Neither of them got much sleep that night. Although Sheldon had become used to sharing a bed with Penny, this was a totally different experience. Every time one of them moved, it seemed, someone would wake up. At first, there would be sleepy kisses and drowsy cuddling, but things soon got more passionate. Sheldon found he couldn't regret in the least the loss of sleep or the interruption of his REM cycle.
They slept in much later than Sheldon was accustomed, finally managing to get showered and dressed by mid-morning. Sheldon's mother had given them a one-time pass to miss Christmas morning services, but had made them promise to show up at the house at noon sharp to have Christmas dinner and open presents. Sheldon's siblings may have made some rather immature comments about the dark circles under the eyes of both newlyweds, but other than that, they had a great time together.
Over the next few days, Penny and Sheldon spent their days at the cabin. Then they would head over to Mary's house for dinner and slip away back to their private sanctuary as soon as they could politely take their leave. Penny found that she had more in common with her new mother-in-law than she thought, and she took a sadistic glee in swapping "Sheldon-handling" stories with her.
When it was finally time for Penny and Sheldon to head to Nebraska, they took their leave of the little cabin reluctantly.
"Do you think we can come back here someday?" Penny asked plaintively as Sheldon closed the door.
"If that's what you want, I will make it happen," Sheldon replied seriously.
They boarded a train for Omaha, and at the end of their journey, they found Amy waiting to meet them at the station. She squealed when she saw Penny and rushed to hug her.
"Bestie, you look radiant! Exactly as a bride ought to look!" Amy gushed. Then she turned to Sheldon, and her arms fell to her sides as she smiled at him a little awkwardly.
"Hello, Sheldon. I can't believe you're married now... sort of," she said.
"As far as I am concerned, I am. I have learned that there are things that are more binding than legal documents," he replied. His expression was serious, but the way he looked at Penny was so full of love that it took Amy's breath away.
"Congratulations," Amy said dutifully. "I would hug you too, but... you know..." Her voice trailed off uncertainly, and she looked away.
Penny immediately sized up the situation. "Sweetie, would you excuse us for a minute?" she asked. Not giving Sheldon the chance to respond, she linked her arm through Amy's and pulled her toward a bench in a quieter corner of the station.
"I can tell what's going on in your head," Penny said gently.
"You can?" Amy asked nervously.
"Yeah. You've got a new boyfriend. You've moved on, and you're happier for it. But seeing Sheldon still brings back all those old feelings you used to have for him."
Amy nodded unhappily.
"You never forget your first love," Penny quoted softly. "It's all right, Ames. It happens to everyone, and I'm not upset about it. It's like they say about being in love with love. The feelings remain even if the relationship wasn't right. Because of that, I'm actually surprised you wanted to be the one to meet us here at the station."
Amy gave her a weak smile. "We drew straws, but I cheated. I wanted to be the first to see you after your romantic surprise wedding."
Penny chuckled. "Amy, you're one in a million," she quipped.
As the girls rejoined Sheldon, he cleared his throat apprehensively. "I have something I wish to say to you, Amy. I was not a very good boyfriend to you while we were dating. I did not always behave in the most mature fashion. I never meant to hurt you." It was much closer to a genuine apology than most people could ever elicit from him.
"It's okay," Amy said, giving him a tentative smile. "Come on, everyone's waiting for us."
When they arrived at Penny's parent's farm house, they found the rest of their friends gathered around the old wooden kitchen table, while Penny's mother bustled around, making sure everyone had plenty to eat and drink.
Leonard startled Sheldon by hugging him as he looked a little misty-eyed. "I never thought I'd see this day, buddy. I'm happy for you... and really proud of you," he said.
Alex approached him next. Smiling shyly, she said that he seemed more relaxed than she had ever seen and that marriage must agree with him. Raj, of course, couldn't stop talking about how "dreamy" he found their elopement and how excited he was to help plan their official wedding. Penny grinned at him and hoped that he hadn't been given free rein on the decorations. As Bernie hugged Penny, she remarked ruefully that at least Penny would never have to deal with the idea of living under the same roof as her mother-in-law. Penny laughed at that.
"When I first met Mary, she was a bit much, but I've actually found we get along pretty well... not that it's killing me to be living in a different state from my mother-in-law," she added in a whisper.
Across the room, Penny could see Howard talking earnestly to Sheldon. She couldn't tell exactly what Howard was saying, but if the deep red color suffusing Sheldon's face was any indication, it must have been something pretty racy. (Sheldon later admitted that Howard had been giving him unwanted "advice" about the honeymoon.) Sheldon finally got his engineer friend to shut up by saying that he and Penny were getting along just fine on their own.
The official wedding ceremony was three days hence, since blood tests were required. Penny's mom and older sister had been taking care of most of the details, planning a simple church wedding with a reception to follow at the local lodge. The days flew by in a whirlwind of last-minute details. Penny had asked Bernie, Amy and Alex to be her bridesmaids. (Penny's sister Leann had been excused on account of being seven months pregnant and, as she said, unable to find any dress that wouldn't look like a tent on her.) Penny had let her friends choose their own dresses, simply telling them to wear gold since the wedding fell on New Year's Day. Penny fought to hide her smile when she saw the dress Amy picked out. It was a frothy, tiered confection that reminded Penny of a Christmas Barbie doll she'd had as a kid.
On the morning of the big day, Penny's mother helped her get dressed and had a last word for her before the wedding. "I know your father was always partial to Leonard," she said as she adjusted Penny's hemline and secured her hair with a few more bobby pins. "But I want you to know that we both think Sheldon is a good man. Anyone who's in the same room with the two of you for more than a minute can tell how much he adores you. We just want you to be happy, Penny."
Penny blinked furiously, trying not to ruin her makeup, as she gingerly hugged her mother and promised her that she was very happy.
Wyatt was waiting in the tiny vestibule behind the sanctuary for his daughter. When he saw her in her wedding gown, he beamed proudly. "You remind me so much of your mother," he said before kissing her cheek and escorting her down the aisle. At the front of the chapel, he broke tradition by shaking Sheldon's hand before turning his daughter over to the groom. Penny felt her heart swell with happiness as she took in all of their friends: Leonard, Raj and Howard next to Sheldon as groomsmen, and Amy, Bernie and Alex there as her bridesmaids. (Bernie had graciously conceded the position of maid of honor to Amy, saying that a married woman shouldn't hold that honor.) Throughout the ceremony, Amy kept leaning out of line to wave excitedly to Dan, who was sitting in the audience. Penny hardly noticed. She couldn't tear her eyes from the sight of the tall, handsome man whose gaze met hers with ardent intensity as he pledged his life and love to her.
As the pastor pronounced them man and wife, Sheldon was already leaning down to her before the words were quite out of the officiant's mouth.
"Forever," he whispered against her lips, and she knew it was true as she kissed him back, trying to express all the happiness that was in her heart.
A/N: Yay! I'm so happy this story is finally finished. Thanks to all my followers for being patient (or at least not leaving nasty messages) about the delay in posting the last chapter. I moved out of state and still have a lot of boxes to unpack, but writing fanfic is so much more fun.