Along Came a Jewel

AN:Thank you to all that have read, favorited, and followed. Cookies for you. A special thanks to J. B. F. Fan, kenfromnhus, crb7829, Sammycakezz, nabians, Debbie93, CarpeDee.m , Lithium, CheesyDip15, Unikorn89, LizaSky16, lochie17, sofily4, Kat 567, Darth Benton, Dongu, Alpha-Wolf619, Robby the Cyber Warrior, guest, Crystals, and echoxknox for the reviews. More cookies for you.

Ruby

Is that sobbing? Is someone sobbing or did I finally lose it and those are just the voices in my head?

I lift my head and pause, listening to see if I really was crazy.

Nope. There it is again a sniffle… No wait two sniffles, one is getting further away and one seems to be coming from the room beside us.

I abruptly stand and Lauren looks at me in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't you hear that?"

She freezes for a moment and I hear a loud whimper from next door. Her expression changes to concern for only a second, and then finally switches to annoyance. My lips twitch at the thought that she actually cares about something, until they again turn down in worry.

"I'll be right back, let me just go check on them."

Lauren scowls at me and I run my fingers through her hair to make her stop. She grudgingly nods and I give her a peck before standing from her bed.

I start to walk towards the door before stopping and glancing down.

"Have you seen my pants?"

Knocking on Amy's door, I hear a snuffle in response and pop my head in. Looking around I only see Amy sniffling on her bed.

Starting to glance around, I don't see Karma and start to get worried.

"Amy what happened?"

She pauses and swallows, seeming to build up her courage to get whatever the problem is out into the open.

"I-I confessed again… I thought she was ready. I thought anything she needed, I could provide."

She grit my teeth and close my eyes in annoyance. "Did you say something like that?"

She blinks and looks at me confused. "What do you mean?"

"Did you come on that strong? Put that much pressure on her?"

"I… Too strong?"

My fists clench and I start to get annoyed. It's always nice to be ignored completely when you try to help. "Dammit Amy! Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet."

Her sobs start to get louder and I quiet my tone, feeling guilty for losing my temper. "With love and patience, nothing is impossible. But with mistakes come hardship… and a lot of groveling."

"Are you just quoting at me?"

"…It seemed appropriate."

"Why are you yelling at me? I just put my heart on the line, and I got crushed. I don't need you here making it worse."

I hesitate for a moment and then take a breath, knowing that she's right and that I'm just taking my frustrations out on her. I'm way too invested in this relationship. "You're right. I'm gonna go kick the shit out of Karma."

Her eyes widen and she looks slightly panicked at the thought. It's nice to see she can still have feelings for my pain in the ass cousin. Even after 'crushing her heart'.

"Just kidding. I'm gonna go and make sure she gets home okay."

She nods and turns trying to stifle her tears. I wish I could stay and console her, especially after I just yelled at her for something that wasn't even her fault, but I need to make sure Karma doesn't try and walk home in the dark like the dumbass she is.

I sigh and leave, shutting the door behind me. Going back to Lauren's room, I open the door and see my girlfriend flicking through the channels of her TV.

"I gotta go. Jackass emergency."

She turns to me with a venomous glare. "What the hell did your stupid cousin do now?"

It's nice to know she automatically knows what I mean.

"I'll tell you about it later. Right now I gotta make sure she doesn't try and walk home in the middle of the night."

She grudgingly sighs and nods.

"Come on. You're locking the door behind me."

The blonde rolls her eyes at my protectiveness, but gets up without argument.

Making our way downstairs, I open the front door and see that thankfully Karma is sitting on the steps out front. The relief is only there for a moment when I see the tears.

I turn back to Lauren to see she's frowning at Karma, but she doesn't say anything, so I smile at her in relief.

I give her a lingering kiss. "Sorry. I'll see you tomorrow sweetheart."

She nods still frowning and I give her another peck on the cheek. Then she closes the door and I don't turn until I hear the click of the lock.

Turning back to Karma I kneel down and put my arm around her shoulders. "Come on. Let's go."

She turns her head up, her tear streaked face looking at me in pain. "What?"

"I'm taking you home before you get raped and murdered, let's go."

Her lips wobble and I pull her up, most of her weight leaning on me as we make our way to the car.

Karma

Oh god. What did I just do? What did she just do?

Amy was so sweet, so romantic, so… terrifying. Her words were just as heartfelt as ever, but that was the problem. I need to work through this before I can have my blonde best friend who's in love with me give me more adoring profound speeches.

And her thoughts and ideas while so sweet, just aren't possible. I can't lean on her and work through it with her. I need to figure out my… my sexuality myself. Until I do I can't be in a relationship. I can't be devoted. I can't-

"You keep thinking that hard your head is going to explode."

I turn at my cousin's words to see her glancing at me from the driver's seat. Keeping quiet I turn back to look out the windshield.

After a few moments of silence Ruby says, "Look… I uh, I don't know exactly what was said, but whatever it was, you obviously didn't react very well."

Ruby seems to be choosing her words carefully, talking slowly as if by saying the wrong thing it might set me off; which may actually be true.

"How was I supposed to react?"

She pauses for a second trying to think of an answer. "I don't know."

I blink surprised she doesn't have an answer like usual. "I don't know either Ruby."

She purses her lips and sighs. "What do you know?"

I frown at her words and think. "Not much."

My cousin gives out a quiet huff of laughter and turns to me. "Think. Give me a tour through your thought process."

I bite my lip in thought and then finally blurt out. "Confusion."

"Why?"

"Because I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"How I can feel attracted to both genders."

"What's there to understand?"

"How it's… possible, I guess. How I can go from wanting to kiss a cute boy to wanting to kiss my cute female best friend."

"Karma, these are feelings correct?"

I frown but answer, "Yes."

"Do you dissect every feeling you have? Try to understand them."

I sigh quietly and say, "No."

"Then why is this any different. You don't try to understand a feeling. Especially not love, you… submerge in it, drown in it. You let yourself feel it. You don't question love."

After a moment's indecision, I finally ask, "Is that what I feel for her. Am I 'in' love with her?"

She doesn't even hesitate when she answers, "Yes."

I sigh quietly and try to just do as she says. Don't try and make my love logical. Just feel it.

Amy's smile. Amy's laugh. Amy talking. Amy walking. Amy embarrassed. Amy happy. Amy sad. Amy looking at me with love in her eyes. Me staring back with the same expression. Amy.

I think of love, I think of Amy.

"Turn around."

"What?"

"Turn around!"

Ruby jumps at my yell and looks at me in confusion. "What?"

"Turn around! I need to talk to Amy."

My cousin looks at me incredulously and shakes her head. "You can talk to her in the morning."

"No! I need to talk to her now!"

"She's not dying! You can see her tomorrow."

"I need to see her right now!"

Ruby lets out a frustrated groan and then jerks the wheel around. "Fine ya pain in the ass. Let's drive in circles for a couple hours because you're too impatient to wait until morning."

I ignore her and sit in silence trying to figure out what I'm going to say.

When we finally make it back to the house, I vault out of the car and to the front door. I try to open it and frown when I realize it's locked. Raising my hand to knock, it's quickly grabbed by Ruby. I turn and glare at her and she returns it.

"Farrah's sleeping. You want to wake her and the hubby up and explain what the fuck we're doing here in the middle of the night?"

I grit my teeth but lower my arm. Ruby sighs and pulls out her phone. "I'll call Lauren to let us in."

Nodding grudgingly, I impatiently wait.

A few minutes later, Ruby looks at me in annoyance and says, "She's not answering. Must have gone to sleep."

I groan annoyed and start to pace. I have to talk to her now. I'm all hyped up and full of courage. I wait until tomorrow and I'm probably going to be hiding in a corner scared out of my mind again.

Think Karma, think. What can I do? I have to talk to her, I'm not stupid enough to even try to call her. What the hell should I do!?

The movie: Say Anything. I don't have the boom box, but I do have a window.

I jog over to where Amy's window is, a confused Ruby following and then realize what else I don't have… something to throw at the window. God dammit, seriously?! No stones or mulch or anything!

Ruby's looking between me and the window I'm staring at. Finally she sighs and says, "I hate that movie. The only good part is the part with John Cusack with a boom box at the window. Rest of it sucked."

I glare at her for her unnecessary commentary.

Finally she sighs and sticks her tongue out annoyed. "I don't have time for this."

She slips her shoe off and then throws it at the window. The glass shudders and the shoes gives a thump, the sound isn't as loud as I expect and it isn't a moment later that the window is open.

I turn to stare at Ruby in shock. Did she just throw her shoe at a window?

"Karma. Ruby. What are you doing?"

Ruby grimaces and then slowly starts to walk away. "I'll be… not here."

I watch her for a few moments as she walks through the dark towards the front of the house and then nervously turn to Amy.

Red eyes, blotchy face. An ugly crier, but I don't care. It's Amy, she could wear clown make up and have disfiguring scars. She'll always look fine to me.

"What are you doing here? I thought you left?"

"I did. But then I came back. I told you I would. At the restaurant."

She pauses and stares at me. "That was just a promise that you would come back after a conversation. It wasn't an oath for life."

"Well maybe not an oath. Just an inevitably."

She huffs out a tearful laugh. "What every girl wants to hear. That being near her is unavoidable. That she has to."

I smile up at her and it almost falters when she stares back at me blankly. "I can't seem to help myself. I wouldn't like my life as much if you weren't in it."

Amy bites her lip, but her expression, doesn't change.

"Can you come down here?" She doesn't look as if she'll agree, but then I give her a pleading stare and say, "Please."

The blonde breathes out through her nose and then nods. "But only for a minute."

I smile at her and nod in acquiescence.

She backs up from the window and then I silently stand, waiting patiently for her to come down.

A few minutes later, I see light pour out from around the front of the house. Amy makes her way around the side, the door closing a moment later. I'm guessing from Ruby closing it as she went back in.

She comes to stop out of my reach, and I take a breath at the metaphorical chasm that I've caused between us.

"You have two minutes, then I'm leaving."

I nod and then hesitate, still not sure what to say.

Just feel. Just say what comes to mind.

"I love you."

Amy jolts slightly at my words and looks at me in shock. Wide eyed and dropped jaw. Cute.

"Sorry... That it took me so long. And that I was such a… idiot. I left and I was so confused."

I pause for a moment and she's still looking at me in shock, so I try and think of what to say.

"I always thought that love stories were supposed to have these big intense moments. Like, I'm supposed to get shot, and you're supposed to get kidnapped, or I have to make a giant speech in front of dozens of people I've never met or even care to meet. But then… I was driving down the road and just thinking and feeling and coming terms with this. So instead of all that melodramatic bullshit, it was just… me maturely sorting out my feelings."

I sigh and take a step, she doesn't stop me, so I continue. "I've come to realize that every start to a relationship doesn't need a dramatic explosive beginning… that sometimes someone just has to quietly admit they love someone else."

Swallowing nervously I say, "And I really do. I love you. I'm in love with you."

She still stands frozen, so for once I take the first step. Grabbing her shirt I pull her towards me and stare for a few moments. She looks dumbfounded and I smile at her expression. Finally pulling her all the way towards my lips my smile widens. When she starts to kiss me back, I pull her even closer.

She pulls back after a few moments. "You really love me?"

Putting my forehead to hers I answer, "More than anything."

She smiles and pulls me into her again.

AN: Yep guys it's over. There is however going to be an epilogue, so you stop that crying.

So I hate stories where the only way they can admit they love each other is because of some really, really dramatic bullshit. So I was like fuck that shit. Welcome to realistic maturity Karma. We've been waiting... And then boom! This happened.

A good example of someone fucks up big time and then they fairly calmly get back together. 10 Things I Hate About You. Go watch it. You're welcome

So I was going to wait, but then I was like, fuck it, it's valentines day. Speaking of, does anyone want to be my valentine? I'll love you forever and be super loyal and make you real cookies.

Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge.

I'm pretty proud of myself with the heartfelt love confession. Didn't use one quote, all original. I'm such a hopeless romantic.

Anyway, I'm so happy and thankful for everyone who has given this fic a smidgen of attention and has seen it through this far. I'll most likely get sappy after the epilogue, so I'm going to save my tears until then.