Sam settled back into his seat, smiling slightly and resting the wineglass he was holding on the arm of the chair.  He looked relaxed and happy, at ease for the first time in weeks.  It had been a difficult case they'd been working on, reflected Chris, complicated and not particularly pleasant, so it was wonderful to see his lover looking so stress-free, enjoying a joke with one of their colleagues. 

Their case had only been wrapped up the day before, with Sam completing the paperwork with his normal efficiency late the previous night.  Or early this morning, depending on how you wanted to look at it.  For once, Chris had been more than happy to help, much as he loathed that part of their job.  It meant that they could have today and tomorrow off, which was important; maybe more important to Chris than to Sam, but important nonetheless.

It was Sam's birthday tomorrow.  His thirtieth birthday to be precise.  The big three-oh.  The start of a new decade, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

He'd tried teasing Sam about it, but his partner wasn't rising to the bait.  Instead, he'd given Chris a supercilious little smile and asked him how it felt to be a 'toy-boy'.  Since there wasn't really a response to that, at least not one that was printable, Chris had subsided less than gracefully, muttering darkly about middle-aged men.  He'd been looking forward to tormenting his partner and lover for the next fourteen months until he also turned thirty.  Somehow it wasn't as much fun if Sam wasn't going to be touchy about it.  In fact, his lover didn't seem at all concerned about growing older.

For example, it had been Chris who'd insisted on this little get together this evening.  For a short while he'd considered springing a surprise party on his partner before rather sensibly deciding that a heavily armed CI5 agent with cat-like reflexes and lots of people jumping out at him yelling 'Surprise!' didn't really mix.  So he'd brought the subject up with Sam.  He'd rather grandly stated that turning thirty was a milestone that should be celebrated, preferably with copious amounts of alcohol.  His lover had replied that he wasn't really bothered and a quiet night in would do him fine.  Chris had pointed out that if nothing else it was a celebration of living another year, which in their line of business was definitely worth a party.  When that also didn't work, he pouted.  And so Sam had a party. 

He also had the last word, pointing out to Chris that since his birthday came later than Sam's that gave Sam plenty of time to plan his revenge.  Anything Chris perpetrated would be revisited on his head tenfold. 

Chris merely blinked innocently and cancelled the stripper.  And the lady jumping out of the cake.  On further reflection he also cancelled the Tarzan-o-gram, the 'pregnant ex-girlfriend' and the marching band.  He also reconsidered his birthday present to Sam, but then he'd been doing that a lot anyway.  He compromised, and got Sam a sensible present as well.  What the hell, if Sam didn't like his original gift he could always use it as a rather unusual paperweight.

And it had turned out to be a good party, a great one in fact.  A small, select group of people, many of them fellow CI5 agents, a lot of alcohol and, dear to Chris' heart, food.  Backup had even provided a birthday cake; although the fact that it was chocolate made Chris suspect that it was more for his benefit than Sam's.  They'd both looked at it a little suspiciously until she'd reassured them she hadn't baked it, and then Chris had tucked in with glee. 

Sam seemed to be having fun tonight, and that was the point after all.  It wasn't often that they got a chance to relax totally, knowing that they weren't going to be called into work the following day, and Chris intended to make the most of it.  He wasn't going to get drunk, however.  He had plans for later tonight, and they didn't involve alcohol.

Finally it was present opening time.  As expected, both Backup and Spencer had bought 'sensible' presents - Backup giving his lover a book of fine art and Spencer providing a bottle of wine that had Sam raising his eyebrows in appreciation.  Thankfully there were some other, less sensible presents.  To go with the wine Rebecca had bought a corkscrew in the shape of a scorpion, and that raised a laugh out of Sam, and a few cracks from their colleagues about cases with 'a sting in the tail', and their recent Woods case.  Richards had gone one further, buying Sam an illustrated copy of the Karma Sutra and joking that with Sam's recent lack of dates he needed all the advice in the bedroom he could get.  Rather good-naturedly Sam had quipped back that he'd lay odds that he'd gotten laid more recently than Richards himself.  Since Chris was intimately aware of just when Sam had gotten laid last, it was one bet he would have had no problems backing.

There was one awkward moment when Backup tried to hand Sam Chris' 'unofficial' birthday present, but Chris intercepted it, muttering something about it being worse than Richards' offering, and replaced it with the one that could be opened in public, a CD boxed set of Sam's favourite arias.  Tucked into the sleeve was a ticket to a season of four productions.  As Sam thanked him, his pleasure at the gift clear in his face and his voice, Chris rather glumly reflected that Sam would be lucky to see any of them, never mind all four.  Still, he couldn't begrudge Sam the hope.  It was worth the expense just to see Sam's face light up at the gift.  Even Backup commented that it was a thoughtful present; although Chris was convinced she'd be revising her current high opinion of him if she'd managed to get Sam to open up his other gift in public.

Around two am the party began to wind up, those on duty the next day being the first to leave, followed shortly by the other agents lucky enough to be on stand-by or even, like Sam and Chris, to have the following day off.  Richards was the last to leave, thrown amicably out by Chris when he'd had enough of the garrulous Englishman.  He liked Richards well enough, but he *really* wanted to be alone with Sam.

When he returned from pouring Richards into a convenient black cab, Sam had put one of the CDs on to play, the volume turned down low, and the soft sounds of 'Che Gelida Manina' from La Boheme drifted from the speakers.  Sam had another glass of wine in his hand, and was eyeing up the debris from the party with a jaundiced eye.

"Leave it," requested Chris softly.  Sam turned his head to look at him, his mouth quirking upwards slightly as he acknowledged his own flaw.

"Ah, but I can't, can I?"

"Yes you can," replied Chris briskly.  "I'll clean up tomorrow..."  Sam's mouth quirked even more at that.  "No snide remarks about my flat please," Chris added.  "Consider it another birthday present if you like."

Sam looked around again, his expression hesitant.  "Go on," chided his lover.  "If it's bothering you, why don't you just go through to the bedroom where you can't see it, and I'll lock up."

"Out of sight, out of mind?" queried Sam, his amusement clear in the tone of his voice.

"Exactly," beamed the American.  "Go on.  I'll be there in a minute."

He collected his other present on his way back, and appropriated a half full bottle of wine and a clean glass.  Not something he normally drank, but he felt as though he should make an effort since it was a special occasion.  Besides, wine felt right to go with the mood he was trying to create.  A bottle of beer felt wrong somehow.

Sam was reclining on the bed when he finally made it back to the bedroom, his face a little thoughtful.

"Penny for 'em?" asked Chris.  Sam smiled softly.

"It was a good night," he replied.  "Thank you."

"Welcome."

Chris settled himself on the end of the bed, facing Sam, and leant forward to top up his partner's glass.

Sam took a sip of his wine, and sighed contentedly.  "Talking of other birthday presents..." he began.

Chris put on his best 'innocent' look.  "Were we?"

Sam gave him a hard look.  "You.  Cleaning up.  Birthday present."

"Ah."  Chris smirked to himself as Sam rolled his eyes, already wise to him.

"Are you going to tell me what's in that box, or not?"

"What box?"

Another sigh.  "That rather gaudily wrapped one you're hiding behind your back.  The one apparently not fit for public consumption."

Now that it was time to hand it over, Chris found all of his doubts about the gift flooding back.  What if Sam thought that it wasn't just the wrapping that was gaudy?  What if he thought the gift itself was tacky in the extreme?  He knew his partner well enough to know that if Sam were disappointed he'd do his level best to hide it, but now that it came to the crunch he wasn't sure he could go through with it.  Sam, however, was looking at him expectantly and it was too late to back out now.  Besides, hadn't they already had this conversation?

Slightly nervously, Chris handed over the present.  Sam must have sensed his hesitation, because rather than ripping the paper off he unwrapped it slowly and carefully, sliding his fingers underneath the flap and easing the paper apart.  Chris loved his partner's hands, loved watching them.  They were graceful and strong at the same time, handling delicate crystal ware and heavy weaponry with the same elegant precision.  And when those hands touched him...  Chris shivered slightly in remembrance. 

Once removed, the paper was folded neatly and set to one side out of the way.  The box was much less gaudy than the paper it had been wrapped in.  Originally Chris had intended to simply hand Sam the box, but given the number of curious CI5 agents there would be here tonight he could guarantee that one of them would open it up to take a peek.  At least the fact that it was wrapped might delay his colleagues long enough for their conscience to kick in.  Assuming that any of them had consciences.

Sam was easing the lid off now, rocking it from side to side gingerly to loosen it.  He looked as though he was a little afraid that it would blow up in his face, whereas if it blew up in anyone's face, it would be Chris'.  Sam caught him looking and gave him a wry smile.

"There's nothing in here that's going to bite, is there?" he asked, stopping to give Chris time to answer.

"No," replied Chris with a smile, although some vague thought about 'trouser snakes' drifted through his mind.

Sam returned the smile, and finally lifted the lid off.  The moment of truth had arrived.

For a long time Sam just stared into the box, and then his mouth curled up slightly in a smile.  "Well," he said, amusement clear in his voice.  "I'm not entirely sure what the etiquette is when someone gives you one of these.  'Thank you' just doesn't seem to cover it."

Well, Chris supposed, amusement was better than horror, but it still wasn't quite the reaction he'd been hoping for.  Sam was examining his present more closely, running his fingers over it in a way that had Chris shifting slightly uncomfortably as his trousers suddenly seemed too tight.

"It's very... realistic..." offered Sam, that same glint of amusement in his eyes.  "I can see why you didn't want Backup seeing this one."

"Uh huh," replied his lover intelligently.

"Very, very realistic."

"Uh huh."

"In fact," added Sam, frowning slightly as he leant in to take a closer look.  "It's also very familiar."  Chris just looked at him as Sam removed the item from the box and hefted it in his hand, examining it closely.  "Very, *very* familiar," the Englishman emphasised.

"Really?" Chris enquired.

"I should know, Chris," Sam stated.  "I've spent a great deal of time examining the original."

Chris grinned at him, unable to resist a comeback.  "Glad to know that your memory isn't impaired by your advancing age."

Sam cocked one eyebrow at him.  "Is this some suggestion that my age will affect my sexual prowess by any chance?"

"God no," his lover returned with a laugh.  "I have no complaints in that department."  He continued to grin wickedly at his partner.  "And if that was the case, wouldn't it be you giving me something similar?  To compensate?"

Sam grinned back at him, enjoying their repartee.  "So, is this you worrying that your advancing age will affect your sexual prowess and planning ahead?"

"Hah hah.  Come over here and I'll show you just how little my 'sexual prowess' has been affected!"

"Now there's an offer that's difficult to refuse..."