A/N: First may I thank all you lovely people who have left such kind reviews.
I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.
It is kind of the breathing space before our couple move forward again.
Sheldon slowly disentangled himself from Amy, and swinging his legs over the side of the bed sat with his head in his hands.
"I'm sorry" Amy whispered.
"Don't be sorry. I knew if we shared this bed, in this room something like this would happen."
Sheldon stood up, shrugged on his dressing gown and went to the bathroom.
Amy heard the door lock then the shower start. Sighing she too got up.
Minutes before she had been on the very edge of heaven, now she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide.
73~73
Amy had arranged to meet Penny, Bernadette and Lucy for breakfast at 9am. Not wanting to bump into the boys, especially Sheldon who was still in the shower when she had left, Amy had sent Penny a text saying she would meet them in Starbucks round the corner from the hotel.
She hadn't heard back from Penny but Amy went anyway; needing to get outside away from the hotel.
When the girls arrived they could tell something was wrong straight away.
"OK what has he done now?" asked Penny sitting down.
"Oh Penny" Amy proceeded to tell the girls what had happened. How she had woken to find Sheldon holding her; how he had kissed and stroked her; how she had felt, and how he had dismissed her and hidden in the bathroom.
"Amy are you sure that Sheldon was dismissing you? You said he had admitted he knew this would happen. If that is true it makes sense why he made the fuss he did yesterday. It sounds to me like you have the prime opportunity to get to third base here. Home run too if you want. Amy you have Sheldon trapped in a beautiful hotel in the most romantic room and it sounds like he is firing all systems go. He wouldn't hold your hand a few months ago and this morning not only did you wake up with him aroused and holding you, but when he woke up he didn't run screaming from the room in search of disinfectant. He brought you to the edge of orgasm. He didn't stop you did!"
"I know, I know. But he said it was a mistake. When he stopped he said he told me it wouldn't work. And he was right Penny. How will it work if the minute either of us get brave enough to touch the other; one or both of us panic. Penny I pushed and pushed for this relationship and now I am terrified. I love him. I really love him but I am scared."
Bernadette looked at Amy and held her hand. "Amy the first time is scary. You have to remember this is Sheldon's first time too. He is just as scared. Also he has the pressure of your expectations. It sounds to me that he is making a real effort here."
Nodding Penny added "Why don't you do what I did my first time; get rip roaring drunk and go for it! We know with enough alcohol Sheldon will drop his pants!"
Lucy looked at the girls then said quietly. "I know I am new to your group and don't know any of you that well, but Amy if you are not ready you don't have to do this!"
"Thank you Lucy. But if I am being totally honest I do want it. This morning I wanted it so bad but then I panicked. Sheldon only stopped because I asked him too and now I have 2 nights of us in that bed and I don't know what to do."
73~73
Sheldon had heard the door slam as Amy left. He finished shaving and opened the door. Her coat and bag had gone. Guessing she had gone to meet the others for breakfast Sheldon found his wallet and checking he had his room key left too. When he got downstairs he was surprised non of the girls were there.
"Why are the girls not here?" he asked looking at Leonard
"We were going to ask you that. Amy texted them and said she wanted to go to Starbucks. Is everything OK?"
"Oh why would it be OK. I try to do what she wants and look where it gets me!" Sheldon sat and run his hands through his hair.
The others looked at him shocked, Sheldon doubting himself, unheard of.
"Lets just go to the comic book store. They are expecting us." Sheldon sighed.
Penny had left the keys of the rental car with Leonard so the boys piled in and set off. Sheldon had the address and before long they were in a store almost identical to the one they had left in Pasadena. Comforted by this reminder of home Sheldon found the $1 box and began flicking through the comic books.
"Sheldon is Amy upset?" asked Raj gently standing next to Sheldon but looking down at the box.
"I don't know Raj. I thought we were progressing. It is what she said she wanted. It is what she has been pushing for. She seemed OK, I thought I knew how she felt. But then she was gone. How am I supposed to know how she feels if she is not here?"
"Sheldon I am not exactly sure what has happened. Maybe you should talk to Amy?"
"I guess." sighing Sheldon moved to look at the t shirts leaving Raj staring after him.
73~73
In the pool, back at the hotel, the girls tried to take Amy's mind of her worries. They played in the pool, swimming and floating on the hotel inflatables and were now sat in the hot tub.
"Can you all remember you first times? "Amy asked shyly
"Oh yes!" laughed Penny. "It was not something to be featured in a romance novel either. Amy the first time is usually quick and painful. But it gets better; it really does. You love Sheldon and he loves you. That means you have time on your side. It wont be a quickie behind a haystack at the local rodeo!"
Bernadette grinned "or a quickie out the back of your church fund raiser!"
Lucy frowned "It doesn't have to be that bad."
"No it doesn't. But it can be painful and you need to know that. You shouldn't expect a fairy tale"
"Amy if you can talk to each other, tell each other how you feel, this should be better than any drunken fling. Sweetie go find Sheldon and talk to him!"
73~73
Raj realised Sheldon was upset and knew him well enough to know he wasn't going to open up if he faced ridicule. Telling Leonard what he planned Raj waited until he was sure Howard and Leonard had gone then cornered Sheldon.
"Sheldon the others have gone to see if the girls are ready for lunch. Are you ready?"
Sheldon frowned. "Yes I guess. But I don't know if I want to go to lunch with the girls. If Amy has spoken to Penny and the others they will all start quizzing me and I cant face it"
"Sheldon what happened. If you tell me maybe we can work it out."
Sheldon looked at Raj, "Amy and I are sharing a room. When she woke this morning I was holding her. Then we started to get intimate. Raj she has touched me and I had to spend half the night in a cold shower, I touched her and I wasn't as horrified as I thought I would be. She seemed to be enjoying it. Then she asked me to stop so I stopped. Raj I didn't want to stop. What do I do tonight if it happens again?"
"I take it Amy has no more experience than you in these things?"
Sheldon shook his head.
"Then just do what you have been doing Sheldon. Talk to her and listen. The one advantage of not being able to talk in front of women is they think I am a good listener! If you listen to Amy she will tell you what she wants. But Sheldon you need to tell her too. And if you are honest with each other then it will be better than you can imagine!" Raj grinned.
"Do you remember your first time" Sheldon asked looking at his feet.
"Yeah" grinned Raj. "I didnt last long but it was sooo good! She was older than me, a friend of my parents. Sheldon it is a powerful thing and the first time is almost overpowering. You and Amy are in a relationship, it is not like you may get lucky then never see her again."
"Exactly, I will see her again. If it goes horribly wrong then it is ruined. I don't want it to be ruined. If we stop now then it wont be ruined."
"Sheldon if you stop now neither of you will be happy. Just talk to her!"
73~73
The group did not meet up for lunch, the girls realising Amy was still fragile, took her shopping. Raj and Sheldon met back up with Howard and Leonard who on Raj instructions had found a train store. When both Amy and Sheldon returned to the hotel that evening they were much calmer and ready to talk.
Smiling as she unpacked her shopping bags Amy began to put her new shoes and underwear in her case. Penny had persuaded her that shoes and underwear could cure anything and Amy was beginning to think she could be right. The wine they had drank earlier hadn't hurt either.
Sheldon wasn't in when she entered the room so Amy decided to take the initiative and phoned down to see if she could order food for their room. It being Tuesday meant it was would have been cheesecake factory night if they were at home. The receptionist informed Amy of the nearest branch, then offered to place an order for her as she was in one of their influential suites. Grinning Amy ordered Sheldon's cheeseburger, stipulating how she wanted it delivered. Then ordering herself a mushroom burger Amy went for her shower.
When she came out she quickly dressed in a comfortable loose dress and flat shoes. She tied her damp hair up on top of her head and sat waiting for the food.
It arrived just before Sheldon came back and his face on seeing his Tuesday meal waiting for him was a picture.
"Where did you get all this?" he asked
"Reception here seem to think we deserve special treatment and when I asked for the address of the nearest restaurant they offered to order it for us. I hope I got your order correct."
Sheldon had dropped his bags by the door and shedding his coat moved to the table. Amy had set out the fine china plates she had found in the kitchen area and lit a candle.
"I'll be right back" Sheldon dashed to the bathroom to wash his hands.
Once back Amy poured them both a glass of wine she had bought and looking at Sheldon said
"Sheldon I think we should talk"
Sheldon looked at her. "are you going to break up with me?"
"No Sheldon. Its just... Well … this morning I was upset. I was wrong to be upset. But I spoke to the girls and they told me we should talk."
"I spoke to Raj. He said the same thing."
"Its not easy though. You sat here looking at me,I feel stupid."
"Amy how about we eat dinner then we talk?"
Smiling Amy nodded. The ate and told each other how they had spent their day. Sheldon was excited about his new train; he told Amy about the comic book store and how the others had actually really looked after him.
"The girls were the same. We swam and played in the pool, sat tin the hot tub then went shopping. I got the best shoes!"
Moving to clean their plates away the pair washed up in the sink and returned the china to the display cabinet.
"This room is so gorgeous "sighed Amy again.
"Yes I cant fault Gablehauser on his hotel choice" Sheldon admitted.
Grabbing the bottle of wine from the fridge Amy walked back to the table and poured them both another glass. Taking a large sip Amy turned to Sheldon.
"I didn't really want you to stop this morning, I just got scared. What you were doing... it felt so good.. but I just panicked!"
"Amy when you touched me the other night, I have never felt like that before. I know how you felt this morning because I felt it too."
"Maybe if we agree before we start, like we did with the hand holding and kissing. If we agree before we start then we will be more prepared."
"Amy this morning I thought for the first time I wouldn't mind the under the clothes aspect of third base. I know I am not ready for all aspects, but maybe some of them wont be so bad?"
Amy nodded, "Raj and Penny were right though, we need to tell each other how we feel. Maybe then we wont both freak out. Sheldon I know this sounds silly but tonight can we just hold each other?"
"lets get ready for bed then and we watch tv in bed."
"OK just no star trek!"
73~73
both Sheldon and Amy got ready for bed. Sat propped up against the pillows Sheldon found BBC America and the English drama they had watched weeks before. Amy lay her head on Sheldon's chest and sighed happily.
She fell asleep before the episode was over and didn't even notice Sheldon move her gently to lie on the pillows. He kissed her forehead and whispered "Goodnight Amy Farrah Fowler"