This one takes place before Amy & Max's car accident but after Amy & Sheldon talk about why he left and why he's hesitant to do the test.

"Hello, Amy," Sheldon answered his phone. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you until later this evening."

"It's me, Max," the six-year-old said into his mother's cell phone.

Sheldon set down the marker in his hand and turned away from the dry erase board he and Leonard had been working on. "Max, is everything okay? Did something happen?"

Sitting on the end of his bed, Max explained. "Momma showed me how to call you if something is wrong, so I'm calling you."

"What's wrong Max? Where's your mom? What's going on?"

"There's something wrong with momma. She keeps playing sad songs on her harp. I asked her if we could watch a movie and she said only if it makes her cry. I don't like when she cries, so I stole her phone and called you."

Already picking up his jacket and bag, Sheldon reassured the boy. "I'm leaving my apartment now. Do you want me to stay on the phone with you or will you be okay until I get there?"

"I think I'll be okay."

Leonard had been paying attention to Sheldon's side of the conversation, "What's going on? Is Amy okay? Do you want me to drive you?"

"That would be great," Sheldon agreed. "Max called because Amy's upset about something and he's worried about her. I guess she showed him how to call me if he needs help. I know she's been having a bad week at work; I'm guessing it's getting to her."

Twenty minutes later, Leonard dropped Sheldon off at Amy's apartment. Knowing Amy might not answer the door if he knocked, he went against his ritualistic knocking and used the key she had given him to let himself in. He found Amy sitting in the corner of the living room, playing the harp, just like Max had told him. "Hello, Amy," he greeted her. She turned her attention to him, but didn't say anything. "Max called me because he was worried about you."

Amy glanced at the small table next to the couch and saw her phone was no longer where she left it after returning from work. "Oh, I guess I did tell him to call you if there was ever a problem."

"I'm going to let Max know I'm here. I'll be back in a minute," he excused himself to Max's room, where he found the boy standing in the doorway.

"Sheldon! Do you know why momma's sad?"

Sheldon knelt down to be eye level with Max, "I don't know why she's sad. I just let her know that you called me and that's why I came over. Are you okay? Did your mom make you something for dinner?"

"Yeah, but she didn't eat anything. She just started playing her harp. I didn't know what to do, so I called you."

"Okay. Do you know what I do when someone is upset?" Sheldon asked, and was met with a shake of the head. "I make the person a hot beverage."

Max's eyes lit up, "Like hot chocolate?"

"Exactly like hot chocolate. Your mom prefers tea, though. Do you want to help me make her some tea to cheer her up?"

"Sure," Max started to exit his bedroom. "Why does that make them feel better?"

Smiling, Sheldon thought back to the first hot beverage he ever made for someone. "I've been doing this since I was about ten years old. I've found it's soothing, it helps calm them down. Because it's hot, the person has to drink it slowly, that gives them time to process what they're feeling and think about why they're feeling that way."

Max followed Sheldon into the kitchen, where he watched him fill the kettle with water and place it on the stove. Amy was looking on as Sheldon lifted Max to select a mug from the cabinet next to the refrigerator. She smiled when she saw Max play with the string on the teabag before placing it in the mug he had chosen. When the kettle whistled, Sheldon filled the mug with the hot water, while reminding Max that it was hot and explained the thermodynamics of the steam rising from the mug. "Here you go, but be careful," Sheldon reminded him as he passed Max the mug to bring to Amy.

Walking slowly across the living room to where Amy was still seated next to her harp, Max held the mug out to his mother. "We made you tea. Sheldon said it will help you feel better. Does it make you feel better?"

"Thank you," replied Amy as she took the mug. "I'm feeling better already. I promise no more harp tonight." Sipping the tea, she could feel Sheldon and Max watching her. "Max, I'm sorry for making you worry about me. You did the right thing by calling Sheldon to help you. Sheldon, thank you for dropping whatever you were doing and coming over tonight. I've been having a rough week and it's hitting me a little harder than usual."

"I don't like it when you're sad," Max moved from where he was standing next to Sheldon and hugged Amy.

Returning the hug, Amy suggested, "How about we watch a movie? You can pick whatever movie you want. I won't cry unless it really is a sad movie."

"So, no Toy Story 3?"

Sheldon shook his head, "Toy Story 3 probably isn't a good idea tonight. Maybe some other time."

Max chose a movie and put the DVD in the player on the shelf below the television. "Can we cuddle while we watch the movie?"

"That would make me feel even better than the tea," Amy nodded before turning to Sheldon. "Would you like to join us for the movie?" Sensing his hesitation, she quickly continued, "No cuddling required. Unless you want to."

"I'd love to."