Chapter 16

Amy stared at the phone sitting on the table. Who was Maria? He had never mentioned a woman named Maria to her before. She looked up from the table and saw Sheldon exit the washroom and head back towards the table. His eyes were ever so slightly glassy, and his face was flushed red. The alcohol must have started to affect him. He had a cute goofy kid grin on his face. He crashed back down into his chair and turned to her and gave her a big smile.

"Sheldon, your phone –" Amy started.

These elements were critical in making the bedrock.

"That's what she said!" Sheldon yelled out at the table triumphantly. The table looked shocked, as Sheldon successfully made a that's what she said joke. The group took their shots. Bernadette was starting to hiccup, and Howard was rubbing her back.

"Wow, Sheldon sure is full of surprises lately isn't he? He's the last one I would think would make a that's what she said joke. I wasn't even sure he understood half of them" Penny snarked.

"Well, now that I understand the concept of the jokes, it's really quite elementary. Which is probably why you and Wolowitz suggested this. It's at your level." Sheldon replied.

"Aaaaand he's back to regular Sheldon." Leonard shook his head. Penny rolled her eyes at Sheldon, and stuck her tongue out at him.

Amy smiled brightly at Sheldon. She needed to stop being so insecure. Sheldon was acting perfectly normal, and she was sure he wouldn't act that way if there was another woman on the scene. She was actually surprised with how normal he was acting, considering how they had left things the other night. She leaned in towards him. "I really enjoyed that calculus joke you told me. I have one that I think you might find particularly scintillating."

"Scintillating?" Howard whispered to Bernadette. "They should record this and put it on Discovery Channel or something. How two socially awkward geniuses mate. Step One…the male and female prepare for copulation by performing a complex mating ritual that includes telling terrible math jokes, to get each other hot and bothered."

"Shhh…it's cute. I want to hear." Bernadette whispered back.

Amy turned towards Sheldon so she was facing him, and smiled. She tucked her hair back behind her ear and then began. "Ok, What does the "B" in Benoit B. Mandelbrot stand for?" She started laughing. "It's stands for Benoit B. Mandelbrot!"

"A fractal joke! Oh Amy, its perfect!" Sheldon exclaimed as he gave her a warm smile.

Leonard smacked his hand to his forehead. "Oh…Good Lord.." Penny gave him a puzzled look.

"The mating dance is proving to be successful. Both geniuses appear to be primed for copulation. What will the next bold move be? Will the male tell another joke to get the female further primed, or will the female make a move by taking off a cardigan…to reveal another cardigan?" Howard whispered in a radio voice.

The group started snickering, but Amy had tuned them all out. She was gazing at Sheldon. Things were starting to feel right between them again. The next speaker took the stage, and the group turned their attention back to the stage. She took a sip of her water, and then looked up startled. Sheldon had placed his hand on her knee. His touch was light, he had just softly rested his large hand on her kneecap under the tablecloth. She gave him a small smile and gently placed her hand on top his hand and he turned to clutch it. His eyes were still on the stage, but he had a quiet smile across his face. He turned her hand over, still holding it, so his fingers still lightly touched her knee. He was running his finger over in the same pattern, over and over. She closed her eyes and realized that he was tracing her name, Amy, as he watched the stage. She smiled and held his hand a little tighter.

Barry Kripke was watching Amy from across the room. Their table was being quite loud and it was obvious to every table around them, that they were drinking quite heavily. Sheldon didn't look too much worse for wear after their tussle earlier that morning. Barry looked at Amy. She was wearing a knee length white dress, and a lilac cardigan. She had curled her hair, and was wearing earrings. God, she looked so beautiful. Why hadn't she responded to any of his emails? His texts? He had been watching her all evening from his table. She looked happy. Sheldon and her were leaning in towards each other and laughing. He could see that his hand was on her leg under the table. A wave of jealousy hit him as he watched them. Was Howard right? Did he pull a "dick move" by kissing Amy?

He shook his head. He didn't really feel it was a dick move to kiss her. He felt that they had been building towards that moment since they had met. The dick move, was probably taunting Sheldon about the kiss. He really shouldn't have done that, but Cooper just knew how to push his buttons sometimes. He really felt though, that there was something real there between Amy and him. The kiss with her took his breath away. He'd never kissed a girl that he had liked so much before. To be honest, she was probably the first girl he had really taken the time to get to know truly first. But she was Sheldon's girlfriend not his. Sure, Cooper was an idiot with Amy, but it was up to them to work or not work it out. He sighed…he knew that he should keep out of their relationship. It was just harder said than done at this point.

Sheldon was enjoying feeling Amy's small hand in his as he gently traced her name along her knee cap. He could feel her shiver and then grasp his hand tighter. What was he doing? He was supposed to be angry with her. When he saw her, it all melted away. Part of him was still upset though, he couldn't forget what Barry had said. His stomach was churning with the conflicting feelings. He didn't want to let go of Amy's hand though. He wanted to lean over and kiss her, but part of him wanted to make her feel bad. To feel the pain the same way he had felt.

Sheldon's phone started vibrating from a phone call. Maria flashed across the screen. He dropped Amy's hand. "I've got to go" he said abruptly, and rushed out of the room.

"Sheldon!" Amy called out, but he was already out of the room. What had just happened? One call from this mysterious Maria, and he just rushes out without even a word? Who was she?

Let's take a brief break now folks and stretch our legs out. The presentations will reconvene in fifteen minutes.

"Oh Thank God!" Penny said as she stretched her back. "That last presentation was putting me to sleep." She glanced over at the empty chair beside Amy. "Where did Sheldon go?"

Amy twisted her hands. "I'm not sure" she said hesitantly. "I'm going to the bar to get a bottle of water. Do you guys want anything?"

The table all shook their heads no and continued chatting with each other. Amy got up and headed to the bar. She was feeling a little unsteady on her feet. She grabbed and held onto a stool in front of the bar to keep herself steady.

"Amy?"

Amy turned around and was staring right into the face of Barry Kripke. She winced when she saw his eye. "Barry…your eye. Are you ok?"

Barry stared at her. She looked even more breathtaking right up in front of him. "Oh this old thing, it's nothing…"

"I heard Sheldon – " Amy started

"Let's just leave that incident between us guys ok." Barry said quietly. He looked at the ground with an embarrassed look.

"I just can't believe it though. He's such a non-violent person, what happened?"

"Like I said, I'd rather not talk about it. It's between Sheldon and I. I do want to know though, why you haven't returned any of my messages? Texts? Phone calls? I've been worried about you Amy" he said sadly. "Amy, that last thing I'd ever want to do is upset you."

Amy bit her lip as she looked at Barry. Things had become such a mess between them. She felt so guilty about their kiss, she didn't even know where to begin. He was staring at her with large expectant eyes.

"Barry I'm so sorry. I should have responded to your messages. I've just been overwhelmed." She looked out towards the door, and then back into Barry's eyes. "That kiss should have never happened. And I understand, that I am not an innocent victim in all of this. I think I was feeling undesired, and you were feeling lonely. But things never should have gotten to that point. I only want to kiss someone that I am in love with. And for me, that's Sheldon." Amy said softly.

"Amy, that kiss. It meant –" Barry stopped himself. He wanted to tell her that their kiss was like nothing he had ever experienced in his life before. He wanted to tell her that he could give everything that she desired in a mate; love, attention, affection, respect. He wanted to tell her that he thought she was beautiful and amazing and that he would treat her like a princess, if only she gave him a chance. He saw that she kept glancing at the door waiting for Sheldon to return. He knew in his heart he couldn't do it. He might be falling for Amy, but it appeared that the feeling was not mutual. The words that Howard said to him earlier that evening was running through his head. To let them sort it out, and if Amy became single in the future, it wouldn't be because of his interference.

"I…I understand." Barry said softly and gave her a sad smile. "Could I ask you a favour though?"

"Anything" Amy whispered.

"Sheldon is planning something for tonight. Something to humiliate me. I know it. He's pissed at me Amy. This presentation, and possible award. This is a huge deal to me Amy…to my career. It's all I really got right now. Please, get him to pull the plug on whatever stunt he's planning to pull" Barry said urgently.

Penny, Emily and Bernadette stumbled up to Amy at the bar. Penny walked right up to Barry, and poked him in the chest with her finger. "Well, looky looky. Looks like this rat is STILL trying to cozy up to Amy. You need to back off." She poked him with her finger again.

"And you need to lay off the booze…" Barry replied in an annoyed tone, swatting her finger away.

"Excuse me! I'm not the only one drunk." Penny retorted.

"Yeah! We're all drunk!" Bernadette giggled.

Emily looked Barry up and down and gave Amy a little nudge. "Not bad Amy! You got those two to fight over you. That's pretty hot! Girlfriends got it going on!"

"Oh my God….." Amy shuddered. She turned to face the girls. "You guys..please go. I have this under control!" she hissed quietly.

"Fine..fine. You know where we are if you need back up" Penny replied.

Emily gave Barry a big smile. "Looking forward to your presentation Romeo!" She gave Barry a little swat on his behind. The three girls headed back to their table laughing.

"What the hell was that?" Barry said with a goofy smile on his face at Emily's move.

"Oh my god…I have no idea. Good thing Raj isn't around right now." Amy put her hand on Barry's arm "Listen, I'll talk with Sheldon about whatever he has planned ok?"

Barry looked up. "Well maybe you can tell him right now." He nodded towards the door to see one Sheldon Lee Cooper staring icily back at them.

Could everyone please return to their seats, the presentations will resume again shortly.

Sheldon was already sitting at the table. He grabbed the bottle of Jägermeister and poured himself a shot and quickly drank it. His hands were shaking slightly and he was just staring down at the tablecloth. His eyes almost looked watery. Amy quietly sat down beside him. Sheldon kept staring at the tablecloth, not acknowledging her presence.

Amy leaned in towards Sheldon. "Sheldon, are you upset because I was speaking with Barry? I was just making it – "

"You seem drawn to him like a moth to a flame…" Sheldon muttered.

"Sheldon! That's not true at all. I was telling him how I truly-"

"Would you two please be quiet! I'm trying to listen to the presenations!" a lady huffed at the table next to them.

Sheldon turned so that he was facing the stage again, and started listening. Amy wanted to continue talking to Sheldon but starting to fear getting lynched by all their neighbouring tables for annoying them up to this point. Sheldon's demeanour had totally changed. Before the phone call they had been holding hands under the table, with him lightly stroking her knee. Now he wasn't even looking at her. He wasn't staring at the stage either. He was staring at Kripke with a funny look on his face.

Amy began to feel nervous. Was Kripke right? Was Sheldon planning to pull something during the awards presentation? Amy gave a quick glance at the cranky woman at the next table. Oh well, to hell with her. "Sheldon?" she whispered.

Sheldon looked at her, but didn't say anything. His face looked very flushed and he was breathing quickly.

"Sheldon, are you planning some sort of rev-" Amy started.

"Excuse me" Sheldon got up and left the table. He walked quickly along the side of the room towards the stage. He signaled the man that was sitting at the computer running the presentations. That man scurried over to the side of the room to meet him. Sheldon whispered something to him and then handed him a small item which he slipped into his pocket. He then returned to the computer.

Barry watched the exchange between Sheldon and the man at the computer. He glanced at Amy and gave her a worried look. Amy gave him a perplexed look back. Sheldon returned to his seat and sat down.

"Sheldon, what is going on? What did you give that man? You don't even have a presentation tonight." Amy asked.

"SSSSHHH!" the woman at the next table hissed.

"Oh shut up! It's just Geology, who cares" Amy hissed back.

Sheldon gave Amy a sad look. "At least I can sleep at night."

"What? What is that supposed to mean?" Amy asked urgently.

Sheldon's phone lit up again with a text.

Maria: Can I still meet you? I really want to come. Perhaps it can be a new beginning for both of us.

Amy looked up at Sheldon startled by what she just read. Sheldon stared back at Amy with a sad look in his eyes. He grabbed his phone and hit reply.

Sheldon: I agree. I think a new beginning is exactly what is needed. Come. You know where to find me.

Amy's eye's filled with tears. What was going on? Who was Sheldon Cooper? Plotting revenge…meeting up with strange women. New beginnings? She turned to Sheldon. "I can't believe you! I'm totally disappointed that plotting some revenge is more important to you than anything else. Our relationship. Us?! I believed those words you wrote in your journal, but I'm beginning to think everything is a lie. You don't care about me! You just want to make yourself feel better!" Amy pushed back her chair and ran out of the room.

"Amy!" Sheldon called out and rushed out after her.

Amy was running down the hall in the hotel. She was done. She needed to get out of there. She was in no mood to fight with Sheldon. This whole thing was just horribly immature, and she was sick of it. Revenge plots on Barry. Talking to other women to make her jealous. She continued running down the hall, she was unsteady on her feet from all the shots they had done. The high heels weren't helping either.

"Amy!" Sheldon called out. He was quickly gaining on her. "Stop! You need to stop running away!" he yelled.

Amy grabbed a door, to the stairwell, and ran in. Sheldon's arm grabbed hers and slammed the door shut. They looked at their surroundings. This wasn't the stairwell, the room was filled with sheets and towels. She had run into the linen supply closet.

"God Amy, how can you run like that in those cockamamie high heels?" Sheldon panted.

"Sheldon, let me go. I'm done. I'm sick playing stupid games. I know I hurt you, but that is no reason to go on this stupid revenge scheme you've cooked up. I'm a grown woman, I don't want to play this game anymore. Let me go." Amy shoved Sheldon aside and made her way to the door.

"Amy wait. Let me explain-" Sheldon started.

Amy rattled the door knob. She looked up at Sheldon. "It's locked."

A/N: Sorry I know said this would be a long chapter, but it's longish. I need more time to write the next chapter, so I thought this was a good stopping point. You got a fractal joke this time! Sheldon and Amy are locked in the supply closet, Maria's on her way, and what did Sheldon give the media coordinator? Thanks for reading!