Thanks for the reviews! You guys gave me the will to go on. And yes, I meant to write Lenny like that. For me this is them IC.
Disclaimers, Voldemort Lorre, Bill Vader, Jar Jar Molaro and WB own everything
And so… Dinner
Debbie had come back to the house alone, even after Penny tried to insist she needed to drop off Sheldon's suitcase. Penny and Leonard were going to see them for dinner and it was bad enough Debbie, herself, was intruding on their time together.
Sheldon had been extremely grateful to get clean clothes and the lunch Debbie had brought back for them. Amy had encouraged him to get to know Mrs. Wolowitz as a person not as a mom. That was still hard when she kept giving Amy cranberry juice and speaking about the importance of keeping her hydrated. Amy drank the juice and gave him a glance that said, "I know what this is about, you don't need to."
Debbie was trying to be pleasant house guest, she suggested they watch some Oscar bait off Netflix, correctly predicting, the couple would pass out together on the sofa. Sheldon sprawled in his spot, Amy curled up next to him. Snagging an a quilt off her bed she draped it over the pair. With a determined sigh, she began to climb the stairs. With Amy and Stuart's help, she'd gotten more active and had lost quite a bit of weight, (who knew gluten was poison?) but her knees were still shot. Those two were her darling, patient children. She loved Howard and Bernadette, but they were feisty, loud and impatient, like her. Stuart was kind and Amy was smarter than her. It had been a fun summer. Once she got to the top of the stairs, she rolled her eyes and the scent, oh yeah, there'd been a whole lot of sex up here. She gathered the linens and towels into a basket.
By the time the laundry was done, it was time for the kids to go out for dinner, "Rise and shine, sleepy heads…" She called.
Sheldon awoke with a start looking terrified, knocking Amy off his lap/her pillow. "Amy!"
"I'm up! I'm up!" Amy glanced around the room also slightly freaked out.
"You need to get ready to out with Leonard and the little blond girl." Debbie said, helping Amy off the floor. "Sheldon, dear, grab Amy her glasses. The go upstairs and change clothes." They were adorably slow when they got up from their nap. Like puppies. "And take that with you."
A respectacled Amy stared at the basket, "You washed the bed linen and towels?"
"What fabric softener did you use?" Sheldon asked curiously.
"A knock off brand. I bought it off a shady character in the Sav-on parking lot." Amy said sarcastically. "Of course, I still use the completely dye free, fragrance free…"
"If she uses detergent with fragrances, it brings on an itchy rash," Debbie nodded. "I found that out."
"Oh, yeah. Me too." Sheldon agreed, smiling. "You have to put mittens on her and tie her hands to the bed."
"What you kids do upstairs is none of my beeswax." Debbie said holding her hands up, "I just think you both should remember you don't need to have all the sex right up front. You can save some for latter." She zipped her lips, "That is all I am going to say."
"I don't really know what that meant, but you washed the sex sheets, so thank you." Sheldon said taking the basket up stairs.
"Watch out for your knees, lady," Amy poked.
"Watch out for your urinary tract, girly girl. Bladder infections have ruined more honeymoons than realizing you married a psychopath." Debbie pointed back. "Personally, my honeymoon was more than magic…I got a sociopath and pelvic inflammation."
"Have I told you before you should write romance novels?" Amy asked walking up the stairs. "It had been the most magical night of the young girl's life but when she woke the next day there was a dead sparrow nailed to the bedside table and it burned like lava when she went to tinkle."
"Don't joke. You would read the book." Debbie nodded.
"I would read the hell out of that book," Amy called.
Amy elected to drive Sheldon and herself to the restaurant. They'd meet Leonard and Penny there rather than car pool.
"Penny's going to gloat." Amy told him with a knowing glance. "If she says "See I told you it was for the best, I am going to have to drive a fork through her temple. You understand, don't you, hon?"
"Is that what she said to you?" Sheldon asked wide eyed, "What else did she say?"
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?" Sheldon looked like he smelled a fart. "If you love something, set it free…" Amy heard him make a strangled noise, "One day at a time, Ames, one day at a time."
"Did she make you recite the serenity prayer or give a plaque of the poem "Footprints"?" Sheldon asked, "If you want to stab her through the temple with a fork in lieu of saying hello, I've got your back, little lady."
"Also, they may want to talk about you moving to 4B again." Amy warned.
"I can't live in 4B. I am over 6ft tall. That place is like a hobbit hole." Sheldon shook his head. He glanced at Amy. She nodded in agreement.
"Her shower is really narrow too. You'll bust your elbows trying to wash your hair. And people have to traipse through your bedroom to get to your bedroom to get to your bathroom." Amy noted. "Just tell them you won't move. You can't make him move, but he can't make you move either. If they bring that up, I've got your back."
"Thank you." Sheldon felt disappointed. Amy hadn't brought up him moving into her house at all. Not once. She had 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms... Living together would makes somesense.
The restaurant was very nice. Penny, of course looked beautiful and Amy complimented her. Penny beamed looking at Amy's smart dress, "Your body looks tight, girl. But you still keep it too covered up. The bridesmaids dresses are going to be strapless minis."
"So you expect Amy to wear spangled, extra -long tube top to your wedding?" Sheldon asked, looking as if the fart scent had returned, "How Amy."
"It'll be classier than that, besides you'll love it." Penny assured him. "Now that you two are," Penny grabbed Amy's and squeezed with a big smile on her face, "Intimate and everything." She squeaked and put her head down on her friends arm, shivering with joy and righteousness.
Amy glanced at Sheldon and Leonard, "She needs to go powder her nose. I need to accompany her for moral support. Order her a cabernet and me a double Cape Cod, with extra cranberry juice and less ice."
Once they got in the ladies room, Penny hugged Amy, "I am so happy for you!"
"I can see that. Thank you." Amy responded. There was still a wall there between them. She just didn't know how climb it. Or if she wanted to. Penny grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit on the sofa.
"Well tell me everything!" the blonde demanded.
"No." Amy said, simply.
"No?" Penny looked incredulous. "Did you tell Emily and Bernie things? You can tell them, but not me."
"I didn't tell them anything beyond what you know. Sheldon and I are back together and we lost on virginities together on Friday afternoon. And so far so good." Amy nodded.
"What's wrong here? You used to tell me everything whether I wanted to hear it or not!"
"Maybe that is the attitude that makes me reticent now. I needed you last summer and I couldn't rely on you." Amy said looking down. "When you weren't annoyed at me for being at the apartment, you were just a cliché machine. The unhelpful sort."
"That's you projecting your insecurities over Sheldon leaving on to every body else, Amy. I was a great friend this summer. You just wanted Yes-women around."
"Have you met my bitch posse? Yes-women?" Amy stood up. "Penny I worshipped you because I didn't see you clearly. I still love you as a friend, but it's never going to be the same. I saw clearly how much your regard for me was an offshoot of your friendship with Sheldon. Without him, I am nothing to you.."
"You are so fucking stubborn and that is not even close to true," Penny stood up furiously, "How did Sheldon woo you back, anyway?"
"He proved himself to me. Proved that he'd thought of me all along. That he'd loved me." Amy responded.
"How?" Penny asked, dreamily.
"He wrote me a basically a letter a day all summer and kept them in 3 subject notebook. He gave me the notebook to read." Amy replied, knowing what was coming.
"That is so romantic!" Penny threw herself in Amy's arms again.
"Your listening comprehension are skills are so bad…" Amy muttered.
"Nah." Penny said pulling back, "I am just going to muscle my way back in. You know you love me." She bumped hips with the brunette.
"I do." Amy admitted, "You are a narcisstic bitch, I love ya. But quit gloating."
When the girls rejoined the table, their drinks were already there, Amy leaned in to kiss Sheldon, "Everything is fine." He licked her ear in response.
"So how is it having Howard' mom as a houseguest?" Penny asked pulling a face.
"Excellent, so far. She washed the towels and bed linens when we feel asleep on the sofa, " Sheldon noted Amy frown, "but it's bad for her knees so we don't encourage it."
"I can't believe we haven't been to your house yet." Leonard said.
"Come over on Wednesday, I'll cook for everyone. Or I'll help Rajesh and Debbie cook for everyone." Amy smiled.
"I am sorry." Penny began indicating no regret, "I just can't imagine having that woman as a friend. It would be awful!" Penny giggled having amused herself. "Are you on community service?"
Leonard continued the thought process, "How did you two become close?" he asked with a grin.
"When she was injured, I would go over to give Stuart a break and hang out with her. She's very funny and charming. It's been like having a mother who understands and approves of me. I helped her switch to a gluten free diet which decreased her stomach bloat like crazy amount. We got her walking outside every day. She's lost quite a bit of weight. But I would like her no matter what. She is the furthest thing there is from awful." Amy glared.
"fine." Penny sulked, "Change of subject. When are you guys moving in together?"
"We aren't" Amy declared.
"No right away…." Sheldon hedged.
"What?" Amy looked at him, "I haven't spoken to you about moving in." She snapped.
"I assumed you'd still want to." He replied, "You sue wanted to last spring."
"Your reaction, their reaction, taught me I was over reaching when I dared to dream. Besides, I just bought the house, I am living there alone for the time being. You left me because I want to shift our relationship out of neutral and into first gear. I am not going to push things now." Amy said her face growing hot. She felt like she was being ganged up on.
"You know that's not how it was! I've told…"
"Amy, you aren't being fair, of course Sheldon wants to…
"Amy it's like my ankle tattoo says, Carpe diem.. " Penny slurred.
Amy got to her feet, "You Penny, that doesn't mean seize the crap by the way. And they spelled it wrong. Yours says Crepe Dime." Visibly pushing down her emotions, Amy turned to the group, "Sheldon, I can't deal with you right now because I know these are your best friends, but when I see you three together, I just… I can't be a part of this dysfunction. I don't belong with you people. Call me tomorrow, Sheldon." Amy threw her napkin down and stalked out of the restaurant. Sheldon stood up and gaped after her.
"I had her back… all I had to do to keep her happy and stay at her house forever was not come dinner with…" he whirled on Leonard and Penny, "You people. She was happy, lovely and sweet all day, then you people." He paused, "If Amy won't ask me to live with her, I am not moving out of 4A, bet your life on that. You can live in 4B or get an house like grown ups."
"Sheldon," Leonard got to his feet. "That is my apartment too."
"Why Leonard," Sheldon loomed over him, "Don't you know change can be a good thing? Don't be so afraid of it." he stormed toward the door, "I am not leaving the apartment. But I don't want to live with you two forever either. Make up your minds."