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You’re a grand old flag
You’re a high-flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave
You’re the emblem of
The land I love
The home of the free and the brave
Ev’ry heart beats true
Under red, white and blue
Where there’s never a boast or brag
But should old acquaintance be forgot
Keep your eye on the grand old flag

If you are looking for the main Birthday story, Longer (based on the song by Dan Fogelberg, please go here.

“So,  your birthday is Flag Day, huh?”

Spock heard the flirtatious tone in his mate’s voice even from his position by the door of the drinking establishment. He’d come looking for Jim.

Jim sat on a bar stool at the bar, next to a pretty blonde woman with a rather extravagant hairdo piled atop her head.

“Flag Day?”

“Oh. Well. An old Earth thing. Many years ago, centuries really, Iowa was part of the United States of America,” Jim said, cheerfully. “They had a holiday back then on this day.”

“Ohhh.” The blonde was leaning toward him, smiling brightly.

Spock sighed and approached.

Jim glanced at Spock, his smile not dimming even a little. “Hello there, Mister Spock. This here is…what did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t,” she replied, coyly.

“Birthday Flag Girl then. It’s her birthday. I bought her a drink.”

“I see that. Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“This is my esteemed second officer.”

“First.”

Jim nodded.  “And also a big pain in the a—”

“I am also the captain’s husband,” Spock interrupted coolly.

The blonde’s mouth pulled into an “O” shape.

“That too,” Jim acknowledged with a wave that nearly knocked him off the stool. Spock steadied him.

“And if you will excuse us, ma’am, I will be extracting him from this current situation.”

She shrugs a little and smiles, rather apologetically. “Can’t blame a girl, can you?”

Spock nods. “I cannot. But I assure you that he’s twice the big pain in the ass as he was about to say I was.”

She laughed at that. She really was attractive. But she could not have Jim. No one could but Spock. He was Spock’s “problem” to deal with.

Spock helped Jim to slide himself off the stool and he held onto Spock with a firm but trembling grip. The blonde woman excused herself then.

“Happy birthday, Flag Girl” Jim yelled after her.

Spock turned Jim toward the exit door but Jim wasn’t moving.

“You still mad at me?” Jim asked, gazing at Spock from beneath his lashes. Unfortunately for Spock he was adorable and sexy and Spock could not resist him.

“I am not. But you did over indulge. Come. It’s time to return to your farmhouse.”

“Not mine,” Jim mumbled. But this time he allowed Spock to take him to the door and outside. “I hate Riverside.”

“I know, ashayam. We leave tomorrow.”

Jim smiled. “Yeah. Love you.”

Spock returns the smile and the sentiment.