Amy slept fitfully that night. Having Sheldon next to her was lovely; she just wished she was able to sleep as contentedly he seemed to be able too. She marvelled, as she looked at him now, at how he could sleep so peacefully when in the past 24 hours alone so much had happened. Maybe the knowledge he had won a Nobel was enough to give his mind rest she pondered.

As he shifted closer and threw his leg over hers she could not stop the smile crossing her face. He looked so young and innocent when asleep, a stranger would never guess he housed the brain of a genius. Amy wondered if he was dreaming of collecting his award and allowed herself a moment to imagine standing next to him as he had his photo taken, prize in hand. Snuggling a little closer she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

But Ramona's face was there every time she closed her eyes though, and knowing she would not sleep Amy gently disentangled herself from Sheldon's limbs and made her way quietly to the kitchen to warm some milk.

Seeing that her phone was laying on the table she moved to check her email and saw a message from Penny asking how Sheldon was. Knowing it was too late to call her bestie for a chat, Amy resolved to catch up tomorrow and sitting on her sofa sipping her milk she allowed herself to close her eyes and continue her dream about what she would wear when stood next to her award winning boyfriend. She imagined the envious stares of their friends, and the incredulity of her mother when she told her and the rest of her family of Sheldon's amazing news. As she relaxed into these delicious thoughts she was jolted awake by Sheldon touching her shoulder and removing the glass just before it slipped through her fingers.

"Amy what are you doing out here?"

"I don't want to wake you, I couldn't sleep." she admitted.

"Well come back to bed, you look like sleep was more than ready to claim you!" he pointed out as grasping her hand he led her back to her bed.

As she settled down beside Sheldon she said sleepily "Tomorrow we should make time to see the others. They looked so disappointed when you left."

"You mean you want a girlie day." Sheldon smiled at her fondly.

"Well in a way," Amy admitted. "But I also think it will be good for you, maybe doing something to take your mind off Ramona, yet celebrating at the same time."

"Well we haven't been paint balling in a while." Sheldon mused the idea waking him further and causing him to sit up. "You girls could play too!"

"Oh no. While Penny may excel at such games I have no desire to run around a muddy field and shot people. That's a man's game."

"Yes well I guess Pennys Nebraskan upbringing does lend itself to manly pursuits, but what will you do?"

"I was thinking we could have lunch all together somewhere, then I could have a girly afternoon and maybe in the evening we could meet back here."

"And?" Sheldon looked at her cautiously, "you want everyone back here? Or just me?"

"Well I guess I was thinking just you I admit, but maybe everyone is a better idea. They may have some ideas about Ramona and together we could formulate a plan that you could take to the university on Monday."

"Oh Amy, I think we can handle this on our own! I am not sure getting either Penny or Howard involved will help our cause."

Hey! Penny happens to be my best friend and I know Howard would want to do whatever he could to help too. They are our friends Sheldon. They are worried."

"OK well I will sleep on that particular part of the idea, but its a definite yes to paint balling."

Rolling her eyes as she watched Sheldon settle himself back down Amy said "I'm not sleepy now."

"No, well you wouldn't be with all this jibber jabber! Come here woman." And pulling her close yet pinning her arms he kissed the top of her head and said "No funny business now, sleep! You will need your strength tomorrow when you explain to Penny why she cant play paint ball with us!"

73

"Sheldon hurry up! The others will be there already."

"Amy I am coming, it is hardly my fault we overslept or the fact my morning routine was disrupted."

Rolling her eyes she hustled Sheldon out the door and pushed him towards her car. "Don't forget the idea of today is to see if the others have any ideas we can take to Gablehauser."

"No Amy the idea of today is to forget for a while and reconnect with our friends."

Sighing Amy said "Lets try to do both OK?"

But by the time they arrived at the cheesecake factory Amy knew Sheldon's eagerness to play paint ball was far outweighing the concerns she was having trouble shifting. While they greeted their friends and exchanged idle chit chat as they waited for their food Amy smiled at the way Sheldon was excitedly organising his troops.

"Amy, are you OK? You are very quiet." Bernie said gently touching her arm to draw her attention.

"Yes I'm fine, looking forward to some girlie catch up time. It feels ages since we had a girlie evening."

"Well as you missed out on thanksgiving with us we thought we could use the time the guys are playing their silly games to go to the spa catch up on the news and be pampered at the same time. From the bags under your eyes it looks like you need it too." Penny added.

"Yes well I didn't get much sleep last night." Amy admitted causing Penny top whoop and slap Sheldon on the back before Amy hastily continued, "No, I mean because of this stuff with Ramona, well I am worried and it is interfering with my sleep."

"Sheldon looks well rested though!" Bernie observed.

"Yes he doesn't seem worried." Amy acknowledged. "Maybe I am just being silly. Sheldon thinks the university will sort it."

"Well seeing as Sheldon's text message invited us to your apartment for a 'council of war' I would say he is taking it seriously but he just wants to have fun first, and I agree with him."

Separating to enjoy their afternoon activities Amy watched Sheldon go fondly causing Penny to elbow her and say "Aah! You have got it bad! Come on lets go I need the gossip of your trip to New Mexico and how the great Dr Cooper survived under the beady eye of his mother."

"So you are telling us that nothing has happened... still?" Penny looked horrified. "I had such hopes for this trip and yet nothing."

Amy grinned "I didn't say nothing has happened just the time has not been right for full coitus to occur." she ended rather primly.

Sniggering Bernie said "So you have had some fun?"

"Well yes. And Sheldon is more than happy to share my bed now."

"Do you think he is saving himself for your wedding night, that would be so romantic." Bernie sighed.

"Nobody has mentioned marriage." Amy stated firmly, "and no, that is not the reason."

"And you seem remarkably OK with this too." Penny observed watching her friend closely. "I would say that Sheldon has found other ways to keep you happy." She winked and the outright laughed at Amy's flushed cheeks. "Wooo! Go Sheldon!" She whooped before adding "I am pleased Mary didn't cause him to hide away the whole time."

"No it was OK. Well until the end. As per usual Ramona seems to be able to put a stop to any progress we make."

"You don't seriously think Sheldon will let her come between you?" Bernie asked.

"No. Not really, but it happened before didn't it and I was so sure we were fine then..."

"Amy he loves you. You can tell by just how relaxed he is with you now. Not to mention he has introduced you to his beloved Meemaw!"

"Yes I know." Amy sighed "I am just being silly."

73

Hiding behind the side of the camouflaged hut Howard glanced at the lanky physicist who was covered in mud yet grinning from ear to ear.

"Sheldon how can you be so cheerful when you are soaking wet, filthy dirty and two of our team mates have been slaughtered within minutes of the game starting. I was expecting you to be screaming for their heads on sticks and a bath tub of Purell!"

"Because Howard I have a plan."

"Yeah its going great so far!"

Howard's sarcasm was not lost on Sheldon who glanced at him then shrugged. "Oh I am not talking about paint ball Howard, I know that with Leonard and Raj dead and only you to cover me we are doomed, no I am talking about a bigger plan. One that I am sure will work."

Howard sighed "As long as this grand plan doesn't include me."

"On the contrary Howard, it very much includes you. In fact you are a key player."

"Oh boy. OK what is it?"

"All in good time. We can discuss such matters latter but I have just seen Kripke blundering about behind those trees. Now I want you to snake left and draw him out. Then I will finish him off."

As Sheldon pushed Howard out into the clearing he steadied his gun and took aim. Seeing Kripke fall for his trap Sheldon fired and was reward by the outraged cry of his fellow physicist.

Smirking Sheldon said "Too easy! Now lets hope my other plan works as well."

73

"You cannot be serious!" Bernie shouted trying to square up to Sheldon and barely reaching his chest. "I am not letting my Howie go anywhere near that woman!"

"Sheldon," Amy said soothingly, "do you really think Ramona would fall for that, I mean you were already a leading physicist Howard is just..."

"Just what?!" Bernie rounded on Amy, "come on just what?! My Howie is an astronaut and just as good as your boyfriend!"

"OK, calm down" Sheldon said not showing the least bit of concern at Bernadette outburst, "it is not as if Howard is going into this unaware as I did; and all we need for him to do is get Ramona back in this country. If he can do that then I am almost certain the authorities here will lock her up."

"Tell us the plan again" Leonard requested. Now Bernie had stopped shouting he wanted to make sure Sheldon had thought of every possibility.

"OK. Now the official plan is Amy and I attend the ceremony in Stockholm in a weeks time, this will not be made official though. We don't have long and I would like to ensure Ramona is not in any part of Europe when we are there. I have no desire to see her again ever, but I feel it may be inevitable unless we act. Jake tells us Ramona has been released and a quick call to the university had got them checking to see if she has been re-issued with her passport. This afternoon I had confirmation that not only does she have her passport but no restrictions have been placed on it."

"I still can't see her wanting to come back to the states." Amy said firmly if a little hopefully.

"Not under normal circumstances, no. But Ramona craves fame. Fame and money. What if Howard proposes a scheme to her that will not only make her rich but also famous.

Now we all know Howard's knowledge of physics is minimal-"

"Hey!"

Sheldon ignored the joint protests of Howard and Bernadette and continued "-Ramona is not much better but she does have enough knowledge complete what I have in mind. Enough to make her feel she has made a real contribution."

"Surely then so does any undergraduate on campus." Amy pointed out logically.

"Yes indeed, but they do not have the need to seek revenge on me." Sheldon ignore the looks his friends exchanged and continued, "it is, I believe, totally plausible for Howard to go to Ramona seeking assistance. He can claim jealousy at my achievements and want to seek higher accolades. The financial incentive should be enough of a lure, as money seems to be her main love, but by throwing in the reward of international fame I am sure she will ignore any doubts and fly straight to LA."

"So what will she do then? She cant exactly work at Caltech." Leonard pointed out.

"No I agree, and luckily Howard has been onto his acquaintances at NASA and they have agreed to let us use some of their workshops."

"Hang on a minute, Bernie said in a deadly calm voice as she turned to face her husband. "You have already agreed to this. Without consulting me?"

"Bernie think about it, Sheldon and Amy are our friends, you are always saying we should help our friends and how if we got this psycho bitch out of the picture then maybe Amy could get herself some Sheldon." hey winked suggestively at his wife hoping to distract her from his own part in Sheldon's scheme.

"Hey!" It was Amy's turn to protest now but Sheldon cut her off.

"Amy will be 'getting herself plenty' once this mess is sorted. I just need to know you are all in agreement."

Amy was staring wide eyed at Sheldon, open mouthed at his last comment, and it was several seconds before she refocused the discussion.

"Sheldon I have a question," Penny asked seriously. "If Ramona falls for this and does fly over, how can you be sure she wont come looking for revenge on you and Amy?"

"Because," Sheldon grinned "the minute I know she is on her way here Amy and I will be gone."

"We will?"

"Yes." Sheldon turned to look at Amy. "I have two standby tickets waiting for us at the airport. Jake is standing by to meet us in Switzerland where he will take us to the university. They have some sort of thank you planned; then the following day we fly the two hours to Sweden so we are there before the 10th. Jake has hotel rooms on standby too. All we need now is for Howard to do his thing!"

73

"You are very quiet." Sheldon said eyeing Amy nervously. Their friends had left and Amy had not said much more than "I will cook us some food."

As he watched her move around the kitchen he wondered if she was angry, that he had been too presumptuous in his booking flights and rooms and not consulting her in any of it.

"Amy?"

"I'm OK, just a little shocked." Amy admitted.

"That I didn't consult you? That I had a plan and didn't tell you before booking tickets and hotels? That I am using Howard?"

"No Sheldon; that you announced to our friends that I would to use your phrase be 'getting me plenty!'"

"Oh. Yes. Well I didn't mean it to come out like that."

"No indeed. You do know what Howard was referring too don't you?"

"Of course I do! And I meant it. Not in the crude way it came out; but I do want things to be right between us Amy. I want to be able to go to Switzerland and know this time we have nothing and no-one stopping us any more. Not Ramona, not my mother. Not me even. I am not scared any more Amy."

"Oh." Amy looked at Sheldon closely. "You are serious aren't you!"

"Yes very. When I am in Sweden I want to go to stand on that stage and know I have you beside me. In every sense of the word. Just us. It is more than I have ever dreamed and now it is possible."

"That's all I want too." Amy grinned and moving round the kitchen counter gave Sheldon a big hug.

73

A/N: Firstly thank you to everyone still reading this story. It is drawing to an end but I am so grateful to everyone who has stuck with me. To all those who have reviewed, favourited and followed I am beyond flattered. A special thanks to Lou who pointed out I had our couple heading to the wrong country! Whoops! Ax