Title: "The Neurobiologist's Evanescence" - Chapter 16
Author's Note: Still Day 12. :) I have been DYING to post this for you all. It's a long one. Enjooooy! :D
Sheldon was standing in the waiting room, staring out the emergency bay windows, with his arms folded around himself. It was a quiet evening. There weren't many cars driving by, or cars in the parking lot, or people milling about. There were just a couple other people in the waiting room besides him and his friends.
The quiet was good for his soul. It allowed his brain to focus and wander, all at the same time. It soothed him, and though he was anxious to see Amy, the urgency of the last twelve days seemed to have lifted. It was calming, just knowing she was in the same building as him, separated by only a few walls.
He knew where she was. And he knew she was safe.
"Sheldon?"
"Hmm?" He turned to find Detective Brennan had come back into the waiting room.
Penny and Leonard straightened in their seats, directing their attention to the detective.
"How is she?" Sheldon asked, as he walked up to Brennan.
"She's okay. Things are calming down now. They're almost done stitching up her arm. She is chomping at the bit to see you, though." Brennan smiled at him. "She asked me to come get you."
Sheldon smiled widely and looked over at his friends. They grinned back at him.
"Go!" Penny exclaimed. "Tell her we're here and we love her."
He rubbed his suddenly sweaty palms against his pants. "I will."
"This way," Brennan said and turned to lead him through the double doors. They passed the nurses' station and walked down a hallway containing multiple examining rooms. "She's at the end." The detective stopped and briefly placed her hand on his arm. "She's in room twelve." She pointed towards the room. "I'm going to give you two some privacy… Remember, tread gently."
Sheldon nodded. "Thank you," he whispered.
She smiled and nodded her head slightly, before turning and walking back the way they had come.
Sheldon paused, then took a long, deep breath. He was suddenly incredibly nervous. He didn't know what to expect. He thought Amy would be happy to see him, but how would she look? How would she act? Detective Brennan said they had a long road ahead of them. What all did that entail?
He blew out another breath, wiped his hands against his thighs again, and walked towards room twelve. Her room was separated from the hallway by two thick sliding glass doors, one of which was open. There was a yellow curtain behind the glass and when he stopped outside the room, he realized the curtain wasn't completely closed. And then his throat seized up when she came into view.
She was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown with some sort of black pants on underneath it. He had never seen her wear anything like them before. Her hair was up in a very messy ponytail which he found confusing and adorable, all at the same time. She had lost a little weight and she looked even more pale than usual. She looked so young and yet… tired. Like she'd lived a whole lifetime in just twelve days.
Then her head tilted slightly toward the light, and he nearly gasped when he saw the old, yellowing bruises on her face. Anger sliced through him suddenly and he clenched his hands into fists, wishing they could wrap around Kripke's neck instead.
He could kill him. He wanted to kill him.
Instead, he took a deep, calming breath and stepped forward towards the open curtain of her room. His motion must have attracted her attention, because she looked up and caught sight of him.
Their gazes met and held, a thousand words passing silently between them.
Then Amy's chin trembled and her eyes filled with tears and he was rushing through the door before he even made the conscious decision to do so.
The resident who was wrapping up Amy's arm saw Sheldon coming and quickly placed one last piece of medical tape, before scooting her rolling chair back and out of the way. Neither Amy nor Sheldon noticed her leave the room and quietly close the curtain and the door behind her.
He paused a foot in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Sheldon." Her voice shook.
And then he scooped her into his arms, wrapping her up tightly against him. She wound her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. He held the back of her head in one hand, his other arm crossed over her back, essentially curled around her. He ducked his head down, pressing his cheek against hers, his nose buried in her hair.
"Amy," he sighed.
They rocked together, swaying slightly back and forth. She trembled against him and he tightened his hold on her even further. And then she sobbed. Her fingers dug into his back, clenching fistfuls of his shirt, as she let everything she'd held inside of her for the last twelve days come pouring out in a torrent of emotions.
He simply held her, silent tears slipping down his own cheeks, and he thanked the universe and his mother's deity and anything and everyone else he could think of for bringing this woman back to him. And he knew… Something told him in that moment, that even though they had a long road ahead of them, they were going to be okay. Everything was going to be all right.
Amy turned her face toward his shoulder, sucking in a deep breath of fresh air, as she tried to calm herself from the flood of emotion. She knew he was probably getting annoyed with her big feelings and uncomfortable from holding her for so long and she didn't want to run him off. She needed him to stay.
Amy finally settled herself enough to pull back and look up at his face, and she instantly realized she was very, very wrong. She couldn't believe the tears she saw shining in his eyes and dampening his cheeks. And his expression… The love and affection, the relief and happiness, it was all right there… written clearly across his features.
His hands slid up to cradle her face and she circled her fingers around his wrists, holding onto him. Their eyes searched each other's and she saw the silent question in his. In answer, she pushed up on her toes, pressing her lips gently against his as her eyes closed, eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks.
Their kiss was soft and tender, gentle yet eager, and lasted for just the right amount of time, before she slowly rocked back onto her heels, pulling away from him ever so slightly. He dipped his head, leaning his forehead against hers as he sighed softly.
"That was even better than I daydreamed," Amy whispered.
"Hmm?" He murmured.
"Thinking about this moment, our reunion, got me through a lot of difficult moments… and boredom."
He chuckled slightly and pulled her to him again, before pressing his lips to the crown of her head. "I missed you," he said.
Her heart skipped at his admission. "I missed you, too," she replied.
"I love you."
She smiled into his t-shirt. "I love you, too."
He pulled back to look at her. "You have no idea how relieved I am to be standing here, holding you in my arms, all in one piece."
Amy ducked her head shyly and smiled. "I think I have a pretty good understanding of how good that feels."
He grinned at her and then tugged her into his chest yet again. He squeezed her tightly, then lifted her up off the ground, swaying her slightly back and forth. Amy giggled, delighted by his behavior.
"Sheldon... put me down."
"Nope." He nuzzled into her neck. "I won't do it."
"What's a girl to do?" She whispered and wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, letting herself enjoy the unusually affectionate behavior of her boyfriend.
After a few moments, he placed her back on the ground, then pulled back to look at her. "Do you get to go home tonight?"
Amy frowned, then sighed, coming back to reality. "No." She reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face. "I'm dehydrated and slightly anemic. My electrolytes are out of whack, so they want me to stay and give me fluids. Plus, they want to do some x-rays."
"X-rays?" He asked with concern.
"Yeah. My face and my knee."
Sheldon reached up and brushed his thumb gently over the skin beneath her bruise. "He hit you?" Sheldon whispered.
She nodded, barely able to meet his gaze.
"What's wrong with your knee?" He finally was able to ask her after the anger boiling inside of him dissipated a little.
She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled up her pant leg to reveal a slightly swollen and very bruised knee. He sucked in a breath and met her gaze.
"It looks worse than it feels." Amy shrugged. "I think it's just bruised. I can walk on it."
"How?" He asked quietly.
"I fell."
"Hmm," Sheldon hummed. He had a feeling that wasn't the full story, but he didn't press her. He knew there would be plenty of time for him to find out what all had happened to her. For tonight, he just wanted to exist in the same space as her.
"By the way, Leonard and Penny are in the waiting room. Penny told me to tell you that they love you."
Amy smiled. "Aww. That's nice of them."
"Do you want to see them?"
"Not yet. Soon, but not yet."
Sheldon found a folding chair propped against the wall in the corner and he unfolded it to sit next to the bed.
"Are your parents coming?" He asked.
"I'm not sure. Brennan said she would contact them, but I never heard whether she got ahold of them or not."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Amy said, "Come in."
"Hi." A young man, probably in his early twenties, slipped into the room. "I'm Lance, from transport. It's time to take you upstairs to your room."
"Oh, okay." Amy stood, noticing the wheelchair just behind him in the hall. "Can I walk?"
"Well, we would really prefer that you didn't. It's just for safety's sake. We don't want you getting hurt before you even make it upstairs." He smiled.
Amy sighed. She was getting tired of doing what everyone else wanted her to do. She opened her mouth to argue with him, but stopped when Sheldon took her elbow in hand.
"Your knee is all banged up. I'll push you, if you want," he said with a sweet smile.
Amy rolled her eyes. "Fine." She grabbed her purse, then walked to the wheelchair and sat down with an annoyed huff.
"Do you have any other belongings you need to bring?" Lance asked.
Amy shook her head. "No, this is it." She patted her purse. She didn't want the t-shirt or hoodie she had been wearing. They could burn them for all she cared.
"All right, I'll lead the way. Follow me," he said to Sheldon, who grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and started to push.
"Wait," Amy said. She turned to look at Sheldon. "Detective Brennan. Does she know where I'm going?"
"Yes, I do," Brennan replied as she walked around the corner. "I asked them to wait for me, but apparently they didn't get the memo."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lance said. "No one informed me that I needed to wait on anyone."
Brennan rolled her eyes. "Of course they didn't," she muttered. "It's fine, I'm here now. Let's go."
The four of them headed for the elevators.
Thirty minutes later, Amy was settled in her new room, hooked up to IV fluids. The first thing she'd asked the nurse was if she would be able to walk and move around with the IV. The nurse showed her how to move the IV pole around safely, and Amy immediately got up and went to sit in a chair beside the bed. Sheldon was next to her in his own chair.
"I'll be back to check on you. If you need anything, just press the call button."
"Thank you," Amy replied and then she and Sheldon were alone again.
"Can you call Penny for me?" Amy asked.
"Sure. What do you need?"
"I need some clothes. For tomorrow."
"I can get them—"
"No. Don't... don't go." Amy paused, her green eyes pleading with him. "Please."
He smiled softly at her. "Okay." He got out his cell phone and dialed Penny's number, then handed the phone to Amy.
"Hey Sheldon. How's Amy?" Penny answered the phone.
Amy smiled. "Hey bestie. I'm doing all right."
"Oh, Ames!" Penny started to cry. "I'm so glad you're okay. We've all been so worried about you. We've missed you so much."
Tears glistened in Amy's eyes. "I missed you all, too," she whispered. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Anything. What do you need?"
"Can you and Leonard find a Wal-Mart and go get me some clothes? I'll pay you back."
"Sure."
"And Penny, I'm talking comfy clothes. I don't need to look pretty."
"Oh, Ames, you're taking all the fun out of it," Penny pretended to whine.
Amy chuckled. "I just need some sweats, underwear, and a sports bra. Nothing fancy. Oh, and a pair of shoes. I don't care what you get, just something I can make it home in. You know my sizes."
"You got it."
"When you're done, bring them up to 3 West. I'm in room 352."
"Okay!" Penny exclaimed, glad she would get to lay eyes on her bestie at some point that evening. "We'll see you soon."
Sheldon motioned for the phone.
"Penny, Sheldon wants to speak with you."
She handed him the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey."
"Can you update everyone at home on what's going on?" He asked.
"Already done, boss."
Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Thank you."
"Take care of our girl. See you soon."
"Okay, bye," Sheldon said and hung up his cell phone and stuck it back in his pocket. Then he reached for Amy's hand.
She hesitated, unsure of herself around this affectionate version of her boyfriend. His large, warm hand enveloped hers and she sighed softly, allowing herself to relax.
Suddenly, they heard voices in the hallway and they both looked up towards the door, just in time to see Mr. and Mrs. Fowler burst into the room.
As soon as Mrs. Fowler saw her daughter, tears filled her eyes. "Oh, Amy." Then she was rushing over and enveloping Amy in a tight hug. Amy let go of Sheldon's hand to return her mother's embrace.
Sheldon shifted in his seat. "I'll go on out, give you some priv—"
Amy stopped him by gripping his forearm. "Please stay."
"You're not going anywhere, mister!" Mrs. Fowler said. "I have to give you a big hug for rescuing my Amy." She pulled back and then leaned over to embrace Sheldon. He looked at Amy over her mother's shoulder with wide eyes, then patted the woman's shoulder awkwardly.
"Rescuing me?" Amy asked in confusion.
"You don't know?" Mrs. Fowler pulled back to look at the two of them. "Detective Brennan said they never would have found you this quickly if it wasn't for Sheldon here." She gave his cheek a gentle pat. "He told them it was that awful Barry Kripke."
"You did?" Amy asked in surprise, meeting Sheldon's gaze.
He shrugged with a smile. "Yeah."
"How?"
"Larry, go on out and find us some chairs," Mrs. Fowler ordered her husband.
He rolled his eyes. "After I hug my daughter," he replied.
She huffed and moved out of his way. He stepped forward and leaned down to hug Amy. "Hey there, Peach."
"Hi Daddy."
He pulled back to look at her bruised face. "You all right?" He asked softly.
Amy shrugged awkwardly. "I'm okay."
"Peach?" Sheldon asked curiously.
Larry opened his mouth to tell the story, but Mrs. Fowler cut him off. "Amy's favorite food as a baby was peaches. She went crazy for them. For some odd reason, my husband still calls her that." She rolled her eyes as if it was all ridiculous. Then she waved her hand at the door and gave her husband an expectant stare. He sighed and turned to leave the room.
Amy turned back to Sheldon. "How did you figure out it was Kripke?"
"Well, it started when I was interviewing all the suspects."
Amy's brows drew together in question. "Interviewing suspects?"
"Detective Castle had me write him a list of everyone from Caltech that you knew. I added a few names from our personal circle and then I went and interviewed everyone."
"Sheldon, I..." She stopped. She didn't know what to say.
"Statistically speaking, I knew it was probably someone from Caltech. It was too convenient. Your parking spot being stolen. The camera in the back lot not working. The fact that you knew who they were."
"How did you know I knew who it was?"
"From the other parking lot footage. When you were heading to your car, you suddenly tensed up and reached into your purse. I figured you were either reaching for your cell phone or your mace but then you relaxed and kept walking towards whoever it was."
"It was his voice," Amy said softly. "He was wearing a hoodie, but then he called out to me and I recognized his voice."
Sheldon nodded. "My gut said it was a Caltech employee and he was the only one who acted odd when interviewed. You know I'm not good at reading people, but there was something off about him that day. I put him at the top of my list, but I didn't really have anything else to go on."
Amy listened to him in disbelief. She was surprised that Sheldon had gone around interviewing suspects. Did he not work?
"When did you have time to do all that?" Amy asked.
"Oh, I had plenty of time. I haven't worked since you disappeared. You know I have plenty of PTO hours."
"But, Sheldon... You put your life on hold for me..." She couldn't believe he would walk away from science that long.
He looked at her strangely. "Of course I did."
"Don't fight it, Amy. You've got yourself a good one here," Mrs. Fowler said, patting Sheldon happily on his shoulder, just as Larry came back in carrying two folding chairs. "Took you long enough," she said to her husband.
He rolled his eyes again and handed her a chair. She unfolded it and sat next to her daughter, then turned towards Sheldon. "So how did you figure out it was him?"
"Well, Mrs. Fowler—"
"Please... Call me Kathy," she replied with a smile.
Sheldon swallowed. "Okay, Kathy... On the sixth day, I was getting aggravated that I couldn't figure out what to do next after I had finished up the interviews. I needed guidance, so Leonard and I went to Vroman's Bookstore—"
"I knew it!" Amy exclaimed.
He turned to look at her. "Knew what?"
"Barry brought me books on the sixth night. The bag was from Vroman's. He told me you were outside the sushi restaurant. That Leonard was trying to convince you to try sushi. He said you must not care about me being gone, because you were just out getting dinner."
"You didn't believe him?" Sheldon interrupted.
"No, of course not. I know you would never eat sushi."
Sheldon frowned at her. "That's not what I meant."
Amy glanced down at her hands, a little ashamed. "No... I... Not really. After I saw the bag from Vroman's, I had hoped you had spotted him there and then followed him to Mizu. He had told me before that he saw you with the police, so I knew you were looking for me."
Sheldon tilted his head, but didn't respond. That didn't sound very convincing, but he let it go. He remembered Detective Brennan's words about treading gently and he definitely didn't want to get into that kind of discussion in front of Amy's mother. Especially now that the woman actually liked him.
"Kripke came in to the bookstore," Sheldon continued. "I heard him before he spotted us, so we hid from him, and then I watched him to see what he bought. When he bought the Little House on the Prairie box set, I knew."
Kathy gasped.
Sheldon ignored her and smiled softly at Amy. "That's also when I knew you were still alive. To say I was relieved would be an understatement." Amy reached for his hand and they squeezed each other's fingers gently.
"As you guessed, we followed him to Mizu, and we were going to try to follow him after that, but he saw us. After he left, I called the restaurant to see what he ordered. He got your favorite roll and another avocado-free roll."
Amy smiled, her eyes shining softly with tears. He knew her so well. He did listen.
"After that, I was one hundred percent certain he was the one who took you... I just had to find some proof to give to the cops. So, the next day, I followed him."
This time it was Amy who gasped. "That was you?"
"Yes."
"But how? You don't drive."
Sheldon smiled sheepishly. "I actually got my license a couple months ago."
"What? You never told me!"
"I went on a bit of a license kick. I got it more for that reason... not because I actually wanted to drive."
"And then you followed him? You drove?"
"Yes."
"Sheldon, I can't... believe that." She was dumbfounded... that he would do that for her; put himself through something that scared him, something he hated... just to find her?
He brushed his thumb across her knuckles. "I would have done anything to find you," he murmured.
Amy made a face, a mixture of love and disbelief, then she leaned in and placed her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.
He stroked his free hand down the side of her face and into her hair, holding her for just a moment. "I'm sure he told you I lost him on the interstate."
Amy's head swung back up. "You drove on the highway?" Her eyes were wide and round in shock.
Sheldon chuckled. "I did. Once I got back to Pasadena, I threw up."
Amy laughed. "Sheldon."
"I still didn't have any proof for Castle and Brennan, so I had to... break some rules to find something."
"Oh no, what did you do?" Amy asked, worried that he had compromised himself for her.
"I hacked into his bank account." Sheldon didn't mention Howard's role in the matter. He would tell Amy that, privately, at a later time.
"Oh my," Kathy whispered. Amy could tell she was impressed.
"That's... strictly confidential," Sheldon said. "I gave the information to the police, but it was all hypothetical. I would never do such a thing," he said with a wink.
"My lips are sealed," Kathy said. Larry nodded in agreement and mimed zipping his lips. "You saved my baby. There's no way you're going to jail," she said resolutely.
"What did you see in his bank account?" Amy asked curiously.
"His spending on gasoline had increased over the last six months. He had also increased the amount of cash he withdrew from ATM's. And his food spending doubled the week you first went missing."
Amy shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you did all that."
"I would have done more but the cops made me realize that if Kripke caught on to me, he might hurt you. Or he might come after me, which would pull the cops' attention from you. I didn't want either of those things to happen."
"Sheldon." She couldn't believe how unselfish he had been in his pursuit to find her. She desperately needed some time to process it all.
"Well, I, for one, am very grateful to you for figuring out who had my daughter and helping bring her back," Kathy said.
Amy turned to look at her mother, who was raising her eyebrows. Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to Sheldon.
"Yes, Sheldon, thank you."
He searched her eyes and shrugged. Didn't she know? Didn't she know that he would have crawled through Hell and back to bring her home? "I must admit, my intentions were entirely selfish. I need you here with me," he murmured.
Amy desperately wanted to kiss him, but she knew it would only embarrass all four of them, so she resisted. Later, she promised herself. She squeezed his hand tightly instead.
"So, what did that bastard do to you?" Kathy asked suddenly, interrupting the sweet moment between the couple.
Amy startled and Sheldon's eyes went wide in surprise.
"Mother, I... Can we just table this conversation for another time? I literally just got rescued a few hours ago. I'm not ready to rehash all the dirty details of my abduction."
Kathy raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "Okay, darling, if that's how you feel, we'll leave it for now."
"If you'll excuse me, I need to use the facilities," Amy said and stood up. She grabbed her IV pole and pulled it behind her.
"Do you need any help?" Kathy asked.
"No, Mother, I am perfectly capable of urinating on my own."
Kathy scoffed. "I'm just trying to be helpful, Amy. You don't have to bite my head off like that."
Amy turned from the doorway of the bathroom. "I'm sorry, Mother. I'm just a little on edge." Then she turned and closed the door behind her.
"She's testy."
"She's been through a lot," Sheldon said quietly.
"Did she tell you anything?" Kathy demanded.
"I didn't ask."
"You didn't ask?" She huffed. "I think I deserve to know what my baby went through."
"She's not our baby, anymore," Larry said. "She's a grown woman who just went through a traumatic experience. Cut her some slack."
"Oh, hush, Larry."
"Just give her some time," Sheldon said. "I'm sure she'll fill you in at some point."
"Have you heard if they've found the guy yet?" Larry asked.
"No, I haven't heard."
"I can't believe he got away," Kathy said.
"Yeah," Sheldon replied. He didn't want to think about it. Not yet. He just wanted to be there for Amy. He would worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, she was safe.
Amy opened the door of the bathroom and walked back into the room. She moved towards the chair between her mother and Sheldon.
"Why don't you lay down, honey?" Kathy suggested.
"No, the chair is fine."
"Well, don't you think you'd be more comfortable in the bed?"
"It's a hospital bed, Mother. It's not exactly luxurious."
"Yes, but you must be tired..."
"I'm fine!" Amy snapped. Then she sat down in the chair with a huff. "I'm sorry, it's just..." She swallowed hard. "I've been stuck on a mattress for the last twelve days, chained to a wall. So, no, I don't want to lay down right now."
Kathy gasped and Larry's and Sheldon's jaws dropped.
"Oh, Amy... I'm sorry. I... shouldn't have pushed you. I don't know how to act right now... This is uncharted territory for me, too."
Amy got tangled up in the tubing of her IV and started fighting it. "Stupid... thing..." She muttered, yanking and tugging on all the wires and tubes.
Sheldon wrapped his warm hand around hers. "Let me help." He was worried she was going to yank the IV straight out of her arm.
"I hate this," she moaned out, as angry tears filled her eyes. "I've been chained up for twelve days and now I'm chained to this stupid thing." She started to panic, her breath coming faster and harder.
Sheldon quickly untangled her tubing, then placed his hands on her knees, waiting until her eyes met his before he spoke. "Remember what SoccerMom09 said? The breathing?"
Amy nodded and watched as Sheldon took a deep breath in through his nose, then out through his mouth. She joined him on the next one, eyes focused on his. They did that for four more breaths, gazes never wavering from each other.
"Better?" He whispered.
She nodded. "Thank you," she murmured.
He reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair off her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. "You're welcome."
Amy turned back to her parents. "I'm sorry. It's just... been a lot."
"You don't have to apologize to us," Larry said.
Kathy patted Amy on the knee. "I'm sorry, too." Then she turned and looked back at her husband. "I think it's about time we took our leave, don't you think, Larry?"
He nodded and stood up.
"You don't have to go," Amy said weakly.
Kathy stood, as well, then turned back to Amy. "I think you're in very good hands." She smiled at Sheldon.
Larry leaned over the foot of the bed, reaching his hand out for Sheldon's. He took it and Amy's father pumped his hand up and down. "Take care of our girl."
Sheldon nodded. "I will."
"Don't be a stranger," Kathy said quietly to Amy.
"I'll come visit later this week. I promise," Amy replied.
Kathy leaned down for a quick hug. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Mom."
"Love you, Peach," Larry called out as they headed towards the door.
"Love you, Daddy."
And then they were gone.
Amy slumped back into the chair and let out a shuddering sigh.
"You okay?" Sheldon asked quietly.
She nodded. "Yeah... She's just a lot... on a normal day."
"And this is definitely not a normal day," Sheldon said and took her hand again.
She met his gaze. "No. It isn't."
"Penny and Leonard are almost here. They just texted. Do you want me to send them home?" He could tell she was exhausted.
Amy straightened in her seat. "No. I want the clothes and I'd like to see them."
"If you get tired, just give me a signal, and I'll ask them to go."
Amy smiled sweetly and tapped the side of her nose. "Like this?"
He grinned back at her. "That works."
"Sheldon?"
"Yes?"
"You really did all that? Following Kripke and hacking his bank account?"
"Why would I lie?" He asked in confusion.
"No, it's not that... I just... You... compromised your safety and your rules... for me."
"And I'd do it again." He paused, leaning forward. "I've had a lot of time to think these last couple of weeks and I've—"
There was a knock at the door, interrupting him.
"Come in," Amy called out.
The door opened and Penny poked her head in. "Hey," she said quietly, as if she was afraid to spook Amy. She pushed open the door and walked in slowly, with a timid-looking Leonard following closely behind.
"Hi guys," Amy said. She stood up and Penny rushed over, dumping the Wal-Mart bags on the bed. She reached for Amy, then hesitated.
"Can I hug you?"
Amy chuckled. "Yes. Please do."
Penny enveloped her in a tight, excited hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried sick!" She pulled back and studied Amy's face. "He got you good, huh?" She asked, motioning to the bruise.
"Penny!" Leonard exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, it just... pisses me off. Amy, will you come to one of my kickboxing classes with me sometime? We can do one of those self-defense classes, too. What do ya say?"
"Sure." Amy nodded. "Yeah. That might feel good." She smiled.
"Damn straight! We'll get Bernie to go, too. Make it our new thing."
"I'd like that," Amy said honestly. It would feel good to be back with her friends again.
Penny stepped back and Leonard came forward, giving Amy an awkward hug. "I'm glad you're back." He stepped back and smiled at her. "I can't handle this one without you around." He motioned to Sheldon, who just shrugged. "There for a minute, I was worried we were going to have another cat situation on our hands."
Sheldon grinned. "I was tempted. I miss Zazzles."
They all smiled at each other, happy to be back together again.
"So, I got you the clothes you wanted and a few other things. If you don't want them, that's okay, I don't even have to know." She dumped the bags out on the bed. "I got you some travel shampoo, conditioner, and soap. I didn't know if they had any here for you. A hair brush… And I got you a cute little travel toothbrush and toothpaste," Penny said, holding up the items. "And a little bit of make-up. Just in case you want to put some on tomorrow. Nothing major." She shrugged. "I just want you to feel like your normal self."
"Thank you, Penny. I really appreciate it."
"And of course, I got you the clothes you asked for. Nothing fancy. Just sweats. I picked out colors I thought you might like. Bright and happy colors."
Amy grinned. "You know me well."
"Oh, and the shoes… I just got you some slip on clog things. They're cute, but also functional."
Amy giggled. "You're the best."
Penny flipped her hair. "I know."
"How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing. I got it."
"Penny—"
"Seriously, Ames. Let me do this for you. I know it's just a small thing, but…" She shrugged. "I couldn't do anything for you… before… But this, I can do… and it will make me feel better."
"Okay." Amy smiled again. "Thank you."
"Well, we aren't going to stay long. It's getting late and I'm sure you need some rest. Do you know when you'll be discharged?"
"Hopefully tomorrow," Amy said. "Once they get these fluids in me, there's not much left to do, really. Other than the x-rays they want to get. I think they are mainly just keeping me for observation to make sure there's no underlying problems."
"We'll come back tomorrow to pick you guys up," Leonard said. Sheldon and Amy shared an awkward glance and didn't respond immediately. They hadn't talked about his plans for the night yet.
"Can you bring me some clean clothes?" Sheldon finally asked, hoping Amy wouldn't mind if he stayed. He certainly didn't want to leave her.
Leonard nodded. "Of course."
"Oh, Sheldon, I got you a toothbrush, too. I know you hate going to bed with dirty teeth," Penny said, making Sheldon smile.
"Thank you."
"We'll be back in the morning, but call us if you need anything beforehand, and we'll come right back," Penny assured them.
"Thank you," Amy said. "Really. I'm so glad you're my friends."
Penny smiled. "And we are so glad you are back!" She went back over to give Amy another quick squeeze. "Call or text if you need anything."
"Will do," Sheldon replied.
Penny and Leonard walked toward the door, before turning around to wave briefly and then slipping out. Amy immediately sagged, drained of all her energy.
"Amy?" Sheldon asked, standing up quickly next to her. She reached for him, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling into his chest. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly as he held her close.
"Yeah. Just tired."
He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "Do you want me to go? I can call Penny and Leonard back—"
"No." Amy cut him off quickly, shaking her head. "I don't know what the visiting hours are, but I don't care. You're staying." Then she looked up at him. "If that's okay with you…"
"Of course it's okay with me. If it wasn't okay with you, I was planning on sitting outside the door in the hallway with the cops, anyway."
Amy grinned. "Well, if you'd rather spend time with them…"
"No. No, thank you," he said quickly and leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. "I'm right where I need to be." He cupped her face in his hand, rubbing his thumb across her un-bruised cheek. "I love you."
She rocked up on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to his. It was quick, just a chaste kiss, but it conveyed what she needed it to. "I love you, too."
She sighed and pulled back from him. "I… want… to take a shower."
Sheldon nodded, as if that were perfectly normal. "Okay."
"But…" She hesitated, looking down at the ground.
"What's wrong?"
Amy frowned, then bit her lower lip. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were shining with tears. "This is going to sound silly, but… I'm afraid."
Sheldon's brows furrowed together. "Afraid?"
She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Um… I've only had one shower in the last twelve days."
Sheldon waited for her to continue, but she didn't. "Okay?"
"He kept me in a bomb shelter, and um, there was a utility sink down there. On Day Six, I asked him to bring me some soap and shampoo so I could wash up, but… instead, the next day, he took me into the house."
Sheldon ran his hand lightly down her arm as his stomach twisted into knots. He was terrified of what she was about to say. Day Seven was the day he'd followed Kripke. Had he pushed Kripke too far? Had Kripke hurt her because of what he had done? He gripped her hand tightly in his own.
"Amy, I…" He shook his head, unable to formulate the words he wanted to say. Mostly because he didn't know what words he wanted to say. An apology didn't seem sufficient.
"He, um… Made me undress and… shower… in front of him."
Sheldon's stomach heaved. "I'm sorry." His voice shook.
She looked startled and met his gaze. "What? Why?"
"That was… That was the day I followed him. Did he… He did that to you, because of me."
"No, Sheldon… He already had the whole thing planned out. The only thing he changed, because you followed him, is what we had for dinner. The rest of it was already his plan. I asked him why he didn't just wait for another day and he told me it was because he had it planned for that day and wanted to go through with it. It was a trial run, he said. If I was 'good,' then he would let me come out of the bomb shelter more often."
"But—"
"No. Don't do this to yourself," she murmured, reaching up to cup his face in her hand. She tilted his head down towards hers. "You didn't do anything wrong. You saved me."
He closed his eyes, leaning into her hand. "I can't stand the thought of him hurting you because of me," he murmured.
Amy swallowed hard. She wasn't ready to tell him the rest about that night and she certainly wasn't ready to tell him the part he had played in it, by telling Kripke about their faux sex life. She was going to keep that bit to herself for now.
Sheldon opened his eyes and reached up to thread his fingers through hers, bringing their hands down to their waists. "You said you're scared to shower. What can I do to help?"
Amy bit her lip. She was torn. She didn't want anyone to watch her while she showered, not even Sheldon. But she also didn't want to be alone in the shower, in case she panicked. "Um... I think what I need is just for you to be close by, in case... in case I panic. But... I don't..."
"Want me to look?" He offered.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"How about I sit right outside, with my back to you. Where you can see me, but I can't see you."
Amy nodded. "Okay."
"Let's call the nurse and see what to do about your IV."
Twenty minutes later, Amy was standing in the bathroom alone, trying to gather up the courage to undress. Sheldon was just a few feet away, sitting on the floor with his back to her. She had everything she needed. The nurse had unhooked her from the IV pole. She had all of the supplies Penny had brought, plus a hospital provided washcloth and towel. Her hair was down and brushed. And yet, she was standing there, frozen in place and terrified.
"Are you okay?" Sheldon asked. He hadn't heard any movement from her.
"No," Amy croaked out.
"Can I turn around?"
"No, it's okay. I'm okay. I just... need a minute." She moved over to the wall and turned the water on to warm it up. She tried not to think of Kripke doing the same. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and took a deep breath, in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to calm herself. Then she reached for the bottom of the hospital gown with trembling fingers. She pulled it over her head, making sure to avoid her reflection in the mirror. She slipped out of the black pants Kripke had given her and threw them into the trash can. Her underwear followed.
Amy trembled. "Okay, I'm... naked. So don't turn around."
"I won't," he promised.
She slipped her glasses off and placed them with her clean clothes. Then she turned towards the water and took a deep breath.
She stepped under the hot spray and let out a sigh she didn't know she had been holding. It felt wonderful. She felt herself start to relax, little by little, as the warmth surrounded her. She could do this. The shower wasn't a thing to be feared... Kripke was.
"Amy?"
She startled. "Yeah?"
"Do you need me to talk or be quiet?"
She smiled at his caring question. "Either way, Sheldon."
"Okay."
She shampooed her hair, then turned around to rinse, desperately trying not to think of Kripke and his comment about her posterior. And then she wondered if Sheldon would like what he saw.
She shivered, despite the heat. He said he was distracted by you and all the freaky sex you were having, she remembered Kripke telling her.
Yeah, right, she thought. Sheldon probably wouldn't even notice I have an ass.
She shook herself out of her reverie, trying not to think about Kripke, and especially trying not to compare Sheldon to Kripke in any way. She had to keep it all separate, compartmentalized in her brain. None of this was Sheldon's fault. Kripke was the villain in this story.
"Still doing okay?" Sheldon called out to her.
"Yes, thank you."
She spent a long time in the shower, washing away all the dirt and grime from living in a bomb shelter, from wrestling on the ground, from being humiliated and tortured. When she was done, she was so clean she nearly squeaked.
She turned off the shower.
"All done?" Sheldon asked.
"Yes. Thank you for being so patient."
"You know how I value cleanliness," he said and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I probably would have been in there twice as long."
She chuckled. "I'm going to dry off and get dressed. Don't turn around."
"I won't." He hesitated. "You know, I would be a perfect gentleman. You don't have to hide from me."
Amy sighed. "I know, Sheldon. It's not... about that." She paused. "I just... don't want the first time you... see me like this to be tainted by what he did to me. He made everything so... dirty."
"Amy," Sheldon whispered. "Did he... Did he rape you?"
Her stomach dropped. She didn't answer him right away, trying to formulate the words in her mind.
"Amy?" She could see how tense he was, how much he was fighting turning around. She dressed quickly, so he could turn and see her face.
When she was finished, she walked over to him and ruffled her fingers through his hair. "You can turn around."
He did, but he didn't get up. He looked up at her, waiting, wondering why she wasn't answering him.
Amy sighed and looked away. "I guess... it depends on how you define rape," she murmured.
His face fell. "How... how do you define it?"
She swallowed. "There was never any... penetration. But..."
"He still sexually assaulted you."
She nodded. "Yes," she whispered. "It... it still feels... the same, at least, the way I imagine it would if..." She paused. "I feel violated and dirty and embarrassed and scared and angry."
"Oh, Amy." He leaned forward then, burying his face in her abdomen and wrapping his arms tightly around her hips. His breath hitched. "I'm so sorry."
She ran her fingers through his hair tenderly. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done."
He didn't believe that, but he didn't argue with her. His tears soaked her clean clothes as they held each other awkwardly in the doorway of the hospital bathroom. After a few moments, he pulled back and she helped him up off the floor. She wiped his face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt and smiled slightly.
"I need to brush my hair and my teeth."
"Okay," he said, but didn't let her go.
"Sheldon..."
He released her, but didn't step back. "Sorry, I just..." He hesitated and she turned to the sink, grabbing her hair brush. He stepped up behind her and met her gaze in the mirror. "I feel like I failed you. I... I've never considered myself to be manly. I never really cared about that. But I feel like I failed you as a man. Your man. I... I didn't keep you safe. And now I just..." He placed his hands on her hips, invading her space again.
She stopped brushing and leaned back against him, watching the emotions play over his face in the mirror as she listened, letting him say what he needed to say.
"I want to be touching you," he confessed and huffed out a breath. "It's funny, because I am not... you know I'm not touchy-feely. But it's like I need to know you are really here. With me. I just want to... I want to... bring you into me. Fuse myself to you. So you become a... a part of me... That way I can't lose you again."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, ignoring the chilly feeling of her wet hair against his cheek.
She put the brush down and laid her arms over his at her waist, watching him in the mirror with surprise. He never opened up to her about what he was feeling and to hear all this from him, it was... overwhelming.
She snuggled back into him, just allowing herself to feel his presence. After all, it was all she'd wanted over the last twelve days.
Amy realized then how deeply this had scarred both of them. She wasn't the only victim. They had a long road ahead of them. She only hoped they could survive it together.
Several minutes later, Amy stood at the foot of the bed, staring at it. Sheldon was finishing up in the bathroom.
A few minutes before, Detective Brennan had come in and told them she was heading home. She let them know there would be two officers posted outside Amy's room all night. She also requested that they come to the police station tomorrow after Amy was discharged for a formal interview. She told Amy that there would be officers following her everywhere for right now, since Kripke was still on the run.
Amy's stomach had twisted at that news, but she hadn't been surprised. It just figured that even though she was no longer locked up in the dungeon, she was still living in fear. Kripke still had his talons sunk into her.
Amy was startled out of her reverie when Sheldon exited the bathroom. She turned back to the bed and continued staring at it. Sheldon walked up to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "How is it possible to be afraid of a bed?" She made a face at herself. "It's stupid," she whispered and turned to him.
He wrapped his arms around her. "No, it's not. Not after what you've been through."
"I just want everything to go back to normal."
He sighed softly. "Me too."
"But it won't, will it?" She looked up at him. "Nothing will ever be the same again." Her voice was morose, which made his chest ache tightly.
"Maybe things will never be exactly the same, but... with time, things will probably go back to a similar version of normal." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "We'll get through this. We made it through the shower. Next, we'll tackle the bed."
She nestled into him. "You know what makes me sad?"
"What's that?" He asked quietly.
"Our first time spending the night together is under these circumstances."
He reached up to cup her face, pulling her back so he could see her. "It's not fair, is it?"
She shook her head.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I wish I had given you an opportunity before this. I'm sorry I was so... resistant to everything." He frowned. "After you... I hate that it took you disappearing for me to truly realize how much I need you in my life. Everything felt so... empty, without you."
Amy's eyes filled with tears.
"Not even science mattered to me. None of it, this life, is worth doing without you next to me."
"Sheldon," she whispered and closed her eyes, making twin tears slide down her cheeks.
"I promise I won't ever take you for granted again."
Amy opened her eyes and stared up at him, wishing he had said this to her before. Everything felt tainted now. It was like The Before was a whole separate world from The After. Even though she loved hearing those words from him, she wished he had come to that conclusion another way. That it hadn't taken her disappearing for him to realize how important she was to him.
She shook her head slightly, realizing he was waiting on her to respond. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to tell him that while his words made her happy, they also depressed her. So instead, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his gently.
They swayed together, their lips moving over each other's for a few moments, before Amy pulled back. She turned and looked at the bed, then glanced at the chairs.
"Maybe I should just sleep sitting up."
"Hmm," Sheldon murmured. "Let's try something else first."
"What do you suggest?"
He released her and moved over to the right side of the bed. He climbed in, then scooted all the way to the edge, before patting the spot next to him.
"Crap, I just remembered I need hooked back up to the IV." She frowned.
Sheldon leaned forward and pressed the call button.
"Hello. What can I do for you?" A nurse answered moments later.
"Amy is ready to be hooked back up to the IV," Sheldon said.
"Okay, I'll be back in a couple minutes."
"C'mon," Sheldon said, holding out his hand for her. "You're a strong, resilient woman, and I'm right here with you."
Amy slipped into the bed next to him, curling into his side. He propped his arm behind her head and she snuggled into him.
"Okay, not bad, Cuddles," she murmured with a sleepy smile.
"Yeah?"
"I certainly didn't have you to cuddle with when I was down in the bomb shelter. No matter how badly I wished you were there."
"I worried about you constantly. Wondering if you were cold or hungry or hurt. I had a hard time taking care of myself because it didn't feel fair."
Amy rubbed her cheek against his t-shirt. "Hmm," she hummed. She was so tired and he was so warm and his voice rumbled comfortingly under her ear. It didn't take her long to drift off to sleep, her fear long forgotten.
When the nurse came in, he motioned for her to be quiet with a finger to his lips. She nodded and quietly and efficiently hooked Amy back up to the IV without waking her. Then she left again, closing the door silently behind her.
Sheldon leaned his cheek against Amy's head and sighed. "I love you," he whispered and then drifted off to sleep himself.
End Note: I hope the Shamy reunion was everything you hoped for and MORE! :) I know they seemed pretty chummy in this chapter and I know we still have a lot of things to work through. I know a lot of you are wondering how things between them will shift when Amy tells Sheldon that Kripke told her about their fake sex life. Don't worry, we'll get there. Amy still has a lot to work through and there's going to be a lot of drama ahead.
On the show, we don't know Amy's mother's first name. I love Kathy Bates and I thought Kathy was a very appropriate name for Mrs. Fowler. She gives me Kathy vibes and it's a little homage to the actress herself. And it sounds good with Larry. :D
Also, the season 8 episode where Sheldon and Amy built a fort and had a sleepover hadn't happened yet in this timeline. Hence, them never having spent the night together. Just wanted to make that clear. :)
Let me know what you thought!