Amy checked her watch, sighed and stood. Her tea was drunk, and Valentine's Day, such as it was when dating a man like Sheldon, was over. "It's after ten, Sheldon. Time for me to go."

Sheldon looked up from his cup of herbal tea. "I don't want you to go."

"Why?"

"As you know, Leonard and Penny are spending the rest of the evening in her apartment. I'm glad because I don't need to hear their coitus tonight," he made a face that resembled a disgusted child.

"You've stayed here alone many times," Amy pointed out.

"Yes, but…" He seemed to be at a loss for words until she stroked his bicep.

"What's wrong?"

"I said I don't want to hear Leonard and Penny, but I would like to be with you tonight."

Amy's mouth fell open. "I thought you said you wanted to wait until my next birthday."

"Yes, I did, but I feel I've fallen prey to the over sentimentality of Valentine's Day."

"I see… So you want me to stay because everyone's engaging in coitus tonight."

Sheldon observed her for a moment. "At first, but despite my initial loathing of physical intimacy, I find that when I'm with you, I think about it, more and more."

"Me too," she said slowly. "I don't want you to think that we have to do this because of peer pressure."

He leaned over and kissed her. "Peer pressure's a small part of it," he said after releasing her lips.

She was incapable of speaking for several seconds because it was so rare that he initiated a kiss. She was usually the aggressor and all of this was rattling her composure. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that what I feared has happened."

"You're scaring me, Sheldon."

"I don't mean to, but I can't stop thinking about your birthday and how wonderful it was. I want to feel that way again."

"Me too…"

"Are you sure you're okay with me in your room?" she asked.

He nodded and once again she was struck by how much he'd changed in the last five years. Sometimes it was like he gone through a radical personality change and then he'd do or say something to remind her that he was, for good or ill, Sheldon Cooper.

"This is a one-time only occasion," he said and her sense of wonder was blown away.

"I understand."

He stood up and gestured to the hallway. "Shall we?"

CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM

Penny carefully unlocked the door to Leonard and Sheldon's apartment. She slipped inside and turned on the light. The living room was empty. She hoped that Sheldon was asleep so she could get in and out in a hurry. She tiptoed down the hallway to her bedroom and was about to go inside when she heard something completely unprecedented for Sheldon's room.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

"Oh… Cooper!"

Cooper!

Her eyebrows went up at this passionate declaration from Amy. Sheldon had Amy in his room and they were… wow, wait until she told Leonard. He'd freak!

She hurried into her room and rifled through the bedside table for their edible body paint. She stuck it in her pocket and carefully opened the bedroom door. The hallway was empty so she tiptoed past the door and tried desperately not to think about the pictures in her head from Amy's exclamation. Fortunately, quiet prevailed. She thought she heard a conversation, then realized she was standing there like a voyeur.

"Gotta get the hell outta here," she whispered.

She'd reached the kitchen when she heard someone come out Sheldon's room. She froze like a deer in the headlights and turned to see Amy wearing one of Sheldon's pajama tops. She was dancing and singing some song that Penny didn't recognize. Until she saw Penny standing there staring at her as if she'd never seen another human being.

"Penny," she squeaked loudly, then lowered her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry, I was just getting something from our room. I thought Sheldon would be asleep and…"

She faded off and looked at the fridge instead of Amy because she was afraid that she'd burst into uncontrolled laughter.

"He wanted me to stay over, and – wait, did you hear us?"

"Ah, maybe just a little."

Amy opened the fridge and pulled out a bottled water. "What did you hear?" She demanded.

"Oh, Cooper!" Penny teased. "What is that all about?"

"Shh…" Penny hissed as her face went cherry red. "He'll hear you."

"I'm sorry." She fought to contain her laughter but lost control completely when Sheldon hollered from the bedroom, "What's taking so long?"

"Sounds like he's eager to get back to it," Penny observed.

"Please just leave," Amy begged. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

"Alright, I'm sorry for interrupting. You have fun now."

"Don't tell Leonard about this," Amy begged.

Penny rolled her eyes and sighed. "You're taking all the fun out if this."

"Penny," she wailed.

"I promise I won't tell Leonard, but I can't say the same thing about Bernadette."

"Amy!" Sheldon called impatiently.

"You better get back in there," Penny laughed. "He sounds a bit desperate."

"That's not funny, Penny."

"I'm gone," Penny assured her. "Have a good time."

She left before Amy could pressure her into keeping quiet to Bernadette. It was bad enough she couldn't tell Leonard, but maybe there was a way to work around it. If he guessed what had happened, then she was off the hook with Amy. She chuckled under her breath and opened her apartment door. This might be the best Valentine's Day in years.