So, here it is: the next installment of this tiny story. It has been underway for an inordinate amount of time, of that I am aware. I have quite simply had no time to write what so ever, and I have been the victim of a hideous writer's block for the past months.
But this is not about excuses. Now it's here. And I'm sorry for the delay! Hopefully, it has been worth the wait - I'll leave the judgement of that to you.
This chapter has two songs attached:
"To Build A Home" by The Cinematic Orchestra.
"The Funeral" by Band of Horses.
The goal is for these songs to take your feels out for a spin before/while/after you read this chapter.
Now, without further chit-chat, I give to you... Chapter 13.
"Are you suggesting that I love Amy Farrah Fowler?"
Whatever residual of sleep and grogginess that had occupied Penny's mind only seconds before had now been effectively annihilated as Sheldon's words woke her up instantly – like a dose of caffeine injected directly into her bloodstream.
Her jaw was hanging loosely in its sockets as she stood there, staring at the tall frame outside her door as if he was a creature of a superhuman nature, her eyes slowly regaining their optimal functioning. And what they saw was not a superhuman. Far from it.
Sheldon's dark hair was ruffled, sticking out in different directions or laying chaotically on his forehead , bearing witness to the countless times he had run his hands through it during his sleepless night. His skin seemed more pale than usual, the outline of a small vein visible at his right temple, almost shining through his smooth dermis with its blue shades. His eyes were disproportionately wide, a line of white surrounding his crystal blue irises. Blue crystals brimming with confusion, fear and a hint of madness in a pool of white innocence. His bottom lip was pouting characteristically as it ever so slightly disappeared into the gap between his lips before reappearing in a steady rhythm matching his nervous breathing. She could see his rapid heartbeat pulsating in the space between his clavicles. His big slender hands were gripping fistfuls of his red and green plaid robe, holding on for dear life – one hand on the belt and one hand on his chest.
The only superhuman thing about Sheldon Cooper in that moment was the fact that he was still standing upright on his own.
Standing outside her door was a 6'2 tall construction of insecurity and vulnerability held together only by the insatiable need for answers to paradigm shifting questions.
Swallowing nonexistent saliva down her parched throat, Penny stood a little taller, wetting her chapped lips in a moment of determination. She had brought this on herself.
It was almost 3 am, not even 24 hours after the reconciliation between the quirky neurobiologist and her lanky physicist of a boyfriend. What better time to talk to the emotionally crippled Sheldon Cooper about love?
"Okay, come in, sweetie. Let's talk." She demanded before letting out a struggling sigh.
Stepping aside, she allowed Sheldon to shuffle past her, his posture no longer towering over her as usual, but rather slumping together – as if he was slowly imploding in upon himself. Once inside, he just stood there, seemingly waiting for instructions as to what to do next, his nimble fingers playing with the hem of his night robe.
Closing the door behind him, Penny moved to place a guiding hand on his elbow, only to have him winch away in slight terror, a soft gasp leaving his lips as he looked at her in confusion.
"Go on, sit down. We need to talk." She explained patiently, pointing at her familiar two-person couch.
Just the sight of the confided space available on the couch made Sheldon's heart beat peak in a rush of claustrophobic panic – he was exhausted, confused, emotionally drained and basically running on his very last reservoirs of patience and control. But the need for answers and guidance pushed him mindlessly forward, making him sit down as he gulped down the nervous lump in his throat. He seated himself on the very edge of his seat, cradling his hands in his laps, eyes never leaving Penny as she turned and walked over to the kitchen counter, her pink morning robe swaying lightly in sync with her movements.
"Do you want something? Glass of water? Tea?" She asked, roaming through her kitchen cabinets.
When she received no answer from him, she turned to face her quirky scientist of a friend.
His wide eyes were glued to her cautiously, like a cat observing a possibly dangerous element – intrigued but very much on his mark. As if she would turn around and surprise him with a lethal attack any second.
He saw, but did not speak.
"Tea it is." She declared in a silent mumble, turning to prepare his beverage.
Penny could feel Sheldon's intense glare basically burning to holes in the back of her head as she slowly filled the kettle with water. Her own nervousness began to stir in the pit of her abdomen as the reality of what she was about to talk to Sheldon about finally sunk in.
She had to talk to Sheldon Lee Cooper – self-acclaimed Homo Novus – about love.
Sheldon don't-touch-my-tooth-brush-or-I'll-jump-out-the-window Cooper.
Sheldor the Conqueror.
The confused child in the body of a 6"2 tall Texan man.
The socially impaired and anxious fellow who was on a life-long quest to solve the mysteries of the Universe dressed in plaid pants and super hero t-shirt.
The man who had enough quirks, phobias and issues to keep a room full of psychiatrists busy for an impressive amount of time.
That mysterious and curious creature that seemed like one thing, but deep down he was something completely different – a hidden core of warmth and innocence hidden beneath layers upon layers of steely, sky-high walls, miles of agonizing barbed wire and stoic, expressionless features.
He wanted her to tell him if it was possible that someone had made their way through his impenetrable maze of condescension, inaccessibility and Spock-like detachment. To be honest, maybe not even Sheldon had been able to do that.
If it was possible that one specific person had beat all the odds and conquered his heart.
How was she to know?
It was his heart.
But as tradition dictated, Sheldon was the last one to have any clue about his own inner workings. Even if it was obvious to the rest of the Universe, he remained oblivious. The truth could be screaming into his ear, and yet he would remain deaf. His world could be illuminated by a light outshining the sun, and he would blindly declare it was pitch-black.
Ever-confused. Ever-stubborn. Ever-denying his own heart.
Classic Sheldon.
She returned to the couch, slowly placing the mug in front of him before taking a seat in the recliner next to him, leaning back and shuffling one leg over the other.
He hadn't taken his eyes off of her, and even now as she offered him the tea, his gaze remained glued to hers. They down-stared each other for a moment, Penny tilting her head slightly forward, intensifying her stare and Sheldon narrowing his eyes ever so faintly.
He broke her gaze for the briefest of seconds to glance at the mug of tea in front of him, but it was enough to break the tension between them. They both felt it instantly, as Penny let out a tired sigh and Sheldon tentatively picked up the mug, taking a slow and apprehensive sip.
And then another.
And another.
Cradling the mug in his big, slender hands, Sheldon returned his gaze to Penny, taking a deep breathe, his chest expanding visibly before deflating, as he seemed to steel himself.
"Well?" He asked expectantly, his voice meek.
Penny mimicked his sigh, wetting her lips and crossing her arms across her chest.
"Okay, fine." She started, clicking her tongue against her palate, zooming her gaze in on him. "Yes, I was suggesting that you love Amy."
Her voice was sturdy and straight forward. Not a second of hesitation, no trace of faltering. Her features were serious, stoic, final.
He wished for the truth, and he had gotten it.
Sure, she could've lied. She could've dismissed the notion completely, saving herself from having this conversation. She could've lied, and even though she and Sheldon both would've known that her words were untrue, they could both've pretended like they had never happened. Killing it before it was even born, ascribing Sheldon's suspicion to his difficulty to understand and recognize social cues; just Sheldon being good old Sheldon.
It would've been easy.
And watching Sheldon's reaction, Penny was certain that he would've preferred that approach.
His eyes went wide, his red knuckles turning ghostly white as he gripped the mug tightly. His mouth closed shut, his lips pressing so closely together that they almost disappeared as he seemed to forget how to breathe for a brief second. His pale blue orbs stiffened, staring at her unseeing, a visible gulp passing through his throat.
Moments went by without Sheldon blinking, without a word, without any promise of continuation.
Penny let him have his moment, he deserved that much. The man had always been scared of most things in existence – from the possibility of a disastrous flood in Pasadena to the pathogenic microbes on his toothbrush – but without any doubt, Sheldon Cooper feared his heart more than anything between heaven and earth. And here she was, presenting him to a notion of great delicacy. A notion that – if true – had the potential to overthrow the dictatorship of rules, regulations and constant vigilance that currently held every aspect of his life in a stranglehold.
Whether the revolution would result in victorious freedom or earthshattering tragedy was still to be determined.
After several moments of agonizing silence, he finally seemed to regain his mental faculties and the motoric function of his jaw muscles and tongue.
Wetting his lips, he hesitated for a moment before articulating.
"But… Why?" He asked in a low voice of bewilderment, the sides of his eyebrows turning downwards in a frown of confused nervousness.
Penny closed her eyes slowly, keeping them closed for a heartbeat before opening them again.
"What do you mean why, Sheldon?" She replied, trying her best to remain patient.
She watched him inch a little closer to her on the couch but still keeping a safe distance between them as he discarded the mug on the coffee table.
"Why do you think I love Amy? What indicators caused you to reach that conclusion?" His voice turned demanding. Almost defending.
Penny eyed him in slight surprise, feeling the urge to roll up a newspaper and smack him on top of his head with it.
"I thought it was pretty obvious." She explained, her voice now showing signs of her growing impatience.
"Well, it most certainly isn't obvious to me!" Sheldon wailed, gripping his knee caps as if he would float away if he let go. "What are you talking about?"
Penny pondered for a moment before uncrossing her legs and leaning forward, folding her hands in her lap.
"The way you talk to her. The way you talk about her." She began enumerating. "The way you act around her. The way you look at her. The way you are willing to do anything when it comes to Amy. The way she makes you all happy and soft when she's around. I mean, you light up instantly when she smiles at you. The way you smile at her. I've never seen you smile like that. Or laugh like that. The way you care about her. All of it, Sheldon. It's just… Everything you do." She finished off in a whisper, tilting her head and observing him carefully.
He returned her gaze with an expression of sheer surprise and disbelieve, his jaw hanging lose in its hinges. Then, without warning, his features morphed into an angry frown of hostility.
"Yeah, well, what do YOU know about love?" He huffed, exhaling sharply, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "You're an emotional mess who turn all of her romantic relations into dramatic ship-wrecks. Lucky for you that you found Leonard, who's actually willing to put up with your deeply disturbing attachment-issues."
His steel blue eyes bore into hers as he spat out his words of venom, desperately throwing his last feeble attempt at a defense in her face.
He recognized the look of hurt on her face as she raised a hand to her mouth, leaning away from him a little, her eyes widening as a soft gasp left her lisp. He could've sworn he saw the formation of tears in the corners of her eyes, but he couldn't be sure as she turned her face away from him in a resolute motion of defiance.
The remorse hit him instantly.
He let out a long breathe, his chest combusting in on itself as he uncrossed his arms, allowing them to fall limply against the couch cushions. He opened his mouth to say something, feeling the need to kick himself in the shins for being so mean to her.
Penny meant no harm. She was simply trying to help him. He was even the one who had come to her for guidance, knowing that she would take care of him in his time of need. And how did he reward her outstretched hand, her relentless friendship? He slapped it away, belittled and offended her deeply without a second of hesitation.
Looking at her shoulders now turned to him, he noticed the deep breathe she took - obviously trying to calm herself down.
He was a mean and unsympathetic maniac.
Swallowing, he opened his mouth once more, voicing his regret.
"I'm sorry." He offered in a sincere abide low tone. "That was heinous of me. I didn't mean it."
Her chest expanded as a hand wiped her cheeks dry with a quick motion.
Penny didn't move for another moment. Then she leaned back against the recliner, facing him once again. Shrugging her shoulders lightly she crossed her own arms over her chest.
"You know what, maybe you're right. What the hell do I know about love? I'm probably as confused as you are. Who am I to give you advice about these things? I mean, they still scare me shitless. Maybe you're right, Sheldon. Maybe you're better off without my help." Her voice was soft, yet her words had an edge of confrontation to them, as she turned her face away again.
Silence.
"Penny?" Sheldon prompted, his tone urging her to look at him. She didn't do so for a full minute, but she finally turned her face back, her angry and hurt hazel eyes meeting his remorseful blue ones. He maintained eye contact as he gulped nervously.
"I'm really sorry."
Penny held his gaze for another second before letting out a long breathe, her eyes turning soft once more as she uncrossed her arms. "Don't worry about it." She mumbled, offering him a tiny smile of reassurance.
Breaking eye contact, he looked down at his hands bashfully, fumbling with the end of the belt of his night robe. The muscles in his temple flexed, working slowly and meticulously as a deep groove dug its way between his eyebrows in deep concern. Pressing his upper lip down over his bottom lip, he crocked his neck faintly to one side.
"And these things… Are they signs of…" He hesitated for a moment, inhaling and finishing his sentence with the exhale. "…Love?"
He received no answer for a few heartbeats, causing him to look up at her.
Penny was once more leaning her weight on her forearms, her hands folded into a loose bundle. She too crocked her neck, observing him.
"I don't know." She said truthfully. "But in my experience, they are very strong indicators."
This seemed to give Sheldon something to think about. He bit the inside of his bottom lip pensively, staring into the space right above Penny's shoulder.
Another moment went by before he met her eyes again. His blue orbs seemed determined now, challenging.
"So… How does one determine if it's love?" He asked curiously, his voice holding equal amounts of courage and apprehension.
Penny smiled widely at him - a big, warm and overbearing smile – as she slowly leaned back into her chair, lifting her hands a little from her knees in a gesture of surrender.
"You just know." She declared softly, shooting her chin out persuasively.
Sheldon furrowed his brows, scooting further forward, now basically sitting on the edge of his seat. One of his long legs bent slightly downward, his tall frame suddenly seeming disproportioned to Penny's delicate couch and coffee table. He swallowed, his features turning disbelieving and irritated as his eyes darted around from the coffee table to the floor to his hands before finally meeting Penny's gaze once more.
"What do you mean you just know?" He asked, scrunching his nose. "You need to be more specific."
Penny shook her head from side to side, rubbing the sides of her thighs thoughtfully. "Not when it comes to this, Sheldon." She answered patiently. "Believe me. Take it from a cynical romantic with attachment issues: You just know."
Letting air escape through his nose slowly, Sheldon turned his head to look at the seat next to him, his face still contorted into a confused grimace. He didn't say a word.
Moments passed in silence, until Penny broke it.
"What's tripping you up, sweetie?" She probed expectantly.
Sheldon gulped down, opening and closing his mouth, his gaze still secured at the couch cushion beside him.
"I'm not good at these things, Penny." He admitted, his voice defeatist and low. "How on earth am I supposed to just know?" He locked his eyes with hers as he finished his sentence.
"What do I do?"
He was – without a doubt – scared senseless. Confused, uncertain and helplessly trying to tread water all though he obviously knew he was far in over his head.
Penny sat up straight, looking at him with great determination and assertiveness. She had to take control before Sheldon lost it.
"Right now, you're not going to do a damn thing." She demanded, raising her eyebrows. "You're going to take it easy and give this time to settle in your mind. Give it time, Sheldon. The absolute worst thing you can do right now is rush. Don't tell Amy. Don't make any hasty decisions. This is huge. This is something that you have to consider long and hard. Got it?"
Sheldon's wide, cared blue orbs never left hers. Nodding his head, he wet his lips nervously.
"Good." Penny continued. "Now… You need to go back home, go to bed and try to get some sleep. You've had a long day. Hell, you've had a long week. Just… try to calm down and think about the things we talked about, okay?"
He nodded once more, but didn't move. Didn't speak. Breathing seemed to be the only thing he was capable of. It was only when Penny slowly got on her feet, that Sheldon reacted, hesitantly rising from his seat. She led him to the door, observing his every move.
As they reached the door, Sheldon turned towards her, opening his mouth. But finding no words to say, he closed it shut again.
"Hey…" Penny said reassuringly. "Are you okay?"
He met her gaze hesitantly. Shrugging his shoulders lightly, he let out a tiny sigh.
"I don't know."
Penny pouted her lips, reaching out and grabbing Sheldon by the shoulders.
"You'll be fine." She stated convincingly. "And even though it's scary and weird… Love might just be the best thing to happen to you." She shot him a small smile, trying to cheer him up and calm him down.
He responded to her smile by curling the right corner of his mouth into a familiar sideways smirk.
"Maybe." He concurred, feeling a bit more calm. More reassured.
The next thing he knew, Penny's arms were around him, her head resting on his shoulder as she hugged him tightly. Her apple-scented shampoo and coconut perfume were suddenly all around him, smelling strong and familiar. It took him another minute to realize what was going on. Then he hesitantly brought his hands up, placing them on her upper back slowly and padding her reassuringly a few times.
And then she pulled away just as quick as she had hugged him.
"Sorry, I know hugging isn't your thing." She apologized hastily, folding her hands.
"It's okay." Sheldon mumbled in a friendly tone of voice. "Thank you for the talk. And good night, Penny."
"Goodnight, sweetie." She answered warmly.
And then he was out the door.
Moments after he was in his own apartment.
Next thing he knew, Sheldon was back in his bed; his blanket secured around him, his robe at the foot of his bed, his pillow supporting his neck as he gazed at the ceiling above him.
Of all the peculiar nights he had gone through in his lifetime, this one had skyrocketed its way straight to the top of the list.
His mind was buzzing, mulling and contemplating. Like a tiny factory of busy workers suddenly brought to life, desperately trying to restore order and sense to his thoughts and feelings. If it was up to his brain, he would probably have remained awake for the rest of the night.
But his body had other plans.
His limbs felt like lead, his head felt like concrete. Within minutes, his entire being shut down, surrendering completely to the depths of sleep.
Come morning, Amy dragged herself slowly out of the arms of sleep, her feet hitting the cold floor to the familiar sound of her alarm clock. Turning it off, she stretched her arms far above her head, leaning a little backwards as she let out an involuntary screeching sound of comfort. Sighing deeply, she allowed her arms to fall heavily down into her lap, her mind booting and gradually waking up.
Staring at the wall opposite from her, she remained seated for a few moments, trying to gather her thoughts, her inner planner and organizing system reminding her of her schedule, her appointments, her grocery list and the dream she had had the night before. Remembering the events of last night and the fact that she was back on track with Sheldon caused a lazy smile to creep its way across her lips. She found herself thinking that even though she didn't possess Sheldon's eidetic memory, she would probably remember his heartfelt apology, his kiss and his sincere request to cook for her many many years into the future.
He could be so warm, soft and good and Amy found herself wondering what it would take for him to be more prone to show that side of himself more often. But reaching that securely guarded part of Sheldon was a herculean task. It was like peeling a fragile egg; slowly, steadily and patiently. But once you peeled one part clean, it would reseal instantly, and you would have to start all over again. All though Amy chose to rely on the fact that it got a little easier each time. That remained her most profound hope.
Placing her glasses lazily on the bridge of her nose, she stole one last glance at her watch before rising from her bed and making her way to the bathroom. After voiding her bladder, she took a quick shower and brushed her teeth, her brain going into auto-pilot. It felt like every other morning, yet it felt completely different. It felt odd, out of place. In her more than thirty years of existence on the face of this planet, Amy had managed to experience most moods in the morning. Angry mornings that came off to a bad start. Happy mornings that filled her with a bubbly feeling of well-being. Odd mornings where it seemed like she had awoken inside the body of someone else, entering a new and strange world. Good days that turned out horrible. Terrible days that ended with a silver lining. Unnoticeable days that were impossible to place in both time and memory, days that fused together, intertwining themselves into an undefinable blur of breakfast, work, internet browsing and lonely dinners in the company of the silence of her apartment.
But this morning did not have one mood. It had many different and conflicting moods, all pulling and pushing her in different directions.
One moment she was standing in the shower, humming along to some brainless popsong, thinking about Sheldon and the way his lips would stretch into a soft smile when he was happy or how his brows furrowed when he was deeply engulfed in a matter of importance.
And up went the rollercoaster.
The next she was standing in her kitchen, mindlessly sipping her coffee and looking out the window, remembering how her Aunt Flora would take her coffee with redundant amounts of sugar and milk as a wave of melancholia and grief hit her like a rail road train.
And down went the rollercoaster.
By the time she stepped out of her apartment, Amy felt like she had already been awake for at least ten hours, her mental and emotional capacity already feeling drained. She felt like walking back inside and bury herself in the warmth of her blanket, but knowing that the silence of her apartment and the noise of her mind would eventually become to much for her if she stayed, she turned around and locked her apartment door with great determination.
The roller coaster wouldn't stop just because she wanted it too. It would continue hurling forward, up, down and looping around with little to no consideration for her safety.
Once she sat behind the steering wheel of her car, she slipped right back into auto-pilot, her motoric memory kicking in and before long, she was pulling in to the parking lot just like any other day.
Stepping inside the familiar atmosphere of her lab seemed to calm her down almost instantly as she let out a long sigh and threw her labcoat on nonchalantly before tying her hair into a secure pony tail. Engulfing her hands into a pair of fresh latex gloves, she stepped closer to her working desk, assesing her workload. Everything was exactly as she had left it almost two days ago, her papers stacked perfectly, her microscope ready, her files organized alphabetically. It was as if she had never left; as if she had just stepped outside for a short moment to grab a cup of coffee and then returned. Granted, staying away from work a single day was not a neglectment of astronomical proportions, but a lifetime still seemed to have passed between that day and today.
Deciding to get right down to the thick of it, Amy fetched a fresh result-scheme and a new sample to investigate, taking a determined seat by the microscope and placing the paper-thin microscope slip under the lens. Preparing her pen with a low 'click', she took a deep breathe and brought her eyes closer to the world of microscopic adeventures.
Within seconds her brain synapses were buzzing, clicking and working in warp speed; ideas, theories and facts mixing together and allowing her to dwell deep into the world of neuroscience, searching for the hidden answers lodged inside the grey and white matter of the human brain.
Good God, how she had needed to work again.
It was positively intoxicating. Allowing a tiny smile to cross her lips, Amy made a mental note that when it came to working her chosen field of science, she was no better than the primates in her addiction study. Anything to get that fix, to get those endorphins flowing.
The rest of her morning went by in this manner. Examening samples, noting her results on her sheet and then adding them to her research-data on her computer. And repeat.
It was incredibly destressing, allowing her to focus on somethig other than the emotional turmoil she was currently in the epicenter of. She tried to keep her focus on her work, but of course from time to time her thoughts would drift to old memories, moods and incidents that reminded her of her aunt.
8 samples showing clear indications of tumor-development. Hey, look... They create a pattern. Kind of look like a sunflower. Aunt Flora loves sunflowers.
Loved. Aunt Flora loved sunflowers. Used to call them eyes of the galaxy.
Sample 21.2, test subject 82.
Oddly enough, Amy was not overwhelmed by melancholia when thougths like these occured as the hours passed. She was expecting a day filled with long sighs, lumps blocking her airways and maybe even tears. Instead she was hit by small waves of emotion every now and again, causing her to make pause and remenising. It was an odd sensation of nostalgia. Obviously, her aunt had not left her consciousness - and Amy was more than pleased by that. The last thing she wanted to do was forget.
Her face, her smell, her voice, her laugh. Her gaze, her walk. The motherly, warm and uplifting atmosphere that seemed to emit from her like a protecting layer of comfort. She wanted to remember it all. She wanted to edge it into her memory with one of the lasers in Leonard's lab, to ensure that it never eluded her, that it would always remain safe in some secret compartment inside her own little lump of grey and white matter.
Around lunch, Amy had managed to do most of the tiresome paperwork she had neglected and she was now ready to begin analysing and reporting her results. It was a lot of work, many hours spent hunched over a computer as her fingers worked a calculator and her keyboard, her eyes shifting restlessly between the two.
She wasn't really hungry, but knowing that she would have to eat something, she opted for the boring lunch she had been so foresighted to bring from home. Something had told her that she would be consuming her meal in her own company, and how right she had been.
Chewing the dry cheese and tomato sandwich with tired and slow movements, she gazed into the nothingness as a tiny sigh moved past the half-chewed crumbles and across her lips.
At least there was one meal she was looking forward to that day. It was Date Night and for the first time since her pairbond with Sheldon Cooper, he was going to cook for her. She had cooked for them on numerous occasions since she found it relaxing and the taste of take out food could get really old real fast, but her lanky genius of a boyfriend seemed to be of the conviction that cooking was a waste of both time and energy - unless the meal was prepared for him and not by him, of course. So he stuck to his dietary schedule, leaving it to Amy to take it upon herself to make an effort if they were to divert from the norm - which always worked out to his benefit, of course. Amy could make a mean portion of spaghetti with cut-up hotdogs in it. Taking another bite, Amy started wondering what meal he was planning to prepare. She knew he had been the subject to a rich and delicious diet throughout his entire childhood, being fed at the hands of his Meemaw and mother, both of them pouring all their love into their Texan cornucopia of heavenly dishes.
Oh yes, Sheldon was no stranger to the joys and ways of culinary tradition. And Amy was more than willing to leave the destiny of her stomach and taste buds in his more than qualified hands. Between desinfecting his hands every 20 minutes, his eidetic memory that remembered every recipe he had ever heard or read and his skilful attention to detail, she was guaranteed a both sanitary and well-prepared meal that would leave her full and content. She was ready for whatever he was going to serve for her. Finishing her snadwich, she glanzed at her watch. The thought of enjoying a delicious meal in Sheldon's company had made her excited and happy; it made it seem like her long day had a purpose after all. She just had to get through the next 3 hours.
Having something to look forward to seemed to make the time pass by faster, the last couple of hours almost flying by. Before she knew it, she was standing by the door, putting on her jacket and checking her purse to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Then she threw one last look around her lab before turning off the light and locking the door as she slowly made her way to the parking lot. Halfway there, she fetched her phone and texted Sheldon.
Just left the lab, I'll be home soon.
His response arrived just as she fastened her seatbelt.
Excellent, I'll see you then :)
The tiny smiley face moved from the screen of her phone to her lips as she turned on the ignition and slowly pulled into traffic. Without further contemplation she turned on the radio, humming along as she wathed the sunset bathe the city in a warm orange and liliac light, the trees and houses appearing pitch black against the colourful background. Despite anything that had happened, today seemed like a good day to be alive.
She reached her apartment with an excited sense of anticipation bubbling in the pit of her stomach as she reached for her keys. Unlocking the door and stepping inside with gentle movements, she couldn't help but smiling warmly at the comforting sight that met her.
Sheldon was standing in the kitchen, halfway bent over the stove as he appeared to be smelling the aroma of whatever he was cooking as his hands stirred a wodden spoon around in the big casarole. He was wearing a grey button down shirt and black formal pants, his sleeves rolled halfway up his arms to his elbows and a serious look in his concentrated blue eyes. Whatever he was cooking, it smelled delicious and Amy had to admit that she could easily get used to seeing Sheldon in such a domestic setting; it suited him awfully well.
The soft clatter of her keys made Sheldon aware of her presence as she placed them in their designated place in the bowl next to her door. A warm smile crossed his lips as he discarded everything in his hands and walked over to her with slow, measured steps. Pulling her purse over her shoulders, Amy returned his smile as he came to stand in front of her, shifting his weight from foot to foot in an indecisive manner. Burrying one hand into the depths of his pocket, Sheldon looked down at their feet before looking back up at her.
"Good evening, Amy." He offered, his voice low and cheerful at the same time.
"Good evening, Sheldon." She responded with a tiny nod of her head, her eyes locking with his.
They stayed like that for a few moments, until Amy tore her gaze away to look at the caserole on the stove behind him.
"It smells really great. What's cooking, chef?" She asked in gest, trying to keep her tone light and unpretentious.
Sheldon's ocean blue eyes lit up in smug excitement, as his lips parted in a wide smirk, revealing his teeth, which he quickly sunk into his bottom lip.
"Oh, that's a surprise, little lady." He declared, his eyebrows doing a quick reach for his hairline before resuming their original position. "Are you hungry?"
"Ravenously starved." She stated honestly, her loss of apetite at lunch now long forgotten. In its place had grown an impatient monster, rumbling and roaring, demanding to be fed.
"Good. The food will be ready soon." He said, looking over his shoulder at the stove.
"Perfect, I'll just go wash up." Amy whispered, moving past him as he nodded at her, turning and returning to his cooking.
12 short minutes later, Amy found herself back in the living room all though she was met by a slightly different scenary than the one she had left. The table was now set: two plates, two sets of cutlery, two glasses containing water and wine respectively, two napkins and a single caserole of mysterious colinary wonders placed right in the midle. Sheldon was meticulous, but surprisingly effective. Bringing in a small basket of bread, he motioned for her to take a seat as he prepared to pour her a portion.
He waited until she was seated before pulling the lid off the caserole in a swift motion, the spicy odour spreading throughout the apartment like wildfire instantly. Amy inhaled deeply, recognizing that smell within less than a second.
Sheldon took her plate, helping her to a generous portion before placing it back before her with a wide smile.
"Surprised?" He asked gleefully. "I made your favorite dish, your Aunt's beef stew. I remember you telling me how your Aunt Flora would always cook it for you when you went to visit." His voice was brimming with pride and excitement, his smile obvious in his words.
Scooping up a portion for himself, he quickly moved to take a seat opposite from her, his smile still plastered on his lips. But as his eyes gazed up to cacth Amy's reaction, it dissapeared with the blink of an eye, his heart plumbeting to the floor beneath him.
Amy was sitting in complete silence, her green orbs observing the caserole with a melancholic glanze, her lips and eyebrows curling downwards in a slumber frown of sadness.
Sheldon looked from the caserole, to his own plate and back up at Amy. The second he realized the connection between Amy's reaction and the dish he had just served for her, their eyes met.
He felt a rising sensation of panick accompanied by an even more intense feeling of anger; an anger aimed at himself. What was he thinking? What had convinced him that cooking her a meal that would remind her of the beloved aunt she had lost no more than 48 hours ago was a good idea?
When was he ever going to learn?
Rising from his seat, he quickly removed the plate from in front of her, as if that action alone would make her forget that he had ever cooked that meal.
"This was a bad idea."
Amy looked up at him with confused eyes, seemingly snapping out of her momentary haze. "What are you doing?" She asked in a puzzled and low voice.
"This was stupid, I should never have cooked you something that would remind you of your aunt; that lacks every aspect of tact on my behalf." He said apologetically, shaking his head, not knowing what to do with the plate of disaster in his hands.
Amy opened her mouth to say something, but Sheldon didn't let her.
"I just thought it would make you feel better; when my Pop pop died, my mom would always make me pecan pie, because it was my favorite thing to eat with him. It made me feel a little less sad. Of course this won't make you feel better. I'm sorry." He offered, his voice sincere as a long sigh left his lips and his eyes attempted to convey his remorse.
He turned to the kitchen in order to discard every evidence of his failure, but before he could do so, he felt a hand grabbing the crock of his elbow, halting his movements. Looking down he met Amy's eyes once more.
"Please don't do that, Sheldon." She pleaded. "It means a lot to me that you prepared this particular meal for me."
He held her gaze for another moment, searching her eyes for something. Anger. Dissapointment. Resentment. Anything that could be a subside to his theory: that he had created a royal mess. But his search was in vain.
He remained silent, unsure of what to do next.
"But you're sad." He concluded in a low voice.
Amy pressed her lips together, offering a tiny nod.
"Yes. But not because of the food. It's because..." She paused, sighing and breaking his gaze. "I just miss her so much." She finally uttered, her her voice barely a whisper and a little broken.
A moment of silence prevailed, as Amy slowly retracted her hand from his elbow, looking back up at him.
"Can we please sit down and eat? I've really been looking forward to this." She said, her voice regaining some of its bravado and certainty.
Holding her gaze for another heartbeat - just to be sure - Sheldon nodded his head in approval, slowly placing the plate back down in front of her before reclaiming his seat. He didn't make any move to begin his meal as his eyes remained glued to Amy.
She was looking down at her foot, picking up her fork and leading a small mouthful from the plate to her mouth. Chewing slowly, she relished all the familiar tastes and the associated feeling of comfort and care. It was divine in the most uplifting of ways.
It truly did taste like the product of her aunt's doing.
"Mmmmhm." She hummed in delight, looking up and meeting Sheldon's eyes. "This tastes delicious, Sheldon. Absolutely perfect. Thank you." She praised as a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"You are very welcome." Sheldon answered humbly, returning her smile with a tiny one of his own before digging into his own portion.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, each of them engulfed in their own thoughts as the atmosphere grew less tense by the second.
Amy was the first one to break the silence.
"Does this feeling ever go away?" She asked silently.
Sheldon looked up from his food, but he was only met by her stooped head as she stared into her plate, not meeting his eyes.
"What feeling?" He urged on.
"Missing someone you lost?" Was her uncertain answer.
He gazed back down at his meal, remembering his father and Pop pop.
"No." He replied truthfully. "It just gets less prominent."
Amy nodded and then they sunk back into silence.
"Some people find consellation in the believe that the one they lost is now somewhere in heaven, dressed in white and looking down at them. It helped my mother." He offered, his voice holding the tiniest sprout of optimism.
A lazy smile crossed Amy's features as she shook her head. "I wish I could believe that."
Sheldon nodded in understanding. Amy was a pragmatist like himself;of course she wouldn't believe that.
Pondering for a moment, he opened his mouth once more, thinking about what he would've wanted to hear when he was younger and in the throws of grief.
"Then maybe you will find consellation in the fact that some day, we will all be dead. Some day there will be no humans left on earth. There will be nothing. Until the sun runs out of hydrogen in its core and becomes over a hundred times as large and luminous as it is today, entering its red giant phase.
Then it will roast the Earth with wave after wave of ionized plasma, stripping off our entire atmosphere and possibly engulfing our entire world into the central star itself. Then all of the atoms that makes up everything, you and me and Pop Pop and Aunt Flora will return to where we came from: The vast Universe. And we will all stay there until perhaps one day a new Big Bang happens.
Then all of our atoms will perhaps get intertwined again, creating a new Sheldon and a new Amy, A new Pop Pop and A new Aunt Flora."
Sheldon grew quiet, poking his food with slow movements before finally looking up at Amy. She was quiet, but her eyes were observing him intently, her brows raised the tiniest bit and her mouth slightly agape; it even seemed like a tiny smile was playing in the corner of her lips.
"That is one of the most beautiful and uplifting things I've heard in a long time." She said, her voice clearly impressed and moved. "Thank you, Sheldon."
Sheldon offered her a single nod, finding it gratifying that he was able to highten her mood a little.
"Did that make you feel better?" He asked innocently, wanting to make sure that he had interpreted her reaction correctly.
The smile that had been playing on her lips broke lose, the right side of her mouth going up in a joyous and soft smile.
"A little, yes." She responded, hints of a giggle playing in her voice.
"Good." He stated gingerly.
And with that they resumed their dinner, but this time it was Sheldon who broke the silence.
"When is the funeral?" He asked hesitantly, wanting to keep his voice nonchalant, but knowing that he was moving into sensitive territory.
Swallowing her food, Amy licked her lips before answering, her voice as light and casual at his. "The day after tommorow."
"Should I wear my black suit or the grey one?" He inquired doubtfully.
Amy's brows furrowed on confusion as she crocked her neck a little to one side.
"What do you mean?"
"To the funeral, of course." Sheldon explained.
Amy features smoothed out as she understood his train of thoughts. Putting down her fork, she locked her gaze with his.
"Sheldon, you really don't have to come." She reassured him with a slight shake of her head, her tone insisting.
Sheldon looked at her for a moment in bewilderment.
"But I want to." He urged on. "You'll need moral support."
Amy sighed deeply, causing a nervous feeling rising in Sheldon's chest cavity.
What had he done? Didn't she want him to acompany her? He was a delight, wasn't he?
Wetting his lips, Sheldon concluded that maybe her hesitancy was rooted in the fear that he might embarrase her in front of her family members.
"I won't embarrase you." He added defensively. "I promise to be on my best behaviour. I'll even shake their hands of you want me to."
Amy crocked her neck again, a faint smile appearing and softening her features.
"I'm not afraid of you embarrasing me, Sheldon. Of course you wouldn't, I know you wouldn't." She paused, exhaling. "It's just... This is a thing that I really want to do alone, you know?"
Sheldon observed her closely. Truth be told, he was no stranger to the need to do certain things on his own without the presence of any other living soul. He had just never thought that Amy shared that trait. Biting his lips, her pondered for a short moment.
"And you're not just saying that because I have a tendency to complain about how tedious I find family-events or because you think me indifferent to this matter?" He asked, knowing far too well how often he had turned her down on numerous occasions and how his stubborn nature could sometimes come across as mean and condescending. "Because this is completely different and I really do want to be of assistance."
Amy shook her head. "No, nothing like that, I promise."
He bit his bottom lip, lowering his head a little to secure his gaze on her.
"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice purposeful and sincere.
Amy nodded once. "I'm sure." Her tone was determined and left no room for doubt.
"Very well."
He smiled at her warmly, a smile that widened as she responded in like.
He opened his mouth to say something more, to express his condolence, to let her know that it saddened him that she had to go through this, that he wished there was anything he could do. But before he had time to find the words, a rapid knock sounded on the door.
They both looked at each other with confused frowns.
"Are you expecting someone?" Sheldon asked carefully.
"No." Amy stated, looking at the door. She rose from her seat, Sheldon following suit and they both made their way to the apartment door.
Amy reached out for the door knob, pulling it open with a deep crinkle between her brows, Sheldon standing right behind her.
The sight that met her both increased her confusion and sparked her excitement. Outside her apartment stood the 5 people - apart from Sheldon - that made up her entire social group.
Leonard and Penny, holding hands and smiling at her. Howard with his arm around Bernadette's shoulder as the tiny blonde waved a little at her. Behind them stood Raj, peeking over their heads with a welcoming smile.
"Wh-what are you guys doing here?" She asked, completely lost for words.
Leonard cleared his throat, nervously fumbling his fingers against the hem of his t-shirt.
"Well... Uhm.. We just came by to say hi... Hi." He waved his fingers awkwardly. "And uhm...-" Bernadette seemed to have had enough of his stammering attempt at an explanation.
"We came to apologize." She blurted out, smiling at her.
"Apologize? For what?" Now Amy was completely and utterly lost.
"Well, we all knew what Sheldon had told Kripke, and we didn't do anything about it. That's not okay." Howard explained, shrugging his shoulders lightly.
"Yeah, you're our friend too, and we acted like total jerks." Raj chimed in.
"Soooo, we brought along Grease and snacks to make ammends with a surprise movie-night!" Penny concluded, holding up a heavy bag.
"You all did this? For me?" Tears were threatening to drown her voice, as Amy brought a hand up to her heart.
"Of course we did." Leonard said, smiling.
Just then, Sheldon cleared his throat loudly, stepping even closer to Amy.
"But it's Date Night." He stated solemnly, staring at his friends with serious eyes. They all looked back at him with exasperated expressions. Penny rolled her eyes and stepped closer to the door.
"And now it's Movie Night, Moonpie." She said in a stern voice.
He opened his mouth to defend his case, but Bernadette stepped over to him and squinted her eyes at him.
"We're all here to take care of Amy, so you're just going to have to deal with it, Stretch!" She excaclaimed in her most intimidating voice, throwing her arms around Amy and hugging her tight, mumbling a tiny "Sorry about your Aunt and everything." Then she walked into the apartment, sending Sheldon a challenging look.
After her, the rest of the gang took turn hugging Amy and extending their apologies and condolonces. Penny was the last one, and she kept hugging Amy for a full minute before pulling back and eyeing her with a concerned frown.
"Are you okay?" She whispered, raising her eyebrows in inquiry. "Is over here taking good care of you?"
Amy smiled halfheartedly, nodding her head. "He is taking very good care of me."
Shooting her a smile, Penny moved into the living room to the others, all of them beginning to prepare the snacks and the movie.
Amy turned around and approached Sheldon who was now standing by the kitchen island. As soon as she was within whispering distance, he opened his mouth.
"Amy, it's Date Night." He declared, almost pleading.
Sighing she stepped all the way over to him, and before he could begin his ranting she spoke.
"I know, Sheldon, and I was looking forward to spending some time alone with you. But this..." She gazed in the direction of all of their friends, chatting and laughing. A sincere, warm and affectionate smile spread across her lips. She turned back to him, her eyes now wide in excitement and humility. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before. Please?"
He couldn't deny her this. She hadn't smiled like that for a while and she seemed to have regained some of her good mood. She looked a little more like Amy again.
He gazed at her for another moment, before slumping his shoulders in defeat.
"All right." He whispered in a low voice. "As you wish."
She smiled widely at him and turned to take her seat among their friends. But before she could take a single step, she hesitate and turned back to him. Walking the last two steps so that she was right in front of him, she threw her arms around his chest in a quick and tight embrace.
"Thank you for everything, Sheldon." She mumbled before pulling back. Sheldon had barely time to realize what had happened, yet alone time to come up with a respond before she was gone, already making herself comfortable on the couch.
Turning to grab a bottle of water, he let out a long sigh. On one hand it frustrated him that they had to change their already agreed upon plans and their familiar schedule, but on the other hand, it felt good to see Amy so relaxed and at ease around the rest of their social group. Obviously, there were things she wanted to do alone, things she wanted to do with only him and then there were things she needed to do in the company of all of her closest friends.
And if watching Grease while Raj commented on John Travolta's god-like hips and Penny texted away on her cellphone was what it took to keep her happy, then that was what they were going to do. He would endure.
After all, a movie night with his little selected group of ordinary humans wasn't the worst way to spend his time.
Walking back to the living room, he stopped by the couch, noticing that all the seat were taken. More specifically, Leonard was sitting on the far right end, Amy sat in the middle and to her left sat Raj, chatting with her. Sheldon sighed and cleared his throat loudly.
"Raj, you're in my spot." He said, his voice both exasperated and demanding.
Raj and Amy halted their conversation, looking up at him.
"Aww, come on, dude. I haven't seen Amy since forever." He leaned his head against her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I missed her!"
This caused Amy to coo at him, her voice bubbling with laughter. "Aww, and I missed you too, Rajesh."
Sheldon simply rolled his eyes, huffing. "That's none of my concern, sir. Amy is my girlfriend, this is our Date Night, I'm supposed to sit by her during our movie night and as I have already stated on numerous occasions: that's my spot."
Sighing loudly, Raj got on his feet, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's so unfair of you to hog all of Amy's attention, man." He claimed before kneeling down and sitting on the floor.
"When you sign a binding Friendship Agreement with Amy that determines your right to sit by her during surprise move nights then I will happily give up my seat for you. Untill then, I can't help you." Sheldon said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders and turning his head to smile at Amy before taking his seat.
Minutes after that the movie had begun, and everyone made themseleves comfortable in the cozy space provided by Amy's plush couch and chairs and each other's company.
Sheldon steeled himself, realizing that he had to sit through a tedious movie about dancing and singing hippies. As if he hadn't had enough of that growing up with Missy; all those syncronized dance-secquences, mind-numbing dialogue about cars and pregnancies topped off with ridicolous amounts of hair-gel. Who on earth would ever want to watch a movie that included a character called Rizzo anyways?
Taking a sip of his water, he decided to pretend like he was enjoying the movie. Or at least like it wasn't a torturous endeavor to watch it. For Amy's sake. She had endured enough of his preferred movies and games on Date Nights, he could return the favor this once.
Halfway through "Summer Nights" he felt Amy stirring beside him and shortly after she had wrapped her arms around his biceps, holding it tight as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
Looking down at her he was met by a hesitant smile and questioning eyes. He smiled back, reassuring her by placing one of his hands on top of one of hers, padding it gently a few times. She squeezed his arms a little tighter and returned her attention to the movie.
From across the room, Penny caught Sheldon's gaze, extending him a wide, saying smile. This didn't go by unnoticed by Leonard who turned his attention to Sheldon and Amy currently curled up beside him. He smiled a toothy smile and shot him a quick thumbs-up. The thumbs-up made Bernadette crock her neck as she observed them, as if they were caged koalas. A light touch of her hand and now Howard had joined the feast of sentiment. A small "aww" erupted from the lips belonging to Raj as he too realized the sweet exchange of physical intimacy taking place between the ever-stoic Sheldon Cooper and his cryptonite in the shape of Amy Farrah Fowler.
Sheldon made sure that Amy hadn't noticed their friend's blatant fangirling before securing his gaze on the television in front of them. He wasn't going to let their agonizing gazes, smiles and cooing bother him. If they were waiting for a reaction from him, they were going to wait in vain. He wasn't some trained monkey with a romantic relationship open to their constant meddling and amusement.
Amy was his girlfriend, they had been together for a long time and they were both adults. So a discrete public display of affection in the form of a handhold and some light cuddling was more than acceptable and expectable. They had every right to do these things on their Date Night. Who cared about the unimportant opinions of inferior minds? With a renewed sense of pride and confidence, Sheldon leaned a little closer to Amy, feeling her sighing deeply as his eyes never left the screen. For now, he was only going to focus on her and the small noises she made as she hummed along to the songs.
The rest of the movie went by without any further interruptions, and as the last tones of "We Belong Together" slowly died down, the group stirred back to life. Everyone got on their feet, stretching and trying to revive their numb limbs.
"That movie never gets old." Raj proclaimed with a satisfied sigh, shaking his hips a few times in the style of John Travolta.
"I agree, it's a sensational classic." Amy chimed in, folding her hands excitedly in front of her with a big smirk.
"Well, the tunes are really catchy." Leonard added, bopping his head a little from side to side.
"And John Travolta in tight pants and a leather-jacket is hot!" Penny exclaimed, winking at Amy.
Bernadette laughed sayingly, nodding her head. "Oh yeah, mamma likes what she sees. Rawr!" She made a clawing hand in the direction of Howard, who shook his head with a small smirk.
"Okay, calm down there, maneater." He said, putting his arm around her.
"I honestly find it completely unbeliveable that an iconic movie like that ends with the main characters dissapearing into the sunset in a flying car." Sheldon noted, shaking his head dismissively.
"And now you know how we feel like when you force us to watch your home-made safety-drill videos." Penny teased, earning her a round of applause from the group and a look of haughty derision from Sheldon.
"You kid now, but when a fire threatens our building, you will thank me when you know the fastest way out of there." He responded, picking up his empty bottle of water as the rest helped him cleaning up the table.
When the apartment was back to normal, it was time to call it a night. Everybody got ready, pulling on jackets and checking their pockets. Amy made a round, hugging all of her friends one by one and thanking them time and time again for their concern and the lovely surprise.
Sheldon stood in the background, fiddling with the zipper of his jacket, observing the scenario unfolding in front of him. They were all saying their goodbyes.
The Wolowitz's were ready.
Koothrapali was ready.
Penny was ready.
Leonard was rattling his car keys, definetely ready to drive his girlfriend and best friend home.
The only problem was that Sheldon didn't feel ready to leave. Not yet. They had made Amy happy by surprising her, but it still felt like he hadn't spend the time he should have with her this evening. As if it had been shortened by half. They hadn't talked that much. They hadn't been in each other's company for more than a couple of hours. And now he was minutes from leaving her apartment for the night.
And there were certain rituals at Date Night. Rituals he simply refused to dismiss. He had allowed the alteration of their plans for the evening, but he was determined to end it like he had intended to.
Now, the only problem was how to get a moment of privacy with Amy without a 5 person audience.
As the rest of the group exited the apartment, he walked over to the door. Locking his gaze with Leonard's he took a deep breathe.
"You just go ahead, I'll be down in just a minute." He said, attempting to keep his voice stern and serious.
Leonard looked from Sheldon to Amy and back again before nodding.
"Okay, sure, buddy. We'll be waiting in the car." And with that he took Penny's hand and lead the tiny group down the hall.
Letting out a breathe of relief, Sheldon closed the door and turned to face Amy. She was standing patiently a few feet away from him, her eyes darting around the room before locking with his.
"When are you leaving for the funeral?" He asked, taking a few steps towards her.
"Tommorow morning, Penny's driving me." She answered, smiling reassuringly.
Sheldon nodded. "What time? I'll come along."
Amy shook her head in the negative.
"No, it's all right. I know you have that important meeting with Siebert tommorow." She said, moving closer.
Sheldon furrowed his brows.
"I'll cancel it. It's okay, I want to see you off." He insisted, trying to shoot her a quirky smile.
Amy moved all the way over to him, taking one of his hands.
"Sheldon..." She looked up at him with great determination. "I'll be fine. I know you want to be there and be supportive - and you are doing so splendidly - but I can do this on my own. I have Penny. And I'll be back in a few days." She finished off her explanation with a timid squeeze of his hand.
He looked at her for a few moments, just nodding his head mindlessly.
Sometimes he forgot how strong Amy was. How she had spent some of her darkest day on her own - and she had made it. It calmed down the concern bubbling in the pit of his stomach a little. She was going to be fine.
Of that he was certain.
"Okay." He mumbled in a low voice, looking down at their hands.
"Can you just tell me when your plane leaves? I want to call you."
She smiled warmly at him. "8.30."
"8.30." He repeated, before inhaling deeply and meeting her eyes.
"So... That concludes our evening?" He asked nervously, fidgeting.
Amy nodded, wetting her lips. "It does."
Sheldon remained rooted to his spot.
He wanted to kiss her. Undoubtedly. But he was not sure if it was appropiate. He didn't know how to act around people in grieve. Would she like a hug instead? Or maybe no physical contact at all?
What did she need?
Witnessing his obvious uncertainty, Amy decided to answer his unasked questions.
Stepping all the way over to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders, pulling him down slightly to her as she stood on her tip toes, meeting his lips halfway.
Exhaling against her cheek, Sheldon welcomed the contact, placing his hands on her hips, taking a step closer to her and kissing her back.
Seconds later, Amy's hands had moved to the nape of his neck and one of Sheldon's hand was on the small of her back.
Slowly breaking away, Amy reestablished the contact between her heels and the floor, smiling shyly up at him. Sheldon returned her smiled, nudging his thumb up and down a few times before retracting his hands.
"Goodnight, Sheldon." She said in a low hum.
"Goodnight, Amy." He responded, but he didn't turn to leave.
Biting his bottom lip, he stepped forward on one foot, leaning down and placing a hesitant but lingering kiss on Amy's forehead.
"Sleep tight."
Locking his gaze with hers for one last moment, he turned and walked out the door.
Once Sheldon woke up the next morning, he felt well-rested and ready for a new day, all though an urgent need to check up on Amy presented itself instantly; less than a minute after he opened his eyes.
But knowing that she had enough to deal with as it was, he decided to wait and call her at their agreed upon time. There was no reason to add to her burden.
So he went by his morning routine as he always did. Making his bed. Brushing his teeth. Eating breakfast. Patiently waiting for Leonard to get finished.
And off they went to work.
Arriving at his office, Sheldon made a beeline for his office chair, discarding his jacket and sitting down. Taking a deep breathe he checked his watch.
Almost 8.
His impatience finally grew too prominent and getting on his feet, he pulled out his phone and pressed the speed dial number for Amy. He made his way over to his window, staring outside as the beep sounded on his ear.
One time.
Two times.
Three times.
Four ti-
"Hello, Sheldon."
He relaxed instantly, a calm feeling spreading from his ear to the rest of his body.
"Hello, Amy."
She was without a doubt in the airport as made evident by the loud noise in the background.
"Did you make it to the airport on time?" He asked, trying his forces with the social construct of small talk.
"Everything went smoothly, I was here in plenty of time. Penny even had a time to get Starbucks!" Amy's tone was light and happy.
Until she sighed.
"Sheldon?" She prompted, her voice dropping a few decibels.
"Yes?"
A moment of hesitation on the other end of the line.
"I'm really going to miss you."
Sheldon looked down at the window case, noticing a dead fly. He wet his lip and exhaled slowly.
"I'm going to miss you too." He answered, his own voice deep and low.
Another moment of silence arose.
"Amy?"
He heard her humm her non-verbal response.
"Just remember. Your aunt Flora was a human like everybody else. She was very old. And she died. Those are the facts." He managed to deliver his little ramble without faltering.
He heard her clear her throat.
"Why... Why are you telling me this?" She asked, her confusion obvious in her voice and if her muffled tone was any indicator, she was pushing back a lump in her throat.
Sheldon played mindlessly with the string for the curtain, his mind reminising about all the human beings he had lost during his life time. Human beings who meant so much and who left far too soon.
His father.
Pop pop.
Arthur.
Inhaling deeply and letting out the air through his nose, he gulped down and wet his lips.
"Because it's easier to bury a human than a saint."
Pressing his lips tightly together, he awaited her response with a slowly thumping heart.
"I didn't mean to upset you further." He murmured apologetically after a few moments of silence, now afraid he had done something wrong.
He heard Amy sigh on the other end.
"You didn't." She reassured him. "Actually... I think those are words I will be needing these two days. Thank you, Sheldon. What would I do without you?"
The right side of his mouth curled into a smirk.
"Oh, I'm sure you would do perfectly well, Dr. Fowler." He said fondly.
"All the evidence suggests otherwise, Dr. Cooper." Came her instant and heartfelt response, causing his smirk to grow wider.
"They're calling for me to board the plane now. I will talk to you soon, Sheldon." She informed him in a haste.
"Oh, all right. Have a safe flight, Amy." He quickly responded.
And just like that... She was gone.
How was it? What do you think? What is your favorite flavour of tea?
Actually, I know a place where you can answer these questions alongside everything and anything you find remotely interesting. In the reviews section. It's great. You should give it a try!
Next up: Sheldon has a lot to think about and a vulnerable girlfriend to take care of.