"You don't know that," Bernadette tried to soothe him.
"Not for a fact, but I'm pretty sure! What else could it be?"
Bernadette patted his hand. "Go to her," she coaxed.
"Will you take me?"
"Sheldon, I couldn't fit behind the wheel."
"Well, that's unfortunate. Because I tried calling Penny, and she's drunk; I tried calling Howard, and he's busy; I tried calling Raj, but he's in the office; and Leonard has to drive Penny home." Sheldon sighed and pocketed his phone. "I guess I'll just...walk there. Would you come with me?"
"I would, but you were impatient when I crossed a little room. Imagine a twenty-minute walk."
"Good point."
"I'm sorry, Sheldon. Tell you what; come back here for dinner and I'll ask Cecile to help me make all your favorites."
Sheldon tried to smile. "Thanks."
When he let himself out a few moments later, he found himself running down the street.
-0-0-0-0-
When Sheldon reached Amy's apartment building, he stopped and looked up at her window. The shades were drawn. Without another thought in his head Sheldon let himself into the building and followed the familiar path to her door.
He came to a dead stop when he heard her soft cries. When they faded he raised his hand to knock - but the crash of glass hitting the door had him jerking back. Then it was silent.
He knocked.
"Oh, go away," Amy called miserably.
"Amy, I'm standing out here panicking. I ran all this way; can you at least tell me what's wrong?"
Amy hesitated. "Hang on."
When she opened the door she was still holding the broom in her hand. She looked like his old Amy again; except her uncombed hair appeared unwashed and her eyes were rimmed in red.
"What happened?" Sheldon asked.
Amy closed her eyes on a fresh tide of pain. "I went to the doctor."
Sheldon's heart skipped a beat. "Oh God. It's a tumor. It's cancer. It's leukemia."
"No, none of those!"
"Then why on earth did you cause me such an emotional upheaval?"
Amy set her broom aside. "I'm crying because I'm heartbroken, Sheldon."
"Again?"
Amy bit her lip. "I went to the doctor to see if...if I was ready to have a baby, and...I am not able to conceive."
Sheldon felt a small measure of relief. "Why not?"
"My tilted uterus...damaged me inside," she said brokenly. "My tissue is diseased."
"Isn't there a cure?"
"Yes, but...there's always the chance that the baby will be affected."
Sheldon gently tucked her hair behind her ear, and pulled her into a soft hug.
"I just want to go to bed and forget I lived this day," Amy murmured against his chest.
"Want me to stay? I can keep the place clean, bring food to you..."
"No, I just need to be alone."
Sheldon released her like a virus and stepped back into the hallway, and she closed the door in his face. Looking lost and clueless, Sheldon turned and slowly roamed back the way he came.