AN: Plenty of Shamy feels in this chapter. I need your opinion on where to end this story...once you've got to the end, please let me have your thoughts. No spoilers up here, catch you at the end of the chapter!
Wil made his goodbyes shortly after dinner had finished, he hugged Amy and thanked her for the meal before apologising to Sheldon for rushing off.
"I've got to catch the red eye back to Carolina at eleven, I really only called in to make sure you were okay, I didn't expected to get fed in the bargain."
"When are you back in town, Wil?" Asked Amy as she paused in collecting up the dirty plates.
"Hmm, Saturday afternoon. I get back around two, I think. Why's that, Ames?"
"If you don't have any other plans, you're quite welcome to join Sheldon and I for fried chicken, I'm doing biscuits, creamed gravy, mash potatoes and…"
"No need for any further details, count me in." Wil waved goodbye and let himself out of the apartment.
"Amy, why'd you have to go and invite Wil? He's gonna get to all the biscuits before I even get a look in…" Leonard whined from the couch, "Did you see the way he dived for the croutons?"
"Hey, who said you were even invited? It's polite to wait until you're asked." Penny fluttered her eyelashes over at Amy who was unfortunately looking the other way. "Hmm." Penny sighed, "Guess that didn't work."
"Don't worry about it sweetheart…I know a guy that knows a girl…stick with me kid, and I'll get ya in." Leonard put on a fake mobster accent and kissed Penny's shoulder.
"Oh, yeah?" She looked up and raised her eyebrow in question.
"Yeah, I already scored us and invite…you're my plus one."
"Yay!" Penny cheered and lept up to lend Amy a hand with the dishes. "Put me on dish duty on Saturday, Ames…I might not be able to cook, but I can wash up just fine."
"Okay bestie." Amy agreed with a smile and passed a handful of plates over to Penny to put into the dishwasher. She could hear Bernadette, Howard and Raj murmuring over in the armchair and glanced over to Sheldon who gave her a little smirk in return. "Raj, do you want to invite anyone in particular? Is Emily going to be in town this weekend?"
"Really, I get to come over and experience another Amy cooked meal? Thank you!" Raj jumped up from the chair and did a little dance in front of Bernadette and Howard. Amy's next words had him slumping in slight disappointment.
"Bernie, will you and Howard give Stuart and Debbie a ride over if they want to come?" Howard jumped up to join Raj in his little dance and Bernadette maintained her cool composure but inside she was skipping with joy – another grown up meal that didn't involve cardboard cartons!
"Stuart might want to come, Ma will be in Reno visiting her sister this weekend. We can swing by and pick him up, can't we Bernie?"
"Sure, Howie. Amy, why don't you give him a call tomorrow and let me know? I'll drive over early to give you a hand if you like and Howie can take his own car."
"That's okay, Bernie. Leonard's already offered to come over and help me out." Amy refused Bernadette's offer with a smile, already knowing that Leonard was eager to find his way around the kitchen, if only to get away from Penny's Ramen bags that were threatening to take over her kitchen. "You can still come over early if you want too, we can have a catch up while we watch Leonard slave over a hot stove."
"That is something I'd buy a ticket to." Bernie stated with a little giggle, and blew Leonard a kiss to say that she was only kidding. "Right, come on Howie; we'd better get going. You've got to be up early for work in the morning, Raj's had a long day and he's nearly asleep in the chair." Bernadette nudged Raj awake and crossed over to hug Amy goodnight. "Thanks for dinner, it was delicious and made a welcome change from pizza!" She walked over to lightly place her hand on Sheldon's arm, causing his eyes to flutter open from his light doze. She bent down to press a light kiss against his forehead and wished him a quiet goodnight, Sheldon accepted her caress without flinching and Bernie knew that whatever miracle had happened in the apartment over the last couple of days, had changed Sheldon for the better. Raj and Howard thanked Amy with a smile and a light touch to the arm and called goodnight to Sheldon from the doorway. Just as they left, Howard poked his head back around the door.
"Are we still on for Chinese tomorrow night?" Leonard looked over at Sheldon who smirked over at Amy who replied with a soft smile.
"Prime rib with barbeque sauce and onion rings."
"See you at seven?"
"I take it you're not following kosher rules tomorrow?" Sheldon called out from his seat on the couch.
"Kosher, smosher…this is home cooking, people! So, seven?" He addressed Amy who nodded in return. When he left she turned to Leonard and Sheldon.
"Now you see why I never offered to cook for you before…and why I bought two full racks today!"
"I always knew you could cook; the way you do spaghetti and hot dogs…yummy!" Sheldon looked over at Amy with something akin to his koala expression and Amy grinned.
"That's not exactly a hard meal to master, Sheldon. I bet even Penny could do that one."
"Yup, that one I can do." Penny nodded proudly and Leonard squeezed her shoulder. "Okay, that one I can almost do…I just need to get that timing right on the spaghetti."
"It all comes with practise, bestie. I'm going to be making some bread tomorrow, why don't you call over and lend me a hand?"
"Would that be that French bread that Penny almost inhaled out of the bag this morning?" Leonard asked, leaning forward in his seat.
"That would be the one, yes."
"Penny, forget what I said about going back to work early…I'm coming over here to watch Amy cook, you can come along or take yourself shopping – either way's fine with me."
"Alright, Leonard. I will see you at seven o'clock. I'm going to be making a lot of bread and they require rising times as well as baking times…"
"Don't forget the eating time, as well." Penny muttered behind her hand. "I'm taking you up on the shopping offer by the way."
"I kinda already guessed you would." Leonard smirked back and caught sight of Sheldon trying to hide a yawn behind his hand. "Well, we'd better head on back to our place and unpack."
"I didn't use the sheets at all, bestie so they are just as fresh as when you first put them on."
"Ah, wish I could say the same for yours, Ames…" Penny said regretfully, "Leonard and I kinda just crashed in there after you left…"
"Don't worry, I'll change them when Sheldon is in the shower." Amy smiled over at the couple and Leonard leant forward to give her a hug.
"Thanks for today…for everything really, thank you." He whispered near her ear and Amy nodded, already knowing what he was referring to…her willingness to step into the breach that he'd left behind, making sure that Sheldon was taken care of and keeping him happy.
"You're welcome. Night, bestie!" Penny waved in response before she and Leonard stepped out of the door, closing it softly behind them. Amy slumped back down on the couch and leant her head against Sheldon's shoulder, he immediately raised his arm to let her snuggle closer.
"What a day…" Amy sighed as she kicked off her shoes and curled her feet up onto the couch.
"Yeah…" Sheldon agreed as he toed off his slippers and placed his feet up on the coffee table, sliding a little lower into the cushions.
"Still, it's been fun hasn't it?"
"Mostly, although I can't say that I enjoyed this morning very much. I rolled over in bed, expecting to find you and woke up staring into Leonard's eyes instead!" Sheldon gave a little shiver in remembrance and pulled Amy a little closer in an effort to banish the memory.
"Yeah, that was a bit of a jolt for me too. Still, I don't want to think about it anymore, water under the bridge and all that…" Amy murmured and vowed to try and forget the anguish at being practically forced out of her own boyfriend's apartment.
"Uh-huh…" Sheldon agreed sleepily as he pulled Amy's hand across his chest so that she was almost wrapped around him.
"This is how I woke up this morning, nice and cosy, all wrapped up in a Sheldon cocoon."
"Mmm…why'd you get up so early anyway?"
"I was going to bring you breakfast in bed…I was going to do French toast but didn't get very far…"
"Uh-huh…maybe tomorrow." Sheldon tilted his head toward Amy and tried to open his eyes, but found his eyelids were incredibly heavy.
"No…baking bread with Leonard."
"Saturday then…"
"Hmm, depends on what Bernadette's idea of early is."
"Sunday, and that's my final offer."
"Offer of what exactly? I'm the one that's offering up a platter of French toast!" Amy tickled him lightly along the ribs and felt Sheldon squirm under her fingertips and trying to bat her hand away.
"You said you wanted a night wrapped up in a Sheldon cocoon, I assumed that you would only agree on a day where you offered French toast in return."
"Sheldon, are you trying to ask me whether I will sleep with you again?"
"Um…and if I was?"
"I might be persuaded to say yes…" Amy replied softly, nuzzling her head under Sheldon's chin and catching her hair on his bristles.
"Amy, I would no longer object to classifying you as not sharing my bed at night." Sheldon smirked down at Amy who pulled his head down so that she could kiss him.
"Sheldon…"
"Amy, would you please move into my bedroom with me?"
"How long for?"
"Let's just say that I would no longer object if we do not refer to you as 'not my roommate'. What do you say?" A long closed mouth kiss that sent ripples throughout his whole body was his only reply and he smiled against her lips. "I take it that's a yes then?"
"You bet your sweet tushie it is. Come on, the sooner we get you showered the sooner I get to cuddle up with my snuggle bunny!"
"I'm too tired to shower again tonight, can't it wait until the morning? We can kick Leonard out when your first batch of dough is rising and do it then…please, Amy?"
"All right, let me just lock up and get the lights. Want any milk tonight?"
"No, that was just an excuse to get you into my room last night anyway." Sheldon admitted and groaned when Amy shot him a teasing look over her shoulder.
"I know."
"Darlin', you are headin' for a whole heap of trouble once I'm out of this plaster cast!"
"Ooh, promises, promises Doctor Cooper!" Amy teased from the doorway of his bedroom and Sheldon nudged her inside, edging her backwards slowly until she fell against the edge of the bed.
"Darlin'…you seem to be forgettin' one tiny detail." Sheldon leant over her the best he could with one arm out of action. He teased her with tiny little kisses dotted against her mouth. "I never forget… Now, how about we get me out of these clothes and into something more comfortable?"
"Now you're stealing my lines...God, have I ever mentioned how much I like it when you go all Texan on me?" Amy murmured against his mouth as she fought to suppress the urge that she had to tear off his clothes and press him against the mattress.
"Anytime, darlin'." Sheldon murmured as he pressed one final kiss against her soft lips, before sitting upright on the bed and waiting for her to do the same. After a few moments, Amy was composed enough to get to her feet and help Sheldon out of his clothes and into his nightwear. He dropped a kiss against her hair before stepping into the bathroom, leaving her to change in private. She met him trying to get the toothpaste onto his brush without making a mess in the sink.
"Let me." Amy plucked the tube out of his hand and gently squeezed a blob onto his brush. They usually took turns at the sink but tonight Sheldon stepped to one side allowing Amy to brush right alongside him. They brushed in unison, rinsed and spat at the same time before Amy passed him a capful of mouthwash while she prepared her own cup. She looked over to see that Sheldon had waited for her before they both swilled the mouthwash for thirty seconds and gargled before spitting into the sink. Amy reached over for a hand towel and patted her mouth dry, she passed it to Sheldon to dry with as she rinsed out the sink. Sheldon passed her the towel that she dropped in the laundry hamper as they were passing. Turning out the lights as they went, they slipped into their newly discovered positions in the bed and whispered their good nights after switching off the light. It was exactly as Leonard had thought earlier that day in the kitchen, the love was ever present; it just remained unspoken…for now, at least.
AN: So, Sheldon's finally asked her to move in, and not into Leonard's old room! Do you want to see the gang's reaction? The whole seven days of dinners? Drop me a line and let me know...I've got a whole heap of ideas over where this could head but I won't continue if you'd rather I left it here. Amy could return to work, but who would look after Sheldon? His Mother, Meemaw or Penny? Perhaps Amy will take this opportunity to finally get around to writing that textbook that Siebert has been nagging her to write...How far to you want to see Shamy go? You let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate. xx