Amy settled back into work quickly. She realised how much she had missed her friends at work as well as at home. Having settled back at home too Amy realised the only thing that was different now from before she left was her relationship with Sheldon. She had been back over a week now and apart from the meeting at the cheesecake factory Amy hadn't seen Sheldon since. She had met up with Penny and Bernadette at the weekend when the boys were paint-balling and even spent an evening at Pennys; but she had managed to avoid seeing Sheldon on each occasion.
Penny was worried. Amy was still not willing to talk about her feelings and Sheldon was becoming more withdrawn. She knew he had hoped once Amy was home he would get a chance to talk to her and re build their friendship if nothing else. Penny had told him to call her but he just shook his head and walked away. Not knowing what else to do without pressuring them Penny gave Sheldon Amy's number and asked him to pass it on to Sarah.
Maybe if Sarah spoke to Amy she would make more progress.
73~73
"I don't know when you are to visit Sarah, I was just given the number by Penny and asked to pass it on so here it is."
"But she didn't say when? "
"No. Sarah look I am not a messenger just ring her!" And Sheldon turned back to his white boards.
Shrugging Sarah pulled out her phone and dialled the number Sheldon had given her.
"Dr Fowler? Hi its Sarah, we met the other night, yes Sheldon has just passed me your number and I wondered if we could set up that visit?"
Listening to Amy's response Sarah didn't notice Sheldon had stopped writing and was listening carefully to the conversation going on behind him.
"That's fantastic thank you. No, no I'm sure that date will be fine I will make sure I am there by 9."
Saying goodbye Sarah moved to the planner on the wall and wrote on it that she would be out the following day.
"What are you doing?" Came Sheldon's voice from just behind her.
"I am visiting Amy tomorrow, I am writing it up so you don't forget."
"You haven't asked if you can go."
"No, but we have spoken about this, any time I am out of the office I will make up. In fact I have made a start and have already typed up that last batch of files you have given me, so if you have any more..."
Sheldon turned away. He knew he couldn't stop Sarah going, she had been honest from her first day that her true ambition lay in a different field, he just didn't relish the idea of her and Amy comparing notes on him.
73~73
As she followed Amy around the lab and listened to her explain the research Sarah grew more withdrawn.
"Is everything OK?" Amy asked noticing how quiet the young girl had become.
"Yes" Sarah smiled, "it is just I have realised that as much as I love working for Sheldon, and I really do love it, this is what I want to be doing."
Amy nodded. "Yes I guess working in a field that is not your own is not as fulfilling."
Sarah just nodded and moved to look at the notes pinned up on the board. Looking at her watch she realised she had been her 2 hours already and Sheldon was expecting her back to get his lunch.
Reluctantly turning to face Amy she smiled. "I just wanted to thank you, I know things are not easy with you and Sheldon at the moment, so for you to show me round, make me feel welcome well I really appreciate it. I hadn't realised how much I missed it and I needed to do this to re-motivate myself. I noticed on your board they are advertising for lecturers. That is my dream."
"Then you need to follow it." Amy smiled.
Nodding Sarah held out her hand "Thanks Amy. Now I had better go, green jello to deliver and all that!" she winked and with a wave she left Amy and returned to her car making her way back to Caltech.
73~73
Amy stared at her phone in amazement as it rang. This was the third time and she was still not brave enough to answer it.
Why would Sheldon be calling? And what was so urgent he would be so persistent?
Taking a deep breath Amy answered
"Sheldon?"
"Why? Amy I know you are angry with me, I know you are not going to forgive me; but why do you feel it necessary to interfere with my work?"
"Sheldon I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Sarah! She spends 2 hours with you and suddenly we are not good enough for her a Caltech. She has spent the afternoon rabbiting on about the wonderful Dr Fowler and right this minute is filling in an application form."
"Sheldon I have had no input in Sarah's decision. She noticed a job on a board here and said it was her dream to lecture. Did you not know this? Surely she told you; she seems very open about her dreams and ambitions."
"Well if she leaves I will blame you!" Sheldon hung up leaving Amy sat staring at the phone in her hand.
Hitting Pennys number Amy said "Hey bestie, you wouldn't happen to have Sarah number would you?"
"Err... yes. Is everything OK?"
"Yes, yes, she was interested in a job and I wanted to give her some advise if she gets through to the interview."
"Oh OK cool. She is really into teaching isn't she. Its weird how the guys hate lecturing yet it is what she loves. She has helped all of them loads with their lectures, they will miss her if she goes."
"Yes so I have been informed."
"Why?" Penny detected the heavy sarcasm in Amy's tone Amy what has happened.
"Oh just Sheldon blaming me for taking his precious Sarah away."
"Oh dear." Penny sighed. "Maybe you shouldn't call Sarah then. Things aren't exactly friendly with you and Sheldon you don't want to make it worse."
"But I haven't done anything Penny!"
"No I know Ames, but Sheldon isn't exactly dealing with you being back very well. In fact lets be honest neither of you are. We haven't had a group get together since the cheesecake factory because one or other of you comes up with an excuse. If Sarah leaves and goes to work with you well to be honest Amy I am not sure how you and Sheldon will be able to rebuild your friendship."
"It wasn't me who lied Penny and I haven't encouraged Sarah to leave Sheldon." Hanging up without waiting for Pennys response Amy sat back down and thought about Pennys words.
She really hadn't encouraged Sarah and it wasn't even as if Sarah had got the job. Amy tried to get back to work but she couldn't stop thinking about the anger in Sheldon voice.
Giving up on work she grabbed her jacket and drove to Caltech. The chances are Sheldon would have left already but maybe Sarah was still there and they could chat. As she made her way through the corridors Amy became more nervous. She hoped Sheldon had left.
73~73
"Amy?" Sheldon looked stunned as he looked round from his board to see her standing in the doorway "What are you doing here?"
"We need to talk Sheldon."
"If this is about Sarah working for you..."
"For crying out loud Sheldon she wouldn't be working for me! And no that's not why I'm here. We need to talk about what happened."
Sheldon carefully recapped his pen and placed it down. Looking at Amy he nodded but didn't speak. He wasn't sure how she was going to approach this so was nervous.
"Sheldon I don't want to fight. I don't want it to be so awkward we cant be in the same room together."
"OK." Sheldon replied cautiously
"Sheldon I am not sure here is the best place to discuss this."
"OK. Do you want to come back to mine?"
"No. Look why don't we go get something to eat? Somewhere we are not likely to be interrupted by our friends or colleagues."
"Amy it is vintage video game night. The others are expecting me."
"OK." Amy shrugged.
"That's it, you are not going to argue?"
"No Sheldon, I had hoped we could at some point be friends again but if video games are more important then I think I know where I stand. Please tell Sarah I will be in touch." And spinning on her heel Amy left.
She sat in her car fighting back the tears. He didn't care. She had hoped he would want at least friendship. Penny had hinted he was sad. But no, video games were more important. Swiping at the tear that had trickled down her cheek Amy took a deep breath. Maybe her bestie would be open for a girls night. Amy felt the need for wine and chocolate and girly company.
73~73
"Bestie I tried. I went to his office. I thought if we could go somewhere and talk it would make it easier. All he said was it was vintage video night." Amy shrugged and sipped her wine again. "He blames me for Sarah wanting to pursue her dreams; and now we will never be able to hang out as a group again because we cant be in the same room as each other."
"Look Amy he is a sore looser you know that. Sarah will be here in a minute, maybe if we explain how this is affecting him she will reconsider."
"Why should she though?" Amy said frustrated. "Why should she give up her dreams for him he wouldn't even give up a video game for any one else!"
Penny sighed frustrated. "For goodness sake! OK stay here." And leaving Amy sat sipping her wine Penny left and went across the hall. Before she could register Penny had gone she was back dragging a protesting Sheldon with her. Shoving him onto the sofa Penny snapped "Now sort it out!"
And slamming the door behind her left them staring after her stunned.
73~73
Amy and Sheldon stared at each other.
"Why did Penny do that? I was winning."
Amy shrugged "Maybe we need to talk Sheldon and Penny is just trying to help."
"Sheldon I don't want us to fight."
"Me either."
"Really?"
"Yes of course. I never wanted any of this Amy. Any of it. It just seemed to suddenly explode out of control."
"Yes well maybe some of it could have been avoided."
"Yes. I know. But Amy I wasn't deliberately trying to deceive you. I just wanted to forget. Forget I had been so stupid and naïve. Forget I had fallen for someone so shallow she could stand by and watch me beaten and robbed. Amy it was not exactly something I wanted people to know about."
"I know Sheldon but I was your girlfriend. I told you everything. I thought you felt for me the same I felt for you. You were my best friend and I trusted you."
"I know." Sheldon sighed. "Amy in the beginning whenever Penny or Leonard teased me about my lack of knowledge sexually, I couldn't exactly tell them I had had an affair. And once they made the assumption I was a virgin it was easy to go along with. When I met you it was worse. I wanted to ignore what had happened more than anything. I wanted what we had to be real and so I let you believe what you wanted."
"That night, the night you left, when you started talking about the comics, I suddenly realised I wanted you. All the feelings I had held so tightly restrained just seemed to take over. And Amy it wasn't like with her. It was nothing like it. With you I felt like I could finally be me. But I was wrong. And in making so big a mistake I hurt you and drove you away."
"Sheldon I had no idea. None at all. When we were... intimate... well I had expected it to be awkward, quick, painful, all the things your read about the first time. But it was so different from that, you were so confident and it was more than I had ever dreamed. When I asked you where you had learnt that I guess I was half joking, expecting some kind of romantic response about how I had inspired you. The last thing I expected was your confession that you had kissed someone had had an affair with someone.
I know having heard the whole story that I too made judgements. And Sheldon what happened to you, well it was truly awful. But I keep coming back to the fact you let me believe I was your first."
Sheldon buried his head in his hands sinking into the seat and said "I know. I'm sorry. Amy I don't know what to say. I loved you. I didn't want you to look at me with pity. I didn't need it; I just wish none of this sorry mess had happened."
Amy sipped her wine and looked at Sheldon. She knew he was being honest.
"Sheldon can we be friends?" She asked quietly.
Lifting his head Sheldon looked at her "Really?" He asked hopefully
"Yes, Sheldon I told you I don't want to fight. I want to be able to sit with my friends and not worry that my being there makes it awkward; and most of all Sheldon I have missed you."
"I have missed you too Amy, more than you know."
73~73
Penny looked up as Sheldon re-entered his apartment.
"Everything OK?" She asked curiously.
"Yes. And thank you Penny." Sheldon nodded. He didn't take up his spot on the sofa though he just went to his room. Leonard looked at Penny. "Well? Do you think they have made up?"
"I don't know. I had better go see if Amy is OK."
Crossing the hall Penny wasn't sure what she would find but was surprised to find Amy sat on the sofa her eyes closed wine in her hand.
"Amy? Are you OK?"
Looking at her friend Amy smiled. "Yes I think so. We have called a truce. Agreed to be friends. At least now we should be able to be in the same room hopefully without the tension."
"Good. Are you happy with that?" Penny asked looking closely at Amy. "Its just you don't exactly look happy and neither did Sheldon."
"Penny I loved him. So much. I trusted him. It will take time to rebuild that trust."
"But you will try? To move forward I mean."
"Yes. I will join you on Tuesdays and maybe even Fridays. We will see how it goes."
73~73
"So Amy what will you have?" Penny asked grinning seeing Amy sat at the table the next Tuesday.
"Lemonade please bestie," Amy smiled "and the fish."
Turning to Sarah Amy asked, "So how did it go?"
"Not great. I was so so nervous. But they said they were impressed and would get back to me once they had received references."
Amy turned to Sheldon "Have you written it?"
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Sarah's reference, have you written it?"
"Err... not yet, I've been busy."
Amy held out her hand. Sheldon frowned. "Come on."
Muttering Sheldon reached into his bag and pulled out the paper work handing it to Amy. For the next 10 minutes Amy drafted a reference onto a napkin making sure she had covered each of the sections on the paperwork Sheldon had given her. Handing the paper back with the napkin she smiled sweetly. "There you go, as you are so busy this should save you time, just copy what I have written and I am sure the job will be secure."
Sarah hugged Amy, "Thank you Amy! If I get this it will be thanks to you!"
"Told you!" Sheldon muttered.
"No Sarah it will be because you are good at your job and bring a passion to the classroom. And because your current boss has written you a glowing reference!" Amy smirked.
Sulking Sheldon proceeded to ignore Amy and Sarah.
"What's wrong now?" Penny asked returning with their food.
"Sheldon is sulking because I have helped him write a reference for Sarah." Amy grinned.
Laughing Penny said "I am sure Sarah will still come play halo with you Sheldon."
73~73
Leaving the cheesecake factory Amy offered to drive Sheldon home as Leonard was waiting for Penny to finish work.
"I was going to get a ride with Sarah." Sheldon said nervously looking between the two girls.
"Oh its OK Sheldon, Sarah grinned "I am sure I can cope without the running commentary on my driving and road worthiness of me car; and at least if Amy gives you a lift home I have a chance she will make you fill in that form."
So Sheldon sat beside Amy and said "Will you, come in and fill the form in with me?"
"Do I need too? You only have to copy what I have written."
"Oh. OK," Sheldon was disappointed. "I don't need to add anything else?"
"No. but I can come in if you want?" Amy was having trouble reading Sheldon's body language
"I would like that." Sheldon said and looking at him Amy saw him smiling.
Smiling back Amy nodded "OK, but I expect you to write exactly what I tell you."
Sheldon chuckled "OK" then sat back and watched the streets of Pasadena pass by. He was happy.
73~73