A/N: I apologize for the delays in posting new chapters. I'm a bit of a perfectionist with my stories and I don't like to post until I am confident that everything is just right. Thanks for the patience.
Also, for the few people that sent me PMs about Mee Maw, whenever I picture her, I see Grandma Ivy from Pure Country. Very under appreciated movie. She is the ultimate Texas woman who could run herd over the likes of Mary Cooper and her brood.
They landed in Houston at 9:30 PM. Sheldon had let everyone know that Amy was coming with him for an extended visit. He hoped his mother didn't give them a hard time about spending the night together or smother his girlfriend in the Bible, but he knew Amy could hold her own.
They walked wearily into the gate and were met by his mother.
"Shelly, honey you look exhausted" She turned to Amy. "Hello, Amy" She hugged the tired woman to Amy's surprise. "So nice of you to come in our time of need"
"I wouldn't be anywhere else"
The group made it to the luggage carousel and picked up their suitcases. Sheldon and Amy were so tired they fell asleep in the car and didn't wake up until Mary said something. While unloading the car, Sheldon realized that his mother was too quiet. He knew better and decided to head her off at the pass. "How's Mee Maw?"
"She's at home. Stubborn woman. The doctors wanted her to stay until morning but she refused"
They got into the house and Amy looked around. "Mrs. Cooper, you have a beautiful house"
"Thank you, dear" When she saw her son going upstairs with the bags, she stopped him. "Shelly, where are you going with Amy's bags?"
"I'm putting them in my room. I'm assuming that Mee Maw was moved downstairs so Amy's going to sleep there"
"No, she's sharing that room with Mee Maw. I have the roll out ready to take in there"
"Mom, my girlfriend shouldn't have to share that room with Mee Maw. It's small and those two will bump into each other all the time"
"While you two are staying in my house, that's the rule. I will not have you two sinning under my roof"
Sheldon became more frustrated. "Good Lord, Mom. We've never sinned. Why don't you ever believe me? Besides you have no room to talk about sinning"
Amy felt the tension and decided to break in. "Mrs. Cooper, we've never had sexual intercourse"
"Good Lord, Mother, Amy should have my room while I—"
"So you can sneak in her bed and sin during the night? I don't think so"
"Like I'm sure your boyfriend does in your bed, or is it just on the couch?"
"SHELDON LEE COOPER! You will not sass me"
He had planned on sleeping in the recliner since he was still too traumatized from the couch. However, her attitude made him determined to win their battle of wills. "I will sass you because Jesus is not going to strike me dead. Furthermore, Amy is going to share my bed with me!"
Sheldon and Mary were so focused on each other that each missed Amy's shock at Sheldon's declaration. Seen by only her, Mee Maw came out of her room on crutches. Before the neurobiologist could speak her mind, the older woman spoke up.
"Mary Louise, shut up. I can't have that poor young woman under foot in that room with me on these damn things. For crying out loud, I believe them when they say they have not been intimate. Even if they were, they are intelligent enough to respect you in this house. Either let the two share his room or I'm going to stay at Missy's"
"You can't do that? Who's going to take care of you?"
"You all are. You know how to drive or can drive Sheldon over. I spoke to Missy this morning and I have an open invitation" Mee Maw waited for a moment before continuing. "I know for a fact that your beau has stayed nights here and I'm sure you two fornicated on more places than just that couch. Your father and I sure did in our house"
Mary's eyes bugged out while Sheldon had to bite his cheek to not laugh. He looked over to Amy, who had forgotten her discomfort as she was attempting to not crack up. 'Thank God for Mee Maw'
The elder woman saw everyone looking at her before she turned to Sheldon. "Well, Moon Pie, are you just going to stand there? Get those young lady's bags upstairs and you two relax and your mother can help me get ready for bed"
"Mom—"
"Mary, I have a bruised hip and a cast on my foot. I'm using these stupid things so let me be the judge of what I can and cannot do. Now move and I will be there in a minute"
Chastised, Mary could only go towards the downstairs bedroom. Sheldon watched his grandmother move closer to his girlfriend. "Amy is it? I'm Shelly's grandma, but you can call me either Marie or Mee Maw. I've heard much about you over the years"
"As have I, Ma'am….Marie" Amy corrected when she saw the older woman's gentle reproach.
"Good girl. Now let my grandson get you situated. We'll have breakfast later tomorrow morning so you can sleep in"
Sheldon hugged his grandmother. "Good night, Mee Maw"
Mee Maw watched as the weary young couple walked up the stairs with their luggage. She sensed tension and hesitance between the two, but she also saw the love between them.
Sheldon gave Amy use of the upstairs bathroom while he finished his ablations in the downstairs half bath. He put on his pajamas and laid in bed waiting for Amy. While he waited, he processed the last 48 hours.
He was so happy when Amy didn't tell him to leave. She just left with him to Texas for his Mee Maw. He got the courage to tell her how he felt, but now his stomach was in knots.
'What if I fail her? What if she decides that she wants to stay permanently in Michigan? What happens if I can't give her love like she deserves? What if my brilliance dims to the point where I can't solve String Theory because I admitted hippy dippy feelings for her?'
Then the question that burned inside of him. 'What if she decides to leave me?'
He remembered her reaction while he held her hand on the plane. It seemed like…what he used to do. Relaxing under the touch before remembering what could happen. 'Is that it? Was she scared?'
If she was scared, she wasn't alone. He was terrified.
He knew that saying 'I love you' to Amy was a major turning point in their relationship. He also knew that she wouldn't put up with a sexless relationship forever. He wanted to be able to give her that…..no, to give himself that, too.
But when a couple takes that step….the step…..there's no turning back.
He remembered the passive aggressiveness his parents displayed when they were screaming at each other with the smell of whiskey permeating throughout. It was those memories that caused him to build those walls more than any of the taunting he received while growing up in the Bible Belt. He knew what Mee Maw and Pop Pop had was different, but any thoughts of hope for what they had were crushed by seeing what love did to his parents. He swore he would never reduce himself to be dependent on another person for his happiness, so science became his first love...until a green eyed vixen from Glendale sneaked past his defenses.
Intellectually, he knew that he and Amy are different than his parents. She was not a religious zealot. He was not one who spent all of his free time in the nearest bar picking up anything with two legs and female body parts. Heart wise, though, those old fears kept creeping up.
'No, no, I can do this' Then he realized where he was. 'No, no I can't do this….not here. Damn it'
Amy was brushing her teeth when she suddenly stopped upon looking at herself in the mirror. She still couldn't believe that she would be sleeping in the same bed as Sheldon without him freaking out, well, she hoped he didn't. As she pondered, she had to admit to herself what she was really thinking. 'Was she ready to share a bed with him?
A second of fear was pushed down. Of course she was. She's wanted him to be more intimate with her for the last few years now and here is her chance. Then another question popped into her head.
'Would this be the night?'
She shook her head as reality came back to her. 'Of course not. This is his mother's house and that was not proper'
She had a vision of when Sheldon bathed her when she was sick. He was being very proper when he washed her, but naughty thoughts still entered her mind as that washcloth rubbed down her body. She was unable to relieve her frustrations due to Sheldon's presence and his spanking compounded her horniness. He probably didn't take two steps after shutting her apartment door before she grabbed Gerard for a marathon session that night.
Her pleasant thoughts were pushed away by a sudden dread. 'What if they came together and he left again because she scared him off?' Fear and nausea suddenly rode up with an intensity she hadn't felt since she was a teenager.
Finally, she was receiving what she wanted from Sheldon during the almost five years they knew each other. Why was she so nervous when she should be excited? Why was the only thing she wanted to do was run when she felt herself relaxing?
The last time she felt as open as she was now her security was taken away and it almost destroyed her. She built walls that were impenetrable until an anal retentive physicist and his friends introduced her to friendship…and love. The protection that she used as a security blanket was snatched away over the half decade. 'Oh God, I can't go through that again'
Quickly, Amy closed her eyes for a moment to banish those thoughts. When she was relaxed again, she opened her eyes and removed her contact lenses. She struggled for a moment as she didn't have her coordination down but was better than she was the first week she had them.
When done, she left and knocked on the bedroom door. When Sheldon answered she was surprised to see him lying on his side smiling at her from the roll out meant for Mee Maw's room. Her nerves that were playing with her emotions got a big raspberry as her happy parts took control.
"Mom and I made a compromise. It was either this or church on Sunday"
"Sheldon, you can sleep on the bed"
Sheldon held his hand up. "No, Amy, you're a guest and my girlfriend. I know the dynamics of a boyfriend and a girlfriend are a weakness of mine. However, Pop Pop always said that the boy always made the sacrifice, like the hero always does"
"Will we need a Wall of Jericho for the hero to have his privacy?" Amy said with a smirk
Sheldon looked at her with puzzlement. "Amy, we are not from Israel. Why would we need a wall to protect a city?"
Amy shook her head. "Never mind, Sheldon. It's from a movie that I watched with Penny a few months back. It Happened One Night. 1935"
"I thought Penny didn't like black and white movies because they were, as she so eloquently put it, 'They're just so old and you don't get to see anything'"
Amy walked over to her boyfriend and gave him a quick kiss. "Not in this one" She said in a sing song voice before going to bed.
Sheldon watched his girlfriend get under the covers. "What do you mean?"
"Good night, Sheldon"
"Does Leonard know about this?"
"Not sure. Good night"
Sheldon wasn't ready to stop. "Amy, what was so fascinating?"
"Forget I said anything. Good night, Sheldon"
"Amy—"
Amy sat up in a hurry with her scary face. "I am very tired, Doctor Cooper. If you know what's good for you, let me sleep"
Sheldon laid down on the cot as Amy turned off the bedside lamp. As he lay there, he had only one thought.
'I have to find this movie. I wonder if it has the Death Star or space in it'
* Can anyone figure out what Amy may have seen in that movie that got her to smile?