Sacrifices (takes place during The First Four Years)

"Amy, what is it?" Sheldon said as Amy shut the bedroom door behind them.

"I believe, Dr. Cooper, something was mentioned about Book Club in bed." She came up to him and wrapped her arms around him, looking up at him, her green eyes radiating.

"No, Amy, I know what you're thinking, and it's non-negotiable."

In truth, he wanted to put his arms around her, too, but he resisted because, well, it was non-negotiable. "You know that's not what I meant when I said that earlier. We already talked about the book. Most importantly, Leonard and Penny are home."

"Come on, Sheldon, they're watching Transformers. They'll never know."

"I'll know." Feeling Amy so close to him, pressing against him, looking up at him with that look, was not helping.

"But don't you agree all the pre-planned intimacy, waiting for only when we know they're going to be out of the house for a least an hour, is cramping our style?"

Sheldon blew out a long breath. No, Amy this close was definitely not helping. "There's no lock on the door."

"They've never once tried to come in here when the door is shut."

"They'll hear us."

"I doubt that given how loud Transformers is. But . . ." Amy let go of him, and his shoulders relaxed. But not the other part. She walked to his laptop, opened the cover and clicked a few times on the tracker. Neil Diamond music filled the room. "This might help."

She stood looking at him. She was wearing her hair more full lately; even though he knew the purpose was to hide the short hairs that were growing back around her head injury, it reminded him of her early morning hair. She had already taken off her cardigan, and she wasn't wearing a blouse, as she had replaced so few of them; she was wearing Penny's pink Sheldon Cooper's Council of Ladies tee shirt, of all things, and he noticed how his name stretched across her bosom. It was, frankly, very erotic. Drat. He gave a big sigh, and lifted his own tee shirt over his head.

Amy raised her eyebrows. "So, that's a yes?"

He kicked off his shoes and starting unbuckling his belt. "Two rules. One: you have to be quiet -"

"Me?"

"Yes, you, and you know what I mean. Two: I estimate there is a twenty-five minutes of Transformers remaining, at most, and that includes credits which I doubt they'll watch, so start undressing. Now."

Amy laughed as she lifted the tee shirt over her head.

"No laughing!"

"You said only two rules. And laughing won't give us away." Her skirt dropped.

"I make the rules, I can change the rules. And that kind of laughing will." He was naked now.

She laughed again, but Sheldon leapt to her and silenced her with a kiss. A really, really deep kiss. He pulled way, still holding her face.

"No laughing. And no underwear. Chop chop." He let go so that she could remove the remaining undergarment.

He sat on the bed, and he pulled her down next to him.

"Mmm, I like in control Sheldon Cooper." She laughed again.

"I swear, vixen, don't make me spank you." He reached for her and kissed again, before she could squeal, although he would have loved to hear it. It was a sacrifice. He backed up just long enough to get a breath, and then kissed her once more. His arms wove around her back. And again. He had really missed this, the unplanned eagerness, the way her tongue felt in his mouth, the way it reached for him even as his reached for her. The constant give and take. Amy was right, of course, all this planning was interfering with their physical activities. And there was the other thing, the thing he couldn't help but think about, the thing he called The Project in his mind, but dared never to say to Amy.

"I could kiss you like this all night," he finally whispered.

"Next time they go out we'll make out for hours. I thought tonight we had a time limit," Amy smirked.

"You are correct, Dr. Fowler, as usual." Then he ran a hand down her stomach and even lower. He would have liked to have taken his time, but, again, sacrifices.

He pulled her closer as her breathing came faster and kissed her as long as he could. Then she pulled her lips away and buried her head on his shoulder, her hips starting to thrust to meet his hand.

"Sheldon," she moaned. "Stop. I can't. I don't think I can be quiet."

He stopped moving his hand and looked down at her. Her face, normally so beautiful with abandonment, was etched in concentration. No, this is not a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

"Please, let it come, whatever you need to do," he whispered in her ear. He put his other hand on the back on her head, and pulled her in even closer. He started moving his fingers again, drawing her pleasure out of her, and she bite down lightly on his shoulder, just like one of her little love bites. Then it wasn't so light at all, and her fingernails dug painfully into his arms but she didn't cry out as loud as normal. Just a very deep, throaty moan, something animalistic pulsing down from his shoulder. It was a wonderful sensation.

They relaxed against each other. He kissed her forehead and ran his hands through her hair. "Good?"

"Yes," she murmured. "Did I hurt you?"

He shrugged. "A bruise is a small sacrifice."

Then he rolled her on her back and used his knees to spread her legs further apart and found his way into her. Yes, I really, really missed this. Not planning is so much better. He moved quickly, quicker than normal, and put more effort into each movement. He rested his cheek against hers so that he could hear her staccato, almost hiccup-like breaths, one for each thrust. This is really, really good. I love that sound. At the end, he gritted his teeth so his own moan would be quieter. Which, it crossed his rattled mind, was a shame because he really, really wanted to scream her name so she would know how much he had missed this. Another sacrifice.

He collapsed next to her. As usual, she curled up against him. "Thank you, Sheldon."

"Actually, I should thank you. That was . . ."

"Yes, it was."

Penny cuddled up closer to Leonard, relaxing her head on his shoulder, only half watching the end of the movie, her eyelids heavy. Unexpectedly, he paused it.

"What?" she asked, perking up.

"Do you hear that?"

She listened. "Is that music? Oh, God, are they starting dance night here? And we already have to listen to that horrible harp app!"

"No, I thought -"

And then they both heard it. A faint but very distinctive squeak, squeak of the guest bed. Penny grabbed the remote and quickly pressed play, and then collapsed laughing into Leonard's shoulder.

"I did not need to hear that," Leonard said. "Ever."

"Then why did you pause the movie?" Penny asked between her giggles.

"I couldn't tell what it was. I heard something else first - Oh, no! I just realized what it was!" Leonard groaned and put his hands over his face. "I think it was Amy."

Penny laughed harder. "Good for her!"

"Shhh," Leonard said, "don't laugh, they'll hear us."

"Oh, honey, I don't think they're paying any attention to us." Her laughter quieted. "I guess it's only fair."

"Fair? Oh, you mean for all the times Sheldon complained about hearing us?"

"No." She snuggled up closer to her husband's naked body. "I mean, we have Transformers, they have music."

AN: Thank you in advance for your reviews!