Chapter 18

Thanks again to ShAmy4evr for Beta Reading! Put up your heat shields folks, this one can get a little hot!

Had to raise the rating folks... sorry, not sorry...

More often than not, Penny worried how she would be able to keep up with Amy's intellect, but Amy was an eager friend, which Penny found refreshing after years of dealing with fake friends and people like Alicia, who just wanted to use you. However Penny's taxing spa and shopping day with Amy Saturday afternoon was a lesson in patience for no other reason than Amy's insistence on wearing the most unappealing outfit Penny had ever seen in her life, and refusing to by a better dress than the one she had already purchased for her date. As a result, Penny found herself worrying less about Amy's intellect and more about the fact that she would never get her out of her grandma clothes. The trip to Victoria Secret seemed the only store that Amy seemed to be more adventuresome, if you can call a knee length, capped sleeved cotton nightgown adventurous. The battle for Amy's wardrobe would not be won that day, though the mani pedi was welcome.

The truth was that Amy was extremely shy about clothing, and the painted on denim was far out of her comfort zone. So she had kept to the decision she had made earlier in the week and wore a flowing dress for her date. She had also brought an overnight bag in which she had packed her long flannel nightgown that was little too warm for a Pasadena Summer, a toothbrush and a change of clothes for the next day. Her Victoria Secret bag housing her new nightgown had been placed safely in her closet, near her pair of jeans.

She was almost late for her date with Sheldon because her mother had called to grill her about her new man. Amy had informed her mother of her relationship status with a quick email. However, instead of being thrilled, as Amy had thought she would be, her mother had been calling her incessantly throughout the week. So though Amy had arrived on time, she was in a flustered state, which worried Sheldon. When he inquired about why she was so upset, Amy told him about her mother's hen pecking, that she was skeptical about Sheldon's existence, let alone his intentions, and was demanding evidence that he was real.

Amy had wondered how to broach the subject with Sheldon, but he seemed to have a solution, suggesting that they make a Skype call to her buttinsky mother. Amy was doubtful, worried that her mother would intimidate Sheldon, but he was more than eager, and was quick to turn on the Southern charm.

"Good evenin', Mrs. Fowler. It's a pleasure to meet you. You have a lovely daughter, and I'm sure it's due to your impeccable child rearing, obvious good genetic profile and stellar intelligence…" Sheldon gave her a smile that would smelt iron, and Amy's mother was nearly swooning in a matter of seconds. Secretly, she had been planning the wedding the moment Amy had told her she had a boyfriend. Now seeing him in the flesh, so to speak, her next call was going to be to the caterer. Amy quickly ended the Skype call and let out sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Sheldon. I think that went rather well…"

"Agreed…Of course, I knew it would. How could she not love me?"

Amy smiled, "Impossible."

"Exactly… I have to say, this was a much better idea than tellin' her we were having coitus and were like wild animals in heat, that it was no wonder we didn't get hurt." Sheldon let out a chuckle recalling the story that Sheldon Four told of meeting Amy's mother on Skype. However, his laughter stopped when he looked over and saw Amy's horrified face.

"Sheldon! I don't think that would go over so well! I'd be put in the sin closet for sure!" Then Amy curled up her mouth, and had to snicker to herself, "Although, I would have loved to have seen her face!"

"I heard it was a riot!" Sheldon slapped his knee, but then realized his error and cleared his throat.

Amy was confused, yet again, "What do you mean?"

"I mean…I'm sure it would have been a riot. She would have been fit to be tied… Um…" Sheldon stood up and held out his hand, "Um… It's time I took you out for our date!"

Sheldon thought that Amy's flowered dress was the embodiment of femininity. He wore a brown stripped button down shirt, slacks and most importantly, a pleased grin as he walked with pride holding Amy's hand. As promised, the couple went for an Italian dinner at a small café around the corner. The short walk and quiet dinner was spent playing word games, and discussing Amy's strict upbringing. Sheldon wondered if his mother had lived, would he have had similar stories to Amy's, especially concerning sinnin', as she would have called it.

Sheldon gave Amy a sympathetic smile, "I bet my momma would have had a sin closet too! Too bad she couldn't have locked my dad in there."

"Well, my mother would probably want to lock me in before I did anything wrong, just as an insurance policy." Amy recalled the disreputable thoughts she had been having over Sheldon recently and her mother's possible reaction if she could read her mind. She would definitely lock her away for years only to emerge when she was ready to check into Shady Acres home. "She would not be pleased that I was planning on spending the night." Amy swallowed and looked down at her cannelloni with renewed interest. "But that's her problem…"

"Amy…" Sheldon reached out and grabbed her hand, "Are you worried about spendin' the night?"

Without a second's hesitation, Amy responded, "No. Not in the least."

"I only want you to spend the night to sleep so that I have that warm Amy scented blanket I've gotten used to." Sheldon tried to reassure her.

Amy gave Sheldon a shy grin, "Funny, but I've become addicted to my Sheldon scented pillow."

Sheldon grew serious for a moment, "I really love havin' ya near me. I really like that feelin', but… just to be clear… We don't have to do anything. Coitus things…I mean, I am not even prepared… we haven't discussed." Sheldon was stumbling through the conversation, virtually rambling at this point. He took a large drink off his water and continued, "I'm sure your mother would not be pleased if you ended up pregnant outta wedlock lock." Sheldon cleared his throat again and looked around. This was not a conversation for a public place and not one he had expected to be discussing so soon in their relationship.

"You don't have to worry about pregnancy prevention, Sheldon. It's not an issue." Amy grabbed her water and took a large swallow as well.

Sheldon relaxed and gave Amy a pleased grin, "I love how prepared you are for anything." It didn't occur to him that it was too soon for her to be on birth control. He had learned from his sister never question a woman about woman things. It's always best left unasked. He was just pleased he didn't have to worry about it.

Amy offered a slight smile, "Yes… prepared… Anyway, it's our decision what we do, and when. No one else's, and certainly not any nosey relatives. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

Amy let out a sigh, and said in a commanding tone, "Now… I don't want my mother to ruin my date! We are going to have fun, and tonight, we can play counterfactuals in our PJ's. It can be like… a slumber party!"

Sheldon shifted in his chair, "Oh that will be great! I never had any slumber parties when I was young. All Missy and her bunch of giggling girlfriends wanted to do was swoon over *Nysnc. I certainly did not want to be part of that fan club… George Jnr would have friends over and they'd play games and such, but I was always left out cause they were sick of me winnin' them all. I hated it when Momma tried to get them to include me anyway."

"Well as I had no friends when I was young, I never had a slumber party either. Now we have each other… Let's do something fun…" Amy and Sheldon were silent for a moment. Sheldon was just about to Google how to have childlike fun on his phone when Amy said, "Um… I got it! We should make a fort!"

"A Fort!?" Sheldon bounced in his chair.

"Yeah! Like a blanket fort!"

"That sounds soo… so… AWESOME! LET's go!" Amy grabbed her purse, Sheldon quickly paid for dinner and the couple rushed home to work on the fort. Within an hour, they had most of the living room covered in Star Wars sheets, plus every cover and blanket in the house, with a handy bookshelf inside stocked with all the books Sheldon had found on M theory and a few on biology for good measure.

Amy changed into her nightgown, but as soon as she exited the bathroom she saw Sheldon frown.

"Amy! That's um…. Some get up. Aint ya hot?"

Amy looked down at her nightgown with concern, "Well… I get cold at night. Besides, this is all I have." She could have kicked herself for not bringing her new nightgown.

"You can wear my Pajama top…you know, if you want." Sheldon tried to look blasé about the offer, but he really loved the idea of Amy in his clothes. "We can match that way!" He added enticingly.

Amy hesitated for just a second, after all it was over 90 degree that day and she did feel hot, and she had worn his shirt before. Matching is fun, almost like a badge that tells the world "I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!" even if no one saw. Mostly though, she loved having his scent on her at night. "That would be great. I can save this one for winter."

Sheldon handed her his PJ top with a wide smile, and after she had emerged from changing, he carefully folded her nightgown and stashed it in his drawer as she set up their board game. He hoped that by winter, she would have the rest of her things here as well.

The remainder of the evening was spent playing board games and telling ghost stories. Though their ghost stories were tame by comparison to some peoples, the ghost of Rosalind Franklin haunting the halls of Caltech with an ethereal glow from radiation gave Sheldon the willies. After their long day, they were both yawning and ready for sleep.

Sheldon got a sly grin, "Wanna sleep out here?"

"Sure! But doncha think I might get cold." Amy tried to cover her legs, which Sheldon had been staring at all night long, "We used all the blankets!"

"You got me to keep ya warm!" Sheldon held open his arms, and gathered Amy up in his warm embrace. "Your own Sheldon blanket, remember?"

"Yes… Yes I do!" Amy and Sheldon nuzzled against each other sharing the sleeping bag Sheldon had found in the closet. "It really is Cozy Fort Mcblankie, isn't it?" Amy looked around at the fabric cave and then caught Sheldon looking at her. She tipped her head down, and brushed back her hair, unable to keep his gaze.

"It sure is Amy." He let out a chuckle, "Kinda like our first home together!"

"It's perfect." Amy let out a sigh that cleared her lungs and leaned back on Sheldon's chest like a pillow.

Together, the couple slept in the living room with the street lights of Pasadena shining through the large picture window filtering through the gaps in the blanket fort. Their chaste tired kiss was more of a promise rather than an ending to the date. In Sheldon's mind, the entire weekend was the date, and he was thrilled beyond words. Almost a whole weekend with Amy and tomorrow, she had promised to watch Star Wars. It was like winning the lottery while you are at Disneyland.

Sheldon and Amy slept well, but around 3 AM, Amy's slight shivering disturbed Sheldon. Getting up from the floor, he took one of the non-load bearing walls down from the fort, and wrapped her up like a burrito. She frowned and said sleepily, "Sorry you had to tear down the wall of our first home together, Sheldon."

"Tain't a home if you're not happy in it, Amy. Rest on up, now…" He let out a yawn and Amy nuzzled back on his chest warm and content.

Sheldon woke up with Amy breathing heavily on his chest. He enjoyed his warm Amy scented blanket for a while longer as he gently rubbed her back. He thought about waking her to start the movie while they were still in the fort. But the day was young, and he did not want to lose the feeling of Amy wrapped in his arms.

Amy sleepily woke up and blinked her eyes open to find that Sheldon was already awake and looking at her with a gentle smile.

Amy sighed, "Morning, Cuddles."

"Mornin' sleeping beauty. Ya know I've been watching you and arguing with myself for the past 15 minutes."

"Oh, really, well that sounds serious." Amy smiled wondering what was coming.

"Yeah – What does one do with sleeping beauty – you kiss her awake. However, one cannot kiss sleeping beauty with early morning breath"

"You could have cleaned your teeth." Amy's smile grew wider at this ridiculous conversation.

"Oh but then I would have had to move you off my chest, and that would have meant waking you without a kiss…ergo my dilemma."

"OK – how's about we both go and clean our teeth now, and return here for…"

Sheldon interrupted her. "Star Wars!." Now that she was fully awake he had his agenda for the day to achieve. Sheldon jumped up and rushed to the bathroom, slowly followed by a very disgruntled Amy.

When they returned to the living room, thinking that the morning would be spent on the couch watching Star Wars, Amy started to take down the fort, but Sheldon had other ideas.

"I know, let's watch the show in here!" Sheldon went back into the fort before Amy could protest, although there would be none.

Waking up to Sheldon's smiling face had been a joy, but an entire morning of space movies with large growling space bears was not what Amy would call a good day. Still, she had promised and Amy would never break it. Bend it, however, that was right in her wheel house.

"Oh… yes. Star Wars." Amy desperately wracked her brain to see if she could come up with something. She was in no mood for space movies, but would rather stay in the sleeping bag for hours and have her own epic battle with her endocrine system.

"I knew you'd love it! You're the best girlfriend! I can't wait to show you 14 hours of epic battles, heroic…"

Now it was Amy's turn to interrupt him, "Oh god, Sheldon, 14 hours? Can't you tell me what happens? I don't want to watch it all!" She asked hopefully.

"Amy! I would never deprive you of the joy of watchin' the most insightful science fiction franchise of our time, that is till ol' George Lucas ruined it, but still! It's a classic!"

"But your voice is so… lyrical. I bet you would do a far better job and any ol' silly Mr. Lucas.".

Sheldon chuckled, "If you saw the last movies he put out, you'd be right."

"Of course I'm right. You'll ALWAYS be better than any overpaid director, doncha think, Sheldon." Amy was laying it on thick, but it seemed to be working.

"Well… yeah!" Sheldon's ego couldn't ignore the blatant boast by Amy. "Okay, little lady… get comfy." Sheldon lay back on top of the sleeping bag, and gently pulled her down towards him. With her back to him he placed his arms around her waist.

Amy leaned back against him and positioned the side of her head against his face so she could feel his breath on her ear again. "I'm ready…"

Sheldon lowered his voice and started the scene, "A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop as war drums echo through the heavens as a rollup slowly crawls into infinity."

Amy giggled, "Oh this is all very exciting!"

"Hush now Amy, ya can't interrupt Star Wars… Now where was I? Oh yeah… Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope."

Amy turned back, "Episode Four? You're skipping ahead? That's okay, if it goes faster…"

"I prefer the chronological release order, as Lucas intended before he was affected with megalomania and ruined the franchise. Now shush woman, let me tell ya, or I'll take ya over my knee!" Sheldon gave Amy a playful slap on her backside for added effect.

"HOO!" Amy leaned back against Sheldon's chest and held her hands near her mouth as Sheldon continued his tale, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away…. It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire."

As Sheldon continued to tell the story verbatim from the original script, his fingers had mindlessly started playing with the hem on Amy's night shirt. As the story progressed, Sheldon's hand moved up her leg, dancing over her soft skin. She had strong legs, and tender sensitive skin which, thanks to his touch, was developing goose bumps. By the time Sheldon was telling Amy about the Empire blowing up Princess Leia's planet Alderaan, his hand had wandered up to her hip bone and was playing with the seam of her underwear. Sheldon finally became aware of his brazen, albeit, insentient actions and pulled his hand away, stopping the story.

Amy jutted her hip back to toward him, "Oh! Why'd you stop! What happened!?"

Sheldon gulped, "I thought it might be getting too intense for you."

"I'm fine." Amy shifted so her backside rubbed against Sheldon as she re-positioned her hips, "And I love the way you are telling the story. Don't stop."

Sheldon put his hand back on her hip to test if it was the story that she wanted, or something else, "Are you sure? I mean… I can stop anytime…" He slipped his thumb under the hem of her underwear, and pulled it down slightly to gain better access to her tempting hip.

Amy took in a sharp breath, but didn't flinch or move from his touch, "Keep going. Please don't stop yet."

Sheldon continued both his story and his wandering hand on Amy's silky skin. As he told the story of the Millennium Falcon heading toward the asteroid field, Sheldon's hand was reaching her stomach, dancing over her curves. Each brush of his fingertips felt like a tempting tickle, and Amy's muscles constricted in response. His hand meandered to her ribs outlining each one, then back to her stomach before resting just below her breast. His thumb was between her breasts, gently stroking her skin as he told of Darth Vader striking down Obi-Wan.

"Oh no!" Amy was loving Sheldon's wandering hand, but was also actually engrossed in the story, but Sheldon thought that her exclamation was as a result of his actions.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have." Sheldon pulled his hand away before he touched anymore of her enticing bosom, but Amy grabbed his hand and held it. She looked back and at him, and with a husky low voice, told him to keep going.

"I have to know what happened to Obi-Wan… I want it all…" Amy cleared her throat, "I mean I want to hear all of it…"

Sheldon gulped, "Um…Amy… remember, there are five more movies after this one." He gently pulled his hand away but placed it on her hip.

"FIVE?" Amy stuttered, "Oh…okay… how about we just hear this one? Okay? You can tell me the rest… the...um.. big finish…another time. Like maybe next week!" Amy looked back and he knew what she was saying without the words. Sheldon smiled and gently kissed her cheek, letting her know that he understood. Both knew that now was not the right time for the big step, but that did not mean that they could not enjoy the tenderness that was being forged between them.

Sheldon remembered the words of number Two, "Amy Farrah Fowler doesn't think of sex all the time, she thinks of intimacy. BIG difference."

He was playing with the buttons as he leaned down to her ear. His lips and warm breath on her lobe gave her shivers, "This one can get pretty heated, though. Are you sure?" He popped open the bottom button.

"More and more sure." Amy shifted slightly on her back, but still leaning against his chest. Sheldon popped open one more of the buttons slowly as he told her of harrowing escape of Luke Skywalker and friends from the clutches of the Empire. When he reached the button near her chest, Amy held her breath and let out a short moan, barely audible, but Sheldon could hear every change in her breathing like a serenade.

He let his hand glide up the gap created in the fabric back to her chest and to her shoulders. His mouth was already on her neck, kissing her skin gently between his words. He whispered in her ear, "Amy… turn around. I want to see you."

Amy held her breath, swallowed all her fears, and sat up on her knees to face him. For a moment their eyes were locked together, each seeking permission, but praying it was given. She looked over Sheldon lying on his side, with his hand holding up his head. His rounded bicep was peeking out of his tight white shirt and begging to be touched.

He was breathless as he watched her move her hands to the sides of his shirt, and pull up his white shirt. While she stripped off his t-shirt, Amy took a deep breath and let her hands roam down his bare chest. She gave a timid smile and slowly slipped the pajama top off her shoulders, letting the fabric fall behind her. Suddenly shy as she saw Sheldon's jaw drop, she bent her head down and sucked in her lip.

Sheldon's eyes traveled over her bare chest and pale skin as if he was viewing nirvana. He breathed out his reply to her. "Dear god, woman, you are stunning." Sheldon sat up slightly to meet her, touch her, feel her for the first time.

He let his fingers trace the patterns his eyes had done seconds before. He leaned into her, feeling her bare chest against his, and her soft skin coat his body in warmth. He kissed her welcoming lips, tasting hints of mint of her breath as his hands coaxed her body closer to him pulling her gently down on his chest so that she was lying on him. Sheldon's kiss was never broken as his tongue started to dance against hers.

Slowly he turned so that Amy now lay under him, and then his fingers brushed over her nipples, at first with a feather like touch, but then with vigor as he felt the texture change just by his touch. The story was near forgotten, but Sheldon had to complete the tale. He tried to concentrate on the script, but the work of art laying before him only served to lengthen the story, as each sentence was ended with a kiss, a touch, a taste of her skin. His mouth had moved down to her chest, as his hand moved further down her body. Amy opened her legs slightly, and arched her back to his devouring cascade of kisses. As the end of the story was drawing near, Sheldon's fingers were delving under the last fabric barrier.

His fingers danced over her, teasing with each stroke, gliding slipping, as all the while his mouth and tongue were mimicking the action on her erect hardened nipples. Each word he breathed on her skin was drowned out with her moans. Sheldon moved his mouth up to her ear and whispered.

"I think you really like Star Wars, doncha Amy?"

"Yes! Yes.." Amy could barely answer. "Use the Force!"

Sheldon went back to his tale and twisting tongue on her tempting skin. Just as Luke Skywalker blasted the vulnerable spot on the Death Star, Sheldon found a rhythm that was Amy's vulnerable spot and she screamed out in trembling pleasure. Sheldon finished the story, as Amy's body shuddered under him, the last throb of the most intense orgasm she had ever had.

"HELP ME OBI-WAN, you're my only hope!"

Sheldon himself was quivering with arousal, but he knew that it was too soon. He had to quell his desire and calm down, but seeing Amy breathless, with a satisfied contented smile and glowing eyes was causing him to pulse.

"Amy, I think I need…." But before he could excuse himself and get away to the shower, Amy rolled on top of him, wrapping her body around him. He put his hand on her back and played with her hair as she moved her mouth up to his ear to whisper to him.

"I think I have a story for you as well." Amy could feel Sheldon's arousal through his pajama pants. Her hands slid down his chest and outlined all his muscle groups. Her voice was lower than he had ever heard it before, like a siren call. He started to breathe erratically.

"Oh.. really… Is is… it… like Star Wars."

"A little more exciting."

"Oh god…" Sheldon pursed his lips and breathed through his nose rapidly.

"Let me tell you about the thrilling story of the Ingalls family and their lives in Walnut Grove…" Amy moved her hand further down to his stomach, playfully gliding her fingers through a trail of hair that disappeared below his pants. She was slow and enjoyed every inch of his skin, but there was no doubt about where she was headed.

"Oh.. really… Okay… " Sheldon would have listened to anything at that moment, even Neil Diamond so long as she promised not to stop. "Tell me… Please… Tell me…"

Amy licked her lips and nibbled on Sheldon's ear as she started the tale, "Laura Ingalls lived in a Little House on the Prairie. She had many chores to do…"

"Yes… Good…"

Amy bent her head down and breathed on his ear, "Shush now, you can't interrupt Little House on the Prairie… Or I will.."

Sheldon was alarmed. He sat up little and looked at Amy with the darkest eyes she'd ever seen. "You won't stop right?"

"No… I won't… but shhh…" Amy moved her mouth to his lips to silence him.

Amy moved her hand below the waist band of his pants as she continued the story, "Laura had to make the beds… Start the fire in the stove… But the job that took the longest, the one that she loved the most…"

"Yes? Please… Tell me…" Sheldon begged Amy with his eyes, but she had a devilish grin on her lips.

She moved her mouth to his lips as her hand surrounded him. Sheldon let out a low moan, Amy said with a husky growl, "Churning the butter."

"Oh dear god!"

Sheldon's eidetic memory was a marvel to be sure; however, when his endocrine system was in over drive, it was not at full capacity. Sheldon and Amy's "Star War" Sunday was the only thing on his mind, however, there was one detail he had overlooked: Leonard was supposed to come over that day to discuss the roommate agreement again before the paintball battle.

Leonard bounced off the elevator hoping to be able to sign the agreement and move in that night. He had thought it might be a little presumptuous that he had brought his overnight bag and special edition Luke Skywalker Star Wars shampoo but he had to stake his claim to the territory before Sheldon changed his mind. Unfortunately for Leonard, it seemed someone else also had Star Wars on their minds that day.

Leonard heard strange sounds emanating from 4A. He was about to knock when Penny came out of her apartment and surprised him. She licked her lips seeing him all decked out his in paintball uniform and tried to hide her leer.

"Well, hello soon to be neighbor! What's the gist, physicist?" Penny was happy to see Leonard, but as she walked across the hall towards him the look on his horrified face changed the mood.

"Um… I was wondering if I should interrupt Sheldon."

"Yeah… I heard he was supposed to be showing Amy Star Wars today." Penny knew about Sheldon's plans, and how unenthused Amy was.

Leonard tilted his ear to the door, "Yeah… I heard she was less than thrilled. But…it sounds like she is loving it now."

They both heard more muffled sounds from 4A and Amy saying something about using the force.

"Um… I think they are watching Star Wars."

Just then they heard Amy's voice calling out like a banshee:

"HELP ME OBI-WAN, you're my only hope!"

Leonard and Penny looked at each other, "Maybe they are…" Leonard thought maybe Sheldon had finally convinced Amy of the merits of Star Wars.

However when Sheldon started moaning something about butter and with a throaty call said… "Oh miss Ingalls!" Penny pulled Leonard away from the door, "Um… I don't think they are watching Star Wars, Leonard. Come over to my place. We'll call them later… Much later…"

Leonard dejectedly followed Penny into her apartment. He now knew that Sheldon's and Amy's relationship had gone to a new stage, and so in all likelihood, Leonard had missed his chance to be Penny's neighbor. Watching Penny's smiling face was rubbing more salt into his wounded heart. He wanted to be cross with Sheldon, but he could not, he understood more than he wanted to admit.

"You seem glum, Leonard. Did you really want to watch to Star Wars today? You seem a bit over dressed for it?" Penny eyed Leonard up and down in his tight uniform. He was very masculine in his camouflage, but his frown was almost hurting Penny. She grabbed a bottle of wine and unscrewed the cap.

Leonard let out a sigh, "Nah…We were gonna discuss moving in again before our battle. It's just that I know that Sheldon really wants Amy to be with him instead of me. I completely understand." He looked up to Penny who had handed him a glass of wine. It was a little early in his opinion, but he could never refuse her.

"They are a new love. It's hard to fight that."

"Believe me… I know… I really wanted to be his …" Leonard stopped and swallowed hard saying softly, "To be your neighbor." He kept his head down not wanting to see her reaction to his confession.

Penny smiled, "I want that, too. I really do."

"Really?" Leonard tilted his head and gave Penny the sweetest eyes she had ever seen.

"Yeah… I think it would be great. Something tells me that you and I… would be good neighbors…"

"Something?"

"Or someone." Penny let out a sigh thinking about how much Sheldon had been talking to her lately. Any chance he got, he was chatting up Leonard. It was sweet how devoted he was to his friend. "Your friend Sheldon. He can be quite persuasive."

"Yeah… Like a sledgehammer. He said we would… um… Be good together?" Leonard gulped his wine, "I mean as neighbors?"

"Yep… Well that could still happen, ya know I heard last night that 5A is opening up!" Penny curled up next to him on the couch with a coquettish grin and a twirl of her long hair. Leonard watched her twist her strands of gold, and hoped she'd never cut it.

Leonard realized what she had implied and his face lit up with a glimmering grin, "5A! That's just upstairs!"

"Yep… Nice place. Glad to see the skank who lived there will be gone. You can move in, still be close to Sheldon, but not live with him."

"That's the best news I've heard all week!" Leonard was elated. Sheldon would have been fun to live with for a while, but some of his requirements seemed more stringent than prison, "I don't have to get that safety helmet after all!"

"Yeah! But if we are neighbors, no beating up my ex-boyfriends, like you did last week, okay Leonard?!"

Leonard let out a sigh with his confession, "Um… Penny… that wasn't me. Sheldon was the one. I just… well… I kinda ran from the guy."

"Oh… I heard it was you." Penny was sorry that she had embarrassed Leonard. "I thought that for some reason he was jealous of you."

"Nah… But I think in hindsight, I should have told him to pay you back that money over the phone. Next boyfriend of yours I have to confront, I will make sure to have Sheldon as back up. So I guess you should thank him instead…" Leonard looked at the glass in his hands suddenly feeling very small.

"You… told him to pay me back? You confronted him about that?" Penny had only mentioned in passing about how her ex Kurt had owed her over 1800.00 dollars. She remembered that Leonard had had a strange look on his face when she had told him, but she thought nothing of it till the busboy told her he had seen Kurt bleeding in the parking lot.

"Yeah! It's not right that he owed you that for so long. You need to be able to get that acting class seminar and…" Before he could finish, Penny leaned over and kissed him gently on his lips.

"What was that… I didn't punch him, Penny. Like I said, you should be thanking Sheldon!"

"Well…I'm not kissing Sheldon, that's for sure. What a nightmare." Penny pulled back and rubbed the lipstick off Leonard's mouth. "Confronting Kurt must have been scary. Sheldon just defended you, but you… you went out there and stood up for me. I've never had anyone stand up for me like that. You are very brave. Thank you, Leonard."

"Sure… sure…" Leonard was still in shock over the kiss, and his silly grin was infectious.

Penny smirked at Leonard's expression and made a decision. Suddenly she added, "In fact… Would you go out to dinner with me?"

"Are you… asking ME for a date?" Leonard jumped back on his seat, spilling his wine, and started to clean it up while he looked to Penny for confirmation.

"Sure… I think it's time to change my MO, doncha think?"

Leonard stood up and just grinned as he followed Penny to the kitchen, "I think… I think I want to kiss Sheldon after all."

Penny looked pale, "Okay… that's just weird."

Leonard could have kicked himself, "Can we forget I said that?"

"I'll try…" Penny gave him a new glass, "Don't get too potted and go over and make out with your almost roommate. I think you have competition, and Amy can throw down. You shoulda seen her at the sales rack. Damn… That girl can bring it."

"Oh, don't worry about that! I've seen crazed Amy, and I would never come between her and something she wants. I still have scars when we went to that wedding and they were almost out of cake." Leonard looked at the wine, and set it down on the kitchen counter. "Got any coffee instead? I think I need to be more awake for the battle this afternoon."

"Sure…" Penny turned to fix a cup, "So, you want to text Sheldon and tell him, no thank you on the whole roommate thing?"

"Nah… I'll make him brood for a few hours and tell him after the paintball battle. I love to see him squirm."

Penny gave him a cup and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "I love how your mind works!"

Leonard almost dropped his coffee and said with a cracking voice, "Oh it works a lot… Like overtime."

Penny moved to the couch and giving Leonard a wide smile, she waved her hand for him to join her before he dropped anymore liquid on her carpet."I really like that about you, Leonard."

Sheldon and Amy spent Sunday morning exploring the landscape of each other's skin unaware that their amorous moans had been overheard by the nosey neighbors. Sheldon's concept of time was fractured by the touch of Amy. It was almost 12:00PM and wrapped in each other's arms they had still not started the Star Wars Marathon. But for Sheldon, it didn't matter. He had just what he wanted, a long weekend with Amy. He recalled how number Five had forgotten to eat that last week at Harvard, and it was Sheldon's growling stomach that was his alarm. Suddenly his memory kicked in, and he jumped up off the floor in a start.

"LEONARD WAS SUPPOSED TO COME OVER!"

"I thought you had cancelled that?" Amy grabbed the pajama top and threw it on her shoulders.

"He gave me those eyes… ya know…" Sheldon scrambled for his white T-shirt and in a rush, put it on backwards.

"Yes I do… He can talk anyone into anything with those puppy dog peepers." Amy looked at her watch and felt her crazed hair, "Oh dear!" Amy got up, and buttoned up the top, "You go have a quick shower and get cleaned up. I will get this fort tidied away and have my shower when you are finished."

"Great! If this is not all cleared away before I leave, it will drive me crazy and I won't be able to concentrate at the battle." Sheldon rushed his shower, dressed quickly in his battle gear and came out to find Amy had prepared him a sandwich. Then with a quick kiss, she was off to clean up as well, though seeing Sheldon in his uniform, with raging with testosterone ready for battle, was almost too much for her to take and she thought she'd have a hard time concentrating for the rest of the afternoon as well.

As Sheldon put away the folded the blankets and sheets, he kept trying to ring Leonard's number. He could have sworn he heard the ring across the hall, but thought that he was imagining it. By the time all was put away Amy had finished her ablutions and time was getting on. Sheldon was now starting to wonder what had happened to Leonard. He had seemed so eager to discuss his moving in, but more importantly he was also Sheldon's lift to the battle ground.

"If Leonard does not get here soon, we are going to be late. That will be strike one against him and he has not even moved in yet." Sheldon shook his head still trying Leonard's number.

"He's probably got delayed somewhere. Look I am ready to go now, so if he is not here by the time we get downstairs I will take you to the paintball field. Just text him and tell him to go straight there."

Amy always seemed to know just what to do and Sheldon smiled at her gratefully. Picking up his kit bag he opened the door to see Leonard leaving Penny's apartment and Penny giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Enjoyed your Star Wars day, Sheldon?" Penny grinned slyly at Sheldon.

"Um… Yes… well. We only got through the first script… I mean movie." He smiled and looked back at Amy who had grabbed her purse.

"I'm sure. See you later, neighbor…" Penny winked at Leonard who breathed out a sigh and just beamed. Penny brushed her lipstick off his cheek, "Good luck soldier."

Amy gave Sheldon a quick kiss herself for good luck and asked him not to hurt poor ol' Bert too much. Sheldon nodded in agreement as Amy followed Penny to her apartment since Penny had given her the looks that told her she wanted the dirt on her weekend, and especially her "Star Wars Day."

After the ladies left, Sheldon kept his head down feeling guilty, "Look Leonard, I'm sorry about this mornin' I should have been more aware of the time. You can come over now, and I'll sign it. I'll even take out that part about the weekly inspections and bed checks."

Leonard gave Sheldon a coy grin, "Let's talk about it after the battle, my friend! Now! On to VICTORY!"

Sheldon grabbed his helmet, "YES! Let's do this!"

A/N: On to victory! We have to tie up a few things here folks. Still not Shamy sexy time and no jeans date, but next weekend, strap on a pair! And I don't mean skates! A few chapters left here folks. Things are heating up and Sheldon is really putting his foot in his mouth. Dun dun dun!