So basically after letting you guys wait for this update for over a MONTH, I'm just going to waltz in here, drop a chapter off and expect everything to be fine and dandy?

No, absolutely not, dear reader. I know I've kept you waiting for waaaaaaaay too long. And for that I apologize.

Which is why I'm dropping of TWO chapters up in here! I hope it's can qualm that undoubtedly is raging in some of you people's hearts?

You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yes? No? Okay.

Enough Jibber-jabber! Let's get this show on the road.

But first allow me to thank Vamplover669 for being an unreplacable support through many sleepless nights. You are a true friend and Shamy-shipper at heart.

NOW...ENJOY!

Amy stirred a little, breathing in deeply and filling her lungs with air. She woke up slowly but kept her eyes closed, allowing her mind and senses to come around and function properly. Turning her head slightly she noticed something was off. She was definitely not sleeping in her bed. Yet the soft fabric beneath her and the warm blanket on top of her seemed familiar.

The couch.

She was sleeping on the couch. As the events of last night finally made their way to her consciousness she slowly opened her eyes. Blinking a few times, she turned to lay on her back staring up at the ceiling. She sighed deeply, letting out a long breath, trying to sort out the rush of undefinable thoughts going through her mind. It all seemed so unreal. Sheldon standing in front of her door. The odd feeling of comfort as he placed his hand on top of hers, his arms around her in a secure and tight embrace. Just like that.

Not to mention that she would never see her beloved Aunt Flora again. Never again. And that was maybe the most unreal event of them all. How could she just… be gone? One moment you have a dear family member, a close friend, someone to confide in. Someone older and wiser, someone whose hug could make any and all troubles go away. And the next you just… don't. The next moment they're gone forever. No more smiles, no security, no wise words in your time of distress, no familiar arms to embrace you. Never again.

Blinking a few times at the ceiling, Amy finally summoned the energy to slowly move her body into a sitting position with a deep sigh. Looking around she saw nothing but a familiar blur of her apartment, making her realize that she wasn't wearing her glasses. She left it to that, knowing that there would come a time for her to put them on and see clearly again. Amy hugged the blanket around her a bit tighter, letting out yet another deep sigh. It seemed to be the only thing she could do, since her tear ducts appeared to be all dry, despite the fact that something made her want to cry. She just couldn't.

That "something" had manifested itself somewhere in the middle of her chest, nagging its way through her leaving behind an unrepairable hole and in a moment of clearness she realized that is was never meant to be repaired.

The realization caused a certain level of acceptance and calmness to envelope her and after another few silent moments she eyed her surroundings in an attempt to find her glasses. She was still sad, still slightly confused and she still felt like crying, but analyzing her emotional state made her conclude that she had gotten past the initial state of shock that followed the loss of a loved one and that she had now entered the next step: mourning. After a short search she found her glasses on the coffee table with a glass of water and two aspirins next to them. She put them on with a slight frown, now seeing clearly, and noticed the neatly folded piece of paper on the table. She felt her heart rate peak a little as her subconscious already seemed to know the owner of the note. Who else? Picking it up she slowly folded it open, blinking a few times in order to restore her eyes' full functionality, and started reading.

Amy

Once again I would like to extend my condolences; I am truly sorry for your loss. I hope you feel less distressed upon waking. Please know that I am very well aware of the fact that I am not yet forgiven and that actions must be made in order for that to happen. I will ask Penny to come by later to check up on you.

Sheldon

A small smile defied everything else for a short second as she looked from the note to the glass of water and pills. In her time of distress it felt immensely good to be taken care of. She re-read the note, paying close attention the part about her not forgiving him and her smile faded, remembering that all though she felt better and Sheldon's actions had been very needed indeed, the situation had not changed. It was still a mess. And at this point it was a mess she could no longer clean up.

Folding the paper slowly and placing it back on the table, Amy reached for the glass of water, taking a big gulp. Then she took the Aspirins and washed them down with another few big gulps, emptying the glass. Exactly was she needed. Placing the glass back at the table she looked down at herself, realizing that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday. A shower was definitely in place and glancing at her watch she realized that she was too late for work by hours, but her plan was to take a day off anyways. She sat there for another few moments of indecision, not really wanting to do anything. But remembering that Penny might come over at any given time, she sighed deeply and rose from her seat heading towards the bathroom to carry out one of the most mundane tasks that is bestowed upon all human beings, affirming a fact none of us can escape: Life goes on.

Sheldon slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times as his groggy mind composed itself. His room was dimly illuminated, confusing him and his sense of time. He turned his head slightly and looked at his alarm clock. It was 3.45 PM. He had slept the day away. He sighed and closed his eyes again as a familiar and delicious smell made its way to his nostrils causing his stomach to involuntarily rumble loudly.

He opened his eyes and sniffed in the aroma, recognizing it immediately. Furrowing his brows he tried to think of a reason why the smell would be present in his apartment. Perhaps it was all a dream? He tentatively let go of his legs, since he had been laying in the same position all day and only then did he notice the blanket that someone had covered him with at some point during his slumber, confusing him further. He slowly sat up winching as he felt his entire body aching from remaining in the same rigid position for so long and reached a hand up to rub his painful neck. He slung his legs over the side of his bed, the blanket brushing of him in a fluent motion as he stared into his room.

The events of the last 24 hours made their way to his consciousness from whatever corner of his mind they had been hiding and he knew that they had never really left him. Even in his sleep they had been there, shuffling in the depths of his rest, and even though he had been sleeping for over 7 hours he still felt exhausted and completely drained. He seriously considered just laying back down, remaining in his bed for the foreseeable future, but remembering what he had promised himself to do, what he needed to do, he slowly got on his feet. He had to fix the situation and make amends, now was not the time to indulge in aimless self-pity. Not to mention that his stomach demanded him to seek out the source of that delicious aroma and consume anything that could possibly smell that good.

With cautious steps he shuffled his way to the living room, taking a small step down from the ledge and turned to assess the kitchen. Beside the stove seemingly stirring in a casserole stood a familiar woman with her back to him; he would recognize her thin frame, that hazel hair and those busy hands anywhere. He took another step towards her, still not believing that it could possibly be her.

"Mommy?"

Mary Cooper turned from the stove and saw her youngest son staring at her with wide eyes, his hair muzzled and his face tired. She met his eyes with a small sigh.

"Hi baby."

At the sound of his mother's voice, Sheldon was brought back to reality immediately, now completely sure that it wasn't a dream. As her eyes met his he quickly looked down, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Both for his current state, he was a mess, but also for everything that had transpired. He felt guilty beyond comparison and couldn't take the warm look in her eyes.

"Come sit down, Shelly. I'm cooking you spaghetti with little hot dogs, it's your favorite."

Her voice was calm and reassuring. Looking up, Sheldon nodded silently and went over to the kitchen table taking a seat on the opposite side from her, looking at his hands. Mary eyed him for a short moment, seeing his slumped shoulders and pouted lips and she knew that he was truly miserable. After another moment of saying silence she spoke.

"Penny and Leonard called me..." She began, receiving a simple nod from Sheldon. Of course they did. "They told me what happened with you and Amy."

Sheldon didn't look at her, instead he swallowed and tried to form a sentence in his mind. He wanted to tell her, because quite honestly he needed her help and guidance. He knew what he had to do, but it scared him. How did people do this? How do you right your wrong when your wrongdoing seems impossible to correct? How could anyone summon the courage to do what he had to do? He opened his mouth to say something, to explain, but his voice failed him miserably. Closing his mouth again all he could muster to utter was a deep sigh and a shake of his head.

"Sheldon…"

Mary's voice was insistent and concerned. He finally looked up and met her gaze with uncertain eyes.

"Why don't you go and take a nice shower, you look like you could need one, and then you and I could have a talk?" She said, raising her eyebrows, letting Sheldon know that her offer wasn't up for discussion.

The mention of a cleansing shower sounded infinitely appealing and with a slight nod he rose from his seat, making his way to the bathroom. After slowly pealing of his clothes, his muscles were still a little sore, he stepped underneath the hot stream of water, relishing the comforting effect it had on him and looking down at his feet he allowed the warmth to consume him and clear his mind.

He returned to the kitchen 20 minutes later, clean, dressed, his hair perfectly combed to one side and a more relaxed look on his face. Stepping closer to the kitchen he stopped unsure of what to do next. Mary looked up from the cutting board she was currently working at and shot him a small smile.

"Feelin' better?" She asked. Sheldon nodded, returning her smile with a slight rise of the right corner of his mouth.

"Go on, Shelly, take a seat and let's talk." She said, pointing to the seat he had been sitting at earlier. After a short second of hesitation he complied, taking a seat and watching her cut the hotdogs into small pieces. Without looking up from her hands she started talking.

"So Leonard and Penny told me that Amy sent you… what was it?... A termination something-or-other?"

Sheldon cleared his throat, feeling his heartbeat fasten. How much had they told her?

"A termination formula, yes." He said in a low voice.

His mother nodded her head.

"And I've come to understand that this means that she would like to end the relationship?" Her voice was calm and questioning.

Sheldon swallowed hard, feeling his throat constrict.

"Yes."

"Is that so…" Was his mother's respond, her voice pensive.

"And what about you?"

Sheldon looked up at her, a slight frown on his face. Mary looked up from her hands, shooting him a quick glance before looking back down, resuming her work.

"Do you want to end the relationship?"

Her voice was still calm, absolutely no trace of concern or accusation to be found.

"No, of course not."

The words left his lips before he could even think about it and as he met his mother's slightly surprised face he knew they were true. She held his gaze for another moment before shooting her eyes back down.

"All right, that's a start. Now, from what I understand from your little friends, this whole situation is somehow your fault. Is that correct?"

Even though his mother kept her voice calm and in no way accused him of anything, he still felt a wave of guilt and regret hitting him at her question. He looked at his fingers, wringing them together as his mouth dried out. It was indeed his fault. It was all his fault. Unable to speak he settled for an affirmative nod. His mother sighed, and for a few moments the sound of the knife hitting the cutting board was all to be heard.

"So… Do I understand this right? You've somehow done something wrong that hurt Amy quite a bit?"

Sheldon nodded.

"And she gave you two days to fix your wrongdoing, but for some reason or another you didn't?"

Nod.

"So then she went ahead and sent you that termination formula?"

Another nod.

"And now you have three days to sign it?"

Nod.

"But you have now realized your mistake, you know what you did wrong and that what you did hurt Amy and that she is entitled to be hurt, not to mention that you know what you have to do to make up for it?"

Sheldon swallowed, feeling his throat constrict. His mother was really not saying anything new, but to have her state the facts like that, simple and in order, made it so much more real than all the pondering and reflection that had been going on in his mind these past days. He sighed deeply. The talk with Kripke was the least of his problems; it would be humiliating and embarrassing, but it had to be done. The talk with Amy afterwards, that was the part that had him worried sick. That was the part that made his palms sweaty, his mind dizzy and his throat dry. Because how, just how, was he going to be able to look her in the eyes after what he did? More importantly: What on earth was he going to say? Even if he did find some way to actually apologize to her, there was always the ever present possibility that she wouldn't accept it, and in that case she had already signed and sealed the single piece of paper that could end it all.

His mother didn't speak for a while, not breaking the silence that had fallen over the kitchen as he got lost in thoughts. Yes, he knew what he had to do. The problem wasn't what, it was how. Without looking at her, he just shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

"You don't know what to do to make up for it?" Mary asked, trying to make sense of the situation and the current state of her son.

Sheldon sighed and closed his eyes for a short moment before answering.

"Yes I do…" He said tentatively.

Mary waited, but nothing followed his uncertain sentence.

"But…?" She probed.

Sheldon swallowed as he opened his eyes and slowly looked up to meet his mother's eyes.

"It's hard." He said, his voice struggling, barely a whisper, bearing witness to his fear and insecurity.

Mary sighed deeply, never letting go of his gaze. Putting the knife down she dried her hands in her apron and made her way around the kitchen table. Taking a seat next to him, she turned to face him more directly. Sheldon didn't turn to face her, he kept looking at his hands on the table.

"Sheldon… Do you remember that time you came home to visit from college to celebrate Christmas?" She said, her voice soft as she tried to catch his eyes.

Sheldon looked up from his hands, confused as to why his mother would bring up a visit from more than a decade ago when it had no relevance to the subject at hand. He furrowed his brows and nodded his head, signaling for Mary to continue.

"Remember how you got sick on your way over there? Heavens, I've never seen you so ill. Fever, coughing, sneezing. I had to sit by your side from the moment you walked in the door, putting Vapor rub on you and singing to you all night."

Sheldon nodded his head as the memory came back to him, slightly relieved that they had changed the subject but still unsure as to why his mother was bringing it up now of all times. He quite honestly had bigger fish to fry, so to speak. But he kept quiet as his mother continued the road down memory lane.

"And I remember that you kept saying 'Meemaw, I want Meemaw' all the time. You wanted her and you wanted her chicken soup with little stars, remember how that was the only thing that could make you feel better when you were sick?" Mary smiled a little as she recalled her son lying in bed with his big blue eyes turned to her.

At the mention of his Meemaw, Sheldon turned slightly to face his mother more directly, placing his hands on his knees.

"But she couldn't be there because of that horrible storm we had that year, remember that? It was impossible to drive anywhere and the busses stopped going, she had no way to come visit you. My lord, it was a nightmare. The worst storm in years."

She paused and held Sheldon's gaze.

"Do you remember what Meemaw did?"

Sheldon gulped, feeling that warm feeling spreading through his chest at the memory of what his Meemaw had done that winter. He nodded and said.

"She walked."

"Exactly. She walked. Your meemaw walked almost 4 miles in a blazing snowstorm with a container of chicken soup wrapped in a blanket all the way. Now, she may have been younger than what she is today, but your meemaw was entirely too old to make a trip like that. And I told her that when she suddenly stood there on the front porch, but all she had to say was 'Nonsense, my Moonpie needs me'."

Sheldon couldn't help but smile a faint smile at his mother's words. Meemaw was the best. Mary returned his smile and shook her head slightly.

"You know why she did that, Shelly?" His mother's voice turned serious and she looked at him in a saying way. Sheldon didn't know the answer. Because she was his meemaw? Because she was the best meemaw? But something told him that that wasn't the answer his mother was looking for, and he felt a certain nervousness spread through his body as he slowly shook his head.

"Because that's what you do when you love and care for someone. No matter how hard it is, if they need you, you are sure as tootin' going to be there for them."

Her words caused Sheldon so swallow hard, feeling a lump form in his throat as he shot his gaze down to his hands. It suddenly became crystal clear why his mother had brought this subject up.

"Now… I haven't spent too much time with her but this Amy strikes me like the kind of person who would gladly walk 4 miles in a merciless snowstorm to bring you a bowl of chicken soup if you needed it?"

Sheldon pondered over his mother's words. Would Amy do that? He didn't even have to think, he knew the answer.

Of course she would.

He kept his shoulders slumped as he nodded his head almost immediately.

Mary got up from her seat, taking a small step towards him, causing him to look up at her. The height difference meant that they were now eye to eye.

"If she was in your shoes, don't you think she would do anything in her power to make it up to you?"

Sheldon nodded again.

"So don't you think she deserves the same from you?"

His mother's reasoning was infallible and it hit him hard, causing a wave of guilt to wash over him. Would he ever walk 4 miles in a hopeless storm to get to Amy? Her words were uplifting and yet the fear of failing, the fear that perhaps his stubborn nature and proud ways had broken things beyond repair still lingered.

"But what if I can't?" He asked meekly.

"You can, snicker doodle. You can." She said, but looking into his eyes she knew that he was still very insecure. She sighed, not knowing what else to say. Cupping his cheeks in her hands she placed a tender kiss on his forehead. Leaning back she met his eyes again, shooting him a look of encouragement and love.

"You are so much stronger than you think you are, Sheldon."

Her words made the lump in Sheldon's throat grow bigger and he inhaled deeply trying to control his emotions. Mary looked at him with a faint smile and a twitch of hopelessness as she recognized her son's attempt to suppress his feelings, but unlike previous times she was now not sure if he was doing so in order to try and not feel or he just needed to clear his head. She hoped for the latter.

"I said it last time I was here, I can't fix this for you. This is not my battle to fight. But I'm absolutely certain that you will do the right thing. Relationships are all about give and take, sweetheart. And God knows how much Amy has given you. Now is probably the time for you to stop taking and start givin' a little."

Sheldon knew that she was trying to encourage him, her words were soft-spoken and gentle, and yet all they did was making his guilt grow heavier and his heart to grow wearier.

The couple of Cooper's stayed like that for another while, until Sheldon finally looked down at his hands, unable to look at his mother for another moment. He knew some sort of gratitude was in order after her help and encouraging words.

"Thanks, mom." He mumbled, not meeting her gaze.

On one hand, his mother's words where everything he needed to hear and at the same time everything he feared to be true.

Mary eyed her son for a short second, concluding that he was ending their conversation. Unsure of whether she had been able to help him or not she decided to let the matter rest for now.

"Anytime, Shelly. That's what mothers are for." She said before slowly returning to her cutting board. Another moment of tense silence passed before Sheldon broke it.

"Where's Penny and Leonard?" He asked, trying to keep his voice light.

Mary Cooper decided to play along.

"Oh, I sent those two over to buy some ingredients I was missing, they should be here any time now."

Sheldon nodded his head and watched his mother's movements as she went back to preparing dinner.

A few minutes later the door opened revealing Leonard and Penny. They stepped in cautiously, but seemed to loosen up a little when they saw the very casual and not in the slightest dramatic scene in front of them. Leonard carried a grocery bag to the kitchen, handing it to Mary with a smile and a "Here you go, Mrs. Cooper."

He then turned to look at Sheldon who didn't return his look, but instead continued to follow his mother with his eyes.

"Are you feeling better, buddy?" He asked in a low voice, not sure of what state Sheldon was in at this point.

Sheldon finally looked at him and swallowing hard he said.

"I need to make a phone call."

And with that he rose from his seat, making his way past Penny, who shot him a concerned look and continued into his bedroom. Closing the door behind him he walked over to his night stand and picked up his phone. Staring at it he felt the nervousness coming back with full force, panic taking over his entire being. But he had to do this. Taking a deep breathe he found the number he needed and dialed it, nervously holding the phone to his ear.

"Hello, Kripke? I need you to come by my office tomorrow morning. It's a matter of urgency."

Amy spent much longer time in the shower than she normally would. She couldn't help it, it just felt so relaxing and comforting to stand under the stream listening as the sound of the water hitting the tub grew louder in her ears up until the point where it drowned out everything else. It made her go into a peculiar state of ambivalence; her mind was working hard, processing and rebuffing, and yet she didn't manage to think a single coherent thought. The water managed to get cold before she finally snapped out of her trance and reached out for her anti-dandruff shampoo to fulfill her initial task.

As she stepped out of the shower, drying herself with a towel she heard someone knock on her door. Quickly throwing her robe on she hurried her way through her apartment as a second round of knocking sounded. She reached the door and swung it open, discretely standing behind it and peeking out at her visitor.

The unmistakable blonde figure looked back at her with her hands clasped in front of her and an apprehensive smile on her face.

"Hey, Ames."

Amy opened the door further, stepping aside and allowing the Nebraskan beauty to enter.

"Hello, Penny."

Penny stepped in and turned around to look at Amy.

"Is this a bad time?" She asked, eyeing Amy's rather disheveled look and wet hair.

"No no, I just got out of the shower. Give me a minute to change and I'll be right out." Amy answered quickly already halfway to her bedroom. Throwing on some clothes and running a brush through her wet hair, she took a last look at herself in the mirror taking a deep breath before making her way back to the living room.

Penny slowly sat down at Amy's couch, trying to come up with a way to talk to her best friend, a task she had failed to fulfill all morning. Even though she had a heart of gold and always meant well, Amy could normally be a little difficult to deal with, and Penny found herself in uncertain waters, as she eyed the room, waiting for her mourning friend to return.

Her eyes landed on a folded piece of paper on the table, lying next to an empty glass. Furrowing her brows she picked it up, turning it in her hand, but not reading it. It was probably private.

"It's okay. Go ahead, you can read it."

Penny let out a small yelp as Amy's voice startled her back to reality. Looking over her shoulder she saw her standing there, leaning up against the doorway with an unreadable look on her face. Penny swallowed, unsure of what to do.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to pry." She said.

Amy sighed and made her way to the kitchen as she spoke.

"I assure you that I have no qualms whatsoever in sharing the content of that short letter with you, Penny. You have my blessing. Would you like a cup of tea?"

Penny looked at her intently before slowly nodding her head and turning around she tentatively opened the piece of paper in her hand. She read it once, and then she re-read it three more times. The first couple of words left no doubt about the identity of the writer, she could almost hear him say the words as she read them. It sounded incredibly much like Sheldon – and yet it wasn't like him at all. She felt the couch give on the other end as Amy sat down, placing a mug in front of her.

Penny looked up from the paper, meeting Amy's eyes. There was something there, something familiar. She knew her friend enough to know that she was still in a somewhat shaky emotional state – a single look at her otherwise perfectly cleaned and organized apartment that was now a mess spoke volumes - but the look in her eyes reminded her of the time they had first met; distant, closed and stoic. This was not supposed to happen.

Penny didn't know what to do or say so she settled with a tight smile and a small 'thank you' as she picked up her mug, sipping her tea in an attempt to buy herself some time. Amy did the same, staring at the coffee table. After a couple of minutes of painful strained silence, Penny put down her mug and sighed.

"So, how are you holding up?" She asked, trying to sound like herself.

Amy sipped her tea once more before bringing the mug down cradling it in her hands.

"Are you referring to the currently wrecked state of my relationship with Sheldon or the recent loss of my Aunt?" Amy answered, meeting Penny's eyes.

There it was again. That distant and clinical approach, it almost reminded her of her first encounter with Sheldon so many years ago. Penny furrowed her brows slightly as she slowly re-folded the piece of paper in her hands and placed it on the table. Something told her that she would have to try a different approach other than the soothing and comforting one she was planning on using – She would have to meet Amy on her side of the field. Two can play that game.

"Well, both, but let's just focus on your aunt for now." She said, keeping her voice light.

Amy nodded once, but didn't say anything. Penny cleared her throat. Let the dance begin.

"You didn't answer my question?"

Amy shot her a surprised look, raising her eyebrows slightly. Penny held her gaze as she repeated her question.

"How are you holding up?"

Amy swallowed and turned her mug slowly in her hands.

"I'm holding up just fine, thank you. There is no use in mourning the inevitable, Penny. My aunt was well over 90 years of age, I can't say her death came as a surprise to me. All though I will admit that it left me in a state of sorrow." She said, her voice not quite matching the seriousness of her words.

Penny could feel herself slowly growing frustrated with Amy's seemingly emotionless responses – but if Amy was stubborn, then Penny was infinitely more so.

Eyeing her friend she actually just wanted to damn this little dance of words they had initiated - each one of them placing careful and well-considered steps around each other, never really reaching any sort of results - and give her a big long hug. But first Amy had to be open to such a gesture, which her body language and tone of voice clearly suggested that she wasn't.

And so the dance continued.

"So, Sheldon told me that you and your aunt were pretty close, huh?" She said, casually bringing her loose hair up in a ponytail and watching Amy as her otherwise firm and steady gaze shifted momentarily, a certain softness breaking her stoic features, confirming Penny in her suspicion – Amy was putting up a brave face.

The brunette quickly pulled herself together, and taking another sip of her tea she confirmed.

"That is correct." She said.

Mimicking her movement, Penny too brought her mug up to her lips, taking her time to take a long sip, her eyes never leaving Amy. It was time to bring out the big gun – it was time to end the dance.

"How close exactly?" Penny's voice was light and casual, but her words had a clear impact on Amy.

She slumped her shoulders slightly, breaking Penny's gaze and looking down into the tea mug in her lap, one of her hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, as she inhaled slowly. Penny watched her for a while, but Amy seemed to be refusing to look back up at her.

"Amy?" This time Penny couldn't stop herself, her voice now soft and worried.

At the mention of her name Amy looked up at her, shooting Penny a long look, her eyes almost begging. Begging for her to let it go, to let this one slide, to allow her to just stuff all of her emotions into a steel cage, locking the door and throwing the key away – begging her, just this once, not to act like her friend. But Penny wouldn't allow it.

Moving closer to her on the couch, Penny leaned a bit forward, resting her forearms on her knees and furrowing her brows a little, never letting go of Amy's gaze and wordlessly asking her to talk.

With one last – and failed – attempt at dodging the subject Amy finally sighed deeply, looked at her hands, putting down the mug and started talking.

"Well… We were pretty close, we've actually always been close." She began, looking up at with uncertainty but was met by Penny's curious eyes and a body language that made it clear that she was actively listening.

"She was wonderful. Always encouraging, always on my side. She was the only one who wanted to listen to me when I would talk about science as a child. She never laughed at me or my ambitions, she always believed in me. Growing up with close to no friends was hard – but Aunt Flora was always there for me. I know it sounds silly, but for some years she was my only friend."

Penny shook her head slightly.

"It's not silly at all, she sounds wonderful, Ames." She said in a soft tone.

Amy nodded in agreement.

"She really was. She was a bad-ass, as you would put it. She was strong, independent, never once apologizing for who she was and just a little bit weird. I mean, the woman tried to call UCLA to order me a brain-specimen when I was 13 once, stating that a talent and intelligence like mine should be putting my theoretical knowledge into practice. Aunt Flora was an amazing role model. You would have loved her, Penny."

Amy's voice had grown fonder and her eyes lit up at the memory of her beloved aunt. Penny smiled at her, happy to see Amy finally getting some of the grieve off her chest.

"I'm sure I would, she sounds like the greatest aunt ever."

Amy nodded again, the smile that had crept on to her lips slowly fading as she looked down at her hands once again, a deep sigh leaving her chest.

"And now she's gone."

Penny scooted even closer, bringing herself right next to Amy and threw her arms around her shoulders in a warm embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Amy." She said in a soothing voice, as Amy placed her head on Penny's shoulder, relishing the feeling of her friend's strong Nebraska arms around her – how could someone be so strong and yet feel so soft?

"Don't be. It's not your fault, it was just her time, I guess." Amy said, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

The two friends stayed like that, Penny's arms around Amy and Amy resting her head on Penny' shoulders.

"Have you ever lost someone, Penny?"

Amy's voice was low and vulnerable. Penny inhaled deeply, rubbing Amy's arm.

"No, I've actually never known someone who died. But I bet it hurts like hell and sucks the big one."

Amy let out a sincere laugh at her words, nodding into the crock of her neck.

"It does, it really does, bestie." She said, a smile still on her face.

Penny smiled as well, glad that Amy seemed to be getting back to her normal self. She had missed that.

They stayed like that for another while, until Penny leaned back and locked eyes with Amy.

"So… Do you want to talk about that note?" She asked tentatively, slowly retracting her arms from Amy.

Amy shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know if there's much to talk about." She said looking at the folded piece of paper on her coffee table.

Penny followed her eyes and picked it up, opening it.

"Are you kidding? What do you get out of this note, Ames?" Penny asked, re-reading the note for the fifth time.

Amy pondered for a short second before answering.

"That Sheldon is sorry for the loss of my Aunt Flora and that he doesn't share any illusion about being forgiven?"

Penny looked at her, padding the piece of paper with her hand.

"Okay sure, that. But you know what I get out of it? I get Sheldon making a commitment here, Amy. I get Sheldon telling you that he knows he has to do something – that your forgiveness isn't given but earned."

Amy looked at the piece of paper in her best friend's hand, clearly considering her words, before meeting her eyes.

"That seems like an awful lot of meaning to put into five sentences on a folded piece of paper." She said, seemingly not convinced and yet her voice held the tiniest grain of hope.

Penny's eyed bulged out a little, her mouth slightly open.

"But Ames, this is Sheldon we are talking about."

Amy looked from Penny to the piece of paper and back.

"Exactly, Penny. This is Sheldon we are talking about."

The two woman locked eyes, both determined and surprised. After a short while Amy broke the silence.

"Anyways, it doesn't matter what either you or me think that note means. In the end it's all up to Sheldon at this point."

Penny kept quiet for another moment before folding the paper back closed.

"I guess you are right, it's up to Sheldon now."

Leaning back into the couch, Penny turned to face Amy and shot her a smile.

"So, tell me more about your Aunt Flora. Did she actually manage to get you that brain-thing?"

Amy and Penny stayed talking for another few hours. About Amy's Aunt Flora, about Penny's pet pig and about the general rules for getting brain specimens from a university. It almost felt like any other day.

As the conversation came to a natural halt, Penny eyed Amy apprehensively, clearing her throat.

"So, Ames, listen. Before I go I need to tell you something."

At this point Amy had gotten up, collecting their empty mugs and placing them in the sink. She turned around and casually made her way back to the couch.

"Sure, what is it? Is Priya back from India, do you need me to lock a desperate monkey in her car?"

Penny smiled at her before shaking her head.

"No, nothing like that… It's… Uhm… About Sheldon."

Amy slowly took a seat and looked down at her hands. She swallowed and itched the back of her head.

"What… what about him?"

Penny sighed and inched a bit closer.

"He was just completely miserable when he came home from comforting you this morning."

Amy jerked her head up meeting Penny's eyes with confusion and worry.

"This morning? I don't understand?"

"Yeah, from I gathered he had stayed with you all night before walking all the way home."

Amy swallowed again.

"He walked?"

"He did." Penny said, nodding her head.

Eyeing her friend, Amy sensed that Penny had more to say.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is not what you wanted to tell me? Is there more?"

Penny rubbed her hands together, unsure of how Amy would react. The last thing she wanted was to upset her further.

"Well… It's just that Leonard and I got really worried about him, I've never seen him like that, all silent and distant, it was troubling – even for Sheldon. He won't talk to anyone, he won't be around anyone, he won't go to work. We didn't know what else to do but call his mother since she was still in town."

Penny said the last part quickly, watching Amy intently for her response and shooting her an apologetic frown.

Amy just looked at her for a minute before nodding her head slowly and taking a deep breath.

"Are you mad at me?" Penny asked after moments of silence.

Amy sighed and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly.

"No, I'm not mad at you. I'm just confused about everything, that's all. I think you did the right thing, sounds like he needs some motherly support."

Sensing her worry, Penny locked eyes with Amy.

"And don't worry. Sheldon's mother won't force him to apologize, I think she knows he needs to do this on his own."

Amy looked at her with uncertain eyes, but Penny's determination reassured her, causing her to nod in approval.

Penny eyed her, somehow knowing that it was time for her to leave. Only Amy didn't have the heart to ask her.

"You want me to leave, right? You need to be alone?"

Amy shot her a guilt ridden look as Penny rose from her seat.

"No, Penny, really that's not what I meant, it's just that…"

Penny raised a hand to silence her sending her a reassuring smile.

"I get it, Ames. That's just how you work, you need some time alone to think and reflect."

Amy returned her smile with a warm one of her own as she got up and slung her arms around her blonde friend.

"Thank you, Penny."

Penny returned the hug and rubbed Amy's back.

"You are welcome, sweetie."

After a few last remarks Penny opened the door and went on her way. As Amy closed the door behind her, she turned around and took a look around her apartment as if seeing it clearly for the first time. With a newfound determination she began cleaning up, restoring order and placing everything back to where it belonged.

Sheldon hung up the phone and placed it back into his pocket. There. It was done; he would meet Kripke tomorrow, explain how it was all a lie, suffer through the jokes that his arch-enemy undoubtedly would tell at his expense and then ask him to never talk about his relationship with Amy. Ever again.

Taking a deep breathe, he tried to calm himself down. Just the quick phone call with that good-for-nothing colleague of his was enough to get him worked up. After another breathe he calmed down and stepped out of his bedroom making his way back to the kitchen. He found Leonard and Penny engaging in idle chit chat with his mother, apparently about their new-found love for each other. He inched closer, standing by the refrigerator eyeing them all uncertainly. Leonard looked up and at him, the smile on his face fading slightly.

"So…Uhm… Did you make that phone call?" He asked hesitantly.

"I did." Sheldon answered, dodging his eyes away to the casserole of sauce and hot dogs. The smell was indeed intoxicating.

"Who did you call?" Penny asked, her voice light and casual as if Sheldon had been talking to a dear friend and not the Draco Malfoy of Pasadena. She looked at him with expecting eyes, causing Sheldon to conclude that she truly had no idea who he had been talking to.

"I was talking to Kripke."

Penny looked at him with a look of surprise and slight embarrassment, mouthing a small "Oh" as she quickly shifted her gaze to Leonard looking for help. Sheldon looked at them with a proud look on his face, his chin raised upwards and a determined look on his face.

"Oh, okay. So did you… You know… Talk to him about… The problem?" Leonard asked, trying to sound casual when the situation was anything but.

"No, it isn't appropriate to discuss such matters over the phone. He will come by my office tomorrow and then I'll make sure to set the record straight." Sheldon answered looking in their general direction but not really looking at any of them.

"That's sounds like a great plan." Penny said, shooting him an encouraging smile that went unanswered. Sheldon simply nodded his head at her and went back to focusing his eyes on the dinner.

"Leonard, be a dear and call the rest of your friends, invite them over for dinner, will you?"

Mary Cooper's voice cut through the awkward atmosphere in the room like a knife, causing Leonard and Penny to share a worried look and Sheldon to jerk his head up and stare at her in disbelief. He opened his mouth to say something, but the look in his mother's eyes made him shut his jaws together closed. If the mood had been awkward before, it was now ten times more so and the next words that left Sheldon's lips made the room almost inhabitable for any human being with the slightest sense of situational awareness.

"What about Amy?"

Three pair of eyes looked at him in mild surprise and uncertainty, a heavy silence falling over the crowd until Penny cleared her throat and said.

"Well, I actually went to see her today, like you asked me to – She's doing better by the way, I think you actually managed to comfort her a little – and Amy being Amy she just really need to be alone for now. Trust me, even if you did invite her, I know she would decline."

Sheldon locked eyes with his friend and neighbor searching for the faintest trace of untruth or secrecy, but found none which made him conclude that she was telling the truth. Without another word he turned his back to them and made his way over to his spot, taking a seat as Penny and Leonard called Raj, Howard and Bernadette. His mother's insistence on company irritated him. Sheldon had been looking forward to a silent dinner, he was in no mood to entertain guests, but as it had been since his infant years, his mother always had the last word in cases like these and he was quite frankly not up for an argument right now. Surely, he could survive a tedious dinner with his friends.

Leonard looked over his shoulder, stealing a glance at Sheldon before returning his attention to the salad he was preparing next to Mrs. Cooper. Leaning in slightly towards her he shared his worries.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cooper, but do you really think company is the wisest thing for Sheldon right now? If living with him over the years has taught me anything, then it's that he prefers to be left alone with as little human interactions as possible in times like these?"

Mrs. Cooper nodded her head at him as she stirred in the spaghetti. Leaning back into Leonard she lowered her voice to a low whisper.

"I know you mean well, Leonard – and I know that your friendship with my son has been one of the greatest blessings that boy has ever received – but in the past, when Sheldon has been in this foul mood both you, Penny and the rest of his friends have been satisfied with just letting him have his way because that would keep everyone happy. Sheldon does as he pleases and you don't have to deal with his stubborn nature."

Leonard felt a twitch of guilt at her words as he absentmindedly ripped the leaves of salad into smaller pieces, but before he could say anything, Mrs. Cooper spoke again.

"But I know my son, and I know when he is just being stubborn and when something is really wrong with him. I'll tell you one thing, this thing with Amy is causing that boy more hurt and sorrow than he is letting anyone know; he thinks he can veil it oh so well but it's as clear as day for anyone. And if we leave him to his own thoughts, if we leave him alone, then he will surely and slowly disappear, he will get sucked into his own mind, his own little world, until he'd rather stay there than joining the rest of us in the real world. Believe me, I've seen it time and time again. When his Pop-pop died he stayed locked in his room, playing with trains. He barely ate anything or spoke to anyone, it took me a month just to get him to smile."

Leonard looked at her as she sighed deeply and shook her head before turning his gaze towards Sheldon once again, now seeing his roommate and friend in a slightly different light.

Not long after a knock sounded on the door which Penny answered, letting in the expected trio. After another round of greetings and obligatory chit chat, Mrs. Cooper declared that the meal was ready. Everyone gathered around the small table as Mary brought in the delicious dish and prepared a plate for everyone. Dinner went by without any major events, as everyone emerged themselves in the delicious meal and dinner conversation about everything from Mrs. Cooper's prayer group's plans to visit the Holy Land to the new molds that most recently had appeared on Howard's mother's back.

Sheldon ate his food and kept quiet for the most part. He relished the comforting effect his favorite dish had on him with all its familiar tastes and textures. The incoherent sound of the other's voices talking filled his ears like calming static noise as he kept his eyes focused on his meal. He would have been satisfied to spend the entire meal like that, but it would seem as if his surroundings where determined to include him in their unity, as they halfway through began asking him question and for his opinions on different matters.

The first couple of interactions were met by single word responses on Sheldon's part, but not long after he found himself in a friendly dispute with Raj about the proper person to be the next Batman after the death of (Batmans name). It was clear for everyone around the table that he was nothing near the Sheldon they used to know – he was still distant and closed up like an oyster – but at least he was engaging in casual social interactions.

It wasn't much. But it was a start.

As plates was emptied and stomachs filled, Sheldon rose from his seat to help himself to a bottle of water, dully noting how everyone seemed to follow him with their eyes even though they were engulfed in conversation. He opened the refrigerator door, bended over and perused inside, quickly finding the desirable item. Grabbing it he brought himself to an upright position again, slightly startled as he realized that someone was standing right next to him. Recognizing the petite frame of Howard he sent him a peculiar look, slowly closing the refrigerator door now reveling Raj standing on the other site. Sheldon looked from Raj to Howard in confusion, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Gentlemen?" He asked, eager to get back to the comfort of his spot. Standing between was beginning to feel a little crowded.

None of them said anything, but something told Sheldon their silence had more to do with uncertainty rather than lack of words.

Raj was the first one to break the silence.

"So, Sheldon, listen. We know what has happened." He said, looking at Howard for back-up.

Sheldon's raised brows went back then, now being pressed firmly together in a frown of slight anger.

"And how, may I ask, did you come by private information about my life?" He asked, feeling his heartbeat increasing. How much mocking did he have to withstand?

"Bernie told me and she got it from Penny." Howard said quickly.

Sheldon pressed his lips tightly together, averting his look to Penny who was currently sitting with her back to him, shooting imaginary daggers her way. Clearly, he couldn't trust anyone.

Sensing his hostility, Howard hurriedly tried to avert any more drama.

"Look, don't blame Penny. The only reason she told Bernadette was because she had to – Amy apparently really needed both of them, so she was forced to share what happened. If you need to blame anyone, then blame me. I was the one who pressed Bernadette for information - you know how bad she is with secrets. She almost didn't tell me, because Penny had told her in the strictest of confidence."

Sheldon felt a bit relaxed by Howard's words – perhaps Penny could be trusted after all. Mulling for another short moment he brought his eyes back to Howard, catching his gaze.

"So am I to understand, that the minute you received private information about my relationship with Amy from your spouse you didn't waste a second to run to Raj, blabbing your mouth left and right as if my life is nothing but amusing gossip?" He asked, his voice accusing.

"I guess that is to be expected from someone who is nothing more than an acquaintance."

That last remark made Howard's face turn into a grimace of surprise and hurt.

"Hey, dude! That is so uncalled for. Howard only told me right before we walked in the door tonight." Raj interjected, shooting Sheldon a scolding look.

Sheldon felt a bit of his anger deflate, and swallowing he turned his head to meet Howard's gaze again – he know seemed to have pulled himself together.

"And you know why I told Raj? It's because, believe it or not, I actually care about you and your life, Sheldon. I may never be anything more than an acquaintance to you, but you know what? Excuse me for regarding you as a friend." He said accusingly, bringing his arms up in order to emphasize his point.

Sheldon's regret grew bigger and he averted his eyes to the bottle of water in his hands.

"Sorry." He said in a strained voice, not meeting their eyes. He heard Howard exhale slowly through his nose, clearly summoning some patience.

"Don't worry about it."

Silence fell over the three men as neither one of them knew what to say. Once again Raj was the first to talk.

"Look, we don't want to pressure into talking about anything if you're not up for it, but just tell us what is going on. We're honestly getting a bit worried."

Howard nodded his head and picked up where Raj had left off.

"Yeah, we just thought this was some ordinary dust up between you and Amy – But this? This is serious. So… What are you going to do?"

Sheldon slowly raised his head, looking tentatively between the astrophysics and the engineer.

"Come on, dude. We want to help." Raj probed.

After another short moment of consideration, Sheldon sighed and surrendered. He still averted their eyes, as he absentmindedly fumbled with the paper on his bottle of water.

"Well… Earlier this evening I called Kripke. I've arranged for him to come by my office tomorrow, thus allowing me to come clean and attempt to right my wrong." He said, his voice low.

Both Raj and Howard let out sighs of relief on either side of him.

"That's great!" Howard said excitingly. "And what about Amy?"

"Yeah, have you arranged to meet her?" Raj asked hopefully.

Sheldon swallowed hard, almost ripping the paper off the bottle in his hands.

"No."

Howard slumped his shoulders, shooting Raj an uncertain look.

"No? Why not?" He asked, clearly surprised.

Sheldon didn't know what to say. Of course the thought had crossed his mind – or rather it had manifested itself inside his thoughts, staying there, insisting to be heard and refusing to be ignored. And it had mocked him every time he had pulled out his phone and failed to do such a simple actions as writing her a text message. Words seemed to be eluding him at this point, so he settled for a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"Is it because you don't know what to say? Or that she's too mad at you? Is it because you're scared?" Raj asked expectantly.

The truth? It was all of those things at once and then some.

Sheldon nodded his head, well-aware of the fact that he was providing them with an ambiguous answer.

"Well, whatever it is there's no way you can let that get in the way, right?" Howard said, hoping that Sheldon would summon the courage needed.

Sheldon kept quiet. He knew they were trying to help him, but if he didn't know any better he would think that he had died and landed straight in hell with two voices pestering him with every doubt running through his mind.

Raj and Howard noticed his internal struggle, both trying to find a way to reach him – God knows that can be difficult. If their friendship with the lanky physicist had taught them anything then it was that when it came to Sheldon, it was always a question of delicate balance, always walking a thin line.

"Look, what's the worst thing that can happen?" Howard said in an attempt to minimize the proportions of the problem at hand. "You send her a text, asks to meet up with her to talk about this whole situation and she refuses."

Raj quickly joined in.

"Yes, exactly. And even if she does refuse to meet you – which I highly doubt – you can at least say that you tried, right? If you don't send that text, don't you think you would spend the next many many months wondering about what would've happened if you had just sent it?"

Sheldon pondered over their words – they were making a very logical point.

"Do it now." Howard commanded.

Sheldon looked up at him with a frown of disbelieve.

"Yeah, Sheldon, do it now." Raj agreed. "Do it right here in front of us. That way we can make sure you actually do it and we are right here to provide moral support – Like your C-men."

That last remark caused Howard to shake his head slightly at Raj. Sheldon hesitated, looking from Raj to Howard and back again. Maybe they were right. What was the worst thing that could happen?

He slowly reached for his phone in his pocket. Turning it on and swiping the screen-lock he opened a new message and addressed it to Amy. Biting his lip lightly he halted, his fingers hovering over the screen.

"Go on, buddy." Howard said in an encouraging voice.

"Yeah, it doesn't have to be a long text, just something simple. You'll do all the real talking tomorrow." Raj chimed in.

Taking a deep breathe, Sheldon collected himself and started typing.

And then he recoiled and deleted it all.

After a short moment he typed again.

And deleted it.

Searching his mind for something appropriate to write brought forth a solution – it was simple, appropriate and in accordance to their agreement.

Not wasting a minute, he quickly typed his message. Looking one last time up at Raj and Howard he was met by two affirmative nods.

And with that he pressed his thumb down at 'Send'.

The moment he saw the text message fly away from his phone, hopefully reaching Amy's phone within the next couple of seconds, he felt a small burden fall from his chest. He was relieved. It was done. But that relief was quickly replaced by anticipation as he now awaited her response.

"There you go, you did it." Howard said, lightly padding Sheldon's arm.

"Yeah, and don't worry. Amy will agree to meet you, then you will talk this thing over and you two will be back to normal soon enough." Raj said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Nodding his head, Sheldon tried to get past Howard as their words and touches suddenly became too much. The trio returned to the living room, each taking their seat.

"So what was all that secretive talking in the kitchen about?" Leonard asked, popping a left-over piece of hot dog into his mouth.

Howard, Raj and Sheldon shared a quick look.

"Nothing. Just the notion of Howard's rise in rank form acquaintance to friend." Sheldon answered, opening the bottle of water in his hand, taking a big swig.

Somewhere in Glendale, Amy Farrah Fowler was adding some final touches to her now completely clean apartment. Everything was in order, in place and in line. She was cleaning the last of her papers on her desk when her phone buzzed loudly, alerting her of a new message. Picking it up, she felt her stomach drop for a second as she read the name of the sender. Without even thinking about it she opened it.

Amy

I hereby formerly ask to summon a meeting tomorrow evening, 24 hours from now in accordance to our newly established verbal agreement.

Sheldon.

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ONWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER, DEAR FRIEND!