Chapter Ten

The First Date Implementation

By midweek, Amy worked herself into a mild panic over the upcoming date with Erik. Sure, she'd been on dates with Sheldon for the past few years, but she definitely knew she would head somewhere with Erik, whereas with Sheldon there was only a .001% possibility. Her lack of experience with physical intimacy dominated her thoughts, and one morning at work, she texted Penny:

Should I tell Erik I'm a virgin? Would he think that's weird?

As she waited for her friend to respond, she wondered about Erik's experiences. They never spoke of such things, but she felt certain he'd been with his fiancé. Had there been others? He'd traveled quite a bit; perhaps he had women all over the world. He could be some sort of player for all she knew. As she worried, her phone beeped. Penny.

I think so. I'm all about honesty these days. Sounds like you are too. Tell him. You'll know what kind of man he is by the way he responds.

Great advice, Amy thought. Telling him would be difficult (and slightly mortifying), but she did want to move forward with Erik, and if so, she needed to be blunt. And hopefully he would be too. In fact, she knew he would from their weeks of walks and conversations. While she worried about the physical aspect of their budding relationship, the personal intimacy they achieved in such a short time shocked and concerned her a little. She felt so naturally at ease with him, and they talked about everything: their work, their families, their dreams. They laughed together so easily, and when they met after not seeing each other for a day or two, the conversation just resumed as if no time had passed. Her heart and mind flooded with both trepidation and joy. Was she moving too fast with Erik, or did she just miraculously find her soul mate?

As Amy looked down at the grey-brown brain specimen she was about to cut into, she couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't met Erik on that fateful day in the park, would she be on Date Night with Sheldon this Friday instead?

Sheldon hung up the phone, and put his head back on the pillow, letting out a heavy sigh. Telling his mother Amy broke up with him had been easy, but hearing the obvious disappointment in her voice numbed him. Not for the first time he wondered what his father would think of the man Sheldon had become. Sheldon lost his father at such a young age, he never truly bonded with the man. He'd lost his grandfather too, and even Professor Proton last year. He didn't like admitting it to himself, but he knew having some sort of father figure in his life would be helpful, especially in understanding social protocols. His friends weren't always terribly cooperative.

Before emerging from his room to join Leonard, Howard, and Raj playing Settlers of Catan, he flipped over to Facebook to see if he was still friends with Amy. He was, but he found something very interesting at the top of her page: Amy Farrah Fowler is now friends with Erik Koster. Sheldon clicked on the name and stared into the face of the blonde playboy. Erik Koster. Evil incarnate. Sheldon raised an eyebrow when he saw he shared three mutual friends with the man: Amy, Howard, and Raj. What in the world? Sheldon jumped to his feet and headed back to the living room.

The three men were playing Pacman when Sheldon entered.

"Hey Sheldon, we're just going to finish this game and go back to Settlers. We've been waiting since it's your turn," said Leonard, not taking his eyes away from the television.

"Erik Koster," Sheldon hissed at the group.

Leonard paused the game. Howard and Raj turned to face Sheldon who stood before them, in the spot Amy broke up with him the previous Friday.

"Erik Koster," Sheldon said again, his voice in a higher pitch, his anger starting to bubble over. How did this escalate so fast? He couldn't recall feeling angry like this before. "Is that the blonde playboy thief who stole Amy from me?"

Leonard glanced over at Howard and Raj. Raj looked terrified, but Howard rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Yeah, Sheldon, that's him," Howard said. "And I can tell he's a great guy, and Amy seems to be happy."

"Did you know about him before she terminated the Relationship Agreement?" Sheldon asked, his voice lower, darker. Sheldon saw the faces of his friends change instantly. Leonard's eyes widened and looked deeply concerned. Raj seemed near tears, and Howard took an actual step away from Sheldon.

"I said," Sheldon stated again, trying to control his voice. "Did you know about him before she terminated the Relationship Agreement?"

"Yes," said Howard plainly.

"You knew she was interested in him?" Sheldon continued, feeling his blood boil.

"Yes," said Howard again. "And him in her."

Silence engulfed the room. Sheldon broke it by whispering, "How long?"

"Since he visited the university to give Amy the picture of Patricia," Howard answered.

"Who is Patricia?" Sheldon said, now angry and confused.

"A chimpanzee. Amy loved the picture. He's a photographer," Howard continued.

A photographer? An artist? Not even a doctor, a fellow scientist? What was Amy thinking?

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sheldon all but shouted at the group. "Isn't there some sort of male friendship code? Misters before sisters?"

"Bros before hoes," corrected Raj.

"What Raj said," Sheldon continued, glaring daggers at Howard.

"I would hardly consider you a bro," said Howard, laughing snidely.

"Why didn't you tell me?" shouted Sheldon, startling everyone, even himself.

"Because," Howard shouted back, throwing the video game controller violently onto the sofa. "I like Amy. Actually, I love Amy. She's become a good friend these past few years, and seeing her happy made me feel happy too. She deserves someone who treats her with respect, which you don't. And I should know how that feels."

Leonard stood up and put his hand on Howard's shoulder, warning him off. Howard shrugged Leonard away and continued, taking a couple of steps toward Sheldon.

"You expect everything to be your way. You expect everyone to do what you want. To cater to your needs. And you give nothing in return. You are an ungrateful person, Sheldon. And Erik is an awesome guy, not to mention a great gamer. And he's gonna make Amy a helluva lot happier than you ever did," Howard said.

"Get out," Sheldon snarled. "Get out of my home. You've betrayed me. I want you to go away."

"Gladly," replied Howard with a smug expression. "Bernadette should be home from work soon. I'm going to go home, tell my wife she's the most beautiful woman in the world, and have amazing sex." Howard headed for the door and turned to give Sheldon one last blow. "Face it, Sheldon, you could never give Amy what she needs. She's better with Erik."

Howard left, and Raj leaped up. "He's my ride. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have. It's just…" he hesitated, seemingly unsure how to say what he was thinking. "I spent time with them together and could see something happening. Something special. I think Amy deserves a chance at romance."

Sheldon wanted to punch Raj right then and there. He took a step towards the shorter man, his eyes flashing in rage. Raj bolted from the room, leaving Sheldon and Leonard alone.

"Sheldon, we really need to talk about this. You have a lot of emotions right now. Let's just sit down…" Leonard began, but was interrupted by Penny walking through the door.

"Hey guys," she said, oblivious to the recent events. "Leonard, you need to come over. My parents are on Skype and want to talk with you." She hurried out.

"Sheldon," Leonard turned to his friend, but Sheldon had already sat down at his computer and seemed engrossed in something online. Leonard slowly left the room.

Sheldon never felt angrier or more betrayed. Howard and Raj were his friends; they should have warned him. He could have done something. What could he have done? Was she happier with this Erik? Sheldon could make her happy; she seemed like she was happy, at least up until their anniversary. For the millionth time in the past week, Sheldon wondered what he missed. He placed his head in his hands, breathing steadily, trying to calm himself.

He glanced up at the screen, to his e-mail inbox, and noticed a message from Lillian Fox, the rather obnoxious geology student. What now? He opened the message.

Dear Dr. Cooper,

About a week ago, my colleague and mentor (and work mom) Sally sent you a message with our "kiss our ash" picture. You have yet to respond, and the last two days she has become deeply concerned she may have offended you. I know this cannot possibly be true because "kiss our ash" is the oldest volcanologist joke out there. Can you please respond to her soon? She really is a wonderful woman. Just some sort of physics joke or general geology insult would be fine. Thank you!

Best,

Lillian Fox

Sheldon chastised himself for forgetting to respond. He enjoyed intellectual banter and good old fashioned collegial harassment. The whole Amy affair had thrown him for a loop. Sheldon clicked back to his inbox, found Sally McCarthy's original e-mail, and hit reply.

Dear Sally McCarthy,

I apologize for not responding sooner. This past week has been rather difficult for me. My girlfriend of five years terminated our relationship and ran off with some blonde beach bum. Also, I just found out two of my best friends knew about the situation and failed to inform me.

I promise to respond to your photo in kind soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sheldon Cooper

Sheldon hit send, stood up, and walked to the refrigerator for a bottle of water. Standing there drinking, he suddenly paused, removing the bottle from his lips. Had he just emoted to a complete and total stranger? He ran over to the computer, hit the sent folder, and groaned. There was his reply to Sally McCarthy, filled with his own personal angst. He again put his head in his hands.

"What have you done to me, Amy?" he lamented.

About 11 p.m. Friday evening, Amy found herself sitting in the passenger's seat in Erik's car, heading back to their apartment building. Their first date was going amazing. He took her to see a local production of Cyrano after having a pleasant dinner at a small Thai restaurant. Since he bought the tickets, she insisted on paying for dinner. They talked throughout the meal and held hands during the play. She'd worn a pink dress with a light green cardigan, which he immediately complemented as bringing out her eyes. He looked downright sexy in jeans, black loafers, and a baby-blue t-shirt under a black suede jacket. The car ride fell into a comfortable silence, and Amy felt herself grinning broadly.

Suddenly, she realized this might be the perfect time to talk with Erik about intimacy. He was driving, so she didn't have to look at him. That would make things a lot easier. Come on, Fowler, she thought. You've got this.

"So, Erik," she said.

"Hmmm," came his reply.

"I have something important I need to tell you," she began.

"Okay."

Just say it! "So, I, um, I…" she hesitated. Silence.

"I bless the rains down in Africa?" he asked.

Amy burst out laughing.

"Sorry, that was my go-to karaoke song for years," Erik laughed. "What is it, Amy?"

"Okay so, here it is," she began again. "I've never…" Ugh, why couldn't she just say it!

"You've never heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?" Erik responded.

Amy laughed again. His humor helped a lot.

"Sorry again, but every time I walk through the gates at Disney, I swear that song is playing," he said. "Please tell me what's up. Just scream it at the dash board."

That's a good idea. Just let it out. She took a deep breathe. "I've never been with a man. Physically. Intimately."

Unfortunately, they had just stopped at a light, and Erik had the opportunity to turn and face her. He looked both puzzled and surprised.

"Seriously?"

Oh God, he thinks I'm some sort of freak, Amy thought.

"Yes," she said meekly.

"Man, you really weren't kidding about Sheldon's lack of commitment and taking things slow," he said, looking back at the street ahead of him. "I have a question."

"Okay."

"Is Sheldon blind?" Erik asked. "Because you're downright hot, Amy. Rocking curves, gorgeous eyes, awesome smile. You're brilliant and confident."

Amy felt her face redden and her stomach suddenly go aflutter. She didn't know what to say except, "Well, not confident with intimacy."

The light turned green, and they continued down the street in silence. Erik broke the quiet, asking in a serious voice, "Is that all you think I want from you?"

Amy's eyes went wide, thinking of her years of being rejected. No one has ever wanted that from her.

"No, I, well, just thought it was important to tell you…since I'm rather…inexperienced," Amy answered.

"You think I have a lot of experience? I've only been with one person. You know who. And after that, during the years I was on antidepressants, I had like, zero libido. And, well the past few years I've been, well," he hesitated. "DIYing it."

He glanced over at Amy out of the corner of her eye. She smiled at him. He gave her a gentle smile back and focused on the road.

"I'm really attracted to you, Amy. And I would like to go there with you," he continued. "God knows I've had you in my thoughts, and they all haven't been the thoughts of a perfect gentleman. But I'm not ready to rush in. In fact, the pace at which we've become so close worries me. I mean, I don't want to be a rebound guy. I want this to be real. I don't think you realize how screwed up I am. Just a week before we met, I had a bad anxiety episode. Jesus, I thought I was having a heart attack. My sister even purchased a plane ticket to come down here, before I got control on my own. Just too much sometimes, thinking about this new job and new city and everything. But then I met you, and I just feel…healthier. Alive. Cared about." His voice broke, but then he continued, quieter. "I really like you. And I want this to last."

Erik seemed to finish his monologue, and Amy sat there, speechless. How could she reassure him that she liked and wanted him too, not just as a rebound from Sheldon? He made her feel things she never knew she could experience.

"Erik," she finally responded. "The pace scares me too, but I feel so into you." Goodness, that sounded lame, but how else could she say it?

"I haven't felt like this about anyone since Aurora," Erik said. "The feeling terrifies me, but I'm ready to take a risk."

"I'm all in," Amy said as they pulled into his parking spot at the apartments.

Erik grinned. "Me too. And about the whole sex issue, let's just play it by ear. You know, round the bases. I think we're on first base after the other day."

Amy smiled. She knew about the baseball sex metaphor from Penny

"I know," Erik exclaimed. "We can develop our own team name, have jerseys made. Design a pennant. Purchase ball caps. We can even personalize foam fingers." He stopped. "Well, we can do the foam fingers when we know each other a bit better."

Amy giggled and held hands with Erik as they walked into the building. They were home; what now? Be brave, ask him to come up.

"Would you like to come to my place and stream an episode of Bonanza? Get our Michael Landon fix?" she asked.

"Cool."

Five minutes into the episode, Amy found herself kissing Erik passionately. They both shifted on the couch to face each other, and he put both hands on her face, moving them slowly into her hair. One of her hands played with the back of his neck while the other caressed his knee. She felt she could keep kissing him forever. Her tongue darted in and out of his mouth, and she could feel herself becoming bolder. When he nibbled in her lip, she let out a satisfied moan, which seemed to embolden him as well, since he began to slowly push her back on the couch so he could lean over her. He deepened his kiss, and Amy felt her body ignite in desire. She no longer felt nervous.

"Erik," she whispered, separating from his mouth for a breath.

"Yes?" he replied, his voice heavy, his bright eyes meeting hers.

"You're a really good kisser," she said.

"Right back at you, babe," he chuckled, shifting from her lips to her neck. He moved slowly down her neck, and she felt small waves of pleasure course through her. Goodness, she felt herself getting wetter between the legs. Her hands roamed across his back as he kissed and sucked on her neck, finally moving up his t-shirt to feel his warm skin. His shoulder muscles. The sweat beginning to form. She was getting majorly turned on.

"God, Amy, your hands feel so good," he said, his hot breath and stubble tickling her neck.

Amy felt one of his hands move from her back to cup her right breast. She let out a loud moan, and grabbed his head with both hands, bringing his lips back to hers, plunging her tongue into his mouth. Erik readjusted the two of them so they were sitting up together, both hands now caressing her chest, his slight moans and heavy breathing indicating his enjoyment. While Amy worried what to wear for the date, she felt her best decision had been the lightly-lined simple bra she wore, because when he ran his thumbs over her nipples, she felt a sudden wave of ecstasy. He felt her nipples go erect, and he began to play with them, causing Amy to push her breasts into his hands with force and writhe beneath his touch.

"Oh, Erik," she gasped.

"Sorry, but I had to make a go for second base," he said, his voice low and heavy with desire. "You feel amazing." He moved his lips back down to her neck. He began to unbutton her light cardigan.

Amy suddenly felt overwhelmed with all the sensations she was experiencing. She'd never felt so aroused. Get control, get control. No, lose control. No, just, just…

Erik had stopped moving. "Um, maybe we need to stop," he said, his voice a bit shaky. "I mean, just thinking, you know, after our conversation. I don't want to spoil this evening," he hesitated. "It's just that, I'm, um, getting, well, pretty turned on and…" he faltered.

"I feel the same," answered Amy, somewhat relieved. She straightened her clothing before refocusing on Erik. The hungry look in his eyes shocked her and made her even more aroused. His messy hair, wrinkled shirt. She couldn't wait until that shirt came off. And those pants.

"I need to go now," Erik said, moving slowly to his feet, and then to the door. He flashed her a grin. "But rest assured I will be thinking of this tonight. A lot."

She walked him to the door and gave him one more passionate kiss. Then he disappeared downstairs.

Amy closed the door, her hand pressed to her heart, trying to calm herself down. Everything felt so right with Erik. She thought about their date, their conversation, the incredible make out session. Then a thought occurred to her. Second base?

She ran to her underwear drawer to look at her collection of bras. All white or nude colored, with the exception of one animal print push-up. Boring. Oh dear. She needed to go shopping. Something sheer. Sexy. Fun. How about several items? He was a breast man after all.

Amy began to giggle, and she fell onto her bed laughing. She shouldn't be nervous. He would take care of her. She would take care of him. They would take care of each other.

Sheldon brought his laundry basket back up to his room and began to put his collection of t-shirts away. He'd gotten into the habit of doing laundry on Saturday afternoons, since he often went out with Amy in the evening. Now, he had an evening of Deep Space Nine planned. He hadn't spoken to Howard and Raj since their fight, and Leonard and Penny were going out. Leonard tried to engage Sheldon in conversation from time to time, but Sheldon wasn't interested. He felt hurt. Betrayed. He knew Leonard wasn't the main culprit, but it seemed like the world was out to get him. He was the victim, and nobody seemed to care. He'd felt alone many times in his life, but this new feeling of abandonment left him broken. And he didn't know how to express himself. So he simply did nothing.

He saw his phone notification light on, and found three new e-mails waiting for him. He gasped when he saw one from Lillian Fox, another from Sally McCarthy, and one from a Yoshi Johjima. He opened Lillian's first.

Hi Sheldon,

Oh, so they were on a first name basis now, were they, thought Sheldon. Ridiculous lava lover.

I'm so sorry to hear about your break-up. What a total bitch! You're better off without that slut.

Also, apologies for my fiancé's unsolicited advice. He still likes to think of himself as the player of Southwest Washington.

Lily

Sheldon stared at Lillian's e-mail. Was Amy a bitch? A slut? He never thought of her that way. He felt his stomach turn slightly as he opened Sally's e-mail.

Sheldon, honey, I am so sorry about what happened with your girlfriend. That is just heartbreaking. And for your friends to betray you in such a way! I know you must be in a lot of pain. Know your friends up here on the mountain are thinking of you, and if you ever need to get away, you are more than welcome up here. Sometimes nature can soothe the soul. We know many places to stay and wonderful hikes to take. My husband and I would be happy to take care of you; we scientists need to stick together. Just let us know!

Sally

Sally left her phone number at the end of the e-mail. Sheldon stared in shock. Finally some pity! And from a bunch of rock monkeys no less. He opened Yoshi Johjima's e-mail.

Hey man, I'm Yoshi, Lil's fiancé. We've been talking about you today at work, and I just wanted to let you know I can help if you need it. Sounds like you're friends with a bunch of douchebags. Just text or Skype me. Info's at the end of this message. I've had my share of heartbreaks before I finally found Lil.

Also, just finished a couple of your early articles on String Theory. You're one smart dude. I got a double bachelor's in physics and geology before finally deciding to focus on earthquakes and plate tectonics. I'd love to discuss your work with you sometime. Hit me up!

Yoshi

Sheldon now grinned. He had people on his side. Support. Sure they probably all had dirt behind their ears, but he had a team. Team Sheldon. Perhaps they'd help him plot revenge. Get Amy back. He remembered Sally's comment about Yoshi and his heavy artillery of rocks. He imagined loading those rocks onto a catapult and shooting them at Erik. Oops, looks like Howard and Raj got in the way too. Sheldon returned to his laundry, actually happy, an emotion that eluded him all week.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! More to come. Follows, favorites, and reviews appreciated.