Birthday Boy
by Dee Creamer

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Disclaimer: I am borrowing the Diagnosis Murder characters to write this 
story.  No money has or will be made from this, and I hope the creator 
and producers of the TV show don't mind.
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	Amanda, Jesse and Mark were sitting in their accustomed spots in 
the doctors' lounge having a serious discussion.  Mark was shaking his 
head.  "I don't know Amanda, I don't think I can do that to Steve," he 
remarked.  "Steve still gets so excited about his birthday, he's like a little 
kid.  If he thinks I forgot, he'll be devastated.  I remember once when he 
was a kid, I was working so hard at the hospital I actually did forget his 
birthday.  It broke his little heart."

	"But Mark," Amanda put in. "You won't have actually forgotten, 
and once we all jump out and yell SURPRISE, he'll realize that.  The 
surprise won't be as effective if he knows you remembered."

	"Well, all right, but I'm gonna hate doing this," Mark stated for 
the record.

* * * * *

	Steve jumped out of bed early the next morning.  It was going to 
be a great day!  It wasn't actually any big deal, really.  His dad would 
give him his present with his breakfast, and then after work, he and his 
dad would go somewhere nice for dinner.  No big deal, really, but Steve 
still couldn't wait to get upstairs.  He bounded up the stairs with a big 
grin on his face, only to see his father getting ready to leave.

	"Steve, I've got to go in a bit early.  I'll see you later."  Mark 
quickly walked out the door.  He couldn't stand to see the 
disappointment he knew would be on Steve's face.

	The grin stayed on Steve's face for a second or two, then turned 
into a hurt puppy look that would have melted his father's heart, and his 
resolve, if he'd stayed to see it.  Steve walked into the kitchen.  No 
present, no breakfast.  At least there was some coffee.  Maybe this wasn't 
going to be such a great day after all.

* * * * *

	As Steve sat at his desk doing paperwork, he looked out the 
window.  It looked like it was clouding up, probably a storm moving in.  
Great, why not, just another bit of gloom to add to the day.  

	Captain Waters walked into to room and said he needed a 
volunteer for a stakeout.  Steve immediately stood and said he'd take it.  
"Sloan, don't you even want to hear about it first?"

	"Why?  I'm not doing anything else, except paperwork.  I could 
use some fresh air."

* * * * *
	Famous last words.  Steve sat huddled in the doorway, getting 
very wet.  It had started raining a couple of hours ago and Steve was 
now wet to the skin.  The doorway wasn't really wide enough to give any 
real protection from the rain, and water kept dripping on the top of his 
head and down his neck.  It was his own fault.  He should have known 
better.  You would have thought he'd have remembered from his Army 
days - NEVER volunteer for anything.  He knew that somewhere out 
there was a van, a nice cozy van, with two people in it listening to 
anything he might say and ready to back him up if he needed it.  Why 
couldn't HE be in the van?  No, it was his own fault.  He hadn't asked and 
hadn't cared, at that point.  He cared now.

	Suddenly there was movement from the doorway down the street.  
The suspect was on the move.  "Okay, guys, look sharp, he's on the 
move."  With that, Steve started to follow, making sure he kept a safe 
distance, so the suspect wouldn't catch on.

	It seemed like they'd been walking forever, up streets, in alleys, 
over walls.  Steve knew they must have doubled back at least a couple of 
times.  They finally approached a large plot of overgrown land.  The 
building that had been there must have been leveled, maybe to make a 
parking lot that no one ever got around to putting in.  As the suspect 
entered the weed-covered lot, Steve knew he had to make a decision.  
Even though darkness had set in while they'd been walking, if Steve tried 
to get too close, the suspect might see him.  Right now, though, they had 
nothing to make an arrest on.  It wasn't against the law to take a walk in 
the rain. 

	When the suspect stopped in the middle of the lot, Steve figured 
this was where the deal was going to go down.  He'd have to get in 
closer.  He made his way around to the suspect's back, and started to 
creep forward, staying as low as he could.  When the suspect started to 
turn, Steve dove to the ground and tried to get as close to the ground as 
he could.  Unfortunately that meant practically burrowing into the mud 
puddle he was lying in.  Very carefully, Steve checked his gun to make 
sure it wasn't in the mud as well.  As the suspect turned back around, 
Steve put his Army training to use and belly-crawled closer, then used 
mud to smear his face and hair so he wouldn't be spotted.

	Steve had no idea how long they'd been there.  All he could think 
was "Please let this stakeout be over soon.  Please let it be over soon."  
This had to be, without a doubt, one of the top five worst stakeouts he'd 
ever been on.  Then another figure came out of the darkness and started 
walking toward the suspect.  YES.  This was it.  The end of the stakeout, 
if Steve didn't rush it and blow the deal.  "Okay folks this looks like it.  
Start moving in, but stay out of sight till I give the word," Steve called in 
to the backup team.

	The figure walked up to the suspect and stopped.  "You got the 
money?"

	The suspect answered, "You got the stuff?"

	"Yup.  One bag, pure."

	As the suspect got out an envelope and opened it to show a large 
stack of bills, Steve called in the backup team.  Steve rose up from the 
ground and pulled out his gun.  "Freeze.  Police.  You're under arrest."

	Both suspects froze in fear at the sight of the huge creature that 
had risen from the mud like a nightmare coming to life.  Steve kept his 
gun on the two till the backup team arrived and cuffed them.  Then he 
walked over and picked up the bag of "stuff".  This was not what he'd 
expected.  This was not heroin or coke.  It looked like... He opened the 
bag and sniffed.  Marijuana.  He couldn't believe he had just spent all day 
in the rain and mud for one bag of marijuana.  Granted, it was a big bag, 
but hardly worth the effort and discomfort he'd gone through to get it.  
Steve snorted in disgust and handed the bag to one of the other officers.  
"Here, don't lose this.  We don't want these two desperados to go free."

* * * * *

	Steve was still shaking his head in disgust when he drove up to 
the beachhouse.  He was cold, wet, and covered with mud, and all he 
wanted was a nice hot shower and bed.  He didn't even bother to go say 
hello to his father, but went right down to his own apartment.  As he 
turned on the light, the whole room erupted with people.

	"SUR..."  Everyone stopped short in shock, staring at the large 
mud creature standing before them.

	Then the creature sank into a chair and put its head in its hand.

	"Steve?"  Mark approached cautiously.

	The creature looked up with a big grin.  "Dad, uh, is there 
something you want to tell me?"  Then he couldn't help it, he started 
laughing so hard tears rolled down his cheeks, making tracks in his mud 
covered face.  After everything he'd been through today, this was the 
topper.

	As the rest of the crowd joined Steve in laughter, Mark gave a 
sigh of relief that his son was able to see the humor in this.  Mark walked 
closer to Steve and put his hand on Steve's shoulder.  "Steve, I hope you 
realize that after that one time when you were a kid, I would never, ever, 
forget your birthday again."

	Steve stood and gave his father a hug, a very muddy hug.  "Dad, 
this is one of the best birthdays of my life."