A/N: To answer someone's question (sorry I can't remember whose it was?), no you don't need a passport to travel interstate in the US. But that's probably Sheldon's only form of photo ID, seeing as he doesn't have a driver's licence. You need ID to travel wherever you fly, and of course Sheldon always packs for emergencies! ;) That's why I included it. Anyway…lol thank you for the reviews! The hotel name in this chapter is fictional, to my knowledge. So, here it is; the reunion!
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The flight had gone well, and Sheldon hadn't even had one panic attack on the plane.
His mind was purely focused on what he was going to say to Amy.
What would she say in reply?
What would he do or say if she was mad at him?
So many questions had formed in his mind, that the flight had passed quickly for him.
As they exited the airplane at Tampa airport in the early hours of the morning and passed through security, Sheldon looked at bus timetables.
"They have buses heading for the hotels." He commented, scanning the screens.
"Which one is Amy in?" Penny asked.
"The Ocean Spray Hotel." Sheldon replied, consulting the piece of paper.
Penny raised her eyebrows. "Wow! That's a fancy place; how will Amy afford it? Won't all her wages like pay for her room?"
"No; the university and the dolphin neurobiology research facility are funding her stay." Sheldon replied, as he navigated the bus they needed to take.
Settling down in her seat on the bus, Penny frowned as Sheldon took a large paper bag out of his satchel and placed it on his seat before sitting down.
As the journey to the hotel began, Sheldon took a breath.
"Penny…Thank you for coming with me. I'm sorry I practically forced you to take me in your car and then come with me." He said.
"You're my friend, Sheldon." Penny said, simply.
At that moment, her cell phone rang.
She forgot that she had switched it on again after the flight.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Penny, it's me." Said Leonard's voice on the other end. "Sheldon made you go to Florida with him?!"
"Oh, yeah. I forgot I text you. Sorry honey, I'll fly back tomorrow…Well, today." She replied.
"Okay, because I was really looking forward to cuddling up with you tonight." Leonard said.
"Aww, me too sweetie. I can't wait to cuddle up to you, too. And kiss you…I already miss you like crazy." Penny swooned.
"If you two are done here, may we talk about something else?" Sheldon sighed.
"Sorry, Dr Pooper." Penny rolled her eyes as Sheldon glared at her. "Just remember, I came on this stupid adventure with you; you should be more grateful."
"Is Sheldon being impossible again?" Leonard asked.
"Like you even have to ask." Penny replied. "I'll see you tonight anyway. My apartment."
"Okay. Tell Sheldon I said good luck, and I'll see you later. I love you."
"Love you too Leonard." Penny smiled as she ended the call.
The bus finally pulled up outside the hotel, and Sheldon swallowed hard.
"This is us, Sheldon." Penny said softly.
The two friends grabbed their belongings, making sure they had everything, before they thanked the driver and hopped off the bus, standing in front of the hotel doors.
"Are you ready?" Penny asked, looking to Sheldon.
Sheldon was staring at the hotel doors, momentarily frozen.
His eyes scanned the entire building, right from the entrance, and trailing up until they were looking at the top floor, where the largest suite was.
The suite that was housing his girlfriend for the next five months.
Sheldon nodded. "Ready." He squeaked, following Penny inside.
Penny insisted on booking a room so she could sleep that night, and Sheldon had to wait for her to pay before they made their way up to the 20th floor.
"There it is; the Mermaid Suite." Sheldon whispered. He walked over to the door, and took a deep breath, swallowing again.
"Wait! Sheldon, let me knock. She'll recognize your knock. I'll do it, then I'll wait round this corner next to the door." Penny whispered.
Sheldon nodded.
Penny knocked and then ducked around the corner.
"What if she's asleep?" Sheldon hissed to Penny.
The door opened and Sheldon looked up.
There stood Amy in the soft, fluffy hotel robe.
Her eyes widened.
"Sheldon! What are you doing here? In Florida?" She gasped.
Sheldon couldn't speak as he stared at Amy.
Although he had seen her earlier that day, he hadn't seen her properly in two weeks, and now it was like he had been waiting a lifetime.
"Amy!" He sighed with relief, and without thinking, he wrapped her up in a tight hug.
Shocked but ecstatic, Amy hugged him back.
Penny smiled at them and decided it was best to leave.
She slipped off to her hotel room, leaving Amy and Sheldon happily reconciling.
..
Amy pulled back from the hug and looked up to her boyfriend.
"You flew all this way after me?" She asked.
"Yes. Penny came with me." Sheldon nodded. "But it was my idea to come here. I had to see you…To tell you…"
"To tell me what?" Amy asked.
"…That I love you Amy Farrah Fowler."
Amy stared at him and felt herself begin to choke up. "But you think that love is hokum."
"I did. But your presence is something that I have found myself unable to live without, and I want to change myself to be the boyfriend you deserve. I feel myself wanting to be with you, wanting to touch you and kiss you…And…Further." Sheldon confessed.
Amy now had tears running down her cheeks as she grabbed her boyfriend into a hug again.
"I just couldn't let you go." Sheldon shook his head.
"So you caught a flight and followed me to Florida to tell me that you loved me? That's the most romantic thing you've ever done for me." Amy wept, placing a hand on her chest.
"Not quite." Sheldon bit his lip.
Amy frowned, until Sheldon leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips, placing his hands on Amy's waist.
Amy dragged him into her suite and closed the door behind them, still locked at the lips.
Sheldon couldn't believe that he had put this kissing business off for so long!
His thoughts weren't consumed with fears of germs or saliva exchange; instead, all he could think of was how relieved he was that he had found Amy and had finally told her everything he had been too afraid to tell her from the beginning.
And finally; he had hit first base!
Amy sat down on the bed and pulled Sheldon down beside her, finally breaking the kiss.
"Wow." He squeaked, "I had no idea that I would ever feel this sort of…heat with you."
"Heat?" Amy asked in reply, and when Sheldon nodded, she leaned in again. "You haven't felt anything yet, Dr Cooper!"