When Sheldon stepped his first foot into the generator he instantly felt fear. He knew his next action would determine if he'd see his Amy again or if he'd see anyone again. He we went through the calculations about which universe to go back to in his mind before he had stepped in and he couldn't see anything wrong. But Sheldon knew that even his brilliant mind could make mistakes. He took a deep breath and stepped his other trembling foot in.

The inside of the generator was familiar from his testing back in his world. It was an odd form of gravity where he could still move around in the bright blue glow but he wasn't walking. He instead moved around using swim-like motions. However, he wasn't in any kind of liquid substance but air.

He heard a noise behind him and saw that the generator opening had closed, meaning he could no longer return to the universe he'd spent so much time in. Now he had no idea what to do. He remembered last time blacking out and showing up in the new universe. He tried to move around to see if there was any exit.

After some time, Sheldon began to get worried. There was nothing for him to travel through to get anywhere. He just kept swimming around in circles trying to find something.

Eventually Sheldon began to wonder if he'd be stuck between universes for the rest of his life. With no food or water he would starve to death and his body would be there for eternity until a Cylon from the future found him whilst discovering a method to travel through parallel universes.

Sheldon began to get flustered and began to feel similar anxiety to when rock-climbing due to instability of being in the world. Then he remembered. When he was rock-climbing the fear caused him to black out. He realised why he'd blacked out the first time he'd travelled. It must've been the fear of being stuck in an scary situation.

Sheldon's mind continued to panic and fell into darkness once again.

#

Sheldon's eyes opened and he instantly saw where he was. He was lying down on a dirty floor and up at a roof. He knew it. He was looking up at the roof of the basement, where he'd left off.

Much like his trip to another universe he wasn't sure what had happened. Where was he? Was he back in the parallel universe? Or had he returned home. Sheldon stood up and brushed himself off. He took of the protective suit he wore to travel through universes and saw he was still wearing Amy's bracelet and the blood stained T-shirt. He instantly regretted not changing clothes before returning.

He looked around the room and saw no evidence to where he ended up. The only thing was a table, but given that table was in the basement in both universes this wasn't evidence enough. He'd just have to go into the world and find out. He opened the basement door and went up the stairs to the university.

People were walking around the university, going about their busy lives, but most of them stopped to look at the tired looking man with blood on his shirt. He needed re-affirmation of which universe it was so he decided to go back to his office. He knew which universe had which version of his office. He headed towards his office and there were few whisperings between people who saw him. Sheldon's Vulcan hearing picked up questions like: 'Is that him?' and 'He must've gone through something bad'.

"Sheldon!" a familiar voice shouted as he headed towards the physics department. He turned to see Leonard with a surprised look on his face.

"Leonard!" Sheldon was actually excited to see him, no matter which version it was.

"Where have you been?" he asked. "You've been missing for days. We almost gave up hope!"

"What do you mean?" Sheldon asked.

"Last Wednesday you went missing." Leonard stated. "We looked everywhere. We searched all over the university, near the apartment, the comic book store, the train store, the train station and we called all your relatives. We eventually called police and they came up with nothing. We even followed your schedule one day but didn't find you anywhere."

"It is hard to explain." Sheldon said.

"I am so happy to have you back buddy." Leonard said. He walked up to Sheldon.

"Can I ask you something weird Leonard." Sheldon said.

"Okay."

"Are you and Penny dating?"

Leonard almost looked surprised. "Of course. What an odd question."

"Did you get back together after you were staring at her on the blue t-shirt and I had just received my cardboard life-sized Spock." Sheldon asked.

Leonard gave a confused look. "I think so. I remember it being light blue… why is there blood on your shirt?" he realised.

"That is my blood from when I was punched in the face." Sheldon explained.

"What?" Leonard asked with a shocked look on his face.

"That is also how I got the bruises on my face and some regions you can't see because of my clothing…."

"Ok, buddy." Leonard began to panic. "I'm taking you to the nurse. You need to be taken care of!"

"Not the nurse! You know I detest her…"

"No questions Sheldon!" Leonard argued. Sheldon knew that Leonard for once was right. He needed to be taken care of, since he might have been home.

#

"Apart from some bruises and a little malnourishment he is completely fine." The nurse told Leonard. "Get him something healthy to eat and some fresh clothing."

"I can hear you talk about me!" Sheldon argued from a nearby seat in the nurse's office. He felt very anxious being in the nurse's room where sick students with no hygiene probably sneezed. "And when can I see Amy?"

"I just called her as well as Penny, Howard, Raj and Bernadette." Leonard said.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Amy!" Sheldon instantly was excited. The door opened and they saw Howard and Raj.

"Sheldon!" Raj said with concern. "Are you okay? I was so worried!"

"Raj was more worried than I was, but I was still very concerned." Howard said.

"Where is Amy?" Sheldon asked again.

"Is that all we get. A question about where your girlfriend is." Howard stated.

"Don't ring him up too much." Leonard said. "He probably has had a tough time."

"What happened to you?' Raj asked. "All we could find was a weird machine in the basement that we couldn't work out how to use but we ended up giving to the police. They couldn't figure it out either."

"Of course you couldn't know how to use it." Sheldon said with condescension "Anyway, I'm not saying anything until Amy gets here!" Sheldon hadn't thought of having the machine self-destruct when first constructing it, so it was still intact.

"It might be a while. She was out looking for you." Leonard said.

"She was looking for me?" Sheldon asked.

"Amy didn't stop looking for you everyday whilst you were gone. Apart from sleep and eating, that is what she was doing." Leonard explained.

Sheldon thought for a second. Amy had been looking for him as hard as he was trying to return to her.

"That is… so romantic." Sheldon said.

"Don't start dropping r-bombs Sheldon." Leonard joked. Howard laughed. Raj looked at the two and rolled his eyes.

"We should get Sheldon some clean clothes and food." Raj suggested.

"Good idea." Leonard said. "I'll text the girls to meet us in the cafeteria."

"Thank goodness." Sheldon stood up. "I haven't eaten since last night. But first Raj and Howard, how is your romantic relationship?"

"What?" Howard asked.

"We aren't in a romantic relationship." Raj stated.

"I'm married to Bernadette."

"You mean on top of the apartment roof on the day Google Earth was taking photographs?" Sheldon asked inquisitively.

"Of course Sheldon." Howard said.

"Good." Sheldon said. "That is exactly what I wanted to hear." And he walked out of the nurse's office. Leonard, Howard and Raj gave each other confused looks.

#

Sheldon sat down in the cafeteria with Leonard, Howard and Raj. He always kept a spare set of clothes in his office in case of an 'accident' and this was more than just an accident. He was now wearing the clean set of clothes. It was a small pleasure but for someone like Sheldon who'd been through what he had it was a hygienic heaven. When he was walking to his office to get the clothing he read the names on the office doors and saw it was the same as his old universe. His office was also the same as before.

He had ordered of the cafeteria's cheeseburger and was going to start eating it. However, someone caught his attention.

"Sheldon, you're here!" was the familiar voice of Penny. With no hesitation she came up to him with a hug.

"Your arms remind me of an anaconda devouring its prey." Sheldon said. Penny stopped hugging him and sat down at the table.

"Oh shut up Sheldon." Penny said in a joking manner

"If I did then the world would be disadvantaged." He said. "On a side note, have we ever engaged in coitus?"

"What?" the whole group, including Penny, said with shock.

"Ew! Sheldon what the hell?" Penny asked with confusion. "Why would you ask that?"

"You didn't answer my question…"

"No we've never engaged in coitus." Penny answered. "And I'm shuddering at the thought."

"Me too sister." Sheldon said. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye Sheldon saw a woman with glasses and hair the colour of mud enter the cafeteria.

"Amy!" Sheldon exclaimed and stood up.

"Sheldon!" Amy said ecstatically. Sheldon rushed over to the entrance of the cafeteria and without hesitation Sheldon began to kiss her passionately. Amy couldn't help but kiss back. He could somehow tell that this Amy was the one he was in love with. After about half a minute a voice from behind them spoke up.

"Excuse me." Said the squeaky voice of Bernadette. "I arrived here with Amy and you are blocking the path to the table." Sheldon and Amy stopped kissing and saw Bernadette's glare.

"Wow." Amy said and was taken aback. "Hello there."

"I missed you so much Amy." Sheldon said. "I have so much to tell you."

"Where were you?" Amy asked. "I was worried sick. I thought you might have died."

"I heard you searched for me." Sheldon said. "I thank you but I am probably disappointing you by saying you would've never found me."

"Why?" Amy asked.

"Sit down at the table and I'll explain it to you all." Sheldon said. He was sure this was the right universe, so he knew it'd be safe.

The group of 7 sat down at a large cafeteria table as Sheldon began to explain everything but only after they all agreed to keep it a secret. He told them all about how at every day at 2:45 he'd go down to the university's basement and work on a machine that could take someone to another parallel universe.

"That is ridiculous!" Leonard argued.

"They did find a machine in the basement." Howard thought aloud.

"Please don't interrupt as I tell this story." Sheldon said. "Or I'll just tell this to Amy later." He smiled at her and she gave one back. The group wanted to continue to interrupt but as they also wanted to hear Sheldon's explanation so they remained quiet.

Sheldon explained that while testing he travelled to another universe where he and Penny were romantically linked, Howard and Raj were a couple, Leonard hated him and he didn't even know Amy. He then explained the story of what happened from bumping into Amy, asking her and her husband Dave for help, building the machine with them, the other Sheldon returning, the other Sheldon being suspicious and then being kidnapped by David Underhill. He added that he kissed the other Amy for full honesty. He finished the story by explaining how he thought of how to return home and then using the generator to do so.

At the end of the story everyone in the group had a facial expression that indicated they didn't know what to make of the story.

"Did you bump your head on the way to the basement?" Howard asked.

Sheldon shook his head. "No!"

"Where was I in this universe?" Bernadette asked.

"You were an ice dancer who became seriously injured." Sheldon explained.

"This is hard to believe." Leonard thought aloud.

"Well, Bernadette did consider becoming an ice dancer…" Sheldon began to justify.

"I meant about going to a parallel universe!" Leonard clarified.

"What is that on your wrist?" Raj interrupted. "I know you hate jewellery."

Sheldon showed them the bracelet with Amy's name on it.

"Where did you get that Sheldon?" Amy asked with a surprised expression.

"The Amy from the parallel universe gave it to me so she could tell Sheldon and I apart." Sheldon explained. "She let me keep it."

"That bracelet was given to me by my grandmother before she died." Amy said. "She had it made especially for me. There is only one."

"I've never seen you wear it." Sheldon stated. He also realised that the other Amy must have cared for him deeply to let him keep it.

"It reminds me of her too much." Amy said. "It is hidden in a jewellery box in my apartment."

"If Sheldon has it, and you have yours then that must be proof of his story." Raj said.

"There are probably many Amy bracelets in this world." Penny said.

"This one is different." Amy explained. "There is not another one like it."

The table began to discuss the validity of Sheldon's story so he took the opportunity to eat some of his burger. He was hungry so he finished it quickly. Sheldon noted how much better it was then the burger in the other universe. He couldn't but smile whilst eating it. When finished Sheldon stood up from the table. "I don't expect you all to believe it. I myself would be sceptical of such a story." He told them. "I am just happy to be home and to be with all of you once again."

All six were surprised with Sheldon suddenly being sentimental. They all knew he must've gone through something straining for him to think like that.

"I have something to take care of." Sheldon told them all. "Tonight Amy, I request we have a date night in your apartment to discuss our relationship."

"Of course, Sheldon." Amy said.

"I'll see you all later." Sheldon said before leaving the table. Behind him, he heard the group talking amongst themselves again.

#

For the rest of the day Sheldon was determined to erase anything to do with his parallel universe machine. He destroyed all the calculations and designs he had made. He went to the police station to retrieve his machine, explaining his disappearance was a large misunderstanding that was now taken care of. He then destroyed the machine so no one could ever travel to a parallel universe. He'd seen what toll it had on him and the people of the other universe so he thought it best that no one could do it again.

The only evidence of the machine was Sheldon's bracelet. He decided to break his jewellery rules and keep wearing it, to remind himself of the Amy who helped him.

The only people who knew about the parallel universe were his friends who weren't sure that he was telling the truth, and would probably be deemed crazy if they tried to tell anyone. Sheldon was happy that he told them the truth though, even if they didn't believe it. It showed how much trust that he'd built whilst struggling in the other universe.

He also checked again that this universe was right one. He went several to his common locations and saw they were same. All his Facebook posts were once he made and everything in his apartment was the same.

That night Sheldon turned up to Amy's apartment and explained everything he did that afternoon to her. They were eating Spaghetti with hot dogs cut up in it and Amy had made it perfectly. It was like he was tasting happiness.

"I believe you Sheldon and I know you only kissed the other Amy in a moment of severe weakness." Amy smiled at him. "I can tell when you are lying and you were not."

"Thank you." Sheldon said.

"It must have been hard when you were kept captive by Underhill." She continued.

"Most pain I've ever been in but I wouldn't have been able to return home if it weren't for the discomfort I felt." He explained. "What did everyone else in the group think of my explanation?"

"Mostly sceptical of your story. I think Raj believed you the most. Penny didn't understand much and assumed you were right until Leonard said otherwise." Amy explained.

"Of course." Sheldon said with a laugh.

"But they are just happy you have returned, false story or not." Amy said. "I also found the exact bracelet you are wearing in my jewellery box. That and your word is proof enough for me."

Sheldon couldn't help smile at what was the love of his life.

"I love you Amy." He said.

Amy looked almost stunned, like she was going to hyperventilate. "I love you too…" She said.

"I was thinking whilst I was away." Sheldon told her. "How I wasn't treating you very well. How if I never returned you'd think of me as some standoffish boyfriend who didn't care about you…"

"No, I wouldn't think that at all Sheldon." Amy insisted.

"But I realised I need to treat you right." He said. "I must propose a clause in our relationship agreement to schedule in a coitus night. Perhaps once a week."

Amy almost fell out of her chair from what she was hearing. "That is the most romantic clause proposal I've ever heard."

"I know." Sheldon smiled and continued to eat.

"Could the scheduled weekly coitus night start tonight?" Amy asked.

"If that is what you propose, then we can start tonight." Sheldon said. "But I'm afraid I don't have any…"

"Don't worry." Amy said. "I've had some protection here for…. Emergencies." She said. Sheldon gave her an odd look.

"Okay then. It is settled." Sheldon said. "Tonight we will coitus and continue once a week."

"So… should we begin or…"

"I think we should finish dinner." Sheldon said.

"Oh right." She laughed. "Completely forget we were eating." And she also continued to eat. "You'd better eat quickly."

"I am attempting too." Sheldon admitted with a sly smile. Amy's heart flustered.

#

Sheldon and Amy lay in bed after their first time having coitus. Sheldon looked the same as before the coitus whilst Amy's looked unkempt with wild hair.

"That was better than what I thought it would be." Sheldon admitted.

"Me too." Amy said back.

"I motion we change our weekly coitus to twice a week. Any objections?" Sheldon asked.

"No objections." Amy said instantly.

"So what usually happens now?" Sheldon asked.

"Pillow talk." Amy told him. "We talk a bit afterwards."

"What should we discuss?" Sheldon asked.

"I'm curious about the other universe." Amy said. "What was it like? How else was it different?"

Sheldon began to explain the difference between the universes. He told her about Stuart being the owner of comic book chain and being involved with Taylor Swift. He told her about Leonard being a financial worker and Penny being a physicist. Amy listened to the whole explanation intently.

"Thank you for being honest Sheldon." Amy said and kissed him on the lips. After the kiss had finished Sheldon smiled.

"Thank you for believing me." He said back. Amy and Sheldon talked a bit more before going to sleep. Sheldon fell asleep after Amy though. He was still traumatised from his experience in the other universe. He began to wonder about how the other Amy was doing. Was the other Sheldon suspicious still of them being from a parallel universe? Sheldon felt a twinge of sadness that he'd never see them again. Then he looked at his Amy and his sadness went away. He was now happy that he'd managed to return. He felt like one of the heroes in a sci-fi movie, successfully facing every challenge to get back to his girl. He then fell asleep and slept better than he had in sometime.

That is the end of this story. This was a blast to write and I am very happy of this you every single reader for giving it a chance and a special thank you to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed. It was a delight to read your reactions to each twist and turn the story took. This story was my first to get over 200 reviews, despite it being less chapters then my previous story, which was a big achievement. I know this ending may have not been what you were expecting or wanting but I still hoped you liked it.

I go back to college after my mid-semester break on Tuesday and I won't be publishing any stories until the very end of November. I love writing stories but I want to make my studies a full priority as I get to final stretches of the semester. I hopefully will publish something when my exams are over so watch out for that. I might even write something original, depending on what ideas I get. Until then, thank you all. You can follow my Tumblr if you wish to keep in contact with me although when exams come I don't think I'll be using that often either.

Thank you all again.

Clint Cooper.