Author's Notes – Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

"Tim," Kate said frustrated, "I said no. Just leave it okay."

He stared at her confused, "Kate, it's just a small party."

"Listen to me very carefully," steel filled her voice as her eyes flashed, "I do not, under any circumstances, celebrate my birthday. Do you understand?"

Taken back he nodded.

"Good," she snapped before marching away, the moment she was sure she was alone Kate found an entrance to the ventilation system and climbed up.

Once in the safety of the tunnels that ran through the boat she sighed softly, she hadn't meant to yell at him when all he wanted to do was to celebrate her birthday with her. Unfortunately Kate had celebrated so many birthdays over the years for so many reasons that the actual day held no meaning for her. When they'd put together the personal data for Kate Foster Nathan had used her real date of birth, meaning it was actually her birthday today.

Crawling through the system she found her room and dropped out, grabbing a book and her PAL before climbing up again. She was hiding out all day hoping to avoid anyone trying to wish her a happy birthday.

x

Nathan sipped his coffee as he read over the reports, with Ford on leave for a few days he had to pick up the slack.

"Yes?" he called when someone knocked on the door, annoyed at how relieved he sounded.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir," O'Neill apologised as he stepped into the room.

Nathan motioned the younger man to the chair across from him, "It's welcome, Lt. Trust me. What can I do for you?"

"It's about Kate," O'Neill took a deep breath, "A few of us organised a small celebration for her birthday…"

"Cancel it," Nathan cut him off.

"Sir?"

"You want me to persuade her to celebrate her birthday?" Nathan asked before shaking his head, "Lt…Tim, I tried the first year she lived with me to do something for her birthday. I still have the scars."

The younger man winced, "After the stress of her exams, we wanted to give her something to take her mind off what her results could be."

Nathan smiled, it had amused him from the beginning the friendship that had sprung up between O'Neill and Kate, they were in some ways completely opposite. But the fact the young man cared so much about the former thief was one of the things Nathan knew had kept Kate from falling back into her old patterns.

"Sell it to her like that," Nathan told him, "Not as anything to do with her birthday."

O'Neill smiled, "Thank you, sir I will. If I can find her."

As the lieutenant walked out Nathan sighed, he knew exactly where she was hiding.

When Lucas left his quarters after taking the lecture and punishment for lying, Nathan sighed to himself - it had been a long day.

Ford kidnapped by Mermen and Lucas getting practically arrested he wanted to just go to sit and read his book in peace for the rest of the week. Unfortunately that wasn't to be.

"Kate?" he called over the radio.

"Yes, Nathan?" the sweet reply came tinged with annoyance.

"Can you come to my quarters now?"

He heard a slight irritated sigh come from her.

"You remember you gave me the day?" she asked annoyed, "Don't you?"

Nathan chuckled, "It's important."

"I'll be there in a few minutes," she promised.

Nathan took a seat and picked up his book to read while he waited. A strange noise above him a few minutes later made him frown before he jumped when Kate dropped into the room with ease.

"What…" Nathan demanded before taking a breath, "You couldn't have come to the door like a normal person?"

She smirked at him, "Where would the fun be in that?"

Sitting down again he studied her for a moment, since she'd come back to the boat after her month away she had been much more relaxed and seemed to be more assured of who she was, as though she had finally managed to amalgamate her old life and new one.

"Lt O'Neill has been looking for you," Nathan told her.

Kate shrugged, "Which is why I've been hiding up there all day. Please tell me you're not going to try and talk me into letting him throw a birthday thing for me?"

"No," Nathan assured her, he picked up the white envelope that was sitting on the table beside him, "I wanted to give you this."

"It's not a birthday gift, is it?" suspicion filled her voice.

Nathan chuckled, "Actually it's your exam results."

"What?" she gasped, "So soon?"

He shrugged, "When the Secretary General of the UEO asks for something to be rushed through, people usually do."

Kate licked her lips; slowly she reached out for the envelope finally taking it when Nathan placed it directly into her grasp. Without a word she turned and left him standing there.

x

Kate sat cross-legged on her bunk staring at the sealed envelope sitting in front of her. She'd been staring at it for about an hour now, every so often she would begin to open it and then she would chicken out.

She was almost relieved when someone knocked before wincing as she saw Tim standing there.

"The Captain mentioned your results were here," he said as he stepped inside giving her a look of anticipation, "Well?"

Kate winced and nodded to the unopened envelope in front of her.

"Ah," Tim smiled slightly.

Kate frowned at him.

"What's stopping you?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

Kate let out a long sigh, "My future is in there. Tim, at the moment I have possibilities. What happens if I failed?"

Tim stared at her for a moment before rolling his eyes, "Just open the envelope and stop being a wimp."

A little stunned Kate picked up the envelope before handing it to him, "Fine, I'm a wimp. Open it."

When Tim began to rip through the envelope Kate placed her head in her hands unable to watch. She could hear the rustle of the paper and the next moment stretched out until Tim spoke.

"Open your eyes," he said softly.

Letting out a long breath Kate opened her eyes finding the piece of paper he was holding in front of her. She caught her breath as she saw the one word that defined her future.

"I passed?" she gasped excitedly.

Tim nodded, "You passed."

Kate let out a squeal before throwing her arms around him.

x

Kate let Tim lead her to the small party he'd arranged, agreeing only because it was not for her birthday but because she'd passed her exams.

"Congratulations," Hitchcock said as handed Kate a glass of fruit juice, "I knew you could do it."

Kate smiled wryly, "You had more faith than I did."

"Well," Hitchcock chuckled, "I'll add you to the rota from next week."

She nodded, "Thank you. For absolutely everything. I would never have managed to pass without your tests, Lt Commander."

"Katie is fine," the other woman offered.

"Kate and Katie?" Kate chuckled, "I think Hitchcock and Foster is better."

Hitchcock nodded, "Though we sound a bit like a crime-fighting duo."

"We'd be the best," Kate shrugged smiling as Hitchcock left to speak to Ford.

Leaning against the wall Kate watched the people who had come to celebrate with her. It stunned her that she knew everyone here and they were actually celebrating her achievements.

x

"This is meant to be your party," Tim noted as he walked over to her, "Why are you hiding in the corner?"

"I'm just thinking," she smiled.

He leaned against the wall beside her, "You've made a lot of friends."

"Actually," Kate wrapped her arms around his, "I make acquaintances. My friends I can count on one hand," she smiled up at him, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. You have to understand that for me my birthday has never been something to celebrate. I have told you that parts of my past truly suck, this is one of those things."

Tim rolled his eyes, "So celebrate your future."

"Let's go get some cake," Kate bounced up and walked over to join Miguel who wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Tim watched her for a moment, smiling before he headed over to join them. The captain caught his eye and gave a soft nod of approval; Tim nodded back before he turned to his friends to enjoy the party.