It was patently obvious to Osgood that her wife was out of sorts, but she wasn't quite sure how to remedy it. Kate's strange mood had started the day after Emily and Serena's wedding, when they'd stood in the back garden and waved them off on their honeymoon. The brunette knew that Kate's mood had been caused by the realisation that her daughter really had grown up and was no longer her little girl; something that the older woman had known, but had not been forced to properly acknowledge until then.
Kate and Osgood had both argued against Emily asking the Doctor to arrange their honeymoon, not really trusting that they would make it home in one piece without any disasters befalling them in the meantime. Emily, though, had been adamant that the Doctor owed her and that she could handle whatever might be thrown at them. Serena hadn't been quite so sure, but had gone along with her wife's idea anyway.
It had been almost a week since they'd left and there had been no word. Kate supposed it was better that way, although it did little to stop her worrying about what they were getting up to, wherever they were in the universe.
"Here…" Osgood pushed a glass of wine into her wife's hand, dropping down to sit beside her on the sofa. "Can't see in the New Year without a glass of something in your hand."
"Thanks, my love." Kate murmured distractedly, glancing towards the clock.
Her wife sighed. "Kate, sweetheart, worried about Emily and Serena isn't going to keep them any safer, you know?"
"I'm sorry. I know I've been distant this week and I am sorry. I'm just worried. I don't trust the Doctor to keep them safe."
"I trust Emily to protect Serena and I trust Serena to make sure Em doesn't do anything too stupid." Osgood told her firmly. "They'll be back before you know it and Emily will do something that'll infuriate you so much that you'll be begging the Doctor to take them away again."
Kate laughed, leaning her head on Osgood's shoulder. "You're right, of course."
As they lapsed into silence once more, Kate snuggled firmly into her wife's side. Osgood, in turn, wrapped her arm more securely around the blonde, pressing a kiss into her hair. The tension seemed to have lifted a little, much to the younger woman's relief and Kate was less tense beside her.
It was the quietest New Year's Eve they'd had for a while. Henry and Alice had fallen asleep by ten o'clock and their mother's had taken them up to bed to sleep more comfortably. Jason and Greta had decided to stay at home and Gordon and Lorna had gone to a party. With Serena and Emily away, Kate and Osgood had decided to make the most of having the night to themselves.
"I've never been a fan of New Year's Eve." Osgood murmured thoughtfully.
Kate twisted her head to look at her. "I know, but I've never really understood why not?"
"It's just… it's just a day like any other, except people are encouraged to think about how successful or unsuccessful they've been over the past year. It makes me feel like I should consider how to improve myself, based on society's ideals."
There was a pause. "You don't need to improve yourself at all, Os. You're perfect just as you are."
"You know what I mean, though, don't you?" The younger woman asked. "You could log onto any social media platform right now and see hundreds of posts from people claiming they're going to change something in their lives tomorrow so that they'll be happier or healthier or whatever. Ninety-nine percent of those people won't keep their resolutions until the end of January and, if they do, they almost definitely won't be happier for it."
"You're getting cynical in your old age, darling." Kate laughed.
"Less of the old, thank you."
"Your right, though. I think New Years Resolutions are sorely overrated."
"If you had to make one, what would it be?" Osgood asked, taking a sip of her wine.
"I'm not sure… spend less time at The Tower, probably."
The brunette chuckled. "That resolution wouldn't last a week."
"Alright, what would you suggest?"
"More sex in the office."
Kate spluttered in surprise, almost choking on her wine. "Os!"
"What? I thought you wanted a resolution you could keep?" Osgood shrugged innocently.
"I'd definitely do my best."
"So would I."
Laughing, the blonde nudged her gently, before settling back against her shoulder. She took hold of Osgood's hand, linking their fingers and raising them to her lips for a moment. Then she sighed, glancing at the clock and seeing that there was less than half an hour until midnight.
"What do you think this year has in store for us, eh? How many surprises do you think will be thrown our way?"
"Plenty, I imagine." Osgood replied wryly. "Most of them from Emily's direction, I shouldn't wonder."
"Do you suppose we'll have any grandchildren?"
It was Osgood's turn to splutter, choking on her wine at the thoughtful murmur from her wife. "What?"
"Well… Emily and Serena are married, Gordy and Lorna are engaged…"
"If we're getting any, it'll be from Gordy, that I am sure of. Can you imagine Emily raising a child?"
"Good point." Kate agreed, wincing slightly. "I mean… I think she'd be a very loving mother, just a little… irresponsible?"
"Pizza for breakfast and Coco Pops for tea."
"Skipping school to go off on adventures. Every sort of pet you could imagine, and then some. Learning Zygon history rather than the Tudors."
"Who says they're mutually exclusive?"
Both women turned at the sound of the familiar voice from the doorway that led to the kitchen. A broad grin spread over both their faces as their eyes fell on the young woman leaning casually against the doorframe, her arms folded across her chest and a ring glinting very obviously on her finger.
"Sorry to just drop in on you like this," Serena appeared behind her wife, smiling warmly at her in-laws, "we thought it might be a nice surprise and, for once, the Doctor seems to have achieved what she set out to do."
"Hey!" The offended exclamation from behind her caused Serena to roll her eyes.
"It's just a fleeting visit to see in the New Year with you." Emily said, moving further into the room and allowing herself to be pulled into her mother's arms. "We've got reservations on Sha'arm."
"Apparently the wine list is to die for." Serena added.
"Not literally." The Doctor poked her head around the doorframe, looking a little concerned. "We'll all be staying very much alive."
"Glad to hear it." Kate said, arching an eyebrow. "You'd have some explaining to do, otherwise, Doctor."
"We brought this… champagne we got from the Maldovarium."
"The Maldovar Market, wasn't it?"
"Same thing, babe." Emily said slinging the arm that was not cradling the oversized bottle of champagne around her wife's shoulders. "Amazing place… thriving black market; you can get anything there. I'm trying to get the Doctor to take us back."
"Where else have you been?" Kate asked as Osgood slipped into the kitchen to get some glasses.
As Emily and Serena filled them in on their adventures – making a point to tell them that they had not been to the Opulence Spa on Retrexis or had any massages of any sort – the Doctor pottered around the room. Kate kept one eye on her as she examined ornaments and photographs carefully, turning books over and reading the blurbs, before dropping heavily into the armchair and bouncing slightly on the cushions.
"Uhhh… the champagne you brought is red?" Osgood informed them, reappearing with the drinks.
"It's not technically champagne." The Doctor informed her, leaping to her feet and taking a glass. She sniffed the liquid appreciatively before taking a sip. "Nope!" She spat her mouthful back into the glass and pushed it back towards Osgood. "Still gross."
"We have Fanta in the 'fridge." The brunette informed her, earning a beaming smile as the Doctor bounded past her.
"So… pizza for breakfast and Coco Pops for tea? Is that your New Year's resolution, Os?" Emily asked with a grin.
"Not exactly." Her stepmother replied, glancing quickly in her wife's direction.
"We were wondering what you'd be like as a mother and that's what we came up with." Kate informed her daughter calmly. She grinned as both Emily and Serena paled a little at the thought. "Although we did think you'd be incredibly loving."
"Yeah, well… that's not very likely, I'm afraid." Emily told them firmly. "You'll have to ask Gordy and Lorna about grandkids."
As the television suddenly announced the countdown to midnight, all five were on their feet. Kate moved closer to her wife, wrapping an arm around Osgood's waist and pulling her against her. Emily had looped her arms around Serena's waist, bumping their noses together as they joined in the countdown.
The Doctor didn't seem to realise that she was playing gooseberry to the two couples or, if she did, she didn't care. As the countdown reached zero and Big Ben chimed midnight, she let out a delighted whoop and pulled several party poppers she'd apparently brought with her especially.
She yanked Osgood away from Kate and hugged her excitedly, before bestowing the same affection on the brunette's wife. Serena was next to be embraced by the overenthusiastic blonde, before she twirled Emily round in a circle.
"Happy New Year!" The Doctor exclaimed, grinning broadly at her friends. "Oooh! I just know it's going to be a good one!"
A/N: Happy New Year! I hope 2020 is a good one!
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