It's Sunday and I'm back again. :) First of all, you guys helped me to reach 100 reviews! I never thought this would happen for just random scenes, but you did it and it makes me so happy! Thank you so much for your support! :D

Second, this is another, little earlier, sad scene, but I hope I made it just a little bit sweet at the end. :) It takes place just before the closing scene for season 7. I promise the next chapter will be all fluff again okay? ;)

Happy reading...

7x24: "How could you let him go!"

Amy stumbled as she took the corner on the third floor too quickly. Her arm reached out, barely managing to grab the handrail to keep herself from falling, then she proceeded to ran up the last flight of stairs.

Catching her breath for a few second as she stood in front of apartment 4A, she tried to compose herself as she was knocking. But when the door opened and she found Leonard behind it with his ridiculously bushy eyebrows scrunched together worriedly to form a single wrinkly line of hair, Amy's emotions bubbled to the surface again.

"What happened? Where is he?" she demanded to know before Leonard could even say anything.

"We don't know." he then answered, closing the door behind her.

"What do you mean you don't know?! Can't you still track his phone?" Amy's voice must have gotten very loud and agitated, because Penny now stepped closer and gently pushed her down onto the middle cushion of the brown couch. Until now, Amy hadn't even realized how bad she was shaking.

"He must have turned his tracking thingy off after we left him," Penny said. "But he seemed fine. Just a little overwhelmed."

Amy could feel her heart drum in her chest as she was picturing her poor boyfriend alone at the train station where his friends left him to go... god knows where! She feared for him, imagining how bad he must have felt to pack his things so abruptly and flee. And Leonard and Penny just let him go! How could they?! Why didn't they stop him, talk him out of it? They could have called her sooner, not just as they were returning from the station. Maybe she could've changed his mind.

Amy swallowed. Why didn't he call me?

The hurt about this obvious rejection overshadowed every other feeling. Maybe he was running away from her. Maybe she pushed him too hard this time, pressured him too much on top of an already overwhelming situation. Was she the reason for his escape? Didn't he call her because he didn't want to?

Guilt grew like a lump in her throat, making it hard for her to breathe calmly. "B-But he must have said something." Amy managed to press out sadly. "Why he left? Where he was going?"

Penny had sat down in the white armchair, Leonard next to Amy on the couch. Both were shaking their heads no. "Just what we already told you over the phone." Leonard said. "That he feels overwhelmed by all this change around him and that he needs to get away to sort his thoughts and calm down."

Again, Amy tried to swallow down the growing feeling of guilt and hurt. Sort his thoughts? About what? About me? What if he comes back deciding that he doesn't want to be in a relationship anymore? Amy's fear was rising. She didn't think she could deal with that possibility. Sheldon had just started to open up more towards her. He was kissing her since a few months and every single time it had felt like a supernova exploding inside of her when their lips touched.

Amy couldn't go back to not kissing him anymore. She would miss that feeling too much. The joy, the swirling sensation in her stomach, the fluttering of her heart. She knew that all of those reactions indicated that she felt so much more than just fondness for Sheldon. She knew for a long time now what it meant, but, of course, she hadn't told him. How could she when he was barely even tolerating to hold her hand for a longer time period!

But Amy had thought that Sheldon had grown to enjoy kissing her. The way he had maintained their connection longer every month at the end of date night. The way he had smiled after he finally parted from her. She thought all he needed was some more time to realize that… maybe… he was feeling the same way she was feeling.

Amy was trembling again. Was it all an illusion? Just a necessary requirement he only fulfilled because of the relationship agreement?

"Did he say… when he will be back?" Amy asked quietly, having to pause mid-sentence to change her original question from if to when.

"Sorry, he didn't say." Penny answered carefully. "But I'm sure he will return as soon as he calms down. He wouldn't just leave you without a word."

He already did.

Tears filled Amy's eyes. It was like someone put heavy stones in her stomach. She felt so unwanted. Unimportant. Unloved.

How could he leave me like that?

It was just then that Leonard's phone started ringing, startling everyone out of their pensiveness. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. His brows shot up. "It's Sheldon." he said.

Another punch to the guts for Amy. He called Leonard. She wanted to inhale in surprise, but she just choked up. Only when Penny hurriedly told Leonard to answer, Amy suddenly jumped to her feet, her hand outstretched. "Let me talk to him." she demanded. "I… I need to hear that he's okay."

Leonard looked at her with compassion and handed her his phone. "Of course."

Amy held the vibrating cellphone in her hands and stared at Sheldon's name on the display. Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed. What should she say? What if he didn't want to talk to her? He must have called Leonard for a reason, after all. But didn't she deserve to know, too? Does he care about her so little?

No matter if she wanted to hear the answer to those questions or not, Amy could no longer remain wondering. With a quick swipe over the display, she answered the call. "Sheldon?" she asked in a small voice after swallowing the dryness in her throat.

There was a pause. The only thing she heard was the soft clickety-clack of the railway in the background… and suddenly a surprised voice. "Amy?"

"Yes… it's me."

"I-I thought I called Leonard."

Amy closed her eyes, willing herself not to get upset. "You did. I just answered the phone, because…" she paused… more clickety-clack and silence… "Because you didn't call me. I… I was worried about you."

The silence was stretching. With every click and clack of the railway it felt like she could literally hear him distancing himself further and further from her. But then he finally answered.

"I'm sorry that you were worried."

She opened her eyes again, exhaling a breath that she didn't realize she was holding. He's sorry… but that doesn't make it okay. Amy stole a glance at her friends, who weren't doing a very good job in hiding their interest in her conversation, and took a few steps away from them, pretending as best as she could that they weren't listening in. "W-Why didn't you call me?" Amy asked sadly.

She could hear him immediately this time, struggling for words. "I… I didn't know... what to say. I thought you would…" he trailed off again. "I was overwhelmed." he then finished instead.

"I'm sorry." Amy mumbled. "I didn't mean to overwhelm you."

"It's okay, Amy." he said, surely this time. "It's not your fault. I was overwhelmed by a lot of things at once and I just… I had to leave. I didn't know...h-how to say goodbye to you."

There was her heart fluttering again as hope blossomed. "It's okay." Amy said; tears were pooling in her eyes. "I'm glad that we get to talk now."

"Me too."

Inexplicably, Amy had to smile at that. The distance between them suddenly didn't feel as far as before. She listened to Sheldon's breathing and to the background noise around him. It was calming her now. He was fine; he was safely on board of a train and not wandering the streets at night.

"Anyway…" Sheldon said. "I just wanted to inform you that I'm on the train now, heading north. You don't have to follow me or worry about me anymore. I studied the itineraries of the US railway quite thoroughly and memorized their schedules. I won't get lost somewhere."

Amy smiled again, marveling at his beautiful mind. "I'm sure you won't." she said softly. A familiar warmness spread in her chest as she imagined him confidently navigating through a vast variety of confusing maps. Sorting data; that's where he shines. "But…" Amy suddenly spoke up. "You will return eventually, right?"

"I will."

The answer came quick. Apparently confident that he will manage to sort through his fears and pressuring feelings while he was away. Amy's stomach swirled again. She couldn't really tell if it was the good kind, like when he was kissing her, because of his promise to return or the bad kind, caused by the fear that he might not return to her.

What if he won't come to the conclusion that a relationship is what he wants?

"Good, because…" Amy started absentmindedly, still lost in her thoughts.

I need to tell him what I'm feeling, right? He can't make a decision until he knows.

"I-I…" she breathed through to calm herself, but her heart was pounding in her ears. "Sheldon, I…"

But what if this is too much pressure again? What if I'll push him away for good?

"You what, Amy?" Sheldon spoke up when she couldn't finish her sentence.

"I…" She balled her hands into fists, willing herself to say it. But her throat was closing up. Too much fear was getting in the way of her confession. "I'll miss you."

There was silence. Amy risked a glance back to the seating area, seeing that Leonard looked confused, but Penny stared at her with eyes as wide as saucers and her mouth hung open in shock. Amy knew that she knew what she actually wanted to say.

"I'll miss you, too."

Amy was so startled by the sudden voice in her ear and the words it was saying that she almost dropped the phone. She continued to breathe, but she couldn't utter a word. The blood was rushing in her ears.

"Well… I'm going to hang up now. The train conductor will soon start his round and I want to be ready."

"Okay, Sheldon. Thanks for checking in." Amy blubbered automatically. Slowly, she lowered herself onto the sofa again. "Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'll call you this time. Bye, Amy."

"O-Okay. Bye." she said, put down the phone and stared ahead.

He'll miss me.

The conversation between herself, Leonard and Penny went on, but she didn't really participate anymore. Her thoughts circled around Sheldon's surprising confession… not the one she wanted him to make, but a confession, nonetheless: Sheldon will miss her.

So… that means he does care about me, right? He still likes me. He probably even really enjoys us kissing. Is there possibly even a chance… just a slight chance that… he loves me, too?

Amy's chain of logic came to an unsatisfactory, ambiguous end and she couldn't stand the tension. She couldn't wait to find out the truth. She wanted… no, needed to know! Now!

HOW COULD LEONARD LET HIM GO!

*insert epic pillow whacking* haha ;)

I know in the show you can see it's actually Amy's phone that is used for the call, but I decided to ignore that small detail for this chapter. Thought this would work better to show Amy's disappointment. I know I'm mean, right? Sorry, haha...

Keep reviewing you lovely, lovely Shamy fans!