Elizabeth, thanks for the review, and I couldn't agree more! Well, here it is. The last of the story. I enjoyed all the reviews and messages. I loved the chats I have had with some of you over the show, fanfics, and life in general. Happy Saturnalia to everyone. Whatever or however you celebrate, may you have peace, love, joy and the company of those who love and respect you.

Sheldon settled into his sweet spot and glanced around. The theater was filling up fast. He really didn't want to be here. He hated crowds. He hated theaters he had not previously approved. Besides, this was the same stage she had performed on when she had that small role in Rent. He cursed the ache in his chest as her name flittered through his mind. He tried to never think of her anymore, and he refused to say her name. It was too much of an agony.

Soon the lights dipped and the stage lit up. He watched two young men walk onto stage, in the middle of some conversation. A pretty blonde stood in a doorway across the stage from them.

Short guy : New neighbor?

Tall guy : Evidently.

Short guy : Significant improvement over the old neighbor.

The tall one : A 200 pound transvestite with a skin condition? Yes, she is.

Sheldon felt a fluttering in his stomach as he recalled this conversation. How was this possible?

The trio were introducing themselves now.

Blonde: Oh, hello, I guess. I'm your new neighbor Patty.

Short one : I'm Lenny, and this is Don.

Sheldon couldn't tear his eyes away from the drama unfolding on stage. There were differences. Not just the names, but small changes such as a fake university instead of Cal-Tech. No arctic mishap. By the end Don had won a Nobel. Patty was only a small minor character. Also there was Henry, the engineer and Rahas the astrophysicist. The show centered around the four men and their friendship. There were a lot of laughs, but very little romance. There were a lot of mishaps and misunderstandings as the group interacted with the world around them, but they were never laughed at. The writing made it seem like it was the world that was strange and lost, not the four men. They seemed comfortable in who they were and what they could do. They were confident in a world that was often confused and aimless.

Three hours sped by and suddenly the house lights were coming up. The cast was introduced, and they took their bows. Then Jim Parsons stepped forward.

"I'd like to bring out our fabulous playwright now. She is a charming and wonderful woman who has made this play possible. Her determination and steadfastness kept all of us from caricaturization the characters. Please welcome Ms. Penelope Queen!"

Sheldon's heart thudded in his chest. She walked out on stage and hugged Parsons warmly before turning to the audience. She had cut her hair short, it barely grazed her jawline. She was wearing a floor length gray gown that made her eyes seem large and brilliantly green. She bowed a few times to the audience's applause and then looked directly at where they were seating. He wondered vaguely if she could actually see them through the glare of the lights.

"Thank you. I would like to take all the credit for The Big Bang Theory, but I cannot. I have a wonderful cast, crew and director. They have worked so hard to make this show a success. But more than that, I would like to thank four very special men. They were and still are my inspiration. They taught me so much, not just about science, but about life. They are the most wonderful friends a person could ever have. Kind, sweet, supportive and probably the four smartest men I will ever have the pleasure of meeting." Penny paused and nodded offstage. Suddenly a light was shining of them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a huge round of applause for the true stars of our show, Leonard Hofstadter, Rajeesh Koothrappoli, Howard Wolowitz and Sheldon Cooper."

The four men slowly stood as the audience erupted into thunderous applause. The actresses portraying Patty, Amanda, Nurse Stacy and Belinda walked down the stage steps and presented the four men with a rose each. Sheldon looked back up at the stage but Penny was gone. Parsons was walking past to hand small bouquets to Amy, Bernadette and Stephanie but stopped in front of him.

"She'll be at the party. She has things to do first," he whispered to Sheldon.

Sheldon nodded in shock. His mind was whirling and he was unable to reply.

The moment they walked into the banquet hall, they were applauded again by the cast and crew. They were stunned by the welcome they received. It was as if the cast thought them the stars. People asked to shake their hands and for autographs. Sheldon, unused to so much attention found a corner to hide in. Kaley, the actress playing Patty found him almost immediately.

She smiled as she stared up at him. Sheldon fidgeted a bit. "She talks about you all the time," Kaley said. "She's always talking about how smart you are, and how sweet. She says you'll win a Nobel soon."

Sheldon blushed and ducked his head.

Kaley tilted her head. "Whatever happened between you, she loves you still. Please don't hurt her."

Sheldon gaped at the blond. Kaley looked behind him and nodded. Sheldon turned to see Penny standing a few feet away. She was staring at him anxiously, like she was ready to bolt. Slowly Sheldon turned toward her and smiled shyly. Penny's eyes lit up and she moved closer. Sheldon met her halfway.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi." He smiled gently. "How have you been?"

Penny shrugged. "Working hard. Going to school. I almost have my degree."

They stared at each other, oblivious to the way the crowd was watching them with baited breath.

"Penny…"

"Sheldon…"

They spoke at the same time. After a second she gave a small laugh. "You first or me?"

Sheldon indicated her, so Penny took a deep breath. "I'm not sorry I left like I did. It was hard, and I know I hurt you all. But it was necessary. I was stuck, Sheldon. In a loop like you used to do. I was drowning in failure. But." He had felt a stabbing pain when she said she wasn't sorry. Now he felt a tiny hope at the word 'but'.

"But," she continued. "I missed you terribly. I missed all of my friends, but I missed you more. Two years ago I was falling apart. I hated myself. I hated my life. Even the good parts, the you parts were killing me. I hurt all the time. Because I was scared. I was too much of a coward to say anything. I'm different now. I'm no longer afraid. I love you. Whether you ever feel anything for me or not, I need to tell you how I feel. You are the only man in the world I can or will love. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

Sheldon felt his lips draw back into a true smile. Not his joker grin, or his koala smile. His Penny smile. "Before you left, I realized I was experiencing much more affection for you than I had previously realized. It took you leaving for me to understand just how much I needed and loved you, Penny. In all my life, I have never understood emotional attachments. I have never wanted to become entangled with someone else before. But you broke through all of those misgivings. I regret that I did not recognize this before you left. It was debilitating to lose you, Penny. My life lost it's warmth and brightness the day you disappeared. I love you, Penny. Seeing your play, watching you cross that stage, it was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. I am very proud of you. And now that I've found you again, I'm not letting you go."

Before he could brace himself, he found his body enveloped in Penny's arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. Sheldon laughed gently as he wrapped his around her waist. Behind them, the entire room cheered loudly. They didn't even notice.