It was 6:45pm and Sheldon knew that Amy was on her way to his apartment. It was Thursday night…their date night… and this week, they had decided to stay in and have a quiet evening at home. Amy was more than agreeable to that idea, and Sheldon knew why.

Sheldon and Amy had been a couple for a little more than two years now, and he was well aware of how Amy felt. She has never come right out and blatantly TOLD him… but, he has become quite skilled in reading her body language. He knew that she wasn't the same woman he met at the coffee shop; the same woman who very pointedly told him, "All forms of touching, up to and including coitus, are off the table!" Now, those rules don't apply… to her, anyway. He still holds true to them. He simply doesn't understand what could have changed with Amy.

Lately, though, he has been feeling…for lack of a better term… anxious, whenever he thought of her (which was most of the time now). He couldn't pinpoint the reason behind why he felt this way. Just the thought of seeing her made his heart skip a beat. He thought he was getting sick and contemplated making an appointment to see a Cardiologist. He made a mental note to do some research on the subject.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and Sheldon went to let his girlfriend in. They weren't planning to do much… just order Chinese food and watch the new episode of Star Trek. Amy didn't understand Sheldon's interest in the program. To her, it was just the same as any Science Fiction program; but, she listened patiently each time he tried to explain it to her. Sheldon just thought she was coming around to his side; but, honestly, she just loved listening to him talk.

"Hello, Amy" Sheldon said. He waved her in with his arm.

"Hello, Sheldon" Amy said quietly. Her eyes were downcast. Something was on her mind. He dismissed it and invited her to have a seat on the couch. He offered her a cold beverage while he prepared dinner, which was delivered moments before she arrived. She accepted, but the drink just sat on the table. She picked at her food, replying that she just wasn't hungry when he asked why she wasn't eating. It was obvious that she was preoccupied, but he didn't know how to approach the subject.

Sheldon has always had trouble being around other people for extended periods of time. So, he didn't really know how to handle it when someone around him was sad, or angry, or upset… or any other emotion, to be honest. But, with Amy, it bothered him when she wasn't happy. That feeling, in itself, bothered him, too. He cared…even though he didn't know how to care.

Sheldon was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice that Star Trek was over and Babylon 5 was in progress. How could he not notice that? He hated Babylon 5. He was starting to rethink his entire existence at this point, when Amy reached over and tentatively touched his hand. He had been so quiet for so long… and they haven't spoken since she arrived, she was worried about him. This startled Sheldon and he jerked away from her. It was a reflex.

But, Amy was offended. She knew Sheldon had an aversion to physical contact. She was just offering support to whatever may be wrong with him tonight. But, it just brought to the forefront all the rejection she received from him. Granted, rejection he wasn't aware he was giving, but the pain was real to her nonetheless.

She stood up, grabbed her purse, and walked to the door. She turned to look at Sheldon, who had a look of shock and confusion (and… hurt?) on his face.

"Amy? What's wrong? Why are you leaving?" He asked. Yes, he sounded hurt.

"Sheldon, why did you jerk your hand away from mine? All I was doing was making sure you were alright. You were so quiet… and you didn't watch the show, which is too far beyond your character for me not to notice."

"Amy, you scared me. I wasn't expecting you to touch me. It was a knee-jerk reaction. I'm sorry if I upset you." But, Amy had more... much more… to say. He had to understand, once and for all.

"Sheldon, we have been together for 2 years. In that time, I have grown as a person…as a woman. Before I met you, I was all work. My career was my life. I lived and breathed neurobiology. Then, I met you. You were the most brilliant man I had ever met… and that is saying a lot seeing as how I have studied with the brightest minds in the world. You came into my life at a time when I didn't think I needed anything. I thought I had everything I needed. I thought my life was perfect.

Then, I met you… and I realized that I was wrong. You brought a meaning to my life that I didn't know I needed… I didn't know I was missing. Sheldon, I fell in love with you. Can't you see that? I love you! " Amy was crying now. She hadn't expected to cry. She doesn't like to cry in front of Sheldon as he doesn't do well with tears…but, she couldn't hold them back anymore. This had been building up for a while now. So many times, she wished she didn't love him so much. It wouldn't hurt as bad to do what she knew she needed to do.

Sheldon didn't say anything. He just stood there, his mouth agape, listening to her…flinching when she started crying. He contemplated getting her a hot beverage, as per social protocol…but, somehow, he didn't think it would be a good idea this time. She told him she loved him. When he heard her say it, his heart stopped. Somewhere, deep down, he knew she did. He needed to say something to her. He couldn't let her leave. The fear that it would be forever hurt him in a way he had never felt before. But, he couldn't get his mouth to work.

Amy stopped crying. She was looking at him with resolution. She looked sad. Tired. Determined.

"Sheldon, I'm leaving. We're done. As much as I love you, I love myself too much to stay in a relationship with someone who doesn't return my feelings. My heart can't take much more. I need to save it from further heartbreak. Goodbye, Sheldon." Amy choked on those words. WOW, were they hard to say!

As she turned to leave, she felt a hand grab her shoulder and spin her around. Before she had time to be startled, Sheldon grabbed her face and kissed her. Not rough… very sweet, but firm. By the time she realized what had happened, he had pulled away, but still had her face cradled in his hands. His strong hands. She just stared into his eyes, asking questions her mouth just couldn't form. He kissed her again, this time, full of passion…love. She melted into him, and he had to keep her from falling over.

"Amy, I am so sorry! I understand what you said. I needed to hear it. Amy, all my life, I have never understood the necessity of having other people around me. I have always been very self-sufficient and got along just fine on my own. Then, I met you. I was very confused; because you brought out feelings in me that I didn't comprehend. That was very unnerving, because, as a Physicist, I have a working knowledge of the entire universe and all it contains. I met you, and all that went right out the window. I began to feel confused and unsure. I felt feelings that I just couldn't place.

I have always been very good at hiding my feelings and ignoring them. I never realized that, in doing so, I was hurting you, the one person I actually enjoy spending time with. The one person I NEED to spend time with. Amy, I love you, too." He had tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. When one escaped and rolled down his cheek, Amy reached up to brush it away.

She was moved beyond measure. She honestly had no idea he felt this way. She just stared at him, trying to find the words her heart wanted to say. Instead, he took her hand and led her back to the couch.

As they sat down, Amy felt very shy. She kept her eyes on him, but they remained tentative. Sheldon pulled her closer to him. He reached up and brushed her hair behind her shoulders and, in doing so, wiped her tears away. He curled his left hand around the back of her neck and his right arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her in to kiss her. The kiss was the sweetest experience Amy has ever had. She didn't know how to process all of the feelings welling up inside her…the biggest of all, LOVE. He loved her! Wow…

Sheldon couldn't believe what was happening to him. However, the moment he kissed her and told her he loved her, his feelings of anxiousness vanished. Fascinating! He was in love. And she loved him in return! Wow…