He didn't like it but he needed it. He needed something that was just his and that meant he couldn't tell the others.

Sheldon waited until he had spoken to Amy online, had played Halo with Howard and Raj and after 'retiring' to his room, waited until he heard Leonard and Penny reach the noise level that would normally require him to put on his noise cancelling headphones. Then he quietly put on his black suit pants, a smart button down shirt and tie and left his room and the apartment without a sound.

If the others had seen him they would have questioned how Sheldon could get in a cab without his usual fuss and need for Purell, they would have questioned the confidence in his stride and been astounded at seeing him head into a club, order a JD and coke and stop and talk to a group of men they had never met before. This was a different Sheldon, one even his precious MeeMaw wouldn't recognise. This was the other side of Sheldon that he needed to release to enable him to function.

Em leant against the bat with her friends and watched half fascinated half amused as the men/boys drank laughed and tried to impress any women around them. Every month Em came with her best friend to this club to kick back relax and forget about he job in the fast moving investment world. The men were always here, well most of the group anyway. The tall dark one who seemed hell bent on drinking the JD bottle dry and going home with any women he could find was a new addition to the group. HE was loud and seriously in need of some advise if he thought his behaviour was appealing.

Em and Carmen moved to the dance floor and joined the other dancers moving laughing and generally enjoying themselves. She saw Sheldon watching but his flailing arms and manic looking grin did not exaclty draw her to him!

As the night moved on and Sheldon drank more, danced wildly and generally amused watchers around him, Em became drawn to him. His blue eyes were still amazingly clear which was remarkable considering his near inability to stand! He danced with a wild abandon she had not seen in an adult and his eyes seemed to follow her as she moved around the club talking to her friends.

His friends had all gradually paired of with various drunk girls but he leant against a post, or it held him up, as he watched her sipped his drink and waved his arms wildly. It was gettign late and Em signalled to Carmen she was going to go catch a cab. Carmen was dance slow and close to a guy she had met the previous week and had arranged to meet tonight so Em felt no guilt leaving her friend. As she climbed the stairs off the dance floor his hand reached out and grabbed her arm as she passed.

"Dance with me?" he slurred.

Now normally Em would have shaken him off and continued home but those eyes drew her in. She nodded in spite of herself and turned to him. He looked slightly stunned she had agreed but pulled her onto the dance floor into his arms and held her. Swaying slightly, but hardly dancing he didn't talk just held her and swayed. "What's your name?" Em asked lamely, more to have something to say than any real desire to know. "Sheldon" he slurred. Realising she had made a huge mistake and that he really was indeed very drunk Em went to pull away. As she moved her head back Sheldon turned his head and kissed her.

Em froze. He started gently, almost frightened, but as she didn't pull back straight away he slowly began to move his lips. His hand to moved to the back of her head and held her firm while he stroked her bottom lip gently with his tongue. Em gasped and opened her eyes . He was staring at her. It was kind of unnerving. He depend the kiss but never once moved his eyes from hers. Em pulled away . "I have to go" she mumbled and turning stumbled back up the stairs and out of the club without turning back.

Sheldon moved slowly back to the bar, ordered another drink and then he too left. Retracing his steps he got into a cab back to the apartment and quietly, Penny and Leonard seemed to have fallen asleep, moved back to his room. He took off his suit pants, folded them over and placed them in a bag in his closet. He put on his Friday pyjamas climbed into bed and was asleep almost immediately.

For the next 2 weeks Sheldon carried out his normal routine without a glitch. His research was moving along smoothly. His friends met and ate pizza watched star trek and argued over whether to play Halo or lazer chess. Amy Penny and Bernadette sometimes joined the boys, Amy still chatted with Sheldon every evening and Sheldon still refused to move there relationship onto a physical level. But Amy was happy Sheldon Cooper was her boyfriend and she had no worries he would look at anyone else!