A/N: I've had the idea for this story for a couple of months and finally wrote it. It's a little different from my usual style, as it's a Shamy story told from Penny's POV. I hope you enjoy!

Tears of joy filled Penny's eyes as she watched two of her closest friends declare their love for each other under digital twinkling stars. She blinked rapidly, willing the moisture not to fall, as Sheldon Cooper recited some of the most beautiful, yet unusual, vows she had ever heard. Her bestie was glowing as her almost-husband placed the ring on her finger.

When a choked up Amy vowed her love and fidelity, Penny looked over at her husband through her unshed tears and smiled, as she thought back to their special day. He caught her gaze and held it until the officiant's next words brought them back to the present.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Sheldon placed his hands on his new wife's hips, glanced around nervously, then leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

"Congratulations, you two!" Penny squealed, wrapping her arms around them.

"Thank you, Bestie!" Amy gushed, returning the hug. "This is the happiest day of my life!"

Sheldon stood stock still and breathed a sigh of relief when Penny stepped back to join her husband. He entwined his fingers with Amy's, and they proceeded out of the planetarium followed by the bridal party, where the guests cheered and showered the newlyweds with birdseed.

Sheldon shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, shaking out the seeds. "I better not be assaulted by a flock of pigeons."

"You vetoed releasing butterflies, so we went with something a little more traditional," Amy reminded him.

"We could have gone with the Star Wars-themed confetti," he muttered.

"Then I wouldn't have agreed to the R2-D2 cake." She stretched up and pecked him on the lips.

Penny turned away from the couple when Leonard squeezed her fingers hard. He was desperately trying to fend off his mother, so she came to the rescue.

"Beverly, it's so good to see you again!"

"Likewise, Dear. I was just telling Leonard how much I admire the way Sheldon and Amy combined their different interests to pull off such a unique ceremony. I feel a great sense of pride..."

"Why don't you go over and congratulate them?" Penny interrupted her, sensing Leonard's discomfort at his mother's praise for his best friend.

The trio looked around, but the newlyweds were nowhere in sight.

Penny spun slowly. "Where did they go?"

Leonard excused them from his mother's company, promising to catch up with her later, and led Penny a few feet away. "I half expected Sheldon to get cold feet before the ceremony, but I didn't expect him to vanish afterward. You don't suppose it all just sank in, and he took off with Amy chasing after him?"

Penny bit her lip. "Sheldon was just complaining about the birdseed, but that seems like such a silly thing to set him off."

"This is Sheldon Cooper we're talking about. I put up with that guy's craziness for 14 long years. There's no telling what's going on in that brain of his."

"Poor Ames. She was so happy just a few minutes ago. We need to find them and make things right."

"And soon. We're scheduled to meet the photographer at the park in," Leonard consulted his watch, "30 minutes."

Penny's mouth dropped open and she grabbed his arm. "Maybe that's what happened!"

Leonard frowned. "What happened? Did I miss something?"

"Maybe Sheldon's not running out on Amy. Maybe he's just hiding so we don't have time to take outdoor pictures."

"Because of all the birds and insects!"

"Exactly. He needs to man up for Amy. It was bad enough that he vetoed her dream of a cliffside wedding. The least he can do is take a few pictures with some gorgeous scenery. That sneaky, lowdown excuse of a man. Ugh!"

"Amy knew what she was getting herself into. We all warned her," Leonard pointed out.

"I really thought he had changed. Did you see how happy he looked during the ceremony?"

Raj sidled up to them, interrupting their thoughts. "Have you seen Sheldon and Amy? His mom wants to take a few family photos."

"We were just wondering that ourselves," the blonde acknowledged.

Raj's eyes widened. "Oh my God, are they missing?"

Penny put her finger to her lips. "Shh... We don't want to alarm anyone."

"Let's form a search party. Penny and I will go that way," Leonard informed him, waving his arm to the right. "Raj, can you round up the others and all choose a direction? We'll meet back here in 15 minutes."

"I'm on it."

"Why didn't I watch them more closely?" Penny muttered to herself, as they began searching around the building. "I'm the maid of honor. If they disappear, everyone will blame me."

"No, they won't. You've done a wonderful job planning the bachelorette party, setting up the wedding shower, helping Amy choose her dress..."

"But all anyone will remember is how we lost the bride and groom." For the second time that day, tears threatened to fall, but for a whole different reason.

Leonard ran his thumb over the back of her hand soothingly. "We can't babysit them, Penny. It's not your fault or mine or anyone's. Come on. If we walk a little faster, we're bound to catch up to them."

"You're right. Amy couldn't have gotten far in those heels. I'll look right, you look left."

Passersby gave them odd looks as they scanned the grounds. If Penny wasn't so worried, she would have laughed at the absurdity of Leonard in his tux and herself in a formal dress, heels, and a bridesmaid bouquet peering around the structure's various walkways.

Fifteen minutes later, the groups returned to the starting point, minus the missing couple.

"Sheldon's mom is starting to panic," Raj informed them. "I don't know how much longer Stuart can fend off her questions."

"It's like they just... vanished," Howard mimed a magician waving a wand.

Bernadette glared at her husband. "This isn't a magic show, Howard. People don't just vanish."

"Nobody vanished. There has to be a logical explanation." Leonard furrowed his brow.

"Did anyone check inside?" Penny asked. The friends all shook their heads no. "Well, I'm going in."

Penny took two steps toward the building then stopped in her tracks. Sheldon and Amy emerged from the doorway holding hands and sporting deliriously happy faces. Amy's veil was lopsided, her once-perfectly curled hair was flat on one side, and she was carrying her tiara, the tiara that had taken Penny 20 minutes and 30 bobby pins to secure in place.

"Where were you?" She demanded when the newlywed couple finally joined them. "Stuart's distracting your mom because she's so worried."

Amy shot their friends an embarrassed glance. "We were um..."

"We engaged in coitus," Sheldon blurted out.

Raj gasped. "Here?! Right now?!"

"Consummating a marriage is a legal requirement in the state of California," Sheldon explained.

Penny rolled her eyes. "Yes, but most people wait until the wedding night, Genius."

Sheldon shrugged. "Why wait? Besides, there's no rule that says we can't do it twice in one day." He smiled sweetly at his glowing bride. She blushed and smiled back. "And round 2 will be a lot less rushed. I'll have time to do that thing with my tongue that you love," he murmured.

Amy reddened further as their friends gaped at them, but Sheldon appeared oblivious to their discomfort. Some things never changed.