Thank you to those who have followed this story and left a review. It's interesting to see the feelings towards Karma as a character. Hope to write another chapter soon, but let me know which way you think the story should go if you have any ideas!

Quick question for any American readers...how old are Amy and Karma supposed to be in the show? 15/16?

Amy took a deep breath as she desperately tried to control her racing heartbeat as the call connected, still completely unsure as to what she would say. She was still thinking when suddenly, after just one ring, the phone was answered.

"Amy?" Karma's voice asked hopefully.
Amy composed herself "Hi." Amy was annoyed at herself that all she could manage was a stupid hi!
"Hi" Karma responded softly.

There was silence whilst they both worked out what to say next. Amy broke the silence "Karma...is everything OK?" Amy rolled her eyes towards the sky at her words...of course they weren't OK otherwise Karma wouldn't have called her. Duh! She added "I'm mean with your parents...and the accident...are they going to be OK?" Amy asked generally concerned about Karma's mum and dad, who had always been so welcoming to her, when they had been friends.

There was a pause and muffled sounds and Amy could tell Karma was crying. "there...was a head on collision...yesterday" Karma managed to speak in between her tears "a truck lost control. It hit them head on" Amy felt the tears spring to her eyes as she heard the details of the accident and realised how serious it was.
"...the police told me it would have been instant. That they wouldn't have suffered for long. " Amy listened to Karma sobbing on the other end of the phone and felt useless. She just wanted to pull Karma in tight to her and tell her it would be OK. Obviously she couldn't do that.

"Karm.." Amy said softly "do you have someone with you? You have someone there right?" Amy asked with noticeable concern in her voice. "Is Liam with you?" More sobbing and broken words "ummm he lives in LA. He is flying back tomorrow. I..my friend Tilly, from college is here with me."

There was a slight pause before she continued
"Amy, I..I can't believe they're gone! I..I just can't get my head around it."
"It's the shock. It's going to take some time to fully sink in and for it to feel real." Amy had read up on grief and it's different forms a while back when she was attending counselling. The loss, whether it be from death or in another format, is hugely traumatic and the mind can react in certain ways to try and prevent more hurt.
"I'm...I'm sorry I called you." Karma said surprising Amy a little at the sudden change in direction.
"I...I mean, I have no right to call you after the way I treated you. The way I..." More tears, but Karma continued "..I ended our friendship. I had no right at all, but I couldn't stop myself Amy. I'm sorry, I just couldn't stop myself.."

Amy felt her throat tighten as she listened to Karma's words.
"Karma, your parents have just passed away...it's OK you called me. It's OK." Amy responded, deciding not to focus on the apology or the acknowledgement of how she had treated her. Now was not the time.
"Listen...I have to go OK" Amy said as she realised Kate would probably we wondering where she had got. Karma remained silent at the other end. "Karma...it's going to be OK right? It doesn't seem like it now, but it's going to be OK."
Amy stood up from the bench and prepared to finish the conversation "Karm..I'll call you tomorrow to see how you are."

"Amy.." Karma spoke just as she was about to end the call "...will you come to the funeral? I..I don't think I'll get through it otherwise." Amy hadn't seen that coming. It was one thing to talk on the phone after all these, another to actually see each other.
"I'm not sure" Amy replied honestly.
"I'll call you tomorrow OK?"
"OK" Karma replied quietly as the call ended.

Amy's head was buzzing with thoughts and questions. Had she done the right thing by calling? Was Karma truly sorry about the way she had treated Amy all those years ago, or was she just saying it because she was lonely? Because her parents had just died. Amy tried to imagine what it would feel like to lose both your parents at the same time. It would feel like your whole world had changed. Amy walked to the shop to get supplies, her mind still racing, undecided what to do. She knew she didn't owe Karma anything after not being friends for all these years, but something inside still felt a need to help her.

Back home, Amy was busy in the kitchen preparing some brunch to be consumed in bed when Kate entered the room. Amy noticed her hair was wet.
"You showered?" She asked
"Yes I hoped it might help me start feeling more human again!" Kate replied.
"And? Are you?"
"Well let's just say I now feel like someone who's just been bitten by a zombie and is half human still, rather than the full blown Waking Dead extra I was 30 minutes ago". Kate walked towards Amy, arms outstretched pretending to be a zombie.

Amy gave a weak smile back that Kate spotted instantly.
"Hey...what's up?" She asked concerned.
"When I checked my phone earlier I had like five or six missed calls from Karma." Amy said
"High school Karma?" Kate asked, the surprise clearly audible in her voice.
"Uh huh" Amy nodded
"High school Karma who dumped you as a friend?"
"Yes. The very same one." Amy replied
"Shiiiiiiiiit...what did she want?" Kate asked
"Well she left a message at 5am something about her parents being in an accident. So I called her. Just now. When I went out. And..." Amy looked up at Kate and she couldn't control the tears that had formed in her eyes
"Kate, they were killed. Both of them. In a car accident. It's...it's just awful. They were such kind people..."

Amy felt a relief to be able to cry and Kate pulled her into her arms.
"Hey! You're shaking!" Kate said "it's ok. It's just the shock. It must have been a shock. After all this time, and then to find out about her parents."
Amy squeezed Kate a little harder as she felt her words comfort her. It had been a massive shock, and she was truly upset about Karma's parents, but Amy knew that some of the tears she was now crying had not been caused by the news, but memories that had come flooding back at the sound of Karma's voice.

Kate held Amy right in her arms and she stroked Amy's head. Amy took in the clean smell of shampoo and shower gel and the soothing feeling of Kate's warm, soft skin next to hers. She started to compose herself and reached up and planted a gentle kiss on Kate's lips.
"I'm sorry...I'm being silly" Amy said, slightly embarrassed.
"It's OK" Kate replied softly planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm sure it's kicked up all sort of emotions that are now running inside of you". Kate paused and then looked Amy in the eyes before adding "Ams...I know how much she meant to you...how much she hurt you...you lost your best friend. I totally get that. I get it's a shock...the accident, but also just speaking to her again after all these years. I understand OK."

Amy felt years start to form again in her eyes as she listened to Kate's words. She was so lucky to have Kate in her life. She loved her so much.
"Thanks. Thank you for understanding. I'm so lucky to have you" Amy said in between pecks on Kate's lips.
Kate laughed "I'm happy to see that I seem to have redeemed myself in the girlfriend stakes after my chunderfest this morning!"
Amy laughed and added "you always redeem yourself Kate Gilmore. You are adorable, even when you are throwing up!"

Amy turned her attention to the shopping "now how about I make us some brunch?" After they had eaten they climbed back into bed and slept for a couple more hours. As Kate lay in Amy's arms and she nodded off to sleep, Amy found her thoughts flooded with memories of her childhood and Karma's parents. The dinners she had had at their house eating all types of vegan and healthy foods. To Amy it was a novelty.

Amy remembered that Karma had hated it, hated their alternative way of living. She had at times been embarrassed and had longed for 'normal parents' who ate 'normal' stuff like a pizzas and meatloaf. Amy had told Karma off so many times for being mean about her parents, and how much they loved her, but Karma never really listened. Karma always joked that they should swap families as she loved Amy's mum. Amy remembered wishing that that could have happened in real life.

Later that evening they decided to head out to the movies as that was all they were both capable of. On the walk back, Amy's phone pinged to indicate a message. Pulling out her phone she saw the number she now recognised as Karma's.
"It's Karma." She told Kate as she clicked in to read the message.
"Is she OK?" Kate asked, which made Amy love her even more. Amy read the message

'Hi. funeral is taking place on Thursday. Please say you'll come? K x'
"She doesn't say how she is. The funeral is on Thursday" Amy told Kate "what do you think I should do?" She asked.
"Well do you want to go?" Kate replied.
"I kinda feel I'd like to pay my respects to her parents.."
"But.." Kate added hearing the hesitation in Amy.
"But...well it's the past and I'm very happy with my future right here." She reach down and grabbed Kate's hand.
"I know babe. And I'm happy too, and because you're happy, we're happy... then it's OK to go back into the past, and I'll be supporting you." Amy smiled at Kate and nodded her head.
"You're right."

Amy was due to fly home for Christmas at the weekend and so once home she called the airline to change her flight. She would head home on Tuesday instead. They had already made plans that Kate would come and stay with Amy on the 27th for a couple of days and then they would head back to New York for New Years Eve. There was no way they were missing their first NYE together in New York. Just before Amy went to sleep that night she grabbed her phone and tapped in a quick reply to Karma's text.

'I'm back in Austin on Tuesday evening. A x'