Author's note:
I'm terribly sorry this took so long, it's been a tough two months. Additionally, I was really hesitant about posting this chapter but a friend of mine read it and convinced me I should post it. Thank you for all your reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
PS: I'm not a native speaker so I apologize in advance for any errors.
Chapter 2
He still remembered how Sheldon found out. Again, neither when nor how he was supposed to find out.
(flashback)
"She still hasn't told him? It's been a week and a half." said Howard to Leonard and Raj as he took a bite from his sandwich.
"How did this even happen without them trying? It's Sheldon and Amy. Don't they only do it on Amy's birthday?" said Raj, he, too, in between bites.
"I don't know but I don't want to think about it much. I hear enough of it when it happens" replied Leonard, trying to brush the topic away.
"Woah, I didn't think Sheldon was the kind of guy who would discuss that with you" said Howard, obviously surprised.
"He isn't. But I've realized, these past few years, that the walls are much thinner than I thought. Well, either that or Sheldon is determined to get back at me and Penny for all that money he had to spent on noise-canceling headphones while he was living with us." responded Leonard in a bitter tone.
Howard and Raj stared at him as an expression that combined confusion, perturbation and pity formed on their faces. "Anyways" started Raj in attempt to resume the previous topic of conversation and, most importantly, end the current one "I can't really blame Amy for being hesitant to tell him. I mean, when it comes to any kind of news, Sheldon proved himself a flight risk"
"Yeah, I guess not everyone can react as well as we did." said Howard, referring to Leonard and himself, which caused the other two to burst into laughter.
"What?" he asked, now a bit offended by their reaction.
"You flipped out both the first and the second time" explained Raj while still laughing "How's that reacting well?"
"I-" Howard rushed to defend himself but struggled to come up with anything helpful. "Well, then, imagine how Sheldon will react!" he finally said.
"Oh, come on, I think you're being a little unfair" opined Leonard.
"Have you met him?" said Howard.
"Met whom?" asked a voice that belonged to the man in question, who had just arrived at their table.
"Sheldon!" uttered all 3 at once.
"You act like you saw a ghost" stated Sheldon, baffled by his friends' reaction to seeing him.
"We just hadn't realized you were standing there" said Leonard, which was technically true, given that none of them had seen him coming in, otherwise they would have never continued their conversation. Fortunately, Sheldon chose to ignore their odd behavior since he was in no mood to deal with their nonsense. He sat down and started enjoying the meal he had just purchased.
"How come you are eating from the cafeteria today? I thought since Amy got food poisoning, you started bringing your own lunch" asked Howard curiously.
"Well, there are some foods that are worth the risk of vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps" replied Sheldon and continued his meal.
"We are eating, Sheldon!" Howard pointed out as he grimaced at the mention of such symptoms over lunch.
"Well, yes, Howard. No need to state the obvious" remarked Sheldon in his usual condescending "Is that what they teach at MIT?"
Now furious, Howard leaned towards Leonard and whispered "Are we sure it'd be the worst thing if he got on train and left again?"
Leonard, disregarding his comment, resumed the conversation as he hadn't found Sheldon response convincing enough "Are you really that excited for Taco Tuesday?" he inquired.
"Well, in addition to that" he paused and hesitated to continue "I'm beginning to suspect that Amy didn't get food poisoning after all"
Raj, Howard and Leonard shared a subtly panicked look.
"W-what makes you say that?" stammered Raj.
"Food poisoning usually lasts 1-2 days but, yesterday morning, I heard vomiting from the bathroom. And today, I heard it again but when I asked her about it, she denied it."
"Probably just PMS or something, don't worry about it!" Howard reassured him.
"Well, that would explain the crankiness she's been displaying lately" presumed Sheldon.
"See? No reason to worry! How's your taco? It looks delicious." said Leonard, desperately trying to end this discussion before they divulged any further information but Sheldon wasn't convinced.
"Wait, that's not possible. By this time of the month, PMS should have been long over"
"It's creepy that you know that" rejoined Raj.
"Forgive me for caring!" Sheldon retorted. "But if it was PMS, why would she try and keep this from me?"
"Have you considered the possibility that you just misinterpreted what you heard?" questioned Leonard, again in an attempt to keep him from asking more questions.
"Oh, please! Even someone without hearing as excellent as mine could have heard it! It was like the scientifically inaccurate T-Rex roar in Jurassic Park." he responded. "Compared to that your crying son in the evenings is a calming lullaby"
Leonard rolled his eyes and Howard weighed in "Yeah, never, EVER say that to Amy"
"Well..." said Sheldon as guilt began to show on his face.
"Oh, for god's sake, Sheldon, how much of an insensitive ass are you?" growled Raj.
"Hey, that's what Amy said!" responded Sheldon causing the others to roll their eyes in sync.
"He's going to do great the next nine months" Howard told Leonard and Leonard shook his head in agreement. Although, Howard had lowered his voice, Sheldon still caught his comment.
"Great in what? And why nine months? Is there any pertinent information you are keeping from me?" Sheldon wanted answers. He could tell they knew more they cared to disclose. The guys looked at each other but he didn't say anything. None of them were capable of answering Sheldon's questions with a convincing enough lie. That silence combined with that guilty look on their faces was all that was required to confirm Sheldon's hypothesis; they knew.
"Oh, for God sake's, what is it?" Sheldon said, growing more and more frustrated. Then, his eyes widened sending a rushing chill down his friends' spines. But, in reality, he was far from discovering the truth.
"Is it a brain tumor?" he asked in obvious distress.
"How the hell did you get brain tumor from vomiting and irritability?" asked a relieved, albeit perplexed, Leonard.
"Nausea and vomiting are among the most common symptoms of a brain tumor!"
"Amy doesn't have a brain tumor!" said Raj trying to talk some sense into Sheldon and calm him down.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware it was medicine you studied at Cambridge!" quipped Sheldon.
"Okay, Sheldon. Not that this isn't fun but I'm going to help you out. Using that genius brain of yours that you brag about constantly, I want you to try and list the symptoms you've noticed" said Howard.
"What are you doing, Howard?" slurred Leonard.
"Wait, I want to see if he gets this" whispered Howard.
"Well, vomiting and irascibility would be the two major symptoms but I've also noticed occasional lightheadedness and more frequent urination." said Sheldon as he tried to recall everything he had observed.
"Alright, now try and think of possible causes" said Raj as he was now as curious as Howard.
"It could be some kind of stomach virus such as gastroenteritis but she doesn't have any fever or diarrhea" he paused but then continued "And it has lasted too long to be common stomach distress. It could be cholera but even I think that's farfetched. Oh, symptoms like that can also account for pregnancy in its early stages" added Sheldon very casually and turned to his food as if he had said something utterly insignificant. Howard, Leonard and Raj shared a look and then settled their gaze on Sheldon. Suddenly, his jaw dropped and he sat back as his face morphed into an indecipherable expression.
"There's the Nobel Prize winner!" joked Howard but Sheldon wasn't listening.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," he finally spoke "but I need to go." he stood up and, pacing rapidly, he left the cafeteria.
"Should we go after him?" Leonard asked the others.
"I guess" responded Howard and they both got up from their chairs but Raj stayed put.
"Raj, aren't you coming?" questioned Leonard.
"But I haven't finished my sandwich" whined Raj.
"Come on, Raj"
"Fine" he groaned, now standing. They all walked out of the cafeteria but when they got into to the hallway, Sheldon had long disappeared.
"Great!" said Leonard sarcastically "He could be anywhere by now!"
"Maybe we should go tell Amy, I mean it's her husband we lost." said Howard.
"You mean, you did" Leonard corrected.
"Hey, why only me? You guys were there, too!" Howard protested.
"You were the one who made a game out of it!" replied Leonard.
"He helped!" said Howard and pointed at Raj.
"Oh, yeah, sure, blame it on the Indian guy!" Raj responded sarcastically and Howard snorted in response.
"So, you are just going to throw me under the bus?"
"Hey, I already had Amy beat with a pillow once because I let Sheldon leave, this is your turn." Leonard told him and then let out a laugh.
"What's so funny?" inquired Howard.
"I'm just imagining Amy kicking your ass."
Meanwhile, Sheldon had already arrived at his destination. There he stood, at the threshold of Amy's lab, leaning on the door frame as he watched Amy work, with a fluorescent smile spreading from his right ear to the left. Amy failed to notice him until she reached to get something and saw him by the door.
"Oh, h-" she began to greet him but before she could, he ran over and hugged her.
At that moment, the guys arrived at the lab, almost rushing in but seeing Sheldon there, they stopped dead in their trucks. Leonard smiled at the sight; he was proud of him. He, then, noticed Amy's confused expression which silently plead for an explanation. In response, Leonard mouthed "He knows" while pointing at Sheldon. She finally understood. Amy wanted to be mad at them for blabbing, but she was too moved by Sheldon's reaction to be bothered by that. She felt so guilty for not trusting him.
"Sheldon, I'm sorr-" she started when they separated but, once again, Sheldon interrupted her.
"No, Amy, don't. You are under no obligation to apologize. You can't be expected to trust that my reaction will be positive when history indicates otherwise." He kept looking at the floor as if he didn't dare look at her. "But I want to change that." he said, finally looking at her "For you. Both of you." he said smiling at her and she did the same.
"I love you" she said softly.
"I love you, too" he responded and they hugged again.
Leonard, Howard and Raj witnessed the whole interaction for they were standing at the door the whole time.
"Maybe, we were a little hard on him" admitted Howard, feeling somewhat guilty himself. He turned to Leonard and saw that he had teared up.
"Are you crying?"
"No, it's allergy season" Leonard lied, wheezing in between words.
"Can you believe this guy?" snorted Howard as he turned to Raj, only to find him in the same emotional state.
"Really? You, too?" he asked to which Raj responded:
"Shut up, it was beautiful!"
(end of flashback)