For my dearest reviewers and readers!

Chapter 4…

Disclaimer from previous chapters applies.

3 years later.

Amy was sat on the sofa of Penny and Leonard's house, west of their old apartments. The three year old twins were sat by her feet on the carpet and Penny and Leonard sat holding their new born son in their arms.

Amy didn't know exactly why Penny had asked her to come down, but it seemed serious because Penny hadn't been her usual perky self on the phone.

"So, why did you guys want me to come down?" Amy asked with a tinge of hesitancy in her voice.

"Umm, Amy we wanted to let you know something very important about Sheldon," Leonard began cautiously. Amy's hands tightened at the sound of the name that she so rarely heard.

"What he means is that as you might know already, Sheldon has been nominated for the Nobel Prize earlier than expected," Penny followed her husband.

"Yes…" Amy was already aware of that, it said so in her weekly edition of Neuron.

"He said that as his work was finished, he was going to be coming back." Penny's voice fell to a high pitched whisper by the end of the sentence. Amy was left stunned and staring off into space, until Marie tugged on her clothes.

"Mommy!" She said whilst stretching her arms. Amy quickly picked her up, still in silence, until she finally found her voice "I don't know what I'm going to do." She whispered, her hands trembling and her eyes unable to blink.

"Leonard, sweetie, do you think you can give us a few minutes?" Penny said to Leonard narrowing her eyes at him expectantly.

"Yeah sure, I'll just take Ryan for a diaper change." Leonard said getting up and cooing at his week old son as he walked away.

Penny looked at Amy who was looking down at Tyler, playing with his adored Dr Who action figure, whilst holding an almost asleep Marie.

"Amy, look I know it's none of my business but in all sincerity I think it's time to tell Sheldon, the twins need their dad around and it'll make everything easier." Penny looked at Amy who was still in the same position as before.

"Penny, I really don't know if I can do that I mean you of all people should know that since Bernadette moved to Washington with Howard you've been the only one who really knew how hard the last 4 years were for me, it isn't easy raising a child, let alone two and alone and plus who knows what Sheldon's reaction would be, I haven't seen him or talked to him in 4 years, I mean for all we know he won't even care." As much as the last sentence pained Amy to say, she had to face the truth.

"Amy listen we can never really know unless you tell him, I promise I'll be there for you and the twins no matter what, what do you say?" Penny asked leaning forward and patting Amy on the knees.

"Penny" Tyler cried as he attempted to crawl on Penny's lap unsuccessfully as his grip was still surrounding his action figure.

"Plus, who can't love these two cuties?" She said as she picked up and hugged Tyler.

"I don't know Penny I really don't want to, it'll just make everything harder." Amy said her voice cracking, "What if he just leaves us again, I wouldn't be able to take it or what if he…" Tears started rolling down Amy's flushed cheeks.

"Oh Ames," Penny hugged Amy with one arm, "I think we just have to get this over and done with and if he doesn't want to have anything to do with you then it's his loss and you can tell the twins that he was the one who didn't try not you." Penny said into her ear.

That seemed to make sense for Amy as she was lost in thought again as she sniffled causing Marie to stir in her arms.

"Okay, I'll… I'll do it." Amy replied quietly fidgeting with her fingers that rested on her tense laps. She thought it would be best to get it over and done with as he most likely will not want anything to do with them.

########

It was two weeks since Amy had decided to tell Sheldon the whole truth and the Hofstadter's and the Fowlers were sitting in the former's residence. Amy was fidgeting and trying to look away from the TV that was currently screening the Nobel Prize Ceremony for the Sciences. She looked down at Tyler and Marie who were currently playing together on the floor and then looked at Penny who was cradling her son in her arms, whilst simultaneously trying to keep her attention on the screen, unlike Amy. Leonard had left a few minutes ago to go prepare some snacks and drinks for the group but Amy wasn't sure that she would be able to keep anything down with the current anxiety she was experiencing.

Suddenly, Leonard came back and she was so lost in her own thoughts that she was startled when he said, "Here you go, Amy."

Penny looked at her with her eyebrows furrowed, "Are you okay, Amy?" she said.

"Yes, I think so." Amy replied hesitantly, but as soon as she finished her sentence the announcer on the TV said "and now please welcome Dr Sheldon Cooper B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D. winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics for his proof of String Theory which will change the way we view science forever", her breath hitched and her palms got clammy as soon as she saw the same man who still held her heart after so many years, stand from a table, surrounded by applause make his way to the podium. Amy could tell that he was muttering something and smiled when she realised that he was most probably muttering Kolinahr to himself to avoid fainting because of the large crowd, she couldn't help but smile at the quirks that made her love him so much. Her heart raced as the camera focused on his face as he accepted the award and she felt butterflies dance around her stomach excitedly as she saw those piercing blue eyes that most commonly were only seen in her daughter. She mentally scolded herself for falling prey to those blue orbs and became adamant that she didn't love him anymore.

Penny laughed as she saw Sheldon shaking as he approached the microphone and started with a quiet voice, "Umm, I just want to say thank you to those who were able to recognise true intellect, even though it did take 39 years but nonetheless I have a list of people of who I want to thank, even though they did not partake in the hard mental work, they did help me along the way: Leonard my best friend and roommate; Rajesh a colleague and dear friend; Penny who I quote has "street smarts"; Howard a treasured acquaintance; Bernadette a dear friend; my mother and my beloved mee maw who always supported me in my career. What a mouthful am I right?" he tugged on the collar of his shirt and wiped away the sweat on his brow. Amy's heart sank when he didn't mention her but willed herself to feel nothing, Sheldon however continued, "All these people have been great parts of my life but one person who stands out is Dr Amy Farrah Fowler who for some time held a romantic relationship with yours truly, I really could not have achieved this award without her intellectual stimulation and support, and this time I am not speaking metaphorically. Thank you." Sheldon said as he quickly walked off the stage to more applause.

Amy sat frozen on the couch and she could feel two pairs of eyes burning holes into her, Leonard cleared his throat loudly, "Well, that was unexpected, I thought he was going to pass out which is why I put the whole ceremony to record,"

Penny ignored her husband and instead continued staring at Amy, "Ames, how you feeling?" she asked, her features mimicking concern.

"I… umm…don't know?" Amy replied still staring at the TV screen.

"Well, I must say I never thought that Sheldon Cooper would include any of us in his thank you speech, although I do remember him talking about it once and using it to blackmail the rest of us."Penny said, her eyes narrowed at the screen.

"But I always knew he would mention Amy," Leonard chimed in, both women turned to face him abruptly, "What? How?" Penny asked.

"Well, he was always talking about how stimulating it was for his mental ability to be with Amy and that he did feel that he benefited from it, so you know I was able to deduct from said data that the probability of him-"

Penny cut him off, "Yeah, yeah data, shmata," she said waving her hand dismissively causing Leonard to frown, but after 4 years he knew better than to confront Penny, so he just kept quiet and stood to clear up the drinks.

"You see Amy, he didn't forget about you, he just went to do what he set out to do, we couldn't have expected otherwise, I mean this is Sheldon we are talking about, Dr Whackadoodle," Penny said, sliding to sit right next to Amy.

"Umm yes I'm sure he is but it doesn't concern me whether or not he cares." Amy said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Oh?" Penny said raising her eyebrows, "Well okay, and good for you."

Just then the phone rang, Leonard picked it up, "Hello, Leonard Hofstadter… oh hi Sheldon," he said turning to look at Amy and Penny who looked at him wide eyed and curious. "Yeah, we saw it… really? You're boarding the plane now? Tomorrow, 6:30, we'll be there… okay bye." Leonard placed the phone down, turned around and said…

"Sheldon arrives tomorrow."