Penny sat in front of a mirror in the bathroom, Amy and Bernadette hovering above her. "Shouldn't I wear the dress first before we do hair and make-up?" She asked.
"Yeah, probably," Amy replied. "But we're too excited!"
Bernadette started styling Penny's hair. "Any requests for your hair?" She asked.
Penny smiled. "None. Do your worst, Bernadette." She joked.
"Hey!" Bernadette feigned anger, but grinned. "But you know what I think?"
Penny shook her head. "I think that even if you walked down the aisle looking like Howard's mother, Sheldon's still gonna think that you're the most beautiful woman in the planet," Bernadette replied.
"She's right, Penny," Amy laughed. "Now hold still if you don't wanna look like Mrs. Wolowitz."
The three women laughed. "We are so going to hell," Penny said as she laughed.
Sheldon, Howard and Raj camped in another bedroom. "So what do we do now?" Raj asked.
It was a logical question. With all three of them already in their tuxedos, there really was nothing more to do until the wedding. "Have you thought about your vow yet, Sheldon?"
Sheldon nodded. "Yes. Although I think that the vow I have planned will change slightly when we're there."
"Yeah," Howard muttered. "It's different when you're in the actual wedding," he smiled, recalling his own wedding with Bernadette.
They sat for a few moments, sharing stories from way back. The moment they ran out of stories to tell, they heard a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Raj stood.
"Oh my God," Raj muttered. "Who is it?" Howard asked from inside.
"It's me, Leonard," he entered the room and gave them an apologetic smile. "Hey, buddy," he greeted Sheldon.
Sheldon didn't know whether to smile at his old friend's return or feel uncomfortable. "Hello, Leonard."
Leonard smiled, and it was a simple, sincere one. "Look, guys, I didn't come here to do something horrible. I just came to watch Sheldon and Penny get married."
"Where the hell have you been?" Howard asked.
Leonard shrugged. "New York. I got tenure. Sorry I.. Kind of just ignored you guys. Missy e-mailed and told me you were getting married-I guess she didn't know I've been away. I am truly happy for you, Sheldon. I guess I've always known you guys would end up together."
Sheldon actually stood and gave Leonard an awkward hug. "Thank you. I am happy that you are here, too. I assume you want to see Penny?" Sheldon gave directions to his bride's bedroom, and Leonard thanked him. "Take care of her, Sheldon," Leonard said as he left. "See you at the wedding."
"Leonard!" Penny jumped as soon as she opened the door. "You're here too!" Bernadette and Amy hid in the bathroom after acknowledging him, thinking that Penny and Leonard are going to have an awkward talk.
Leonard smiled. "Wouldn't miss your wedding for the world, Penny. I am so, so happy for you and Sheldon."
"Thanks, sweetie," she said as she gestured for him to sit. "How have you been?"
"Great," Leonard replied. "I'm happy. I got tenure in New York,"
Penny smiled. "Good for you, Leonard. I'm glad you're happy."
"Me too." Leonard replied. "I guess I just came here to tell you that I'm happy for you, and that I'm sorry for the pain I caused you." They stood, and Penny gave him a hug. "I've already forgiven you, Leonard." He left the room.
Missy suddenly entered the room. "Dress is here!"
The lawn was beautifully decorated. There were lawn chairs for the guests-mostly family. There was a small platform in front for the bride and groom. There was a red carpet in between, serving as an aisle. There were flowers everywhere: white and light pink flowers, which were subtle yet elegant. The sky was clear, and it was neither cold nor hot. Even nature wanted Sheldon and Penny to get married.
Howard and Raj led Sheldon to the front, then assumed position. Since they were ordained, they volunteered to marry the couple. Penny was still inside the house, talking to her parents who arrived just this morning. Sheldon had asked them both for Penny's hand like a true gentleman, and the parents were happy to oblige. Penny's father were to walk her down the aisle.
"Thanks for coming, guys," Penny said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Slugger," her father replied. "I will never not be in any wedding of yours," he joked.
Penny smiled through her happy tears. "I love you both," she hugged her parents.
"Ready, guys?" Missy asked, and they all nodded. She led Penny's mother to her seat and returned to Penny. "Alright. I'm going to get the band playing, then you two-" gesturing at Penny and her father "-come on out. Good luck, guys!" She said cheerily.
She disappeared, and seconds later Penny heard the band playing. "Come on," her dad offered his arm. She looped hers through his and started to walk down the aisle, where her future husband-and the five ministers-were waiting.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Amy whispered to Sheldon, and he just nodded. He was speechless. He just stared at the love of his life coming towards him.
Penny's father shook Sheldon's hand, and kissed his daughter on the cheek. They just looked at each other with eyes full of love, until the ministers started giving their words.
"Sheldon and Penny," Raj started, then started to sob. "Not again!" He sobbed until he was incoherent. The friends laughed. Even at Bernadette's wedding, Raj couldn't keep it together.
"My turn," Howard said. "Sheldon and Penny... God, you are an unlikely couple. Who would have thought that Sheldon could love someone more than life-and science-itself?" They laughed. "I hope you guys never cease to make each other happy, like me and Bernie over here," he said, then put an arm around his wife.
"Thanks, Howie," Bernadette replied. "Sheldon and Penny... I always thought you guys were meant for each other. I almost strangled Sheldon when Penny told me that he asked her to leave him alone, and I almost strangled Penny because she didn't realize that Sheldon was in love with her-I had to spell it out. But after a long time of waiting, you finally realized your undying love for each other, and I realized that if it's meant to be, it truly will be."
Amy cleared her throat before speaking. "Well... Even though I was still Sheldon's girlfriend, I knew that he only had eyes for her. How could someone look at another person like the way they're looking at each other now and not be in love?" The crowd laughed. "You are such an unlikely pair-you are complete opposites, in fact-but you complement each other and that's all that really matters."
Leonard was the last to speak. "Sheldon and Penny," he started. "You used to argue a lot, mostly because you couldn't understand each other. But you also cared for each other the way that no one else in our group cared for another person-well, maybe except Howard and Bernadette-and it was during those moments that I realized that you loved in other deeply, even though you didn't know it back then. You didn't know, but every single one of us did, and believe me when I say that we are all happy to finally see you two making your relationship permanent."
Penny and Sheldon smiled and thanked their friends. "I have a few words too," she bit her lip. "Sheldon, I really used to hate you back then. You were annoying and treated not so smart people like me like crap, but through the years I've come to realize how valuable you really are to me, and that I love you, craziness and all. I vow to always be there for you, and to always love you, and to always make you happy. I can't promise to never annoy you with my own craziness, but know that I will try not to. And even if you try to drive me away, I will always come back to you." She slid a ring on his finger.
"Penny," Sheldon replied with a smile. "I admit-you also used to make me mad because you do not conform to my rules and regulations, but to my surprise, you were also the only one who understood me and cared for me. You made soup when I was sick, sang Soft Kitty because you knew I needed it. You were always concerned for me, and I, little by little, felt the same for you. I've realized just how important you are, how much you have become part of my life, how much I couldn't live without you. And so I vow to always be there, to love and to care for you when you need me. To sing you Soft Kitty when you're sick, to drive you to a hospital even though I can't drive." Penny wiped away her tears as Sheldon slipped a ring on her finger.
"...we now pronounce you husband and wife!" The ministers announced. Sheldon kissed Penny without abandon, and nothing else mattered. Not the people cheering, not the happy tears falling from their eyes. All that mattered to the newlyweds were each other.
AN: Let's all congratulate Penny and Sheldon! Yep, they got married, but the story doesn't end there. Give me two/three more chapters :)
TBBT's not mine! (And it's coming back on TV real soon!)