Sheldon hated flying. It was not like he was scared of height (well, maybe a little), he just hated the feeling of being trapped in a giant tin at least 30,000 feet above the ground where you were dependent on some guys driving it and some other guys on the ground.

He kept checking his seat-belt to make sure it was properly fastened.

"For the full disclosure, I don't like flying," he said, leaning to Amy.

She closed her book and put it on her lap. "Wow, who would have thought?" Amy said flatly. The glint in her eyes told that Sheldon was being very obvious.

He ignored her sarcasm remark. "Just be prepared, I might not be a good company during the flight."

"You can hold my hand if it helps," Amy offered. The words barely escaped her lips when Sheldon grabbed her hand in his and squeezed tightly. "Be careful there, you don't want to crush it."

"I'm sorry. I meant it when I said I don't like flying," he said, loosening his grip but not letting go. They had been practicing to hold hands occasionally. There might be times when they needed to do it in Texas, his mother would not believe his 'they have the relationship of the mind' nonsense. Besides, Sheldon did not find holding Amy's hand repulsive, she had an impeccable hygiene. In fact, if he was being honest, it even helped him feeling calm some time.

"One time, I broke a TSA agent's nose when she got a little handsy." Sheldon's eyebrows raised at her statement. "I had to cancel my talk and was on the No Fly List for a while."

"Amy Farrah Fowler, you never ceased to surprise me."

"Well, we all have a past."

Suddenly the pilot announced that they would takeoff shortly and Sheldon's face grew pale.

"The most uncomfortable parts about flying are the takeoff and the landing," he said. "I hate it."

"Did you know that within the Japan Air Lines there is a term called the 'Critical 11 Minutes' which refers to the three minutes after the takeoff and the eight minutes before landing? It stems from the fact that 80 percent of accidents involving commercial aircraft occurs within these two periods, when the aircraft is most vulnerable to many dangers."

"Not helping, Amy," Sheldon gripped her hand tighter.

"I'm sorry. I thought it was an interesting fact. We can talk about something else."

"As long as it doesn't involve airplane crash," he snapped.

"No need to be snippy, Mister."

"Hey, I'm terrified. I have the right to be snippy." Still, he lowered his tone and rubbed his thumb on her knuckles apologetically.

Amy was silent. She placed her other hand on her chin and frowned her eyebrows. Sheldon recognized the gesture, she was thinking. Sheldon had spent enough times secretly watching her when they were working, there was just something mesmerizing about it.

"I know," she suddenly said, bringing him back from his daydream. "In a world where rhinoceroses are domesticated pets, who wins the Second World War?"

"What? Um, Uganda," he finally said after thinking.

"Defend."

"Kenya rises to power on the export of rhinoceroses. A Central African power block is formed, colonizing North Africa and Europe. When war breaks out, no one can afford the luxury of a rhino. Kenya withers, Uganda triumphs," he explained.

"Correct," she said, smiling at him.

"Oh, this is fun. Did you just create a new game?"

"I believe we just created a new game," Amy said. Sheldon beamed at her. It was so typical of her to share credits with the other. He could not admire her more.

"We should give it a name. Oh, oh, I know! How about Counterfactuals?" Sheldon said enthusiastically.

"Counterfactuals? I like it," Amy replied. "Now, it's my turn. Go ask me something."

Sheldon thought his question. "In a world where a piano is a weapon, not a musical instrument, on what does Scott Joplin play The Maple Leaf Rag?"

"That's easy, tuned bayonets."

"Defend."

"Isn't it obvious?" Amy replied, raising her eyebrows.

"You're right. My apologies." Sheldon heard a ding sound and saw that the sign of the seatbelt was off. He realized that the plane already took off. She successfully distracted him. "Should we continue the game?"

"How about we save some for when we're about to land?" Amy proposed.

"Smart."

"By the way, can I have my hand back?" Amy asked. "I want to read and it's hard to flip the pages with only one hand."

Sheldon looked at their intertwined hands, he did not really want to let go. Sheldon knew the guys would definitely lose their mind if they saw him holding someone's hand and did not want to let go, they knew he had aversion to physical contact. But he felt it was different with Amy and he knew her high hygiene standard was only part of the reason. Especially, at that moment, holding her hand gave him comfort. He was afraid if he let go, he would realize his surrounding and be scared again. He also knew it would be unfair to Amy if he hogged her hand for his personal interest.

Amy noticed Sheldon's internal struggle. "What if I do this?" she let go of his palm then leaned her head on his shoulder. That way, he did not lose the physical contact but she still could use both of her hands to hold the book.

This felt new to Sheldon, not unpleasant, just new. It might need some time to get used to it. "I guess it's acceptable," he said.

Amy only smiled and started reading.

Sheldon took out his cellphone and watched SpongeBob SquarePants on his phone. Moments later, he noticed that Amy had fallen asleep. Sheldon watched her for a while then put back the cellphone to his pocket and leaned his head on his seat. It was not so bad after all.

He did not wake her when the pilot informed the passengers that plane was about to land.


"I'm nervous."

"Why?"

"What if your family hates me?"

"They will like you. Besides, Meemaw likes you. It's all that matters."

"But I never met your Meemaw, how could she like me?"

"I told her about you."

"Did you tell her the truth?"

"Yes, I need someone to support us against my mother and Meemaw is the best," Sheldon said picking up his luggage from the conveyor belt.

"That does not prove that your Meemaw really likes me, she's just helping you."

Amy's hands were fidgeting so Sheldon caught them in his. "She does like you though, she told me herself. She said she can't wait to meet the woman who could make me… change my mind about biology." Sheldon was grateful that Amy was looking down for her own luggage on the conveyor belt so she did not see his face twitching. That was not what his Meemaw said. He had told her everything about the plan one night via facetime and his Meemaw asked if that was all really a ruse since his eyes sparkled when he talked about her. It was not the first time his Meemaw heard about Amy, she was the first thing Sheldon told his Meemaw after he agreed to collaborate with Amy. After that, most of their phone conversation included about what Amy said or did that day. His Meemaw said she liked Amy already and could not wait to meet the woman who could make her grandson smitten, Sheldon did not even dismiss her words. "Come on, my sister should be here already," Sheldon said as he spotted Amy's luggage, then quickly took it and handed it to her.

They walked to the pickup area. One hand rolled their luggage, the other held each other's hands. That was how Missy saw them.

"Oh, look at you two. Aren't you cute?" Missy said as they approached her. "I thought Mommy was lying when she said you will bring your girlfriend. To be honest, I even thought it was a joke when she said you have a girlfriend."

Missy was about to hug Sheldon when he said, "Please, Missy, cut this nonsense. Amy and I are tired and hungry, just take us home."

"Sheldon, that's not a nice way to treat your sister. Especially, after she's being so kindly making time and effort to pick us up. We should appreciate it," Amy told Sheldon.

Missy saw him absorbed her words and instantly watched the change of attitude from Sheldon.

"Very well. Missy, thank you for picking us up. We really appreciate it. Now, could you take us home, please?" Sheldon said politely.

Missy looked back and forth between Sheldon and Amy before her gaze finally fell on Amy. "Amy, right?" she asked, taking Amy's luggage from her hand.

Amy only nodded.

"I like you," Missy said, then walking to lead them to her car.

"Told you," Sheldon whispered to Amy.