A/N I'm sorry if the story appears more than once. It's because my computer crashed and everything just went wrong. I'm sorry!

I own nothing from Faking it.

2: Back in Austin

Mrs. Cooper walks within the mansion and heads straight to her office followed by two of her henchmen. She gives Antoine her coat and suitcase on the way, bidding him to have no one bother her for the next few hours. She opens her door office and finds Nick sitting down in one of the chairs in front of her Mahogany desk. His elbows propped on each of the armrests and her hands weaved together in front of her face as he stares into space, not noticing the arrival of Mrs. Cooper in the room.

"Nick, I hope you have good news." She takes off her vest to rest it on the headset of her chair then sits down.

Nick snaps out of his pensiveness, "They have been captured Mrs. Cooper. They are unconscious at the moment so recollection of the last vents should be a bit of a blur."

"Where are they?"

"They are up in one of the guests' rooms. We snuck them in at dawn this morning."

Mrs. Cooper leans back on her chair, "That should be all Nick." She says, dismissing Nick out of her office. She turns around in her chair and crosses her legs, "If you can't beat them, you have to join them."

She gets out of her office starts heading towards the grand staircase in the middle of the house and calls Antoine. Antoine is the only of the many occupants to know with what state the two vagrant girls came back in the mansion. He had been ordered by Mrs. Cooper to get one of those unoccupied rooms ready and take care of any type of injury should there be some. And there were. Mrs. Cooper had ordered for her goons to get them by any means necessary; even if it results in something dire nonetheless minimal enough that won't get them paralyzed or dead but still bad enough until they give up or they stop by force. Antoine saunters towards Mrs. Cooper with his formal wear and uptight composure that gave him an air of aristocracy.

"Mrs. Cooper…" he simply asks in his monotone yet serious manner. One would think after years of working in this mansion, he'd be more or less attached. But he looks expressionless in his conduct of walking yet dignified in the maintenance of his appearance.

Mrs. Cooper stops in front of the anticipative butler, "Antoine, which one of the guests' rooms has the girls? I have no wish to wander around the mansion like a vagrant soul. I hate looking for things Antoine, you know that."

Antoine nods, "I do know of that ma'am. The room is downstairs, right in front of the maid's quarters. I thought this would be more discreet since the maids always clean the other rooms every day. They never touch that one; orders from you."

"Alright. I'm heading there. Make sure you prepare them a salted bath." Mrs. Cooper walks pass the butler who keenly walks about to execute his employer's bidding. Mrs. Cooper heads behind the grand staircase in direction of the hallway that leads to the maid's quarters. She stops in front of small door and twists the key within the keyhole and opens the door. She finds both Amy and Karma asleep on the bed, side by side with their head wounds tended for. She walks towards the bed, near Amy's side and touches the bandage around her head.

"I'm sorry dear. But time has come." She says then sits on the small desk near the bed and waits for them to come to.

A few hours later in the evening, the first one to come to was Karma. She woke up screaming from the nightmare of being pursued and attacked by two SUV that were following her and Amy. Mrs. Cooper was deep within a book that she was reading and jumps when the girl woke up screaming.

"You are asleep, you bother me. You wake up, you bother me. There's just no peace with you when you are around." Mrs. Cooper snaps the book shut and slides down her glasses and places them on the desk.

Karma whips her head towards the familiar voice, "Mrs. Cooper?"

"The one and only dear. The one and only." Mrs. Cooper grins at the baffled girl on the bed, "How was your sleep?"

"I wasn't dreaming this. You did this to her." Karma points to a sleeping Amy next to her. Her head wrapped in a white cloth, hiding the head wound that she suffered from the accident. "It's your own daughter."

"I do know that dear. But I'm not the one who devised the plan." Mrs. Cooper says as she gets up the chair to walk around the bed, "If there happened to be collateral damages on the side, then I cannot be held accountable."

"It doesn't matter because you still sign those checks. How sicker can you be? There's no way you are not suffering from a terminal illness."

"Now, now dear; there's no need for the animosity. You and I go way back. Doesn't that count for something?" Mrs. Cooper grins.

"Mrs. Cooper, you can't fool me."

"Who says that I am trying to fool anyone dear?" Mrs. Cooper smiles diligently down at Karma who still questions that smile genuineness.

"Listen to me," Karma slides the covers off of her and gets off the bed to stand in front of Amy's mother, "you may have tricked us both and separated us in the past but I will not let this happen again."

"On contrary, I'm not about to do this again, promise. If all I am willing to support the both of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I carried this child for nine months and I breast fed her for three years; I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt her. I do everything for her own good."

"Well, you may have breast fed her for three years; but it is my breasts she sucks on now."

"Oh dear God, how vulgar and rude!" Mrs. Cooper looks aghast and holds her chest, "You will control your language around me. I will now allow such disrespect."

"Disrespectful is how you've been to me for the short time that we've acquainted ma'am." Karma spews out the venom that was stuck in her throat for a while now.

Mrs. Cooper said, "Listen dear, you will respect me especially when you are in my house."

"Respect is not demanded but earned. And I have respected you; I told you before. You are the mother of the girl that I am in love with and I'd never say anything out of line to offend you." Karma walks up to Mrs. Cooper and looks up at her, "But, your insanity pushes me far enough tonight and I just couldn't. Witch!"

Mrs. Cooper loses control and slaps Karma and she falls back on the bed, "Listen, I don't give a damn about what you two have together but you will control whatever you say when you speak to me young lady, do you understand?"

Karma is about to say something back but stop when Amy moves on the bed next to her and mumbles something incoherent. Karma prods her a bit and she reacts consciously as she opens her eyes. "Where are we?" she struggle to sit up on the bed, "Karma…pookie…" she reaches for Karma next to her, "baby…are you OK?"

Karma turns on her side and grabs Amy in her arms, "I'm here pooka. I'm alright."

"Pookie? Pooka?" Mrs. Cooper frowns.

Amy ignores her, "Where are we?" though familiar the premises, she couldn't believe that she'd wake up back home.

"Back at the mansion daughter. You are back home." Mrs. Cooper says as she walks on the other side of the bed to stroke Amy's feverish cheek, "It seems you have fever."

Amy pulls her head away from her mother's affectionate touch, "I'm sure it'll pass."

"You caused it." Karma brings Amy further within her hold as she strokes her forehead bandaged forehead. She is a bit feverish. Karma thinks in her head, "Pooka, I think you need to rest a little."

"I slept too long pookie. I'm sure I am just exhausted for sleeping for so long anyway." Amy gives her mother a reproachful look which the mother returns with an unfazed expression.

Mrs. Cooper leaves her side and saunters in front of the bed, "Now, now dear…there's no need to point fingers. I'm not in the least responsible for the state that you both are in right now. If you guys had not made it that difficult to be pursued, they wouldn't have had the need to go that far."

"Mother, do you realize what you are saying right now? Karma and I, we just needed a bit of time to ourselves away from you."

"And you did have your time together but now, the fun is over."

"Who says that it is? We will leave again and this time you won't be able to catch us." Amy warns.

Mrs. Cooper derisively lightens up her eyes, "Oh and you expect me to make it easy for you to escape again? Amy, the time has come for you to be part of the empire for real now. I arranged for you to go to a university overseas in Abu Dhabi."

Amy breaks away from Karma's embrace and sits up straight; the look of apprehension on Karma's face just as intense as the shaken expression upon Amy's features, "What?"

"You heard me. I got into contact with the president there and since I am part of the board of directors of the school, your admission is secured. You'll be leaving in a few months."

"Mother, you can't do this to me." Amy spat.

"Yes I can dear. I am your mother and whatever that has to do with your future, I take care of it." Mrs. Cooper paces before the both of the as she speaks, "You will go to the NYU institute there and major in Business Administration. You will learn the language, which will be good for you because I will put you as the vice Chairwoman of the conglomerate. You will come after me so it is vital for you to know more than the three languages that you already know."

Amy sits back down on the bed and couldn't bring herself to look at Karma. Truthfully, she'd thought of the future but she doesn't if that's what she wants to do. Sure, she has gone to work a few times with her mother to learn the ropes of managing and doing business. She's the temporary CEO of a small company now even though she'd been neglecting it; it takes too much of her time and she wants to have fun. Karma looks dumfounded. She doesn't even know what to think. She doesn't even want to think. Future? What about her future? Amy will have to go to college and overseas at that and where will she be? Here? In Austin, probably going to some community college. She hadn't thought that far off in the future but the fact that it came up now, from her point of view now, it looks totally bleak compared to Amy's. She doesn't what she wants to be.

"How long will I be gone – should I accept to go?" Amy asks.

Mrs. Cooper said, "Five to six years at the least. I want you to go for your Master's degree."

Karma still couldn't say anything and now even less. Five to six years apart from Amy.

"That's too far mother. I can't leave Karma for that long."

Mrs. Cooper inwardly groans. She knew something like that would come up, "Dear, things like that were bound to happen to you whether or not you were with this girl. This is your future and yours alone. If she loves you as much as she claims and her love is true, she'll let you go and wait for you."

Mrs. Cooper looks down at the two indecisive teenagers and suspires even more at the sight. "Look, do not believe this is a trickery of my part trying to break up the two of you. I'm serious this time Amy and this is no longer a game. I'm going to need you to be part of the empire now because you are getting old enough to work and you need to mature. As for your relationship, I'm open to it now and I wish to call a truce. Lauren told me something the day you two ran away. If all I've that I've done and you two still managed to find your way back, it says something. So -" she extends her hand to the two teenagers, "We call it quits?"

Both girls look down at the extended hand and debates on whether to shake it or not; Amy grabs her mother's hand reluctantly.

"No need for the uncertainty dear. I know that I was a bit harsh when it came to your relationship with Karma but I'm willing to put everything behind if you accept." Mrs. Cooper shifts her head to both of them and smiles with a smile that none of them could attest the genuineness. "Although you've neglected your studies a lot Amy, you are clever and intelligent and you actually did get your requirements done to graduate high school and get your diploma. I already had gotten a copy and sent it over at the university and human resources have already placed it in your record. I just need for you to go to university and as soon as you graduate, you'll be introduced as the next vice Chairwoman."

Amy gets off the bed and starts pacing nervously around the room, "Mom, this is too soon."

"It is not dear. I've been preparing you for years for this. It is time Amy. It is time that you put everything that I taught you to work." Mrs. Cooper says.

Amy walks over to the window and then turns around, "Can you leave me alone with Karma?"

Mrs. Cooper smiles and then complies, "Alright but you should know that I won't accept no for an answer." She then exits the room and leaves the two alone.

Karma looks up at Amy and jumps off the bed to reach her. She grabs her hand and pulls her toward her in a hug and holds her tight, breathing in the aroma of her natural scented hair. She sighs as she pulls away, "Your mother is right. You should go."

"Karma, I know that we should think about things like that but I can't handle being that far away from you." Amy says.

"Five to six years is nothing and I'll be waiting for you."

"Karma you don't get it. I get that far from you and I die. I die Karma."

"Pooka, I can't stand in the way of you and your future. I have to let you; at least for a while. Of course, I'll be missing you but we can always call and write each other. Technology of today can do wonders and Abu Dhabi is a marvelous place."

Amy still seems a bit indecisive, "Karma, look, I don't even if this is what I want to do. I don't even know what I want to do Karma. I know I want to be with you and take care of you one day but I've been struggling over what I should do."

"I know baby but we're still young and we have to think about the future now too. A future together." Karma pushes the fallen threads of Amy's hair to the back, "Don't you see it with me?"

"I've seen it multiple times over Karma. A future with you baby, that's all that I see." Amy brings her hands up and holds Karma's head, "That's all I see pookie."

Karma leans her head forward and kisses Amy passionately then pulls away slowly with her eyes still close and her heart melting, "Baby, I'm going to wait for you. I'll always wait for you and we will get married like we promised on the run and you gave me that ring." She brings the hand that had the ring up, "You see, I will never take it off."

Amy grabs Karma's hand and kisses the back, "The rings that should and will ever go around that finger is that moon ring and the engagement ring and the wedding ring – all from me."

"And I'll never take them off." Karma clasps her arms around Amy's waist and Amy does the same.

Karma quickly pecks her lips, "It's a shame that we had to get caught by your mother so soon and everything had to end."

"I know pookie. I wish we were in a car right now, driving with no destination and stopping every now and then just to make out with you."

"Remember that time we were in Ohio and we drove over this hill that overlooked this amazing landscape and we set up this nice little night picnic and we danced together until we couldn't anymore. This was one of the most amazing nights of my life – all of them being with you."

Amy sighs, "And I have had since then, the most amazing days of my life the day I started loving you."

"I love you." Karma breathes.

"And I love you."

Karma breaks off from the embrace and smiles at Amy, "That's why you have to go to Abu Dhabi and go to school and I'll be here waiting for you."

Amy's eyes grew wide and illuminates with a brighter shade of green as she realizes that the separation can be avoided, "Come with me."

"What?"

"Come to school with me to Abu Dhabi." Amy presses on.

"Amy, I can't even if I wanted to. I don't have the privilege to afford this. And I may have decent grades but they are not that great for me to go there."

"Don't worry about the payments; I'll take care of everything. And the grades, there's nothing to worry about also." Amy takes Karma's hands in hers and brings them up to her chest, "Come with me."

"Amy, you know I am not going to do this right."

Amy frowns, "And why not?"

"Because, this is your mother's money and I won't touch it – ever. And I am grown. I don't want to go to that university. I want to stay in Austin with my parents who will be back soon."

Amy steps back then pulls Karma in again, "Then I'll stay here with you and study the same major. I don't have to go to Abu Dhabi to major in Business; I can do it right here."

"What about the language and culture? Your mother says that you need to learn the language."

"I can learn it however. I don't have to go all the way over there to learn Arabic."

"Amy…" Karma pulls back, "We can't do this alright. You need to go to Abu Dhabi. I'll wait for you."

Amy shakes her head, "No…I'm going to talk with my mother right now." With that, she walks out of the bedroom and heads straight for her mother's study. Kama runs after her trying to stop her from doing this madness but she failed. Amy was keen on staying here with her and not gets separated again. She's not letting go of Karma ever. She opens the study and finds her mother sitting behind her desk reading what seem to be notary reports.

"I'm not going to Abu Dhabi. I'm staying here with Karma and I won't take no for an answer." She announces.

Mrs. Cooper lifts her eyes up to stare at the perturbed daughter of hers, who seems to have forgotten the custom of knocking, "One, you should knock before entering a room Amy. I raised you better than this…"

"Antoine raised me, not you."

"Well, I am still your mother and I am sure Antoine had taught you some manners. Two, I will give you a no for answer and you will take it. And you want to know why? Because I am your mother and I tell you to. This wasn't an offer that you have the privilege of refusing just for the sole, immature reasons of not being able to separate yourself from the love of your life. Because, this is bullshit…"

"Oops mother, I believe your mouth has slipped a little…" Amy grins maliciously, "I think you are the one with no manners here."

Mrs. Cooper rises from the chair deliberately, "I am telling you right now Amy Raudenfeld-Cooper, you will be leaving for Abu Dhabi as soon as the graduation of this year seniors' classes start."

"And I say that I am staying here with Karma."

Mrs. Cooper glances over Amy's shoulder and sees Karma standing behind, in the corner looking apologetic to even be the reason of mother and daughter bickering. She looks once more at Amy and softens her facial expression, "Fine, if that is what you want."

Amy didn't know what to say or what to feel. This was the first time her mother ever agreed with her or even let her do something where in the dispute she surrenders so quickly. Karma was wide-eyed. She looks within the mother's eyes and see sincerity and wonders if it is even genuine. Amy didn't know what to do.

Mrs. Cooper extends her hand for Amy to grab, "You can stay here Amy and I'll cancel your trip to Abu Dhabi."

"Seriously?" Amy asks.

Mrs. Cooper smiles quietly, "You can stay here but I'll fly in an Arabic language teacher."

Amy grabs her mother's extended hand and shakes it, "Wow! Mom, I didn't think it'd be that easy."

"Well believe it." Mrs. Cooper slides her glasses up and sits back down on the chair, "Now, will you please leave my study. I have a lot of work to do."

Amy turns to face Karma who still was dumbfounded, "You see. I'll be here with you." She pulls Karma in a hug but Karma wasn't convinced. She looks at the woman over Amy's back who slyly glances up at her over her glasses with her predatory eyes and it gave Karma this mal presentiment that something will happen.

She just hopes she doesn't let herself be fool.