He had done it. Sheldon blinked several more times to focus on the confirmation screen of his submission. He had submitted the paper on super asymmetry. Finally. He was done. He felt like crying he was so happy. He eased up out of the chair he had been sitting in for, he looked at his watch, four hours straight and stretched.
"Ahhh" he said as his sore muscles groaned from stiffness.
He looked around the room. It had gotten dark in the time he was working. His stomach growled and he went to make a sandwich. A sandwich. That reminded him of Amy. She was still at the party. It was 11:00. He might be able to make it before midnight if he hurried.
He put the sandwich makings back in the fridge, scarfed down a few pieces of sliced cheese and ran to the bedroom. He took what was probably the quickest shower in his life and put on the tuxedo Amy had hanging for him on the closet door. He was in the car in less than 15 minutes and attempted to make his way through heavy traffic to the hotel.
Sheldon detested heavy traffic. Especially heavy traffic at night and on a night known for a potential of drunk driving accidents. He kept on going though even after he had to pull over for an ambulance speeding by with sirens blaring.
He had to get to the party before midnight. He wanted to be with Amy to share the celebration of finally publishing the paper and to give her the traditionally accepted PDA that occurred at the end of the midnight countdown.
Sheldon pulled into the parking garage and ran up the stairs to the lobby of the hotel Amy had told him about. It was not hard to find the party as music played loudly from the elegant ballroom. He rushed in and looked at his watch. He had a few minutes to spare. Now if he could only find his wife.
Sheldon scanned the room easily with having the advantage of his height and quickly spotted Howard and Bernadette, but no Amy. He made his way to them.
"Sheldon?" Bernadette said. "Amy told us you couldn't make it".
It may have been Sheldon's imagination but it seemed as if Bernadette was scowling at him.
"Where is Amy?" he asked quickly.
"She's gone Sheldon" Howard said.
"What do you mean?" Sheldon replied. "Gone where? To the bathroom, outside? Where's Amy?" he asked again as his voice began to raise and he nervously looked around the ballroom.
"Sheldon" Bernadette said as she gently placed her hand on his arm. "Amy left the party about an hour ago. She was pretty upset. She told me she just couldn't stay here and see all of the "happy couples" kiss at midnight. I'm sorry" she finished.
"What!" Sheldon said. He felt silly. He had forgone eating, took a ridiculously lacking shower and rushed over here endangering his life on the road for nothing. She was not even here. She drove home and…Sheldon stopped his ranting thoughts.
"Was she drinking?" he said to Bernadette.
"What?" she asked as the music began to play even louder.
"I SAID HAD AMY BEEN DRINKING TONIGHT?" Sheldon yelled towering over Bernadette.
Howard moved in between Sheldon and his wife. "Yes, she was. It's a party, why?" he asked as he shielded his wife from the taller man.
"Oh god" Sheldon moaned. The ambulance. Could it be? No, it was not her. It could not be his Amy. She was too smart. But Bernadette did say Amy was upset. Was she upset enough to drive after she had been drinking?
The music stopped and Sheldon heard the well-known countdown. 10, 9, 8, 7…. He was out the door before the countdown reached 5.
Sheldon raced home in record time. Amy's car was not there. Sheldon gulped as he wondered what that might mean.
He had tried multiple times to contact her on the way home. No answer. Would he get to talk with her again? Will he get to tell her how much he loved her and how beautiful she was to him?
Amy had looked so beautiful tonight in the lovely blue dress. But did he stop and tell her that before she left? No, he did not. All he did was ignore her.
With more determination than ever, Sheldon ran up the stairs as fast as he could and dug out his keys unlocking the apartment door. It was still dark just as he had left it.
"Amy?" he called out. No answer.
He looked around for her keys or wrap or any sign that she was home. He saw nothing. His mind started traveling in a million directions as he thought about all of the different scenarios that could account for neither her car nor her being here. All ended badly.
Sheldon tensed up as he put his keys down and saw the light of his laptop glowing in the dark.
Was it worth it Dr. Cooper? he asked himself angrily. Was practically killing himself and damaging his marriage worth it to publish a paper before the end of the year?
What if Amy's hurt or worse? What if she's…
Sheldon could not even fathom. He could not even think it. His heart might stop. Amy was his heart and if she was gone…
Sheldon felt sick.
He had been wrong to put finishing the paper above being with Amy tonight. He knew Amy would be patient with him but time on the other hand would not.
He had forgotten to listen to the sage advice he received when he was contemplating missing another birthday of Amy's years ago. He only had a limited number of days to be with Amy. So be with her.
"Please, please", Sheldon begged to anyone who would listen in the universe, "please do not let it be too late."
He walked with caution towards the bedroom. He opened the door. It was dark as well.
"Amy?" he called out to the darkness.
He heard nothing but the sound of his own heart as it thumped a final beat.