Dudley ran to the elevators fearing having Kitty on his back and fearing even more that he would spit out more things that weren't supposed to be heard by her. He just wanted to flee, no matter what was going on. And no matter if he was supposed to work for two more hours.

Fortunately for him, a new day was dawning, and Kitty would, even though she was fuming, not leave work now that they were understaffed due to him. Dudley's mind didn't come up with the most creative idea but with a practical one. Their apartment would be a pretty good spot to stay until she had calmed down a little.

About 30 minutes and a shower later Dudley sat just in his pajama pants on the couch mindlessly strumming his guitar. Just a few notes to calm him down so he could maybe find some sleep. His fingers developed a life of their own as his mind wondered. It had broken out of him again, why was it so hard lately to keep his mouth shut?

A few years ago, that had never been a problem. Was it just her irritating inquisition that made him babble? He remembered that back then, when the interest in getting an interview with him was still given, he also was afraid every time he would reveal too much but in the end, he could leave his mouth shut there.

Dudley feared that there was more to it, that there was a part of him now that wanted to come clean and wanted to have her in this so he had someone, just one person, who understood the full scope of it all.

He tried imagining the conversation, but every time he did Sam appeared in the middle of it and took her with him. Putting her in danger that was different from anything she knew. He wouldn't allow him to claim her for his twisted game. It was enough that he was bound by his own inability to silence the cries from what the advisor called duty.

The whole fight had him worked up. It was not like they did not fight, and this was new ground for him, they had their moments. But this time Kitty was more persistent, he knew she wouldn't be easily persuaded to give up. Dudley was strumming the strings and started a new melody, a quiet lullabyesque song that he remembered hearing one night on the radio. It reminded him of good times, and of her. Two things that often went hand in hand for him.

Quietly he hummed along to the melody as his eyelids got heavier. There it was, the point he had hoped for. The questions in his mind ceased, at least for now. Dudley was about to put the guitar aside when a knock at the door spoiled the end of the song. Yawning he stood up and dragged himself to the door.

Probably just a package he had to sign for, although it was a little early for the mailman. A quick glance down reminded him that he was just wearing some pants but then again, he was too tired to care about it. If it was the usual mailman he wouldn't mind anyway, the guy usually liked to speedrun his work. He unlocked the door and wanted to look through the crack as it opened forcefully in his direction. Dudley staggered backwards, his tired mind dazed for a moment giving the two women all the chance they needed to enter the apartment and close the door again.

"Okay now." One of them said in an angry manner and almost violently helped Dudley back onto his feet. He needed a moment to process who was standing there. The face was Kitty's but the white strand in her hair adulterated the known look. His conclusion: It was her sister.

And not only that, behind her, close to the door and looking as confused as him, her other sister was standing.
"For crying out loud!" Dudley moaned while he got picked up from the ground. "This is a low, even for you Katty!"

"Oh, shut up." She said and pushed him onto the couch. "We are not here to steal from you."
"Aha, then why are you two bursting in like that?" He sighed and realized the intense stare Kerry gave him. He knew this certain stare from Kitty. He was wearing no shirt and, in her mind, she probably was just removing his pants.

"I want answers to what you did to her!" Katty pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "We are planning a heis… family reunion party and she can't focus for even a minute! When I try to squeeze it out of her what's wrong, she mentions your name. Not to mention the thing that happened with Doctor Rabbies…"

"Don't you dare to tell him that!" Kerry jumped at her sister trying to silence her somehow, but Katty's legendary blabbermouth had formed at least part of the sentence faster. "She yelled your name during se…"
"Okay, I think I got it…" Dudley said feeling the blood rushing through his face. Not feeling the need before he now took a pillow and somehow tried to cover his upper body with it.

"Facts now, Puppy." Katty said and pushed her sister off her. "She won't tell me, so you will. What did you two do?!"
"How much does she know?" Dudley asked looking at Kerry.
"I told her nothing," Kerry stated and Dudley was inclined to believe that.

"God fucking dammit… this shit is spreading like wildfire!" He got up, walked to the door, and locked it. Then he closed all other doors leading to adjacent rooms before closing the drapes on every window clothing the room in eerie darkness.

"What the hell are you doing?" Katty said but this time it was Dudley who rudely grabbed her and pushed her onto the couch. Then he also took Kerry, a little gentler though, and placed her next to her. He wasn't sure but he had the feeling that he heard a purr while doing so.

"That's what all of you want to know nowadays, don't you?" He sighed standing on the other side of a glass coffee table that was between them and him. "Kitty might be nagging all the time, but she won't hear a damn thing from you, you got me? Nothing leaves this room!" He looked at Kerry. "Also, emotions stay here, everybody got me?"

"I will not lie…"
"I said: EVERYBODY GOT ME?!" His voice almost unnaturally echoed from the walls of the room.
"Okay, chill the fuck down, I am willing to consider promising, okay?" Katty meant not trying to give in to his intimidation tactics.

Dudley took a deep breath before he retold the whole story of his time-traveling misadventure. He was sure that would be enough for Katty to shut up about the whole thing. The thing about the advisor he left out. Trusting that Kerry would keep that part of the secret, after all, Sam wasn't the reason Kitty's big sister got so worked up.

As he was done telling he crossed his arms and looked at Katty's reaction. She gazed in disbelief at him before a smile formed on her lips. She was about to laugh as she turned to her sister who was just sternly nodding. Katty's budding laughter was swiftly smothered, and she looked back at Dudley.
"Seriously now? You want me to believe that this happened?"

"Yes… he was there." Kerry kept nodding.
"But she needs to hear that!" Katty protested and stood up. "This was such an important event for her, this had redefined everything…"

"No she does not," Dudley sighed as his body tension slacked off. "In my opinion it is better that the stranger who saved her stays a stranger… I neither want to put her through the stress and trauma of this time again nor do I want her to reevaluate everything that is based on this moment. And I especially don't want some kind of hero worship from her, if that would even be her reaction… I just want things to be normal again."

"But she…" Katty tried to reason with Dudley, but Kerry grabbed her by the tail and pulled her back onto the couch.
"It is not our decision…" The older cat said. "He will tell her whenever he's ready."
"So enough of this now…" He made a cutting gesture. "Are things clearer now?"
"Well explains why you are all over Kerry's mind right now," Katty said slowly.

"Dudley, we should maybe come clean about the kiss," Kerry said and especially Dudley felt the steel-melting glare of Katty on him.
"We should, yes… She kissed me." He said and Katty's eyes turned to her sister.
"I thought I sensed something… also he didn't really fight against that."

Again, Katty turned to Dudley.
"That does not mean that I was complicit!"
Katty was about to turn back to her sister when she came to her senses. "Enough of that! I don't care who started this. This time you'll tell her."

"Yeah, nice, even more on my plate…" Dudley mumbled annoyed. "I will tell her, don't worry… Just not right now okay? Things are hard enough right now."
"You will tell her nonetheless." Katty insisted.
"Fine but for now, just let me go to bed."
Like this being an audio cue for her, Kerry stood up, intending to follow the dog, but this time Katty grabbed her by the tail and pulled her back onto the couch. "He goes there alone."

"That was also my intention…" In the door of his bedroom, he turned around once more before locking himself inside and said. "You two… do whatever. You know where everything is. Just close the door when you leave."

"You two are the same breed of idiot." Katty hissed at her sister in the moment the door fell shut.
"I'm sorry it's just… he is…" Kerry stammered as they got up from the couch.
"He was at the right time and did something not stupid for a change." Katty stomped to the door and opened it waiting for her sister to follow her. "And I swear if one of you two don't tell her soon, I'll make you."
"You wouldn't…"
"I wouldn't bet on that if I were you." Katty said and slammed the door close as both of them left to plan their 'family reunion party'.