A/N: Hey guys sorry for the delay. Like I said before I don't have my laptop so I am relying on the family PC. Between my husband and kids it is hard to get to the computer. Anyway I have the next 4 chapters written and now I am able to type them. So they will hopefully all be posted by the end of the week. This chapter is another discussion between Sheldon and Amy that they need to have. I know I have Sheldon discussing many feelings and that is OOC but I try to make his part of the discussion his own. He may not like it but they have to discuss it. This chapter has some suggestive parts so I am going to rate it M just for that...no smut though.

I don't own the Big Bang Theory although sometimes I wish I did.

Sheldon and Amy spent the rest of the day playing Counterfactuals. They even made up some new scenarios for the game. After a while they got hungry and decided to go get dinner.

They asked the desk manager for a recommendation and were directed to a Thai food restaurant about 4 blocks down the street. They made their way to the place and enjoyed their meal. After dinner they made their way back to the restaurant.

"So what are the plans for the next 3 weeks?" Amy asked him once they had settled in for the night.

"I was thinking we could leave on Tuesday and travel to South Dakota. I have never seen Mt. Rushmore. What do you think?"

"I like that. I have never seen it either. Where else do you have in mind?"

"Is there some place you would like to go?"

"I have never really traveled on the east coast and would love to go somewhere along there."

"How about Philadelphia? They have the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and there is a science museum I went to as a kid called the Franklin Institute. What do you think?"

"That sounds great and then could we maybe go to Disney World? I have always wanted to go. I know it is so much bigger than Disney Land. What do you think?"

"I think we could end our trip there and then maybe we can fly back. A train trip from there will be long. What do you think?"

"I love it."

"Great we can start looking tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow? We have plenty of time left tonight."

"Well um, I was thinking…" But she cut him off by kissing him.

"What did you have in mind Dr. Cooper?" She smiled as he kissed her back.

They continued kissing and Sheldon took off Amy's nightgown and discarded it on the floor. They had an extremely passionate night and fell asleep wrapped in each others' arms.

The next morning the two woke up and they shared an intense shower. They then went to breakfast. Upon returning to the hotel room, they began searching for trains to the cities they had chosen.

"We can't get to Mt. Rushmore by train so why don't we rent a car and drive there. We can then drive back here on Friday and leave from here to get to Philadelphia. We can stay there a week and then go to Disney. We will fly back a week after that. How does that sound?" Sheldon asked her as he searched his computer.

"I think it sounds wonderful." She answered him.

"So shall we go and see if we can rent a car. Then maybe we can go to the science museum."

"Let's go then."

They made their way to the train station where they not only booked the trip to Philadelphia for Friday but were able to find a car rental place. They decided they would leave the next morning and make the 7hr drive to Mt. Rushmore. They would stay there until Friday morning and return back to the train station for a 7:10pm departure.

As Amy drove them to the museum, Sheldon decided to bring up a topic that he wasn't sure how to approach.

"Amy I have to ask you something."

"What is it?" She asked with a bit of trepidation.

"Well I'm not sure how to put this. It is kind of a sensitive topic."

"Why do I have a bad feeling now?"

"Oh no it's nothing like that. It's just that now that we have become intimate I wanted to discuss what we are going to tell people when we get back home. I know our friends have agreed to leave us alone while we are away, but I am afraid what might happen when we get back. I also know what goes on at your girls' nights. I know the kind of topics you ladies discuss."

"Well what do you want them to know? I have to be honest, the girls know we have been kissing on a more regular basis and I may have told Penny the other day that you told me you love me."

"Well that pretty much means the entire group now knows."

"And this is a bad thing why? Are you ashamed about it?" She was a bit angry.

"That is not what I meant at all. It's just…" But she cut him off.

"It's just what? Are you afraid they will mock you? Is that what it is? You can't handle a bit of joking from your friends."

"Maybe it is. I know how they are though. They've been mocking me for as long as I have known them, especially Howard. I'm not sure I am ready for that kind of ridicule."

"Sheldon, remember our Dungeons and Dragons night when I told you that they all thought our relationship was a joke."

"Of course I do. I told you that night that I didn't believe that. I don't think this is a joke."

"Well ever since then, you have made tiny steps in our relationship. Not huge enough for me to know how you felt but the little things. You stopped complaining when we held hands. You even initiated it a few times. Our friends saw it and they knew before you told me. And they told me. And guess what? I didn't believe them. So if you think they will tease you for loving me, I doubt it because I think they already know."

"What do you mean they told you? How could they know?"

"At Christmas, when you were in Texas helping your sister, we had a discussion about what our lives would be like if you weren't in them. They asked me what mine would be like. I told them it would be so much different. Howard teased, yes of course he did, and said I was allowed to say better. But it's not true. Before I met you I had no friends. So my life would be completely different. However they pointed out that you had changed and how much you listen to me and my opinion."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's think back to the things I've made you do or said to you to put a thought in your mind. When you made that blunder finding the super element, I said I was embarrassed that you could make such a simple mistake. You said it was the most romantic thing I could have said to you."

"You were honest. You didn't sugar coat it for me. You didn't say it didn't matter because the Chinese team still found the element. I was so happy you did that."

"At Thanksgiving, I made you apologize to Howard and Bernadette for the way you were treating them in their home."

"I blame the alcohol."

"Sheldon!"

"Sorry, you're right. I treated them poorly."

"Why did you just say that?"

"Because you pointed it out to me."

"That is what I have been saying. I can get you to do the little things. When your nephew was born, I told you that you should go back in the room. You did not want to at all. You were upset he had been crying his entire life. I pointed out to you that you could be a big influence on him and you then agreed to go back in the room. The group was impressed. Do you think Leonard could have gotten you to do that?"

"I suppose not."

"But when they pointed out how much of an influence I was on you. Leonard told me you cared more than I realized I scoffed at them. I told them if that was the truth I wouldn't be living by myself."

"Amy…" he started.

"Let me finish. He then showed me proof."

"What was that?" He had no idea what she possibly could have seen.

"He showed me your screen saver."

"Oh well I put all my favorite things on that."

"That is what Leonard told me. That is when I knew you really cared. Plus you agreed to go away with me for the weekend at Valentine's Day."

"But I only did that because of the train."

"You went. That is what counts. Did you know Bernadette and Howard had a bet about whether you would come? Howard won. He had faith that you would come on the trip while Bernadette did not. What does that say about your friends, especially him?"

"He bet I would come? I am surprised it wasn't Bernadette who believed in me."

"Like you said we talk at our girls' nights. She hears my frustrations. She knows what we did last year for the same holiday. She knows I cancelled to please you. She figured I would be fine if you backed out on it. We talk. We need the outlet to vent our frustrations. I didn't want a relationship before I met you. And neither did you. I remember what I said to you the day we met. But then I also remember the conversation afterwards. It was fascinating. I never met someone I could relate too as much as I did you. And now that we are in this relationship, sometimes I have to let out the good and the bad and the girls are there to listen. I know more about Howard and Leonard than I care to know, but it is our outlet."

"I must admit, I have spoken with Leonard about things as well."

"You have?" She was surprised by this admission.

"Yes, I have asked his opinion on some things. Plus we've had our talks about the frustrations we have. How do you think I found out about the proposal? I won't talk with the others though. Raj would give me his hippy dippy advice and Howard would give me the sex talk. And I really don't want to hear that from him. Penny is more than enough for me."

"Penny? What does Penny tell you exactly?" She was concerned as she had shared some pretty personal things with her. She hoped it hadn't gotten back to him.

"She just thinks we should have been more intimate by now. She told me you wouldn't wait forever. I told her I was working on it."

"You told me that too. I never knew you talked to Penny about us."

"With all the gossip she spreads, I am surprised she hasn't told you about my coming to her for advice. She is the one advised me to by you jewelry after our first fight. Of course the tiara was not her idea. That was all me."

"She told you to buy me jewelry? That doesn't seem right. It is kind of shallow. I can't believe that was her advice."

"No the jewelry was her advice not the gift. Leonard told me to do that. He said something else but I wanted something other than to have to talk to you about what was bothering you so he told me to buy you something. I was going to get you a humidifier but Penny insisted on jewelry."

"Okay it makes more sense now. I still can't believe you ask Penny for advice."

"You know she was the one who forced me into that first date with you."

"Forced?"

"At the time it was forced." He corrected.

"Nice save."

"Anyway, she really does give good advice sometimes. She is a good friend for the most part."

"She really is. Well we have arrived at the museum. Was there something else we needed to discuss?"

"We completely avoided the original topic of this discussion."

"Listen if you don't want me to tell the girls I won't. But I won't lie if they ask. Can you understand that?"

"I agree. I wouldn't be able to lie if the guys ask me either."

"That's true." She laughed.

They got out of the car and made their way into the museum. They spent the day pointing out all the inaccurate scientific facts they found. They had quite the enjoyable day.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are welcome and appreciated.