Chapter 51 - What is Really Important

The four friends were standing behind the couch and quietly still talking about how weird Penny had acted, when she rushed out less than an hour ago, and trying to decide if they should call her or Leonard to find out what happened. Amy who had just been hugging Penny, when she turned and left without a word, was making some tea to calm her already rattled nerves from missing Sheldon. So when Sheldon walked into the apartment, his eyes scanning for Amy, Howard, Bernadette, Raj and Alex where stunned, immediately going quiet, as they stared slack-jawed at the man they had been looking for days on end. However the intensity of Sheldon's look was something they had never seen before, and as they watched him zero in on Amy, they just stood there not knowing what to do or say.

Sheldon, even though his eyes scanned over his friends, didn't even notice them as he finally spotted the most wonderful woman in the world, moving around in his small kitchen, very alive, safe and unhurt from his awful mistake. His heart was racing as it sunk in that she was really okay, his memory of the horrible scene of her death, of less than 24 hours, ago still fresh in his mind. He slowly moved towards her, his body seeming to move on its own, as he tentatively approached Amy, who's back was turned to him as she turned off the tea pot on the stove. "Amy" he whispered as he moved closer towards her, his heart near to exploding upon seeing her moving around like normal, doing things so natural, things he now missed so much. He never believed in a higher deity, but as he closed the distance he thanked the universe for giving her back to him and promised himself he would never let her go or risk her again. He never even heard the gasps from his friends as they stared at him, finally understanding what his goal was and seeing the determination in his movements to the woman who loved him so much.

Amy had just turned of the stove burner and suddenly felt different, something seemed to have changed and as she turned to ask her friends if they felt it too, she came face to face with Sheldon. She actually thought she was dreaming as she gasped, her head suddenly feeling light, her knees becoming immediately weak and she would have collapsed right there, if Sheldon didn't just scoop her into his arms to pull her tightly against him. It was that feeling of her body being pulled tight against him, that made her know he was real and the heat from his body as she was pulled tight against him made her know it wasn't a dream. She was so suddenly happy, he was okay, that the days of grieving were finally released from her soul and she just let everything go, as she began sobbing against his chest.

Sheldon held her up tenderly, as she trembled and cried against him, the need to comfort her taking priority over any other feeling he had. It made him sad she was crying, but that sadness was exceeded by the pure joy that she was alive and safe in his arms again. He put his cheek against her head, again smelling her and then started to kiss her head to calm her as he whispered to her, "I love you Amy.", "Don't cry Honey, everything is fine.", then, as he closed his eyes, "I'm so sorry Amy, please forgive me.", "I need you Honey, you are the only person I need in this world.", "Marry me, Amy."

The last words Sheldon said, made Amy look up at him with red swollen eyes, and that allowed him to then lean down and kiss her. Her lips were salty from her tears but he didn't care, they felt so perfect against his, he seriously didn't know if he could ever let them go. It only took a second for her to respond, their lips soon crushed against each other, Sheldon's hunger for her now taking complete control of him, she was still his Amy and he promised himself he was never letting her go.

Bernadette, Howard, Raj and Alex stood there in stunned silence as they watched Sheldon hold and kiss Amy, it was surreal like watching movie, the actors not even knowing they were there. The whole scene over the last couple of minutes had been dreamlike, and all four of them were unable to speak or move in fear they would break the spell they were seeing before their eyes. However that feeling soon changed as Sheldon and Amy held each other tighter both their mouths moving against each other with such passion Bernadette grabbed Howard's hand for comfort, as now all four of them felt like voyeurs watching the love scene in front of them. Bernadette being the first to say anything and then only in a whisper, "Maybe we should go."

"But don't you want to know what happened to him?" Raj whispered back.

"Maybe later Raj." Howard whispered back, while Alex nodded in concurrence, as Bernadette, Howard and Alex made their way quietly to the door, Raj reluctantly following.

The trip down the stairs was anything but quiet, as Raj continued, "I can't believe you guys were not interested where he was all this time."

"Raj, for all I know that wasn't even Sheldon. Did you seen that lip lock he had on Amy." Howard replied,

"Howard!" Bernadette admonished him, "He obviously missed her."

"That was so romantic." Alex added, to see Bernadette look then nod back to her.

"Yeah it was." Raj agreed, "But how did Sheldon know she wasn't still engaged?" he said as they walked out the apartment building to the parking lot.

"Because of them." Howard was pointing to Penny's police car, where they could see Leonard and Penny kissing each other.

"Howie." Bernadette whispered then looked up at Howard with dilated eyes.

"Guys we are going to call it a night." Howard said quickly leading his wife to their car, not even waiting for a response.

Alex smiled at Raj, "I guess that ends the evening."

Raj shook his head, "I'm hungry, are you hungry?"

"I could eat." Alex told him, having dinner with Raj wasn't the worse thing in the world, plus she wanted to know about this new girl he was dating. She loved gossip and Raj was her friend, so that made it even better.

xxxxTIMExxxxTIMExxxxTIMExxxxTIMExxxxTIMExxxxTIMExxxx

Sheldon and Amy finally came up for air, just staring at each other, Amy still a little overwhelmed over what had happened the last few moments, but also very confused. "Sheldon, where were you?"

Sheldon just nodded and lead her to the couch, so they could both sit down, they didn't even know they were alone and didn't care, looking at each other the whole time. "I went on a trip, and I found out what was truly important." he looked into her eyes. "I found the only one I needed and the only one I wanted was you. Nothing else even came close. I discovered I wanted to spend my life with you, and that being with you really was the greatest achievement in my life, I could ever have."

Amy stared at him, soaking up his words, she found it hard to breathe, he had never said such romantic things to her before. For the second time that night she questioned if she was even awake, her dreams of the man she truly loved telling her he loved her too and wanting to spend his life with her, seemed unreal. "Sheldon, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything Amy, just know I need you in my life. I was stupid for ever making us separate and then losing you in my life. I am not really good at saying this Amy, but I know you are the only person for me and the most important person in my universe. I love you Amy, and I know it sounded crazy before, but I am serious, I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Sheldon told her with a sincerity she never heard from him before.

Amy just stared at him slack jawed, again stunned at his words. "You really want to marry me?" was all she could get out.

Sheldon nodded, "I want you so badly, it hurts to think how long I have been without you. I know I hurt you before, but I promise I will change and be the husband you deserve. Please Amy, please be my wife."

Amy stared at him still shocked at him just showing up, but now telling her all this, it was almost impossible to understand. "Sheldon, you know don't you, that I cancelled my marriage? But how did you know I still love you too."

Sheldon sighed, "Penny and Leonard told me about the marriage on the way here. They also told me they thought you still loved me. I just hoped they were right, because I love you." It wasn't really a lie, except his way to her was over years not miles.

"I don't know what to say. I love you Sheldon. But this is so sudden." Amy was still overwhelmed.

"Amy, all I ask is you seriously think about it. I don't want to rush you. So before you answer, please take some time to think about it." Sheldon was now scared she would say no.

Amy looked at him, still trying to control her breathing, and at the same time think, think about all he said. For seconds she just looked at him, as her mind tried to make sense of it all, until finally she sighed and said to him, "Okay".

Sheldon sighed in relief, "So you will think about it?"

Amy shook her head, "No…..I will marry you."

It was now Sheldon's turn to be stunned as he looked at the love of his life. "You will?" he barely croaked out.

Amy gave him a small smile and nodded, "I promised myself if you ever returned to me, I would never leave you again. I love you, Sheldon, of course I will marry you."

Sheldon would never forget how it felt to hold her only days before, so it was now actually seemed only natural for him to scoop her up into his arms and up on his lap, to kiss her. Amy was surprised but it was not the biggest surprise she got that day, so she just yielded to him, rewarded with the most passionate kiss she ever imagined in her wildest dreams. She melted into her boyfriend, now fiancé, not even understanding her life had just drastically changed and she would never sleep in her apartment again, because Sheldon was never letting her go.