An hour to midnight

[Golden Spider]

Clara relaxed into the embrace slightly, "you earned it by just being yourself. and what kind of payback are we talking about, if it doesn't include chocolate then I want nothing to do with it." she replied, matching her volume. She was seemingly endlessly surprised by Kate, this time the surprise was with how well the fit together, and how much Clara felt like she was at home, just by being in her arms.

As Fizz spoke back up she disentangled herself from Kate slightly, still keeping a point of contact as their shoulders just gently touched as Fizz and Nat spoke in their quick exchange before Fizz left the room and Nat turned to explain. "I see, well I hope it does do what Fizz is wanting and start to rebuild that bridge, I certainly wouldn't want that sort of drama between my..." she trailed off, eyes wide. silent for a moment before swearing loudly "Shit! everything has been so crazy I completely forgot, I essentially just vanished off the face of the world what three four days ago now?, I have to tell them I'm alright."

[Lady Jenn]

"Use my phone," Natalya said, handing Clara her cellphone. "I know you can't tell them what really happened but...feel free to tell them you're safe. And if you need me to I'll speak to them, I can be reassuring when I'm in the right mood," she said with a slight chuckle."

Kate squeezed her hand. "Obviously I wouldn't impose myself on you, especially since your parents don't know me yet, but...if you want me there then I'm happy to keep you company. I kind of wish..." She paused, wiping a tear away. "I'm sure my mum would love you almost as much as I do."

[Golden Spider]

Clara couldn't help but give Kate a quick kiss on the cheek at her words, before thanking Nat and pulling Kate and herself to a empty room for what could be a long conversation. "Of course you can be there, I'm sure that telling them a hottie like you swept me off my feet for a impromptu vacation will do a lot to calm their worries..." she bit her lower lip in anxiety though as they sat on the bed in this spare bedroom. "I don't like lying to them, but the truth is too dangerous isn't it?" She asked even though she knew the answer, her question more rhetorical and seeking to be assuaged then any actual confusion about the risks of them actually telling them.

Clara took a deep breath, before dialing the number and toggling for a video call. she wanted to see their faces, and she knew they would want to see her in return.

[Lady Jenn]

Kate followed Clara, feeling the need to hold her hand, even though she wasn't sure why. Her best guess was that it brought her comfort in the midst of the stress.

She sat down close to Kate. "I'll sit here till you need me," she said. "I can be very friendly when I want to be, but I assume you want to talk to your mum first, most people would freak out a little if you jumped straight to introducing your girlfriend." She went quiet, staring out the window. "I wish my mum had got to be here to see all this."

[Golden Spider]

Clara sat down and squeezed Kate's hand, grateful for the support and comfort, she had no idea how this was going to go, would they even pick up the phone from an unknown number? did they think she was dead? or were they not even aware? it was only a couple of days after all, even if it felt like a lifetime since she had come across Kate lying in the grass on the side of the road.

Clara squeezed Kate's hand again when she mentioned her own mother, "If its too much you don't have to be here. I understand, you just got a lot of unexpected news, It's okay to need some time."

[Lady Jenn]

Kate considered her options, at that moment she felt herself almost tempted to leave the room but she shook her head.

"No," she said. "If the roles were reversed I feel sure you'd do the same. I want to be here to support you. Plus if there are any awkward questions maybe I can help." She couldn't help letting out a loud laugh. "My mum used to joke my talent was answering the most awkward questions possible. Admittedly she used to say I was talented at asking them too, so I guess I'm not sure how useful a skill that really is."

[Golden Spider]

Clara smiled at Kate and wrapped her arm around her in a sideways hug, It meant a lot to her that she was so willing to face her own discomfort and pain for Clara's sake.

Still she hesitated after punching the number in, her thumb hovering over the button that would start the call. there were so many ways this could go terribly terribly wrong. What if it was better off letting them think she was dead or disappeared, if that was what they were thinking? what if calling them even just for a moment put them on these things radar? what if they didn't think anything was amiss and calling them just caused them to unnecessarily worry? Was she being selfish here? Everyone else, Kate especially had either lost their family in this fight, either from distances too far to be bridged, both socially and dimensionally, or lost in a literal sense, was she just flaunting the fact that her family was still, hope beyond hopefully, alive and well?

She  took a deep breath though, and before she could talk herself out of it, pressed the green button. and the phone rang.

[Lady Jenn]

There's an annoyed grunt as her dad answers. "Give me five seconds. Why do you people always call when I'm trying to make dinner?"

He finally cleared things up enough to answer. "Whatever you're selling I'm not interested, I'm not looking to have my immortal soul saved and I donate to about eight charities. So assuming none of those made you hang up instantly, who's phoning me at this hour?"