Author's Note: If you've read my other Supernatural fic "Happy Birthday", this is basically the same story, except told from the female character's perspective rather than Dean Winchester's. No need to have read the previous story though.

As with all fan-fiction, this is only for fun, not profit. Dean Winchester does not belong to me. No matter how much I wish it were so!

For the what had to be the nineteenth time that day, Kate Hager looked at the clock on the wall near her "office" regretting that she had come to work on her birthday. Usually she took it as a vacation day, but this year it fell the week that they would be closing the books, and since she was the bookkeeper at the small manufacturing company where she earned her modest living, it was important that she be at work. At least that was what she had told herself. The truth was it wasn't like she had anything better to do today.

"That's what you get for having no personal life," she chided herself. "Unless having a schedule of shows to finally watch on Netflix somehow counts as a personal life."

Trying to keep a positive outlook, Kate checked the clock and she did a mini-celebration since it was just after 2 PM (she'd worked through lunch AGAIN). The day would be over soon enough, and then she could be able to go home to her little place and channel her frustration into finishing up her baking for the farmer's market tomorrow. Then she'd curl up on her sofa with a pizza, a bottle of wine, a couple of cookies, and one of her favorite movies and that would be how she would celebrate.

"God I'm pathetic," she murmured out loud, careful to keep her voice low enough that her co-workers hopefully wouldn't notice. The last thing she wanted was for any of them to know that today was her birthday. Although to be fair, she didn't hate everyone in the office. Her bosses were nice enough, and the people who worked in the factory were easy to get along with. If she was honest with herself, the only person she couldn't stand was Nina Worthington, her personal nemesis.

Nina was everything she wasn't: petite, gorgeous, and confident. And dumber than the proverbial box of rocks. But when you looked like her, nobody really gave a damn. Even worse, they had adjacent desks so five days a week, they were guaranteed to see each other nearly all day.

Kate repeated the pep talk she gave herself every day: looks didn't matter. Her lack of a boyfriend or sex life didn't matter. Without her, there wasn't anyone to keep the financial books or run the office. She was much more important than the executive secretary who could barely keep the calendars of the two brothers who owned the business. Everyone knew the only reason why Ted had hired her was because after nine years his dad's former secretary had finally retired, and he wanted someone cute to look at.

Maybe if Nina was at least nice, it wouldn't have been so bad. But Nina was the classic "mean girl". She was hot and knew it. She was just like all the girls who'd ever snickered about Kate behind her back all through high school. Which was why she had left this podunk town in the first place for a college 500 miles away. If she had known the summer job that she was so excited about was going to lead to a permanent job she couldn't seem to escape (thanks sucktacular economy!), she would have never taken it in the first place.

They were almost complete opposites, including how they kept their desks. Nina's was neat and very professional looking; Kate's was a mess; papers everywhere with a couple of half-drunk Diet Coke cans spread in front of her monitor. More than once, people had asked the Morton brothers how they could entrust the finances of their company to a person whose desk looked like that. Steve had always laughed it off and replied that he could care less what her desk looked like as long as she continued to be the best bookkeeper they'd ever had.

The memory brought the ghost of a smile to Kate's lips. It was one of the reasons why she never did look for another job, despite the presence of the dreaded Nina. Steve was a good guy, and good bosses don't grow on trees. It wasn't his fault his brother occasionally made business decisions with his dick instead of his brain.

As she flipped through the latest orders from their customers, Kate allowed herself to day dream a bit about her boss. If there was one guy in this damn town she'd let herself fantasize about it was him. He was a few years older than herself, unmarried with no kids. He kept in good shape, and was quite good looking with his deep blue eyes and dark hair that was just graying at the temples. But like every other guy she'd ever had any lustful thoughts about, he didn't seem to even notice she was female, let alone existed. She'd hoped that losing weight in the last year might have changed things, but no dice. She was still invisible to anyone with a Y chromosome. She was just the good ol' reliable girl who kept the books, never got sick, and barely took any vacation time.

In the end, it was a good thing. He WAS her boss after all. Interoffice relationships were not a good idea. And besides, he was BORING.

Kate's greatest personal shame, which she endeavored to keep very much to herself, was her penchant for bad boys. She might look every inch the super-practical woman with her glasses, conservative suits bought on sale, and ballet flats, but as long as she could remember her biggest crushes had been on the leather jacket wearing, bad reputation having guys her mom had warned her about. Logically, it made no sense: Kate knew that. But a part of her wondered what it would be like to actually be with a guy like that. Even for just one night.

She sighed, knowing it was just a silly fantasy. If she couldn't get regular guys to notice her, what shot did she have with the kind of dark and dangerous looking hot guys that starred in every romance novel she'd ever read?

Fixated on her monitor with her iPod cranked up, she didn't even notice that Steve and Ted had come out of their offices until she felt a heavy tap on her shoulder.

As she turned, Kate quickly realized her personal nightmare was coming to life right in front of her. In her mind's eye everything slowed down and the sound dropped out, despite the cheers of "Happy Birthday!" The entire office was standing behind her desk and she could feel her face reddening with embarrassment. Steve was pressing a card into her hands, and whispered into her ear there was a small token of appreciation from him and Ted inside. With shaking hands, she opened it. It was a gift card to Target.

To add to her horror, Nina was lurking closely behind the brothers, bearing a cake. Soon it came into view; it was of the cheap supermarket variety that she hated, and to make it extra horrible it was emblazoned with "Happy 30th Birthday, Kate!" Kate could tell just by looking at it the frosting would be too sweet and the cake would probably be not very good as well.

Forcing a smile, especially since everyone would be expecting her to be ecstatic that someone had remembered her birthday, she decided to play along.

"Oh guys, you really shouldn't have! This is just too much!" Which in the circumstances, wasn't exactly a lie either. She just hoped she sounded convincing, lying was not something she particularly excelled at.

"We wouldn't have done anything, but Nina came to me last week and mentioned that today was your birthday, and since it's the big 3-0, I figured we had to do something to celebrate," Steve said earnestly, clearly under the impression that she wasn't upset.

"I was just looking at personnel records, and I happened to notice your birthday was coming up. Kate, you really should have said something about it," continued Nina, in her best "aren't I sweet" voice, "I would have never guessed you were that much older than me."

What a bitch. And what the hell was she doing looking through personnel files?

"Thanks. I guess I'm just well preserved," was her bone dry reply, which elicited a few laughs from her co-workers.

Her sensitivity had nothing to do with her actual age. Thirty was young. But when you get to that age without so much as one boyfriend to your credit, being reminded that another year has passed without one stings more than a little bit.

Nina stood there looking impossibly smug. She was obviously not buying Kate's performance. "So how are you going to celebrate this weekend?" she asked, guessing that she had nothing interesting planned.

Unable to respond with a succinct "Fuck you" given the fact her bosses were standing right next to her, Kate explained, "Since tomorrow is the farmers market, I'll be having a quiet night in finishing my baking, and then tomorrow I'll be working selling everything. No plans for Sunday though."

Before Nina could make another nasty remark, Steve cut her off by suggesting that she cut the cake so that everyone could have some. Kate gave her boss a quick smile of thanks, and noticed him mouth, "I'm sorry about her." She grinned even wider, and started cutting the cake into neat squares. Maybe her birthday wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Hours later, Kate looked around her kitchen, a look of triumph on her face, her hands on her hips, taking a mental inventory of everything she had made for the farmers' market. Happily, everything was all done, and now she could relax. Still, she felt a bit silly at being so proud of her modest accomplishment. It was just a few batches of chocolate chip cookies. It wasn't like she had cured cancer or anything.

She shook it off, remembering the joy on her customers faces when they were able to snag one or more of the treat bags that had become famous around town. Bringing a little bit of happiness to people was the real reason she did it. She barely charged enough to cover the cost of the ingredients. It was terribly sappy of her, but she had to take her emotional fulfillment where she could.

Now, it was time to settle in with a pizza and one of her favorite movies, Jane Eyre. Although technically speaking it was a mini-series; the fact was she never failed to watch both episodes together. She popped in the first DVD and settled in for four glorious hours of gothic romance.

But halfway through her mushroom pizza, something changed. Maybe it was watching all those heated glances between Jane and Mr. Rochester. The scene where he puts his dressing gown on her and whispers that she'll never be cold again, never failed to get her all swoony. Great! Here she was, thirty years old, all alone and horny. That wouldn't be so bad if she could do something about it.

Or could she?

It wasn't THAT late. There was no reason she couldn't go to Lucky's for a celebratory birthday drink. The place may have been a dive, but at least it was a dive with a good bartender. Henry would probably be behind the bar, and he knew just how she liked her martinis. Made with Bombay Sapphire gin, the barest hint of vermouth, icy cold, and with LOTS of olives. Before she could lose her nerve, she put her work clothes back on and touched up her make-up, grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

When she arrived it was a typical Friday night at the bar. A few guys playing pool drinking long necks, some couples having post-dinner drinks before heading home, and singles at the bar. The ones looking to hook up were tightly grouped on one side of the bar, laughing as they sipped their cocktails. On the other hand, on the opposite side of the bar a few people sat, eyes focused on their drinks. No laughing, no conversation.

Her immediate inclination was to join the quiet side of the bar so she could have her drink in peace, but as her gaze wandered over to the side she thought better of it. All her life she'd taken the safe, easy route, and where had it left her? Stuck in the town she grew up in and alone because everyone had made their minds up about her years ago. But tonight she he chance to try to turn the table on them a bit, show them she was just as capable of having a good time as any of them.

She subtly straightened her shoulders, a little shake to focus her attention, and walked directly over to the "fun" side of the bar, and placed her drink order. Kate was at a bit of a loss as to what she should do, wanting someone to notice her, but at the same time unwilling to make a spectacle of herself. Once her drink arrived she took a couple of sips, savoring the cool burn as it slipped easily down her throat.

"Hey Nina, isn't that Kate from your office?" "What's she doing here," came multiple voices from behind her. It seemed that she'd been spotted. Before she could answer, Nina retorted for her, "Out for a birthday drink."

Her mouth must have dropped open to answer, because Kate could feel herself snapping her mouth shut, unwilling to engage Nina on her home turf while she was surrounded by her friends. Kate knew she wouldn't find any sympathy among them. If they had any thoughts of her at all, they had been shaped by Nina.

She just sat there staring at the little group as Nina continued, "It looks like turning 30 made her a little restless. Maybe she even thought that after a couple drinks one of the guys here would take pity on her and get her laid!" Still clutching her drink, Nina brought her hands up to her eyes, twisting her pretty features into a drunken mask that even Kate knew was a reference to "beer goggles".

Not everyone had laughed at her, and she thought she overheard one person even tell Nina that her remark had been "uncool". However being unwilling to sit there and be the butt of Nina's cruelty, she turned away and picked her drink and purse up and moved over to the other side of the bar. It was where she belonged anyway.

She deliberately pulled up a bar stool next to one of the pillars, hiding herself from view. And there she made herself comfortable, finishing her drink in silence. She supposed she should have left at that point, but figured that since it was her birthday, a couple more wouldn't hurt. And least this way, she wasn't technically drinking alone.

Lucky's started to empty out, leaving pretty much the guys playing pool, Nina, a couple of her crew , and Kate herself. It was how the place looked most Friday nights. Which was why nearly everyone looked up when the door swung open to admit a new patron sometime shortly after 11:30 PM. Like everyone else, Kate peered toward the door to see who it was.

The figure cast a long shadow as it moved into the dim light. When it fully emerged, the sight nearly took her breath away. Walking slowly towards her side of the bar was probably the most gorgeous man she'd ever personally laid eyes on, the very incarnation of every bad boy fantasy she'd ever had. Right down to the leather jacket and "don't fuck with me" attitude that he exuded by just breathing.

Kate quickly turned back toward the bar, hoping he didn't notice her staring. She closed her eyes, cementing the picture of him in her mind. Wanting to commit him to memory. Short brown hair, dark eyes, golden skin, and oh-so full lips that silently spoke of the sinful things that mouth had undoubtedly done to many, many women. Damn him, he was almost pretty! Somewhere a romance novel was missing its cover boy. Or maybe even a cloud was missing its angel, she mused as she took another sip of martini # 3 of the evening.

Of course, he was checking out Nina and her buddies. And of course, Nina was signaling her interest in Mr. Tall & Gorgeous right back. He hadn't even seen her in her hiding spot. Not that it mattered.

God, the way he filled out those jeans should be illegal! It probably was somewhere, she thought as he slid onto a seat down the bar from her.

She decided the best thing to do was to concentrate on her drink and do her best to ignore the hottie. It was the safe play, and considering how she'd been burned earlier in the night, Kate wasn't about to take any more chances. She heard him order his drink. No doubt he'd be sipping it slowly, ogling the women across the bar, figuring out which one he wanted.

Maybe it was the three martinis; or maybe it was just pure frustration that she was about to watch this guy pick up another woman and give her the night of her life on HER birthday that she couldn't help bursting out, "Nina's the one you want. The brunette." Kate gestured toward Nina twirling the toothpick that had held the olives, as she knocked back the last of her drink.

At least now he'd know she existed. She might not have a chance in hell that he'd be interested, being more than well acquainted with her physical limitations, particularly as compared to the younger women across the bar. But she'd be damned to just SIT here and watch.

"Are you talking to me," the voice from the man inquired, sounding like a bad DeNiro impression. But good Lord, that voice was enough to get a woman to kick her panties off in a hurry.

Kate responded without thinking, throwing caution to the wind. She'd gotten herself into this, and she was going to get herself out of it. But she was going to need another drink before she could face him.

Rolling her eyes, she said something about the "other hot guy in the bar" and then asked Henry for another martini, pushing her glass toward the bartender. It was only then she turned to the left to look directly at him.

To her surprise, he was looking directly at her, his eyes swooping over her face, doubtlessly noticing her boring mousy hair and glasses. He said something about vodka martinis that she took immediate umbrage to, but she couldn't help smiling at his mistake. It was a common one. She took a sip of her fourth drink, realizing this had better be her last one if she was going to drive herself home.

He had finished his double of Jack Daniels with a smile, and was ordering another one when feeling emboldened by the alcohol she suggested Nina's friend Sharon as a possible conquest, thinking that perhaps he preferred red-heads. Although if she had to guess, he appeared to be an equal opportunity kind of guy. And hell, if all the other women in the bar could give him the "fuck-me" eyes, she could too.

Giving up some of her much prized control, Kate let herself openly ogle him while he watched. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to take it well, obviously lying that he was only in the bar to get drunk after a shitty day. And it that was the truth, the tooth fairy was real!

She must have said it aloud, because next thing she knew he shot back that he could tell her stories that would set her hair on fire about the stuff that went bump in the night, and she was telling him there was only reason a guy who looked like him came into a bar like this at this time of the night.

"You hitting on me, sweetheart?" he chuckled.

At his words, Kate felt her cheeks get warm, and afraid he was mocking her she turned away willing herself to cry. Not here and not now. Feeling humiliated, she did the only thing she could without looking ridiculous, she ordered a fifth martini.

It would appear that her gift to herself this year would be getting stinking drunk at Lucky's. Awesome. Hopefully, she'd get drunk enough that she'd forget the night even happened. Even if that meant forgetting the beautiful man just down the bar. Some memories were too painful to keep.

Henry tried to discourage her, and she informed him it was her birthday and if she wanted to get drunk she would. She made sure she said the words loud and clear so he and the hot guy would get the message. The downside was that whole bar heard her as well, including Nina who seemed to be concerned that her slightly tipsy belligerence would scare the guy off.

Damn right, she hoped it did, allowing herself to be profoundly selfish for a moment. If you can't be selfish on your birthday, then when can you?

The room started to turn, and for a moment Kate thought the liquor had hit her all at once, but instead found herself eye to eye with HIM. Her drink suddenly disappeared from her hand, and just as her brain registered his eyes were actually not brown but hazel, his lips connected with hers and for the second time that day the world fell away.

His kiss was soft at first, but then he slid his tongue into her mouth, and she couldn't help kissing him back with everything she had, grasping onto his shirt to try to keep from pulling away too quickly. Unbidden, she felt hot tears slide down her cheeks, unable to hide how deeply she wanted and needed him.

"Why don't you let me take you home?"

The words took a moment to register, slightly stunning her. But there could only be one answer to his question, despite what her very logical mind told her.

"Yes."