Apologies for the delay. If you knew what was going on in my life, you'd understand… but I won't bore you with the details. :o) I would like to say, however, that I have this story about 90% written – so any delays in posting are simply lack of time for me to do my final pre-chapter tweaks and editing.

Since Shamy are together in this chapter for the first time since my story began (which I suppose is kind of odd, now that I think about it), you will see a bit of back and forth in the perspectives at some points. Please let me know if it's weird or if it works. This will help me with some final decisions in future chapters. I trust you to be honest with me!

Thank you, my lovely readers!

The Compatibility Equilibrium
Chapter Three: The Restoration Reaction

Amy's nerves were rattling and her heart thumping heavily in her chest as she passed by her parents' now-vacant apartment and approached her boyfriend's front door.

She'd decided to push all the negative thoughts from girls' night out of her mind. It had only been speculation, after all. Sheldon had promised her that he'd carefully considered the Relationship Agreement termination prior to their signing it. He'd never given her reason to doubt him in the past. Not when he was so sure about something, anyway.

No. Sheldon had meant it. She was positive of it.

Now, the only thing she had to be concerned about was how to behave with him. How should she greet him? What would be appropriate? A kiss on the cheek? No. That would be too much. A hug?

The new intimate nature of their relationship had her in a constant state of giddiness. She'd never felt this way before. The closest experience she could recall was the first time she'd seen a group of neurons react to stimuli she had produced by herself in the lab. The brain is amazing – and to be able to have that level of control over its reactions... the whole thing sent a shiver down her spine.

But that didn't really hold a candle to the way she felt now. That same spinal tremble was now accompanied by tingling in her fingers and toes, and a flushed feeling all over her body. All of this just at the mere thought of Sheldon and herself being within five feet of each other again.

She finally arrived at his door and decided to steal her boyfriend's signature knock to lessen her anxiety.

Knock Knock Knock

"Sheldon?"

Knock Knock Knock

"Sheldon?"

Knock Knock Knock

"Sheldon?"

Amy snickered to herself until he finally opened the door; but when she saw the bewildered smirk on his face, she quickly bit her lip to hold back her giggling.

"Why are you knocking like that?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "The mood struck me I suppose."

"Well, it's silly." He held open the door for her and she shuffled past him with a frown. She wanted to tell him that his knocks were always silly, but decided against it.

Choose your battles.

"Is something the matter?" She asked instead. "You seem awfully edgy."

She inched toward him and hesitantly reached out for his hand, figuring that it was probably the safest move for such new relationship territory. But, to her chagrin, Sheldon jumped nervously at her touch. Amy frowned and dropped his hand instantly.

"What is it, Sheldon? What's wrong?"

He looked as though he might faint at any moment, and she'd noticed that his palm felt clammy when she touched it.

"Sheldon… you don't look so well. Why don't you sit down?"

He nodded vigorously, and wiped his sweaty hands across his orange Aquaman shirt. "Yes. Yes… I think that may be a good idea."

Sheldon moved cautiously to his spot on the sofa. Once seated, he leaned his head back and rested it for a moment before springing forward again – as if he'd just remembered that Amy was still there.

She stood patiently just inside the doorway, a look of concern etched on her face. "Do you want something to eat? Do you need some medicine? I know we no longer have a Relationship Agreement, but I will always take care of you if you need me to, Sheldon."

He shook his head and patted the seat next to him, indicating that she should join him on the couch. So, with a slight sigh, Amy closed the door and gently removed her bag from her shoulder. She placed it next to the coffee table before settling into her spot beside him – her hands firmly in her lap.

She smiled sweetly at her boyfriend's apprehensive expression – more to reassure herself that everything was fine, rather that to offer him any real encouragement – and Sheldon's eyes briefly met hers before quickly darting back to his knees.

Why is he behaving so strangely?

"Amy… " The trepidation in his voice did nothing to lessen his girlfriend's anxiety.

"Yes?"

He swallowed, and then quickly blurted out, "Would you like a beverage? Surely you'd like something to drink? Chamomile tea, perhaps? Hot chocolate? Ovaltine?"

He made a move to get up, but she grabbed his arm to keep him in place. Once again, he tensed at her touch and she let her hand fall back into her lap.

Amy couldn't help but frown as a flash of hurt surged through her. Sheldon had been fine with her touch even prior to the removal of their Relationship Agreement. He should be accustomed to it by now. There was no reason for him not to be.

"I don't need a drink, Sheldon," she said, trying to shake off her disappointment. "What is it that you want to tell me?"

He settled back into his seat a bit, but remained tense. He took a deep breath before turning to her.

"You know that Ptolemy thought that the earth was the center of the universe, right?"

Oh great, she thought. I'm going to have to navigate some of his nonsense before we get to the real issue.

"Of course I do." She humored him with a shoulder shrug. "It was the accepted belief of the time. Galileo was even charged with heresy and was forced to recant his heliocentric model of the solar system until it was later proved correct."

Sheldon nodded. "Despite Ptolemy being wrong and Galileo yielding to public pressure, both astronomers are still considered great scientific minds, would you agree?"

Amy nodded. "Obviously. Both scientists made many other notable contributions to history. Although, technically Copernicus originally laid out the initial heliocentric model several years before Galileo was born. So, I'm not sure if my specific Galileo example counts for whatever point you are trying to make."

After a moment of silence, she studied him curiously. "You are trying to make some kind of point aren't you? You didn't just call me over here for a random history lesson?"

His shoulders sank and he frowned at her. "Honestly, Amy, if this was a history lesson, I would have corrected you when you said Copernicus was the original proponent of heliocentricism. Everyone knows the idea dates back to nearly 300 B.C. when Aristarchus –"

"Sheldon!" She snapped. "It's not a history lesson!"

He clamped his mouth shut and pursed his lips. "Yes. Well… I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself very well," he murmured.

Amy raised an eyebrow at him.

"I fear that I may have made a mistake, Amy," he continued, his focus locked intently on his fingers in an obvious attempt to avoid eye contact. "It's been known to happen on the rarest of occasions. And – as we just discussed - even historically great minds made mistakes from time to time."

Amy knew all to well that Sheldon made more mistakes than he'd like to admit. Even though she wasn't sure which particular mistake he was referring to this time, she did have an inkling as to what it might be… but had her fingers crossed that she was wrong.

"What do you mean, Sheldon?" She asked innocently. "What mistake?"

"Amy, I'm afraid that I may have acted hastily in removing our entire relationship contract."

Drat. So the girls had been right, after all. She had known deep down that it was probably the case; she'd just been hoping that it wasn't true.

"Sheldon – you said that you thought this through," Amy sighed. "Remember? Before we signed the termination, I asked you specifically if you – "

"Yes… well... variables…" he muttered.

"What?"

"There were too many variables that I hadn't considered… that I didn't even know I should be considering."

"If intimacy is the issue…" She inched toward him a little and was about to put her hand on his when he shifted away once again. Her face seared with anger and hurt.

"No, that's not it," he insisted, oblivious to Amy's growing frustration. "While that's still a concern of mine, I wouldn't classify it as an issue, per se…"

"Then why won't you touch me?!"

Her voice was louder and more forceful than she had intended it to be. The couple stared wide-eyed at each other after her sudden outburst, then Sheldon's eyebrows slowly bunched together in confusion. After a moment of stunned silence, he quickly turned toward her and leaned in, catching her lips in his.

It was the most awkwardly tense kiss that she and Sheldon had ever taken part in. Neither moved – Amy out of surprise, and Sheldon because he simply didn't have any idea what he was doing. Their eyes were wide open and their mouths frozen rigidly together until Sheldon finally leaned back in his seat and they blinked at one another.

"Intimacy is not the issue," he repeated with firm self-satisfaction.

Amy reached up and gently touched her lips with her fingers. Is that kiss supposed to convince me? No. It had been too uncomfortable. She wanted a better kiss than that. She wanted one of those over-the-moon, sweep-me-off-my-feet kisses that she read about in romance novels. She'd experienced it with Sheldon in the past… and if they were going to be kissing, nothing less would do.

With a sudden surge of confidence, Amy grabbed Sheldon's arm and yanked him back toward her. He leaned away in surprise at first – but she'd always been stronger than him, and eventually his lips met hers once again.

Now we're talking, she thought. There it is - that electric surge that started at their mouths and traveled through her whole body. Their eyes fluttered closed as her hands found his face and slid to his neck. Sheldon twisted in his seat; his hands ended up on her waist, pulling her toward him, as he leaned forward into her.

As Sheldon melted into the kiss, Amy's mouth parted against his… and that's when her teeth caught his lip.

It had been unintentional, but the maneuver shocked Sheldon and pulled him out of the moment. His eyes popped open and he pulled his face away from hers – staring into her deep, green eyes.

Why did I do that? Amy scolded herself. The moment had simply gotten the better of her. She hated when she lost control of her mental faculties with Sheldon – the one person who placed the most value on levelheaded, superior thinking. If anyone else in his social group had a momentary lapse of sanity, he'd never let them live it down. Thankfully, though, Sheldon usually seemed to give her a pass when she slipped up like that; A fact that had not gone unnoticed by their friends. Although Sheldon would never admit to his rampant favoritism.

With Sheldon's face still only inches from hers, and his hand still wrapped firmly around her waist, Amy gently cleared her throat.

"Sorry," she whispered.

He released her and slowly shifted back into his seat.

"As I was saying…" Sheldon smoothed out his shirt and continued, as though nothing had happened. "Intimacy is not the issue. There are just… other variables that I hadn't considered, and – after thinking it over some more – I feel that we could probably do with a shorter, more succinct version of our Relationship Agreement…"

He picked up a piece of paper that had been resting on the end table beside him and turned to hand it to her, but she shook her head and scooted away.

"No."

Sheldon blinked in astonishment. "I'm sorry… No?"

"You heard me."

"Wha –? Why not?"

"Because you told me that you thought this through. We've already signed the termination. I love you, Sheldon, but I'm not signing anything else."

"But – this would be good for both of us."

She didn't want to hear any more. Long gone were the days of "relationship reboots". She was not going to backtrack this time. It had been his idea to get rid of the agreement, and he was going to have to find a way to cope with whatever consequences he had somehow manufactured in his mind to exist. Amy saw no reason that entering into any new agreement – no matter how small - would benefit her. The only benefit that a new agreement could possibly have would be to Sheldon. All of Sheldon's agreements ultimately benefited Sheldon.

"I don't want an agreement," she emphasized. "I like this new version of our relationship. Don't you? Don't you like the spontaneity?"

"Do you honestly think I like spontaneity, Amy? I've got a chart to log my fiber intake, for Pete's sake."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Sheldon – all I can say is that this was your idea. I was hesitant at first, but – hey – you convinced me. And I like the new us. It's this… or nothing."

She confidently straightened her back. She wasn't worried. Sheldon won't let me break up with him. She was sure of it.

Sheldon simply gaped at her. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. She could leave if she wanted to. Why won't she just sign the document? Why won't she just promise me that she won't leave?

"Why are you being so stubborn?" he asked, scooting to the edge of his seat. "Are all women this ridiculous? Good grief. It's no wonder you don't see many matriarchal societies..."

"Me? I'm stubborn?"

"Yes. Not having an agreement will destroy this bond that we have created between us."

"Ok, that's just you being dramatic. We're fine."

"Not true. Look at us – we're arguing like an old married couple. Married couples break up all the time. Look at Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric. Richard Feynman and Mary Louise Bell. Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde… Sonny and Cher."

Amy huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm not signing anything new, Sheldon."

"You don't even know what I was going to suggest!"

"I don't want to know."

"Now that's just shortsighted and naïve. What if everyone had refused to listen to Abraham Lincoln's emancipation proclamation? We'd still be in the midst of slavery, all because nobody wanted to hear him out."

Amy rolled her eyes.

"See?" He urged. "We've been without the Agreement for fewer than 48 hours and we're already having problems."

"Only because you are making it an issue!"

"I want you to sign this, Amy." Sheldon's voice was firm as he held the paper out to her once again.

She stared back at him, refusing to look at it. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"I promise, Amy – if you sign this, I'll – "

"Stop it, Sheldon! I'm not going to sign anything. Quit trying to make me do it." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "If you want me to be your girlfriend, then you will drop the matter."

They stared silently at each other for a moment, as Sheldon seemed to consider her request.

That's it, she thought, biting her cheek to hold back a victorious smirk. I've won.

"No," Sheldon shook his head. "I need you to sign this. It will make me more comfortable."

Amy groaned internally. She squeezed her eyes closed tightly and pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose. Why isn't he understanding this? Why did their relationship always have to be about making him comfortable? She certainly didn't want him to be uncomfortable, but she also didn't want to have to constantly walk on eggshells around her boyfriend either.

If he doesn't want me to cuddle with him… fine. No sex? Okay. She could live with that. But she wasn't going to sign something that said she wouldn't do it. Not again. He was going to have to trust her. He couldn't honestly think that she would try to force him into something they weren't ready for… could he?

"Sheldon, I won't push you into a more intimate relationship. I promise. You have to believe me. Do you truly think I'm some kind of sleazy horndog who has no control over her own libido?"

Sheldon gasped at his girlfriend's self-critical accusations.

"Oh Amy… " Sheldon's tone was gentle and apologetic as he shook his head. "Is that what you believe I think of you?"

She just stared at him.

"I don't think you're a horndog," he continued, softly.

Amy relaxed her shoulders, and the corner of her mouth bent up in a slight smile. "You don't?"

"No! You aren't a dog!" He stood up from his spot and moved toward her. "If anything, you're more like an otter. Playful and uniquely cute."

Amy bit her lip and peered at him over the rim over her glasses. He thinks I'm cute?

"But, like any animal, your wacky female hormones are pulling you helplessly toward the perfect male specimen of the species," Amy's smile morphed into a frown as her boyfriend continued. "You are simply drawn to my natural allure. Poor thing. Your desires are understandable, although not always entirely warranted."

Amy rolled her eyes, slung her bag over her shoulder and walked briskly to the door, pulling it open with enough force to dislodge the dartboard and send it tumbling to the ground. In a huff, she picked it up and tried unsuccessfully to hook it back onto its nail. After several attempts, she noticed Sheldon watching her with interest and instead dropped the dartboard back onto the floor with a thud.

"Why do you even have this thing?" she growled, kicking it aside in frustration.

Sheldon simply shrugged.

"I'm leaving!" she said angrily. "You can give me a call when you come to your senses."

"Amy – you're being ridiculous." He took a step toward her, with a disbelieving half-smile. Surely this is all just a big ruse? Nobody is this irrational.

But, to his shock, she was serious. Amy spun away from him and stepped out into the hallway. And just like that – with a slam of the door – she was gone.

Sheldon stood gaping at the closed door and the dartboard on the floor – the sudden silence seemed too loud for him to think properly.

What had just happened? All he'd wanted to do was to keep her from leaving, and that's exactly what she had done. He was left feeling as though he had witnessed a random solar flare. He could practically feel the sudden burst of radiation left in its wake.

Why is she so gosh-darn stubborn?

He looked down at the paper in his hands.

...

**Relationship Agreement**

Neither the boyfriend, Sheldon Lee Cooper, nor the girlfriend, Amy Farrah Fowler, may terminate their verbally agreed upon exclusive relationship without written notification and good reason for the severance.

Any break-up would require detailed explanation, along with a 24-hour period for the party on the receiving end to appeal the termination.

Evidence and character witness testimony shall be permitted during the appeal process.

...

It seemed reasonable. Why wouldn't she want to sign this?

He did a quick calculation in his head. According to his predictions based on Amy's patterned tendencies to snap at him for unknown reasons, her time of the month wasn't for another two and a half weeks.

Why is she acting so crazy right now, then?

"Gah!" He shouted aloud, even though there was nobody around to hear him. "Women!"

He stomped to his room and slammed his door.

Chapter Four is on its way!

A/N: Thanks in advance for the reviews and/or constructive criticism, ya'll! I really appreciate it!

To amend a Leonard quote: "I know... I beg for reviews a lot."

And I can almost hear Sheldon now: "Are reviews somehow tied into your self-worth?"

Lol. The answer: "Yes." *hangs head in shame*