That night as Sheldon and Amy returned to their suite, Amy cleared her throat.
"Well, you were doing really well in the water until you got to the deep end."
Sheldon nodded. "Yes, well…Thank you for pulling me up. And also thank you for looking after me when I swallowed some water. Hopefully I won't die from chlorine poisoning"
"You're welcome, and I highly doubt you will, Sheldon. You didn't swallow enough." There was a brief silence until Amy cleared her throat. "Listen Sheldon…I'm really sorry that I upset you earlier. I just thought that you weren't ready to…You know, talk about marriage and stuff."
Sheldon didn't know what to say without giving the game away.
He still wasn't sure what to do, given Amy's reaction earlier.
"Well…" Was all he could say as he shrugged and looked away.
Amy just smiled sadly. "I knew you wouldn't want to. I know you were asking hypothetically, hence why I said what I said. Oh God…" She put her hands over her eyes.
Sheldon frowned. "What emotion is this?"
"Confusion, exasperation…Oh I don't know." Amy sighed.
"Why don't you try describing it?" Sheldon offered.
Amy stared at him, shocked that he actually wanted to hear what was bothering her.
She sighed.
"Oh Sheldon…I don't want to freak you out…"
"Try me."
Amy swallowed. "Okay…Well the thing is…I would give anything to marry you, Sheldon. I know you don't want to, and that when you asked earlier about marriage and kids and stuff that you were being hypothetical. I hope someday you get past your fears. I know I said it was too soon because we've only just got physical and intimate, but who am I kidding? I'd marry you in a heartbeat! I always come back to you; I always forgive you because I know you don't mean to hurt me; you don't know any different. But you've tried so hard and proven yourself. Oh God…I love you Sheldon. It's always been you."
Amy stopped speaking and sighed, not looking at her boyfriend.
The room was silent as a thousand thoughts ran through both of their minds.
Eventually it was Sheldon who spoke. "I see." He nodded. "Then why don't you?"
Amy frowned, looking at him. "Why don't I what?" She asked sadly.
The physicist swallowed and looked at the floor. "Why don't you marry me in a heartbeat?"
Amy snorted. "Funny."
"I fail to see the humor in this…Unless that's a thinly veiled no?" Sheldon said, quietly.
Amy stared at him. "Wait…You're being serious?"
"I'm always serious Amy."
"Y-You're asking me to marry you?"
The room was silent for a few more seconds.
Sheldon wordlessly moved over to the bedside table and took out the box.
He examined it for a moment, before coming to the decision to go for it.
He stood back in front of Amy and held out the box, opening it.
Amy gasped, completely stunned, and averted her stare back to Sheldon's eyes.
Sheldon gave a small, nervous smile. "Yes I am."
"Sheldon…When? How…?"
"Monday morning on your first day at work." Sheldon replied. "I snuck out while you were working and bought the ring then."
"How long have you known that you wanted to do this?" Amy asked.
"Amy, does it really matter how long I…"
"Sheldon, please tell me."
"Two years and four months." He replied.
"You've waited two years and four months to ask me?!" Amy cried.
"I was scared and obviously we hadn't been physical. There's no way you would have said yes to me." He admitted. "I only told you that I loved you on Friday, remember?"
"So…May I ask how long you've known that you loved me for?"
"Amy, what's with all the questions?"
"I need to know before I say yes."
"So…That's a yes?" Sheldon looked at her, hopefully.
"I don't know yet until you tell me," Amy smiled.
"Well, honestly…I've always known I loved you on some level. I just needed to come to terms with it myself." Sheldon answered truthfully.
Amy smiled, satisfied. "Okay…I think I have all I need to know…Now all that's left is to ask me properly."
"Uh…O-okay." Sheldon gingerly lowered himself onto one knee.
Amy did a little squeal and covered her mouth with her hands, bouncing up and down a little.
"Before I do this, do you need the bathroom?" Sheldon frowned as Amy bounced some more.
"No, no. Sorry…" She grinned, standing still.
Sheldon took a breath. "Amy…"
"Yes?"
"Will you…"
"YES!"
"Amy, I haven't finished asking yet. You know I hate not finishing things."
Amy burst into fits of giggles at this, and the realisation of what he had said hit Sheldon and he rolled his eyes, smirking a little.
"If I had known that having coitus with you would unleash a horde of dirty jokes and innuendoes into my mind, I may have thought twice before in engaging in it." Sheldon joked.
"Sheldon, we worked on the whole incompletion thing." Amy pointed out.
"I know, but this is one thing in particular I would like to finish doing." Sheldon said. "Now…Let me try again; Amy…Will you marry me?"
"YES!" Amy cried as she let Sheldon slip the ring on her finger and grabbed him into a tight hug.
Sheldon hugged her back. "I had planned to ask you on the beach."
"Maybe we could get married on a beach?" Amy grinned. "Wouldn't that be great?"
"Is that what you want?" Sheldon asked.
"Yes. That would be so pretty! A little archway thing, and pink and purple flowers…" Amy smiled, dreamily.
Sheldon nodded. "Alright." He agreed, "As long as I can wear shoes that will eliminate any chances of getting sand in them."
"Of course you can!" Amy laughed. "There's just something I need to do…One second." She sauntered over to the balcony doors and slid them open, walking out onto the balcony.
She reached the railings and jumped up and down, squealing excitedly, shouting out: "I'M ENGAGED!"
Sheldon frowned at her.
Amy's cries were heard from other rooms in the hotel, and the odd shout of "woohoo!" and "Congratulations!" could be heard in reply, as well as a piercing whistle and claps.
Amy grinned and returned to the room, sliding the doors shut.
"Finished?" Sheldon asked, trying not to laugh.
"Yep." Amy nodded, clearing her throat. "So yeah, beach wedding…"
"Okay." Sheldon nodded. "How's Saturday for you?"
Amy blinked. "This Saturday?!"
"Yes."
"But…What about the scheduling? You'll need things planned, won't you?" Amy asked.
"I'm surprised that you're even thinking of me when a wedding is ultimately more important for the bride." Sheldon smiled, "Honestly, I only need you there…Well, and a minister, obviously."
"Sheldon, Saturday is five days away. We can't fly everyone out by then!"
"Who says we have to?"
Amy stared at him. "O-Okay…So literally just us and the minister?"
"And Leonard and Penny, yes." Sheldon nodded. "We can have a proper celebration back home."
"Well…"
"Amy, I told you I would try for you. I am trying…You want a beach wedding, so let's have one!" Sheldon said.
"This is so unlike you." Amy frowned. "I mean…You need to schedule everything."
Sheldon snorted. "What have I scheduled since being in Florida? The tropical atmosphere seems to have exposed my inner Hippie."
Amy laughed.
"We'll get the hotel minister to do it; they always have one! We'll get rings and your pink and purple flowers, and Penny can take you shopping for a dress. Leonard can help me buy a tuxedo…" Sheldon added.
"So…You're serious about this?" Amy asked.
"As I said earlier; I'm serious about everything…Fiancée!" Sheldon smiled, and was rewarded by being leapt on by Amy, who knocked him backwards onto the bed, kissing him.
"You have no idea how lucky you're about to get!" Amy purred.
"I think I have some idea." Was Sheldon's response, as he pulled his now-fiancée back down for a kiss.
..
A/N: So about the marriage thing…I LIED AGAIN! But I will promise you all right now; there will be NO Shamy baby in this fic. And I mean that! ;) Sorry. But thank you for the reviews and for reading. I actually had this planned all along. If you ever saw Meet The Fockers, I want the color scheme of The Shamy's wedding to be like theirs, except on the beach, not in a backyard or wherever it was. So kinda like 27 Dresses meets Meet The Fockers kind of thing? Yes, they're having a shotgun wedding/elope kind of thing. I know some people may not agree with this, but I had planned it for a while and felt that it worked with my story and where it was going, so…Yeah. Hope you liked this chapter; chapter 23 will be along shortly. No hate please, and thanks for reading and reviewing etc. :)