Sheldon stroked Penny's hair as she slept curled next to him. The weight of her head on his shoulder was oddly comforting. There were still times he fought the urge to run and shower, but he finally understood the truth. It was a truth he had willfully ignored since meeting Penny. No part of Penny would ever do him true harm. She seemed chaotic at first glance, but the reality was different. She had a solid and constant core.
His life was changing, but most of the changes were superficial. New schedules and obtaining a bigger bed were the easy adjustments. There were new items to purchase. Convincing Penny that Justice League sheets were a necessity might require some effort. Closet space would be a problem. Her love of shoes baffled him. He imagined it always would. All these considerations could be dealt with and discarded. They were ephemera.
The other, more complicated considerations loomed in his mind. He was soon to become a husband and a father. Despite his education and his intellect, he had no earthly clue how to fulfill either roll.
The traditional definitions of the rolls had eroded for years. His own father had been distant and difficult. There were no discernible examples of exemplary manhood amongst his friends or their families. He had no source on which to model his behavior. His gut twisted at the thought of the overwhelming changes he could not avoid.
There was nothing he could do but prepare to the best of his ability. He would begin research immediately. Construction of behavior models from whole cloth would take time.
Penny would help him. She always helped him understand the social dictates of their world. Her ability to adapt and comprehend the things that intimidated him so easily would make her an asset as a wife and mother.
He closed his eyes and smiled at the image of Penny surrounded by their progeny. He would have to research optimal family sizes. A larger family would increase the chaos in his environment exponentially, but he found the notion oddly appealing. Penny would guide their children and love them. She would help him do the same.
Leonard downed another gulp of his foil packed cocktail. Penny mocked him for buying them, but she w hadn't asn't his problem anymore. He glared at the tiny space he would soon be forced to surrender to another.
In a few short months, his life had gone to pieces. Gablehauser had blamed him for Sheldon's brief excursion as a rootless hobo. His only real purpose at the university had been to rein in Sheldon. His department head was happily cutting the fat. At the end of the semester a newly graduated experimental physicist would be filling his shoes.
He hadn't told the others. He'd lined up another job at a university that geared itself to onward the liberal arts. He'd be teaching freshmen. Experimentation was over. His career goals were done. Sheldon had returned too late and been too reasonable.
Finishing off one foil packet, he grabbed another. It was a daiquiri. Those were good. Strawberries and rum were a wonderful combination. The person that created the daiquiri had done more for the world than he ever would.
If he had told the truth, he might have managed to hold onto a few things.
He closed his eyes and thought of Raj and Howard. His friends would have helped him find a better job. They would still respect him. There was no way either of them would forgive him for putting Bernadette in this position.
Using Amy was a huge mistake. The neurobiologist had been easy to manipulate. Hell, he'd never considered how much damage his actions might cause. Her dreams and visions for the future were as dashed as his, and it was all his fault.
"Really, it's all my mother's fault." He smirked and took another swig of his rapidly defrosting beverage. "If she had shown me any affection as a child, I might have trusted Penny to love me enough to leave here. If she'd hugged me, I wouldn't have felt the need to go to such extremes."
It was easy to blame his mother and his crappy childhood. It was easy, but it was wrong. He knew it. Penny had always gravitated toward Sheldon.
Thoughts of Penny and Sheldon filled his mind. Sheldon had always been blessed academically and scientifically. Now, the badtard would have it all. Even if they didn't get together, there would most likely be a beautiful and brilliant baby.
"It was supposed to be me." Leonard flung his drink packet across the room. "Penny was supposed to be mine. The babies were supposed to be mine. My beautiful and smart babies."
Leonard collapsed against the wall and sobbed.
Penny examined her reflection for any imperfection. How Raj had managed all of this was beyond her. The dress fit her perfectly and flattered her. She would never have considered it, but it was perfect. Elegant and enticing, the gown looked like it had been designed for a Greek goddess. Sheldon would know which one. The tiny sapphire stones Raj had the hairstylist work into hair sparkled and matched the ring Sheldon had produced at lunch. She hadn't expected an engagement ring, but Sheldon insisted that she deserved one. It was a non optional social convention.
The ring wasn't conventional though. He hadn't liked the plain diamonds and had determined her ring needed personality. He'd insisted that it be a star sapphire. It was lovely. The stone was flanked by two much smaller diamonds. He'd chosen it because of the Violet Lantern. She was sure of it, but she'd never let him know. It was the perfect ring for them.
"Butterflies." She smoothed her hand along her abdomen. "I'm excited, not scared."
"You look beautiful." Bernadette smiled at her. "And Raj missed his calling. This place looks spectacular. Are you nervous? I mean this is all happening so quickly."
"Yeah, I know it's fast, but the funny thing is I'm not nervous." Penny shrugged her shoulders. "I was engaged to Leonard, and I couldn't make myself look at a bridal magazine. I couldn't imagine our wedding or our future life. I could pretty much ignore all of that though. Enough wine makes anything palatable."
"How is this different?" Bernadette tilted her head slightly.
"I'm getting married to Sheldon Cooper. We're having a baby. I should be shaking in my boots, but I'm not." Penny smiled. "He's my best friend really. I can see our future in a very organized house with our children shooting off lasers or blowing stuff up. It's a happy future, and I want it."
"I glad." Bernadette hugged her lightly. "I was worried about how you were dealing with everything."
"I'm good." Penny picked up her bouquet. "How's Sheldon?"
"See for yourself." Bernadette gestured to the room behind her. "He's waiting. When you hear the music..."
"I'm supposed to make my grand entrance." Penny smirked. "Raj went over it and over it and over it."
"See you in there." Bernadette waved and disappeared through the door. Penny stepped closer to the door and took a deep breath. Her whole world was about to change, and she was happy. She was excited, but her nerves were just fine.
The traditional music filtered through the door, and she stepped through. There were a few people in attendance, but all she could see was Sheldon's face. His smile was wide and genuine. His blue eyes sparkled like her engagement ring. She started toward her future with a spring in her step.