A/N: Hey all! Sorry for the delay, but you all know how picky I am about my drafts. Hope this chapter was worth the wait. I hope to have JA's Chapter 6 out in the next week or two. This is going to be a long ride, so I hope you enjoy it.

PS: Thanks to all on the BBT Forum who nominated this story for several awards. It is very appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own BBT but like to take them out to play sometimes.

'My cute little lump of wool is a genius'

It was one of many thoughts Sheldon Cooper had as he sat in CMU's Health Professional Building and watched his girlfriend instruct a class of twenty in the basics of neuroscience.

All his life, anything that didn't relate to physics was not an acceptable science. Biology was only known for cutting up dead animals, cells, and other gross stuff…or so he thought.

Rarely can someone surprise Sheldon Cooper, but Amy was the one person that could.

Only Amy could make human body stuff as fascinating as physics. What was that discipline called again that Amy brought up one day as an idea for a joint project? Oh yes.

Neurophysics.

As Amy told him that night three years ago, neurophysics was the science of the application of the laws of physics to biological phenomena with relation to the brain and spinal cord. A perfect union of neurobiology and physics and a study that was starting to get notice.

She happened to find an April 2004 edition of Physics World while waiting to speak with her department chair earlier in the week. In it was an article of how some physicists were applying their skills to neuroscience in new projects. She was fascinated and did research before their date night in her apartment.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

'The possibilities are endless, Sheldon. My knowledge of the brain commingled with your brilliant theories of physics could change the way the scientific world studies things. This article was from 2004, but my research indicated that neurophysics is a growing field. Something we discover could put us on the cover of Neuron or even Physics Today. What do you think?'

Sheldon had one thought on his mind. 'DANGER! DANGER!'

Knowing he had to nip this in the bud, he spoke quickly. 'I guess it's something to think about, Amy, but I don't know how my brilliance in physics would legitimize neurobiology and a study of our combined fields..'

Ignoring the disappointment on Amy's face, he immediately went back to eating his dinner of Spaghetti with Hot Dogs, grateful to dodge another bullet. Biology was yucky and had no place in physics.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Looking back, he was ashamed of his callous response. He had to admit that the subject was intriguing. However, fear that the amalgamation of their fields could make him vulnerable to the seductive charms of his girlfriend made him blow off her idea as a waste of time.

Now, a joint project with his vixen was something to consider for the future. With their shared genius, they would rule science.

Coming back to reality, he sat mesmerized at the very back row of the lecture hall and watched his girlfriend instruct underclassmen on Ohm's Law. He never knew that this physics staple was part of Amy's world of brains and other squishy things.

One would think he would know since he was in a boy/girl relationship with a leading researcher in the discipline, but he did not. Not because he didn't understand, but because he never thought to ask, or felt compelled to.

As he listened to his neurobiologist extol how the virtues of voltage and currents related to the nervous system, he understood what a fool he was then.

Just as he reached this revelation, he discovered that something else was paying attention to Amy's lecture at a very inconvenient time.

'Damn it!' he thought to himself. 'Not now!'

Most of his life, he succeeded to banish inconvenience of hormones from his life because it would get in the way of solving the world's mysteries. However, once he met Amy, they snuck up on him before he had a chance to stop it.

Because of her, Kohlinar as an escape became a waste of time.

Since their first kiss, he would have naughty thoughts whenever his girlfriend lectured him. Most times he was sitting, so he was able to excuse himself to a private place where he could have a Kohlinar session.

If he was in a rush, he would think about things like Kripke or a football game to calm himself down.

His third option of resort, to his shame, was when he would be mean to Amy to protect himself.

His biggest trigger was how she extolled knowledge, particularly scientific. His own brain was the keeper of vast groups of information. However, when Amy demonstrated her own scientific cognizance in that smoky alto voice, the dirty feelings he had threatened to explode inside of him. When that seductive tone spoke of neurons, atoms, or science in general, good Lord did it turn him on.

Suddenly, he was brought back to reality by the discomfort in his trousers. Needing to relieve the situation, he pictured the Victoria's Secret catalog that Penny got right before he left with the stick thin models who needed to eat a cheeseburger.

For a moment, there was relief before all the girls on the cover turned into Amy with her generous curves. Getting harder, Sheldon knew he had to get the big guns out.

Closing his eyes, he recalled Penny dancing in his kitchen in only one of Leonard's shirts singing some loud, annoying country song.

Almost immediately, his genital problem relaxed itself. His relief turned into fear as he realized that he hadn't been paying attention. Like the Flash, he turned back to Amy.

"…and that is Ohm's Law as it applies to neuroscience. It is a main part of the passive properties of the neuron. It is vital to understand this concept in order to understand how the neurons operate in our bodies, in particularly, the brain."

Amy looked at the clock and noted it was 8:25 PM. She was not one to deprive a student of a quality education by ending class five minutes early. Maybe for the first one, though, she could make an exception.

Turning off her red laser pointer, she turned to the students. If they were like her classes at Harvard, half would be gone by the end of the six weeks.

"Remember to read the material listed in your syllabus and have your research groups organized by next class. See you next week."

Sheldon watched as most of the students left the lecture room while three hung around. As the physicist made his way down to the podium, he observed a man and woman thanking her before the two turned around and left. He watched the remaining man step closer and talk to Amy. As he got closer, his blood boiled as he heard their conversation.

"…my stepfather is related to Herbert and Grace Dow. It's his foundation that helped get this building built."

"Yes, I am aware of their foundation, as are many scientists. This relationship affects me how?" Amy replied in a monotone.

The young man was taken aback with her response. "Well, because I have some contacts that would be, well, beneficial to you, Ms. Fowler."

Amy exhaled in boredom. "That's Doctor Fowler to you, as I stated in the beginning of the lecture. It is also what is listed along with Doctor Stephan Thomas as your instructors on top of your syllabus. However, go on."

"Well, I was fascinated by your lecture on Oma's Law—"

"That's Ohm's Law and you're trying my patience. Can we please speed this obvious attempt to kiss my buttocks along, please?"

The man was taken aback as he figured this mousy woman would love the attention he's giving her. "I'm not trying to butter you up, Doctor Fowler. I find you fascinating."

He watched as Amy's face remained frozen before suddenly smiling. 'Bingo!' he thought. "Well, judging by that smile, how about we continue this conver—"

"I am ready to go whenever you are. I want to go to that restaurant you told me about on the ride here." Sheldon said as he looked the underclassman up and down with a sneer before looking at Amy with an instant smile.

Amy grinned. "Of course. I'll be just a minute."

She turned back to the student. "I don't wish to continue this conversation anywhere with someone who can't tell the difference between scientific principle and the German word for grandmother."

"Huh?" The man replied confused.

"Oh, there must be an excess amount of cerumen in your ears, so I'll speak louder and slowly. I…don't…want…to…waste my time…with…you…any longer…tonight…because…you…bore…me."

"Hey!" The student said, feeling insulted. "I'm not stupid!"

Amy held back her laughter as she continued. "Well, you obviously need an anal cranialectomy then because you need to pay attention."

"An anal crane what?"

Amy continued speaking. "Your pathetic attempts to charm me fell flat. I'm not interested in empty flattery to make me so besotted with you that I'll let you pass without effort. Doctor Thomas won't either when he takes over this class."

The student stood straight. "Nobody has ever spoken to me—"

Amy didn't let him finish as she pointed out a smirking Sheldon. "Now, I have plans for dinner and fascinating conversation with this tall drink of Texan water here, who also happens to be a world-renowned theoretical physicist. I suggest you pay attention in this class, because in my experience, when someone has to use a relative's name to get ahead he or she is obviously over-compensating for something missing."

"You will be hearing from the head of—"

"Furthermore, I don't make it a habit to give partial credit to people who take more time coming up with pathetic pickup lines than studying."

The last vestiges of Sheldon's jealousy evolved into pride as he bit his lip to keep from laughing at the wannabe Lothario's mouth dropped in shock. 'I love when she brings troglodytes down to their own level.'

Amy put away her laptop, closed the bag, and slung it over her shoulder. "See you next week."

Sheldon held his hand out to his girlfriend, who took it gladly before they walked away from a young man with steam coming out of his ears.

"Amy, I have to say, the way you eviscerated that brainless Casanova was brilliant." Sheldon said.

The neurobiologist turned back with a smile. "Of course. I just hate people who doesn't appreciate the beauty of an education in the sciences.

On a high, Amy squeezed his good hand before stopping and turning to Sheldon. "Now, I promised you a dinner in an old train depot. Let's go. I haven't eaten since Chicago."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sheldon said as the couple walked out to her car.

An hour later, the two were enjoying a dinner downtown at nearby Mountain Town Station.

"Oh, Amy this place is perfect! Penny could have taken a few lessons from the service people here. They even remembered the barbecue sauce on the side that I requested with the Brisket Melt." Sheldon said as he carefully ate with his left hand as his right was now turning a few shades of purple around his knuckles.

Amy looked up from her Cashew Chicken with a smile. When Stephan told her about this place, she instantly knew that this was a place for Sheldon. At the time though, that thought led to more sadness. Now, she was glad to share another new experience with her physicist.

"Next door at the park where the water fall is, used to be a mini zoo."

Sheldon looked up in shock. "Used to be? Why the heck would they put in some water and a bunch of rocks to replace a zoo? That is, well, stupid."

Amy nodded in sympathy as she worked on the final bites of her dinner. "Well, no place is perfect."

Sheldon was about to continue speaking when he was distracted by a drop of sauce sitting on her lip. His brain failed him as all his thought processes focused that one spot and how he would give anything to kick it clean with his tongue.

His girlfriend looked up and was momentarily stunned by Sheldon's expression. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn he wanted to eat her up. Suddenly, the restaurant got very warm as she felt her cheeks redden.

Sheldon sat transfixed as he watched her flushed face. Suddenly, he had not so pure thoughts of throwing everything on the floor and taking her on the wooden booth table.

"Sheldon?" Amy said as she became wary of the look in her physicist's eyes. "Sheldon, look there's Stephen Hawking!"

That broke his stupor as he moved his head all over. "What? Where?"

"No, Sheldon. He's not here."

Sheldon grumbled. "That's wasn't very nice, Amy. Why would you do that?"

Amy inhaled trying to get her courage up. "Because you were staring at me like…well…"

'Oh Lord, she realized that I'm a pervert!' Sheldon thought to himself. "I was not, Doctor Fowler. I was merely—"

"Like how Mr. Darcy would look at Elizabeth. It made me, well, feel…"

'She doesn't look like she's going to sic the monkeys on me' Sheldon pondered. "Feel like…"

"Like I'm almost as attractive as Penny and Bernadette."

Sheldon's fuzzy feeling in his stomach turned to bile as his girlfriend's words sunk in. "Amy Farrah Fowler, that has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard come out of your brilliant mouth!"

"No, it's not—"

Sheldon's spine straightened and his eyes got darker before he lowered his voice. "Yes it is. There never has been, nor will ever be a girl as beautiful as you, inside and out. I never want to hear senseless crap like that from you again. Is that understood?"

Amy's mouth dropped for a second before she crossed her legs tightly in sudden arousal. "Sheldon—"

"Is that understood?" He asked again in a lower register, sending shivers down her spine.

"Y-yes, Sheldon."

The two stared for a moment before Amy had to break the spell. Needing to cool off, she cocked her head towards Nelson Park. "It's a nice night, Sheldon. Want to take a walk by the river before we go back to Stephan's?"

Sheldon looked outside. It was almost dark, but not as muggy as it was at the college due to the river nearby. Perhaps a walk would be nice. He could at least explore the small park and try to determine why the city government would do something as asinine as replace a zoo.

"Sure. I need to take some ibuprofen first."

Amy got into her purse and gave him four 200 mg of the medication. "Since I'm temporarily employed at CMU, I can use the campus medical clinic. We have a 9:00 AM appointment tomorrow. If x-rays are needed, they will send us to a place nearby."

Sheldon looked at his hand before taking the pain reliever with his bottle of root beer. Most days, he would be whining about the pain in his dominant hand. However, when he looked at it, he remembered that while angry about what Junior did, he was able to come through for his girlfriend.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't realize Amy was talking to him. "W-what? Did you say something?"

"Yes, I had asked you if you were ready to go for that walk."

"Of course."

Before Amy could get her wallet out of her purse, Sheldon whipped his out before he pulled out money and put it on the table. He got up and took Amy's hand, guiding her out of the booth before heading past the brewery store at breakneck speed.

"Sheldon, that's a thirty percent tip." Amy exclaimed as they went out the entrance.

He turned to her with a wry grin as they. "What can I say? I had a waiter who didn't mess up my order and I like things in threes."

Amy was loving this take charge Sheldon. She could only reply with, "Hoo…."

"Hoo is right, Vixen." Sheldon replied as they walked the Broadway Street Bridge over the Chippewa River to Nelson Park.

Twenty minutes later, the couple exited the park heading to their car.

"That was a nice walk, Sheldon."

"I will admit that it is a nice place to go through, but why would a waterfall be put in to replace the charming sight of deer and other wonderful animals. Of course, from what you say, there were no koalas, but deer are nice."

Amy looped her arm around her boyfriend's. "I know, but the waterfall did have a statue for the bear that lived there. It's where Steve and Janis got married. It's a beautiful spot. Come on."

Sheldon screwed his face before conceding. "Okay, fine…it's nice, but why on earth is there a cemetery next door?"

"That, Doctor Cooper, I don't know."

Suddenly, Amy's phone buzzed. She read the message and internally debated before making her decision. There would be complications, though. Gathering her courage, she started to speak.

"So, Mount Pleasant isn't bad, huh?"

Sheldon pondered for a minute. "No, not really. College town, trains occasionally go through here, and it has a comic shop. Acceptable."

Amy's anxiety went down a hair. "I'm glad Sheldon that you think so."

Something in her voice didn't seem right to Sheldon. Turning to Amy, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Annoyed he figured it out so quickly, she made an excuse. "Nothing, Sheldon."

"Don't lie to me, Amy. Why are you curious as to my thoughts of this town? It's not like we're going to move here."

Her resulting silence brought on more anxiety. "Amy, we're going back to California, aren't we?"

Bracing herself, she started to speak. "Yes, Sheldon, but as much as I know you want to go home, I have to stay here until Stephan gets back from Virginia."

"Yes, next Wednesday, right?"

Amy exhaled. "He just sent me a text letting me know he is considering staying another four weeks."

Sheldon was not liking this turn of events. "He let you know when we were on the train that he was coming home next week. We're supposed to go home together, Amy. We have a life in Pasadena, California, not Mount Pleasant, Michigan!"

Amy felt her temper rise as the couple got to the car. "Yes, Sheldon, but I've already told the head of Neuroscience that I would free for another few weeks if Stephan needed it."

"That was last Thursday before your friend Stephan told us he was coming back! We've already purchased tickets to return home. If he stays four more weeks, it's almost August!"

Amy couldn't hear Sheldon's frustrations over her own. "He's mourning the death of his wife, so he'll come home when he's ready, Sheldon. If he needs me to change my plans, then I will."

Sheldon stood at the passenger side. "No, Amy, we need to go back home to CalTech. I'm sorry his wife died, but why should we put our lives on hold so he can hide in Virginia? You were only supposed to sub for him until next week, which he agreed to!"

"Yes, but things change, Sheldon. If I can't go back with you right away, deal with it!" Amy saw him stare at the ground before turning around. "Sheldon! Get in the car. I'm tired and I want to go home."

Sheldon's inner Texan was flared up. "No, I'm walking back!"

"Whatever, Sheldon. I'm leaving."

Her patience pushed to the end by her long day, Amy got in, started the car, and drove out of the parking lot leaving her boyfriend behind. As she got to Washington Street to turn right, she got a text.

How do I get home?

She considered for a moment leaving him there, but knew she couldn't do it. Looking over the town square, she observed the Isabella County Sheriff's Department and debated. Making up her mind, she pulled a quick U-turn in the intersection before driving back the half block back.

"Amy, one must always drive according to traffic laws." She said in a mocking voice. "Well, traffic laws can suck an egg, Mother!"

Pulling in, she saw Sheldon standing alone on the sidewalk. Her momentary lapse of whimsy hardened back to her anger for his selfishness as she pulled up to her boyfriend.

Getting into the car, he put on his seat belt. "Thank you, Amy."

Answering with silence, the two completed the short drive back to Stephan's house. They unloaded the car they didn't have time to do when they arrived back earlier. After locking the door, the tension could be cut with a knife as Amy led Sheldon down a hallway to a closed door. She opened it and turned on the light.

"Here's your room. Your bathroom is the next door on the right." Amy said. "Bath towels are in-"

"—the hall closet. I remember from last week." Sheldon said in an irritated tone.

"Of course you would. My mistake. I'll be on the other side of the hall."

"Fine, Doctor Fowler." Sheldon said before straightening his spine. "Good night."

"Good night, Doctor Cooper." Amy replied in a similar tone.

Both turned on their heels and walked apart from each other. Sheldon the few steps into his room and slamming the door and Amy down the hall to her room before mimicking her boyfriend's action.

Ninety minutes later, Sheldon attempted to relax in his normal position in the middle of the queen sized bed. For the last hour, he has attempted to go to sleep to no avail.

He even tried that fetal position that he slept so well with on the train, but the left side didn't work. The right side was a failure as he accidentally bumped his hand on the night stand. The sweet pain relief he had disappeared as he grabbed his hand. "Ouchie!"

'I need to work outside of the box to start my sleeping cycle.' He thought for a moment. 'Wait, I know!'

Sheldon closed his eyes and counted the Fibonacci sequence in his head. When that didn't work, he named Pi to one hundred digits.

Getting desperate, he recited the entire dialogue of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan. After all that though, he was right back where he was.

Thinking he needed an outside breeze to counter the coolness of the central air, he opened the window. However, it was for naught as the occasional car driving by didn't lull him to sleep. Closing the window in frustration, he got back into bed.

As a last resort, he even tried sleeping on his stomach, with and without a pillow to support his abdomen. Unfortunately, that only reminded him of dreams he'd had over the years of Amy's soft curves underneath him while they did naughty things in his bed.

Facing the fact he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon, he turned on the bedside lamp and sat up in bed to ponder his dilemma.

'Why can't I sleep?' He thought to himself. 'Yes, the night is ucky and hot, but the air conditioning has kept that at bay. Even though we're fighting, Amy was thoughtful enough to turn the central air to a perfect 72 degrees for me. The bed is one that I can change the comfort level to match my bed at home.'

Then he knew.

Amy wasn't there.

He wasn't exaggerating when he said that he had the best night's sleep ever last night on the train. As much as he loved locomotives, sleep on one was not something that came easy, even to a train lover like himself.

He went over their fight in his head and realized that he broke his promise to put her first more often. She was helping a friend whose wife was now deceased. Yes, he changed his mind about coming home next week, but if it was Amy that he lost, could he come back to work in two weeks?

Sheldon suddenly felt a shiver throughout his body. To lose his Amy is not a possibility to consider…ever.

When he recovered, he stared at the ceiling as he contemplated his options.

Amy was dressed in a nightgown that went to her knees as she laid in bed under the comforter, chilly from the central air. With her room being the closest to it, she got the coolest temperature out of all the rooms in the house. While she should have been comfortable and protected from the eighty degree weather outside, she wasn't. Deciding she didn't want to be an Eskimo during June in Michigan, she opened the bedroom window for the heated air to counteract the coolness of the room.

After about ten minutes, she was comfy enough to kick off the blanket, covering herself with the sheet.

A short time later, even the perfect room temperature failed her as she laid in bed with her back to the door. Frustrated, she laid back as the day's events came back to her, leading up to their argument at the restaurant.

She was sad about their fight, which she knew now was really stupid. She did offer to stay a couple extra weeks originally when she got the news about Janis. However, Stephan emailed her a few days ago stating that he was okay to come home to finish the semester as he was only in Virginia to finish off details about his late wife's estate and confirmed his plans while they were on the train heading north.

While she wanted to be a good friend, she had already made arrangements to head back. She knew that she had her own life to lead in California…with Sheldon.

Was Sheldon right? Was Stephan just hiding away from reality?

Earlier today, she was excited to go home after the class next week. So why did she get all pissy with Sheldon when he brought that up earlier? Why would the thought of going home with her boyfriend cause that?

For a moment, old fears about Sheldon running came to play, but she pushed them aside as nothing more than ridiculous thoughts. He promised her he wasn't running away ever again. At some point, for their relationship to survive, she had to trust that.

At that thought, a chill ran down her spine as something else came to her.

'Really?' she thought. 'I'm almost 32 years old and an adult. If I can contemplate sexual intercourse with my boyfriend, I can handle that…I can damn it!'

However, doubts ebbed at that confidence. That's when she realized what went wrong tonight. Maybe it wasn't just Stephan who was hiding from reality.

Maybe, just maybe she was too.

Before she could think any further, she felt a dip in her bed and a long arm around her waist pulling her closer. Feeling the heat on her back, it could only be one person.

"You couldn't sleep?"

"No."

"The window is open. Any cars that drive by could keep you awake."

"I'm aware of that."

"But it's colder than your room. I know you like the temperature around 72 degrees for optimal sleep before your REM cycle starts."

"Well, with our conjoined body heat and the opened window, it will cancel out the chilliness of the room."

"But—"

"Woman, are you trying to get rid of me?"

Amy smiled at Sheldon's exasperation. "No."

"Good." Sheldon replied as he held Amy a little closer. "Why was it so cold in here earlier? I'm approximating 67 degrees."

"I set the temperature low to ensure that it would be around what you needed to help you sleep. Because this room has the largest vent, it will colder this side of the hall." Amy said. After a moment to consider, she had a realization. "Sheldon, how did you know it was cold in here?"

"Ummmm…."

"Sheldon! Were you outside my door?"

The physicist knew the jig was up. "Yes."

"How long?"

"A while."

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't sleep."

"Why couldn't you sleep?" Amy asked, wondering if he was thinking the same things she was. "Was it the room?"

Sheldon waited for a moment to answer. "No, the adjustable bed was perfect. The room temperature was just like in Pasadena. I had the optimal sleeping conditions like at home. However, I couldn't sleep."

"Why?"

Sheldon simply spoke the truth. "I missed you."

Amy's eyes bulged. "Y-you did?"

"Everything was perfect to obtain my needed eight hours of sleep. However, something was missing…you. Doctor Fowler, I fear my sleep cycle will never be optimal again unless I'm lying next to you."

The couple laid together in silence before Sheldon spoke again. "I don't like it when we fight. I get scared."

Amy smiled and gently caressed his arm. "I don't either. I get scared, too."

He waited for a second before speaking. "I apologize for my immature reaction earlier and for acting like a feminine hygiene product. You did make a promise and you should honor it."

Amy smiled at Sheldon's admission before making one of her own. "You weren't a douche, I promise. As for the promise I made, I agree I did offer to stay another two or three weeks tops when I got the news. However, Stephan emailed me already stating he was coming home Wednesday night. We are entitled to go home, Sheldon. We have to go back home to reality at some point."

"Yes, but as I was lying in bed, I realized something, Amy."

"What, Sheldon?"

"I realized that perhaps…you are afraid to come home. I should have been more sensitive to that. Is it because of your mother's reaction?"

Amy knew honesty was the best policy, but didn't want to rock the boat. However, she didn't want to outright lie to Sheldon, either. She decided a compromise was in order.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Turning around in the dark, she made out the silhouette of her boyfriend from the moonlight outside as she looked at him. "She's gone after my friends…my workplace…your family. I'm afraid she's not going to stop until she gets the confrontation she's looking for. I'm afraid that when I face her, I'm going to chicken out or that she will try to hurt us somehow, Sheldon. I mean, what if she decides to confront your relatives in Texas?"

Even Sheldon could hear the fear in her voice. "Amy, I'm not worried. I can't believe your mother would be stupid enough to try and fight with my mother. She has to realize how petty she will look. Of course, my mother didn't think about that before stealing your birth control pills."

"Sheldon—"

"No, Amy. I'm not worried about your mother, or mine for that matter. I'm tired of being afraid of reality…of loving you. I'm not having it. You shouldn't either."

Amy thought for a minute. "Are you going to talk to your mother?"

"When I'm good and ready. I'm still so…furious with her, Amy. She acts all pious, but she fornicates with her boyfriend outside of marriage on the couch. I don't think I can sit on that piece of furniture ever again."

"I'm sure Penny and Leonard have done it on your couch, Sheldon."

"Silence, woman! I'm on a roll."

Amy smiled. "Of course. Continue."

"Thank you. As I was saying, my mother has always lectured us on how to behave and how we should serve a non-existing deity. With her, though she ignores what she tells us, but chastises us about doing it even though right now, we aren't."

Sheldon inhaled before continuing. "To make things worse, she always takes care of Junior, even taking his side when he molested you. If that was Missy or I, she would have taken the switch to us. I'm tired of her lecturing on accepting the consequences of your mistakes but always cleaning up after my drunken idiot brother. I think I can speak for my sister when I say she feels the same way."

"She's your mother, Sheldon."

"I know, but…I'm not ready now, Amy. If I have to choose, I choose you. End of story. As for your mother, do you really think she's jeopardize her relationship with you just to be right?"

"I hope not. I don't want her to make your family hate me."

"My family loves you, Amy. Besides, Meamaw isn't one to back away from a fight. It will be okay, all right?"

Amy exhaled before deciding to relax. "Okay, Sheldon."

"I won't let anyone hurt you again. I've done that enough." He thought for a moment. "If you need to stay here for another two, three, or even the entire five weeks, then I'll stay with you."

"What about your debate on what research you should do?"

"Who says I can't do that here? Mount Pleasant has a comic book shop, awesome restaurant with trains, and what looks like to be an acceptable campus library. I did research and they have public transportation so I can get around. This town is much smaller than Pasadena and there's no Cheesecake Factory, but we can make do."

Amy smiled before caressing Sheldon's cheek in the dark. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, come here Vixen." Sheldon said as he took her in his arms so she was lying with her head on his chest on his left side. "The clock says it's after eleven o'clock. You're keeping me from my REM sleep."

"Well, we can't have that, can we, Doctor Cooper."

"Certainly not, Doctor Fowler."

Both relieved at making up and the reassuring words of the other, they closed their eyes to a peaceful sleep.

Mary Cooper laid in bed after waking up again while Ron slept peacefully. She knew why she was awake.

Her children.

Coming home yesterday to that note from Sheldon drove home the fact that she went too far. Not only did she act disgracefully to her son's brain science girlfriend, she may have alienated her youngest son forever.

Earlier this morning, Missy canceled the plans they had to go to Houston today. When her mother inquired why, her daughter didn't hesitate to let her know that she was still angry and embarrassed about her mother's behavior during the family dinner.

To top it all off, Junior once again did one of his disappearing acts at the hospital.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

On the way to meet Ron and her son at the Emergency Room, she decided that Sheldon was right. After her husband died, she always held her twins to a higher standard than Junior. Because of that, she had jeopardized her relationship with her other two children. When they got back to Ron's, she would put her foot down.

No longer would she cover his butt when he got in trouble.

Several hours later, she was in the cubicle with him when his cell phone went off. Knowing they had a long wait before they got their discharge instructions, she got a cup of coffee and rehearsed the speech she had in her mind to give him later.

When she came back to his cubicle, she was surprised to see it was empty. When she asked a nurse, all she could be told was he signed himself out. Her other questions could not be answered because of those HIPAA laws things she always signed at her doctor's office and he didn't her access to his records.

It wasn't the first time, but after stopping at every bar and hangout she knew, Mary called the police anyway. They told her that she had to wait 48 hours before filing a report. Because they were friends with Ron and were familiar with Junior's antics, the deputies were more patient with Mary that with anyone else in that situation. Realizing there was nothing more she could do, she went home and broke down as the events of the last several days finally hit her with a bang.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

It shamed her that secretly she harbored deep resentments of her oldest child. After all, while she and George loved each other fiercely, it was Junior's impending arrival that got them married. It was Junior that George connected more with, the one he bonded with while she turned her focus to church and their youngest son.

After her husband died, her years of guilt from favoring Sheldon, along with turning a blind eye to George's influence on Junior made her decide to protect her eldest as he got older.

However, instead of showing Junior that she loved him, it taught him that no matter what did, his mother would clean up his mess and would never have to face the consequences of his actions. That, Mary knew now, would have to change as he was thirty eight years old.

The same age as his father when he died.

The last time he took off, he didn't surface until two weeks later in Houston. This time, she was afraid that this disappearance could be his last.

She was knocked out of her thoughts when she heard loud knocking on her front door. Ron instantly woke up. "Wha—"

When she heard it a second time, she knew it was someone at the door. Looking at her clock, it was almost eleven. She was perplexed at who would be here at this time of night.

"Who the hell would be banging on a door this time of night?" Ron said before he heard a third set of knocks. "The damn lights are off."

"I don't know, but I need to answer it before it wakes up Mom." Mary replied.

"I'll come with you." Ron said while he was getting up and putting on his robe.

As the two came downstairs, the knocking progressed to pounding as they were met by Meamaw. "Who the hell is here this time of night?"

"Mom, this could be about Junior. Just go back to bed." Mary said, but was interrupted by her mother.

"I'm awake now. I want to see who was so rude to wake us all up."

Mary shuffled to the living room before turning on the light. When she opened the door, she was greeted not by someone drunk or the police, but a single figure.

"May I help you, Ma'am?" Mary asked.

The woman took a step forward past Mary, her cane barely missing Ron's foot. "Hello Mary, my name is Carrie Fowler. I want to talk to my daughter now, please."