Summary: Another installment of the series of holiday fics starting with "The Happiest New Year." America's Independence Day is the same day as Linka's birthday...what fun stuff does Wheeler have planned?

Disclaimer: The Planeteers are not mine, don't sue. The places described are real, but I'm not getting paid to endorse them. I just enjoy them. I also do not own the Pittsburgh Penguins...but I do own season tickets. Don't sue me Mario or else I won't be able to afford the tickets!

A/N: I wanted to do a 4th of July themed fic, but had no idea how to make it relevant to Linka or those of you who don't care about it. So I took the liberty of making it Linka's birthday as well. Then all of a sudden, ideas started rolling. When I started researching places that could be of interest to Linka, the Pittsburgh Aviary came up.

I woke up when I got the feeling I was being watched. Sure enough, when I opened my eyes, Linka is leaning over me, just inches from my face.

I stretch, yawn, and say "G'mornin' beautiful," as I slide my hands down her back, to her waist.

"It stopped being 'mornin' AN HOUR AGO!" she snipes.

"Nag nag," I joke. "Gimme a break. I was up late."

"Playing video games with Kwame and Ma-Ti," she argues.

"Yeah, we were having a tournament. Couldn't go to bed if I kept winning!"

"And I couldn't go to bed because I kept waiting…and then when I FINALLY did fall asleep, THAT'S when you finally come strolling in, stomping around like a…Clydesdale…waking me up at 4 in the morning. It was bad enough you kept saying 'I have a surprise for you tomorrow,' and so I get excited, can not sleep because of the anticipation, wake up early…AND YOU SLEEP ALL DAY!"

"Sorry," I say.

"'Sorry,' that is all you have to say?"

"Uhh, Happy Independence Day?"

"Wha…? I will show you independence. If it is freedom you want, then fine! Do not let me hold you back."

"No, Independence Day, the 4th of July…America's birthday…your birthday."

She raises an eyebrow at me.

"What?" I ask innocently. "Did you think I forgot?"

"Nyet…I think you just now remembered!"

"Not true. If I had just now remembered, I wouldn't have been able to plan what I have planned. Remember, I said I had a big surprise for you."

"You do have good plans, I will admit. So what is this big surprise?"

"You'll see. Let's get lunch."

"Yankee, this better be good. You have spent half of my birthday asleep."

"I'll more than make up for it…have I ever disappointed you before?"

She's about to answer, no doubt something sarcastic, but I cut her off.

"Don't answer that! So how's it feel to be 22?"

"Same as it does to be 21. So how should I dress?" she asks.

"Casual…maybe something red, white, and blue, for the holiday!"

"I would not call my birthday a holiday...but if you insist..."

"I meant the 4th."

"Umm, I do not think I have anything…wait, I have a Russia Olympic Team t-shirt. It is red, white, and blue. How about that?" she teases.

"How about no!"

"I have a Yankees t-shirt. Will that work?"

"It's better than nothing…well, actually nothing would be nice too!" I joke.

"Pig!" she says as she pokes me in the chest with her finger.

During lunch, the others join us to give Linka gifts, sing "Happy Birthday," and have cake. After lunch, we board the Geo Cruiser and head to our destination.

"Those buildings, that city…that is not New York. Where are we?" she asks.

"Pittsburgh."

"Pittsburgh? Why Pittsburgh?"

"Because of this," I say as we land.

"What is this? A zoo?"

"Kinda. It's a zoo for birds. This is the National Aviary."

Her eyes grew wide with excitement.

"REALLY?! Oh Wheeler! You really did put alot of thought into this!"

"Of course. I know how much you love birds, and this is THE place for birds. Where else can you find over 600 birds from around the world in one place? I know this isn't the same as traveling all over the world to see them in their natural habitats, but we don't really have time for that. Plus there's some endangered ones here too. Do you like it?"

"I LOVE it! This is one of the best birthday presents I have ever gotten. Thank you," she says as she gives me a hug and a quick kiss.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. I figured clothes go out of style, jewelry gets lost or broken, but a memory is something you will always have."

"I will remember this for the rest of my life. I wish we had a camera. I am sure there are many birds here that I have not photographed," she says.

"You want it, you got it Babe," I say as I pull a camera out of my pocket. "I kinda had a feeling you'd be wanting this."

"You really did think of everything! Now let us go inside! I cannot wait!"

"Then let's go!" I say as I take her hand and lead her through the entrance.

We walk around the park and to the different exhibits. We hardly ever get a chance to hang out together in public and do "couple-y" things. I can put my arm around her and she puts hers around me. We hold hands, joke, and laugh. I wrap my arms around her and hold her against me when standing behind her in line. This position is perfect for me to rest my chin on her shoulder, nuzzle her ear, whisper things to her, kiss her cheek…all the things that never seem appropriate on missions or while just hanging out on the island.

This is our first time out since Valentine's Day. For the first time in a long time, we are away from everything and everyone. No teasing, no giggling and pointing when we show affection…now, we're just a couple of young lovebirds, walking around looking at real birds. No different than any of the other couples here…well, maybe a little different. The other couples are either super old or parents with young kids. And we haven't completely escaped attention, a few times, I've caught the older couples looking at us and smiling. Then there's the little kids who stare and laugh or say "eww, gross!" when they see us kissing.

"Hey Babe, look at this. It says here that 'In the 1980s, the Aviary began evolving its focus toward wildlife conservation through captive breeding of rare and endangered birds. When municipal budgetary cuts threatened to close the institution in 1991, a group of concerned citizens formed Save the Aviary, Inc., a private nonprofit corporation. The Aviary was privatized in 1992 and a year later, by declaration of the U.S. Congress, the Pittsburgh Aviary was designated honorary national status and renamed the National Aviary in Pittsburgh.' Looks like I picked a 'Planeteer approved' birthday present!"

"It is perfect in every way," she says as she gives me a quick kiss.

We walk around to different exhibits, visiting with endangered birds from all over the world. Linka was particularly interested in the birds from Europe and Asia. There was one certain thing that I was sure she would find interesting. She caught me checking my watch several times and called me on it,

"Is there somewhere you have to be?" she asks.

"There's something I want you to see. It starts in 10 minutes."

We arrive at FlightZone a few minutes later. It's an outdoor, free flight, bird show that offers up-close encounters with rare and endangered birds from around the world. I'm not too thrilled with the prospect of birds with big talons like Eagles, Owls, and Hawks, or birds with big beaks like Macaws flying just inches above my head, but Linka can hardly contain her excitement.

"Isn't this exciting?!" she asks as she hooks her arm with mine.

"If by exciting, you mean scary…then yes."

"Aww Yankee, are you scared?"

"Yeah, scared of getting pooped on! I didn't bring an extra shirt!"

She laughs.

"You think that'd be funny?" I ask.

"I think seeing that would be the best birthday present ever…the 'icing on the cake' I think the expression goes."

"Oh my God…alert the media. I think Linka just made a joke…and a poop joke at that!"

She bumps her shoulder against mine. I give her a bump back and say,

"By the way, you're getting better at your English expressions…even if you are using them at my expense!"

"Thank you, I think."

The conversation ends there as the show starts.

It was much cooler than I thought. I think I was just as entertained as Linka. It's something I'll never forget. How often do you get the opportunity to witness the amazing sight of owls, vultures and macaws flying just inches overhead, just as they would in their native habitat. Audience members seated on the lawn are treated to flybys from a colorful flock of macaws and amazing birds of prey, including a massive Eurasian eagle owl, and a hooded vulture. We were also taught about efforts to protect wild bird species and their habitats, and with the help of a blue-fronted Amazon parrot, were able to contribute to bird conservation programs when he came around collecting donations with his handler. My favorite part was the African penguins.

When we were leaving the show, I said to Linka,

"Do you think Kwame knows they have penguins in Africa?!"

"Probably."

"Did you know?!"

"Da. They are also in South America if you want to ask Ma-Ti about them too."

"No way! I thought Penguins were cold weather birds," I say.

"There are different kinds. And they are close to the southern tip of South America. So it seems like you enjoyed the show, learned some things…and you did not get any 'souvenirs!'" she jokes.

"Yeah…but you got a little something right there." I point at her chest and when she looks down, I lift my finger up and tap her nose. "Oh man, I can't believe you fell for that one!" I say as I put my arm around her waist and pull her to my side.

"So you also had a good time? I know you did this for me, but I want you to enjoy yourself as well," she says.

"If you're happy, I'm happy Babe. I probably would have liked going to Sea World better, but I guess I'm dating the wrong Planeteer for that!" I tease.

"Hey, no one is forcing you to stay with me," she teases back.

"Yeah I know, but I couldn't live with the guilt of knowing I broke your heart," I continue.

Our banter is interrupted by a crying child calling for his mommy.

"Wheeler, that little boy has lost his parents. Can you believe no one is stopping to help him?!"

I walk over to the little boy and kneel down next to him,

"Hey buddy, did you get separated from your mommy and daddy?" I ask.

He nods his head and sniffles.

"Well, I'm sure as soon as they realize that you're not with them, they'll come back here looking for you. So we'll just stay right here for a while so we don't miss them when they come back, ok?"

Once again, he nods and tries to put on a strong face, but his quivering lip reveals how scared he really is.

"My name is Wheeler and this is Linka."

"And what is your name?" she asks.

"Jordan."

"How old are you Jordan?" I ask.

"Six."

"Did you just come out of the FlightZone show?" Linka asks.

"Yes."

"What was your favorite part?" I inquire.

"THE PENGUINS!" he says excitedly.

"ME TOO!" I reply. "How cool would it be to have one of those for a pet?"

"I have a pet dog."

"What is his name?"

"Mario."

"Like the video game character?" I ask.

"No, the hockey player! Do you like the Penguins?"

"Uhh, I'm from New York, so I'm a Ranger's fan."

"Oh. That's ok I guess."

Linka laughs.

"Jordan! There you are!"

"Mommy!"

"How many times have we told you, you can't stop to look at things in a big crowd. You're going to have to start holding mommy or daddy's hand. We were so scared."

"I don't wanna hold your hand. I'm a big boy!"

"You know what Jordan, Linka has been holding my hand all day too."

"I have too. If I did not, he would get lost from stopping to look at everything, just like you did!" she jokes.

"Oh."

"So you see," I say as I take Linka's hand, "holding hands is cool. You should try it."

"OK!" Jordan says as he takes his mom's hand.

"Thank you for staying with him," his mother says.

"No problem. He was very brave once we told him we'd wait with him until you realized he was gone and came back looking for him."

"Tell your new friends thank you and goodbye, Jordan," his dad says.

"Bye Wheeler. Bye Linka. Thanks."

"You're welcome," we say in unison as we wave goodbye.

"You were very good with that little boy," Linka says. "I think you will make a good father."

"Someday many many years from now I hope!"

"Surprise?!" she says timidly.

"WHAT?!" I exclaim, maybe a little too loudly.

"I am KIDDING!" Linka says, laughing hysterically. "Bozhe moy Yankee, you should have seen your face! You turned white as a ghost and looked like you were going to faint!"

"I think I was going to. That or puke!"

"Gee, thanks alot!"

"No, it's not that, it's not about you!" I say, backtracking and trying to pry the foot outta my mouth. "I'd love nothing more than to populate this world of ours with beautiful little Linka and Wheelers with you…but not anytime soon." I say as I slide my arm around her waist, pull her against me, and kiss her.

"Nice save."

"Thanks. Have you seen everything you want to see, the aviary closes in an hour."

"Da. I think we have been to all the exhibits. Back to Hope Island now?"

"Are you kidding?! Babe, this is ME we're talking about. This is just the start!"

She slings her arms around my hips in a semi hug.

"Well, I did not want to assume that there was more. What you have done is more than enough."

"It gets better, just you wait!"

When we get back to the Geo Cruiser, I hop in the pilot seat and we're on our way. It only takes a few minutes to get to our next destination. I land the Geo Cruiser in a big parking lot in a place called Station Square.

"Ready for a nice dinner in a fancy restaurant?" I ask.

"Nyet! You told me to dress casual. I cannot go into a fancy restaurant dressed like this."

"I know. Check out the backseat."

"What have you…? Wheeler!" she shouts happily. "It is beautiful!"

She's referring to the red sundress that's waiting for her.

"Nah, right now it's just nice. It won't be beautiful until YOU put it on."

"That is sweet of you…but I am getting a little concerned. You have excellent taste in dresses…first the one you gave me for Valentine's Day, now this…is there something I should know?" she teases.

"Are you questioning my manhood, because I'll gladly prove it to you," I say as I pull her against me and back her against the wall while kissing her. "And for what it's worth, Gi picked out the dress. All I told her was make sure it was red."

"Why red?"

"Because I knew it would look awesome against your snow white skin and bring out your blue eyes…red white and blue. Get it?"

"For Russia right?"

"Uh, sure. Just remember, WE were red white and blue first. You copied."

"Oh, is that so?" she laughs.

"Yep. America, France, the UK, Australia, all red white and blue…so Russia was like "da, that's good company…let's copy.' I mean, they coulda went with purple, orange, and green." I tease.

"That is ugly! Wait, why are we even arguing about this?"

"Just for the sake of arguing."

"We really do argue alot, have you noticed?!" she asks.

"That's because the making up is so fun!" I whisper close to her lips, staying just millimeters away. I tease her a little longer by getting close, but moving slightly away every time she tries to close the short distance between our lips. I finally let our lips touch, but pull away quickly right when she responds. "C'mon, we gotta go. Our reservation is in a half hour, and we still gotta change."

We take turns changing in the Geo Cruiser's small lavatory. When Linka comes out, she looks even better in the dress than I'd imagined.

"Wow, lookin' good Babe. Good job Gi. Remind me to thank her!" I say.

Gi is one step ahead of the program and thought enough to pack a make up bag for Linka so she could freshen up her subtle make up. Believe me, I've seen her with and without the make up, and there's not much difference. She's got that natural beauty that all girls want, but few have, but she's very modest about it. It's just another one of the many things that I love about her.

When I finish dressing and exit the lavatory, Linka walks up to me and adjusts my tie.

"You look handsome Yankee."

"Thanks. Shall we?" I ask as I offer her my arm and help her climb out of the Geo Cruiser.

"Thank you sir. So where is this restaurant?"

"Up there," I say pointing up the side of Mount Washington.

"How are we supposed to get up there?"

"Those things." I say as I direct her attention to the cable cars going up and down the side of the mountain. "It's called the Duquesne Incline. There's another one, but I have no idea how to pronounce it. It's how many of the people that live up there get into the city to shop, eat, or go to work, especially back in the olden days when the roads were twisty dirt roads that weren't easy to travel on. And you know when I make you watch sports with me?"

"Da."

"Well, anytime a Pittsburgh team is playing, and the cameras get a view of the city, it's from up there. I've seen the pictures from the observation deck when I was looking up stuff on the internet for things to do while we were here. It's a nice view."

The ride up the incline was cool. I've never been on anything like that before. Linka said it reminded her of something out of the mines that she grew up around, but they were used for hauling materials and workers, not tourists and residents living on the hillside. I informed her that that's exactly what these were made for way back in the day when they were mining coal in this area. Another one of the benefits of dating Linka is that when I plan all this stuff for her, I learn alot too and it makes me look smart. Gotta love the internet.

We arrive just in time for our reservation at the Georgetowne Inn. Our table is right next to the window, giving us an awesome, romantic view of the city. We spend the next few hours eating, having a few drinks, and talking. As the evening went on and the sun started to set, the lights in the city came on and the view got even nicer. The lights from the buildings were reflecting off the three rivers that surround the city. We get pictures and the waiter even offers to take our picture together…guess I gotta give him a good tip.

"Ready for phase three?" I ask Linka after handing the waiter my credit card.

"As long as it does not involve eating. I do not think I can fit anything else in my stomach."

"No eating necessary."

The waiter returns with my card and as soon as I sign for it, we leave.

We head outside to one of the observatories.

"Now I remember seeing this before. It is just like on TV!" Linka says while snapping more pictures.

"Told you! Better find a good spot and get comfortable. We're going to be here a while."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

"What are those boats down there for?"

"They're barges."

"But they are just parked. And do barges not usually have cargo on them?"

"Usually."

"Come on Yankee, tell me what you know."

"You'll see." I say again.

By now, night has fallen and more people have crowded onto the observation deck. Linka and I are upfront, right by the railing. In an effort to make space for more people, I stand behind Linka and wrap my arms around her. She lays her arms over mine. I place several kisses across her shoulders and up to her ear.

"Almost," I whisper.

"'Almost' what?" she asks.

"You'll see."

She turns in my arms so that her back is against the railing and she's now facing me.

"It is my birthday, so you have to listen to me and do what I say! Now tell me what we are here for!" She pleads.

I just smile down at her and silence her with a kiss as patriotic music starts to play.

Seconds later, fireworks start going off. I pull away from her and say,

"This is what we're here for," I say as I look to the sky.

"Fireworks. It is like New Years Eve."

"Yep. Our first real kiss, no near death desperation, no sad goodbyes; just you and me, champagne and fireworks, and that never ending kiss. The night this thing we got goin' all began. Now it's a lot warmer, a different city, same beautiful girl, same fireworks by Zambelli Internationale…only Pittsburgh is their hometown, so the fireworks display on the 4th is the best in the country which is why I chose to come here. And lucky for you, the National Aviary just so happens to be here. Couldn't have planned it any better," I say.

"But you did plan it. And it came together perfectly."

"I got lucky I guess."

"Nyet, I am the lucky one," she says as she wraps her arms around my neck, entangles her fingers in my hair, and pulls my head down towards her for a kiss.

The fireworks continue and Linka turns around to watch the show and I resume my position of holding her from behind. It's one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen. The rockets take off from the barges in the river that Linka asked me about earlier. When they explode in colorful sparks and cascade back down to earth, the lights and colors are reflected off the river and the glass windows of the city's skyscrapers. I'm having a hard time deciding whether to watch the fireworks, or Linka and the expression on her face. It's a peaceful expression, one that we don't get to use often in our line of work. When you see so much bad, it's easy to forget about the good, and how the simplest things in life can bring such joy.

She must've sensed my eyes upon her because she turns her head to look up at me and smile. I smile back and bend down to capture her lips. Screw the fireworks.

"Happy Birthday Babe."

"Thank you. This has been the best birthday ever; not because of the Aviary, not because of the lovely new dress and fancy dinner, and not because of the fireworks, but because I spent my day with you." She turns to face me, slides her arms around my waist, and lays her head on my chest.

I wrap my arms around her, placing my hands low on her back, and rest my chin on top of her head. We stay like that until the fireworks end, nearly an hour later.

Most of the people have left the observation deck. It's just the two of us and a few other couples. One of them hands us their camera and asks if we'd take their picture. We agree, and in return, they offer to take one of us with our camera.

"Ready to go?" I ask.

"Nyet. I do not want this night to end."

"Just because we gotta go back to Hope Island, doesn't mean the night has to end. You've still got one more present to unwrap…and it even has a fancy bow," I say as I wave my necktie in her face.

"Ooooh, I think I will really like this present…" She grabs the tie and yanks it. "Oops, I think I made the bow tighter."

"I think you did too," I croak as I try to loosen the tie. Linka reaches out to help and pushes my hands out of the way as she expertly undoes the knot.

"Better?" she asks.

"Much. I'll do anything for you, but I think if I had to choose between arm wrestling with Argos Bleak and wearing a tie, I'd take my chances with Bleak!"

"Well, you looked nice and I appreciate the gesture."

"Anytime. So…you got the bow off your present…wanna head home so you can unwrap the rest?" I ask suggestively.

"Da…but first," she takes both my hands in hers and looks up at me, "Happy Independence Day, my sweet Yankee." She stands up on her tiptoes to give me a tender kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too. 'S dnyom rozhdeniya!'"

"Very good. And yes, it has been a happy birthday. A very happy birthday, because of you. I cannot thank you enough."

"No need to thank me. I love doing these things for you…but just remember, I've got a birthday coming up in a few months," I say with a wink.

"I did not forget. As a matter of fact, I think you will like what I have planned."

"You've already been planning?! Gimme a hint!"

"Nyet! You kept all this from me without any hints, and that made it even more special. But I will promise you one thing."

"What's that?" I ask.

"You will not have to wear a tie."

"I'm likin' this birthday already!"

I take her hand and lead her down Grandview Avenue, which is a perfect name because the view up here certainly is "grand." We head for the incline so we can get back down the mountain and to the Geo Cruiser. It's been such a great day, I hate to see it end, but at the same time, I can't wait to get her home. This has been the best Independence Day EVER and it's only gonna get better!

The End

Happy 4th to my fellow Americans. Stay safe. Leave the fireworks to the professionals, and don't drink and drive! And for the rest of the world, Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!