Ally groaned, wiped the sleep from her eyes and reached over to turn off her alarm. "Hey Ally, not in a sunshiny mood today?"
"It's so early," the short brunette whined to her partner and best friend, Renee. Renee's body was curled around Ally's and she reached out to stroke her lover's hair. "I know, another day at Cage & Fish, another hundred dollars." Renee said this with a mocking tone that made Ally frown but she was quick to amend her words. "But don't forget what's planned for later tonight. " Renee leaned in and smiled with a hint of electricity.

"I know," Ally replied somewhat grudgingly. "Dinner out, then drinks and party at the firm."

"You make it sound as if you don't *like* all those things," Renee replied, her tone unchanged, "And Vonda will be singing. You *know *you like Vonda."

"I do." Ally sighed. "It's just this whole party thing. Why do we have to have the same stupid party, with the same stupid jokes year after year? It feels like it's just another excuse for everyone to get rip roaring drunk and forget their own names. Can't the firm find something else to celebrate?"

"They're your friends, Ally. They like you." Renee said lightly, now out of bed and making her side. Can't you just give them this?"

"I guess." Ally mumbled...

"And besides," Renee continued fluffing her pillow and pretending not to hear Ally. "You forgot the best part.

"And what's that?" came the sulky reply.

"What we're going to do after the party," Renee said her eyebrow raised, as she inched closer to the other woman. "After all, it *is* your birthday."

There was no more complaining after that, only shrieks and giggles as the two women descended into a pillow fight.

OOO

That night at the bar, with the party well underway, Renee and Ally were showing everyone else how it was done on the dance floor. Well, not everyone else. Ling and Nell, Cage & Fish's other lesbian couple were pretty hot dancers as well.

Elaine was attempting to coerce Richard onto the dance floor, as was Georgia with her husband, Billy. John Cage, having had a few drinks, was letting it all hang out and dancing by himself.

When the last bars of The Shirelle's "Will You Still Love Me Forever" had faded, John cleared his throat and clinked his half empty glass. "If I could just have your attention," John swallowed. "I'd like to, uh... bring attention to the reason we're all here tonight…" Several people, who had of course, been drinking, started to boo John. Someone even yelled "Shut up!" Sensing her friend's pain, Renee excused herself to ally and made her way to John's side.

"What my friend's trying to say," Renee spoke smoothly allowing a pause for some filtering laughter, "Is that, in case you didn't know, the reason we're all able to goof off and get shit-faced tonight is my wonderful, sexy, amazing girlfriend's birthday."

Ally blushed at this and turned her head away from the now gawking crowd, laughing a little at Renee's obviously biased opinion.

Renee, however, continued. "So let's all raise a glass and honour her with a toast. To Ally!"

"To Ally!" Everyone echoed.

Hearing the cheer rise up all around her, Ally couldn't help raising her head to meet Renee's gaze. Renee's face clearly showed how much she loved the other woman and Ally couldn't help herself. She grinned back at her lover and let loose with a long, loud laugh. Birthdays, she decided, weren't so bad after all.