I wrote so much I decided to split this chapter into two posts. Part one the road trip.
A big thank you to cutelittlelumpofwool82 for being my idea woman and editing these so quickly for me.
It was only one hour into their journey and Leonard was already regretting agreeing to go with Sheldon and Amy. Well that wasn't true he had begun to regret it when Sheldon had made him listen to an hour long presentation about the trip, before it had even begun. The journey would take them nearly 21 hours. Which they would drive straight through with only four breaks for meals and leg stretching. Leonard and Amy would share the driving duties. Each taking a five and a half hour shift.
As the trip goes on, Leonard sees that Sheldon and Amy almost seem to have their own language. They keep a steady stream of incomprehensible speech. Making up road games that Leonard can't even begin to understand. Twenty questions with the periodic table was the only game he was any good at. He was hopeless at counterfactuals because it seemed only they were clear on the rules. When it was time for him and Amy to switch he was grateful to have the front all to himself. Amy said she was going to try and rest, and he really hoped that would mean the car would finally be quiet.
They ride for an hour in peaceful silence. Until Amy unbuckles her seatbelt and lays her head in Sheldon's lap. He looks down at her shocked and shakes his head.
"Amy, it's not safe to ride like this," He scolds.
"I'm so tired Sheldon! I have to get some sleep if I have to drive during the night," She pouts.
"You can sleep sitting up. I've seen you do it on multiple occasions," He sighs trying to lift her up. "Do I have to explain to you how side impact airbags work? If we were to get in a crash you would be sliced in half like we were in a magic act."
"Leonard promises not to crash the car. Don't you Leonard?" Amy asks him. Leonard who was zoned out thinking about Penny ignores her. "I said don't you Leonard!" Amy yells. As she kicks his seat startling him.
"I'm sorry, what?" Leonard asks.
"Don't you promise not to crash the car?" Amy asks and he salutes her in the rear view mirror.
"Perfect driving record, right here," Leonard assures her.
"See Sheldon, Leonard won't crash the car," Amy teases Sheldon tapping him on the nose.
"Leonard's only eighteen he has been driving since he was sixteen. Two years of clean driving tells me nothing," Sheldon huffs.
"Missy got into an accident five minutes after she got her licence," Amy reminds him giggling at the memory.
"Missy is an idiot, who should have never been given a license to drive," Sheldon groans. He'll never forget his life flashing before his eyes that day! Why his mother insisted on he and Amy going for moral support he'll never know.
"Five minutes? How in the world did she manages that?" Leonard asks bemused.
"We were pulling out of the Galveston Galleria. Where the DMV is located in my hometown. As she was doing a celebratory dance in her seat about getting her license. She T-boned an little old lady," Sheldon laughs demonstrating the car's trajectory with his hands. "Thankfully they were both only going ten miles an hour so the damage was minimal," Amy decides to take advantage of his good humor to bring up another memory from his past.
"Didn't you say your dad made you ride like this in the car?" Amy asks and he rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"My dad did not make me ride in a car like this. My father had a two seater pickup truck. We were a family of five. So my mom and dad would ride up front with my sister squished between them. My brother and I had to ride in the back, in the truck bed," Sheldon tells her and Leonard interjects.
"Somehow I can't picture you riding in the bed of a pickup truck. It seems so…" Leonard starts not wanting to offend Sheldon.
"Redneck?" Amy supplies helpfully.
"Well yeah," Leonard agrees. "That just seems like something you would hate."
"And hate it I did!" Sheldon agrees. "No safety restraints, no cover to protect you from the air, my brother torturing me by pretending he was going to kick the gate open and throw me out," Sheldon shakes his head. "The only time I enjoyed it was when my father once had us out late at night. I lay on my back staring at the stars. Thinking about all the universes out there yet to be discovered. How vast the universe was and how small I was in comparison. How beautiful the stars were as they swirled in the sky, how I had never seen anything as lovely, and might never see anything quite like it again. It gave me this weird trembling feeling all over my body."
"Sheldon, that's beautiful," Amy coos reaching up to stroke his face. He looks down at her intently. Making her insides quiver from the heat of his gaze.
"Oddly, it's the same feeling that I got the first time I looked into your eyes. Actually every time I look into your eyes. Like I'm not worthy enough to gaze into the beauty," He tells her and Amy pulls down his face to kiss him softly. Unable to control herself she presses the tip of her tongue against the seam of his lips and tugs his bottom lip with her teeth. Sheldon groans in response, but quickly pulls away. Amy sits up and wraps her arms around his neck.
"Why did you pull away?" She whispers in his ear.
"The fact that Leonard is driving us in a car speeding down the highway at sixty miles an hour comes to mind," Sheldon whispers back lifting up her sheet of dark hair to get to her ear.
"So? We have done it in front of Leonard before," Amy reminds him nibbling on his ear making him grasp her tightly against his body. "We've never done it in a car before. I want to make love to you everywhere. We should make a checklist," She whispers kissing the freckles on his neck.
"Yes, but that was in the comfort of our own bed. You are the most precious thing in the world to me. To risk losing you because I couldn't keep it in my pants is unthinkable," He tells her and mollified she sinks back down into his lap.
"I guess that's true," She says, looking back up at him and he smiles as he gazes back down at her.
"Just think Amy. We will be in Europe in a few short months. It will be like a honeymoon for us. I plan on making love to you in every country we can traverse by train. Now that will be one hell of a checklist!" He teases her making her blush, by his words and colorful language.
"Okay, you win!" Amy giggles. "I'll sit up and sleep against the window," She says trying to sit up but Sheldon holds her in place.
"No, you're right you need your sleep. Shall I sing you Soft Kitty?" He asks petting her hair gently.
"Please!" Amy begs snuggling back down into his lap. Curling up like a contented cat as he strokes her hair and back.
"Soft kitty, Warm Kitty, Little ball of fur, Happy kitty, Sleepy Kitty…" He sings softly.
"Purr ...Purr...Purr…" Amy finishes sleepily smacking her lips as she falls asleep.
The car is silent for a while as Sheldon watches Amy sleep and Leonard drives. They pass landmarks and road stands. Sheldon is severely tempted to wake Amy up for the world's largest ketchup bottle. Since Leonard shows no interest he stays silent. The ride is getting uncomfortably silent until Leonard breaks the silence.
"Okay, you have to tell me how you did it. Was it an online course? Or a book? How did you do it?" Leonard asks him jealously.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sheldon tells him staring out the window at a large expanse of desert.
"Get so damn smooth! What you told Amy back there. That would make any girl take of her panties off and throw them at you!" Leonard tells him. "I mean why are you married when you could get girls so easily? I know I sound like Pre-Bernadette Howard here, but I am just curious."
"Soiled undergarments aren't really my thing," Sheldon tells him. "I only spoke from the heart. Amy is my one and only. She is my singularity, my only exception to my rules. I am not attempting to pitch woo to her. It's honestly how I feel about her. I could not replicate it with another girl if I tried," He says, while looking down at Amy and stroking her head.
"Okay, so how about Ramona? You could have had her! That girl was following you around like a puppy. Every word you said to her made her swoon," Leonard asks.
"Ramona was a besotted fool! A rare misjudgement of character on my part. She is now sleeping with my arch nemesis," Sheldon tells him.
"Your arch nemesis?" Leonard asks bemused.
"Barry Kripke, he cornered me the other day. Told me Ramona was his groupie now. Then all about the sexual encounters they have had. I believe in an attempt to make me jealous. Little did he know the favor he was doing me by taking her off my hands. Why are you dredging all this up anyways?" Sheldon asks annoyed looking down at Amy nervously. The last thing he needs is for Amy to think he encouraged Ramona in anyway.
"Just jealous, I guess. I mean I have never got Penny worked up like that all by myself. I mean there was the one time at The Cheesecake Factory. I took her against the wall in the alley. But she was only trying to prove a point to Leslie," Leonard sighs.
"That's where you were that night? I was stranded with two of the weird sisters. While you coitused Penny in a dirty ally? How does that prove anything to Leslie? I hope you at least used protection in that amazing feat of poor judgement!" Sheldon admonishes him shaking his head in disbelief. Leonard does not want to admit his poor judgement and evades Sheldon's last question. Instead he voices the thought that had been nagging at him the entire trip.
"Lately it seems like everything I say just repels and annoys her. I would chalk it up to us finally being together. Growing pains of being in a committed relationship. But you and Amy have been together forever and she still wants to jump your bones all the time," Leonard huffs.
"Amy is singularly insatiable. Everything I do sets her off! It is both a blessing and a curse really," Sheldon tells Leonard brushing Amy's hair lovingly.
"Such a curse, I'm sure…" Leonard jokes.
"You're right. I can't lie. Her nearly insatiable sexual appetite is extremely arousing. Owww!" He yells as Amy wakes up and smacks his arm.
"Insatiable huh! You're one to talk mister," Amy mumbles grumpily.
"I can go far longer without carnal relations than you can," He tells her confidently.
"Is that so? We'll just have to see about that," Amy says mischievously.
"That doesn't sound good Sheldon. I'd be worried if I were you," Leonard laughs and Sheldon blows him off.
"She's all talk. Amy will be begging me as soon as we've made it home," Sheldon says raising his eyebrow at Amy. As she squints her eyes at him and sticks out her tongue.
"I hope you have an insatiable hunger for humble pie. Because you're going to be eating it soon!" Amy tells him.
"The only thing I have a hunger for is food. I haven't eaten since those sandwiches you packed. I'm famished," Sheldon says looking at his watch.
"It's about time for our dinner break," Amy agrees. "Next exit let's pull off so we can eat, get gas and switch. Your five hours are up Leonard."
"It's only been five hours? It feels like I have been driving for two days straight," Leonard says. "Look here's an exit coming up, with an Applebee's anyone have any objections?" Leonard asks.
"None, I'm so hungry I'd eat at a Cracker Barrel," Sheldon says.
"What's wrong with Cracker Barrel?" Leonard asks as he pulls off the exit.
"Sheldon hates Cracker Barrel because they say they have down home cooking. Yet he feels it does not hold a candle to his Meemaw's cooking," Amy says and she has to agree.
"That and I don't like to be forced to buy trinkets as I wait to be seated," Sheldon complains.
"No one forces you to buy anything. Yet you do every time we have eaten there," Amy teases him.
"Maybe they shouldn't have such adorable things then," Sheldon tells her.
Leonard finds the restaurant and they are all grateful to get out and stretch their legs. As they eat their dinner Amy thinks of the last time she pulled off an exit to eat. The secret she's keeping is so huge it almost feels tangible. Like an invisible noose around her neck. Penny swore her to secrecy, but all she wants to do is to tell Leonard. Amy heard what he told Sheldon about Penny. Amy doesn't want him thinking Penny doesn't like him anymore. Penny is just lost and confused about what to do. She wonders how Penny is doing and what she will decide.
When they get back in the car Sheldon takes the backseat again and Leonard sits up front with her. Sheldon will probably sleep this part of the journey. Leonard is supposed to switch with her in the middle of the night and drive them their last leg of the journey. Amy doesn't mind being up all at night. After their dinner she is feeling wired. While the boys are out almost instantly. Amy uses the time alone to recharge her brain.
Amy thinks about the holidays coming up. Sheldon is going to be thrilled with her gift. That is wrapped up safely in her suitcase. She even found a Star Trek frame for it at a mall novelty shop. They are going to be in Ohio on Christmas day visiting some Aunt of Sheldon's. Amy hopes it snows, she has never had a white Christmas like on the holiday cards. In her head she pictures making snow angels with Sheldon. Though she knows more practically she probably won't even be able to get him out in the snow at all.
When it turns midnight she tells herself happy birthday. Today she is officially eighteen. Last year her mother promised her that she would throw her a party. A real party to celebrate becoming a young lady. That she would also be given a few more freedoms when she turned eighteen. Amy had dreamt what those freedoms could possibly entail. There was so little she was allowed to do, anything would feel liberating.
Now it was a year later and she had all the freedoms she could ask for. Sheldon had emancipated her from her oppressive mother. Still she felt a pang of guilt and homesickness. There would be no party for her now. Amy wondered if Sheldon's family would even remember that it was her birthday. Sheldon was not big on celebrations. It probably never even occurred to him to mention her birthday was coming up. As much as she loved Sheldon's family she had only been a member of it a very short time. It was foolish to expect them to throw her a party. Amy thought she would be grateful if she just got a happy birthday from Sheldon.
"Maybe Sheldon is right, birthday celebrations are just ridiculous," Amy says to herself as she drives through the inky blackness of the night.
Leonard wakes up with the sun starting to rise, turning the sky a pink golden hue on the horizon. He blinks his eyes a few times and checks his watch. He was supposed to take over for Amy over an hour ago. He looks over at Amy who still looks alert even with driving for seven hours straight. He turns around and sees Sheldon is still sound asleep in the back huddled against the door.
"You should have woken me up," He croaks and Amy looks over at him and smiles.
"You looked so peaceful I hated to bother you. Besides I'm like a opossum, I'm up all night," She laughs quietly.
"Where are we?" He asks looking at the vast expanses of empty land on either side of them.
"The good news is we're officially in Texas. The bad news is it's still about four hours to our destination," Amy tells him scrunching up her nose.
"Pull over and I'll trade with you," Leonard tells her and she shakes her head.
"The next scheduled pit stop is in about forty five minutes. I'm good to drive until then. Then we will stop stretch our legs and get some breakfast," Amy offers.
"If you're sure," Leonard says skeptically.
"I'm fine, besides if we pull over before then we'll wake up Sheldon. After living with him for almost six months I'm sure you know by now you never wake a sleeping Sheldon," Amy says seriously.
"He's like a gremlin he has so many special instructions," Leonard laughs and then looks over at Amy cautiously to see if he offended her but she just giggles.
"That's not the first time I've heard that. To be fair though he is a mowgai. Sheldon is adorable and cuddly until you mess up the instructions and he turns into a gremlin. He is my sweet little Gizmo," Amy coos looking in the rear view mirror at him. Her love for him is obvious, it pours out of her everytime she talks about him. Leonard wonders if Penny ever looks like that when she talks about him.
"Can I ask you a question? You don't have to answer if it's too personal," Leonard ventures.
"Shoot," Amy tells him.
"Doesn't it ever bother you? Having to adhere to all his rules? I mean this entire journey has been dictated by what makes him most comfortable. Don't you ever want it to be about what you find most comfortable?" He asks her and Amy is silent thinking about the question. Sheldon is awake in the back. Curious to Amy's answer too. He feigns sleep so he can hear her answer honestly.
"Sheldon is particular, but that's one of the many things I love about him. He knows exactly what he wants. Sheldon doesn't kowtow to anyone, being somewhat of a pushover myself it's a quality I admire," Amy says genuinely.
"I guess I get that. I still think he is a pain," Leonard jokes.
"Also, consider this Leonard. Inside his mind things are very chaotic. Sheldon is brilliant, his mind never stops working the gears are constantly turning. If I can do a few small things to make life easier for him. Then I will do it gladly. I owe him everything, even my life," Amy says reverently. Sheldon smiles he couldn't have thought of a better answer himself.
"You love him a lot don't you?" Leonard asks in awe.
"More than anything, so strongly sometimes it's a bit scary," Amy admits.
"I understand that. I love Penny so much sometimes it hurts. I just wish I knew if she felt the same way," Leonard sighs.
"She does! Penny was torn up every time she saw you with another girl. She's just not the best at expressing her emotions," Amy says consolingly.
"I know, I just wish I could read her better. It hurts to think I love her more than she loves me. If she loves me at all. Penny still hasn't said it to me yet," Leonard says sadly.
"Believe me, I can understand that. When I first met Sheldon I was head over heels for him. Yet he will be the first to admit his feelings towards me were more ambivalent. Sometimes I still worry that I love him more than he does me. That one day he will wake up and realize what he saddled himself too for the rest of his life," Amy tells Leonard.
Sheldon opens up one eye at this. How could Amy possibly think that? Of course he couldn't fault her logic. Sometimes he felt the same way about her. That she would wake up and realize that he wasn't worth all the trouble after all. Sheldon had something in store for her that he hoped would prove once and for all to her how deep his love for her ran.
Part two coming Friday! Leave me a review tell me what you think.