Sorry this one took a little longer than usual. I hope it was worth it. Let me know. :)
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. They are the property of the creators of The Big Bang Theory.
Penny rushed down three flights of stairs, stopping short before running into Leonard at the bottom. Out of breath, she grabbed him, leading him to the apartment door.
"Was he still up there?" Leonard asked as he pushed on the glass.
"Yes, at the top of the stairs, holding the pizzas," Penny said, almost out of breath.
"Okay, come on, let's get out of here!" Leonard exclaimed, and jolted them both outside.
They ran and found their "getaway" car waiting by the curb. Bernadette was in the driver's seat with Howard to her side, while Raj sat in the back. Leonard and Penny forcefully piled into the backseat, knocking their Indian friend to the side.
"Step on it!" Penny demanded, grabbing her seat belt. Bernadette hit the gas, jolting them all forward, before heading down the freeway; their destination unknown for the gang minus two.
Penny and Leonard leaned back and relaxed as Bernadette drove; the apartment building soon out of sight. They looked at each other, smiling mischievously; their nerves finally settling down.
"So I take it the plan was successful?" Howard asked from the front seat.
"Yes, I think so," Penny said, proudly. "But only time will tell."
Behind the wheel, Bernadette let out a deep, slow breath. "I feel so guilty," she said, cocking her head. She caught a glimpse of her blonde friend in the rearview mirror. "Don't you?"
Penny looked up to the mirror, returning her gaze. "No," she admitted, firmly. "It was something that had to be done."
Not convinced, Bernadette shook her head at Penny, exhaling again. "I don't know. I feel funny about lying to Amy earlier today. Especially after what she's been through."
Bernadette paused, and the car was silent.
Howard shifted in his seat, staring out the window. "Well, the way I see it, one of two things will happen," he said, seeming to focus on something outside. "Either the shamy will repair itself and reboot, starting over with a new operating system … or… it will crash and burn, like a blown-out hard drive, never to exist again."
He paused.
"It's a toss up, really," he added.
Bernadette shot Howard an annoyed look. "Howie…"
Penny groaned loudly from the backseat, interrupting her. "They're not going to crash like a hard drive…"
"No, no… Howard's right," Raj interjected, turning to face her. "There's a good chance that the worse could happen. How do you guys know this whole plan won't blow up in your face?"
Raj waited for Penny to answer, but she said nothing.
"I mean, tricking Sheldon? Are you two crazy? I certainly wouldn't want to be the one facing him when it is over!"
Leonard looked past Penny in the seat over to Raj, and made a face. "Don't worry, that'll be my job."
Penny glared at all of them. "Listen, this is a full-proof plan, and it's going to work. I'm telling you, those two really care about each other… they just need to sort their problems out. That's all."
Everyone remained silent. "It's going to work, I tell you," she reiterated.
Raj leaned back in his seat. "Yeah, I'm sure it will," he said, with sarcasm.
No one responded again, until Bernadette broke the silence and called out from the front.
"So, what do you guys want to eat?"
Everyone shuffled in their seats, moving their eyes out the windows, ignoring their petite friend. Food was not on their minds.
Raj cleared his throat, looking at Penny again.
"So, whose grand idea was this anyway – to trick the shamy?" he asked; this time, his words sounding a bit slurred.
"That would be Penny," Leonard replied.
Penny looked at Leonard, noticing the tone of his voice. "You said you liked the idea."
Leonard stared at her. "I did… I do."
Raj shook his head at both of them. "You guys are brave sons of bitches."
Penny huffed and rolled her eyes. "Seriously, how much have you had to drink, Raj? I like you better when you are mute."
Raj looked innocent. "Just a little... hey, I'm sorry if the truth hurts."
Leonard interjected for his Indian friend. "Raj does have a point, Penny. There's a good chance Sheldon and Amy won't reconcile tonight."
Penny stared at him with wide eyes. "I thought you were on my side."
Leonard blinked. "I am." He opened his mouth to say more, but nothing came out.
Penny pressed her lips together. "Look, I told both of you – this is going to work. I know these two. The shamy will reboot. They just need to be alone."
"Yeah, but you're forcing them to be alone," Raj interjected again.
Penny glared at Raj once more. He took the hint and looked away, saying nothing, along with everyone else in the car. The tension made them all uncomfortable, so Bernadette stopped at a red night, and turned in her seat.
"Come on guys, let's still have a nice evening," she said eagerly. "I need to know which way to turn." She paused, before pleading, "Someone please tell me – what restaurant? Where do you guys want to go?"
The awkward silence continued to hang in the air, causing a series of sighs, until Howard cleared his throat and spoke. "I think we need to go somewhere where the service is slow, for Leonard's sake," he said, glancing back at his friend. "The longer we delay seeing Sheldon, the better."
Bernadette turned back around, exhaling an exasperated breath.
Leonard stared out the window, studying the lights flicker as cars drove past. He decided Howard was right – he certainly was in no hurry to get back.
Amy stood timidly by Penny's door, holding the knob; a confused expression on her face.
Why is Sheldon standing there? she thought, a bit perplexed.
She tore her eyes away, and looked over her shoulder.
And where did Penny go?
Sheldon, still in front of the stairwell, shifted on his feet, looking as if he had just been caught in a trap. He saw Amy turn her head back around, eyes wide. He knew he had no other choice but to say something.
"Hello, Amy."
Amy smoothed her hair, and locked eyes with him.
"Hi," she said, a bit apprehensive, feeling her heart race.
They remained silent for a moment, until Amy asked, "Did you knock on the door?"
Sheldon shook his head, and took a few steps in Amy's direction, stopping right in front of her. His eyes wondered down to her outfit – a floral blouse that was thin, hanging over a blue jean skirt. There were no layers underneath, or above, like Sheldon was used to. He swallowed, noticing her neckline. It looked smooth and soft, and contrasted nice against her hair, which hung long past her shoulders.
Amy noticed his gaze on her, and suddenly felt exposed. She instinctively brought a hand up to her mouth, attempting to hide her swollen lip.
"I didn't knock," Sheldon finally said, in a whispered tone. He cleared his throat, attempting to vocalize properly. "It was Penny that knocked," he explained. "It appears we are the victims of a ruse, perpetrated by our so-called friends."
Amy stared at him, trying to comprehend what he had said, but she was mesmerized by his eyes. An image from her dream flickered in her mind, and she looked away, trying to focus.
"What do you mean?" she asked, examining at the pizza in his hands.
Sheldon pursed his lips together. "I'm locked out of my apartment," he said, tilting his head. "Leonard pushed me and locked me out, and then he ran down the stairs, with Penny."
Amy looked puzzled. She turned around, leaving Sheldon, and slowly walked back into Penny's apartment. She scanned the area, trying to understand. "But she was just here…"
Sheldon shifted on his feet. "Well, she's gone now."
He stared at Amy's backside, waiting for her to turn back around. He was anxious to do something with the pizzas.
"So, may I come in?" he asked.
Amy turned back to see Sheldon behind her, at the doorway.
"The pizzas are hot," he added, shifting on his feet again.
Amy stood fixated, without answering. Realization was setting in.
Penny set me up… I am having dinner with... Sheldon.
She felt light-headed, her nerves doing a serious number on her. Sheldon was there, so close… right in front of her.
So close... and so impatient.
"Amy…"
She widened her eyes, and finally managed to find her voice. "Oh… yes," Amy said, bringing her hand down from her face. "I'm sorry. Please come in."
Sheldon entered the apartment, and sauntered past her to Penny's kitchen. After setting the pizza boxes down, he worked to open one, discovering it was his favorite topping. He moved to the other one, and saw that it was Amy's favorite.
"There's a pepperoni and a mushroom," he announced to Amy, who was still standing in the middle of the room. "It seems that our so-called friends thought of everything."
Amy gazed at her boyfriend, feeling as if she had not seen him in years. She noticed his hair was slightly wet; his eyes a little puffy. She wondered internally how his day had gone, and if he had been okay.
She eventually broke her gaze, and turned on her heel.
"So I guess there will not be a girls' night this evening," she stated, walking back to Penny's door. She closed it, and turned, soon noticing that Sheldon was studying her.
"Are you disappointed?" he asked.
Amy walked over to the kitchen counter, stopping on the other side of Sheldon and the pizzas.
"No," she said honestly. "I'm glad you're here."
Again, they stared at each other, fixated. Sheldon opened his mouth to respond, but instead, blinked and averted his eyes.
"We need plates," he said. He turned and began to search, avoiding Amy's eyes and concentrating on his task; soon becoming frustrated by Penny's lack of organization.
"Good Lord," he spat, looking and opening every cabinet door. "This place is a mess."
Amy peered past Sheldon into the kitchen.
"I think there's some clean plates next to the sink in the dish drainer," she offered, pointing in that direction.
"Oh…," Sheldon said, moving to the sink. He cleared his throat. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Sheldon grabbed the plates and rinsed them, for good measure. He turned back to Amy, bringing his eyes to the pizza; plates in hand.
"So, how many slices do you want?" he asked.
Amy looked at the mushroom pizza, taking in the smell and hearing her stomach growl. It does look good, she thought. "Just two for now," she replied. She watched Sheldon grab them before turning; and she proceeded to walk over to Penny's dining table. She noticed that it was covered with dirty laundry, and various miscellaneous things.
"I'll clean off the table," she offered, picking up a laundry basket.
Sheldon continued to make their plates with an eye trained on Amy. He could not stop looking at her body. That blouse… he thought, it is so thin and hugging around her hips…
He swallowed and turned to find some napkins. Focus, Cooper, he told himself. For many months now, he had known that his attraction to Amy had been, well… increasing, especially recently, since the morning of the vapor rub. And tonight, it seemed to be getting worse – from just looking at her. He could not, for the life of him, figure out why things had become so different.
Sheldon found the napkins, took a calming breath, and walked over to the table. Amy had successfully moved everything, and somehow she had found a disinfecting wipe to clean it down.
Sheldon waited, watching. "Where did you find the wipes?" he asked.
She chuckled; a small smile forming on her lips. "There was a tub on the table, among everything else," she said. "Go figure."
Sheldon liked hearing her laugh, and returned her smile. "Impressive," he said.
Amy felt her heart flutter. She looked at him, now closer to her, and she noticed the wetness of his hair had caused it to fall somewhat over his forehead. She liked seeing him uncombed, and felt a need to run her hands through it.
She smoothed her hair instead, and suddenly felt hot. "So, drinks?" she asked, clearing her throat.
Before waiting for an answer, she quickly walked to the kitchen, in an attempt to avoid her thoughts. She opened the refrigerator and stood in front of it, relishing its coolness. Bending down, she looked and called, "Looks like our choices are milk, water, or wine."
From his seat at the table, Sheldon huffed and rolled his eyes. "It figures. She never has enough groceries."
Amy stood, waiting for his answer.
"I'll take milk, if there is enough," he said. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Sheldon glanced over to Amy when he felt his stomach growl. "Do you care if I start?" he asked.
"No, by all means, go ahead," she said, pouring their drinks. She watched Sheldon dive into the slice, as if he hadn't eaten for days. She soon returned with their glasses, sitting across from him.
"Well, at least they locked you out with food," Amy smirked. She made herself comfortable, and picked up her glass.
Sheldon peeled off a pepperoni and popped it into his mouth. "Well, I'm still mad at them," he said.
Amy nodded and took a sip of her milk, before asking, nonchalantly, "So, what had you planned to do tonight?"
Sheldon chewed and wiped his mouth. He watched Amy sip her milk, careful to keep it to one side, away from the sore area. Her eyes were cast down, looking at her pizza.
Sheldon looked down as well before answering her. "The guys were supposed to come over and watch a movie," he said.
Amy put her glass down, and picked up a napkin. She brought it to her lap, and wrung it in her hands, feeling uneasy with his answer. She recalled him talking about watching a movie with the guys on that awful night – before everything else had happened.
Amy looked up, and asked him, "Are you disappointed?"
Sheldon held her gaze for a moment, and he noticed the worried expression on her face.
"No…" he said, moving a hand through his hair. "It's…" He paused, bringing his hand down, "It's… good to see you."
Their eyes locked, and they sat, frozen, once again. Amy could not help but notice something in his eyes… something that left her unsure.
She looked down and picked up her pizza, gingerly placing it into her mouth, while Sheldon did the same. Amy stole a glance as he took his bite, and noticed that his hair was now messier than before. The sight of his face brought a new flutter to her stomach, and an image of him from the night prior entered her mind. For a moment, she mentally relived his courageous actions — finding her, holding her, stroking her hair… telling her that everything was going to be okay...
Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a slight sting on her lip from the pizza sauce. She attempted to bring the slice from her mouth, strings of cheese getting in the way. She grabbed a napkin to dab the area, and chewed slowly.
Sheldon watched her. "Does it hurt?" he asked.
Amy blinked in surprise, noticing her boyfriend's attention. "A little," she admitted, continuing to dab. "But… it's worth it. This is really good."
Sheldon did not move, looking at her, and then he sat back in his chair, continuing to stare. Once again, Amy began to feel self-conscience, causing her to avert her eyes. She took another bite, pretending to ignore him, but the sauce stung once more, and she brought the napkin back up.
"Have you put ice on it?" Sheldon asked.
She finished chewing, wiping her mouth some more. "No."
Sheldon narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. "Penny's supposed to be taking care of you. She didn't give you ice to put on it?"
Amy looked surprised. "Oh, Sheldon… it doesn't matter. It's fine."
Sheldon shook his head some more. "Well, it's a good thing I'm here," he declared, getting out of his chair. Amy watched him go to the kitchen.
"What are you doing?"
He didn't answer her, but opened some drawers. When he found a Ziplock bag, he turned; opened the freezer; and filled the bag with ice.
"Sheldon… that's not necessary…"
He ignored her again, and brought the ice pack back to the table, sitting it next to Amy's plate.
"When you are done eating, put that on your lip. It'll reduce some of the swelling," he instructed.
Amy stared at the bag of ice. "Oh, okay... thank you."
"You're welcome."
He sat back down, and continued to eat in silence. When he finished his second slice, he wiped his mouth, and looked up.
"So, what time are you going home tomorrow?" he asked.
Amy put her crust down, seeming to look into the air. "Hmmm. I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."
Sheldon took a sip of milk, before looking at her with a serious expression.
"Well, when you decide, you need to let me know."
Amy looked at him curiously. "Sure…"
He continued before Amy could say any more; his words coming fast. "Make sure to call or text me when you get back to your apartment, too … let's just make it a rule that we call or text every two hours until bedtime. That way, we can stay in constant contact and correspondence, until such time that I can do research on an alarm system."
Amy blinked at Sheldon.
"An alarm system?"
"Yes, of course," he said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "But in the meantime, I'll need to keep tabs on you. I plan to work out the details tomorrow in the relationship agreement… we definitely need to correspond first thing in the morning and at night, but there'll also need to periodic contact during the day, like I just said."
Amy continued to blink, staring at him. "But we basically already do that. Just not every two hours, but still pretty often…"
Sheldon frowned, holding up a hand. "Yes, I know, but like I said, we need to do it more often until I get the alarm system in place, and we get you some kind of weapon of defense to carry with you…"
Amy almost choked. "Excuse me?" she said, eyes wide. "Weapon of defense?"
"Of course," Sheldon replied, confused by her resistance. "I will start the research tomorrow. Just let me know what kind you prefer."
Amy sat still, continuing to blink and stare at her boyfriend. What was going on here?
She cleared her throat. "I… I already have a can of mace. It's out of date, but I think a new can would be sufficient."
"Do you keep it in your purse?"
"Yes…"
"I'll get you some more," Sheldon said, making a mental note to himself.
Amy sat back in her chair, and watched him. He stared back at her blankly.
"That's not necessary," she said. "I can get it myself."
Sheldon shook his head. "Nonsense. I need to research and get it for you."
"You need to?"
"Yes."
Sheldon noticed Amy giving him a look that he wasn't sure of — could it be annoyance?
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
Amy brought her hands back to her lap with the napkin, and sat back, choosing her words.
"You seem… a little overprotective," she said.
Sheldon's facial expression changed somewhat. He found it strange that she would be questioning him.
"It's necessary," he said, hoping to end the subject, "that I make sure you're safe."
He grabbed his glass and turned it back, drinking the last of the milk, ignoring the look on Amy's face. He wiped his mouth a final time, and turned to get up, but stopped himself before rising.
"Oh, and one more thing," he said, placing his napkin on his plate before picking it up. "You'll need to tell someone at work to keep a watch out for you during the day. Just to make sure you are okay."
Sheldon rose and walked to the kitchen, placing his dish in the sink.
Amy almost felt her jaw drop, and she glared a hole into his back. "Wait a minute," she called to him. Sheldon turned, and came back to the table, standing in front of her.
"I'll do no such thing," she said, frowning and feeling indignant about his demands. "I don't plan to tell anyone at work about… what happened."
Sheldon felt himself grow tense. Why was she questioning him? "I don't see how you'll have a choice," he said, gesturing in her direction. "They will notice your swollen lip."
Yet again, Amy felt self-conscious, and dabbed her lip with the napkin. It was throbbing, and in spite of herself, she picked up the ice pack Sheldon had made and placed it against her mouth, softly.
"Sheldon," she said, attempting to talk around the ice pack. "If they ask about my lip, I'll just say I fell in the shower or something."
Sheldon crossed his arms and peered at her, through narrowed eyes.
"So, you will lie?"
Taken aback by his tone, Amy stared at him. The look that she had noticed earlier in his eyes made another appearance, only this time, it was more evident.
So there it is, she thought. Is it hurt or anger?
She brought the ice pack down for a moment, and steadied herself. "Sometimes little white lies are necessary," she said slowly. "My personal life is my business and not something I want to discuss at work, plus I want to save myself the embarrassment."
Sheldon studied his girlfriend, unhappy with her answer, but feeling distracted. She sat, holding the ice pack to her lip, her hair resting on her shoulders, falling just on either side of her bosom. He noticed her blouse again, moving up and down with her even breathing, accentuating her waist as it fell over her skirt.
How could he feel attracted to her right now? A big part of him wanted to reach down and embrace her; another part wanted to argue; and that just infuriated him further.
I just need to end this conversation and try again later, he thought.
He turned and mumbled under his breath, "Very well," before walking over to the couch.
Amy, surprised that he had left, watched Sheldon sit down and stare blankly at Penny's television, blinking his eyes.
She put her ice pack down, and stood, following him.
"Sheldon, look at me," she said, standing by the couch.
I don't want to look at you, he thought. It causes problems.
He sat motionless for a moment, but then finally turned his head toward her, frowning.
"Tell me what you are thinking," she said.
With wide eyes, Sheldon jerked his head back and decided to ignore her. He leaned forward, scanning Penny's DVD collection in her cabinet. He quickly left the couch and kneeled down to pull one out.
"How about we watch a movie?" he asked, trying to change his tone. "She has E.T. — it's the only one in her collection I think I can stand," he said.
Amy put her hands on her hips, and raised a brow. "I don't think so."
Sheldon blinked at her, with an innocent expression. "Why?"
Amy huffed. "Don't pretend, Sheldon. You know we need to talk," she said. She sat down on the other side of the couch, leaving a cushion between them. Sheldon looked away, and opened the case for the movie. He said nothing.
"Sheldon."
He popped the movie out before bringing his eyes up. Amy's serious expression caused him to freeze.
She blinked, and kept his gaze. "I… I'm sorry about what happened last night. I wish I could take it all back."
Sheldon's cheeks turned red. He turned away, shrugging.
"You already said you were sorry last night," he said. "No need to say it again."
Before she could reply, Sheldon got up and walked over to Penny's wall. He dimmed the lights, before walking over to the DVD player.
"Sheldon…" Amy said, pressing her lips together, "I don't want to watch a movie. We need to talk."
He put the disc in, and sat down, saying nothing, continuing to ignore her.
Amy watched him settle into couch, eyes glued to the screen, the light of the television dancing off his form. She tried to read his expression, but it was stoic, and he was sitting still and rigid.
Amy sighed and leaned back on the couch, pretending to watch the movie. She brought her knees up and laid her head down on the cushion, blinking to keep the movie in focus and her emotions in check.
Once the movie was in full force, Amy decided she was happy for the momentary distraction. She soon became interested in the story, and it caused her to feel more at ease; her nerves giving her a break. But just as she felt herself calming down, Sheldon, without warning, grabbed the remote off of Penny's coffee table, startling her. She watched as he hit pause, and he swiftly turned on the couch to her.
Amy stared back at him, eyes wide. He was frowning and looking serious, his body still.
"Did you sleep with him?" Sheldon asked.
Shocked, Amy sucked in a breath. Even in the dark, Amy could see that Sheldon's pupils were dilated; his face tense; his body slightly shaking.
"No," she said quickly.
Sheldon didn't move, besides blinking, and he frowned some more.
"Why should I believe you?" he asked in a low tone.
Amy opened her mouth. "What?"
"You heard me."
She felt a lump and swallowed. Don't get emotional, Amy told her herself, and cleared her throat.
"I'm telling you the truth, Sheldon," she said, and paused, taking a breath. "And I resent that you would not believe me."
Sheldon did not respond at first and studied her.
"How am I supposed to know what to believe?" he asked. "The Amy that I know would not allow herself to have coitus with some random stranger, with no regards to how it might affect me."
"How it might affect you?" Amy asked.
"Yes."
Amy blinked, irritation growing. "I'm not perfect, Sheldon. I made a mistake."
Sheldon stared at her. Is that all she was going to say?
He pursed his lips before asking, "So, what did you do with him?"
Amy shifted uncomfortably. Why is he asking me this?
"What did you do with him?" Sheldon asked, louder.
Amy jerked her head up, frozen, unnerved by his expression and tone. She pressed her lips together, blinking, trying to control herself.
"I don't want to talk about this," she said.
"You said we should talk," Sheldon countered. "This is what I want to discuss."
Amy's lip quivered, and she broke his gaze again. She looked at the television, and said, voice cracking, "I danced with him. And we kissed. That is all."
Sheldon brought his hands up. "I saw your underwear on the floor," he said. "Stop lying to me."
Amy brought her eyes back to him, affronted. His accusation made her angry.
"If you must know, he did take them off, but nothing happened. Because I stopped it. And I am not lying."
Sheldon's eyes searched hers. He wasn't completely convinced, but he wanted to believe her.
Suddenly the movie began to play again, and they both jumped, startled. Sheldon snatched the remote and turned it off. The movie went away, making the room pitch black.
In the darkness, Sheldon brought his hands to his face, holding his head. He sat in silence, not sure what to say, until he heard Amy scoot closer on the couch, facing him.
"I'm telling you the truth."
Sheldon rubbed his face. "I want to believe you."
Amy inhaled, irritated again. "Sheldon, I stopped it because of you," she said firmly. "I just couldn't do it."
Sheldon kept his head in his hands. Amy tried to see him in the dark, but she couldn't.
"I wish you would talk to me," she said. "I'm surprised that this bothers you so much."
Sheldon jerked his head up. "You're surprised that this bothers me?"
Amy tightened her arms around herself, realizing that she had stirred something inside of Sheldon. "Yes," she said slowly. "It surprises me."
Sheldon's felt his face flush. "You're serious?" he said, voice rising. "You don't think it would bother me that you almost had coitus with some crazy person?"
Amy stared back at him, stunned by the anger in his eyes.
Sheldon straightened up, almost towering over her. "You don't think it would bother me that my girlfriend would put herself in danger? For sex? Have you looked in the mirror, Amy? Do you see what that lunatic did to you? You don't think that would bother me?"
Amy sat, nervous, still stunned by his outburst. Sheldon threw up his hands and stood; crossing the apartment; jerking open the door. The light from the hallway filled the room, causing Amy to shield her eyes as he stormed out. He stomped quickly across the hall to his apartment, grabbing the door. He jerked the knob from side to side, soon to remember that he was locked out.
Sheldon gave up and stood, resting the top of his head against the door, sighing. He took in several deep, calming breaths; that is, before he heard her talking to him again.
"Sheldon…" came the voice from behind.
Sheldon didn't move, but kept his head on the door.
"Talk to me," she said.
Sheldon turned slowly and saw Amy standing in Penny's doorway. She had her hands on her hips, waiting for him to respond. He said nothing.
"Damn it, Sheldon! Tell me how you feel!" she exclaimed.
Sheldon felt like a balloon full of hot air, about to burst. This was just too much. She was yelling at him? He stormed over to her, stopping mere inches from her face.
"You are supposed to be my girlfriend," he said, in a low tone. "According to our agreement, you are mine. You're not supposed to go out... kissing and... making out... with anyone, and you know it. I read your texts, Amy. I know you went to that club with full intentions to deceive me. You want to know how I feel? I feel betrayed."
Sheldon's face was red, his puffy eyes now looking wet and glaring. Amy frowned and felt herself shaking.
"First of all, to clarify, you don't own me," she said, slowly. "I'm not yours just because we have an agreement on a piece of paper. And second of all, if I'm not supposed to go out kissing and making out with other men, then why can't I do those things with you? My boyfriend? It doesn't make any sense."
Sheldon straightened up, taken aback by her statements.
"It's in the agreement that you're my girlfriend," he said defensively.
"I know," Amy countered. "It still makes no sense."
Sheldon pursed his lips. "The agreement stands," he said. "You signed it."
Amy crossed her arms, irritated that he was talking to her about the stupid agreement. "Yes, I signed it, but I still don't understand it. If you don't want physical contact, then why are you so upset about this? Is this just about you controlling me?"
Sheldon opened his mouth and closed it, before narrowing his eyes. "This isn't about me; it's about you, Amy – breaking our agreement, lying to me, going out and doing God knows what with complete disregard to my feelings."
Amy raised a brow. "Your feelings?"
Sheldon turned redder, and held up a hand. "Don't turn this around on me!"
Amy sucked in a breath, feeling her heart pound. She looked away for a moment, before bringing her eyes back, attempting to speak calmly.
"Yes, I broke the agreement, Sheldon, and … I was going to lie to you, but … I only did what I did because I have been … so frustrated."
Sheldon huffed. "So, all of this is my fault," he said defensively.
"I didn't say that."
"You implied it. You are the one that went on a quest to deceive," Sheldon spat. "This is not about me."
He paused, frowning, and continued.
"And just look at where it got you, Amy. So, do you feel better now? Did it help with your frustration?"
Amy gasped and covered her mouth. Her blinks became rapid, and tears began to fall.
Did... did he just say that to me?
"Sheldon!"
It was Penny's voice, coming from behind.
They turned and saw her, standing at the top of the stairs, with Leonard close by. She did not waste a moment, and walked briskly through the hall, knocking past Sheldon, reaching for Amy. She pushed her way in between them and put her arms around Amy's shoulders.
"You're an ass, Sheldon," she said, peering at him over her friend's head. Sheldon saw Amy's chest heave as Penny embraced her, causing his expression to soften at the sight of her tears.
Amy wouldn't look at him, but hugged her friend back, before Penny whisked her into the apartment, slamming the door in Sheldon's face.
Licking her lips, Penny watched a slice of leftover pizza swirl in the microwave; its cheese close to bubbling. The time ran out and it suddenly beeped, at the same time that her phone buzzed; both causing her to jump. She grabbed her lunch from the appliance, and turned quickly to pick up her phone, which was displaying Leonard's face.
"Hey," she said, taking her first, much anticipated bite of lunch.
"Hey… whatcha doin?"
Penny chewed, pulling strings of cheese from her mouth. "Eating Sheldon and Amy's pizza. It's pretty good. You want some?"
Leonard cleared his throat. "Maybe later," he said, sounding a bit apprehensive. "Listen, Sheldon has been trying to call you all morning…"
"I know," Penny said, cutting him off. "I don't want to talk to that jack-ass."
Leonard sighed. "I know, but see, I have to live with him over here. All he wants to know is when Amy is leaving today."
Penny grabbed a glass and filled it with water. "Has it been bad?"
Leonard sighed again, and brought the phone closer. "Well, not as bad as you would expect. I think his argument with Amy really rattled him, so he seemed to forget about what we did to him. He's been mostly giving me the silent treatment."
He paused, reflecting on how nice the "silent treatment" has been. "Anyway, I heard him fall out of bed two times last night. I don't think he got any sleep again."
"Serves him right," Penny huffed. "I'm just glad we decided to come back early last night. I hate to admit that Raj was right, though."
"Well… I think you should give yourself more credit. Your idea was valid; given your reasons. I've never seen Sheldon affected this much by anything. I think you were right in what you said last night – he does seem to have really strong feelings for her."
Penny tapped her fingers on the counter, recalling the conversation she had with Sheldon in the car just two nights ago. How could things have gone so wrong in such a short amount of time?
Penny heard some movement on the phone. "Leonard?"
"Hold on." She heard what sounded like a door closing. "I don't want him to hear me," he said, his voice low. "If he figures out it's you, he'll probably grab the phone."
Penny took another bite of pizza. "Such a jerk."
"I know, I know…" Leonard said, eager to bring the conversation back to his request. "But seriously, just tell me when she is leaving. I actually think Sheldon might apologize. He's been sulking all morning."
Penny was silent, chewing, pondering Leonard's words.
"Penny?"
She sighed. "I don't know. Amy is pretty angry."
They were silent again. Penny heard movement coming from her bedroom; and she let out a breath, rolling her eyes.
"Okay, but you need to stress to him that he cannot upset her again. She's been through enough."
"I will."
Penny let out another breath, giving in.
"She just got out of the shower. She'll be leaving within the hour."
Amy smoothed her blouse as she looked in Penny's mirror. It was a little wrinkled from yesterday, but would have to do, since it was all she had. She placed the remainder of her things in a bag with her laptop, and threw it, along with her purse, over her shoulder.
"So, you ready?" Penny asked from the door.
Amy smiled at her. "Yes. Was the pizza good?"
"Delicious," Penny said, licking her lips again. "You sure you don't want some?"
Amy walked through the door to the living room. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry," she said honestly. She rubbed her neck, and placed the bag with the laptop under her arm.
"I'm actually looking forward to getting home. I think it may help to get this behind me," she said.
Penny looked at her friend thoughtfully. "Be sure to call if you want to talk."
Amy smiled. "I will. I have a good bit of work to do for tomorrow, so I'm sure the afternoon will go by quickly."
Penny walked over and opened the apartment door. Amy stood in the opening, staring at the door across the hall, before walking through. She turned and smiled at her bestie.
"Thanks again for everything," she said, tugging at her purse.
Penny offered a weak smile. "Are you okay?"
Amy blinked, her own smile slowly leaving her face. "Yes…" she said, wiping her nose quickly with her sleeve. "I don't think I have any tears left after last night... I should be okay, as long as I don't see him." Amy turned and scowled at the door behind her.
Penny cleared her throat. "Yes… um, so do you need help going down? Do you remember where Bernadette said she parked your car?"
"Yes, I do, Penny. And don't worry; I'll be fine," Amy said, and embraced her friend. She offered a final forced grin, and turned, walking to the stairway.
Penny felt herself tear up as she waved. "Bye," she whispered, hoping that Amy would be okay.
Amy descended the stairs slowly, clutching her laptop, suddenly feeling alone. When she reached the bottom, she sniffed, and wiped her nose again, thinking about Penny.
She's such a good friend.
Amy walked out the main door, and turned to the left, scanning for her car. It was easy to find, since she saw someone tall standing next to it, waiting for her.
It was Sheldon.
Amy felt her heart race. She thought she should be irritated to see him; but for some reason, she wasn't.
Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for Chapter 8.
Please review. I enjoy getting feedback! :)