Episode Three: Silent Majority
Osgood's holographic device has been destroyed but it's okay, she can always rebuild another. On the other hand, it's a powerful tool in the wrong hands if temptation calls….
Osgood sat hunched over something at her workbench, her lab coat open and billowing at her knees underneath the table. There was a small pile of metal in front of her, along with some electronic wires and other odds and sods. She shuffled some papers that were also lying beside her on the bench, schematics of the device that the jigsaw puzzle of pieces used to be. She then sat deep in thought, the left side of her face balanced in the palm of her hand as she stared off into the middle distance. She hadn't heard the soft knocking behind her so the person appeared at her shoulder in order to capture her attention instead.
"Is that the holographic projection?" Osgood jumped and put her hand over her heart to emphasise her surprise.
"Ooh Kate!" Given the current circumstances it could have been much worse, a rather more otherworldly visitor in her lab. Unfortunately, the presence of her boss was of little comfort at this precise moment in time.
"Sorry, you were miles away." Kate looked at the younger woman curiously for a moment before she looked back at the 'junk' lying on the workbench. "Are you trying to fix it?" It had been a rather handy device, not unlike the Doctor's psychic paper, of which Kate had a direct line to, but had told nobody about.
"No, I've decided that I don't think I will." Osgood had a whole back catalogue of inventions to her name, some that had been successful and subsequently rolled out across the Taskforce and others dismantled, never to see the light of day again.
"Oh, why?" Kate was intrigued, Osgood never gave up one of her inventions easily, she understood just how much time and effort went into researching, creating and refining them.
"It served its usefulness in this instance. Plus, it was far too tempting to use it for my own purposes." That didn't sound like the Osgood Kate knew and it raised her concerns slightly.
"Such as?" Osgood shook her head in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing pink as she did so. "Go on, I'm sure if you were thinking it then we could probably all relate." Which was usually quite true, just not on this occasion.
"No, really… I'd rather not." The embarrassment threatened to overwhelm her and Osgood found herself wishing that Kate would just leave her alone for once.
"Are you alright Osgood?" Kate pulled out the chair next to her and sat down on it. The lab stools were made from metal with worn wooden seats and panels at the back. It was quite rickety and made such a clattering sound before kate had settled herself on it properly. The outright care and concern from Kate had made Osgood feel guilty and she decided that she'd have to tell her the truth, at least some of it anyway.
"I just… well… I thought I could perhaps make someone fall in love with me." She felt pathetic for thinking it, let alone saying it out loud. She wondered if it made her look a bit sad and desperate.
"Ah, I see. A specific someone or in general?" If Kate was shocked she didn't show it in her expression or voice.
"Specific." Kate reached out across the bench and placed a gentle hand across her forearm in a supportive gesture.
"Osgood, you know it doesn't work like that. And no device, not even one with the power of suggestion, can force it to happen." Not to mention the questionable ethics involved. The way they'd manipulated Josh and other people with the device had already been unfortunate enough, although very necessary indeed.
"I know, I do. It's just… well it was tempting anyway." Osgood knew that Kate was surreptitiously saying that she'd expected better from her, Osgood certainly did of herself, but at least she'd stopped at thought and not deed.
"I can see why you would be tempted... " Kate knocked her shoulder against Osgood's "...but I've seen the way that Josh looks at you, so I don't think you've got anything to worry about there." She gave the brunette a sort of half grin that was frankly disconcerting.
"It's not Josh. Despite what people might think, we really are just friends." Osgood shook her head and wondered why everyone seemed to think that they were an item, or at least on their way to becoming something more.
"Oh, well… you might want to make sure he knows that." Osgood felt the sting of tears in her eyes and looked back down at her workbench. There was a feeling of a lost opportunity, a passing moment, that settled uncomfortably over her. She really hadn't wanted to have this conversation at all, let alone with Kate. She knew that the older woman would never feel the same way about her, why on earth would she?
Kate stood up from her chair to leave, the sound of it scraping on the floor resounded painfully in Osgood's ears as she did so, and a placed a firm hand on her friend's shoulder. That seemed to make it worse somehow and a couple of tears slipped from Osgood's eyes, splashing onto the papers on the bench. Kate caught it out of the corner of her eye as she turned to leave and it stopped her in her tracks.
"Osgood?" The younger woman shook her head and kept her eyes down on the bench in front of her. Kate crouched down beside her and cupped her cheek with the palm of her hand. She gently lifted Osgood's face so that their eyes could meet. The moment they did, it all fell into place. "Oh…" Kate brushed her thumb over Osgood's cheek and wiped away the tear that was beginning to fall.
"I… I'm sorry. I have tried not to…" Kate shook her head and smiled kindly. She knew better than anyone that you couldn't always help how you feel.
"I rather think that the hologram would have been useless if you had have used it on me." Osgood had known that deep down but Kate needn't be deliberately cruel about it, it just made her feel more embarrassed than she already was. "...because you can't influence what's already there." She'd said it softly, almost as though she'd been afraid to say the words out loud. Osgood glanced up at Kate then, her eyes wide and glistening with her tears.
"What?" She croaked, her tears choking her throat and her shock rendering her almost speechless. Kate pressed a kiss to Osgood's forehead and then rested her own against it so they could speak intimately.
"I have feelings for you too Osgood. But, as much as I really want to talk about this, we're in the middle of an alien incursion and at a distinct disadvantage. We need to be clear headed and prepared for anything." Osgood nodded her head in agreement, it was a fair point after all. "However…" Kate smiled shyly then and looked carefully at the younger woman. "...I'd really like to kiss you now." Osgood beamed brightly and found Kate leaning in before she could hyperventilate and ruin the moment. Their lips met and a feeling of contentment settled over them both. Osgood found the confidence to press forward and wrapped her arms around Kate to pull her closer. They kissed for a few moments before it wound down of its own accord.
"Umm… wow. That was… wow." Osgood blushed and Kate reached out to tuck her long fringe back behind her ear.
"Yeah, it was." Feeling like teenagers in the first flush of love and realising that there wasn't actually much difference, they both then giggled. "I really need to get back upstairs."
"I know, I understand." Osgood chanced another quick but firm kiss to Kate's lips and Kate really had to fight to keep in control of herself.
"We will talk about this… us... after, when this is all over. I promise." It took a few false starts before they could finally bear to be parted from each other. Kate left the laboratory and Osgood behind to resume her duties as Head of UNIT. There was a silent battle going on, right under their noses and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. After all, she now had more incentive than ever to do so.