KAT'S BIRTHDAY DINNER

by Donna, Ev, Toni, and Abby

Ev was fussing over the babies, hoping they wouldn't get too hungry at the wrong moment. She fussed over whether her dress was right. Then found other things to fuss about. Finally it was the time that Kat was supposed to be there. No sign of her yet. Ev started to get worried. The doorbell rang and she raced to the door. Not Kat yet, instead it was Toni and Fitz. "Hi! Wow! I'm so glad you could make it! Come on in!"

They both entered, and Fitz, looking around, asked innocently "Hello, Ev, how are you. Ah..is Sarah Jo here yet, by any chance?" Toni just snickered.

"Over here!" Sarah Jo called out from the living room where she had been with the others. "Good to see you again, sweetie!"

As Sarah Jo and Fitz renewed their acquaintance with a kind of lengthy kiss, Toni sighed, and smiled "Well, that'll take a few minutes. How are you, Ev?"

"I'm doing great! But I'm a little worried. Kat is usually on time. You think I should call or just go over and see what's up? Maybe send Rayden over?"

There was another ring of the doorbell and Ev went to open the door. "Carol! About your usual speed, never on time!" Ev hugged her. "We need to get together more often, you know."

Carol looked around. "So where's the birthday girl?" Rayden and Theron wandered out to greet Carol. She grinned and sent her guys into the living room to flirt, but Ev interrupted her. "Honey, can you go see what's keeping Kat?"

Rayden grinned. "Certainly. We'll both go." They headed next door.

They found Connor and John outside a locked bathroom door, both of them looking frustrated. Connor looked at Rayden and sighed. "The lass is being stubborn again!"

Rayden chuckled. "That's nothing new." He thought for a moment, then spoke through the door. "Katherine, you promised to come over for dinner. Remember? It's not a party, I promise. Just dinner with some friends and family."

He heard a muffled "Go away!" through the door. He reached out with his mind and found hers closed tightly to him but he could still pick up some of the same mixed up feelings that Ev had experienced when her hormones had been in a state of flux.

Theron grinned. "This happens often?" He was finding this very entertaining.

Connor just shrugged. "Not too often, but she has been really moody for several days now. Seems like everything upsets her. Giles told me this is a normal happening during the early part of a pregnancy."

Rayden gently probed with his mind, finding only little cracks here and there, but he tried what he thought he could use. "We have something planned that I'm sure you'll like. Fish and chips, and platters of fresh veggies to munch on and fresh fruit, fresh homemade bread....... " He paused and sighed quietly, waiting for her response. He could feel a faint touch of hunger. Apparently she hadn't eaten in a while and him talking about food had caused her tummy to remind her she needed something in it.

Rayden grinned. This was a little progress, at least. "Its ready whenever you are, you know. You don't have to do a thing to get it ready or clean up afterwards. Just relax and enjoy yourself and visit with us. Sarah Jo is over too. We're all getting hungry." To entice her even more, he caused a loaf of fresh baked bread to appear in his hands. The delicious aroma did the trick after a moment and she unlocked the door. She came out trying to look as dignified as she could with her hair mussed up and tear stains down her face.

Rayden smiled and held out his hand to her. He took hers and raised it to his mouth to kiss it. "We were worried about you. Please come and join us." He grinned down at the loaf of bread in his hands. "There's plenty more where this came from." He teased. He didn't need to use any special senses to hear her stomach growl.

"Cheater!" she complained, still not too happy about this. She had always been uncomfortable about people making a big fuss over her birthday.

Connor just grinned. "She never has liked anyone throwing a party for her birthday," he explained. "In the past she has tended to just disappear on the 10th so no one would be tempted to throw one for her."

Theron chuckled. He had been reading everyone and finally understood what was going on. He bowed to Katherine. "Would you like an escort to dinner?" He grinned and studied her with his lovely green eyes. Then not giving her a chance to refuse, he took one arm while Rayden took the other. Connor and John grinned at each other and followed close behind.

Rayden grinned. "There's more than one way to greet guests. First time I've done it this way." He sent warning ahead to Ev, so Toni could be there to greet Kat as she came through the door.

Toni was hidden in a closet in the living room, waiting to hear Kat's voice. When she heard her and her entourage enter, she came out of the closet, smiling "Hello, Kat. I missed you!"

"Toni!" she called out, and then pulled away from the guys. She ran over to her and hugged her tight.

"And how are we feeling, little mother? You look pretty good!" She grinned, the happiness from both women plain to see.

"Better now that you are back safe and sound! I was worried about you two," Kat told Toni. "Is everything ok?" she asked as they walked into the huge living room where everyone had gathered.

Ev and Rayden smiled across the room at each other. Sarah Jo, Carol, and Jathelle were so busy giggling on the couch, they didn't see Kat come in at first, but when they did they all jumped up and gave the reluctant birthday girl a hug as well. Katherine looked embarrassed at getting all this attention.

"It was wonderful - except for the fact that Methos had a challenge while we were there, if you can believe it. Other than that, everything went great; even the weather cooperated! I have so many stories to tell you about how gorgeous the men are in Greece....."

That got Carol's attention. She was always ready to hear about gorgeous men. "Really? Tell me all about it!" She giggled. Monroe was making a face at her from across the room, so she stuck out her tongue at him. Connor's attention was immediately gotten too when Toni mentioned the challenge. He and Kat exchanged knowing glances and he shrugged.

"Well, first of all, they all seem to have perfect builds, and the way they filled out their jeans...." The talk degenerated into a whisper, as all the women giggled together.

Mullard wandered over. He couldn't help but overhear parts of this conversation. He bent over to murmur into Carol's ear. "But do they know what to do with it, chere?"

Carol snickered and swatted him. "Go talk to the guys for a while. I'll get to you later."

Connor quietly came up to Toni and put his arm around her, "Are you ok, Toni? Were you there when he was challenged?" He was concerned about her having seen all that he knew must have happened.

"Yes, I'm ok, and yes, I was right there when the challenge happened. We were looking at some ruins near an ancient village Methos wanted to show me, when this guy, Stefan Myaklos, came out from behind them and not only challenged Methos, he even said how much he would enjoy me when Methos was gone." She shuddered, as she remembered the scene. Carol's ears perked up too and she listened attentively to what was being said.

Katherine and Connor each took one of her hands and squeezed it gently, knowing that witnessing a fight to the death that resulted in a beheading could not have been easy for her, no matter how lightly she glossed over it.

"Anyway, it turned out that Methos had seen this guy become Immortal during the Trojan War, but hadn't done anything, figuring he would find his own way in the world. The fight wasn't too long; this guy may have been old, but Methos was better, and - and he took his head while I was hiding behind a boulder. Methos always told me to seek shelter if this ever happened when we were together."

Ev cuddled against Rayden, reflecting on how lucky she was that he wasn't involved in that sort of thing. Jathelle and Theron held hands and seemed to be feeling the same. The lives of nearly all Immortals tended to be very violent at times unless they were on holy ground.

'There was one part we didn't mind too much, though...when we went to the beach afterward to rest awhile, he was-well, sort of extra anxious. We ended up making love in the Aegean Sea." She blushed, as she remembered that part with a smile. "He said that it was because the guy was old, that the Quickening had left some-aftereffects."

Carol chuckled quietly. "Aftereffects is one way of putting it." She grinned at Toni. "Kinda spices things up, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does. I mean, he's a wonderful lover to begin with, but that...well, let's just say it wasn't one of our more slow and lazy lovemaking sessions." she smiled, blushing again, and everyone laughed.

Carol giggled. "I already tire my guys out almost every night. I don't know if they could handle me that way."

The rumbling of Katherine's empty stomach reminded everyone of why they were there and Rayden suggested they all go eat. They were using the formal dining room for the evening. Ev and Rayden were true to their word. No balloons, streamers, or banners in sight. Just a beautifully appointed table with platters of raw veggies, fruits, a couple of varieties of fragrant, hot homemade bread and several different sort of butter for it. There was a choice of regular butter, garlic, herb, or honey butter. Once everyone was seated, there was a shimmer around the table and suddenly there were servings of nice, hot fish and chips on all the plates and now the room was lit entirely by candlelight, which was surprisingly bright, with the huge chandeliers and wall candles.

"It looks wonderful!" Katherine said with a smile as she filled her plate with food with an assortment of bread, fruits and vegetables to go with her main dish. There was a large piece of fried plaice on her plate, but she noticed that Connor had what appeared to be cod on his. In fact, everyone had their own favorite type of fish in front of them.

As they all dug into the wonderful spread, Fitz, sitting next to Sarah Jo, of course, enthused "This is just as good as my own creations! Who was the main chef here?"

Rayden grinned at Fitz. "I suppose you could say that I'm the chef. I watch the cooking channel and experiment with some of the dishes they fix. I have actually cooked the human way once or twice. It was interesting."

"Well, laddie, anytime you want to come and help me in the Bistro, you're welcome, anytime! However you accomplish it, you're a natural chef!" Fitz enthused, trying not to talk with his mouth full.

Rayden beamed. "Really? Thank you! I think I'm going to work on Cajun food next. I've been ordered to." He smirked at Ev.

"I have some wonderful Cajun recipes-if you want to stop by and look at them, please do!" He started to cough from trying to talk and eat at the same time, and Toni sighed and hit him on the back till he was okay again.

"If you need any advice, I've cooked Cajun more than a few times," Katherine said. "I worked in a fancy New Orleans hotel kitchen for awhile."

"That would be great!" Ev grinned. "You know, I've been trying to get John Prudhomme to loosen up a little and I thought if we had some familiar foods, that might help. We've been having French fairly often lately, too, for Michele. The other three don't seem to need the extra encouragement," she chuckled.

Rayden had a sudden inspiration. "Fitz. Do you get many nights off from the restaurant? If you'd like, I could help out there so you could have some time off sometimes."

"Why, that would be wonderful, Rayden - thank you! I think there might be at least one young lady in SimsCity that might want to thank you as well, since it means I will be free to spend more time with her." His eyes were fixed on Sarah Jo as he said this. She ducked her head and blushed, which caused Dani and Duende to chuckle as well. Duende especially had been teasing her royally about her relationship with his old friend.

They talked about such wonderful Cajun dishes as jambalaya, shrimp gumbo, and hopping john. Katherine then had to tell them a hilarious story about a Cajun who used dynamite instead of a fishing pole. One day the game warden had insisted on going fishing with him. The story ended up with the Cajun handing the game warden a lighted stick of dynamite and being asked, "So are you gonna arrest me, or are you gonna fish?" All this was told in an outrageous Cajun accent.

When the laughter died down, Toni smiled "Well, as my darling brother said about the recipes, anytime, Ev. Now if he could just learn to stop talking and eating at the same time when he gets excited over something, we'd be doing alright." Her smile as she looked at Fitz was exasperated but loving, and he grinned back at her.

Jathelle and Theron were smiling and listening quietly enjoying the whole atmosphere of the gathering. They kept touching and looking at each other, obviously with something else on their minds.

Carol couldn't hold back any more. "So Sarah Jo, how's it going with these two guys? Having fun yet?" she smirked.

Sarah Jo grinned and blushed again. "Lots of fun," she admitted. She cast a loving glance over at Duende and Dani who both smiled back at her. This resulted in some general teasing that the guys would have to kiss her if they blush over something, just as the girls all kiss Ian Tulley for the same thing.

"Good for you!" Carol grinned. She reached out and patted the backs of her guys who were on either side of her. "I know I've never been happier."

"Yes. It will be even more perfect when that puppy learns not to run off with everyone's shoes!" Duende remarked, shaking his head. He was pretending to be exasperated too, but everyone knew he liked that puppy very much.

Gus and Jeremy were posted in a special spot to keep watch over a very special guest who hadn't been introduced yet. Ev grinned as she saw them sneaking bits of fish off their plates from time to time.

When everyone had their fill of dinner, Rayden caused the next course of the meal to appear. The dessert had a very mouth-watering aroma, and it looked lovely. It consisted of Angel food cake and ice cream and peaches. Rayden had outdone himself. Ev squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.

Fitz looked like he was in heaven again, and Toni kept a watchful eye as he ate, which caused everyone to smirk but say nothing. Carol was stuffed to the gills. This was so much better than her own cooking. "Rayden, you can cook for me anytime."

Monroe pretended to look offended. "You trying to say you don't like my cooking. I think I do some pretty nice hot dogs and potato chips." He grinned.

Sarah Jo giggled. "Dani isn't much of a cook either." She most carefully did not mention he had eaten bugs when he had lived down in South America.

Ev looked around the table. People were about finished. She gave Rayden a look and he rose and retrieved a box from under the table between Gus and Jeremy. It had a big pink ribbon on it.

Katherine looked at him accusingly. "And just what is this?" she said.

Rayden grinned. "This is a birthday present. We didn't do a party, even though we wanted to, so you have to compromise and let us at least give you this." He placed the box gently on her lap. She could feel something moving inside.

A bright smile crossed her face and her eyes lit up with joy when she opened the box and a beautiful long haired calico kitten scrambled out of it. The little ball of fluff immediately climbed up onto her shoulder, rubbing her little fur face onto Katherine's cheek and purring so loud everyone at the table could hear her.

Ev smiled. "I saw her and I just knew you'd love her. I hope I was right."

Tears of joy were running down her face as she cradled the kitten to her. "She's lovely!" she exclaimed. "Thank you so much!" Rayden settled back into his chair and Ev had to give him a kiss. It felt so good to make Katherine smiling again. She had not had a very easy time since she had become mortal and pregnant both on the same day. He hoped things would take a turn for the better now.

"So, what will you name her?" Toni asked, smiling to see her friend so happy.

"I don't know yet," Katherine said, laughing as the kitten did several laps around her neck, tickling her chin with her long fluffy tail.. "Maybe Colleen or something."

"That would be pretty! Doesn't that mean 'girl?'" Ev asked.

Connor nodded as he reached over and ruffled the kitten's fur. She responded by attacking his hand. "Yeah, it suits her!"

Toni went to her bag on the floor, and brought back a small, prettily wrapped package and handed it to Kat. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought back a little something from Greece for you," she said with a smile.

Katherine smiled back and unwrapped the paper happily with the dubious assistance from her new little four legged friend who had jumped down into her lap to *help* her. She gasped in pleasure when she saw a beautiful pair of amethyst earrings set in antique gold.

"I just thought they'd look good on you-amethyst is supposed to help with your overall mental calm. Do you like them?" Toni asked. Carol looked up at the mention of amethyst. Anything purple interested her.

"They are lovely, Toni!" she said as she put them on. The kitten immediately resumed her shoulder perch and tried to bat at them.

Everyone laughed at the kitten's antics, then Toni smiled. "I'm glad you like them. Happy Birthday, love," she said as she hugged her, being careful not to dislodge the little furball from her precarious position.

"I thank you all!" she said happily.

Rayden grinned at her. "Now wasn't this better than hiding in the bathroom?"

Katherine ducked her head and looked embarrassed. Before she could answer the doorbell rang. Jeremy jumped up and ran to go answer it. He and Doc Adams appeared a moment later.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he apologized as he removed his beaverskin hat and light summer jacket. "What did I miss?"

"A wonderful dinner, a kitten, and a pair of earrings. Hello, Ben," Toni smiled, going to him to hug him.

"I'm glad you could make it." Ev smiled. "Are you hungry? Can we get you something?"

"Thank you, I think I'd take leftovers if there are any," he said with a gracious smile. "I was delayed finding your gift," he told Katherine as he presented it to her with a kiss.

Katherine returned his kiss with a fervor that caused all the others to giggle at the two of them. After several long moments, she broke the kiss and laughed at him. "I take it you found it then," she asked merrily as she looked at the elaborately wrapped package.

Ev cuddled against Rayden, watching to see what it might be. Ev looked at Toni, wondering if she knew what it might be, but Toni looked just as curious as she was. "I have no idea, Ev. No one said anything to me about this." she said, looking just as puzzled as the others.

"I found it. Would've been bloody easy to cyber up the thing, but I had to arrange one to be flown in from Edinburgh."

Katherine looked at him with curiosity in her face as she took the large flat package from him. She opened it slowly, as if knowing something precious was inside. When the wrappings were removed a very old book bound in leather was revealed.

"Open it," Doc urged as he helped himself to a drink before taking a seat

A soft ahhh escaped Katherine's lips. "Lornadoon," she whispered as her fingers delicately traced the embossed letters. The name had been written in Gaelic under an elaborate Celtic knot that decorated the front of the book. The story had been entirely by handwritten in Gaelic and was just about as old as she was. Throughout the book, several hand painted illustrations were seen as she turned the pages carefully.

Ev had to go and look over Kat's shoulder. "Oh! Its beautiful!"

Toni came over to look too, and said "It makes you want to learn to read Gaelic. It really is lovely, Kat."

Doc sipped his drink and watched Katherine's face glow. "I'm glad you like it. And I'm sure my missing some victuals is no small price to pay for seeing you so happy."

Katherine looked up at Ben, tears streaming down her face. "Oh Ben, this is truly marvelous!" Toni silently slipped a hanky to Kat, before her tears could fall on the book in her lap.

Ev slipped back into her seat next to Rayden and gave him an elbow in the ribs. He grinned at her, then glanced at Ben and a sample of what they had all eaten for dinner appeared in front of him. "Thank you, Rayden," Doc said as he prepared to dine. Listening to Katherine, he noted, "And you owe a kiss to that young Martin Welford. He isn't well, you know, out of the City. But he insisted on fetching that for you. I had to give him a shot when he returned."

Katherine promised she would seek out Martin and thank him appropriately. As Ben ate, Katherine wiped the tears from her check and started to read out loud the wonderful old legend of the Scottish town that would magically appear from out of nowhere. She read part of it in the Gaelic at first, then translated the story for them all. The kitten curled up around the back of her neck with her paws and tail hanging down on opposites sides and appeared to be reading along with her.

Ev cuddled against Rayden as they listened. She glanced across the table and grinned to see Carol and her guys all cuddled together, too. Jathelle was listening from Theron's lap. Fitz had started to put his arm around Sarah Jo, as she sat beside him, but saw the way she was looking at Ben, and the shy smile she gave him. Tactfully, he shifted his position, and put his arm around Toni instead, and she smiled at him when he did. Connor and the rest of the men present leaned forward, listening to the story in growing wonder.

Katherine read through the book in a Scottish brogue that was becoming more and more noticeable as the went. She wove the tale almost magically till they all could imagine being there. Her empathic abilities made her story telling an especially wonderful experience.

When she reached the end of the story, she made no effort to block her others from feeling how happy she was at the moment. Carefully closing the book, Katherine turned to Ben with shining eyes and said, "I will treasure this always, my friend. As I treasure all of you here with me tonight."