Epilogue
Sheldon held out a chair for Penny. He looked so handsome in his charcoal grey suit, she thought. Although Sheldon still preferred his thermal-and-tee-shirt combination for everyday wear, he often dressed up for her when they went out on dates. Tonight was no exception. It was their two-year anniversary, and she knew he had chosen to wear that particular suit just to please her. Penny was impressed as she took in the gleam of crystal and china and the immaculate linen tablecloth. "Sweetie, this place is amazing. You picked the perfect place for our anniversary."
He winked at her. "Only the best for you, Kitten."
She laughed. He usually only called her "Kitten" in their most intimate moments, and any time he did so out in public, she fought to control the blush staining her cheeks.
They ate their meal, hardly tasting the food even though it was a five-star restaurant.
"I have something for you," Sheldon said seriously, after the waiter had cleared away their plates.
"I have something to give you too," Penny replied with a nervous smile. She didn't know how he was going to react, but the timing seemed auspicious. "You first," she prompted.
Sheldon rose from his chair and circled the table to stand beside her, fumbling in his pocket. Suddenly, he dropped to one knee and held out a small white box. "Penny..." he began.
Her swift reaction was not at all what he expected.
"She told you!" Penny gasped. "How could she do that to me? Oh, please get up, you're ruining everything."
Completely bewildered, Sheldon rose and sat back down in his chair, brushing down his dark suit to hide his confusion. "I'm sorry," he said stiffly, wondering how he could have misunderstood her feelings.
"Sheldon..." Penny's voice broke into his thoughts, "...did Amy tell you? Were you going to propose because of my news?"
Sheldon shook his head, baffled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Her face drained of color. "Oh my god, were you really going to propose, I mean, for real? Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. I messed it all up. Here, just... open this. Maybe this will explain why I'm acting so crazy." She thrust a small gift bag into his hands.
Eyeing her warily, he removed the tissue paper and pulled out a small bundle of soft blue cloth. He unfolded it and stared at it in shock as all his mental processes ground to a halt. Gradually, he became aware of Penny's voice calling his name, of the feel of her hand shaking her shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head to see that she was leaning over him, her face taut with concern.
"I didn't mean to freak you out. I thought this might be a good way to let you know. We have plenty of time to talk before..." Penny was babbling, and for the first time in his life, Sheldon simply couldn't focus on her words. He returned his attention to the item in his hands. He was holding a knit garment commonly referred to as a "onesie". It was light blue with gold braid around the sleeves, and a replica of the original Star Trek com badge on the chest. Someone had painstaking hand-appliqued a shiny fabric IDIC medallion in the center of the garment. It was Spock's dress uniform, a miniature version... made for an infant.
He slowly turned back to Penny again. "A baby?" he said faintly.
"Yeah," she breathed, her eyes never leaving his face.
"Our baby?"
"Yeah, sweetie, our baby, you and me," she smiled.
There was a tickling sensation on his face, and Penny reached over and brushed the tear from his cheek. "Sweetie, are you crying?" she asked gently.
"Don't be ridiculous; I never cry," he retorted, but his voice broke as he said the words.
He swallowed hard. "I-I don't deserve you," he whispered, struggling to get the words past the tightening in his throat. Just like that, he knew what he needed to do. All his fears and nervousness fell away, and there was nothing else in the world except him and the woman he loved. He stood up and pulled her into his arms. It wasn't the traditional way, but somehow it felt right.
"Penny," he began again, "I don't deserve someone like you. I used to think happiness was riding on a train or getting a new comic book. Then you came into my life and showed me kindness, compassion, love-things I had never truly experienced before. It was like a whole new universe opening up in front of me. I love you... so much that the word 'love' seems entirely inadequate. I still don't know how or why you love me, but I would gladly spend the rest of my life trying to give back to you just some of the happiness you have brought into my life."
With hands that trembled slightly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the white box, opening it to reveal a ring. Penny gasped when she saw it. It was a masterpiece of graceful platinum filigree, with a marquis-cut emerald set in the center. "I had this ring custom-made. It's designed after Arwen's wedding tiara from Lord of the Rings. I know how much you loved all the costuming in the movies, so I ordered it two months ago. Probably before..." His eyes dropped to her stomach.
"I don't want to marry you because it's the right thing to do, or even because we're going to have a baby together. I want to marry you because I have never loved anyone the way I love you, and I don't want to live without you. Penny, will you marry me?"
Penny was not ashamed of the tears trickling down her face as she cried, "Yes! Yes, a million times, yes. I love you so much!" He slid the ring on her finger, and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. They were so absorbed in their happiness that they didn't even hear the applause as the rest of the restaurant customers cheered for them.
A/N: Hope you liked it! Thanks to everyone who left reviews. I'm looking for a beta reader right now. I had one, but her initial interest waned quickly, and well, let's just say she wasn't a fan of this pairing and made that clear in her comments. So if you think you can improve my writing style and want a sneak peek at my stories, PM me!
