Back from the Dark
The time between Halloween and the week before Thanksgiving was a blur to Sheldon. The last thing he remembered clearly was that Sunday evening after the party. Everything after that time, not so much.
The couple had returned from the hotel after a fun filled Sunday morning of dress up. Afer they got rid of Penny, they went back to their scheduled activities. Later that morning, Amy was mortified when the maid walked in just as she was getting tied to the bed by Dr. Recall, intent on torturing his Vixen with a through tongue lashing forcing her to give him the location of her secret lair. The maid ignored the do not disturb sign, and waltzed in. However, she must have been used to the scene; she merely backed slowly out of the room saying something in Spanish about pervertos or something. Dr. Recall continued his "interrogation". It took at least three different methods to extract the information out from that stubborn Vixen, but he was successful.
They checked out of the hotel and said their goodbyes to the gang. Sheldon and Leonard came up to each other and had the following heart felt, tear jerking, emotionally raw exchange that only men who had been friends for years could have:
Sheldon: Sup
Leonard: Sup.
Sheldon: Sorry..
Leonard: Yeah.. Me too.
Sheldon: Comic book store Tuesday?
Leonard: Monday, on the way to Thai?
Sheldon: Cool.
After a quick stop to get Chinese and drop off of their costumes for free dry cleaning, they settled back into the apartment for a quiet evening. After dinner and a few games of counter Factuals, the couple put on their robes and settled on the couch for a back session.
Amy had fixed Sheldon a cup of tea and was giving him a back massage. While she worked the knots and kinks out of Sheldon's back, Amy was talking about her family history. She reminisced about her great grandmother was forced to covert from Judaism in France. It was a dark chapter in their family history and not something her mother liked to discuss, given the gravity of the situation. She also spoke of her father's history worked in Army surplus during the Vietnam war. Sheldon listened intently as he could given Amy's firm grip and her masterful hands. Amy rarely opened up about her past. Or, Sheldon thought, he rarely asked. Probably the latter was more likely the case, but he was working on it.
Sheldon took his turn massaging Amy bare back. Her soft pale back had a few smattering of light moles. He loved tracing lines connecting them with his fingers. Each time he touched her, it gave him new patterns to explore. On that Sunday night. He noticed she had a mole on each side of her spine. Perfect symmetry. Amy was just talking about Leonard's superman cape was ruined for some unknown yet kinky reason, when she felt Sheldon stop. She waited for his hands to move again but he was lost in thought. Amy turned around, pulling on her robe over she shoulders while she analyzed what was matter with Sheldon. She watched his eyes dart around like firecrackers. She knew he was following a trail left by words that his mind was walking down with exhilaration of an explorer. Sheldon started talking, in almost a whisper… He was staring at her but not seeing her.
Convert… Surplus… symmetry… super… Super symmetry… Dark.. Gravity… unstable…Patterns
He turned to Amy, looking at her as if she heard everything that was in head, and nothing at all. "I need to know whether or not nature is super symmetric., if there is a symmetry between matter and forces. For each type of electron and quark there is a corresponding heavy, supersymmetric partner. The supersymmetric particles were created in the instant after the Big Bang. This could be what dark matter is made of and the supersymmetric partner of the gravitino is the graviton."
Sheldon jumped back and his eyes opened even wider. He was practically yelling now, his voice raised with excitement, "If the gravitinos have a limited a life span, gravitinos must be converted into other particles. They are UNSTABLE! They can be measured! IN A PATTERN!" He went back to looking in space again. Amy got up, went to the office and retrieved the white board, a black note book and dry erase marker. She came back in the living room and set it up. She walked over to Sheldon and lightly touched him on the shoulder. "Hey Sheldon." He snapped out of his daze long enough to look at what he handed her. It was a marker. He got and went to the white board.
That was the last clear memory of her. The rest of the time was a blur.
Three weeks later, Sheldon's friends were getting worried. Amy kept them all pacified, cancelling his schedule when needed, keeping him fed, clothed and showered. Sheldon's brain was on his own schedule. He would get up in the middle of the night and work, or sleep during the day when he was tired. Amy would make sure he was cared for, but she tried to stay out of his way. Every once in a while, Sheldon would catch Amy's arm, and pull her into him. He would brush her hair off her face and smile a content grin. Then he would kiss her, like he hadn't seen her for years, or it was the first time; she wasn't sure. She would ask him how he was doing. He would say, 'can't talk.. Zone'. She knew the zone. She lived there before. During the summer when Sheldon was away, she had her own epiphany with MicroRNA research. Her zone only last 3 days. Sheldon was on three weeks and counting.
His research assistant Alex came to the house to help Sheldon. She was transcribing his calculations as fast as her hands could type. Alex hadn't seen Dr. Cooper be the far in the zone before, but Amy assured her he was going to be fine.
"Dr. Fowler, I am concerned. It's been almost 20 days. His work is so far above my head, I can't help him. Is he going to be okay?"
Amy said in a calm, reassuring tone, "Alex, Dr. Cooper will be fine. He is eating, and mostly sleeping through the night. I want to give him this time. He needs it. We have to support him."
Alex softened her face and looked at Amy slight smile. She could tell this was hard on her. Before his summer trip to the freak out zone, Dr. Cooper was so unfocused, unbalanced. Lately, Alex thought he was focused on Amy. Now it was like he left on a trip again. Actually, he did, a trip of mind. It seemed to Alex that he wasn't with her, but she was with him." Are you sure you're okay, Dr. Fowler?"
"I am fine. This is not my first experience with this type of behavior. I've seen it before from him. He just needs time. He'll be back." Amy smiled at him. Sometimes, when he wouldn't even look at her, she had a hint of worry that he might not come back to her. Every time she tensed up, he reached for her, pulling her into those kisses that brushed away her fears. Every night he would lie with her, feeling her heart beat next to his. He didn't leave her this time without saying goodbye because he never left. He was still with her. Amy knew it.
Alex handed Amy the latest work Sheldon had done, "This could be it you know." Alex didn't want to say the word Nobel, but they both knew what she meant.
"I know. It might be. He needs this and this is how he works best. I will let him have all the time he needs. He's worth the wait."
Leonard, Raj and Howard came to check on Sheldon. Other than the fact he was completely non-commutative, he looked pretty good. Even got a hair cut. Of course Amy had to bribe Penny with cookies to cut his hair while he was working, but he did it. Amy was trying to keep status quo. The guys looked over his work on the boards, completely impressed.
"Holy crap Amy! This is it.. This is the grand…"
"Don't say it! He gets all blustery when someone says it. Hawking told him to keep working. He was close"
Howard stepped back, "He talked to Hawking about it?" Howard didn't know Sheldon was so close with Stephen Hawking. Howard got Sheldon to wear the French maid outfit just for a simple meeting with the famed physicist. Now Sheldon was having his own personal conversation with him. So much for blackmailing him in the future into wearing the Cat Woman outfit.
"Yes. Last week, I think. I have to check the log." Amy had kept a log of everything Sheldon did during this time. She knew he would want to know. Every communication, every visitor.
"Holy crap, why did Hawking call him?"
"He didn't."
"Wait…How did he know to call?"
"Well, I called Hawking."
"How in the hell do you know Stephen Hawking?"
"I know a guy." Amy smirked. She didn't tell them the guy was the president of MIT. Her tour to promote her work had some personal benefits.
"Anyway he called me back, and I put him on Skype. He was so funny. He said, "oh so you're the girl Sheldon Cooper's been bragging about kissing!" I didn't' know he talked to him about me!" Amy was flattered. Little did she know the bragged was born from a drunk call at 2:00 AM the night she poured Sheldon to bed with his Geology book.
"Wow Amy! So what did Sheldon say to Hawking?"
"He kind of talked in code, physicist speak. He just had a question about higher spin gravity. He kept saying, "Hawking would know… Hawking would know. So I called him, luckily he wasn't busy. He helped him with it. It was only a small piece of a greater puzzle. Sheldon mulled it over and went back to work. Oh, hold on.." Amy brought Sheldon some tea. She took the cup from his hand he was holding and gave him a full cup, without a word. He was just staring at his white board. He didn't seem to notice her. He looked down and it was if his cup miraculously was refilled with tea.
Raj thought the whole scene was adorable, "Oh Amy, you really are sweet on him! But you have needs too, honey. You need a break."
"NO." Amy was adamant. "He'll be cross if I am not here. Bad enough I go to work all day, he gets grumpy. He needs me. It won't be much longer. He is close. I know it." Amy was taking care of herself during this time. Her work allowed her take off a little early and come in a little late. She also worked a lot at home when she was writing her research up. The guys didn't know this was not so unfamiliar for Amy. Often she and Sheldon would spend hours silently. Three weeks was a little long. Also, she missed their, "Sessions."
Leonard was worried for Amy, "Look, he doesn't even know you're here! You need to get out! Take a break, we can watch him."
Amy just cocked her head and looked them dead in the eye. "No. You guys don't get it. It's like Sheldon's mind is having a baby. You don't leave the labor room because you're tired. You stay till the end. Besides. I want to see what he comes up with and be here when he finds it. I won't leave him. End of discussion." She walked over to Sheldon and rubbed his back. He set the mug down on the coffee table and pulled her into a hug while working on his white board. After a few minutes, let he go to grab the eraser and he sat back on his stool again, looking over the formulas.
The guys gathered around the table, out of earshot. "Kind of reminds me of Ramona, except Amy is nicer."
Leonard shock his head, "Nah, it's nothing like her. She just wanted to share Sheldon's work, take credit. Also, she was creepy."
"Dude, totally creepy. Besides, Amy is helping Sheldon out of love. She knows he wants the Nobel more than anything." Raj always knew Amy could help Sheldon.
Howard was pale as snow on Christmas. He swallowed hard, "We are ignoring the Tweepodok in the room, here folks. If Sheldon wins a Nobel Prize...Oh the horror! We are going have to book the Staples Center just for his ego. Couple that with him getting laid on a regular basis…" Amy shot Howard a death star that would have made the Emerald Vixen proud. Howard was frozen and shuttered. Then, when he was sure Amy couldn't hear him, "Forget Sheldon, Amy's never gonna shut up about him. Oy Vey."
Penny walked in with takeout dinners for everyone and saw the whole thing. "Hey guys, wow. Shamy zone still, huh?"
"Yeah, it's pretty intense over here."
Penny looked in a daze too. She said in a distant voice," "Personally and professionally everything will fall into place once you commit to her." That's what the psychic said. And here we are seeing it happen! " Penny squealed and clapped her hands together. Raj gave her high five.
Leonard shook his head. He hated that Penny took Sheldon to a psychic, she didn't have to deal with the fallout. He had to hear him bitch and moan about it for days. Hog wash, Malarkey, balderdash… There was no scientific basis for psychics. He was furious she had the nerve to speak about his relationship with Amy. Leonard was convinced it was one of the reasons he ran away and didn't call Amy.
Leonard couldn't argue with the facts standing before him. Sheldon did look happier since he told Amy he loved her; even more joyful when she moved in. And when she said yes to marrying that whack job, Leonard could see a new kind of smile over his face. The great and powerful stoic Sheldon Cooper laughed easier with a huge grin that showed his front teeth. He chuckled. Sheldon Cooper never chuckled before. His life did seem to fall into place. He was tranquil.
After dinner, the guys starting playing multi-player Mine craft on the Xbox. Amy insisted they kept to as normal a schedule as possible. It was Sunday night. Sheldon and Amy were scheduled to go to Texas on Thursday morning, early. Amy was worried she might have to cancel if Sheldon wasn't done yet.
Amy was just placing his food down next to him when he suddenly jumped up, almost knocking the plate on the floor. Amy jumped back in surprise. He looked at her with a refocus she hadn't seen from him for weeks. He grabbed her hands, "Amy! I got it. I know how to measure them now! I figured it out!"
"OH Sheldon! That's wonderful!" She barely had a chance to get the words out before Sheldon grabbed with both hands on either side of her face. He looked in her eyes, like he was confirming she was real. He whispered, "Thank you." Then he slowly moved his mouth to hers. He kissed her like he was discovering something new, an original feeling that he alone had unveiled. Amy was so overwhelmed with his kiss, her hands went limp at her sides as he moved his body flush with hers. His lips pressed lightly on hers like he was testing them again. Once he felt them, he moved them more pressing harder against her mouth. She gasped a little and he stroked her tongue with his. His hand moved down her face to her neck, then her shoulders as he pulled her even closer to him. He shifted his head, getting a better angle to deepen the kiss that took her breath away. Sheldon wrapped his arms around her waist and starting moving his mouth down her neck before he opened his eyes at last. Behind him, seated on the couch was three slack jawed men holding controllers and one blond gaping mouth neighbor with a dumpling half eaten sticking out of her mouth.
Sheldon shot up, "When the in the devil did you guys come here?! And Penny, are you hear to apologize again! I am in no mood for your yammering tonight!" Amy was still in a daze. She had to grab the back of the beige chair to keep her balance. Her grin was undeniable. Sheldon wore no such grin. As far as he knew, it was the same week as the Halloween party.
"Sheldon! We've been here almost every night for 3 weeks! You know, after the party?"
Sheldon looked confused, "That was just a few nights ago!" He looked to Amy who shook her head. "No Sheldon, that was three weeks ago. You've been working very hard. But you got it, huh?" She looked hopeful but didn't want to push him.
He smiled at her with a grin that dripped with timid hope. He didn't want to get his expectations up too high, but the math was sound; He solved the problem of dark matter and Gravitons. It was the crucial step to a grand unified theory. He knew how to test for it. As soon as it was confirmed, he could publish. It could be everything he hoped for and he couldn't have done it without her. He didn't care who was in the room, he grabbed her again for another kiss. The group of gawkers made their quiet escape. Raj had to be pried out, but he acquiesced.
As Leonard slowly closed the door, he saw Sheldon pick up Amy and swing her around. It was the happiest he had ever seen his friend. Oh, and the theory made him happy too.
A/N: Just a nice chapter to mend your Shamy Hearts after last chapter. I hope you like it. I wanted to post it right away to say sorry for giving everyone tachycardia.
This is what I want for Sheldon. I want him to have his Nobel. I want him to be happy and have it all because of Amy. This chapter was for me and Shamy heart. I hope you liked it.
