Bernadette sat in the waiting room of the Pasadena Hospital. It had been half an hour since she had arrived there. Her father had told her that he and the hospital would take care of Amy but she refused to leave until she knew Amy's status. The awful image of Amy in the closet was still in the front of her brain.

She got out her phone and scrolled through Facebook to see if anything would cheer her up. However, it was just people complaining about politics or some stupid thing a celebrity did. She sighed and put the phone away. She stood up and walked over to the reception.

"Can I see Amy Farrah-Fowler yet?" she asked politely to woman working there. The woman shook her head.

"The police and doctors are still talking to her." She informed Bernadette.

"How long until they are finished?" Bernadette asked.

"I'm sorry but I don't know." she told her. "Sometimes it is quick. Sometimes it takes hours."

Bernadette let out an exasperated breath and sat back down in the waiting room. She already had texted Leonard about Sheldon ten minutes before but had gotten no response. However, if they did come she hoped they would actually be able to see Amy.

The room's doors opened and Bernadette saw someone she didn't want to interact with at that moment. Howard Wolowitz. She rolled her eyes.

"Bernadette!" he exclaimed.

"What are you doing here?" Bernadette asked.

"I saw Leonard's text from you." Howard explained. "I rode straight here."

"Does that mean Leonard is going to get Sheldon?" Bernadette questioned.

Howard nodded. "It seemed that way."

"If that guy had any social skills and responded to my text then maybe I wouldn't have to ask you about that." Bernadette complained. She never quite got what was going on inside Leonard's head.

Howard sat down next to Bernadette and she instinctively leant away from him.

"You didn't really answer my question." She said. "Why are you here?"

"You seemed in distress." He told her. "And I couldn't turn down a damsel…"

"Oh shut up, Howard." She said sternly. "I don't need a knight in shining armour. Especially you."

Howard looked offended. "What have I done for those harsh words!"

Bernadette gave a confused look. "Are you being sarcastic?"

Howard shook his head. "I am always charming and…"

"Every time we interact you say something completely inappropriate and you think that is charming?" she asked.

"Bernadette…"

"The only way I ever got close to you was at Penny's party and that was to get you away from me." She said. "And I am not being tricked by you again."

"But it worked…"

"I am completely worried about Amy right now." Bernadette continued. "I don't need you and your perverted ways making my feelings worse!"

Howard didn't say anything after that and just sat in silence, processing this information. Bernadette felt like standing up and finding somewhere else to be.

"I apologise if I made you feel uncomfortable." He said. "I don't know how else I can get a girl's attention."

"You're in advanced classes. I'm sure you can figure something out!" Bernadette rebutted.

"No I can't." Howard said. "Look at me! I'm a scrawny weirdo. Look at all of us actually. No girl in the entire school would date me or Raj or Leonard. Leonard had to outsource to Raj's sister!"

"That is not true!" Bernadette said. "What about Leonard and Penny?"

"They aren't romantic." Howard said. "She is using him for grades or something."

Bernadette shook her head. "They are friends. They like each other. It may not be obvious to them but I can see it in them."

"Well not all of us can get Penny…"

"Stop making excuses Howard!" Bernadette said. "Even Sheldon found someone in Amy. And Raj doesn't have anyone because he can't talk to girls. But you! You have zero excuses."

"But look at me…"

Bernadette stood up. "I'm going to find something to eat! Don't follow me!" and she walked off, leaving Howard sitting in the waiting room.

#

Leonard parked his car outside Sheldon's home and walked up to the door. He knocked and soon after the familiar Mary Cooper opened the door.

"Good evening." She said politely. "Are you here for Shelly?"

"I need to speak to him." Leonard explained.

"He is still in his room. He only comes out for meals and the bathroom." She explained.

"This is important." He insisted.

Mary let him inside the house and Leonard walked to Sheldon's bedroom door. He knocked.

"Sheldon. It is Leonard!" Leonard said.

"Go away!"

"This is important. Amy needs you." Leonard said.

The door suddenly swung open and Sheldon stood in front of Leonard with a curious look.

"If this is about coitus I expect you to give Amy a good spanking." He said. Leonard did not detect any sarcasm.

"No." Leonard said awkwardly. "She is at the hospital. She apparently needs support."

Sheldon's eyes filled with concern. "What happened?"

Leonard shrugged. "Bernadette didn't tell me that."

Sheldon immediately gave a suspicious look. "I'm not an idiot. If this is some sort of intervention, then I am staying here!"

Leonard shook his head. "This is not an intervention. I think…"

"I am not explaining myself to anyone or having people explain their disdain for my ideas!" Sheldon argued.

"Wouldn't it be better if you did explain yourself?" Leonard questioned. "And not fragmented information from me and Amy."

Sheldon gave an offended look. "That logic is flawed."

"How?"

"I will figure it out when I feel it worth my time."

Leonard was beginning to get annoyed at Sheldon's resilience.

"Look, Sheldon!" he began to feel angry. "I don't know what Bernadette means or if she is setting up an intervention. But Amy apparently needs your support at the Pasadena Hospital and whether it is a cut on the finger or her head fell off she probably needs someone!"

Sheldon gave a cautious look. "Hospital. With germs?"

Leonard glared at Sheldon and began speaking very firmly. "Sheldon Cooper. I do not want to deal with this nonsense. Now get your things, follow me to the car and let me take you to the hospital."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "All right, geez. What a grouch."

Sheldon grabbed his wallet and phone and pushed past Leonard to leave. Leonard followed him.

"How did I do that? I've got to remember how I did that." Leonard thought aloud.

#

After Sheldon's mother handed the two of them a packed dinner, which made Leonard smile without realising it, the two left Sheldon's home but stopped as soon as they left. Two people were shouting at each other in Penny's front yard. Leonard and Sheldon gave each other an awkward glance at not knowing what to do.

"How do I know you aren't thinking of someone else when we're kissing or something?" Kurt's voice shouted.

"I could say the same to you!" Penny's voice shouted back. "I hear how you and the football team look at other girls!"

"But I don't receive texts from another female every second of the day!" Kurt shouted back.

"It was Bernadette! She needed his phone number so he could talk to Sheldon!" Penny yelled. Leonard felt shocked that he had bought on an argument.

"Why couldn't she ask you to talk to King Dork?!"

"Because Sheldon wouldn't listen to me! He hates me!"

"That is not true." Sheldon said to Leonard. "I just dislike her intelligence or lack thereof."

"Be quiet." Leonard shushed him.

"Well until we can spend a night together without him coming up we won't be spending nights together!" Kurt argued. He walked towards a sporty car and spotted Leonard and Sheldon watching them. He put up the middle finger at them before getting in the car and driving off. Leonard sighed in relief.

"I believe standing at my doorstop interrupts your pointless mission to take me to the hospital." Sheldon said logically.

"I agree." He said. The two walked towards Leonard's car but Leonard spotted Penny still standing in her front yard. She was crying.

"Why is she crying?" Sheldon asked. "I'd be pleased if Kurt walked away from me."

"Obviously she cares about his opinion." Leonard said. "Do you think I should do something?"

"If you think it will get you coitus, then no." Sheldon told him. "If it is for any other reason than still no."

Leonard rolled his eyes and walked over to Penny. Sheldon followed him. "Are you okay?" Leonard asked.

"It is nothing." Penny wiped a tear. "We argue all the time."

"Clearly if it happens all the time then it isn't nothing." Sheldon butted in. "In fact if it happens once it is still something."

Penny gave a confused look. "Oh. Hello Sheldon. I don't really know what you mean by that."

"Well it is good that you are feeling okay, Penny." Leonard interrupted. "I have to take Sheldon to see Amy at the Pasadena Hospital."

"Can I come with?" Penny asked.

"Why?" Sheldon asked quickly.

"I guess I don't want to be lonely right now." Penny said.

"You should buy a cat." Sheldon said. "I considered buying several when I was rejected by the school board."

Penny shook her head. "I'm fine, Sheldon."

"We should go. Bernadette may be angry if I take too much time." Leonard said.

Sheldon looked at the car carefully and then chose the front seat to sit in. Penny got in the back seat and Leonard got in the driver's seat. The car drove off to the hospital.

#

After getting a sandwich to eat Bernadette returned to the waiting room where Howard was still sitting. Bernadette rolled her eyes and didn't sit next to him.

The door to the hospital opened and Leonard, Sheldon and Penny walked in.

"Thank goodness you're finally here!" Bernadette seemed relieved. She quickly walked over to Penny and gave her a hug. Penny, initially confused for a few seconds, gave her a hug back.

"You didn't ask me to be here." Penny said pulling out of the hug.

"Yeah but it would've been weird if I hugged Leonard or Sheldon." Bernadette told her. Penny nodded knowingly.

Sheldon had his arms crossed like he didn't want to touch anything. "Well we're at a hospital which means you were honest about something." He said. "But where is Amy?"

"Amy is still being questioned by the police and doctors." Bernadette said.

"Police?" Leonard said in shock.

"Was she severing the webbing between her toes again?" Sheldon asked. "It was for science!"

Bernadette shook her head. "Much more concerning." She said. "Amy's mother locked her in a closet. I don't know for how long but she looked very 'out of it'." Bernadette suddenly shuddered.

"Are you alright Bernadette?" Penny asked.

"I can't get the image of Amy in that closet out of my head" she explained.

"So Bernadette is okay." Sheldon interrupted. "But what about Amy? Is she healthy?"

"I didn't see much more of her." Bernadette said. "I just know she felt kinda dizzy and then fainted on the way here."

"I should see her!" Sheldon insisted. "I know all of her medical information!"

"They aren't allowing us to see her until the doctors and police are finished." Bernadette explained. "We just have to wait."

"So I have to sit in this germ fiesta until she is ready to be seen!" Sheldon argued.

"What is more important? This girl or your weird germ fetish?!" Penny argued. Sheldon felt taken aback at Penny telling him what to do.

Sheldon nodded. "You are correct for once, Penny." He said. "She would love to see me as soon as she can."

Penny rolled her eyes and was about to argue back. Leonard turned to Penny. "Don't bother. The fact you convinced him is definitely good enough."

#

Leonard, Penny, Sheldon, Bernadette and Howard all sat quietly in the hospital waiting room. Bernadette was with Leonard, Sheldon and Penny in between her and Howard. Penny leant over to Leonard.

"Your house date with Priya was tonight wasn't it?" she whispered.

Leonard nodded. "Yep."

"And how did it go?" she asked. "Did Bernadette's text interrupt things?"

Leonard looked at Howard and gave a glare. "Bernadette wasn't the person who interrupted things."

Penny turned to Howard. "I was wondering why he was here."

"Apparently Raj allowed Howard to visit the house when Priya was at work." Leonard explained "Howard interrupted us when we were in Priya's bedroom being intimate. Priya freaked out and I tried comfort her by saying people would find out eventually if we dated for some time."

Penny shook her head in disbelief. "You didn't say that."

"I did." Leonard said. "She told Howard and I to leave. He saw the text from Bernadette and rushed here to creep at her or something."

"I'm sorry Leonard but that was a very silly thing to say." Penny said.

Leonard gave a confused look. "Why?"

"Clearly you went with the smarter response instead of thinking of how she felt." Penny said. "She probably felt flustered by the thought of everyone knowing about your relationship."

"What should have I done?" Leonard asked.

"You should've been trying to convince Howard to not tell anyone." Penny said. "Priya would have seen how you were on her side."

Leonard sighed. "This is all so complicated." He said. "All my life I've seen my mother try and trivialise emotions with logic and science. I've caught whatever disease she had."

Penny was taken aback by Leonard's lapse in self-esteem. "What your mother has done to you has nothing to do with this! You are nothing like her!"

Leonard remembered Penny had a strong reaction when he told her his mother told him to 'buck up' after he was bullied in New Jersey. She probably still sympathised with him for that.

"So what should I do now?" Leonard asked.

Penny thought for a second and then answered. "Well you should apologize to her. Make it known you think you were in the wrong."

"I can do that." Leonard nodded. "I do think I could have handled the situation better. But then what?"

"Whether she accepts the apology or not invite her somewhere nice. Valentine's Day is coming up in a week." She said. "No girl wants to be lonely on Valentine's Day."

Leonard nodded. "That makes sense. Thanks for the advice."

"You're welcome." Penny answered.

After a moment of silence Leonard spoke up. "What about you and Kurt?"

"We'll be fine." Penny shrugged it off. "The next time I proposition sex he'll forget about the argument."

Leonard gave a shocked glance. "After all the good advice you gave me and that is what you say about your own relationship? It looked like a pretty big argument."

"That is what sex is for Leonard." Penny gave a laugh. Leonard wondered if that response was hiding something.

Next to Leonard, Sheldon gave an exasperated sigh. "Do I have to hear the two of talk about insignificant drabble as I worry about Amy?" he questioned. "When you told me Amy was in the hospital I assumed it was urgent but I am sitting here in a germy hospital room listening to you talk. Maybe this was a way to trick me after all!"

"I apologise Sheldon." Leonard said. "I didn't know how long it would take."

"When I texted Leonard I didn't know how long it would be." Bernadette explained. "I may have hoped we'd be there at Amy's earliest convenience."

#

"Do you really think I hate you Penny?" Sheldon broke another long lapse of silence in the waiting room.

"You want to talk about me about that?" Penny asked.

"Well when I first sat down here I created a long list of possible topics to think about." Sheldon explained. "It began with quantum mechanics so obviously the quality of topics had diminished."

Penny rolled her eyes. "This is why I think you hate me. You always say stuff like that."

"Penny, he says stuff like that to everyone." Howard said.

"Not true." Sheldon corrected. "I don't say anything like that to Amy."

"Most people, then." Howard corrected himself.

Sheldon looked at Penny. "I don't hate you. As I said to Leonard before I dislike your level of intelligence but I don't hate you."

"You are always so critical around me." Penny said. "I just assumed you hated me."

"I hate 78 people. I have an official list." He explained. "You are not on that list."

"I expected that list to be longer." Howard quipped.

"Maybe I should add a 79th entry to that list." Sheldon threatened Howard. He then turned to Penny. "We've known each other as neighbours for several years. In that time your football team friends have stuffed me in toilets, broken my stationary, insulted my interests, kicked me in private places, Made me…"

"I get it." Penny interrupted.

"But you have never been directly involved with those." Sheldon said. "So I have no reason to hate you. I hate them instead and some of your friends take up a large portion of my hate list."

"I apologise for anything Kurt and the football team has done." Penny said. "I'm sure they don't mean it…"

"It is odd…" Sheldon thought aloud. "I might be mistaken but you sound apologetic about yourself even when it was them who did all those actions to me. I don't understand why."

"They're my friends." Penny justified. "I'm just defending them…"

"Why are they your friends?" Sheldon asked bluntly. "I've read that people can be friends just for social status and nothing else. Is this true?"

Sheldon looked at Penny curiously. Leonard, Bernadette and Howard were also looking at Penny for an answer. It was something that they had also thought at one point or another but never asked. Penny saw that everyone was looking at her and stood up.

"I'm going to get something to eat." She said and walked away.

"That was rude." Sheldon stated. Leonard sighed and wondered if he should go and talk to Penny. Bernadette looked at him and shook her head. So much for Penny not being lonely.

#

It took some time for Penny to brave going back to the waiting room after she had eaten. When she walked back in she saw everyone look at her and then look away. Sheldon looked like he was going to speak but Bernadette hit him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me!" the person at the reception said. "The police and doctors have finished in Amy's room. You may all go and see her now. Room 1C"

Instantly everyone stood up. "Thank you." Bernadette stood up. Bernadette led the way through the hospital corridors and the rest followed. They walked past a police officer that Bernadette recognised as her father's work partner. He was carrying a large folder of documents. The group all found the room and walked in. Bernadette's father was standing in the room and a very tired looking Amy was sitting up in the bed, eating a large hospital made meal. Her eyes looked surprised all the people who came to visit her.

"What are you all doing here?" she asked. Her eyes darted to and from each of Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard and Bernadette.

"We came here to support you." Bernadette said. "You obviously need someone right now."

"She is tired and will need to rest." Bernadette's father explained. "But I can allow you to stay here and talk for a few minutes. I'll be out at reception sorting out some paperwork." He explained. "I'll leave you here to talk." And he walked out.

"How are you feeling?" Bernadette asked.

"I am tired and a little distraught." Amy said. "But the doctors said I had nothing wrong with me. I only fainted because I hadn't eaten anything. I should be out of here tomorrow."

"Out of here to where?" Sheldon asked. "If what Bernadette said was correct you can't go back to your mother. I will not allow it!"

Amy swallowed. "Bernadette's father is trying to find a relative who can look after me. But he said I could stay with him as a temporary legal guardian."

"You are welcome to stay at my home." Bernadette said. "You'll just have to mind my siblings."

Amy smiled. "I've never had siblings. Should be interesting."

Sheldon suddenly interrupted. "What happened Amy? Why did your mother lock you in a closet?"

"Sheldon." Penny interrupted. "I'm sure she just explained that to the police. She probably doesn't want to re-count it again."

"No." Amy shook her head. "It is okay. I'd be content to explain to Sheldon and everyone."

"Only if it makes you comfortable." Bernadette gave a sad smile.

Amy nodded and after a few moments of thought she began to explain. "Well Leonard drove me home the other day from school so I could see Sheldon. When I arrived home my mother was yelling at me, explaining that she waited at school for an hour. I decided to just tell her the truth. I told her my friend needed some emotional support so I had one of my other friends drive me to their house. She got out of me that those two friends were male. So she grabbed me and shoved me into the sin closet. This was not unusual."

"I always thought that it was a theoretical sin closet." Sheldon said. "I never imagined you were being serious."

"No." she shook her head. "But it usually is just for an hour or so. But this time I was there all night long. The next day I needed to go to school but she didn't let me out the closet. She gave me lunch at the middle of the day and that was it."

"Poor thing." Penny said.

"The day after that I was still in the closet when I heard my mother answer the door. I knew she wasn't nearby so I used a hairclip I had to open the lock and escaped. I made it to my bedroom but the bars were still on my windows. So I just hit them really hard."

"I heard that and called my father." Bernadette said.

"Thank you." Amy said. "But my mother found me and locked me back in the closet with no food or water. I had to bang really loudly on the closet when I heard her answer the door again."

Bernadette reached over to Amy and gave her a hug. She stood back and to everyone's surprise Sheldon walked up to her.

"I'm sorry I caused all of this." he apologised. "If it weren't for me you wouldn't have gotten in trouble."

Amy wrapped her arms around Sheldon and whilst he didn't hug her back he didn't pull away.

"I know I said I would run away to college." He said. "But I can wait until you're emotionally stable and relocated safely."

"That is very thoughtful." Amy said. She let go of Sheldon.

Bernadette's father walked back into the room. "I'm sorry but your time is up. She needs to rest now."

The group of five understood now why she needed this. They all nodded in agreement and left.

#

When Leonard first went to Pasadena high school and met Amy at Penny's party he never would have imagined he would be visiting her in a hospital after such a horrible incident.

He drove Sheldon and Penny home and then drove back to his. It was now night time and he was really tired. He looked at his texts as he walked into the house.

Howard texted me what happened. I can't believe it!– Raj

He should have been mad that Howard told Raj about Priya. However, he was still distracted by Amy's horrible ordeal so he ignored it.

"Where have you been?" he heard his mother ask him.

"One of my friends was in hospital." He explained. "She'll be fine."

"Is it that girl your tutoring? Or the one your dating?" she interrogated.

"Neither." He said. "Just a friend."

"Another friend?" his mother asked. "This is definitely odd. How am I even going to include this?"

After hearing what Amy's mother had done he didn't care about his own mother's antics. It was just the same old condescension.

"Good night mother." He said and walked to his bedroom. He lay on his bed and fell asleep instantly.

Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed. What did you think of the chapter? Please favourite and/or follow here or on tumblr(clintcooper). If you wish to leave feedback, please reviews. Thanks again.

Also I apologise if what is happening isn't what you want or what you predict. I sometimes read reviews after writing and feel concerned. I hope you all like it nonetheless.

Clint Cooper