Author's Note: I'm sure I'm the millionth person to write for this particular Shamy trope, but fine—I'll be 1 million and one.
Disclaimer: The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, and is produced by them along with Steve Molaro. It is a Warner Bros production and airs on CBS. All characters, plots and creative elements derived from the source material belong exclusively to their respective owners. I, the author of the fan fiction, do not, in any way, profit monetarily from the story.
When Leonard opened the door, Amy rushed right past him, giving him her customary greeting ("Good evening, Leonard") before plopping down on the middle cushion of the couch and placing her prim fingers over the edge of the knees peeking out from below the hem of her modest skirt.
He almost didn't have the heart to tell her.
"Well, I know he's not here, Leonard," she said, completely unperturbed. "We spoke earlier today, and he mentioned he would be having a late meeting with Dr. Siebert." She leaned forward with a wry smile. "If Sheldon gives him the 'talking-to' he promised, I have a feeling that meeting will run long."
"No, Amy," Leonard said with a sigh that reached clear up to heaven. "When I say he's not 'here,' I mean he's not here...in Pasadena."
Amy's face dropped some of its previous cheerfulness. "What does that mean?"
On the heels of the statement, Penny emerged from the back, slamming on the brakes when she saw Amy.
"Amy?"
"You looked shocked to see me here," she said with some concern. "It is Thai Night. My presence can't possibly be a surprise."
Penny looked up at Leonard. "So he didn't tell her?"
Just then the phone rang in Amy's hands.
"Hello, Amy," he said calmly. She heard conversation in the background.
"Hello, Sheldon," she replied, standing a ways off in the hallway. She could feel Leonard's and Penny's eyes bearing down on her. "You won't believe this: Leonard says that you aren't in Pasadena." Her words were met with a protracted silence that made her wonder if he was even still there. "Sheldon?"
"I'm afraid he is incorrect—"
"I THOUGHT SO!" she yelled and flashed Leonard an evil eye.
"...for a few minutes more," Sheldon clarified. "I will soon be boarding the train at the Pasadena train station." He took a deep breath. "I'm leaving, Amy."
One time, when Amy was nine years old, she saved up her money from tutoring high school Trigonometry students for two whole months just to make her dream come true of owning a pet chameleon. When the time came, her mother drove her down to the pet store, and Amy picked out the feisty lizard at the front of the terrarium. Then, she selected the perfect tank and outfitted it with all the trappings that would make the life of a color-changing reptile a happy one. On the ride home, she petted the chameleon's little head and named her Izzy. Once there, she placed Izzy's cage by her bed and dreamed all night about how much fun they would have on the huge rock in her backyard when summer came. Overnight, however, the bulb in Izzy's cage went out, and when Amy woke up the next morning, Izzy was dead. This news from Sheldon felt something like that.
"What do you mean?"
"Amy, it does not bring me joy to hurt you, but I'm afraid that it has become impossible for me to remain in Pasadena."
"Why?" she said, breathless with disappointment.
"Because in the last 24 hours, Pasadena has become ground zero for the metaphorical warfare on the status quo of my existence. I could once depend on the continuity of my work, my social life, and my weekly routine to provide me a haven from the ever-changing world around me. Now, my job won't permit me to pursue the topic of my interest, Penny and Leonard have relegated me to second fiddle in the name of 'love,' the comic book store has burned down, and my living arrangements are under threat."
Honestly, all Amy heard was the last part. "Sheldon, relax and come back," she said, batting her hand in the air as if she could pet him telepathically. "You don't have to move in with me tomorrow; it was just a suggestion. Hear me out—"
"I doubt you will say anything Penny and Leonard haven't already said in their misguided attempts to lure me 'home,' from the station," he insisted, "but even they realized they had to let me go. I can't stay, Amy. I simply can't."
The insistent tone of his voice hastened her acceptance of the fact that he was really leaving. She thought back on all the good times they'd had lately and looked ahead at the big plans they'd had for the summer: the premiere of Godzilla, the Fireworks Parade at Disneyland, UCLA's lecture series on antimatter, Feed the Koalas Day at the zoo...
More kissing.
She went from being sad to a little upset. "Where are you going?"
He didn't answer at first. "I...don't know," he said, and all traces of his previous bravado were gone.
"For how long?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Because you don't know or because you're not coming back?"
More silence.
"What are you going to—"
"I don't want us to break up, Amy," he blurted.
She let the words sink it. It was a definitive answer to a question she hadn't even had the courage to ask herself yet. Still, it felt good to know the truth. "Okay," she said nodding and calming some. "Okay."
"I called to tell you that I don't want us to break up and that I'll be okay."
There was something in the way he said it that made her believe him. "Okay," she said. She heard a loud hiss and the train horn sounding in the background.
"I have to go now," he said.
"Will I hear from you again?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
"Okay, Sheldon," she said. "Thanks for checking in. Talk to you tomorrow?"
"Yes," he said, then, "Take care, Amy."
"Okay, bye."
The line went silent.
Amy braced herself for the conversation she was about to have with Leonard and Penny...and for the long summer ahead of her alone.
THE END
End note: Thanks for reading!