A/N: Well again I must thank everyone who has followed, favorited and reviewed this story. It warms my heart that so many are happy with the OOC Sheldon. He is a different man than the one we know and love. I am sorry to those who don't buy this portrayal of the story, but I can't please everyone. I am so glad you liked how I got Amy and Sheldon to meet. Now we will go slow through the first couple of dates and then speed the story along so I can get to some good stuff. It will not be all rainbows and butterflies for these two no matter how much we love them.
Again I am thanking Boys3allC for all her help in putting this chapter together. She doesn't want the credit but she deserves it. Read her stuff, it's great too!
I wish I owned it...
Amy woke up on Sunday morning and checked her phone just to make sure she had not been dreaming. She smiled as she reread the texts he had sent her. She really had gone out on a date with an intelligent and captivating man who was not intimidated by her intelligence. Then he had invited her out again, he wanted to see her again, and soon.
The few men who did not leave the moment she gave her signature line, left as soon as they found out how smart she was. Most didn't understand half of what she said let alone hold their own with her in conversation. Dr. Sheldon Cooper was different than any other man she had ever met. First, he was extremely intelligent and highly educated, she felt her uterus quivering when he listed off all his degrees. Second, he seemed to know what he wanted out of life. He had goals and he had a life plan. She admired that. And finally third, and most important to her, he seemed okay with no physical contact, being a virgin she wanted to wait until she knew the man was special. He hadn't even tried to kiss her at the end of the night, even if it had looked like he wanted to. Most of the guys she made it through a whole night were expecting at least that at the end of the date. Though she had to admit to herself on her drive home that night she thought about what it would have been like if she had kissed him. Most men didn't believe her when she said coitus was off the table, most of them didn't even know what coitus was. Sheldon was different, he told her he could live with it.
Amy got out of bed and made her way into the living room. She had a few chores to complete. First she had to get her laundry done, which she usually did on Saturday nights. Her night with Sheldon had prevented that from happening and now her plans for the day were off. Amy also hoped that the new fabric softener would work well enough until she could get her regular stuff. She was just starting the sorting process when her phone did not even need to check the caller I.D. to see who it was, her mother . It didn't surprise her; she always called the morning after one of her coerced dates.
"Hello." Amy said answering the phone, pretending she didn't know who was on the other end.
"So how did the date go?" Her mother asked.
"It went fine mother." Amy answered her, being purposely evasive, even if she wanted to shout his name from the rooftops, she did not want to let her mother know about it.
"Well what was he like?" She pried.
"Actually he was very intelligent. We had a wonderful conversation." Amy replied. Not to mention handsome. She thought, but her mother did not need to know about that quite yet.
"So you just talked? Nothing else?" Her mother clarified, hoping that her daughter listened to her advice when she explained that men were only after one thing from a woman.
"Yes mother we just talked, we had a lot in common he is a scientist like I am albeit in a different field. Our conversation was wonderful. He was the first man I have met who could hold his own against me. Now I need to get going, I have laundry to do." Amy realized too late she had let too much slip. Her mother had heard what she said. She had let her date run past her normal laundry time and she was going to have to explain what happened. She hoped she wouldn't have to tell her more than she already had. If things did not work out she would be hearing all about the intelligent scientist and asked what went wrong.
"You always do your laundry on Saturday night. Why are you doing it this morning? Amy what aren't you telling me?" She asked. She was hoping she wasn't lying about just talking with this man. This man sounded to good to be true and it would not be the first time Amy had lied about man.
"Well I didn't get home until after ten last night." Amy answered honestly. There was no sense in lying to her mother about why her laundry wasn't done. "I had to stop at the store and by the time I got home it was too late to complete the laundry. I don't have any plans today so I will finish it today."
"Amy Farrah Fowler, why were you out until after ten last night? Are you sure all you did was talk with this man you met last night?" Her mother was completely serious now worried about her daughters virtue.
"Yes mother!" Amy says exasperated "First we met at the coffee shop, but neither of us like coffee and we still wanted to talk so he invited me to his apartment…" But she didn't get the rest of her sentence out before her mother interrupted her.
"You went to his apartment?! Have I not taught you anything? What did I tell you about going to a strange man's home on a first date? They only want one thing!" She screamed into the phone.
"Mom! Listen to me. Nothing happened between Sheldon and me." Amy said. "We just talked. Time got away from us. It was one of the best conversations I have had in a long time."
"Oh so he has a name? Tell me Amy, after you talked to him, did he invite you out again?" She asked.
"Yes, he has a name, Dr. Sheldon Cooper and actually yes before I left, he asked me for my number and email address so we could get together again." Amy answered.
"And do you think this Dr. Sheldon Cooper will call you? Most men aren't interested in just talking to a woman." Her mother stated.
"Actually mom we are going out again on Tuesday. He sent me a text shortly after I arrived home." Amy said pointedly.
"He actually invited you out again before the night was out?" Her mother asked shocked. She was trying not to get her hopes up that this man might be the answer to her prayers.
"Yes and I agreed to see him again." Amy said.
"Well I am impressed. Hopefully you won't scare this one off." Her mother said to her, sighing. Her daughter did not have the best record when it came to dating men. She could not remember any one lasting past one date, and she could not fathom the reason. In her book Amy was a catch.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Amy said sarcastically.
"Well your track record speaks for itself." Her mother said.
"I don't understand why this is so important to you. I have told you in the past, all I want to do is concentrate on my work. I have no interest in dating." Amy said to her.
"I want grandchildren." She said simply. The truth was she wanted so much more than that. She wanted Amy to have love and happiness, it was not natural for a woman in her late twenties to sit around reading and quilting like a grandma.
"Well you may be waiting a long time for that. I have no interest in procreating whatsoever."
"Amy, come on. You are almost thirty years old. I just want you to be happy. Why not go out with this guy and see where it goes." She said.
"Well I am going to see him again, but I think we will be very good friends, nothing more." Hating the way her mother was pressuring her, the truth was is that she would love for things to work out with Sheldon but as her mother said her track record spoke for itself.
"Don't say that. You never know, love finds you when you least expect it." It was a phrase her mother spouted off often, like after every failed date and it made her roll her eyes.
"I don't think I am going to fall in love with Sheldon Cooper mom." Amy said trying unsuccessfully to deflate the cloud her mother was riding on.
"When are you seeing him again?"
"Tuesday, we are going to the Cheesecake Factory. I think his friends will be there as well."
"Okay well then I will talk to you Wednesday." She said and then she hung up.
Amy rolled her eyes as she hung up her phone. Her mother was always meddling why couldn't she understand Amy's way of thinking. Before Sheldon all Amy wanted was to work on her research, she had no time for a relationship. Amy only went out once a year so she could use her mother's George Forman grill. Now she had this burgeoning relationship on the horizon and her mother was practically picking out China patterns. Amy had no idea what she wanted out of this relationship with Sheldon, it was all too new for her even to think about. Amy was however beginning to think she should buy her own grill. After all, her mother lived in Santa Barbara, not an easy commute from Glendale.
Across town, Sheldon was able to get his laundry done on Sunday morning without running into any of his nosy neighbors. He didn't relish talking to Penny again after the night before. If she found out that he had sent a text to Amy, he would never live it down.
Leonard could see something different about Sheldon since the night before. He wanted so badly ask him what was going on, but he knew how closed of his friend could be. Howard and Raj had said last night at dinner they couldn't believe how much Amy was like Sheldon:
"Dude, it was weird, it was like he was standing in front of a mirror and that was what he would look like if he was a girl." Raj had told him.
"No, she was like a foot shorter than him.. but I do agree they were a lot alike. The way they talked and their mannerisms it was like they were trying to mime each other." Howard commented.
"The way Sheldon looked when she told him all forms of physical contact up to and included coitus where off the table was priceless." Raj says laughing.
"What did he do?" Leonard asks curiously.
"He just stood there and blinked like three times, looking all like 'does not compute' then he just said calm as can be 'I can live with that' I would have been out of there." Howard told him.
"Maybe that was her point, you know to test if he was some sex crazed weird-o like you Howard." Leonard told him laughing.
"No dude,you had to be there this chick was serious, she stared him down, daring him to say anything." Raj said
"I don't know, he dated Ramona for a while and they never had sex. Plus he is always going on about how he is not a slave to baser urges despite what his sock drawer says."Leonard said.
"That's just it he and Ramona only dated a month and he had blue balls so bad he could not walk straight. I just don't think that this relationship is going to work out if she does not give up the goods." Howard said.
"Howard, people can be in loving fulfilling relationships with out sex, they are both super genius's maybe they could have a relationship of the mind." Raj told him.
"Would you want a 'relationship of the mind'" Howard asked him.
"Hell no, but I am not a super genius." He scoffed.
That night the entire gang got together for dinner. Sheldon had let the group know that Amy would be joining them for dinner on Tuesday at the Cheesecake Factory.
"Wow a second date?" Howard said. "So did she really mean that line about no physical contact?" He asked always looking for a chance to tease him.
Penny spat out her drink. "What the hell does that mean?"
"Oh when Amy met Sheldon she told him that all forms of physical contact up to and including coitus was off the table." Howard laughed.
"I told you last night she wasn't interested in a relationship and neither am I." He lied, his eye was twitching.
"What's wrong with your eye?" Bernadette asked looking at him concerned.
"Oh nothing, there must be something in it." Sheldon lied again, his eye still twitching.
"So you are saying that you are completely okay with a relationship that involves no sex whatsoever?" Howard asked.
"Sex does not rule my life unlike the rest of you." Sheldon answered.
"That is very commendable Sheldon, but just in case you were not okay with it you know there are ways of changing her mind." Penny said coyly.
"I am not going to try and change her mind, but just out of curiosities sake what is a way?" Sheldon said to her.
"Well, always offer to pay for her dinner, even if she refuses, still pay." Penny told him.
"That way she is forced into a another date to pay back the favor." Howard said making Bernadette look at him.
"No! Because that is what polite gentlemen do!" Bernadette said to him.
"Also I am not saying force yourself on her, but it does not hurt to make her want it a little, make her want to come to you." Penny told him.
"Just how would he do that?" Leonard asked curiously.
"Here I will show you, come here and I will be Sheldon and you be Amy okay."
"Why do I have to be Amy?" he asked getting up and standing in front of her.
""Because I know what to do and you don't." she told him placing her hands on his hips. "Okay Sheldon pay attention! Eye contact is key, look into her eyes like you are going to kiss her but don't. Instead when you go to say good bye lean in and whisper 'goodnight' in her ear, then as you pull away just barely graze her cheek with your finger. " she said performing the action on Leonard making him look at her with goo goo eyes. Then she walked away and sat down.
"She is good!" Leonard said walking away briskly and sitting back down.
"I appreciate all your help but, I will be respecting Amy Farrah Fowlers no contact clause." Sheldon tried to sound convincing.
"Well good for you Sheldon. These guys could learn a thing or two from you." Bernadette said to him and he looked at them proudly.
"You here that? You could learn a thing or two."Sheldon said pointedly.
"Yeah, he could teach the class on living with blue balls." Raj whispered into Howard's ear and Howard laughed.
"Yeah he could!" Howard laughed.
Monday went by in a blur for Sheldon as he tried to focus on his work. He tried not to think about the emerald eyed vixen who had been dominating his thoughts. Then Tuesday arrived, and she was really all he could think about. Sheldon was getting nervous about his date. He wasn't sure why, the pressure should be off. Amy wasn't expecting anything, didn't want anything and Sheldon told her he was okay with that. The truth was he thought he could handle that kind of relationship, at first. Then he got to know her. She was brilliant. She spoke so eloquently. He didn't understand what his problem was. He should be able to control himself but when he thought about her he was not sure that he could.
Amy was just as nervous, she was looking forward to seeing Sheldon again but she wasn't sure what to expect. She had told him not to expect any forms of physical contact and he had respected that on Saturday night. Yet she wasn't sure if he would be okay with it if they kept seeing each other. Truth be told, she wasn't sure she would be fine with it either. She found herself on Monday googling his name and looking at the photos of him that showed up. There was University staff shot, and a few taken for Physics journals he had been published in. She felt like a stalker but she could not help herself. This handsome accomplished scientist was interested in her,and could possibly want to date had always listened to her mother who told her that men were only after one thing. So she had come up with that line about it being off the table. She figured if a man was only after that one thing, then they would run at first opportunity.
Run they had, most of them ended the date shortly after, a few had laughed her off and said they were fine but at the end of the date expected a kiss. When she wouldn't even give them that they never called again.
Sheldon was so different, he said he was fine. It was the truth. He didn't try anything at all. He had called her a very intelligent woman, not beautiful like he was trying to get into her pants but intelligent like her mind was what he valued most. When he promised to call her again, he actually had, well not called but texted. She had heard from some of the girls she worked with that men had a three day rule about calling. Sheldon hadn't even waited two hours until he invited her out again. That was probably why she was nervous. She had never felt a connection to someone like she did with him and it was thrilling.
Sheldon arrived home and took a shower. He got dressed in his favorite Flash shirt with a pair of khaki pants. He took extra long" making sure he looked just right.
"Sheldon we are leaving. If you don't get out here right now you will have to take the bus." Leonard yelled from the living room.
"I can't take the bus. I just got a shower." Sheldon said.
"Well then let's get going. What time did you tell Amy we are meeting?" He asked.
"The same time we eat every week, 6:00. I don't think that should surprise you at all." Sheldon said.
"Well it is 5:45, so let's get going. You don't want this girl thinking we are late now do we?" Leonard said sarcastically.
"Well of course not. So let's go." Sheldon said. Leonard just rolled his eyes.
Amy got to the Cheesecake Factory at 5:50. She didn't want Sheldon to think she was the type to be late so she made sure she left extra early. She didn't see him anywhere so she just sat down at the front and waited. A few minutes later she saw the two men that Sheldon had come to the coffee shop walk in. She heard them talking.
"Is Bernadette working tonight?" Raj asked.
"No she has a late class. She may be here by dessert though if they don't mix any diseases together tonight." Howard said.
"Do they do that often?" Raj asked.
"More than you think." Howard said. "Last week she told me how they mixed the common cold with Ebola. I think she was kidding but you never know."
"Really?"
"Like I said, I think she was kidding." He answered.
"So change of subject, do you see Leonard and Sheldon yet?" Raj asked.
"They aren't here yet." Amy came over and said to them.
"Oh hello, Amy right?" Howard said. Raj just waved.
"Yes and you are?" Amy asked.
"I'm Howard and this is Raj." He answered. Raj just waved again. "Raj can't talk to women unless he is drunk."
"Sheldon told me about that. Selective mutism, very interesting, I would love to study your brain." Amy commented. Raj looked a bit uncomfortable.
Just as Howard was about to say something in response the door opened and Leonard and Sheldon walked in the restaurant. Smiling as his eyes connected with hers. There had been part of him that was secretly worried that she might stand him up. Yet she was here looking as lovely as he remembered her being.
"Hello." Sheldon said to everyone in greeted. "I see you guys have met." He said to Amy and the guys.
"Yes we were just discussing Raj's selective mutism." Amy commented. "I was telling him I would love to study his brain."
"Oh that would be very interesting." Sheldon commented. "Have you ever gotten a brain scan, Rajesh?" He asked.
Raj just shook his head. He desperately wanted a drink so he could tell them exactly what to do with their ideas about examining his brain.
"I myself love getting my brain scanned. Leonard's mother scanned mine the last time she visited. "
"I would love to see your brain scan sometime. I bet it is most remarkable" Amy told him shyly.
"I would love for you to see it,even if the frontal lobe is a bit small,perhaps the next time we are at my place I will take you to my bedroom and show it too you." He told her
"I would like that very much." Amy said turning to walk in the restaurant. Sheldon followed her and Leonard nudged him.
"I see what you did there you dog!" He whispered.
"How does my desire to show Amy my brain scan make me a dog?"
The group was shown to their regular table.
"Is Penny working tonight?" Howard asked Leonard.
"I think she has a bartending shift. I don't think she is waitressing." Leonard answered.
They found out a few minutes later when their waitress came over. It wasn't Penny. Everyone ordered their usual drinks. Amy ordered lemonade just like Sheldon. She started looking over the menu. She had never eaten at this restaurant and she wasn't sure of the protocol. She had never gone out with a guy for a second time and usually when she went out on a first date she would meet at a coffee shop to make ordering easier. Her mother always told her to order salads or something light so as to not come off as piggish when she was with a guy. She was struggling in her decision.
"They have good burgers here." Sheldon leaned over to tell her. He could see that she was struggling with the menu.
"Oh okay. What kind do you recommend?" She asked.
"I usually have the bacon barbecue cheeseburger. I get my ingredients on the side but you could get it anyway you like. Do you like mozzarella sticks? They have really good ones here. We could split them." Sheldon asked her.
"Actually I do." She was so pleased he didn't care what she ordered.
The waitress came over and Sheldon ordered the mozzarella sticks and his usual burger. The waitress just rolled her eyes as he explained he wanted the bacon, barbecue sauce and cheese on the side. Everyone in the restaurant knew how he wanted his burger. Amy ordered the same thing but was okay with everything being on the burger.
"Good choice." He whispered smiling at her. She smiled back.
When the mozzarella sticks arrived the two of them shared them. The guys were impressed. They knew Sheldon was okay with food sharing but they usually didn't see him do it.
Sheldon was grateful that Amy didn't double dip in the sauce. He remembered Lalita doing that and it still grossed him out. Amy actually put the sauce on her plate so if she wanted to dip again it wasn't being shared. He appreciated that.
The guys got to know Amy a bit more and they couldn't believe how she was so much like Sheldon. They found her to be a bit condescending but not so much so that they didn't like her. She was just like Sheldon. They could tell he really liked her. They didn't want to ruin his chances so they decided to just deal with her comments.
At the end of dinner when the check was brought, Sheldon remembered what Penny told him about always paying. He saw her pulling her wallet out to pay her share and he stopped her.
"Amy this is my treat. I invited you to dinner." He said to her.
"Oh no, I can't let you do that." She protested.
"I insist." He said pulling his wallet out. The guys watched this exchange in awe. They had never seen Sheldon so insistent about something but they knew why he was doing it and they exchanged there is some desire to change her mind they think smugly
"Fine, thank you." She said. "But next time it is my treat."
"Agreed." He smiled at her, what were the chances that Penny's plan was working and Howard was right, all in the same day, she was already planning on seeing him again.
Howard and Raj left the restaurant and told the other two they would see them at work. Bernadette's class had run late but now she was heading home and Howard was meeting her there. Leonard told Sheldon he would meet him at the car.
Sheldon walked Amy to her car again that night. Amy was not sure what Sheldon was expecting but he was a perfect gentleman. He didn't try to hold her hand or anything. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed or not. When they arrived at her car she thanked him for dinner again.
"So when can I see you again?" He asked her looking directly into her eyes. The piercingly blue made her feel weak in the knees.
"Um…" She knew she wanted to see again and if she could it would be the very next day but she was unsure how to proceed.
"Oh is it too soon?" Perhaps he was pushing too hard. "I was thinking maybe we could go out just the two of us next time. Do you like the zoo? I love going to the zoo and my friends never want to go with me. You seem like someone who would love…." But he was cut off saving him from his nervous ramblings.
"I love the zoo. I go all the time. I have an annual pass. I would love to go with you. How about on Saturday and then I will take you out for dinner?" She asked. She had never been so forward with a man before. She just made plans for a third date in a week. Sheldon was so different than any other guy she had ever met. She could see herself having a great friendship with him and maybe more.
"Saturday sounds great. Listen, can you pick me up? I would come get you but…"
"Yes I know you don't drive. Why is that?" She asked cocking her head to the side. She looks so adorable when she does that it makes his heart flutter.
"I just never learned how." He lied. His eye started to twitch.
"Your eye is twitching. What aren't you telling me?" She asked.
"Oh well, I kind of lied. I tried learning but I never got the hang of it. You could tell I was lying?" He was impressed. This woman was bound to unravel all his mysteries.
"Remember I study the brain. You have a tell. Your eye got more ticks than a Lyme-disease research facility." She said to him biting her lower lip to stifle a giggle and he wanted nothing more than to catch her lip with his teeth.
"That's funny. I will have to remember it. Well I guess I can't lie to you then. The truth is I am afraid to drive. When I tried practicing on a computer program I drove into the Glendale Galleria's pet store. When I drove a real car, I ended up going to jail." He said.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"I ran a red light and got caught by a traffic cam. I refused to pay the fine and called the judge some names. I got thrown in jail. I apologized as soon as I found out I had to pee in a can in the jail cell." He admitted.
"Hoo…So you've been to jail?" She asked. She always wanted to date a bad boy. Rock star scientist and bad boy, Dr. Cooper just kept getting better and better.
"Sort of. Like I said, I didn't spend more than a few hours there." Sheldon said. He wasn't sure why this was so intriguing to her but she was interested.
"Well in that case, I will pick you up on Saturday morning, let's say 10:00? Maybe I can teach you to drive someday." She said. She already had plans in her head to see him after Saturday.
"Okay thanks." He smiled, looking into her eyes fighting the urge to kiss her with all his might. Then he remembered Penny's lesson. He leaned in and whispered in her ear "Goodnight. Drive safe. Could you text me when you get home so I know you arrived safely." He pulled away lightly trailing his finger down her face.
"Of course. Thank you so much for dinner. I will see you on Saturday." She stammered her heart beating wildly in her chest. At first she was so afraid that he was going to kiss her and now she was so disappointed that he had not.
What is going on? She thought. Suddenly she felt bold. She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around him. Thinking at first she could kiss him but then she chickened out at the last second and ended up giving him a hug instead. He reciprocated and wrapped his arms around her tightly splaying his large hands across her back. They stood like that for a minute before she broke away.
"Goodnight Dr, Cooper." She said getting into her car .
"Goodnight Dr, Fowler." He said as she drives away
Amy got in her car and smiled so widely she thought her face might break. When he leaned in close she had thought he was going to kiss her and she wasn't going to stop him. She still felt tingly where his warm breath had caressed her skin as he whispered in her ear. He wanted her to call him as soon she got home. He was already so protective of her and she liked it. Then she gave him a hug instead and she was okay with that. She felt so naughty. She wondered what her mother would say about her hugging men in parking lots. Maybe she was going to be fine with him initiating physical contact after all, but she had no idea how experienced he was.
Sheldon practically danced back to the car where Leonard waited for him. He was curious how things had gone. He had never seen his friend so smitten with a girl before and so quickly. It was clear to him that this girl might be the one.
"So did you kiss her?" He asked as Sheldon approached the car.
"No better, she hugged me." He says wiggling his eyebrows.
"You dog! Look who is getting no physical contact now! Are you going to see her again?" Leonard asked.
"Yes as a matter of fact we are going to the zoo on Saturday." Sheldon replied.
"So you finally found someone you could go to the zoo with? That's great. You have been wanting us to go with you all the time." He commented.
"I know." And he smiled at him.
"You really like this girl don't you?" Leonard asked.
"I do." He said and he smiled. The truth was he could see this relationship lasting a long time but he wasn't sure how to handle his feelings or how to make Amy see it was a good idea. This was going to be harder than he thought this girl already had his heart in his hands and he had never had his heart broken before.
Okay so there you have it...date number two down and maybe a few more coming. I will move these kids along, I promise but what's life without Penny meeting Amy and learning all about the 31 men Penny has been with as well as the 3 girls Sheldon has slept with. And maybe just a bit of angst about their respective jobs. But never fear these two will be together I promise. But how can we move them forward without just a little craziness.
Quick poll: Priya or no Priya? I have one vote sort of for her introduction...let me know by PM or in the review.
thanks again. Chapter 8 is in the works.