Thank you to QueenAlice467 for the idea!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Big Bang Theory or the characters.

16th June 2036

Maya sits on her bed, holding a small gift in her hand. Every year for Father's Day she had a tradition no one knew about. She would save money and buy a Harry Potter memorabilia and keep it under her bed. She started doing that when she was about three years old, on those mornings her mom would come in her room earlier holding a gift and made Maya get up to give it to her dad.

He would always make her climb on the bed and give him a kiss. She would giggle because it was Sunday, so her dad's beard would be at that point where it itches the face of the other person. She would give him the gift and wait for him to open it so that he hugged her and her mom. They would snuggle until they got a phone call from Howard telling them they were late for Sunday lunch.

They would then dress quickly, which meant Maya had different socks, Leonard had his shirt upside down, and Penny had to make them be 'presentable'. Somehow after Maya was born, Penny became more responsible and Leonard was actually the fun dad – but he could be harsh when it was needed. Everyone thought that Leonard would be the responsible one, but they were apparently wrong. Because of the way his parents treated him growing up, he wanted to be better parent than they were.

Maya stared at the gift for a while before making it join the rest of gifts she had under the bed collecting dust. 'Need to find a box to put them in' was what she thought every year and kept forgetting.

Before she was able to forget about that box, she decided to just go ahead and buy it. She put on some shoes, a sweater and her car keys, leaving the house in less than five minutes. Unlike her mother, Maya wasn't very into fashion and was more care-free. She was always sort of tomboy, but she used to be the kind of girl that would wear a pretty dress because she knew that made her parents happy.

She drove to the mall, singing along to the song on the radio with the window open, so that the wind was moving her hair. Maya had her sunglasses on, and looked like she was happy. It was a weird feeling for her, to be happy. She wasn't sure she knew what that was. She wasn't unhappy with the way her life went, it could've been worse – although it was bad that her dad died when she was young. She had friends – good friends.
Maya should happy, shouldn't she? Then why wasn't she?

She decided to put that thought aside as she parked the car and got out of the car. Maya got a shopping cart even though she only needed one box. She went around the store where she was going to buy the box. She ended up buying a new lamp, a few notebooks, the box – finally! -, and a new blanket.
She paid for everything with her mom's credit card – it wasn't stolen, Penny had actually given it! – And got everything in her car.

As she drove home, the thought about not being happy went back to her head, so, in order to stop hearing it, she turned the music up to block her thoughts. 'Good way to avoid thinking!' She thought.

She, when she got home, unloaded her car and went to her room to put everything in the right place. As she climbed the stairs, she noticed her door was slightly open, and she noticed her mother inside. She sighed, not really in the mood to hear her talking.
Maya got inside and looked at her mom.

"What are you doing?" She screamed, when she realized her mom was messing with the gifts she had bought on Father's Day. She put everything she bought on the bed, took the box and got all the gifts inside. As she did it, her mom stared, not really knowing what to say. When Maya was done, she stared at her mom, waiting for an answer to her question.

"I'm sorry." Penny said, putting her back on the bed, so she could be more comfortable. "It's just that I saw you putting the gift under the bed and I wanted to see what it was. I was curious. That's when I noticed the rest of the gifts. Why are they closed?"

Maya stares at her mother before sighing. She slowly sits next to her, while thinking of what she's going to say. She knows her mom never moved on from her husband's death, so this talk won't be easy – for either of them.

"It was a tradition we both had on Father's Day. You know, just the two of us, it was our thing. You would buy a gift and make me give it to dad. When he..." Maya took a deep breath before continuing. It was getting harder for her to speak, and she needed to make sure she wouldn't cry, but the tears were threatening to leave. "When he passed away, we stopped. I know there wasn't anyone there for us to give a gift to, but we didn't only stop doing that. We stopped talking, and we don't seem like a family. Mom, just because dad isn't here anymore, it doesn't mean you need to stop being happy." Maya says. She doesn't really know what to expect from her mom, it can be anything.

Penny stares at her daughter. The little girl she once knew is now a woman. A woman whose dad never met her.

"When did you grow up?" Penny says, hugging her daughter. The tears that were threatening to leave both of the women, were now on each others clothes, due to the hug.

They stood there for a minute or two, just enjoying the hug and making up for lost time. That hug was the beginning of a new bond between them, a fresh start. It wasn't going to be that hug that was going to fix their relationship, but it was a start.
Penny was the first to pull from that hug. Maya wanted to stay, warm and cozy in her mother's arms, like she used to be when she was a child. Penny didn't want it to be over either, but she needed to say a word to her daughter.

"Baby, your dad's passing wasn't easy on me. I loved him, so much. I thought I couldn't go through it, I thought I was never going to be okay. I never moved on from his death, I don't think I will ever be. Maybe one day I will, but I can't right now. I'm sorry, for everything. I should've been there for you and I wasn't. You lost your father, and you were so young. But I thought that you were strong and you wouldn't need me there, nagging you all the time. I was wrong. I'm so sorry."

"Mom, it's okay." Maya said, trying to console her mom.

"No, it's not okay. I'm your mom, and it's my job to help you, and support you on difficult times."

"But you were going through a difficult time as well."

"I didn't lose my father."

"No. You lost your husband. He helped you and supported you. You lost the love of our life, your best friend."

Penny looked at Maya, noticing how much of Leonard was in her daughter. Maybe that was why they distanced from each other. It was because Leonard was living in both of them, but wasn't with them. He was only in their hearts, and Maya got his ability to help people.

"You are right. I lost him. We both did." Penny said, smiling. "You know, when you were a baby, me and your dad used to apologize to each other because we said that you were the love of our life. Over the years, your dad and I kept saying it, it became sort of inside joke. I lost one of the loves of my life. But I had two, in the beginning. I just hope that after everything, I didn't lose you."

"Mommy." Maya said, like she did when she was a child and had a bad dream. She hugged her mom, and softly said "You will never lose me."

The two stayed there, for a long time, connecting and supporting each other.

17th June 2036

When the day began, Maya woke up with the smell of french toast. She quickly rose from the bed, took a sweater from the hanger and put it on. She climbed down the stairs and went to the kitchen, from where the smell seemed to come from.

When she got there, she saw her mom cooking. It was a rare sight, since Penny hardly cooked. Maya sat on the high chairs next to the kitchen isle while watching her mother cooking. Penny didn't see her there, only noticing her when she turned around to the isle. She almost dropped the plate, but her years as a waitress on the Cheese Cake Factory paid off, and she didn't drop it.

"Damn, girl. You scared me. Why didn't you say something?" Penny asked, while putting the plate in front of her daughter.

"Wanted to see how long it would take for you to notice me." Maya answered, smiling. She took the plate and started to eat.

Penny continued to make breakfast and then sat in front of her daughter, just enjoying both the company and the food.

When Maya was done, she got up to put the plate on the dishwasher. As she was opening the door that would lead her back to her room, Penny called for her.

"Do you have any plans for today?"

"Not really? Why? What's on your mind?"

"I was thinking we could go and have lunch just the two of us. Anywhere you want. "

"Sure. Uh, maybe we can go to that new place on Colorado Street?"

After seeing that her mom agreed on the location, she decided to go upstairs to her room and get ready. She needed to take a long bath and to dry her hair, two things that would easily take her over an hour. When she was done, she dressed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, putting on sneakers and going to the living room. In the middle of the stairs, the door bell rang, and she saw her mom going to open it.

Whoever it was, her mom hugged. Curious, Maya got closer, only to see that it was three people she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Leo!" Maya screamed, running to his arms. They hugged for a long time, while their parents saw them. Amy and Penny were okay with it, but Sheldon was rolling his eyes.

Just like his dad, Leo was a tall man and had the bluest eyes Maya has ever seen. Unlike his dad, and despite his parents, Leo wasn't interested in physics or science. He wanted to be a lawyer or a doctor – different doctor from his parents. He was very smart, just like his parents, always has the best scores and is always best in class.

Maya hugged her aunt and uncle – that was always fine with a hug from his god-daughter – and went back to be right next to Leo. He was a twelve-year-old boy that was very sweet and was always making jokes.

After a few minutes of conversations, Amy asked why Maya seemed like she was leaving.

"We were having lunch together." Penny answers.

Amy knew how broken the relationship between the mother and daughter had gotten after Leonard's death, so she was glad they were finally getting together.

"Well, what if we all go?" Maya suggests. Even though she wanted to be with her mom, she was afraid to not have any subject to talk about with her. If the three of them went, there would be more to talk about.

"No, we don't want to impose." Amy says. She wanted them to talk to each other and spend time together.

"You wouldn't be imposing! Come on, we need to catch up!" Penny says, excited to be with her bestie again.

"Yes, she is right. We should talk and see what we were all up to. We should all talk about our respective fields. I'll start!" Sheldon says.

"No you won't. That's not the catching up I mean, Shelly!" Penny says, jokingly.

"No don't call me Shelly! That's not my name." Sheldon protests. Penny ignores.

"Shall we go?"

After everyone agreed, except Sheldon because it wasn't the right day to eat there, they all went to the car and to the new restaurant.

The trip there was quick. They parked the car and headed to the restaurant. After they seated, Penny at the head of the table with Sheldon and Amy next to each other and with Leo and Maya in front of them.

They ordered while they all caught up. From time to time, Sheldon tried to talk about work, but everyone – except Leo because he didn't want to disrespect his father – would cut him off.
Amy asked Maya if she had any boyfriends or girlfriends, and laughed when Maya said she didn't have time for that.

Sheldon of course only cared about her academic career, and was very pleased to know his god-daughter was top of her class and was probably going to Harvard – although she was still thinking about going to Princeton like her dad did which made everyone at the table smile – so Sheldon and her, along with Amy, talked to her about the best university. They promised to try to help her apply to the best school when the time would come, and Maya thanked them.
She was thinking of following her dad's foot steps and become an experimental physicist, however, she was also interested in Microbiology due to Bernadette being around a lot. She was a big influence on Maya, being like a second mother when hers wasn't around.

Then the conversation went to Leo. He tried to hide, since he wasn't very into conversations – especially when they were about him.

Sheldon tried to make him choose a better career while Amy just sat there quiet. She was tired of that conversation and thought that Leo was too young to make a decision like that.

Luckily, Maya intervened.

"Uncle Sheldon, don't you think it's too early for him to think about it? I only thought about it last year. He's twelve. Give him a couple more years, maybe?" Maya said, nicely, trying not to sound rude.

"When I was his age, I was in college!"

"So? I'm not in college yet, I'm finishing High-School, and Aunt Amy was still in high School when she was my age, and she turned out fine. It's okay not to know what we want to do. Especially when you are as young as he is." Maya tried to help.

Sheldon eventually caved, not for long, but at least he got quieter.

They finished eating, so they paid and decided to take a walk around the city. They eventually got tired and decided to call the day off. Penny drove them to their hotel and then drove herself and Maya home.

None of them said a word the entire trip.

Once they got home, Maya put on her pajamas and went downstairs to watch a movie before bed. Her mom was already there, deciding which movie she was going to see.

Penny looked to Maya and smiled. She then had sort of light bull lighting up inside her head. She took the Ice Age from the shelf and showed it to Maya.

Both women smiled, remembering the moments they spent watching that movie – and how many times they had watched it. It ended up becoming a Father's Day tradition. Just because they couldn't have him there to celebrate with them, it didn't mean they couldn't celebrate it. Right?

They weren't a perfect family, but they were at least trying to be a family.

End of Chapter 10

This chapter was used to celebrate Father's Day. After the last chapter and reading the reviews, I realized I made Penny and Maya seem a bit like enemies and less like mother and daughter. I tried to use this chapter to fix that, and introduce Leo – and Amy and Sheldon, of course! I initially thought of making Maya and Leo together, but quickly pulled that thought out. First, due to the age difference. Second, I just didn't want to! :)

Hope you all like it! (especially you, QueenAlice467, to whom this chapter is dedicated to!)