Penny paced back and forth in 4A, waiting for Leonard to come out from Sheldon's room. When he exited, walking quietly she scrambled over to him. "Well?"
"He must have finally drifted off for a bit. That noise was his phone hitting the ground. It must have fallen from his hand. I found it lying next to the bed."
"Oh, well at least Sheldon isn't hurt. Poor guy, he's been up for like 20 hours trying to find her."
"Yeah, he's exhausted. Do you think we should call his mother?"
"I don't know. We don't know anything yet. I feel like…" Penny was interrupted by her ringtone. She grabbed at her phone, exclaiming as she answered, "Thank God! Amy?!" Leonard moved quickly to her side.
"Hi Penny, it's me, Amy."
"Ames! Are you ok? We've been so worried! Where are you? What happened? Why did you just leave?" Penny's questions poured out one after the other in one quick jumble of words. Sitting down in a huff on the couch, Penny motioned to Leonard. He sat, his head leaning in to listen to the conversation.
"I'm ok. I'm at the Belshire Hotel in Pasadena. I realize you're all worried and you deserve to know where I am. I'm so sorry but I didn't know what else to do. I had to get away from the apartment and from Sheldon, and from… everything. And I thought… I thought…you and Bernadette, and the guys, you're all Sheldon's friends. And I couldn't see him. But then I realized how scared you must all be and I started to think things through. It's all been so much to think about. I don't know where to start." Amy's voiced drifted off, and Penny could hear her exhaustion in her tone.
"Amy, just slow down. You're my best friend and I want to help. Walk me through what happened. Start at the beginning."
"The beginning? Where's the beginning? How many years ago?" Amy's frustration was clear. "I guess I'll start after the earthquake when I was staying with Sheldon. He was taking such good care of me, Bestie. He was so careful with me, so sweet. And I had a night terror, and he stayed with me to keep me calm. I felt… special. And I…. I woke up with his arms around me. His arms, Penny! Sheldon was holding me! And then he was kissing me and I was kissing him and we… we were nearly intimate, but that's when you burst in with Leonard to announce your engagement."
"I KNEW IT! Sorry, sorry, keep going, I'm listening," Penny interrupted exuberantly.
"It's ok… Then there were the long looks, the shower, and the touches… and everything seemed to be in this extended dream-state, all so perfect. Then the party, and then… Sheldon and I were….we… you know…."
"Yeah, I know," Penny stated when Amy's embarrassment was clear in her voice. "How was everything?"
"Bestie, it was… It was everything to me! But now I'm scared. I don't think it meant as much to him. He doesn't love me enough to start a life with me. Or maybe he does? I don't know! I'm so confused. Leonard told him - I'm sure you already know- that Leonard told him about moving in with you. Leonard even suggested that Sheldon and I move-in together. All my dreams felt like they were coming true for a second, but then? Then Sheldon went ballistic. He said he couldn't live with me. He and Leonard stormed over to your apartment, so you must know the rest. But how could he still not even consider me as his roommate? Penny, what's wrong with me? Why aren't I enough for him? How could he… how could we.. and he's still unsure about our future? He's rejecting me again! I heard him, Penny, I heard everything. I was in the hallway the whole time! I heard him say he couldn't live with me, me specifically, by name!" Amy's voice kept rising incrementally until she was nearly shouting at the end, her tone full of panic.
"Amy, hold on, sweetie, just hold on. You don't have all the information. I think you and Sheldon need to talk. I can't speak for him, but… I know you are jumping to conclusions, Ames. You know Sheldon as well as I do, better really, and you know he couldn't have had sex with you if he didn't love you."
"He loves me, Penny. I know that. I just don't know if he loves me enough. Or if he even can. I don't know if my love for him is enough to make it work. And I don't know if I can settle for less than … everything."
"Amy, please, won't you at least talk to him? Give him a chance to answer your questions and explain himself and his actions? You won't be sorry, I promise. I've never lied to you, Sweetie, and I'm on your side, no matter what… I'm here. But you have to at least hear him out. Let me tell him where you are."
"No, but I'll…. " Amy's voice was interrupted with a deafening crash and her startled yelp before the line cut out.
"Ames! Amy?!" Penny called frantically into the phone, fear in her voice. She knew it was useless. The phone line had gone dead, and suddenly the apartment was plunged into darkness as everything around them shook violently.
"It's another earthquake!" Leonard called, reaching for her hand to pull her closer to him on the couch. Within what seemed an eternity, but was really only a moment, the shaking came to a stop as quickly as it had begun. "Are you ok?" Leonard asked Penny, who was visibly frightened.
"Another one. It was definitely stronger this time!"
"Yeah, it was. Better check on Sheldon."
"And what about Amy? What was that crash before the line cut out!" Penny stood up, moving frantically toward Sheldon's room. They nearly collided as Sheldon came careening down the hallway.
"Leonard?! Penny?! Are you ok? That earthquake was rougher than the last one or the following aftershocks. My room is in total disarray. Comic books everywhere!" Sheldon said, matter-of-factly, looking sorrowful.
"Sheldon," Penny began, before Sheldon continued his diatribe, interrupting her.
He moved further into the room as Penny moved to Leonard's side, "My phone line went dead when I was talking to the Baymont Hotel. The satellite must be down. I.. I can't find her." He looked down at the ground, clearly shaken, not by the earthquake, but by his fear for Amy.
"Sheldon! We were talking to Amy!" Leonard burst out before Sheldon could continue.
"You were? Why didn't you come and get me? Is she ok? Where is she? Take me to her, Leonard." Sheldon was already moving toward his desk chair, reaching for his windbreaker.
"Listen, Sheldon, she's at the Belshire. We didn't have a chance to come and get you because we were interrupted by the earthquake. I heard her call out and the phone went dead." Penny started.
What little color Sheldon had regained in his cheeks from the adrenaline of the quake was lost as he blanched. "What do you mean she called out? Think woman, tell me exactly what you heard, and when."
"I mean, there was a crash, and then.. she called out, sounding scared, and then the line went dead and the tremors started."
Moving toward the door, Sheldon called over his shoulder, "Leonard, quick, get your keys. Take me to Amy, now. I must know she's ok." Standing quickly, Leonard hurried to the door, grabbing his keys from the bowl. Penny leaped from the couch.
"I'm coming, too," and they quickly left the apartment and made their way to the street. Everything was in chaos, and the streets were packed, but the determined trio set off into the brink, on a mission to get to their friend.
