A/N: I don't know where this came from... I honestly don't! It just kinda... fell... out of my mind! I suppose that's what a break from the constant manic Christmas time with my family does!

x

"Ma'am? Someone in your office to see you."

Kate frowned as the UNIT officer bobbed his head in greeting and disappeared back through the doorway. She glanced sideways at Colonel Shindi and signalled that she'd be alright. He sent her a look, before nodding and turning to walk briskly back the way they'd come.

Composing herself, Kate took a breath before pushing open her office door and looking at the figure who had seated themselves in the chair behind her desk. The blonde's mouth dropped open as a broad grin and a very familiar face greeted her, unable to quite believe just who was swinging gently in the huge leather chair.

"Hello, Mum."

"Emily!" An almost identical smile split the Chief Scientific Officer's face at the sight of her daughter. "What are you doing here?"

Pausing briefly to wrap her mother in a bone-crushing hug, the young woman leant back against her desk. "Reading week… I thought I'd come and visit."

"And you're always welcome, darling." Her mother assured her quickly. It was incredibly rare that the teenager chose to spend her time off from university visiting her mother, preferring to stay with her friends instead. "But perhaps this isn't the best place for us to catch up."

"Oooh!" The brunette winked at her mother. "Why? Have you got some gossip for me?"

"No, I just–"

"You do, don't you!" Emily laughed, grinning at her mother cheekily. "What's his name? Or her name? I shouldn't make assumptions."

Kate arched an eyebrow at her daughter. She was incredibly comfortable with her sexuality and had been for as long as Kate could remember. Emily had calmly announced at the age of fourteen, over Sunday lunch with her father's parents no less, that she was a lesbian and had a girlfriend called Charlotte. Kate had choked on her wine in amusement at the causal tone her daughter had used to make her declaration and had to force herself not to laugh at the horrified expressions on her in-laws faces. Her ex-husband hadn't been much calmer.

"Let's go and get some lunch." She suggested after checking the time on her watch. "I'm sure UNIT can survive without me for an hour or so."

As they were leaving the office, Osgood hurried forward to ask Kate a question. The blonde kept one eye on her daughter as she spoke to her assistant, narrowing her eyes at the subtle tilt of Emily's head and the way her eyes were trailing over the other scientist's body slowly. Her own eyes narrowed slightly as she recognised the interest sparking in the nineteen-year-old's eyes. Her irritation was heightened further as Emily smirked at Osgood and shot her a quick wink, turning on her heels and walking backwards for a few paces in order to continue looking at the other woman who was clearly thoroughly flustered by the attention.

"So, where have you been hiding her, Mother?" Emily asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"I haven't been hiding her anywhere, Em." Kate huffed, turning a warning eye on the young woman. "And don't you even think about it…"

"Why?" Her daughter pouted petulantly. "She's definitely interested in girls. I can always tell."

"Emily, no."

"No, I'm wrong and she's not into girls or no, I can't be interested in her."

Kate glanced at her and, if her daughter wasn't very much mistaken, she seemed as flustered as the scientist had done moments earlier with a noticeable pink tinge to her cheeks. "The latter. Although I'm sure the former… just… no, Emily. Leave Osgood alone."

"Osgood?" The teenager smirked.

"Stop it." Her mother warned seriously, pulling open the door of the small café not far from UNIT HQ and ushering her daughter inside.

A waiter appeared instantly, smiling widely at the blonde and treating her like an old friend. On hearing that her companion was, in fact, her daughter, the man gushed about how beautiful the teenager was and how she and her mother could have been twins. Both women laughed, brushing off his compliments and accepting the menus he handed them before sweeping away to fulfil their drinks orders.

"So? How's your father and… what's her name? Chloe?"

Emily snorted, glancing up from the menu briefly. "Chloe is long gone. The latest one is called Izzie. Dad has such shit taste in women it's almost funny… or it would be if it wasn't completely humiliating. You're well shot, Mum."

Kate winced at the irritation that had clouded both her daughter's expression and her tone. "What's this latest one like?"

"Six years older than me and trying to be my best mate."

"Really?"

"It's terrifying, seriously." Emily informed her honestly. "Also, every time I have to go over there, Dad launches into the same speech about how he doesn't understand why I changed my surname to Stewart, why I want to be my own person and why I don't want to be part of his ostensibly perfect little world. His favourite phrase is 'you're just like your mother', which is true. But it's still laughable… he just doesn't get it. He's living in some kind of dream world."

"He was really hurt when you changed your surname two weeks after I filed for divorce, Em."

"He really hurt you when he cheated."

"I'm fine." Kate promised, reaching over the table and squeezing her hand with a smile. "And he just wants you to be happy."

"I don't want to talk about him." Emily told her bluntly, shrugging. "I want to talk about you. Gordy said that you're working too hard and he thinks that you're lonely. I pointed out that he only lives a tube ride away and it wouldn't kill him to visit you more often, but he said something about being busy with his job."

"He comes over every Sunday for lunch, which–"

"Is more than I do, yes I know." The teenager rolled her eyes.

"I was actually going to say, which is lovely." Kate corrected her. "I know you're busy with university and your friends. I don't expect you to visit me every week. Although visits a little more often would be nice."

"So?" Emily steered the conversation back to her mother. "Are you lonely? Is that why you work so hard?"

The blonde shook her head. "Of course I'm not lonely. You know how demanding UNIT is."

"Or…" the teenager smirked, her eyes glinted mischievously, "I tried to discus the possibility that you might have a love interest with Gordy, but he looked like he was about to throw up. You know what he's like with the whole relationships and sex thing…"

"Yes… although I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with the idea of my children discussing my love life."

"Ah!" Emily grinned triumphantly. "I knew it! There is someone!"

"That's not what I said."

"But it's what you meant."

"Emily, I do not want to have this conversation with you." Kate informed her seriously.

"Why?" The teenager asked, genuinely interested in the answer. "Is it someone at work? Is it someone inappropriate? Would I not approve? Should I not approve?"

"Stop it."

Her daughter shook her head. "Not a chance. It's someone from work, right?" She shrugged. "Of course it is; you don't meet anyone else. So it's someone from work… someone you don't want to tell me about, which means its someone you don't think people will approve of?"

"I think I'm a little old to worry about whether people will approve or not." Kate reasoned with a sigh.

They paused their conversation for a few moments while the waiter brought their food. The brief distraction allowed Emily time to consider what she knew. Kate groaned internally as a broad smile crept over her daughter's face and sudden realisation dawned in her eyes.

She held up a finger as the waiter hurried away, preventing the teenager from speaking. "No, Emily, conversation over. Tell me about your life. Are you still seeing Laura?"

"I know who it is. It's so obvious." She laughed delightedly. "It's Osgood, isn't it?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"It is! That's why you got all weird when I checked her out, because you fancy her. Oh, Mother," Emily pressed a hand to her chest dramatically, "you've finally seen the light. I'm so proud of you."

"Emily Fiona Stewart, stop this, now." Kate hissed. "This is totally inappropriate. Osgood is my assistant; my subordinate."

"So?"

"You have no idea how–"

"OK. Fine." Emily shrugged innocently, leaning back in her seat and smiling at her mother. "You're not interested so there's no reason I shouldn't ask her out."

"You can't!"

"Why?"

"Because… because you don't… it's inappropriate."

"I don't work for UNIT." The teenager pointed out. "It's not inappropriate. Unless you've got personal reasons against me asking her out?"

Kate shot her a furious look, but clenched her jaw and said nothing. They ate their lunch in near silence, the blonde brooding and her daughter smiling knowingly. The expression was making Kate more and more irritated and determined not to react. A large part of her was sure that Emily was just saying that she was going to ask Osgood out to wind her up and, as lunch continued, Kate convinced herself that nothing would come of it.

It was raining heavily when they left the café and Emily informed her mother that Gordy was going to pick her up from the Tower. Unwilling to let her daughter stand in the rain to wait, Kate reluctantly agreed to let her wait in her office. She kept a close eye on the teenager as they walked through the corridors, willing Osgood to remain hidden away in her lab and not tempt her daughter to stay true to her word.

Her luck appeared to be in until, after receiving a text from her brother, Emily was making her way back out of the base. Kate was watching from the doorway of her office and felt her heart clench in her chest as the scientist stepped out into the corridor, head in a report, and walked straight into the teenager.

Kate had no idea what was being said, but when both brunettes turned to look in her direction, she felt as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. Emily said something and Osgood whipped her head back to the younger woman hurriedly, blushing. Several words were exchanged and then the scientist dropped her file, while fumbling in her pocket for her inhaler.

Striding towards them quickly, Kate scowled at her daughter. "What on earth are you playing at, Emily? Osgood, are you alright?"

"Y– Yes, Ma'am…" She replied quickly, nodding vehemently. "Quite alright."

"Osgood was just agreeing to meet me for a drink tonight, weren't you?" Emily informed her mother smugly.

Looking incredibly flustered, Osgood blushed crimson. "I… I…"

"Just stop this, Emily." Kate hissed. "Leave Osgood out of your games. She's obviously not interested, in you or me or any woman, so stop it. "

"I'm sorry, Emily, but Kate's right, I– hang on?" The scientist turned to look at her superior with a light frown. "Or you?"

Kate's eyes widened dramatically and she pointedly avoided looking at her daughter, who she knew was grinning broadly. "I didn't… well… you know…"

"I know what?"

"She fancies you." Emily informed her bluntly. "She told me I wasn't allowed to ask you out, but obviously that meant I had to so that she'd do something about the ginormous crush she has on you."

"Kate?" Osgood looked torn between wanting to believe what she was hearing and fearing that she was being made fun of.

"I…"

"For God's sake, Mum, just tell her." The teenager sighed exasperatedly. "You like her, she likes you and I spotted a really hot waitress in that café we went to… it's simple."

"Emily…" Kate breathed, not moving her gaze from Osgood's face. "Please… just go home. I'll speak to you later."

With a snort, her daughter turned and headed towards the exit. "Yeah, sure you will. Nice to meet you, Osgood."

There was a long silence once the teenager had left them alone. The atmosphere between them had shifted dramatically and it seemed to be laden with promise. Neither of them were quite sure what had happened, or what was going to happen, but there was a definite change in their dynamic.

"Perhaps we should…" Kate suggested after a moment, signalling towards her office.

Osgood nodded, only too happy to follow the blonde into the privacy afforded by the door and the blinds. No one was paying them any attention, but both women felt as though all eyes were on them. Closing the door firmly behind Osgood, Kate turned to look at her apologetically.

"I'm so sorry about Emily… I really will speak to her later." The blonde promised. "She meant no harm, but she doesn't always think about the consequences of her actions. All this… she's trying to push me into acting…"

"So…" Osgood blushed. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I don't understand. What did you mean when you said I'm obviously not interested in you? Are… I mean… are you? Interested in me, that is?"

It was Kate's turn to blush at her direct question. She knew she needed to give an answer, but the way Osgood was looking at her was making it incredibly difficult for the woman to formulate a coherent sentence. "I… yes. I have to confess that I am… very interested in you. Professionally, obviously, but… also personally… as a person… as a woman."

"I see…"

"Of course, I am well aware that it would be highly unprofessional to..."

"Highly unprofessional, yes." Osgood agreed, the ghost of a smile playing about her lips, although Kate was far too flustered to notice.

"And of course, I am under no illusions that you… well… I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable with..."

"Uncomfortable with…?" Osgood questioned softly, tilting her head to one side as she took another step closer to the older woman.

"Well… uncomfortable with the thought that I… well, that I… I never intended to make you feel uncom–"

Cupping the blonde's face gently, Osgood leant in and kissed her, effectively stopping her rambling. Kate gave a small squeak of surprise, her eyes widening for a split second, before she wrapped her arms around the other woman and pulled her closer. Osgood smiled against her lips before deepening the kiss.

"Thank God you finally shut up." She whispered as they broke apart for air a while later. "Remind me to thank your daughter for forcing you into this."

Kate groaned. "She's going to be so smug. I hate it when she's right…"

"Then don't think about it." Osgood urged in a whisper, nuzzling her nose against the other woman's. "Don't think about anything."

And she kissed her again.