Hi dear readers! :)

Here is another Shamy oneshot for you which is set directly after last years season finale. Let's hope that the series finale is going to be as fluffy and sweet as this story! ;)

Thanks a million times cosette141 for proof-reading and correcting this!

Enjoy...

The Girl Who Waited

Amy Farrah Fowler-Cooper sat at her table in the beautifully arranged athenaeum and leaned back in her chair with a content sigh.

After the wedding ceremony, everyone had moved over to the great hall to celebrate, have cake and dance with their significant others. Speeches had been made, tears had been cried and gifts had been given.

Amy was happy beyond belief. She had her first dance with her new husband and also a second and a third one. Then the music had changed from romantic to more upbeat, quick-paced numbers and they had cleared the dance floor for their friends and family, perfectly content with watching their joyful mingling.

Sheldon hadn't yet let go of her hand, though.

A big smile spread on Amy's lips as she realized this and she looked over to her husband. Their clasped, intertwined hands rested between them on the table while Sheldon watched their guests. A fascinated, pleased smile adorning his features.

Amy couldn't believe her luck. Couldn't believe that he was hers… solely and completely hers. For as long as she lived. Oh, how long she had waited until she could claim him. How patient she was. And today, all of her patience was rewarded.

Today, Sheldon Cooper married her.

They'd come a long road and he surely had changed a lot since the day she met him. Amy thought back to that scrawny, tall boy with his childish Avengers T-Shirt and his piercing, cold blue eyes, looking down at her. Literally and figuratively.

Now he filled out a bit. Sheldon was still lean and still wore his superhero T-Shirts – heck, he even wore Flash socks to their wedding – but he seemed stronger, broader. His dark brown hair got a bit lighter with age and his hairline was receding at the temples. Maybe twenty years from now he'll be completely grey. As she'll be, too. But Amy didn't mind. They're going to grow old together.

Her boy became a man in more than one way. There were all those physical transformations, but the way he thinks, acts and feels have also changed. Oh, boy, so much change, Amy grinned, clearly able to hear Sheldon's voice in her head.

He used to be so distant. Neutral. Emotionless. He never truly laughed. Not from his heart. Oh, he was a tough nut to crack. There were so many towering high and solid thick walls protecting his heart and all she had was a spoon to erode them.

First, there had been denial that he even liked or cared about her. Amy had told herself that it didn't bother her when he parted ways with her over a scientific disagreement. After all, rejection and hurt were feelings she knew all too well back then. But then he had gotten those cats. Twenty-five of them to be exact. It made her realize that there must be… something… that he apparently missed about her. Something that made her appealing to him.

With Amy's new found desire for love – which she followed with defiant persistency – they eventually ended up to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Of course this meant something entirely different for Sheldon Cooper.

There still was absolutely no touching.

Not once.

Well, except those two kisses that utterly surprised him. One when she had been drunk and one when she had been overjoyed about the sparkling apology gift from Sheldon. The tiara she was proudly wearing on her head today.

But the moment that truly changed everything for Amy had been the moment when Howard's rocket was hurled into space. When they all sat in front of the television to watch his liftoff and suddenly, slender, clammy fingers had reached for her hand and gripped it tightly with his.

The first time Sheldon willingly initiated hand holding.

Just then, Amy snapped out of her thoughts as that very hand began stroking over the knuckles of hers; the one with the beautiful ring on it. Sheldon did it absently, still watching everyone dance. A smile played on his lips as he observed Leonard and Penny's moves. He was happy, too.

Amy felt a lump in her throat and swallowed to fight the tears that suddenly threatened to fall.

He is happy. He wants this. He loves me. God, how long I have waited to hear that he loves me? Amy recollected.

It had been another two years of waiting after the hand-holding until she first got a hint that maybe there was more than just 'liking her' on his part. Two years of knowing that there were definitely stronger feelings stirring inside of her, but at the same time, fearing that he would never ever feel the same way about her.

He had kept her at arm's length, fought tooth and nail against her timid requests of more physical contact. The more she wanted, the more he fought and denied. Up until the point where she was sure she was fighting for a lost cause.

But then… out of nowhere… he had kissed her.

She had thought she fought too hard, gently pushed him too far… and yes, she had in a way, but the outcome had been very pleasing. He caved. He kissed her. Lunged for her. Dived into her. Amy would never ever forget how good those lips tasted the very first time.

The wine had still lingered on his lips and he had been surrounded by a wave of talc and pheromones. Sheldon's kiss had started off angry and tight-lipped, but his first initial shock wore off and, back then, a very perplexed Amy thought that this would be the moment when he would jump back from her, frantically wiping his mouth and running away screaming for Purell.

But none of that happened.

The Now-Amy closed her eyes for a moment, feeling her wet tears brimming as she imagined that first kiss again. The way his lips had suddenly softened. The way she had to crane her neck because he was stepping towards her, reaching for her hips while gently, shyly moving his lips upon hers.

Amy had been too shocked to reciprocate. But Sheldon had been calm, taking her hand again afterwards as they were making their way to visit the train conductor. Amy's desire had only grown stronger since then. It was like she was finally able to tear a big part of Sheldon's imaginary heart-wall down. She was so joyous and overconfident, thinking the rest would come down easier.

Well… she couldn't have been any more wrong.

She had sent him running away from her for four months. Well, to be fair she wasn't the only catalyst, but she still felt like she was especially to blame. It had been too much for him. Too fast. Too soon. Amy had been sure he went away to rebuild that part of the wall that she spent so long tearing down.

To her surprise… he didn't.

Sheldon came back seeming a bit more at ease concerning his feelings than before; the hole in his heart-wall still there. In fact he actually proceeded to show her implements which would make it easier for her to put the wall down completely. The implement had been his confession of love and he gave it to her willingly and without hesitance.

He said it first.

Glorious, magnificent, pure and utter joy.

Sheldon loved her. He had feelings for her. Amy had never been so happy in her whole life. She had new hope. Her expectations had grown. Now, she had thought, finally… everything would be fine. He loved her and she loved him. How could this possibly go wrong?

Thinking back now, she wondered if she had been too naïve.

After giving her that precious tool, that declaration of love, Sheldon had left her alone again to pick and hammer against that sturdy heart-wall all by herself. Amy had known she was close to his core, but she had been fighting, she had been trying for so long already. She was tired. She needed help. Amy needed Sheldon to help her.

But for the longest time, he didn't. So, she took a soul-crashing, heart-wrenching break from him that really only broke her even more inside. Too late she realized that being apart from Sheldon hurt her more than waiting for him. When she was ready to try again, she found that Sheldon's protecting walls had been rebuilt again. Though, not as firm as before. There were leaks and loose bricks. It seemed that Sheldon wasn't strong enough to do any better. As if he was hurt, too, because he realized too late what he really wanted all along.

Sheldon was as broken as she felt.

Suddenly, Amy was afraid that the wall shielding his heart could be the only thing that kept him together until now. Amy feared that if she tried to tear it down once and for all, it would shatter Sheldon completely.

After all of this time Amy spent waiting, she failed to realize that she had waited too long. They missed each other only by a split second so it seemed.

Devastated, Amy had tried to turn her back on the wall, and on Sheldon himself, believing that, in the end, she would never really have him. And causing him pain was the last thing she wanted.

But the broken boy had still been there, waiting on his side of the wall. He didn't give up. Not completely. From his side he had sent signals through the leaks of his wall… heart worms, apparently, Amy smiled as she remembered.

And suddenly, Sheldon came bursting through his walls and through her door, capturing her with a searing, passionate kiss that still set her nerve endings on fire when she thought back to it. Since then, Sheldon's heart-wall was nowhere to be seen and the arrogant, but clueless, innocent boy turned into a loving man.

Her man.

My husband.

The scene of her friends dancing before her blurred as Amy felt tears roll down her cheeks and she cried quietly, which brought Sheldon out of his trance-like staring. Slowly, he turned his head around to look at his wife. The smile instantly slipped from his face upon seeing her tears and his happiness turned into worry.

"Amy? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Amy looked up into his face, seeing how his forehead creased with genuine concern for her and her lips started quivering.

"Amy?" he asked again, bringing his hand up to squeeze Amy's hand tightly. "You're worrying me. Aren't you happy?"

She could see in his eyes that not only was he worried, he was scared. Scared that she could be unhappy, that she could reject him, all of a sudden. Wow, the tables have certainly turned, she thought. But Amy didn't want to scare him so she hurried to reply, "Oh… Sheldon, of course I'm happy. God, I'm so happy I could cry."

His eyebrows performed a little confused dance as he answered, "You are crying. That's what's puzzling me."

A wet chuckle escaped Amy as she put her right hand up to cover both of Sheldon's hands. Dreamily, she drew patterns on his soft skin for a while, grateful that she could touch him now without having to ask for permission. She let him wait for a few more seconds before she answered.

"I was… just thinking of our previous years together and how every little moment led up to this day." Amy said. "You can't imagine h-how tremendously happy I am that you married me. After I've waited so long for you. I-I have loved you for… for longer than you may think and I thought y-you'd never love me enough to spend the rest of your life with me." Tears flowed freely over her cheeks and Amy hoped Penny wouldn't catch her crying and ruining the makeup that had taken so long to put on. But she couldn't stop. "I feel so… lucky and I… I love you so much, Sheldon."

He looked at her speechless for a few seconds. Then, cheeks blushed to a rosy shade of pink. He freed his hands from hers to tug out a white handkerchief from his breast pocket. Wordlessly, he dabbed her wet cheeks with care, wiping away the stains of her mascara-rimmed eyes. His touch was so loving, so tender that Amy almost started crying again.

"There you go." he said, folding the handkerchief and putting it back into his pocket. An act her Sheldon from eight years ago wouldn't even have dreamt of doing. "Beautiful as ever, my bride."

"Thank you." Amy whispered timidly.

Sheldon reached for her hands again, kneading them in his as he continued, "And now listen; can you even imagine how lucky I feel? I walked this world blindly, never even considering the fact that I would need anyone by my side. That someone could ever understand and love me as I am. Quirks and all, as I once said. And then you came along…"

Amy's stomach fluttered as Sheldon sat at the very edge of his seat, holding her gaze steadily. The blue that once seemed so cold was now full of life and warmth. Like the sun-kissed ocean on a clear day. Intelligent and deep. Wouldn't she already be sitting, her legs would give out.

"You're the only human being on a planet full of apes that can love me, challenge me and understand me unconditionally." Sheldon vowed. "I didn't realize that I fell in love with you for years, but that didn't stop you from trying… from waiting. Your… your patience with me is… superlunary, for the lack of a more credible word."

"Heavenly?" Amy suggested.

"Don't be ridiculous." Sheldon shot back, shaking his head.

Amy laughed out loud.

"My point is…" Sheldon continued. "That you could've moved on to someone else who wouldn't have made you fight for every exiguous bit of affection. Someone who would've readily given you everything you deserve… but you didn't. And part of me still can't comprehend that fact." He smiled. "You amaze me, Amy Farrah Fowler. Always have, always will. I'm so lucky that you decided to wait for me."

Amy smiled back, lifting her hand up to caress his cheek. "You're worth the wait." she said. With her hand still cupping his cheek, he moved in and kissed her softly. Amy thought it felt like the kiss right before the first time they made love. It was like a thank-you gift, a reward for all the days she spent waiting. She savored every moment of it, not caring at all that some of their friends started cheering and whistling. Sheldon didn't seem to mind, either. This was their wedding day and they would kiss as long as their lungs would let them.

Finally, he pulled away, sheepishly running his tongue over his swollen lip. "Uhm… Amy, may I point out an analogy of our situation to a popular science-fiction show?"

Amy snorted and rolled her eyes in amusement. "Oh, this is going to be good. Go ahead; tell me who I remind you of."

"Well…" Sheldon smiled. "In the classic British TV show 'Doctor Who', the 11th Doctor's companion, Amy Pond, gets frequently referred to as 'The girl who waited'." he explained. "Of course that would make me The Doctor and you Amy Pond."

"Hmm…" Amy pondered. "Isn't The Doctor's relationship to his companions normally of a platonic nature? Also, I think the relationship between The Doctor and River Song is constructed even more beautifully."

Sheldon looked at her dreamily and then suddenly kissed her hand. "I love that you know all this."

Amy giggled. "But I guess it has a nice ring to it: Amy Farrah Fowler, the girl who waited." She cocked her head to the side in thought. "That could be the title of a book telling the tale of our love."

"Oh, Amy." Sheldon chuckled. "Certainly, there'll be books written about us, but they will deal with the scientific topic of our breakthrough discovery of super-asymmetry. Who would read a book about our love story?"

Amy couldn't help but thinking back to her previous musings. "I don't know… our breakthrough is pretty incredible, but the girl who ended up getting Sheldon Cooper to love her?" She showed him a cheeky grin which he returned. "I think there's nothing more exciting than that."

Hehe, that's all for now. :)

I hope everyone got the Doctor Who reference (if not, just go ahead and watch the show! It's awesome, haha!) and I'm so excited to see how the Big Bang Theory will end! I hope on a high note for everyone! :) We all agree that the elevator needs to get fixed, right? ;)

Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed this story!