Part Six

Sheldon Lee Cooper is Seriously In Love With Amy Farrah Fowler

"Damn it!" I cursed as my car gave a sharp jerk after I stepped on the brakes so hard that I made the tires screech. I wouldn't need to look back to know that I had definitely caused skid marks along Colorado Boulevard just before I traversed Marengo Avenue. After all, it was better to see black smudges on the road than the remains of a black cat that was down to its ninth chance.

Taking calculated deep breaths, I put the car back to drive and promised myself to be more careful. This was one of those moments when I hated that I believed in luck and superstitions. Take that cat, for one, which crossed the road without warning and almost sent me careening down the highway, promising death for either—or both—of us. Luckily, we had survived the ordeal together.

Then there was the shifting problem at the restaurant earlier. I had earlier pleaded to have my day off moved to the same day that Howard was to fly off to space but the request had been denied. Then I had asked to be given the morning shift since the takeoff wasn't until that evening. It had been granted. However, I had been asked to extend my hours up until the early evening because one waitress had slipped badly in the kitchen and had to be taken to the hospital.

I had concurred but was jittery the whole time I did my job; it couldn't be helped. After all, how many people can get to say 'I have to see my friend fly off to space in a rocketship' in their lifetime? As luck would have it, my manager noticed my being fidgety and finally relented, allowing me to clock out immediately and leave.

So the day had been, by far, a game between luck and misfortune. For everyone's sake, including Howard's—especially Howard's—I prayed that everything else from then on would sail smoothly.

I eased into North Los Robles without much of a problem and with a good parking space just behind Leonard's car. Hurriedly, I engaged the handbrake, rolled up the windows, chucked my bag over my shoulder and got out of the car, double-checking still to make sure I'd locked up.

The dash up to the fourth floor was perhaps the fastest I ever did in my life. Without bothering to knock, I opened the door to Leonard and Sheldon's apartment with the silent hope that I'd made it just in time.

Everyone expected was already inside. "Did I miss it?"

"No," Leonard replied, tapping the chair beside him that he had apparently reserved for me. "Come on in. Hurry."

I had no choice but to scurry across over to Leonard, blocking everyone's view of the television for a moment. I hurled my bag over to the floor right beside the wooden chair legs then sat down. The Russian countdown had begun, making me realize I had come in just in the nick of time.

My eyes were glued to the events flashing on the screen but I could feel the anxiety in the whole house. I had to admit, my heart was thumping wildly from within my chest.

"I love that man," Bernadette said almost breathlessly, which was understandable.

"Me, too," Raj acquiesced.

Never in my life had I thought that I would get emotional over something that Howard Wolowitz was doing. I tried to swallow down the lump that was forming in my throat. "I can't believe it. This whole time, a small part of me thought he was lying."

It all seemed too surreal for me. It felt too much. I needed support so I sought it from the one person I knew who could provide it best: I held Leonard's hand, my fingers interlacing his.

I wasn't sure if he looked at me, but his hand didn't let go of me even as he said, "This is it." At least one of us sounded more excited than nervous.

"Boldly go, Howard Wolowitz."

I recognized the well-wisher's voice to be Sheldon's. Truthfully, it made me feel good. I know how much torment the engineer had received from Sheldon over the years that I'd known both of them: Howard's height, his lack of a doctorate, the fact that he still lived with his mother at thirty…among other things. Yet, the Sheldon I heard resonated of pride, like Howard was going off to war to fight for the country or something. In a sense, it was like that. Howard was bringing with him all of our dreams about going to space.

The idea made me smile throughout, especially when the countdown ended and I witnessed the rocketship take off. However, the glare caused by the ignition that propelled the spacecraft heavenward proved too much for my eyes and I looked away fast enough to witness a scene I'd never imagined I'd have the privilege seeing.

Sheldon was holding Amy's hand.

It wasn't Amy who was holding Sheldon's hand like Bernadette was doing with Raj's. They weren't holding each other's hands like Leonard and I was doing.

Sheldon was holding Amy's hand.

Knowing Sheldon, I discerned the very act spoke volumes and whenever Amy was around, the message just became louder and louder, drowning out what was known before and drawing out who Sheldon really is: the Sheldon who danced with Amy, the Sheldon who took care of Amy, the Sheldon who won Amy back from Stuart, the Sheldon who bought Amy a tiara, the Sheldon who chose to spend his vacation with Amy.

For the briefest moment, their eyes met and for a nanosecond, they smiled. Perhaps they thought no one was watching. It had been easy to overlook because that shared glance happened in a heartbeat. If one had blinked, he'd probably have missed it.

Sheldon and Amy casually looked back at the screen at the same time before anyone else could notice and so did I, pretending not to have detected anything. I could barely contain my happiness, but I tried my best.

All evidence lead to one conclusion, one that I'd be happy to point out.

Sheldon Lee Cooper is seriously in love with Amy Farrah Fowler.

It is a fact. And I'd be more than willing to discuss this at great lengths with anyone who believes otherwise.

Author's Notes:

I had intended to finish this series just before the Season 6 premiere and I'm delighted that I was able to keep that goal. Big, big thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed and made this work their favorite. You made my writing comeback much easier.

This may be the end of this series, but not the end of my writing. I hope to see you all soon in another story.