Scout stood frozen, mouth agape. "Um, I'm sorry, I think I hurt your bat. Here you go." Ten had to hold his fingers open to return the bruised bat.

Disappointed, Scout hung his bat over his shoulder and held up his end. All he told her was that his home town was full of cut-throat, die-hard punks like himself. And that the only way to survive was to be fast and be strong. Of course, he'd probably never been anywhere else before becoming a mercenary. However this satisfied Ten and she thanked him, climbing back onto Pyro's back asking him to take them to the Engineer, who was in his garage at the time.

"Engi! What are you supposed to do on the fourth of July?"

"Howdy darlin'. The Fourth, huh? Well the kin all come home for a big party. We catch up, light off some fireworks, and eat the best home-made grub that ever passed your nose. Soldier got you caught up in his shenanigans?"

She nodded. "I want to throw a party for him. Engi, would you, maybe, um..."

"I see where this is goin'. Alrighty then, wacha want me to do?"

Shocked at how easy it was to get him onboard, Ten explained what Scout told her. Engi only laughed and gave her a much better explanation of his home country. Afterward, she thought to get as many other people in it as possible. For several hours, she spent the retreating daylight recruiting people or asking them for favors. By the time she had done all she could, night had fallen and the turnout wasn't quite to her liking. The only ones who agreed were Engi, Pyro, Scout, and a reluctant Sniper as he figured it wasn't important to him anyway. Still, she was determined to make it the best she could for the Soldier.

"This will just have to do... shoot, I think he's coming. Lights off!"

Surely enough, a red, white, and blue-adorned mercenary marched into the dark room.

"Trying to catch me off guard are you, commie pigs? When these lights come on you'd best prepare for an old fashioned American beating!" He braced himself and flipped the switch.

"Surprise!"

"Hudda!"

"Alright alright!"

"Hooooo wee!"

"...Yeh."

The rec room was decorated with stars in the same color as Soldier. On the table sat a feast made entirely by Engineer. A banner hung over-head reading "Fourth of July." A box of colored explosives sat next to the glass doors to a balcony. Pyro sat on the couch consuming chocolate chip cookies by the open hatch on the front of his mask. Ten approached Soldier and held out her arms, grinning nervously as if to say, "Well? Do you like it?"

Soldier's eyes scanned the room intimidatingly, almost disapproving. They widened as the realization hit him, and he let out his favorite war cry. He held up his arm in a salute. Ten thought she caught a glimpse of water trickling down his face, but couldn't really tell.

"Sons, tonight you do me and your country proud! Let the patriotism commence!"

Engineer strummed his guitar, singing country songs he knew. Soldier had Sniper by the shoulders explaining why his country was the greatest in the world. Ten and Pyro went outside to play with small fireworks like sparklers and Roman candles. Scout had a good time eating to his fill from Engineer's Southern style meal. Ten eventually couldn't keep up with her friend's stamina and went back inside to rest. By then, everyone else had begun eating, so she made herself a plate as well. Sniper, exhausted from Soldier's bragging, sat by himself on the couch while his American teammates engaged in buzzed karaoke. Ten decided to sit next to him since he looked rather lonely.

"Oi, you know I still don't wanna be 'ere," he wasted no time confessing.

"I know, I'm sorry. But no one else said yes. I wanted to say thank you for coming. It means a lot to Soldier."

"Ah sheesh... It might not be my thing but I guess you're right. I probably wouldn't have agreed to any other bloke 'round 'ere. Just bein' polite to a lady."

"Haha, if you say so." Ten sighed. "Maybe I'll go there some day. From what Engi told me it's a pretty nice place. If I did, would you guys come too?"

Sniper gave her a confused look and shrugged, "I dunno, maybe. Why don't you finish that plate you got there love, it'll get cold."
"Huh?"

An explosion boomed outside followed by muffled laughter. Everyone went out on the balcony to find Pyro setting off the explosives Demoman agreed to make for the occasion.

"Aw hell, if we let Pyro set 'em all off there won't be any left in five minutes! That and he'll probably go overboard like he always does. C'mon ya'll!"

The group joined the sugar-rushed Pyro, lighting the assortment of pyrotechnics. Ten was happy with just sparklers and candles, Engi and Scout had a competition for the biggest and brightest explosion. Soldier convinced Sniper to shoot and burst the rockets he fired into the air. Pyro mercilessly let loose every fire-labelled item he found.

Before Ten could light another sparkler, Soldier had paused his firing and came up to her.

"Private, you done good. I am proud to deem you worthy of being called an American!"

Ten gave him a salute. "Oh, it was-"

Instead of saluting back, he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame and picked her up in a bear hug.

"Hahaha, it was nothing! Everyone had fun! Now, ack, permission to breathe?"

He dropped her back down. "Granted."