Chapter 28: When Reality and Dreams Collide

Dr. Lorre quickly comes over and checks Amy's pupils with a small light to make sure she is not about to slip back into her coma. He then speaks to her in a calm, sincere manner.

Dr. Lorre: "Miss Fowler, please I want to help you, but I need you to relax. My name is Doctor Lorre. You've been through severe head trauma and intensive surgical procedures. That can sometimes cause wild hallucinations and bad dreams so I need you to focus. Just look into my eyes and focus on my voice. Miss Fowler, can you hear me?"

Amy finally looks up at him with tears in her eyes. She is still terrified and feels nauseous again, but she decides to at least hear him out.

Amy: "I…I can hear you. Yes, but I thought…. I mean ….I think that man, he was trying to hurt me."

Amy slowly points her index finger up towards Sheldon. Dr. Lorre frowns sadly at him.

Sheldon: "I was not! I would never do that! They were the ones hurting her not me."

Dr. Lorre tells him to shush up then he checks Amy's heart beat with his stethoscope.

Dr. Lorre: "Just breathe. It's going to be alright. Look, I know you're scared right now, but that man over there he just wants to read you. I won't let him or anyone harm you while you're in my care, I promise. Do you want me to make him leave? I will if you really want me to Miss Fowler."

Amy takes a few deep breathes and nods at her doctor. Then she looks over at Sheldon as he stares back at her feeling pitiful and deeply troubled by all of this. She doesn't know him at all, but looking at him now she realizes that Sheldon doesn't look like a dangerous sex criminal.

His pouty childlike face, slumped shoulders, skinny frame and dorky haircut makes him seem pretty harmless now that she is taking a closer look. But, she is still not comfortable being strapped down to bed like this with him around because the images from her night terror are the only ones that she can remember about him.

Amy: "No, it's alright. He can stay. I need to ask him something. I just want these things off."

Dr. Lorre quickly jots down a prescription on his medical pad then he hands it over to a nurse so she can get Amy a new medication to help shield her mind from more of these strange hallucinations and night terrors.

Dr. Lorre: "I'll tell you what we'll remove the restraints as soon as your new medicine fully kicks in okay. It'll help keep you calmer and it shouldn't take long to take effect. So I'll be back in a few just keep taking those deep breathes and try not to sit up or move around too much. Just lay back and rest."

Amy nods again at her doctor. For some odd reason his white lab coat gives her a more reassuring feeling that he can be trusted. Amy gently touches his coat as he stands up to leave. She watches as Dr. Lorre tells the orderlies to stand by the door and keep watch over her until he returns. Then Dr. Lorre looks at Sheldon with a stern expression on his face.

Dr. Lorre: "I know you're trying to help, but she is my patient! I won't let you come back in here if this happens again. She doesn't remember you and you'll only jeopardize her health more if being around you is scary for her. Do I may myself clear Dr. Cooper?

Sheldon sighs sadly as he nods back at him. He's almost too afraid to even be around her now for both her sake and his own after the beating he just took. He just can't understand why she hates him so much all of a sudden, but Sheldon really doesn't want to leave Amy alone either.

Dr. Lorre: "Alright, you've got twenty more minutes and then I want you out of here for the day. She needs as much rest as possible. Too much excitement isn't good for her so remain calm."

Sheldon: "Okay….okay I get it. Just leave us alone so I talk to her."

Dr. Lorre leaves the room to go check up on Amy's new medicine. Sheldon sits down in a corner of the room trying his best to keep his distance so she won't start freaking out on him again. He also does his best to hold back his own tears and remain calm, but his beautiful mind can barely think of anything to really to say to fix their broken relationship. Sheldon nervously speaks the first thing that comes to mind in a trembling childish voice.

Sheldon: "Amy, I…..I…I'm sorry."

She stares back at him still very confused and nervous too.

Amy: "Who are you?"

Sheldon: "I told you yesterday. I'm Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper. I wanted to read to you about your life and my life."

Amy: "Why?"

Sheldon: "Well…because…because I want you to remember me again. Remember us."

Amy's face suddenly softens and she realizes that he is being sincere with his words. She decides to hear him out at least.

Amy: "Us?"

Sheldon nods quietly and sighs.

Amy: "I do remember you or at least I thought I did. But, I must have been dreaming.

Sheldon: "You were dreaming about me?"

Amy: "Yes. It was so strange."

Sheldon perks up a bit in his chair interested to hear that she dreams about him, but his hopefulness is short lived as she tells him about her nightmare.

Amy: "You were scary and mean. I was tied down like this and locked in a tower. You kept trying to take my gown off and touching me. Then you were hitting my behind. It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced or at least I think it was. I'm not sure…. but, it felt so real."

Sheldon: "I don't understand Amy. Why would you dream such a thing?"

Amy: "I don't know."

Sheldon: "What else happened in this dream?"

Amy: "It's kind of hard to remember exactly, but you start unbuttoning my gown and rubbing this cream all over me."

Sheldon: "I did…WHAT!? Oh Amy that doesn't sound like me at all."

He frowns up his face and decides he does not want to hear anymore. It just sounds too absurd. Amy can tell by his face that he is upset.

Amy: "Well it wasn't all bad. The cream felt kind of soothing or maybe it was your hands."

Sheldon: "Look, it was only a dream and dreams are not real. I once had a dream that I was being attacked by a Gorn and I use to have horrible nightmares about Goofy the dog from Disneyland too. But, none of it was real."

Amy has no idea what he is talking about at all. She tries to sound it out.

Amy: "Uh…what's a g…g... .ah?"

Sheldon: "G.O.R.N…Gorn. It's an alien reptilian creature from the Star Trek franchise. Don't worry, I'll teach you all about Star Trek again if I have too and you'll learn to love it. But, now I think you should probably take your medicine and get some more rest. I'll come back another time."

Amy: "Wait, do you think all dreams are bad?"

Sheldon: "No, of course not. People can have good dreams too. Why I remember I just had one about being on a train with you…and…"

He pauses when he starts to realize that she probably doesn't know what a train is anymore and that thought makes him even sadder. He decides it's much too soon to tell her about his own dream, but now she is curious.

Amy: "Go on…."

Sheldon: "Well there's not much to tell really…"

Amy: "Why not?"

He knows now is not the right time to confess what he discovered in his dreams about his feelings for her.

Sheldon: "Uh... I can't tell you. I mean…I…. I don't really remember."

His face immediately starts to tick uncontrollably because of his lying and Amy frowns up her face at him. She doesn't understand why his face is moving so strangely all of sudden, but she doesn't like it one bit. She can already tell he must be hiding something.

Amy: "What's wrong?"

Sheldon: "I just don't think you'll be able to handle it. Let's take things one step at a time Amy. You should just rest up and I have this uh other thing I've got to go do."

Amy studies his eyes and facial expressions and notices something new. She suddenly feels the tingly erotic sensation from her dream returning as she stares at his face. She smiles and starts to put the pieces together. She realizes why they might both be dreaming about each other.

Amy: "Wait…you like me don't you?"

His cheeks flushed red and he feels totally uncomfortable having this conversation with her right now.

Sheldon: "I uh...I have to go now. Goodbye Amy."

He heads out the door without saying another word and Amy stares at his small perky backside as Sheldon leaves her room in nervous panic.

Amy: "Goodbye…"

Amy sighs deeply and closes her eyes. She is still not sure whether he is a good or bad guy, but she finally knows at least one thing about him for sure this strange Cooper wants her both in her dreams and in reality. This thought makes her heart skip a beat and she quietly sound out his name to herself to help her to remember it.

Amy: "Ssss..hhhheelll….DON."

Minutes later Amy falls back asleep and quickly returns to her dream world. She opens her eyes again and sees her creepy hooded man hovering over her. He grins like the Creepy Cheshire cat from Alice and Wonderland, but instead of feeling scared this time Amy feels somewhat intrigued and ready to learn more about him. She silently gives him her best 'come hither' look and whispers only three words into her captor's ear.

Amy: "Bring… It… On."