Amy had slept fitfully off and on through the day and the night. Weeping spells came again and again until her eyes were sore, her cheeks were chapped, and her throat felt like fire. Finally, she had drowned her sorrows in reading Pride and Prejudice- yet again- in the darkest hours of the night. This morning, determined to rid herself of her foul mood, she had taken a walk in the garden beside the hotel. The sunshine had seemed to temporarily lift the cloud around her, that is, until it had started to rain. And rain it certainly had. It had stormed most of the morning, and even now, it was a gloomy Sunday in Pasadena: one of those rare, all-day soakers She was glad, as it had been quite dry lately, and the flowers needed the rain. She looked out the window, and her view of the freeway was just as gray and depressing as her mood.

She sighed heavily. I wonder what Sheldon is doing right now. She had left his apartment yesterday, and it seemed like ages since she had seen him. Her heart constricted as she thought of how he must have felt when he discovered she was gone. Confused? Most certainly. Sad? Possibly. Digging her fingernails into her palms as she fisted her hands, she grimaced as she fleetingly pondered her deepest fear: perhaps, he was relieved to be free of the pressure she put on him. Regardless, she knew Sheldon, really knew him, and she knew without a doubt that he was experiencing anxiety and it was because she had left without a word. What she was doing wasn't really fair, was it? She hadn't even told him, or any of the others, that she was safe.

Sure, she had needed space. I had to get away. But he was bound to worry, that was just his nature. Feeling guilty, she reached for her phone, and for the first time since arriving at the hotel, she turned it on: She was bombarded with a cacophony of noises as her phone showed no less than 41 missed calls, 33 of which were from Sheldon. She gulped, feeling tears threaten once again as she saw his face shining out from her screensaver. There were nine calls from Penny, and what amounted to over 50 text messages. She tensed, pulling her shoulders to her ears for a moment, feeling even more guilty. It certainly wasn't Penny's fault. She was the selfish one, after all, just leaving them with no hint of her whereabouts or wellbeing. Opening her text message to reply to Penny, to at least let them know she was ok, her phone broke into "Sweet Caroline", her ringtone, and she saw her mother's name appear. Feeling trapped, she knew she should answer.

"Hello, Mother," she said, answering reluctantly.

"Amy Farrah Fowler! How dare you ignore my calls! I have been worried sick. Where are you? What are you doing? What happened to you?" Her mother sounded frantic and angry. The tone of her voice had Amy shivering, just as she had as a child.

"I'm ok, Mother, I swear. Why would you be worried?"

"Well, if you're 'fine' then why is that useless boyfriend of yours contacting me? He said that the earthquake had damaged your apartment? Where have you been for the last couple of days! I hope you had more sense than to stay with him. He will never commit to you if you give away the milk for free, Amy. I don't know how many times I've had to tell you that there's something about that boy that just bothers me. I mean, after what he said that day on that phone- computer call -thing you organized for me to meet him! I still can't get over it. Shocking and disrespectful!"

Sheldon had contacted her mother? Uh-oh, better do some quick-talking, Fowler.

"Mother, please. Everything is fine. I don't know why Sheldon contacted you. And don't worry, I'm not staying with him. I had been with a colleague, but I switched to the hotel. She had…. family coming to visit." Sure, that doesn't sound made up at all. Amy rolled her eyes at herself before continuing, "Sheldon must have forgotten. I told him I might go home to your house, but I changed my mind because of the commute. I'll call him."

"Fine, then. I just wish you would find someone new. He's so odd. He's not the one for you, Amy. I know a nice man who works as a math teacher at the local high school. He's very intelligent and so sweet! He's British. His evil wife cheated on him with a french chef."

"No, Mom, no! I love Sheldon. And honestly, you're the one who wanted me to get a boyfriend, Mother. Now that I have one, he isn't good enough?" That's true, I do love Sheldon. No need to complicate matters right now by telling my mother anything about what happened between us.

"It's only that I love you so much, sugarplum. I want what's best for you. And I don't think that Sheldon is what's best. He's a perverted sex-addict! He's just using you, Amy, and I wish you'd open your eyes and see what I see: a useless good-for-nothing." Why is she telling me this now? I had no idea she was so hung-up on that Skype call from all those years ago.

"Come on, Mother, Sheldon is a lot of things, but no one could ever accuse him of being a sex-addict. And he's not using me," I don't think, anyway… "And really, Mother? Your whole opinion of him can't be gauged by that one Skype call. In fact, there's something you should know…" Might as well out with it now. There's no reason for Mother to keep thinking he is such a monster. "Sheldon was just helping me out. We were friends at the time, and neither of us thought that we were going to ever be more. And, well, he was just doing me a favor. It was all a lie to get you to back off a little. I'm focused on my career. I told him to say all those things. I, I just needed you to leave me alone about finding a boyfriend."

"What do you mean? You were acting? That … that revolting conversation was just an act? Amy, I thought I taught you better than that! And you know what? It doesn't really matter that it was an act! Just the fact that that man was willing to say those things to me, his elder! And about my daughter? And that he would lie to me? That doesn't make him any more decent in my eyes, young lady. I'm downright horrified that you would lie to me like this."

"I'm sorry mother, really, I am. Please, accept my apology. And please, stop thinking the worst of Sheldon. He may not be perfect, but he's perfect for me." Her voice broke as she stumbled over those words. Perfect for me, and now? Now, she was alone in a hotel room, talking to her hateful mother, instead of sitting on a comfy, brown couch, next to him. Her spot. Struggling to maintain her composure, she continued, "I've got to go now, Mother. Talk to you again soon, goodbye."

Sheldon had contacted her mother! He must be beside himself if he actually called her mother! Should she call him? Was she just being stubborn? Maybe she didn't have all the information? Maybe she had acted rashly? He was changed, wasn't he? Kinder toward her, more affectionate? She was almost sure of it. And of course, he did show her how much he really desired her, physically, finally. For Sheldon, that was a big step. But she didn't know if she could take any more rejection. She was just completely overwhelmed and overwrought.

What was she going to do? Still feeling undecided, she picked up her phone before she changed her mind.

xxxxx