremely annoying when he worries about her and the baby. "Don't sleep, babe. We need to eat. Aren't you hungry?"

"Mmm" she purrs and moves to put her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder."Not really, no."

"C'mon Liz, you need to eat." he taps her arm lightly, and she opens her eyes relunctantly. She sits up and observes as he opens the boxes and then frowns.

"I don't want this" she complains, and he looks at her perplexed.

"You were the one that suggested Wing wee's!"

"I know. But I don't want it anymore" she looks at him with sad puppy eyes, and he laughs at her childish attitude. Lately she's been having these weird cravings that comes and goes with food, and it's impossible to know what she will or not eat.

"C'mon. None of these?" He finishes opening the other boxes, and she uses the chopsticks to poke the food.

"Well, I might try something" she is not happy, but for his sake she makes an effort. The food is good, she loves Chinese, but the baby is so demanding. The moment she starts eating a desperate craving comes to her.

"Oh my GOD! Do you know what I want, like, now? Raspberries!"

"Raspberries? really?"

"Yeah! Will you go and buy some for me?"

"But Liz, we just went by the supermarket. Really?" He was so tired, the last thing he wanted was to go out again. She used her puppy eyes again, and there was nothing he would ever deny to them.

"Can I at least go after we eat?"

"No! I want them now!" He shook his head, took a bite off an egg roll and then got his coat and left.

"I love you!" she screamed as he went away, and he grunted, although inside he was smiling. He was happy to go after her crazy cravings.

When he came back, she had eaten nearly all the food.

"For someone who was complaining about the food, you dug in pretty nicely, hun?"

"I was hungry" she said, her mouth still full with an egg roll. He got the box with noodles and started eating before she finished with them. He was starving, and not in the mood to go out again.

"Where are they?" she asked, anxious. He laughed at her eagerness towards the raspberries.

"calm down, monster! They are here. It was hell to find. I had to go to three supermarkets. I don't know why." He gave her the bag with the fruit, and she immediately opened the box and started eating them.

"Thank God you found them." He laughed at her as she filled her mouth with the little fruit and savoured each of them.

"You know, I'm craving something else now" he put down the empty box and searched for leftovers on the other boxes, looking at her judgementally.

"What now, Liz?" he couldn't avoid sounding a bit annoyed. After all, it was late, he was tired, and wanted to stay home. She came closer and put her head on his neck, giving it small kisses and snuggling in like a cat.

"You. I'm craving you." she said, and he opened a smile, relieved. He looked down to find her eyes, and then took her head on his hands, giving her a kiss on the lips.

"That one is easy to solve, hun." she smiled mid-kiss and then kissed him deeply, moving to go on top of him when he stopped her.

"Honey, no. what?"

"what?"

"The baby, Liz."

"The doctor said there is no problem. besides, I miss you! unless you don't want me anymore because I look like a small planet."

He laughed out loud when she said it, and then took her to sit on his lap. "There's absolutely nothing in the universe that will ever make me not want you, my little planet. I just worry about the baby"

"Well, I asked Dr. Morris. He said that as our baby is developing well, sex will not harm her at all."

"wait, her?" he stopped her, and she covered her mouth startled as she realized what she had said. "Do you know it's a girl already?" He looked at her shocked to know that she found out the sex of the baby and didn't tell him.

"Oh, I just found out this morning! and then we went after the suspect and all that and I just...forgot. I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she went to kiss him all over his head to apologize.

"Ok, ok!" he stopped her attack and then they faced each other."So we're having a baby girl, hun?" he smiled, and she smiled back.

"Yes. My dream will come true. I'll have my baby girl." she was so happy tears came to her eyes and rolled down her face. He wiped them with his thumb and then kissed her passionately, lowering them so they would lie down on the sofa, her on top of him.

He was caressing her back and belly under her shirt as she opened his shirt and then went to kiss his chest.

"What are we going to call her?" he asked, and she moaned, understanding that nothing else would happen now, but she kept kissing him.

"Any ideas?"

"I always liked Olive." he suggested, and she grunted.

"I'm not going to name my daughter with something I find in my fridge" she complained, and he laughed.

"Oh, ok then. Your turn."

she stopped kissing his neck and squinted while she was thinking.

"I like Caroline, or Jessica. Names with a nice nickname."

"Hum. Like Elizabeth" she laughed.

"Exactly. I don't know. I think it's a very difficult decision to be made right now. I need some time to think."

"Okay. Maybe with time I can convince you about Olive" She rolled her eyes as he moved up to capture her lips on his, holding his hand on the back of her head as the other explored the rest of her body.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They woke up and the night was nearly over outside. she looked at her watch to find out it was already 3:45am, and they were still on the couch. They fell asleep there together, and now it was all a mess. Hudson had eaten the rest of the food left on the boxes, and they were all over the floor. So was great part of the raspberries. She sat up slowly, still sleepy, and tried to wake him up.

"Don. Hey, wake up. Let's go to bed" He sat up next to her, his legs around her. He put his arms around her torso and kissed her shoulder as he slowly woke up and understood the scene.

"Wow. What time is it?"

"Almost 4. C'mon." she tapped his knee to let her go, but he only snuggled her in closer.

"Do you know what that means?" he said, his voice muffled by her hair as he kissed her neck."Happy birthday, babe."

"Oh, wow!" she chuckled. she barely remembered her birthday was coming up, and had totally forgotten it was today. "Thanks. I don't even know if I want to celebrate it."

"Why not?" he said, surprised.

"Oh well, not that I mind, but I'll probably just get stuff for the baby, and it won't really be about me. So I guess there's no need to bother."

"Don't be silly. We can go somewhere fancy to dinner. I'll celebrate you"

"I know you will. Now c'mon, I'm tired and I really want to get some sleep before we have to go to work" They both stood up, and just ignored the mess and went to bed. they could clean it up later.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When she arrived at the post office later that day, she was surprised to see that no one else remembered her birthday. In a way, it was good. People was just minding their business and she wasn't being constantly interrupted for hugs and kisses. But she also felt a bit upset.

When Red arrived to talk about the case, she thought he would start the rush of "happy birthday's", but he didn't say a thing.

"So I imagine yesterday's incursion was just good enough to let him know we are on to him and to put Liz on harm's way" Reddington started already telling off the group, since their raid on a house where the suspect lived was of no use. He escaped easily, and they were shot at.

"Anyway" he brushed them off, ignoring their attempt to justify the option they had made." He is smart, but not so much. My sources say that he will be attempting to leave the country later tonight. If you are a bit smarter, you can outsmart him and get him at the hangar."

"Please, Reddington, give the details, we need to know more. Who's your source?" said Cooper, to what Red laughed and pointed him with his index finger.

"Nice one, Harold. Of course I will not give my contact up if I want it to still be my contact in the future. Besides, it will not be that interesting for the bureau to know about this person. All I can say is that he's going for a private jet at 5pm tonight."

Cooper puffed and then let everybody go. "Ok, everyone. Get ready, we need a plan."

Everybody went back to their business and Liz and Ressler went to their room. She was upset.

"Hey, babe, what's up?" he noticed her face, and she puffed, then pouted.

"Nobody remembered." he already knew what it was about.

"C'mon, Liz. Everybody has been busy. Give them a break. Besides, didn't you say you didn't want to celebrate?"

"That doesn't mean I don't want happy birthdays." She complained, and he laughed before kissing her on the cheek.

C'mon. Help me out with this. You know Red more than anyone. What else would he be willing to give up?"

"I don't want to talk to him. He didn't remember!"

"Liz, please." She knew he was right, and rolled her eyes before going to talk to Red.

He remained completely nonchalant all their conversation, telling what he knew about the suspect and his plans to escape, and nothing else. She started to feel suspicious. No way would he completely forget about her birthday. Maybe... She decided to let it go, and give them a chance.

They got to the hangar right on time and this time were able to catch the suspect, who ended up being truly the Boxer. They closed the case, finished the reports and by 7pm they were all going home.

"Hey, where do you want to go?" Ressler asked, putting his things away in a drawer and getting ready to go.

"Nowhere. Let's just go home. Maybe I can cook something."

"Are you sure, Liz? We can go anywhere. It's your birthday."

"Nah. It doesn't matter. I'm tired anyway. I need my couch. Let's go." They left and she didn't even notice that the war room was empty.

The ride home took longer than usual, because Ressler decided to take a different route that ended up in heavy traffic.

"Why would you go through here?" she complained, as they were completely motionless for 5 minutes.

"I heard it was faster. Sorry" he said, hiding a grin.

When they got home, she opened the door and jumped when a lot of people inside screamed "Surprise!".

"Oh my god!" she said, holding her chest to calm her heart. Donald came behind her laughing and holding her steady.

"Are you ok?" he said, and she slapped his shoulder.

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew!" he said, as she went to hug everyone. Reddington was the first one in line, holding his arms open to welcome her in a strong embrace, as usual.

"Lizzy, my love. Happy birthday!" he gave her a kiss on the cheek that made her blush, and then she went on to hug Dembe, then Samar, Aram and the Coopers.

She went inside to see her dinner table filled with good food and sweets, and a big red velvet cake in the center. They all had a lovely night talking and spending time together, and when she opened the presents, she was surprised to see that they were all for her.

Samar and Aram gave her a book, the Coopers gave her a dress, and Dembe brought her a beautiful red rose. Reddington, of course, was the flashy one with diamond earrings. they were small but heart-shaped and beautiful.

"Thanks! thanks everyone. Really. I couldn've have wished for a more perfect birthday!" she said, as she rubbed her belly, feeling her ultimate gift right there as the baby girl kicked her from the inside.

When they all left it was already late, because they all helped her and Donald clean the house. They were finally alone, and it was already midnight. He sat next to her on the sofa and passed her a box.

"What's this?" she said, with a smile.

"My present."

"oh, Don. You shouldn't have!"

"open it!" she opened the box slowly and then found a beautiful chain golden necklace, with a small pendant shaped like a girl, and a small red gem where the heart should be. It was beautiful.

"Oh, Don! Oh my God! it's beautiful, honey!" he took the necklace from the box and she turned around so he could put it on her. She kept looking down and touching it, mesmerized. "Thank you! thank you so much! I love you!" She leaned forward to kiss him.

"Did you like your party?"

"yes" she nodded. "Thanks"

"You're welcome babe. I love you."

She felt her phone in her pocket as it vibrated, and when she pulled it out she saw that it was Tom calling.

"Tom?" she asked, and he immediately replied.

"Hey Liz! happy birthday, hon."

"oh, thanks, Tom."

"Have you had a good day?" he sounded as if he was in the open, probably walking. His voice was far away.

"yes. I had a surprise birthday party. It was great. Where are you?" she was getting annoyed by the sounds around him.

"I'm not in the country. Sorry I missed your party. But I got a lead on where to find Gwen. Could you pass me over to Donald, please?"

She was genuinely surprised by that, and passed the phone to Ressler.

"Tom. He wants to talk to you. Have you been searching that girl with him?"

He took the phone from her, and made a guilty face. "Yes. Sorry I didn't tell you, but it wasn't really much." he said, and then stood up to talk to Tom.

After about 5 minutes he returned and gave her back her phone.

"He's in Italy. She is there, apparently. I'll be leaving tomorrow to meet him."

"Ok. I'll go too."

"No way. We have no idea what to expect from this girl, and don't forget that we may be after her, but she is also after him with bounty hunters. You'll stay" he said firmly, and she bit her lip, annoyed.

"Don't worry. He just wants to talk to her. I'll be back in one day, tops." he sat next to her and kissed her on the cheek, trying to brush off her concern.

A/N - Ok, I know I created the whole thing about Tom but I decided to skip a chapter because, well, I had the idea of the fluff with with the baby and her birthday (a prompt given to me by an anon on tumblr, thanks anon) Next one I'll get back to it.

Fun fact (that nobody cares) - I wrote that Liz is craving raspberries because I love raspberries but I live in a God forsaken place with no raspberries so I'm always craving them and I'm not even pregnant.