"The Relationship Amendment"
Continuation of 09x02: "The Seperation Oscillation"
Chapter One
Happily, he's about to close the door when he hears Penny's voice.
"Leonard, you need to talk to him. He'll never get Amy back when he pulls stunts like that."
It makes him frown. What is she talking about? Amy came to him this evening, on her own free will. That means he's going to get her back, right?
He hears Leonard come closer and turns around to face his friend.
"Why would Penny say that?", he asks, not quite understanding. Oh, how he hates it when people don't say what they mean exactly!
Leonard looks at him, biting his lip, before he steps around Sheldon and motions for them to sit down on Sheldon's bed. "Let's sit down, buddy."
Eyebrows furrowed, Sheldon follows his friend's example. He still is far from good with people's expressions, but somehow he senses Leonard is serious, so he doesn't question him.
"Look, I know you're hurt and want to be with Amy again," Leonard starts and Sheldon bites his lip. Ever since she's broken up with him, he's felt like crying. If he's honest, he has never felt that miserable in his entire life. Trying to forget, his mind came up with plan after plan to win her back and if he's really, really honest, he knows he hasn't come any closer to achieving his goal.
"But if you really want Amy back for good, there are things you need to change," Leonard continues.
Sheldon swallows hard. He knows he's never been the best boyfriend and he knows he's the reason for Amy's unhappy feelings. But then, she knew what she was getting into when she signed the relationship agreement. It's not his fault she suddenly wants things to change. He feels anger mix with hurt again. It's not a combination he likes, but is very used to. Being honest with himself has never been his strongest suit, but he knows it's unfair to say that only Amy has been wishing for some changes in their relationship. While it's true that she is mostly the one to ask for it first, he was the one to initiate their first real kiss, who said I love you first and he's pretty sure he is the only one with an engagement ring in his desk. He might be not as fast as Amy, but he's getting there. Why can't she see that?
"What changes?", he asks.
Leonard sighs. "I don't know. I'm not the one with the best record regarding women either. I think Amy feels like she's not the most important thing in your life."
Indignant, Sheldon sits up. "Well, she's not! I'm not a hippie. Science is the most important factor in my life."
"Oh sure. When you were on your little train trip, what did you miss more? Physics or Amy?"
Sheldon doesn't answer which is an answer in itself. "What do I need to do?"
"Show her that she's important, that you value and respect her. When you are on a date, do thing she likes and not whatever you feel like doing. Think about what you really want from this relationship and when you know, sit her down and talk. Don't just present her a worked over agreement, but actually ask her opinion."
With that, Leonard gets up to leave, apparently to let him think in peace. While Sheldon would usually have appreciated that, there's one tiny little thing that needs to be addressed first.
"Leonard, I have a ring," he lets out, staring down at his hands, but out of the corner of his eye he sees Leonard freeze.
"You what?"
He sighs, feeling empty and sad all over again. "I asked my mother to send it over months ago. I hadn't planned when and how exactly to ask her but it would have taken place in the foreseeable future."
"Buddy…" Leonard's voice is soft as he sits back down next to Sheldon.
Sheldon forces himself not to cry. "I never thought I'd meet someone with whom I'd want to be in this way, but I did. Most of the time I have no clue what I'm doing and every time I misstep, Amy gets hurt and angry. Maybe it's better this way. She'll meet someone better suited and-"
"Sheldon, buddy, I doubt there's anyone better suited for Amy than you and I really think she knows that too," Leonard cuts him off. "Have you told her that? All of it, I mean?"
Sheldon shakes his head. Of course not. Amy would have turned even more impatient and-
"I mean, she's nice and loves you despite your issues. I doubt if you sat her down and told her that you really want those things, but that you need time and help to achieve them, that she'd reject you."
"I imagine that talk to be quite uncomfortable."
At that, Leonard laughs softly. "Yeah, it probably will be, but trust me, the uncomfortable talks are the really important one in a relationship."
Sheldon doesn't know what to make out of this and what does it even matter if Amy won't talk to him? Every time he's called her, she's practically hung up on him.
He's taken out of his thoughts when Leonard stands up. This time he lets him leave without stopping him. Instead he stays behind to think. He has to come up with a plan.