A/N- As always, thank you for the lovely reviews. has been down on and off and I haven't been able to respond to Chapter 3 reviews. If I missed yours, I'm sorry and I will get you next time. Thank you for your support. X
Disclaimer: I own nothing of The Big Bang Theory. This is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.
~Chapter 4~
"I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true 'The empty vessel makes the greatest sound'."
William Shakespeare – Henry V
For two days Amy didn't leave her room, except to walk Chaucer and feed him. Sheldon realized that she must have done this before he awoke and after he went to sleep, since he didn't see nor hear a peep out of either of them. He thought it strange a dog his size didn't bark or growl. He must have been as well trained as Miss Fowler said he was.
Sheldon brought her food each meal, setting it outside her door on a chair and knocking. He meant what he said to her the day she arrived; he was no cook. But he managed to throw together an omelet or a sandwich for her, although he felt guilty for using her food.
It went untouched, though, and after lunch on the second day, Sheldon grew even more worried. Amy hadn't eaten a crumb from his kitchen, and he worried she hadn't consumed any fluids, either.
He didn't want to admit to himself that he was afraid to leave the house. If he drove to town, he might return to find Amy gone. As strange as this situation was, what was even stranger was his anxiety that she would leave before he could apologize to her properly.
This was all his fault.
He had always prided himself on being a higher evolved individual. His behavior over the last few days was that fitting a hooligan. No matter what had happened, first with Amy's arrival and then later, the appearance of her dog, nothing warranted his ire and vitriol. He promised the Sheriff nothing bad would happen. He felt like crawling in a hole and covering it up with dirt when he realized what a liar he was.
Being alone with his thoughts for the last two days, the guilt and self-loathing tore at him. He'd never caused anyone harm before in his entire life. Granted, he didn't cut her himself, but his temper tantrum had caused her injury.
He hadn't even attempted to do any research. Nothing held his attention for more than five minutes. He wandered around the property and sat by the lake, staring into space. He couldn't remember ever feeling so bad before.
On the third morning of no communication, he stood outside of her door pacing. Trying to gather the courage to knock, he put his knuckles on the wood and rapped.
"Miss Fowler? I'm just checking on you. I'm worried. I know you must…hate me. I never meant to frighten you. I'm so sorry. Please, just let me know you're alright." Sheldon begged in a defeated whisper.
When no answer was forthcoming, Sheldon leaned his head against the door. She really didn't want anything to do with him. This was supposed to be her vacation, and he'd ruined it. Feeling worse than ever, Sheldon headed downstairs in a trance. He found himself sitting on the dock, staring up at her window. He detected no movement, and felt like a creeper for even trying to catch a glimpse of her. He wasn't just feeling guilty. He was worried about her.
"This isn't me. This isn't how I behave. What happened?" He muttered to himself, shaking his head. Tears began to flood his eyes, and he doubled over holding onto his stomach. His Pop-Pop would be so ashamed of him.
"Shelly?"
Sheldon's head snapped around so fast he almost gave himself whiplash. He thought he was imagining what his eyes beheld, but disbelief quickly turned to anger.
"You! Oh…now you show up? After everything, now you're here? I called you! And you never answered me." He accused, his voice a broken whisper. Sheldon scrambled to his feet, his entire body shaking.
Melissa stared at her brother as though he were a mirage. She walked the few paces until she reached him, stunned at his appearance. Her normally impeccably dressed brother looked a shambles; unshaven face, wrinkled clothing, bloodshot eyes.
"Sheldon, what are you doing here? Are you alright? You look like you went twelve rounds with Mike Tyson." She said worriedly, reaching a hand out to touch him. Sheldon ducked out of her grasp, throwing his arms up in frustration.
"How could you do this to me? I can't believe you did this. You planned this, didn't you? It's just like when we were kids. You always found ways to hurt me, make me look like a fool. I thought you'd outgrown all that nonsense, but old habits die hard. " Sheldon snarled, hissing and popping like a crocodile.
Missy frowned at Sheldon, quickly realizing something was very wrong.
"What the devil are you on about, Shelly? You're not making any sense." Missy said, her own ire now peaked. "And what are you doing here? I rented out the house to a woman through the holidays." She stated unnecessarily.
Sheldon glared at his sister hotly.
"Yes. I know that! As I quickly discovered the day I arrived." He thundered. Missy began to understand just what the situation was. Letting out a large sigh, she wrung her hands together.
"You mean to tell me, that Miss Fowler is here, and you're here…" She trailed off, knowing her suspicions were correct when Sheldon scrunched up his face sourly.
"Yes, Melissa. We're both here. Why didn't you tell me you? Better yet, why did you rent to her in the first place?" He asked her, his voice sounding extremely upset. Missy narrowed her eyes.
"Sheldon, I booked her stay over a month ago. You had never given me a clear date on when you were coming. I, as well as Mama, assumed you had changed your mind. You could have told me, and this confusion wouldn't be happening. That is your problem, brother dear. You don't communicate." She said, sadness mixed with annoyance in her voice.
Sheldon hung his head in defeat.
"I decided last minute to come. I didn't know you had decided to turn the family cottage into a B&B." He said tartly. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
Missy rolled her eyes at Sheldon's sarcasm.
"I drove down to make sure Miss Fowler was settled in alright. I thought I would stop by Mama's on the way back to see about Christmas day arrangements." Missy explained.
Sheldon shot her a look of disgust.
"Oh. How convenient. I could have used your help here three days ago," Sheldon said sarcastically.
Missy sighed, knowing what that tone meant.
"Shelly, this big ole' house is doing nothing for nobody out here empty. It's a beautiful place on a prime piece of land. Mama had the idea to rent it out for some extra money." Missy explained.
Sheldon shook his head, upset at being kept out of the loop. Granted, whenever either Mary or Melissa tried to discuss back home matters with him, he was dismissive. It was no wonder Melissa figured Sheldon had changed his mind. Turning his back on his sister, Sheldon went to sit back down on the dock. His feet dangled over the edge into the water, and Missy stood stunned, watching him.
Something occurred to her all of a sudden, and she turned around to survey the property.
"Sheldon? Are you here alone? Where is Miss Fowler?"
Sheldon sat up rigidly, staring straight across the lake and avoiding Melissa's inquisitive stare.
"Sheldon?" She repeated, alarmed at her brother's even more than usual odd behavior. "Where is she?"
Sheldon sighed, turning around to face her. The sun was shining behind her, and Sheldon had to squint his eyes.
"She's…upstairs. In her room. I gave her Meemaw's old room. It's the nicest room in the house, and the largest. It has the deck. And the sunken bathtub." Sheldon whispered, losing steam. Something about his tone made Missy uneasy.
"And…you've decided to stay here? Together?" Missy questioned, surprised that her staid brother would ever agree to such an arrangement. Sheldon winced, and Missy picked up it immediately.
"Well…in a manner of speaking. Yes. There wasn't any other choice. Only…I wasn't exactly rolling out the welcome mat to her. We had a misunderstanding." Sheldon murmured, the guilt ready to eat him alive. "A bad one."
Missy's eyes bulged as she wondered frantically what Sheldon could mean by that statement.
"What did you do?" Missy asked her brother, deathly calm. "Please don't tell me that you were rude to her." Missy begged.
Sheldon gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing noticeably.
"I…I lost my temper and I threw a vase at the wall. It shattered and a piece of glass cut her. She ran upstairs to her room, and I haven't seen her for two days." Sheldon admitted, and once the words were out of his mouth, he realized just how bad they sounded.
Melissa's eyes widened, both at Sheldon's confession and his remorseful tone. Sheldon looked down in complete shame.
"It was an accident. I swear." He murmured. Once again, tears were gathering in his eyes.
Missy gasped.
"Sheldon Cooper! What the hell is the matter with you?" She yelled angrily. "Have you checked on her? Is she alright? Does she need help?" Missy screeched, already turning to make her way towards the house.
Sheldon jumped up, following her on shaky legs. Missy continued her tirade, her blue eyes shooting fire at her twin.
"She was probably scared out of her mind! Forced to share a house with a strange man; one who gets angry and throws a vase that cuts her? Jesus have mercy…" Missy yelled, flinging open the door. Each word only added to Sheldon's anguish and anxiety.
"I…I tried to apologize and help her. I've been trying for two days. She won't even answer me," He whispered, and Missy chuffed angrily.
"Well can you blame her, Sheldon?" She spat, turning around to poke a finger in his chest. "You, stay here. I have to check on the poor lady and make sure she is alright. And that she doesn't want to press charges against you."
Sheldon stopped cold, realizing the truth of Melissa's words.
"Oh, Lord. I never even considered…it was an accident, Missy. I didn't mean to hurt her. I completely forgot that she was right behind me. We…were arguing about her dog. And the next instant, I just…lost it. I remembered the last time Jimmy Nickel's pit bull bit my leg, and I had to get twenty stitches. I just reacted. I didn't set out to hurt the poor woman! I would do anything to take back what happened." Sheldon cried, backing up until he hit the wall next to the staircase. He slowly slid down it, covering his face with his hands.
Melissa turned around, her hand still on the banister. She hazarded a look upstairs, afraid what she'd find, before setting her attention back to her brother. She came to hover over him, running her hand along his back gently.
"Shelly…what you did was horrible. I realize that you didn't set out to harm anyone. You are the gentlest man that I know. But you can't just…combust like that, without considering the consequences. I know you don't have the greatest track record with interacting with people. But you need to consider other's feelings before you react. I'm going to check on Miss Fowler. You stay here, okay?" She asked gently.
Sheldon could only nod helplessly. Before Missy was able to climb a step, Sheldon reached out to her, grabbing her hand. Perhaps he was to blame, and Miss Fowler might never forgive him. He deserved that. But there had to be something he could do, to make amends. It may not be much, but it was a start.
"Missy…wait."
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Amy glanced over at Chaucer, who was busy licking his paw. The sudden shift of attention made the gentle giant stop what he was doing to stare at his mistress.
"Some vacay, huh?" She said aloud, coming over to Chaucer and scratching his ear. The dog cooed quietly and Amy smiled.
Why couldn't men be more like dogs? Amy mused. They were sweet, loyal, understanding, and gave unconditional love. Realizing what a fool she was being, Amy shook her head at her silly thoughts.
Staring out of the window, she grew curious when she heard raised voices down by the water. There was a beautiful woman nearly as tall as Dr. Cooper on the dock with him, seemingly having an argument. Amy was taken aback at the severity of their body language. She also got a strange feeling, seeing him for the first time in three days.
Amy knew Dr. Cooper was worried about her. He had been attempting to apologize to her since the incident the night she arrived. While she wasn't afraid of him, she was most certainly weary about seeing him again. She couldn't bring herself to open the door when he knocked, or even accept the food he obviously made for her. She reasoned that all she needed was a little time.
Still…hiding out in this room, however luxurious, wasn't the answer. Amy was a fighter. And a mature adult. The last thing she would do, was back down to him or any man. She realized it wasn't fear that had kept her sequestered for two days. It was disappointment. She had hoped that she and Dr. Cooper could have gotten to know one another better. There again, she realized how futile that was. She was leaving in a few weeks to begin her life in Pasadena. What did it matter, if she became friendly with this man?
Suddenly, she heard a loud screech and watched as the woman ran the length of the dock, Dr. Cooper following her at a strange pace. The thought occurred to Amy that this woman could very well be his girlfriend, coming to kick her out of the house once and for all. Amy screwed up her courage, prepared to fight when she heard a gentle knock on her door.
"Miss Fowler? Are you alright? It's Melissa Bradshaw, Sheldon's sister. Please, open the door."
Amy walked to the door hesitantly, putting her ear against it.
"Miss Fowler? Please, don't be frightened. It's only me. May I come in?" She implored again.
Amy flicked the lock, opening the door wide. She was startled as the feminine face who met her, resembled Dr. Cooper eerily. One thing was different, though. She offered Amy a friendly, gentle smile.
"It's so nice to meet you, Miss Fowler." Missy said, offering her palm in friendship. Amy grasped it, and the two women stood staring at each for a moment.
"Mrs. Bradshaw? Why are you here?" Amy questioned, confused. "I wanted to make sure that you arrived alright before I headed to visit my mother." She said.
Amy swallowed before nodding. She had no idea what to say to this woman. Missy noticed her trepidation, and feared the worst.
"Good gracious. Are you alright?" Missy whispered, her eyes traveling up and down Amy to make sure no visible signs of damage were apparent.
"Yes. I'm fine." Amy answered quietly, offering her host a small smile.
"May I come in?" Missy asked kindly. Amy moved aside to allow her entrance, closing the door once she came through.
"Miss Fowler…I don't even know what to say, or where to begin. First, Sheldon told me about what happened. Are you alright? Were you seriously injured? Please, tell me. My concern is for you right now."
Amy shook her head in the negative.
"No. It was just a small sliver. It looked worse than it was. Really. I guess…it just startled me. I don't know what I did to upset him like that," Amy said sadly.
Missy cut her off.
"Listen to me, Miss Fowler. You did nothing wrong. And I can assure you, Sheldon has never acted that way before. He is the most benign person I know. Did he harm you in any other way?" Melissa asked, afraid to hear the answer. Amy shook her head again.
"No. Not at all. I don't think he meant to do that. I believe it was an accident. He was backed into a corner, in a way. I think my dog Chaucer…the one I mentioned to you? I think he frightened him."
Missy released a sigh of relief.
"Thank God for that." She said, and Amy bit her lip.
"I'm alright. Truly." Amy tried to assure her. Missy smiled warmly, surveying her lodger.
She was a petite woman, only around 5'2. Or so she guessed. She was by no means overweight, but she had ladylike curves that her granddaddy would have labeled an 'hourglass'. Her hair was long and straight, and her eyes were clear and bright green. All and all, she was quite attractive. But she seemed to downplay her looks, if her attire was any indication. She was a young woman, yet she was wearing a knee length denim skirt and a long sleeved blouse that her Meemaw might have worn.
All of a sudden, Missy felt sorry for this woman, who looked innocent and sweet. It made her brother's actions even more horrifying. She held out her hand again to Amy, which contained an envelope.
"Well, in any event…this is for you."
Amy reluctantly accepted the offering. Opening it slowly, she was shocked to see it contained a check for $2,000.00 in her name. Her eyes flew to Melissa's.
"I don't understand. Why are you giving me back my money?" She asked, stunned. She feared that she was being booted out, after all. "Mrs. Bradshaw, I can't leave yet. I have no place to go. My townhouse is still being built and I…"
Missy narrowed her eyes at Amy's outburst.
"No one is kicking you out, Miss Fowler. Quite the opposite. And I'm not the one giving you back your money. Sheldon is." She said seriously.
Amy stared at her, mouth agape.
"What?" She managed to whisper, and Missy shrugged.
"It's the least that you deserve, after what you've been through. Sheldon feels awful. He's never done anything like that before. He feels you should have a full refund, due to your emotional trauma. You may stay here, as planned, if you wish. Do you want to stay, after this? Can you?" Missy asked her, worrying that once again, her brother had burned his bridges.
Amy thought about it for a moment.
"Yes. I'm not afraid of your brother, Mrs. Bradshaw. He's actually quite an interesting man. I was just surprised by his outburst. And yes…perhaps I was a little on my guard. But I know I could have called Sheriff Watson."
Missy quirked a brow at Amy.
"Sheriff Watson? How do you know him?" She asked curiously.
Amy smiled guiltily.
"Well…when I first arrived, your brother was being…unreasonable. I called the Sheriff to come out."
"Oh? Do tell." Missy hedged, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Amy slowly followed suit, reciting the events of the last three days to Sheldon's sister.
A slow smile bloomed on Missy's face as she listened to Amy's tale. She was certain that this woman was a firecracker. She liked her already. And she could tell that if anyone could put Sheldon in his place, it was Amy Farrah Fowler.
Once Amy was finished, Missy shook her head back and forth.
"It looks like you had the situation in control." She said slyly, before becoming somber once again.
"In all seriousness, Miss Fowler…if you would like to press charges against Sheldon, he knows you are well within your rights." Missy said sadly. Amy gaped at her.
Press charges against him? Amy stood up, considering Melissa's words. While his outburst was unacceptable, Amy knew he wasn't a threat to her. She didn't know how she knew, she just did. Some people might think she was crazy, staying in a house with a strange man who had shown signs of a temper. But she was going to go with her gut instinct.
"No! I…um. I don't want to that. It was an accident. I think Dr. Cooper needs to get some help for his problem of PTSD. If he has issues with his past that are causing him distress, it would be better for him as well as everyone in his life. But I don't think your brother is a violent person. I know he didn't mean to harm me." She said seriously.
Missy smiled, getting up.
"No. I know he didn't. Sheldon has never once laid a finger on anyone. He himself was the target of bullies as a child. And we had a father who never 'spared the rod', if you get my meaning. I'm sorry if he scared you. If you'd like to take a pop shot at him, I'll hold him down so you can strike a blow."
Amy stared at Missy in amusement.
"No. That won't be necessary. I think Dr. Cooper has suffered enough." Amy said quietly.
Missy smiled at the woman who had been dropped into their lives. She wondered if Sheldon knew how lucky he was.
"So it would seem."
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Missy came back to the living room, spying Sheldon sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. She paused a moment to observe him silently. Never, in all of their years together, had she ever seen him so upset about something. Especially a woman.
It was clear her brother was in way over his head here. Just how deep, she couldn't say. One thing was clear; Miss Fowler seemed to have an interest in her brother, as well. Maybe these two meeting wasn't so crazy after all.
"Sheldon?" Missy called gently, relieved when he met her gaze at once. He stood up, walking towards her clumsily.
"She…is she…?" Sheldon stuttered, swallowing. Missy smiled gently.
"She's fine, Sheldon. Her wound was very superficial, according to her. She's obviously shaken, but she doesn't want to file charges against you. She's confused, angry, and hurt. I think you have a lot to apologize for." Missy said seriously.
Sheldon had been holding his breath during Melissa's speech. Finally releasing it, he nodded and went to sit back down on the couch.
Thank God she was alright, he thought in relief.
Missy followed him, sitting next to her brother. They avoided each other for a few minutes, until finally Missy had enough.
"You're afraid to be alone with her?" Missy asked her twin gently. She expected a harsh reply, but instead, Sheldon merely answered an indignant snort.
"I'm not afraid of anyone. But now…I'm afraid she fears me. I just don't want strangers hanging around. She's a distraction," He muttered.
I'll bet she's a distraction, Missy though with mirth.
Missy knew it was hard for her brother socially. The only friends he ever had were the ones he had now back home; Leonard and Penny, Howard and Raj. He never dated, and Missy doubted he'd even kissed a woman. He had been wrapped up in his Science all of his life, that those things never seemed to matter to Sheldon.
"Do you like her Sheldon?" Missy asked her brother softly.
Sheldon faltered, looking at his sister in a panic.
"Whether or not I like her isn't the issue here," Sheldon rushed out. Missy sighed, cocking her head to study Sheldon.
"So what is the issue, Shelly?" She asked quietly. Sheldon bit his lip harshly.
"Missy…I can't. I don't know what to say to her. She's…" He cleared his throat, and Missy waited patiently for him to elaborate. "She's smart. Very smart. And nice. And…attractive." He rushed the word out so fast, Missy wasn't sure if she heard him clearly. When he didn't say anymore, Missy knew she had.
So that was it. Her clueless brother suddenly wasn't so clueless. He sounded very aware, and very terrified.
"Shelly? Remember when we were kids, and Meemaw and Pop Pop used to take us down to the drive in?" She asked, knowing full well Sheldon's eidetic memory could recall anything.
"Of course." He answered, his far reaching memory conjuring up those fond times. No matter how bad the world had gotten for him, those few precious hours with his grandparent's meant safety, security, and warmth for him.
Missy smiled at the look on Sheldon's face. She too missed those days.
"Remember that one film we saw, where the man took off his coat and laid it across a puddle for his girl to walk over so her shoes wouldn't get ruined? That's what you need to do now, Sheldon. Miss Fowler is a woman all alone in a strange town, embarking on a new life. She needs a friend to look out for her for a while. Protect her. Do something chivalrous for her. Take off your coat, Sheldon. Let her stay in the cottage, and just…get to know her. You might find you have a lot in common. And who knows? You might even become friends," Missy said warmly. "Besides…I'd say you have a lot of groveling to do, after what happened."
Sheldon stared at his sister, their eyes locking. It was a strange phenomenon, being a twin. They were fraternal, not identical obviously…but Sheldon had always guessed that they shared a certain telepathic bond. He'd never admit that to anyone, least of all Missy. But he knew deep down, that she suspected it as well.
She was right. He did have a lot of groveling to do. Giving Miss Fowler her money back was a start. But he would have to do more. After all…it was Christmas. The Season for giving. Sheldon realized it was time to start putting someone else's feelings ahead of his own. It was only for a few weeks. What could it hurt?
A/N- Thank you for reading. Sheldon is trying to make amends, and will continue to do so. Next chapter- a much needed apology.