A/N: I own none of it.
After Penny and Leonard left the train station, he reflected on the last words he had said to his girlfriend.
Oh sure. And while we're at it, why don't we get engaged too? Why don't we get a little house, start a family. Enjoy our sunset years together. Do you hear yourself woman?
He had been angry, but not at her. He hadn't meant to explode like that and he regretted it almost immediately after he got on the bus to go to the comic book store. But then he saw the store and he again saw more change. The store was in ruins and Stuart had been no help. Damn his sarcasm. He was only trying to help the guy get back on his feet. He left and went to the train station. He wasn't sure what to do next, but he bought a ticket out of Pasadena. He didn't even know if he would use it until they showed up. They started the whole thing. Well not really. It had started in the morning when President Seibert had said he couldn't change to Inflationary Cosmology. He was expected to work in string theory. He was hired to do it and that all the grant money for him was used for it. More chaos.
Leonard said he wanted to move in with Penny, but not with him. Of course they wouldn't. Had he really thought they would want to do that? But to suggest he move into 4B was unthinkable. He was in 4A first and that was where he was going to stay. He thought Amy would understand and she did. He heard her say that maybe he would enjoy living by himself. It wasn't like he couldn't afford to stay in the apartment. He made a decent living. He just liked having someone else there. Amy was right, maybe he could get used to living by himself. Why did she have to suggest they live together then?
It was just a thought.
He heard her words again. She was right. She didn't assume like last time. She casually mentioned if he didn't like being on his own she was a viable option. She didn't push him.
No here's a thought. You're not moving in, Leonard's not moving out, everything stays exactly the way it is. Yeah, and by the way I know you made that Strawberry Quik with syrup.
That was what he said when he stormed out of her apartment. Then he raced to the comic book store, and then to the train station. He was going to call her and apologize and even see if he could come back over, but then they showed up. Why did they have to track his phone? One time he wandered away too far and this is how much he is trusted.
So a few things don't go your way and your best decision is to ride the rails like a hobo? Leonard could be so melodramatic.
Truth was he didn't want to leave just yet. But they made it easy for him. Penny was the one that talked Leonard into letting him go. She usually understood him, but not this time. He needed to be talked out of it. He was being a baby. He was running away from change. Everything was in chaos and it didn't make him feel good. But the thing was he couldn't leave until he spoke to her. So he made a decision, he called her. He wasn't sure she would answer after the way he had treated her so he was surprised when she picked up the phone and sounded relieved.
"Sheldon! I am so glad you called. I was so worried about you. I went to your apartment but Penny and Leonard were having a romantic dinner. They said they hadn't seen you. Leonard said you probably needed time to be alone."
"I thought I needed some time alone so I decided to run away."
"What?! What do you mean you decided to run away?"
"I mean I am sitting at a train station with a ticket to leave in a few hours. That is what I mean by running away."
"So you called me to say goodbye? Or are you calling to break up with me?"
"No I am calling to see if you want to come to the train station and talk."
"I can be there in 15 minutes. Don't do anything rash before I get there."
She quickly changed her clothes and grabbed her keys. She was confused. Sheldon said he was running away. She wondered if Leonard and Penny knew this or not. It was almost as if they had heard her thoughts when her cell phone rang again.
"Hello." She answered.
"Amy, it's Penny, we found Sheldon. He was at the train station and he said he was leaving Pasadena." She knew this but how did they know.
"So, you talked to him?" She decided she wasn't going to mention that she was on her way there now.
"We saw him there. He was in bad shape. He really isn't taking this change thing well."
"Wait, you saw him? When?"
"About 45 minutes ago." She answered her.
"And you didn't think to inform me? After I came to you worried about where he was."
"Um…." Penny didn't know how to answer. They had just run out of the apartment to go to the station. Once they were there, they didn't think about calling her.
"Well what did he say?"
"He said he needed time to think. He was going away. He didn't even have a bag packed. It's for the best, sweetie."
"You think Sheldon running away is for the best. You didn't think that maybe he could use someone to talk to about his problems? No you probably didn't. And you know how I know, because when I came over and told you that he had left my apartment upset, you didn't seem to care. All you cared about was being alone with Leonard. You guys are the ones who started this whole mess by telling him he was going to have to leave his apartment. Did you even think to ask him or did you guys just assume he would be fine with that? Again don't answer as I already know."
"We started it? You are the one who came over and said he ran out after you said that you guys could move in together. Did you think about that when you said it? Don't answer because like you I know the answer. No, all you do is push him, and now you have pushed him away."
"I suggested it after I told him he may enjoy living on his own. I never pushed him. I didn't have good timing but I never pushed him."
"Look we are getting nowhere fighting like this." Penny stopped it then. "We need to figure out how to get him to come back."
"I'm going to the train station to see if it is too late."
"I don't think that is a good idea."
"Why not?"
"Don't you think if he wanted to let you know where he was, he would have called?"
"Did he call you?"
"Well no, we tracked his phone."
"So he didn't call you and you talked to him. Well I am going to see if I can change his mind." And with that she hung up.
She arrived at the train station 5 minutes later and found Sheldon sitting on a bench near the entrance. He walked up to her and gave her a hug. He had not initiated any kind of affection in public since Valentine's Day.
"I am so glad you came."
"Of course I would come, I am your girlfriend. What did you expect me to do, let you run away without an explanation? I don't think so. And by the way, why didn't you mention that you saw Leonard and Penny?"
"You talked to them? Did you tell them you were coming to see me?"
"I told them I was coming to see if I was too late. She called me when I was on the way here. I figured you had a good reason to not tell me you saw them."
"What did they tell you?"
"Well I spoke with Penny and she said that you were in bad shape. She said you weren't taking all the changes well."
"I'm not."
"I know you're not and I know I didn't help by suggesting we move in together. I am sorry I did that."
"No, Amy, don't be sorry. You only suggested it. You didn't push it on me. I am the one who took it out of proportion. You have not made it a secret how you feel about me or that you would like to live with me. You have been nothing but patient with me for years. I don't deserve you."
"Sheldon."
"No, let me finish. I am afraid of all the changes going on around me. I know I am being a big baby, but that's how I feel. I have never been good with change. This morning I was told I couldn't change, then I was told I had to move, then we fought, and finally the comic book store, the one place I love to go when I am sad is a disaster. I didn't know what to do, so I came here. I bought the first ticket I could and that train doesn't leave for a while. Then Leonard and Penny showed up. Leonard tried to talk me into staying but then Penny told him he should let me go. I couldn't believe it, he just said goodbye. He said if I seriously needed to do this, he wouldn't stop me. I wanted him to stop me. I needed to be stopped. I am running away from everything."
"Do you want me to stop you?"
"No, actually I don't."
"Well what do you want from me?"
"I want to know if you will come with me."