Synopsis: The trials and tribulations of a time traveling Amy Raudenfeld.
Disclaimer: I do not own Faking It or "The Time Traveler's Wife" from which the time traveling premise is taken.
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"Maybe we could be the start of something/ Be together at the start of time."
Start of Time by Gabrielle Aplin
SEPTEMBER 4, 2014
AMY is 15 and 45
The sound of a soft thud and pained groan jolts Amy awake. Flipping her table lamp on, she wipes the sleep from her eyes and watches the body of a naked woman slowly move and attempt to stand. Wordlessly, Amy takes her bathrobe from the edge of her bed and throws it over to the woman who nods appreciatively.
Their eyes meet as the woman fastens the bathrobe tightly around her lithe body. Two pairs of the same green eyes mirror each other though one is younger, drowsy from being awakened and the other dulled, wrinkled slightly around the edges and face covered in blood.
"Hey you," the older woman smiles, it's unnerving, blood over her mouth and chin from a broken nose. The woman sniffs, wiping the blood with the back of her hand while taking a seat next to Amy.
"Do you want something for it?" Young Amy asks taking the glass of water from her nightstand, handing it over to her older self.
The older woman gulps, unaffected by the water that misses her mouth and pours down her neck, "Fuck, that's better," she gasps.
She takes a moment to just breathe, stare at her feet, and try to regain a good heartbeat and stronger inhales. Concentrate, the older woman repeats, fucking concentrate. Satisfied enough with her less erratic heartbeat, she looks at her younger self, who has been staring intently.
"What?"
Younger Amy looks wistful, "It's just… this is the oldest I've ever seen myself."
"You're right," Older Amy says pinching the bridge of her nose and wincing.
"I can get you something for the pain…"
"It's ok," the older woman assures, "I don't think I stay long. Besides, the bleeding has stopped."
"Does it hurt?"
Older Amy just laughs, "We break our nose so many fucking times nothing hurts now."
"How old are you?"
"Forty-five and you're sixteen?"
"Fifteen."
"Aw, that sucks."
"Certainly does."
The forty-five year old takes a moment to scan the room, heart heavy with memory. The smell of her old room, cinnamon and vanilla, that's how Karma described it. She closes her eyes, rests both hands on the fabric of her old bed sheets and savors.
"Where's Karma?" The older Amy asks, suddenly, a moment without Karma is wasted time and she yearns just to see her face.
"With dipshit," Young Amy says angrily, settling back into her cocoon of covers and pillows.
The older women smirks, "Liam, what a prick."
"What were you doing before you traveled?"
Older Amy lies down on her back, gazes at the stars on the ceiling, "I was at home with our cat. And then I traveled some place unpleasant, thus this beauty," She gestures to her nose, "And now I'm with you."
"I hate cats."
The older Amy just snorts, yeah well, she thinks, Karma loves the damn beasts. "We have a change of heart," She says wryly.
"Can I ask something?'
"Depends on the question, you know that."
"Does she stay with him?"
"Amy, I wish I could tell you—" She stops and watches as her younger self brings her legs to her chest and sighs in such a sad defeated way.
"I don't see why it matters I tell my younger self lots of things."
"We tell ourselves unimportant things. Nothing big. It would fuck with your head if you knew everything. Some things I don't want to tell you. The discovery is too sweet. You understand?"
"I hate him." Young Amy says with such unwavering conviction that the older woman feels the vibrations of that memory of hate.
"You will always hate him," Her older self says carefully, "Just not as intensely as you do at this moment."
"Whatever, it's stupid. I don't want to talk about them."
The older woman sits up and just looks at this young girl, this version of herself. She remembers everything, one perk and yet another devastating downfall she supposes to time travel, nothing is forgotten. Everything lingers, exists in one time frame or another. All the pain of this young girl's upcoming years grasps tightly around her heart. Knowing, the older woman muses, is the worst part.
"I'll give some advice though."
"Listening," Younger Amy says arms folded.
"Working out is your best friend. Seriously, get that membership."
The girl smiles looking at her older self, "You look pretty buff."
The woman flexes, laughing, "It helps though with traveling, keeps us centered, that and meditation."
"Oh Jesus, we do not become hippies do we?"
"No! Just, we need to work on our breathing technique. Karma's parents are fucking wizards they will help."
There's a short silence between them. Younger Amy opens her mouth then closes it quickly.
"Just say it," The older one says.
"Does it… get better? God that sounds fucking stupid like one of those ads but—"
"For you, right now, it gets worse and then so much better. It gets so good you have to pinch yourself sometimes." The woman stops and smiles, reliving it, then continues, "And then, well I don't know, like you said this is the oldest you've seen us that includes me too."
"Forty-five," Younger Amy says, "That's how old Dad was when—"
"When travel fucking killed him, yeah. Mom's right, we're too much like him."
"I swear," They both say together, mimicking their mother's voice, "The only thing you got from me was your hair color!"
They laugh softly then both stare at their hands, completely closed in by time.
A sharp wince comes over older Amy's face, "Gotta go," she wheezes out and then vanishes.
The young girl stares hopelessly at the bathrobe now limp on the floor.
NOVEMBER 16, 2014
AMY is 15 and 21 / KARMA is 15
Who knew the one eyed mute that stands outside Betty-Bo's BBQ selling Austin t-shirts and novelties could throw a fucking punch, Amy muses rubbing her cheekbone. One minute she's settling in for the night about to indulge in a cold beer and the next she's naked in an unmarked alley way in the middle of the night fighting a one eyed stranger for an "I heart Austin" shirt and men's red, white, and blue swimming trunks. C'est la vie, Amy mutters to herself.
Knowing that Karma's house is closer to her current location Amy begins walking and praying to Buddha that Karma's parents have a beer somewhere in their fridge tonight because shit she's going to need one.
She finds the spare key easily enough and creeps inside careful not to wake the household. Up the stairs and to the right, a soft glow from Karma's bedroom lets Amy know the girl is home. She smells leftover jasmine incense that burned earlier in the evening and two half empty teacups left on Karma's nightstand.
The sound of a shower head being cut off signifies to Amy that Karma is in the bathroom so she makes herself comfortable on the bed and waits. She plays with the multi-colored fabric of Karma's bed sheets and feels cocooned by the smell of jasmine; she contemplates falling asleep right here….
"Amy!" Karma appears from the bathroom in a pink towel, steam billowing out from behind her.
"Karma!" Amy plays along forging surprise while waving a lazy hand to say hello. "Do you guys have any beer? It's ok I'm twenty-one in my time so—"
"You are time traveling right now?"
"Yep, why? Were you doing anything tonight with present me? It's cool I'll just sleep or something, you kids have fun," She laughs.
Karma burst into tears while locking herself into the bathroom.
Amy leaps from her lounging position and lunges at the door, "Karma?!" Amy calls panic rising in her throat as she knocks on the door. "Karma what is it? What is today?"
Scanning the bedroom again Amy can't decide what year it is or what the fuck could make Karma so upset.
"Karma, please open the door!"
And then, like all the lights in the room where suddenly directed towards it, Amy spies the infamous green dress hanging from Karma's dresser drawer.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Amy hisses under her breath.
Karma opens the door and wipes her eyes. Still in her towel, Karma walks over to her closet and stands uncertain looking at Amy.
"You should get dressed. I'll wait downstairs if you want…"
"You love me," She whispers, voice cracking, "Or maybe you hate me now, I don't know. Do you love me right now, wherever you've come from?"
Amy clenches and unclenches her fists. What can she do? Amy's willpower, whenever standing in front of Karma, turns to dust. For this girl, Amy crumbles.
"I've been learning more about why I time travel. Certain places, people, I'm just drawn to them there's this…energy about it. And you, Karma," Amy feels her whole body quiver, standing in front of this young woman who knows everything there is to know about Amy, she can't breathe. "You're magnetic. I can't help myself, you are my whole wor—"
Karma launches herself at Amy. The kiss is sloppy and awkward, Karma, in a frenzy, presses hot open mouthed kisses, no tongue, to Amy's shocked lips.
"No," Amy mumbles against Karma's lips.
"I just need to know," Karma whimpers pulling away, "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."
Amy grips Karma's shoulders, steadying her, "I can't tell you everything I wish I could but I know what's supposed to happen and it's not like this."
"Do you love me?" Karma asks again her chin quivering uncontrollably.
"I told you already that—"
"You didn't say it. You didn't say I love you."
Amy steadies her breathing, "I love you against time. I love you against my better judgment. I love you so much I can't, fuck, I can't think straight put some fucking clothes on!" Amy shouts.
"Amy…"
"No, Jesus," Amy doubles over clutches her stomach in pain, "I hate this, I hate this so much," Amy tries her best to breathe and control her racing mind, "You've got me so…so fucking worked up," Amy wheezes out.
Karma closes the gap between them and rubs Amy's back in a small attempt to soothe her, "What do you need? What can I do?"
Amy straightens her back and grimaces. Karma takes her by the waist pulling them both into a steadying embrace. "Does it hurt before you go now?" Karma asks quietly.
"Yes," Amy winces, "Migraines, I get those now and pain everywhere." Her grip on Karma's shoulder tightens.
"You learn to control it," Karma says firmly, "You told me that yourself."
"How old was I?"
"Thirties, I think."
"Fuck, I gotta wait that long," Amy says lightly while smiling through the pain.
"Amy?"
"Yes?"
"I think I'm in love with you."
And then Karma is holding nothing. The warmth of Amy's body is stolen from her and she can only stand in the middle of her bedroom the weight of her sudden realization still tingling in her mouth.
JUNE 16, 2006
KARMA is 6 and AMY is 32
Amy opens her eyes and tries to focus on the face of a young girl standing over her.
"Why are you naked?" The small girl asks clutching a stuffed animal bear to her chest.
Amy blinks rapidly taking in her surroundings, she is on her back in a field somewhere with a small child, totally naked, this cannot end well. Amy sits up too fast and her vision blurs again from the pain.
"Where am I?" Amy croaks out.
"My house, why are you naked?"
"Your house?"
"Yes," The girl says becoming impatient, "It's right over there," she points to a modest brown stone house a few yards from where they are and Amy feels her skin becoming prickly all over.
"Karma?" Amy whispers.
"How'd you know my name?" Karma demands as her small features grow more intense but not fearful.
Regaining her bearings Amy looks to Karma, "Because I'm from the future, of course."
Karma laughs, "That's not possible!"
"If you hang around me long enough I can prove it." Amy challenges and a small glint comes over Karma's eyes. Amy knows regardless of Karma's age the girl loves a good challenge. "Now, do you think you could steal some clothes for me from the house real quick?"
"I will if you promise to play with me."
"Deal."
They shake on it.
It takes Karma longer than Amy would expect to grab a few articles of clothing but when she sees the small girl running over to her hands full she can't help but smile at Karma's eagerness.
"I got you some of Zen's clothes because they just came out of the dryer."
Amy appreciates the thought and quickly slips into Zen's gray sweatpants and blue t shirt with the peace symbol stamped across it.
"Okay, come sit here," Karma directs them to a more shady area of the backyard and they sit facing each other. Karma sitting Indian style and Amy with her legs out stretched watching as Karma places her stuffed animal delicately next to her making sure it sits up properly.
"What game are we going to play?"
"First, I gotta ask you some questions."
"Shoot."
"What's your name?"
"Amy."
Karma squints her eyes at Amy and licks her bottom lip in thought, "That's funny, I have a best friend named Amy and she's coming over tomorrow to play with me and Moonpie."
"Moonpie?" Amy asks not remembering a single thing about a Moonpie.
Karma simply points to the stuffed bear resting beside her. "Moonpie." She states.
Amy watches as Karma smoothes out the fabric of her blue dress and fidgets with the dandelions sprouting up amongst the large patches of grass. She is so in love in this moment. This is the first of many times that Amy will visit Karma here in her parents' backyard.
"Next question."
"Where do you live?"
"Here in Austin."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Amy shakes her head no, smiling.
"Oh, that's too bad."
"Not really," Amy says admiring the sun as it peeks through the branches of the trees above them, "Because I married my best friend."
"That's cool. So how come you were naked in my yard?"
"I can't take anything with me when I time travel."
"How come?"
"Dunno, my doctor hasn't figured that one out yet I guess."
"Well that's dumb," Karma snorts picking up Moonpie and putting him in her lap, cradling him. "If I was a time traveler I'd want to go wherever I want and take whoever I wanted with me."
"You said it," Amy says closing her eyes listening to the birds, feeling the blades of grass between her toes and fingers. Opening her eyes, she finds Karma staring back at her with keen interest.
"I like it here. Do you think I can visit you again sometime?"
Karma chews on the inside of her cheek mulling it over, "Well I guess so. But I still don't believe you're from the future."
"Just wait."
"Let's play tag."
Amy feels like she's six again as she runs away from a giggling Karma whose short out stretched arms always just miss Amy as she dodges left to right.
"I am the undefeated tag master champion!" Amy bellows jogging in circles around a pouting Karma.
"That's not fair you're bigger!" She argues.
"Okay, I'm sorry, here," Amy holds out her palm just as she feels a slight tug in the back of her mind, "Tag me."
Smiling, Karma reaches out to tag Amy but then she's gone, completely vanishes from sight.
"Whoa," Karma whispers to the empty tree line then slowly begins to pick up Zen's clothes.
/
Author's Note: I hope the dates and premise are comprehensible. Constructive criticism would be very much appreciated. Thank-you for reading.