"Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindness, and small obligations given habitually, are what preserve the heart and secure comfort."

-Humphry Davy

In three weeks, Sheldon would be on a train along with a woman who made herself such a regular presence in his life that he would have a panic attack if she wasn't there anymore. He reread the itinerary for the trip five times since he was too distracted to keep focused. His mind would drift to Penny and Amy, comparing the two non-related women in his life that did not judge him the moment they met him. Sheldon wanted them both to stay in his life as long as possible, each having a significant impact on him in some type of way. The problem was that he wished to court Penny and break things off with Amy. Sitting in front of his desk, Sheldon buried his face into his hands as he sighed in frustration.

"Curse these feelings," he mumbled to himself as he took long deep breaths.

It would surprise almost everyone he knew if they found out about his current predicament. Sheldon was torn between two very unlike women. One was highly successful in the field of Neurobiology and understood all of his quirks that made him who he was. Amy was his first girlfriend and he did share new experiences with her such as kissing and a better (though not as much) understanding of the female population. He knew how to impress a lady and how to properly woo them thanks to internet research and a trial run with Amy herself. Never in a million years would he have thought that he, Sheldon Cooper, imagined of having a progeny to inherit his intelligence and accomplish numerous things like how he aims to do. With Amy's high IQ, their child would be unstoppable and advance beyond his or her age.

On the other plate was Penny, the Nebraskan blonde that moved to California two and a half months ago in hopes of becoming an actress. Her dream was starting to become her reality and it made Penny very proud of herself. Exposure on television would give her more opportunities, such as the one coming up shortly. Her first on-set filming for an upcoming TV series was in a matter of days, and in Los Angeles was where she'll finally meet the other cast members that had more experiences in acting than her. Sheldon had a clue that she was nervous for this but didn't think that she would back down. The Penny he knew would do no such thing. She was determined and adamant. Once she had her mind set for something, it was hard to change it around. In addition to that, Penny was also sarcastic, witty, open, and messy.

He had never met another person that had Penny's unique personality. Sheldon would often find himself trying to keep up with her free, easy, and outgoing spirit. Although she had a lower IQ than him, Penny was never hidden behind Sheldon's shadow. Her own self was enough to catch others' attention and she got along with almost anyone who doesn't get on her nerves the first time they meet. Sheldon was exposed to many different and unfamiliar emotions after being with Penny for a long enough time. One that scared him the most was the feeling of... love.

Sheldon would be crazy if he said he loved her. Growing up, most people in his life pointed out his incapability of loving another human being. It made him sound like an emotionless robot, but the truth is he's not. He did the best he could to hold off any desires and feelings, knowing that he was wasting his valuable time that could be used for answering the unsolved mysteries of their galaxy. Yet at some point in his life, Sheldon predicted that he would have to finally succumb to these buried parts of him. The possibility was there, but he wasn't sure when, how, and especially, with whom.

One side pointed to Amy. Amy had been waiting four long years for him. He was given the understanding that she'll remain pure until he was fully ready to commit and give all of himself to her. When he does feel ready, a part of him wants to share those intimate experiences with her. He wants to because she had waited for him and felt like she deserved some type of reward for that. Also, if test tube babies fail, they may have to resort to the traditional ways of creating children.

At the same time, Sheldon also wanted to experience it with Penny. Truth be told, she was the first woman that he had been aroused by the sight of her. She was beautiful and breath-taking. Her blonde hair that fell down past her shoulders with those green smoldering eyes always seemed to cause Sheldon's heart beat faster than normal. He would often stare at her when she's not looking, admiring her perfect form and attractiveness. He wasn't attracted to her just because of looks. He was attracted to the person she is. Yes, she was beautiful, but her loyal, sweet, caring, and kind attitude towards him made him want her even more. Sheldon could be himself around her and not ever have to worry about being made fun of.

The moment he spoke about his feelings to her, Sheldon would admit that he was saddened by her response. He grew up dealing with rejection from his peers. This was one of the few moments he interacted with women this way and he recalls how the sting of rejection can really affect him. He wanted to be the man in her life that would hold her close through anything and cause the smile on her face. He wanted to prep her with kisses for no reason but to feel the softness of her lips on his.

Yet the thought of the exchanging bodily fluids ultimately had an effect on him. He was scrupulous of his hygiene and it drove him mad whenever he needed hand sanitizer but didn't have one on him. A simple hug could overwhelm him and make him feel like he was being crushed by a boa constrictor. Any sort of physical contact would have him locking himself inside the bathroom and scrubbing every inch of his body until he was a hundred percent sure it was clean. Along with his mysophobia, Sheldon wasn't sure that regular sex would be a good thing. He took note of Leonard's lack of focus during work and throughout the rest of the day after a one night stand with some random woman. He could not be distracted while working. He was close to a breakthrough and can't afford any disruptions.

Sheldon still hadn't found the answer to his problem. Will it be Amy or Penny?

He was fond of the two, and they were important to him. Thinking back to his thoughts before, he realized that most of them were about Penny. Maybe his mother was right? Maybe Penny was the one?

But he needed to restore order back into his life. Homeostasis, his good friend, must be still intact in his small group of buddies. He dared to make changes in anything, and he felt the air get thinner when the thought of it came. He couldn't upset both women. Although he had stronger feelings towards Penny, he knew that it was best for him to stay with Amy. Penny hadn't mentioned anything about how she now felt about him considering the night they came so close to a kiss.

He was torn, and he would have never imagined this happening to him before.

Penny ran.

She ran as fast as she could, pushing and bumping into people until she reached the front entrance of the apartment complex. Her hands dug into her purse and pulled out the spare key that Sheldon had given her recently. Penny fumbled for a bit, trying to put the key into the lock before finally being able to swing the door open and dash up the stairs as quick as fox. Once she reached the fourth floor landing, she was out of breath and panting hard. After calming herself down, Penny used a second key to unlock Apartment 4A.

The door slowly opened and Penny quietly let herself inside. The room was dimly lit, and an overwhelming feeling of sadness rushed towards her. She hadn't seen the guys for two weeks since she was busy preparing for filming coming up soon. Penny felt bad canceling Pizza Night when she came down with a sore throat, and she needed to rest in order to attend her first table read the day after. Ever since then, it was a regular cycle of sleeping, going to work, reading scripts, and eating. She barely had time to spare, but still manage to send a text or two to her friends, assuring them that she was alive and well.

Penny had just finished her grocery shopping when she got a phone call from Raj about Sheldon. The moment Raj told her the news, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Sheldon. His Meemaw was currently unconscious and lying on a hospital bed after suffering a heart attack the night before. Penny had never met the woman, but Sheldon mentioned her whenever he could. His Meemaw reminded her of her Nana back in Nebraska. Her Nana was the only grandparent she has left and she couldn't imagine how she would react when she passes away with her not there to say a final farewell.

She silently padded across the apartment and to the front of Sheldon's bedroom door. Penny pressed her ear on the door, but heard no noise coming from the other side. She debated whether to walk in freely or knock and wait for him to answer. Before she could raise her hand, Sheldon opened the door, but not enough for Penny to enter. She could see the redness of his eyes and his disheveled state right at that second. Hearing him sniffling made her want to cry. She was sad because he was too.

"How did you know I was here?" Penny asked.

"I could hear your footsteps and the front door opening and closing," Sheldon answered, wiping a stray tear away. "What do you want?"

All she wanted to do was comfort him and get him through such a painful time. She knew exactly how he felt and needed him to understand that he would never be alone during a time like this. "Raj told me, sweetie. I'm so so so sorry."

Sheldon looked down to his feet for a second before opening the door fully and gesturing Penny to come inside. Without a word, she entered and stood awkwardly in the middle of his room. She watched him shut the door and sit on the edge of the bed, picking up a photograph that was resting on his night stand. Penny inched closer to him as she fought the urge to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Instead, she sat right next to him on the bed and saw the picture in his hand.

"Meemaw was the one who I was the closest to. She and Pop-pop both encouraged me to follow my dreams of becoming a physicist. They believed in me and not once did they doubt my abilities. That's what set them apart from my other family members. When Pop-pop died, I stayed with my Meemaw to grieve with her and remember what a good man he was. As I spent more time with her, I've learned so many stories about her past. There even was one where she killed a prairie dog with a gravy boat. I would help her around the farm and also in the kitchen. She made me the happiest when no one else could," Sheldon said as he smiled sadly. Tears started to form once more in the corner of his eyes and he couldn't stop them from falling.

"I can't imagine her in a hospital bed dying, Penny," Sheldon broke down in harsh sobs. He flinched slightly as Penny's arms wrapped him from his side as she ran a smooth hand up and down his back. She held him as his hysterical cries came down. "I- I need to fly back home."

"I understand, Sheldon. I'll be here if you need me."

Sheldon shook his head and glanced down at Penny. "No, I need you there with me, too."

"Don't you want your girlfriend instead of me though?" Penny asked with a confused look on her face.

"Amy is at San Diego right now for a symposium. I want to leave tonight. Please, Penny. I'll even pay for your ticket if you cannot afford it yourself!"

"But Sheldon, I have that filming to do and-"

Sheldon lowered his head. "I understand," he whispered.

Penny held his hand. He was her friend, and he needed her now more than ever. The feelings she had for him were still there, and she could never see them going away. She cared for him, and he was important in her life. Seeing him in such a depressive state was tearing her heart in half. Sheldon didn't deserve to feel this way. "How long are you planning to stay?"

"As long as I need to. Penny, even if you stay for only three days, I'm fine with it. I don't want to fly to Texas all by myself," Sheldon said with pleading eyes.

There was a long pause, and Sheldon was anxious for an answer.

"I guess I'll go home and pack a bag. Don't worry, sweetie, I have money saved up and I can pay for myself."

Sheldon lightened up and hugged Penny as tightly as he could, brushing away the thought of germs. "Thank you," he muttered through her hair over and over.

A/N:

...And off to Texas we go!

I'll update within a week if I'm able to. I also do hope you enjoyed Sheldon's POV in the beginning. Took me forever to write it! I've did my best to proofread this but I know a few mistakes went by unnoticed. Thank you for reading and reviews are welcomed!