I'm in hell. That's all there is to it. My life has become hell.

Four days had gone by since the party, and during those four days, Sheldon had very little contact with Amy. He texted her to make sure she'd gotten home safe and sound the following morning, and she assured him that she did. He purposely kept all of their subsequent conversations very brief, answering her only when it was necessary. He made excuses that he was busy at work and that Kripke was being more impossible than usual.

Amy was extremely forgiving and understanding, as always. It was as though she were being purposely delicate with him, afraid to make a wrong move or say the wrong thing. In actuality, Sheldon was the one who needed to be careful. He'd raked his brain the past four nights, getting little sleep, and when he did sleep, he'd dream of Amy, of the forlorn look in her eyes when she'd entered his room to talk to him, in stark contrast to the dazzling smile on her face after she'd kissed Raj.

For the first time in his life, Sheldon was at a true loss for what to do. He knew Leonard was very much aware of his inner-turmoil. After all, Leonard had done a double take when Sheldon didn't protest against him wanting to watch Babylon 5. He hadn't even bothered to press Sheldon on the matter, which clearly indicated that Leonard wasn't compassionate enough to ask his best friend what was troubling him.

Sheldon capped the blue marker he'd been using and set it down on the ledge of the dry erase board set up in his living room. He'd thought science would help ease his mind, but his wandering thoughts always found their way back to Amy.

He walked over to his spot and sat down. Perhaps he'd turn on the television and distract himself by watching the local news.

His phone beeped with a new text message. He reached into his pocket and withdrew it, looking at the screen to see that it was from Amy. He opened the message:

We're still on for date night, correct? I'll pick you up at the usual time.

Sheldon texted her back a simple, straightforward: Yes. I'll see you tonight. He set his phone down and reached for the remote, but his hand stopped midway and fell back to rest on the armrest. He stared out blankly at the television, but it didn't matter because his thoughts were keeping him fully occupied.

Three years of unresolved sexual tension has got to make you want to do something.

What did Penny know about unresolved sexual tension? Surely she was no expert. She had intercourse all the time.

Are you ever gonna sleep with Amy?

It's a possibility.

Too many thoughts. Too many voices. Too many possibilities. Sheldon closed his eyes and groaned. The guilt was gnawing away at his brain, driving him to near insanity. He couldn't handle living with this feeling a moment longer. It was getting in the way of every major aspect of his life: his work, his sleep schedule, his relaxation time.

Oh, Amy, if you only knew how much mental and emotional torment you've been putting me through.

He needed to make things right with her. It was the only solution. However, the problem still remained that he didn't know what to do in order to fix it. He wanted to show Amy that he cared about her, but doing something so frivolous like buying her a bouquet of flowers not only seemed extremely tacky, but it simply wasn't the right way to show Amy just how much she truly meant to him.

He recalled the emotions he'd felt as he stared at Amy after the bottle had landed on him. He'd felt heat rise through his body, along with clammy palms, an elevated heart rate and the like.

Was that…arousal?

The mere thought of that had Sheldon's heart racing all over again. A part of him had wanted to kiss Amy, but the more substantial, logical part of him had been wholeheartedly against it. Too many germs, not to mention everyone would've been watching. He knew for a fact that each one of their friends would've had some unabashed sexual comment to make. He never would've heard the end of it. First, it would be about their kissing, and then, before he knew it, they'd be making crude comments about Sheldon and Amy's escapades in the bedroom, or lack thereof.

Still, Sheldon couldn't deny the part of him that had wanted to kiss her. It was miniscule, but it was there. He could feel tension mounting within him, that same pounding, frustrating feeling he'd felt that day when Amy had tried to prove to him that he had a compulsive need for closure. Her trivial experiments had proved absolutely nothing, of course. He didn't have a problem with closure. He didn't feel the need that he had to complete that stupid Spin the Bottle game by…

His eyes widened. His chest slowly heaved with a heavy sigh of realization.

Of course.

Sheldon knew exactly what he'd have to do. It would be the perfect way to satisfy Amy's baser urges as well as extinguish his disgruntling feelings of guilt and necessity to prove to Amy that he cared about her once and for all.

And, perhaps, it would also allow him to give in to his own baser urges, just this once. He couldn't avoid them forever. It wasn't doing him any good. He needed to face them head on.

With new-found determination, he stood up and strode to his bedroom to start getting ready.

I can do this. I will do this. Amy Farrah Fowler, prepare to have your metaphorical socks knocked off tonight.

By 7:15 that evening, Sheldon and Amy were sitting across from one another at the Cheesecake Factory. Penny had taken their orders, and now Sheldon was watching as Amy took a sip from her glass of water with as much grace as she had when she'd been drinking wine at her party.

Remember, this night is about wooing her. Perhaps I'll start with something simple. Compliments are simple.

"Amy," Sheldon began. He waited for her to set down her water glass. Once she did, her lips pursed as she looked at him straight on. He swallowed nervously.

Go on. She's waiting.

"You look…very…alluring…this evening," he said, carefully thinking over each word before he said it aloud.

He braced himself for her response. He clearly saw her pupils dilate as she released a small noise, one that he couldn't exactly pinpoint. It was high-pitched and uneven, like some sort of sound a small animal would make.

How intriguing.

"I do?" Amy finally said, her voice soft and quivering, though with a touch of excitement. Quite a unique combination. She suddenly shuddered, her shoulders tensing and her body writhing strangely. She picked up her water glass and took another sip.

"Are you all right?" Sheldon asked in genuine concern.

Amy set down her glass. "Yes, no need to worry. I just felt a powerful tingle in my lady parts is all."

Sheldon didn't know how to respond to that, so he decided to say nothing.

"Anyway," Amy said, composing herself. She looked at Sheldon and offered him a captivating grin. "You look very handsome tonight, Sheldon."

Interesting. Immediate reciprocity.

"Thank you," he said.

Amy grinned wider, her lips closed, her eyes looking dreadfully enticing. She seemed to be looking him over, and Sheldon suddenly felt the need to squirm for some sort of adjustment as well, but he held himself in place. Amy propped an elbow on the table and delicately rested her chin against the back of her hand. She leaned her upper body towards him, still with that enthralling look in her eyes.

Sheldon's lips parted. Why is she leaning in so closely? She'd never done this before. Was it because he'd complimented her? Did he trigger some sort of brain response that only she would be able to accurately point out given that the study of the brain was her area of expertise? For a brief moment, he found himself wishing that their occupations were switched. Why didn't he know more about neurobiology? What good was physics at a time like this?

Sheldon slowly breathed in, and as he did, a dizzying sweet scent filled every single one of his senses, immediately clouding his thoughts. What on earth is that intoxicating aroma?

"Amy, are you…" Words were beginning to fail him. He desperately wished he could figure out what was wrong with himself. "Are you wearing perfume?" he finally managed to ask.

Amy slowly nodded her head, her warm smile growing. "It's the perfume I bought when you accompanied me to the mall on Sunday," she said. "What do you think? Do you like it? Are you currently being driven mad with desire?"

Is that what this is?

"I…"

"Hey, guys, sorry for the wait. Your food should be ready any minute now," Penny cut in, startling the couple. Sheldon jumped while Amy removed her arm from the table and shot back to her chair, sitting upright. They both looked up at her, and she stared at the both of them, chewing her bottom lip. "Uh…I'm sorry, did I just…interrupt something here?"

"Yes, you did," Sheldon said. "Now, hurry up and serve us our food before you suffer a drastic decrease to your tip."

Penny's jaw hung open. She closed her mouth and nodded. "Right away, your highness," she said, and with that she finally turned away and headed towards the kitchen.

Sheldon and Amy slowly looked at one another again, but now, the intense, heart-palpitating feelings of…whatever it was Sheldon was feeling, had since disappeared.

Sadly, Amy's smile had as well.

"By the way," Sheldon said, deciding to bring up a new topic. "I've noticed you haven't inquired as to why I didn't purchase you a birthday gift."

"That's because I've come to terms with the fact that you think the concept of gift giving is a pointless social custom."

Sheldon grinned. Although, for some reason, he simultaneously felt an ache in his chest. "You know me so well."

"That I do," Amy agreed.

"Still," Sheldon said, "while that is true, the fact remains that I am your boyfriend, which means that it is my responsibility to do something special for your birthday."

Amy's eyes lit up with interest, but she said nothing.

Sheldon's fingers tightened into his palms. He ran his thumb over his index finger. This was the moment. He had to forget about everyone else and only pay attention to Amy's needs. He couldn't let his fears get the best of him. He wouldn't fail at this.

Amy was staring at him intently, entirely calm, completely unaware of the emotional wave crashing through his body.

He looked down at the condiments.

Ketchup bottle.

Reaching for the plastic bottle, he took it by the neck and laid it down on the table between them. His heart was beating harder than he'd ever felt it beat in his life.

With a shaking hand, he spun the bottle. It spun unsteadily only once around before it stopped, the closed cap pointing at a 45-degree angle to the left of Amy and right of Sheldon.

Oh, for Pete's sake.

Sheldon grasped the bottle again and sharply turned it to face Amy. He then looked at her, and she looked at him. Utter silence. In that very moment, he knew that she realized what he was attempting to do. Somehow, that made it all the worse. His heart was going to burst from his chest. He just knew it.

He found himself bringing up his hands, as though he actually knew what he was doing, and gently grasped Amy's face. Her skin was cool and soft, a polar opposite to his warm, sweating palms.

Her lips parted. Sheldon exhaled.

Then, closing his eyes, he leaned forward, his lips finding—or more like stumbling—onto hers. His lips were tight and rigid, whereas hers were relaxed and flexible, slowly molding against his own. He loosened his grip on her face and allowed his fingertips to slide their way into her soft hair. Her bottom lip moved downward slightly, and Sheldon mimicked the action. He could taste more of her then. He could smell that incredibly sweet fragrance that was her perfume. He felt a rush of endorphins, leaving him lightheaded.

Extraordinary.

They pulled away from one another. Sheldon opened his eyes to see a look of sheer arousal in Amy's eyes. She smiled beautifully.

"Wow," she marveled as Sheldon let his hands slip from her face. She breathed out deeply, her cheeks flushed. "That was the most romantic moment I've ever experienced in my entire life."

"I'm glad," Sheldon said honestly, his head still buzzing, trying to find his equilibrium.

"Do you think we could maybe…do it again?" Amy asked.

"Again?" Sheldon repeated.

"If not, I completely understand," Amy relented. "What you did just now should hold me over for at least the next few months."

Sheldon stared at her. This new-found intimacy had already awakened feelings he'd never experienced before. They were wonderful feelings, feelings he wouldn't mind experiencing again.

"Sheldon?" Amy prompted.

He tried to snap out of his daze. She wanted him to do it again.

"Sheldon," she repeated more firmly. "I can see you're overwhelmed right now. Why don't you just forget I said anyth—"

He grabbed her face again and pulled her towards him. The action was forceful, but effective, as her lips directly crushed against his own with no hesitation. There was much more pressure behind this kiss. He held Amy in place, but she didn't seem to mind. He felt her head shift to the right, and her lips opened slightly, as did his, without him realizing it. Her breath was warm. He could feel her tongue drawing near his bottom lip. It brushed across.

Oh, sweet heavens, yes.

His jaw loosened against hers as he began to experimentally trace her lips with his own tongue. He didn't care about the saliva, only the sensations, only the pleasure he was experiencing that he hoped she was experiencing, too. He began to slide his tongue into her mouth.

A glass shattered, causing them to jerk apart. Sheldon's heart was pounding erratically. He looked up to see a shocked Penny.

"Holy crap. You two were actually…" She blinked and shook her head as she trailed off, apparently unable to finish.

Sheldon had no patience to put up with her nonsense.

"That better not have been my burger you just dropped," he said, knowing very well that it was, as she was only holding one plate, and it had Amy's meal on it.

Penny looked down at the floor. French fries and broken glass were everywhere.

"Umm…"

"Don't worry about it. I won't take away any money from your tip. Just leave Amy's dinner here and get me a new burger."

"Uh…right…"

She didn't move.

"Please, sometime today, bestie," Amy said. "I'm quite famished."

"Uh…okay," Penny said, at last setting down the one salvaged plate. She grinned impishly. "Are you sure you two don't just wanna go back to enjoying your…dessert?"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Sheldon asked. "Dessert? We weren't eating anything, and even if we were, why would we eat dessert before eating dinner? Honestly, Penny, what do you think we are? Hippies?"

Penny's grin dropped. "No, I…I meant that you were…you know what, never mind. Enjoy." She briskly walked away.

"Thanks, bestie," Amy called out to her, then turned back to look at Sheldon. She looked down at her steaming plate of food and picked up her fork and knife.

Sheldon watched her, somehow entranced, for reasons he didn't know. She began cutting into her steak, only to peek up at him and suddenly furrow her eyebrows.

"What?"

"What do you mean, what?" Sheldon asked.

"You're smiling at me," Amy said.

Sheldon's eyes widened at that. "I am?"

"Well, you were. Just a moment ago."

"Oh," Sheldon said. How could he not have realized that? Apparently he was just doing things unconsciously now. Very strange, indeed. He'd need to look into that later.

"By the way, Sheldon, when Penny said 'enjoying our dessert,' she was referring to the action we were partaking in prior to her dropping your food on the floor."

"Oh. I see," Sheldon said. She could've just said that instead of using some vague metaphor. He had something more important on his mind, though. "Just out of curiosity, not at all relating to my own curiosity or anything like that because that's just absurd, but…did you…enjoy the action you and I were just doing?"

"Yes. I enjoyed it a lot," she said with confidence, although her expression then became a bit uncertain. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes," Sheldon said without needing to take a moment to contemplate it. "I found it highly enjoyable. More so than I thought I would."

"Good," Amy said. "So, does that mean it's something you would consider doing again?"

"Yes."

"Right now?"

"Yes," Sheldon said, then stopped himself. His unconscious desires were taking over his conscious thoughts. "Wait. No. Maybe. I don't know. Stop asking me so many questions, woman."

"Perhaps after we've finished eating?" Amy suggested.

"Well, considering that the chef needs to prepare me an entirely new burger, and Penny is our waitress, that could take a while," Sheldon said.

Amy grinned slyly. "Are you implying that you can't wait that long?"

Sheldon thought about it. He hadn't considered that, but maybe that was precisely what he was implying.

"Perhaps I am," he admitted.

"Well, in that case…"

She set down her eating utensils and began to stand up.

"What are you doing?" Sheldon asked.

"Getting some dessert," Amy said as she took her purse and draped the strap over her shoulder.

"Do you mean actual dessert, or…the other thing?"

Amy raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

Sheldon blinked. How'd this all happen? It took everything he had not to blindly follow her out the door. Good Lord, what's happening to me? I'm becoming Leonard. I have got to maintain some control here. If not over this relationship, then at least over myself.

"I'm still hungry, though."

"We can stop for food at Big Boy," Amy offered.

Sheldon immediately got to his feet, throwing some money on their table. For once, he didn't care what he'd just spent or how much change he was owed. He only knew he had to be wherever this woman was taking him.

"All right," he agreed.

She grinned, and with that, she turned and headed for the exit. He followed her out. Neither of them noticed Penny, who'd returned to their abandoned table. She caught them leaving the restaurant, watching as they exchanged meaningful glances with each other.

Penny smiled to herself. "Go Shamy. 'Bout damn time."

Author's Note: Well, that's the end. As always, thanks so much for reading, hope you enjoyed and please review one last time. :)