A/N: Uploaded to AO3 for Kate Stewart Appreciation Week in November, I had this idea, then my muse bombarded me with questions and headcanons about this OC, how she and Kate met, and basically everything else about their life.

Kate blinked through the sleep in her eyes, frowning as she realised it was still dark. It took her a few moments to identify what had woken her at – she groaned as she saw the clock – 5:37am on a Sunday. Her bloody phone. The ringing was incessant. Clare shifted slightly and wrapped her arm around Kate's waist, half asleep and probably subconsciously trying to prevent her from answering the phone.

She reached over, if only to stop the horrendous noise, and sighed. Colonel Shindi would only be disturbing her if it was really important. She wanted to open the conversation with something witty or sarcastic but her brain was struggling to catch up so she settled with a gruff "Hello".

"Good morning ma'am. I'm sorry to disturb you but we've got a bit of a situation."

"What's happened?" She was more alert now, sitting upright in bed. The movement woke Clare properly and Kate absentmindedly stroked her hair.

"It'll be easier to explain on the way, ma'am. We're waiting outside now."

She slipped out of bed and peeked through the blinds. Sure enough, a sleek black UNIT vehicle was sat in the road. It looked odd, out of place in the suburban environment. If it weren't so early her inquisitive neighbours would definitely be piqued, twitching curtains. It showed the disjoint in her life; she loved her job but at home after a long day, week, month, she revelled in the separation. It was all so normal. No aliens, no Doctor, no saving the world.

"Well you'll have to wait a bit longer, Colonel," she yawned dramatically, stretching as she did so. "I haven't had any caffeine yet."

"Don't worry, ma'am. Miss Osgood has already sorted that," she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Fine, give me five minutes." She hung up the phone and turned around. Clare was sitting up, properly awake now with a knowing smile, sad but proud. She knew what was coming.

They'd made a pact, as soon as Kate had realised she was serious about Clare and explained exactly what her job entailed, that they wouldn't stand in each other's way with work. She didn't apologise for having to work, and there would be no long declarations of 'I wish it didn't have to happen'. Work was important, for both of them, and their jobs demanded a lot of time.

"I guess you'll have to find something else to amuse yourself with now," she smirked, lightening the mood. They had planned a lazy Sunday, lie in, walking through the woods with their black Labrador, Raven, and lunch in a cosy pub. It wasn't the first time they'd cancelled plans last minute, but Kate still felt disappointed. She'd been looking forward to the downtime. Still, aliens didn't understand the concept of having a weekend off, so neither could she.

Clare shrugged as she crossed the room to stroke Kate's cheek lightly and kiss her deeply. "I'm sure I'll manage," she said, her voice still husky with sleep.

It was hard sometimes, leaving this. Leaving her. There were times when Kate wondered if it would be the last time they saw each other. It went unspoken, but she knew Clare was thinking it too. She tried not to worry about it and make the most of every moment they had together. She'd always made it back so far and she wasn't going to let it change now.

Colonel Shindi put the phone down and nudged Josh, who was beginning to drift off in the comfort of the large leather seats.

"Look lively, Carter, Ms Stewart won't want you napping."

Josh glanced out of the window.

"Nice house," he mused. "A lot better than my pokey flat."

"Well she is the boss, on a much bigger salary than you," he took the opportunity to remind Josh of his standing and try and instil some respect in the young Captain.

It went unnoticed by Josh as he peered out again, examining in more detail. "Surely not that much bigger that she can afford two fancy cars? Seems a bit of a waste as she's at work most of the time," he admired the cars for a few moments. His facial expression changed to one of revelation, it was almost possible to see the lightbulb popping up over his head. "Hang on, does she live with someone?"

Osgood rolled her eyes.

"Brilliant deduction skills there, Josh," she sipped her coffee and chuckled at the astounded look on his face.

"But…She's never…I assumed…She doesn't talk about a husband. I thought she was divorced?"

The Colonel looked at him sternly.

"Why would Ms Stewart talk about her personal life with you?" Josh glanced down, only put off for a moment until his natural curiosity got the better of him.

"Have either of you ever met him? I wonder what he's like. Maybe army? No, I can't imagine Kate being an army wife. Not someone expecting her to be your typical stay at home wife, she wouldn't stand for that. Maybe they met at her bridge club…although that would mean he's probably about eighty…" He trailed off as Osgood and Colonel Shindi shared a brief smile, unseen by Josh. "Actually, it's quite hard to imagine her with anyone else, or having a life outside of work. She is UNIT. Oooh, maybe he's a spy and they both have secret lives…Are we allowed to tell people what we do? Do they have to be vetted –"

"Captain Carter if you don't stop speaking I'm not going to be responsible for my actions." Colonel Shindi interrupted, about to discipline him on respect and manners but he was cut short by the door to the house opening.

Josh opened his mouth to say something in retort but the words got lost between his brain and tongue as he took in the scene before him. There was Kate, stood in the doorway with a brunette woman, similar age and height, her shoulder length hair slightly ruffled as if she'd just got out of bed. Well, she had just got out of bed, he supposed. The woman was adjusting Kate's scarf and smoothing the lapels on her thick woollen coat with brass buttons as Kate leaned in to kiss her. It was chaste but lingering, as if she was aware people were watching.

Osgood smiled, it was a side to Kate they rarely saw, softer and not at all like she was about to help negotiate peace for planet Earth. She had met Clare once before, knew that Kate rarely talked about her at work. It wasn't that she was embarrassed, Osgood thought, it was that Kate didn't like to remind herself of what could happen, who she could leave behind if anything went wrong.

"I love you," Kate murmured against Clare's lips.

"I love you too, stay safe. And try not to make the human race any more enemies than we already have." They both chuckled and brushed their lips together once more. Kate straightened her shoulders, assuming her UNIT persona, and Clare smiled, shutting the door and most likely going back to bed.

Kate pulled her coat together, shielding herself from the pre-dawn chill, hurried to the car and climbed in. She gratefully accepted the takeaway cup from Osgood and savoured the first mouthful before she spoke.

"Blimey, everyone's here, I do feel honoured."

"Good morning, ma'am," the Colonel and Osgood chorused.

She nodded her acknowledgment and turned to Josh in the seat next to her.

"Not a morning person, Captain Carter?" She joked but he merely stared at her. The car started to move off and she looked at Colonel Shindi questioningly.

"Impressive, Colonel, have you found an off switch for him?" The caffeine was slowly clearing the fog of having been woken so early.

"I rather think you found it ma'am," he said drily, giving Josh another stern glare. He came to his senses and rearranged his face to a more neutral expression.

"Morning, ma'am. Sorry, I didn't realise, um, just surprised, I didn't think you were a…well, not that anyone looks like they are…but um, I hadn't realised you were with a…someone," he finished abruptly as Kate chuckled and Colonel Shindi put his head in his hands, despairing.

"Well, I do have a life outside of work, as do you I'm sure." She said kindly, she didn't want to reprimand him, he was embarrassed enough as it was. She lowered her voice slightly. "And just so you know, I don't do labels." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, her lips twitching into a smirk.

"Sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to be rude." Josh apologised meekly. Well, as meekly as he could manage.

"The only thing you," she looked around at her team, "in fact, all of you, need to apologise for is turning up at my house at this ungodly hour, and stopping me from having an enormous roast dinner later today."

She smiled, she would be happy to talk about Clare, she wasn't a secret but Kate was aware that there was a more pressing matter than that of her love life.

"Care to fill me in?" she queried. The twenty questions could wait.