A/N: I know that this story is OOC, but I'm hoping that it still feels like I'm writing about Sheldon and Amy to some degree. I'm pretty far from where this journey started, so there has been some change in the characters. Thanks for reading. I hope you guys are still enjoying it. That's the point.

"I'll probably be late again tonight," Amy told Sheldon when she dropped him off. He looked hurt because he thought she was trying like he was. "I don't want to be, but we are in the middle of some big strides. I'll try to be home as early as I can. And we'll sleep in your room tonight," she added trying to reassure him.

Sheldon nodded, and Amy didn't know how to read it. She said, "I love you. Thanks for taking me to meet your family," as he got out of her car.

"I love you, too. I'm glad you got to meet MeeMaw," Sheldon said. The mention of his grandmother reminded him of the ring hidden in his dresser. He swallowed hard and closed the door to Amy's car. Then he stood on the sidewalk watching as Amy drove away.

Sheldon worked quietly and was startled when Leonard knocked on his door at lunch time. He got up and they walked to the cafeteria together. Sheldon wanted to ask Leonard's advice about Amy, but given that the guys would probably show up any minute, it might be better to wait for the drive home.

The subject wouldn't leave his mind, so Sheldon picked at his lunch while the other guys talked and joked. Eventually, Leonard noticed that Sheldon was being unusually quiet.

"What, no factoids about things we don't care about?" Leonard asked. Then he remembered that morning and knew this had to do with Amy. He changed topics, "How was your trip home? Are you happy that Amy finally met your grandmother?"

"Yes. It was fine. MeeMaw loved Amy and Amy loved MeeMaw, but considering they are the two most remarkable women I know, it wasn't much of a surprise," Sheldon said.

Leonard asked a few more questions, but Sheldon was being dodgy, so he gave up on it and went back to talking to Raj about a meteor shower the next week. Sheldon was relieved that the questioning was over.

Sheldon went back to work and waited for Leonard to collect him to go home. Once they were in the car, he skipped the games that they might have played. "Leonard, when did you know that you wanted to marry Penny?"

"Are you? Are you thinking about asking Amy to marry you? Isn't it a little soon?" Leonard asked.

"I didn't say that. A friend of mine was having problems with his girlfriend, and then things started getting a little better, and his grandmother gave him a ring to propose with at some point in the future. I'm asking for him," Sheldon said nervously.

"Your grandmother gave you a ring for Amy?" Leonard asked surprised.

Sheldon sighed and gave up his ruse. "Yes. For the future. She was very clear that I was only to use it when I was ready, but I'm not sure how I will know."

"You'll know. I realized that I didn't want to live without Penny, but she wasn't there yet. I let her decide when she was ready because I already was."

"I already feel that way about Amy. That's why I asked her to move in. Is there another signal to show when one is ready?"

"Maybe you two should just give it some time. You are just getting comfortable with each other again. Give it a few weeks or months before you really think about it again," Leonard told his friend.

Sheldon thought that Leonard's advice got him exactly nowhere, but he could use the time. Maybe a few weeks was exactly what he needed.

Amy worked through lunch so that she wouldn't have to stay so late, but it was still seven before she got out of work. She was tired and hungry and angry that the elevator still didn't work. Amy opened the door to 4A and threw her bag on the couch, and sat down next to Sheldon.

He gave her a big smile and kissed her temple lightly before jumping up from the couch. Amy was upset that he was jumping up from her again until she realized he had kissed her first. That wasn't the move of a man who was afraid to touch her. She closed her eyes, but opened them when a cup of tea was being pressed into her hands.

"You need a hot beverage," Sheldon said. "Do you want some dinner too?"

"In a minute. Will you just sit here with me for a little bit?" Amy was almost afraid to ask, but she just wanted his company.

He nodded and sat next to her in his spot. Amy sipped her tea, still too afraid to reach over and touch him. She mourned the time that she was confident with him, but she had been hurt too much. Amy was pleased when Sheldon's hand crept over and sat on her knee.

"Did you eat yet?" Amy asked after a moment.

"No. I was waiting for you. There is Thai food in the refrigerator. Would you like me to heat it up?"

"Yes, please," Amy said. Then she leaned into him and placed a feather light kiss on his lips.

He smirked and got up from the couch to get them their dinner. He was happy that she was helping him. It was the second time she had kissed him in less than a day. He thought about how he was going to have start matching her while he watched the food warm up in the microwave.

He brought over the food, but returned her kiss before he handed her the plate. Then they ate together. Amy was really tired and just wanted to go to bed. In the past months, this wouldn't have been a problem, but she was suddenly unsure if she should wait for Sheldon.

"Are we sleeping in your room, then? I think I need to go to bed," she finally said when she realized that she was about to fall asleep on the couch.

"Uh. Yeah," Sheldon said.

"Okay. I'm going to go to bed," Amy said.

She went into her room to change and the went into Sheldon's room and climbed into his bed. She felt nervous because the last time she slept there she had gone to bed and woken alone before not sleeping with him again for months. Despite how tired she was, this made it a little hard to fall asleep. She was drifting in and out of a fitful sleep when the bed dipped on the other side as someone slipped into it. A familiar hand rested on her hip and she felt a kiss pressed to her shoulder before she fell asleep again. This time it was deep and restful and she didn't wake again until morning.