A/N: Thank you all so much for your kind words after reading chapter 12. I greatly appreciate each and every one of you.

A special thank you again to the wonderful RGBCN for her beautiful drawing of the pivotal moment. She has received over 1000 likes on Instagram, and I am very excited for her.

Sheldon kissed Amy awake the next morning, starting at her bare shoulders, working his way up her neck, then to her jawline. She twisted around to give him access to her lips and tangled her limbs with his.

"I still can't believe we're engaged," she said with a hint of awe in her voice. She lifted her left hand to her eyes, trying to see the beautiful ring without her glasses.

Sheldon reached over her to pick them up off the nightstand and placed them over her ears and nose. She rotated her hand back and forth, admiring the way the sun glinted off the shiny jewels.

He sighed. "We really should get up and get ready for work."

He kissed her forehead before untangling himself then stepping into his slippers and donning his bathrobe. She lay back against the pillows for a few minutes to allow him his allotted time to use the facilities, as per the new bathroom schedule he had drawn up after her first sleepover.

As they drove the short distance to Caltech, Amy snuck a few quick peeks at the man sitting next to her. She didn't know how she would be able to concentrate on her research after the events of the previous night. She had wanted to give Penny the news, but Sheldon rationalized her friend would still be asleep, and stopping to chat would cause them to be late for work. Besides, they would be seeing the whole gang tonight.

She dropped him off at the physics building before walking over to her lab. Upon entering she pulled her hair back in a ponytail and donned her lab coat. As she waited for her computer to boot up, she heard the faint sound of her cell phone ringing in her purse. The Darlin' ringtone signaled it was Sheldon calling.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Everything's fine. Have you looked at our YouTube account yet?"

"No. My computer just came up. Hang on."

She logged into the account to see last night's video was flooded with comments. "We have more comments from this video than we have of all our other videos combined!"

"I know. I haven't had a chance to read any of them yet. We can maybe start looking them together over at lunch," he suggested.

She stared at her computer screen long after they hung up. It was surreal that they had 347 comments and 785 views in less than 12 hours. Most of their videos only garnered a comment or two and never more than a few dozen views. She was torn between reading some now and waiting until lunch. She decided reading one comment wouldn't hurt.

'Congratulations on your engagement!' It was signed funwithflags4ever.

Feeling guilty, she quickly logged out and started up her work programs. She read and reread her NIH grant acceptance letter and corresponding informational documents, but the words on the screen lost all meaning. Try as she might, and just couldn't focus. She decided to make a quick trip to the breakroom to get some herbal tea to clear her head.

Standing next to the coffeepot was one of her colleagues, Dr. Jun Chen.

"Good morning Dr. Fowler. I hear your research project is a go. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," she replied as she raided the cupboard for a mug and teabag.

Dr. Chen took a seat at the table next to the window. Amy joined her a minute later with a steaming hot cup of water. As she dunked her teabag in, the other woman gasped.

"When did this happen?" she asked pointing to the ring on her finger.

"Sheldon proposed last night."

"Were you expecting it?"

"No, I was completely taken by surprise. I mean I've known for a few months that he had a ring, but I didn't know when or how he'd pop the question."

As the two women chatted about the proposal then their respective research projects while they sipped their beverages, Amy secretly compared her ring to her colleague's. She much preferred her antique style over the other woman's more modern look. Plus hers came with a history, having been in her fiancé's family for generations.

Amy headed back to her lab with a new sense of purpose. She rolled up her sleeves and pored over the documentation.

When the clock struck 12, she tossed her lab coat on her chair and dashed to the cafeteria. Sheldon joined her soon after, toting his laptop. They went through the meal line, Sheldon complaining the whole time about the lackluster options, then headed for their usual table.

She looked around the room. "Where are the guys today?"

"They're probably in Howard's lab discussing the guidance system."

"You didn't want to join them?"

"No. They just keep rehashing the details. It's become rather tedious. I'd much rather read our YouTube comments."

After discarding their food trays, he came over to her side of the table with the laptop.

She turned her guilty eyes to his. "I have a confession."

He eyed her warily. "What did you do?"

She cast her eyes down. "I peeked at the first comment."

"Amy!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. It was just one comment. I promise I didn't read any others."

They started at the top, working their way down the list. Many of the comments congratulated them on their impending nuptials. There were a few asking for details on ordering custom-made flags, and a couple of commenters were interested in signing the petition.

Before they knew it, lunchtime was over.

"We'll look at this more tonight," he promised.

xxx

They swung by her apartment after work to pick up a change of clothes so she could spend the night again.

He sat on her couch waiting as she rifled through her closet. "Amy?"

"Did you say something, Sheldon?" She answered, her voice muffled.

He walked over to her bedroom and tried again. "I was thinking you could leave a couple outfits at my place."

She jumped at the sound of his voice so close to her. Placing her hand over her heart, she turned around to face him. "You scared me! I thought you were waiting in the living room."

"I was, but we were having difficulty communicating through the wall."

"This is much better," she agreed. "I can leave some extra clothes at your place if you don't mind. I know you have everything in a special order. If you're sure my clothing won't be an imposition..."

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't mean it."

He sat on the edge of her bed as he watched her pack a duffle bag with cardigans, blouses, skirts, and undergarments. She zipped up the bag, slung it over her shoulder, then turned towards him and caught him staring at her. "What?"

"I was just thinking that it's been awhile since I've been in your room."

"It has been," she concurred.

He patted the spot next to him. She dropped the bag on the floor and perched next to him, and they sat side by side in companionable silence. He stole a glance at her, noting a far away expression in her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

She ran her palm over her comforter. "I'm fine. I'm just thinking about our first time here in this room in this bed."

"And that makes you... sad?" He ventured.

"No. Well maybe a little. I mean one day we'll live together full-time, and this place," she swept her hand through the air, "will only be a memory."

"Are you saying you don't want to move forward in our relationship?"

"No! Not at all. Of course I want to move forward. I love you. I'm just being silly. Forget I even said anything."

They lay back on the bed, each lost in their own thoughts. Amy scooted over to her fiancé, snuggling against the length of his body. He reached for her hand, just as he had nearly a year earlier on her birthday.

After a few minutes she turned her head to him. "We should probably go. We don't want to keep everyone waiting."

They slowly sat up. Without breaking the contact of their clasped hands, they slid off the end of the bed. Amy bent down to retrieve her duffle bag while Sheldon got a view of her backside. He picked his messenger bag off the couch before she locked the door. She had a feeling she wouldn't be back for a few days, and she was perfectly fine with that.