AN: Sequel to The Oxygen Deprivation Exploration.

As always, I don't own The Big Bang Theory or its characters.

Chapter 1: The River Song Phenomena

Where do we go from here? A thousand thoughts were running through Amy's mind as she lay her head against Sheldon's chest and allowed him to wrap his arms tight around her, dancing to the music again. She closed her eyes.

She felt incandescent. Sheldon loves me. And he admitted it. In public. In front of our friends. But therein lied a quandary. She didn't want to stop dancing because she didn't want to face their friends just yet. They would bombard them with questions, probably rude ones from boys, and then Bernadette would squeal and Raj would cry. No, it was too much. She wanted to savor this moment with Sheldon, just Sheldon, for as long as she could.

"Sheldon?" She didn't move or look up.

"Yes?"

"Let's get out of here." She felt Sheldon shift and look down at her.

"How do you propose we do that? Your car is at my apartment."

Oh, I haven't thought this through. "Can we get to my apartment on a bus from here?"

"Yes, there's one pulling up right now and -"

She interrupted him by jumping back and grabbing his arm. "Then let's go!" She started to drag him toward the door. His eyebrows shot up and he stood fixed for a moment, but then he gave into her tugs and practically stumbled as he raced out the door with her.

"It's a good thing I gave you a key. I can't believe I left my purse behind."

"I still can't believe I did that without my bus pants on! I'll bill you for the dry cleaning."

"Fine."

They just stood there in her apartment looking at each other. The thrill of rushing out just in time to catch the bus before it pulled away combined with the awkwardness they had both felt without a plan had rendered them mute almost the entire way here. The only thing they had discussed was the route and agreeing to turn off Sheldon's phone, which was ringing and pinging almost constantly.

"You got me here. What do you propose now?" Sheldon raised an eyebrow. Sweet Jesus, I love that look. Loving Sheldon was apparently turning her into a religious woman.

"You're going to stay the night." She said it with more boldness than she felt.

Sheldon started breathing harder and clutched at his shirt. "Oh, no! I told you I loved you. Nobody said anything about coitus!"

She reached up to touch his cheek. He jumped slightly. "Calm down. You're right, nobody said anything about coitus. You can sleep on the sofa and wear the pajamas in your Zombie Apocalypse kit." He visibly relaxed beneath her.

"Amy, it's the Emergency Sheltering kit. The Zombie Apocalypse kit is something else entirely different." Then he cocked his head. "I'm not sure if this qualifies as an emergency, but I agree to your terms."

She reached up for him, pulling him into a kiss, very gently at first and gradually their kisses grew warmer.

"Say it again," she blurted out when he paused to catch his breath.

He raised an eyebrow again. God, he is so sexy when he does that. "Only when we're alone. Do you understand, Dr. Fowler?"

She thought about pointing out he had just said it to her in the middle of crowded dance floor, but she was having too much fun flirting with him. "Oh, I understand, Dr. Cooper."

"Good." His face softened. "I love you, Amy."

"And I love you." They stood looking at each other for a minute, but not in awkwardness this time, instead just cherishing the words. Then a thought occurred to Amy. "We'd better at least text Leonard, otherwise they will all show up here and demand to be let in."

Sheldon groaned. "Agreed." He took his phone out of his pocket and turned it back on.

She moved toward the kitchen. "I'll make us some tea."

"I have six missed calls and 32 missed texts." Then he blushed rather violently as his eyes scanned the screen. "Maybe this does qualify as an emergency. There's no way I can go home tonight."

Amy was sorely tempted to ask what the texts said, but she just watched him type a quick message instead. Then he turned his phone off again.

She busied herself with kettle and the tea bags while Sheldon removed his jacket and moved to the sofa. That man knows how to wear a suit. "I never did tell you I love your costume. You look quite dapper in a bow tie."

He reached up to touch the red tie. "You look lovely, too. It's not what I thought you'd be wearing."

"Which variation did you think I'd choose?" She carried the mugs over to the sofa and sat down with Sheldon.

"I thought you'd have a wig and a gun."

"I did, but I decided not to wear them."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "I guess I just wanted to be myself. I thought you might like it better."

Sheldon looked down at his tea. He whispered, "Thank you for coming tonight. I'm sorry I ruined the party for you."

Amy sat her mug down and reached for Sheldon's face, holding it in both of her hands. He looked up timidly. "You did not ruin the party for me. But if you insist on thinking that, you'll have to make it up to me by kissing me."

She reached over to kiss him again, and he responded to her. He backed up only to put his own mug down before pulling her closer to him, his mouth reaching for hers. There were only a couple of dry kisses before they merged, tongues tasting and relishing each other. Sheldon's lips then left her mouth and moved down her throat, leaving a trial of fire behind.

He reached her suprasternal notch and stopped there, pushing his lips in further and alternating kisses with little licks and what Amy thought felt like little sucks. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was surprised he couldn't hear it and there was the pulsing again and oh Lord . . .

When he stopped, Amy opened her eyes. He was staring back at her, asking her something with his own eyes. She smiled and whispered, "Go ahead. I picked it out for you on purpose."

Sheldon gave a little moan then, an actual audible moan, and then he dove back into her neck with such force she thought she was going to fall backwards. He started in the middle of her right collarbone and kissed his way out, to the very edges of her dress, each kiss more eager than the preceding. Then he worked his way back to her midline and out to the other side. Amy threw her head back and ran her hands through his hair. Everything was numb and tingly at the same time.

Something seemed to break open and suddenly Sheldon couldn't be contained, and he was kissing and licking and sucking and her chest and neck and ears and lips and was that a nibble? and even the top of her shoulders. He pulled her closer and closer, clawing at her dress and her hair until she was sitting on his lap. Amy could barely process all the emotions and sensations running through her body.

Then, just as suddenly as it started, it all stopped. Sheldon pulled back, breathing hard. "Amy, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Love, Sheldon. And hormones. But she didn't say that. Instead, she just reached up and undid the top button of her dress.

"Ooohhhhh boy." Now he sounded like he might truly hyperventilate. Amy decided to slow down for him, and reached up to his tie and gave a tug on of one the ends. Then she pulled it off. He was staring at her, still breathing hard but it didn't seem to be getting any worse. She lay the tie over the back of the sofa, and then returned to his shirt, working at the top button. Who knew a man's shirt is so hard to get off?

Sheldon didn't move to help her, but he didn't stop her either. She managed five buttons, enough to clearly see his white undershirt, before she looked back up at him. "Okay?" He nodded. "Shall I continue?"

He swallowed, and then said the quietest voice she'd ever heard him use, "No coitus?"

She shook her head. "No coitus. You tell me when to stop."

He nodded again. She reach back up to her own dress and started undoing the rest of the buttons, all the way to her waist. She watched Sheldon's face the entire time, him watching her torso, and although the heavy breathing continued, it seemed to be more regular now. She didn't lower her dress, she left it as a split down the middle. It felt safer that way. She knew there was black lace peeking out. I'm so glad I listened to the ghost of River Song.

She took his hand from where it was resting gently against her leg. She picked it up, still watching Sheldon. She paused for a moment, and he nodded. She took his hand, slipped it inside her dress and laid it on the flat upper part of her stomach. The movement caused her dress to open slightly wider. Sheldon closed his eyes then, and licked his bottom lip.

She waited while he took a few Kalinar breaths. She took her hand away, and his hand stayed were it was. It was soft and hot and a little damp and she could feel it tremble. Somehow this made her love him even more. He was obviously very nervous, but he was doing this with her. She was nervous too, but she felt better knowing that Sheldon was trusting her with this.

Sheldon opened his eyes again and looked at her. She nodded. Slowly, very slowly, she felt his hand move around to her side. She had expected this movement but she couldn't believe how it felt. Electric bolts were shooting off under her skin, from Sheldon's hand to her lips, to her heart, to her finger tips, to her . . . oh my. She closed her eyes and relished the palpitations as Sheldon explored her skin. Her waist, her stomach, her back, she felt him move slowly to everywhere he could reach, her dress slowly slipping down her shoulders. After what felt like both hours and mere seconds, his hand came back to rest where it started.

Amy opened her eyes and looked at him. She then reached up to the center of her bra, but Sheldon's other hand flew up to stop her. "No." He said it sharply. Then more gently, "I just want to remember this for now."

She gave him a little smile. "Okay."

He used both hands then to pull her close and give her a kiss on the forehead. Then he pulled her in even tighter for a hug. "Amy?" he said into her hair.

"Yes?"

"If you like . . . if you move back a little . . . I'll. . .I'll do something for you."

Amy shifted off his lap, but sat still facing him, intrigued. Not making eye contact, Sheldon started to unbutton his shirt. Then he unbuttoned the cuffs. Then, still looking down, he slid it off. He held it there, in midair, looking first on one side and then the other. She couldn't help but giggle a little as she took it from him and neatly folded it over the back of the couch. Sheldon did look at her then, to give her a weak but grateful smile. He quickly put his head down again, took a deep breath, and lifted his undershirt over his head.

He glanced up at her, quickly, then looked down again. He didn't seem to know what to do with is arms, crossing them first and then laying them stiffly down at his sides. He kept his undershirt crumbled in his hand. Amy could tell he was embarrassed. She placed her hand upon his chest (so pale and flat and beautiful), right above his heart. He jumped slightly at the touch. She didn't move her hand. "Sheldon, look at me."

His blue eyes met her. "I love you, Sheldon. Please know that. I think you're beautiful. All of you. You do know this frightens me too?"

"I trust you, Amy. I trusted you long before I even knew it."

She felt a sob rising her throat. He had understood her. She dove into his bare chest and released four and a half years worth of frustrations and longing and joy upon it. Sheldon held her there and stroked her hair while she cried.