A/N: a lot of the fic out there shrinks Susan down for no great reason, and I think the stories could be much more creative and interesting if she was kept to size. At the end of the movie I think it's pretty clear she has come to accept herself, and I love it when fics acknowledge that. That being said, I don't think doc would actually build her something to shrink her down because he knows how she feels, but, for the sake of the situation that's what's gonna happen. Enjoy!

He had done it. He had finally done it! Months of secretive research, trial and error, designing and building were about to pay off. Susan was going to get the best birthday present yet. Well, hopefully. The whole thing wouldn't work if the quantionium had bonded to Susan's DNA, which it very well might have after a year and change. But if it hadn't, he was in business! And it was a tasteful design, if he did say so himself. He hefted his gift into a large box he had fashioned from several smaller ones from the trash, and carefully taped it shut.

The sound of his alarm clock rattled his antennae. Had he really been up all night working? It must be so. He didn't feel the least bit tired, still invigorated and energized by the rush of inventing and gift giving combined. Quickly, he was off to shower and then coffee, to be ready when Susan awoke.

Susan stretched and yawned as her radio clock kicked on, commercials instead of music. Ugh, an unlucky start. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and slowly came to the realization that today was, in fact, her birthday. Excitement shot through her like electricity and she leapt out of bed, shaking the whole cell block. Whoops. Well, nobody was sleeping in today. She trotted into her bathroom to get ready for the day.

Dr. Cockroach emerged from his cell, looking dapper as ever with a gleam in his eye. He pulled a palette truck behind him with the gift sat on top. Link was groggily sipping coffee at the table. Bob's goopy brow was furrowed in determination, a gelatinous tongue poking over his lips. He was bent low over the steel of the counter and was scribbling furiously. He momentarily pulled his arm away so Link could peer at the paper.

"Hey, that's looking good, Brainless."

"Really? Do you think she'll like it?" The blob's pupil twinkled with delight.

"Absolutely."

"Great! Now I just need to add Derek-"

"No, Bob!" Link reached to snatch the crayon from his hand.

"Good morning, gentlemen." The doctor said cooly, parking the palette truck.

"Mornin' Doc," The other two said in unison. Link had his arm extended desperately to keep the crayon out of reach, and was holding the blob at bay with a digited foot. Bob snaked his own arm out and plucked the Crayola back. He continued to draw, and it appeared he had forgotten about Derek. Close call. Link gave the big box a suspicious look.

"Shouldn't we wait til after cake to give gifts?" The ape took another swig of coffee.

"That is tradition, but, I have a feeling she's going to want to use this thing all day." He leaned triumphantly on the cardboard. Link gave a chuckle. "What?"

"It's not a v-"

"Absolutely not! Don't be so crude!" The doctor righted himself and tugged at his lab coat in indignation. Luckily Bob didn't seem to hear. The Missing Link pounded the table and howled with laughter. Although, Doc considered, that may actually be a very good gift for Susan… He refused to let his mind wander further and seized himself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, boys!" Susan's voice sang sweetly as she entered the room.

"Hey birthday girl!" Link wiped a tear from his eye.

"Susan! Don't look yet!" Bob gathered up his materials and slithered away as fast as he could go, clutching the drawing to his chest.

"He's been working on it all morning." Link added.

"Good morning, my dear." The doctor called back, trying to look nonchalant as he stood by his gift.

"Doc, is that for me? Shouldn't we wait for cake?" Susan poured herself a cup of coffee from her large, wall mounted carafe.

"It is indeed, but I insist you open it now. It may be useful for the rest of the day." The cockroach clutched his lapel in pride, and made a conscious decision to ignore Link's snickering behind him.

"Well, if you insist," Susan leaned down and picked up the box before setting it on her table. Dr. Cockroach scurried up her leg and down her arm, and waited impatiently next to her mug. Link tugged at her pant leg and she let him up. Susan gingerly peeled the cardboard away, and found what appeared to be a metal watch, but instead of a face it had a smooth steel button. Susan's face lit up. "A bracelet?" She wouldn't exactly say it was her style, but it was the first piece of jewelry she'd received since her growth spurt. She laid it across her palm and admired its reflection.

"Not just any bracelet," The good doctor butted in, "But if you put it on and push that button, it will return you to human size." Drenched in his own pride, Doc continued to ramble on about how he had stayed up all night, all his research and methods, his months of trial and error. Susan didn't seem impressed. In fact, she seemed upset. She lowered the watch to the table and put her hands in her lap. Link looked on as her expression shifted. Susan did her best to crack a convincing smile as Cockroach continued gloating. Link gave him a slightly-too-hard backhand to the gut.

"Thanks, Doc." Susan said, extending a hand. Link stepped up onto it and his friend followed. She descended the pair to the ground and then stood. The scientist finally noted her transition. "I'm gonna, uh, go change, I think." Ginormica turned and headed back toward her room, disappearing behind the sliding door.

"Good going, ya quack." Link folded his arms on his chest. A few flustered syllables fell from Dr. Cockroach's mouth.

"Ok! It's finished!" Bob raced back into the room with a folded piece of paper held high above his head. He stopped, and his eye made a loop around his head, searching the room. "Susan? Where'd she go?"

"Y'know doc, you go too far sometimes. Suzie finally embraced her monster-ness! You spent so much time wondering if you could shrink her, and didn't think about what she wants." Doc was floored by Link's incredibly emotionally intelligent sentiment. The two of them had gotten off to a rough start, but had grown to be great friends as time went on. Link played a huge part in building Ginormica's self-confidence, and in teaching her to be a little more monstrous. He was right, it was obvious Susan no longer wanted to be human. She was happy with life she had. The good doctor indeed had gone too far.

Susan laid back in her bed, feeling especially defeated. It seemed like all anybody wanted from her was to shrink back. Reporters bombarded her with the questions, "Would you go back if you had the chance?" "Is there a cure for your condition?" "Would you shrink for the right guy?" She had saved the world and finally started living life for herself, and now she was feeling pressured to go back. To undo all of it. To throw her weight around when it was convenient or cool for an audience, and then reserve herself to submission and normalcy. Not to mention, had Doc even listened to her at all since they saved the world? Had he ignored all her emotional growth, all the pride she cultivated for herself? It was something she would have expected from her ex-fiance, not her best friend. Speak of the devil, there came a timid knock at her door.

"Yeah?" Susan answered, sounding colder than usual.

"It's me, Susan. May I speak with you?" The giant rolled her eyes.

"Yeah." Dr. Cockroach felt the vibrations as his friend stood and approached the door. She let it slide up all the way, revealing her full height. Susan usually crouched to address her friends, but not this time. She really was a sweetheart, but boy, she could be intimidating. The doctor gulped and entered, Susan sealing the door behind him.

A muffled "Oooooh, Doc's in trouble…" could be heard from the other side. A wet smack and a shameful scold followed.

Susan sat on her bed and Dr. Cockroach scurried up its post to sit next to her. He expected her to scorn him, but she said nothing. He cleared his throat.

"Susan, I'm sorry. It's been made apparent that I got too carried away to consider that I may not have picked a good gift for you. I wanted so badly to prove to myself that I could do it, and didn't stop to think if you still wanted me to." Susan's Icy eyes bored into him.

"Doc, I just-" She paused and sighed. "How could you think I'd want to go back? You hear me talk all the time about how happy I am now. Frankly, I feel very ignored."

"I'm sorry my dear, I never meant to insinuate that you should go back, I just thought maybe you could use it to go out with your friends, or visit your parent's house, that sort of thing. I never for a second wanted you to 'go back'." The doctor averted his gaze, and so did Susan.

"I never thought about that." She admitted. The two sat in silence for a minute as she contemplated.

"There's also a large chance it might not work." The doctor added, "If the quantonium has bonded to your DNA, there's no way to remove or neutralize it, even temporarily."

"I don't think I want to know. And, as thoughtful as it is, I don't think I'd want to shrink back, even for a night. Just- Having the option feels weird."

"I understand." They both let silence envelop them again.

"In that case, I'd like to offer you a second birthday gift." Cockroach pulled a cellphone from his pocket and hastily tapped out a message. Susan cocked an eyebrow at him. "Come, my dear." He scurried down the bed post and waited for Susan to meet him at her door. She followed closely and lifted the hatch again, to see an out-of-breath Link had drug the huge watch over. Ginormica shot another confused glance at the doctor. He turned to face her and said, "Smash it."

Link's eyes went wide with panic and loped out of the way. Without a word, Susan raised her foot and stomped down hard. Sparks flew from under her sneakers, and the faint aroma of burnt rubber wafted in the downdraft. She removed her foot to expose the flattened and mangled mess. Truly it could no longer be called a watch. Susan was beaming, and the doctor found it to be contagious. All was right once again.

"Susan! There you are! Come look at the card I drew you!" Bob was yelling at the top of his lungs from the other side of the yard.

"Alright, I'm coming!" She called back, taking a few giant strides over to the blob.

"Nice going, ya quack." Link retorted, as the two headed back toward the table.

"Why thank you, my finned friend." Link clapped the frail man on the back, knocking him off balance.

"Let's get this birthday done right."