Hey, I hope I didn't make it sound like the last chapter was the last one, because... hello, I'm still here, haha! ;D And I'm presenting you the preultimate chapter that features a little family reunion (like someone of you already guessed).

Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing and I hope you'll enjoy this...

-Chapter 19-

Sheldon's confession of love had been like a catalyst for her mind and her confidence. Amy felt like she could take on the whole world because she knew she would never be alone anymore. She had someone beside her who loved her unconditionally and who would always defend and protect her as best as he could. As would she.

Sheldon.

Her best friend and her first love.

Amy didn't think that she could have it both.

Happy and inspired by that special night in the library, Amy flew on a cloud of wisdom and new ideas. Sheldon told her that it has been the same for him. It seemed like they were finally able to concentrate again after months and months of battling with the romantic tension. But now that everything is out in the open – well, at least between them – they felt like nothing could stop them anymore.

In the summer of the same year, Amy achieved her academic goal; much earlier than she thought she would when she first started out: She received her doctorate in neurobiology. With just over twenty and a half years of age, she was the youngest graduate the University of Harvard ever had.

As she walked up to the podium to accept her certificate during the graduation ceremony, Amy wished that her family could be here. She wanted to gloat in front of them; the quirky kid of the Fowler-clan was now an esteemed and successful member of society. Oh, how happy she was.

"Congratulations, Dr. Fowler." Principal Kingsley said as he handed her the framed diploma.

"Thank you." Amy whispered back, choked on her happy tears. As she turned around no one of her family was there, but to Amy it didn't matter. The only face she needed to see proudly smiled back at her.

Sheldon's height made him easy to spot, even in this vast crowd. He was standing at the side of the big venue hall together with all the other teachers and professors, since the middle was reserved for rows and rows of excited graduate students from every faculty of the university.

He clapped along with everyone else as a whole class of new neurobiologists was sent out into the world. There was cheering and hats were thrown all around her, but Amy kept her steady gaze on Sheldon.

Across the distance of at least sixty feet, she could clearly see the love and admiration in his eyes. Words radiated from him and echoed in her own mind; as if she accidentally used the telepathic connection Missy claimed to have with her twin when they were children:

I love you. I'm so proud of you.

In that moment, Amy didn't care what was happening all around her. When she moved from the stage she made her way over towards Sheldon. Once on ground level she couldn't see him in the mass of people, but through a gap in the crowd she saw that he was no longer standing where he was before.

She craned her neck around, looking for his tall figure. Fellow students… no, fellow doctors bumped into her shoulders because she was blocking the way. And when she finally saw him, she suddenly had a very strong déjà-vu moment.

Amy flashed back to three years ago when she was nervously waiting at the airport for Sheldon to arrive from Germany. All that excitement and the anticipation of what could happen between them once they reconnect had buzzed inside of her. And then the crowd had parted and there he stood.

As he did now.

But now he was dressed in a suit for the occasion and despite his lanky frame and his narrow shoulders, he looked so mature and confident in it.

Like it did three years ago, it only took him a few long strides to stand directly in front of her. Unlike three years ago, he didn't hug her. Instead, Sheldon gently took her face between his hands, lowered his head and gave her a long, sweet kiss.

The people gasped around them. A few of them exclaimed something Amy couldn't really make out, because of the background mumbling of a hundred voices. When Sheldon pulled back from her the room was almost eerily quiet. He smiled, but Amy could only gape at him in shock.

The kiss happened so fast that she couldn't stop him. And even if she had been more alert, she didn't think she would have wanted him to stop. Now Amy was as speechless as everyone else. A small circle had formed around them, as if the freshly graduated students didn't want to be pulled into this conspiracy that they somehow always seemed to be aware of.

Finally, Kingsley spoke up from the stage. "Dr. Cooper!" he uttered in shock. "Your behavior is highly inappropriate."

With a never wavering smile Sheldon turned towards his boss and spoke up clearly. "Principal, I would like to take this moment to inform you that I no longer care about that and that it's also no longer any of your business. Because I am going to quit."

The room gasped again. As did Amy. "Sheldon…" she whispered next to him.

"Don't worry," he said and reassuringly took her hand. "I already have something else in mind."

Sheldon tugged her along and together they walked out of the hall, hand in hand, not waiting for the official closure of the ceremony. Just before she closed the door behind her, Amy tossed her hat into the air and carelessly left it behind on the floor.

Soon the happy couple decided to move back home for the time being. Sheldon wanted to see his family again and Amy couldn't wait to reconnect with them, either.

However, she was worried how her mother would react once she finds out about the ruse that had been played on her; she still didn't know about Sheldon being with Amy the whole time.

But first, they paid a visit to the Cooper's.

They took a rental car from the airport to Medford. Amy was driving, of course. She had tried to give Sheldon lessons while they were in Boston, but he was still too insecure… ahem, too evolved, of course, to take the test. Amy grinned about that thought and threw her boyfriend a sideway glance.

Sheldon was looking out the window as the familiar landscape hurled by. He smiled contently and bounced his knee, apparently eager to arrive at his childhood home.

One day, I will convince you to get your driver's license, Amy mused.

As they turned into the Cooper's street, Sheldon's excitement was barely containable. "We're almost there." he voiced, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Amy smiled and briefly put her right hand upon Sheldon's bouncing leg to calm him. "I can't wait, either." she said. "I haven't seen them for five years."

"You're certainly aware that it has been seven years for me." Sheldon noted. "And although we are now in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, they're still… my family."

Amy rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I know. I just wanted to express that I feel so close to your family as if they actually were my own."

"I see." Sheldon smiled and looked bashfully into his lap. "Just so you know… I regard you as my family just as much as my blood relatives."

Amy put the car into park in front of the Cooper house and turned to him, squeezing his hand. "Thanks for saying that."

Sheldon smiled up to her, but all of a sudden, he seemed to be caught up in his own thoughts for a brief moment. Before Amy could ask him about it, Sheldon blinked himself back to reality. "Are you ready?"

She grinned excitedly, her previous wonderment effectively diffused. "I am."

They both exited the car but didn't even manage to make one step towards the porch. Because suddenly, the door flew open with flourish and a tall, gorgeous brunette came sprinting out and over the lawn.

"Bestie!" she shouted and briskly threw her arms around Amy without slowing her run. If it wasn't for Sheldon, who reflexively held out his arms to stabilize her, Amy would've fallen backwards.

"Missy!" Amy laughed in surprise and patted her best friend's back. "I think you're asphyxiating me."

"Oh, there you are, you and your big words. I missed you, Amy." Missy blubbered, still not letting her go.

Amy noticed how Sheldon crossed his arms next to her and pulled up his brows. "Excuse me…" he said and tapped Missy's shoulder. "I'm your twin brother and you haven't seen me for years. Where is my overzealous welcome?"

Missy finally pulled back, put a hand to her hip and gave her brother a challenging look. "Yeah, right. As if you would want me to hug you like that."

Sheldon shrugged timidly. "Okay, I guess you're right."

Missy's deadpan look vanished all of a sudden and got replaced by a broad smile. "Oh, I'm just kidding, dummy, come here."

Amy laughed as Missy wrapped her arms tightly around her twin, effectively crushing him. At first Sheldon struggled against this manhandling, but eventually he surrendered with a sigh, putting his own arms up to hug his sister back.

Then Mary Cooper stepped out the door. It was like the sun came up twice that day.

Mary's joyful smile was so warm and welcoming that it almost brought Amy to tears. "Shelly." she exclaimed, putting her hands to her mouth and swiftly moving over the front yard. Missy stepped back, letting her mother embrace Sheldon.

"Hello, Mom." said Sheldon quietly and this time he hugged without hesitation. Amy noticed how Sheldon squeezed his eyes shut, almost as if he was desperately fighting to hold back tears.

"My lord, how tall you've become." Mary chuckled; the tears were audible in her voice. She took a small step back and looked up to her youngest son who now towered over her. Pride and love visibly glowed in her features. "Oh, Shelly." Lovingly, she caressed his cheek. "My little boy is a man now."

Sheldon's cheeks reddened and he took his mother's hand from his face to press a chaste kiss to the back of it. Mary's eyes widened in surprise. "I've missed you, Mom."

Both, Amy and Missy, were wiping tears from the corners of their eyes as Mary threw her arms around Sheldon once more, sobbing happily. "Oh, dear lord, I thank you." she exclaimed. "For bringing me back my Sheldon. Unharmed and well."

Amy chuckled when Sheldon rolled his eyes about his mother's little prayer. "Mom, you know that god has nothing to do with it."

"I disagree." Mary wiped away her tears and finally focused on Amy. "But I guess I also have you to thank." She smiled brightly, which made Amy blush. So, obviously, Mary was aware of them being together.

"Oh…" Amy said. "I didn't do—"

"Yes, you did, little lady." Mary interrupted her and surprised Amy by enveloping her in a warm hug, too. "I know you did take good care of my baby. Like you always did."

"I'm not a baby anymore." Sheldon protested.

"No, you're definitely not." Missy giggled, jabbing Sheldon's side with her elbow while suggestively raising her brows. "You have to tell me all about it later."

Sheldon didn't seem to understand her suggestions. "Tell you what?" he asked and furrowed his brows.

Oblivious to the meaning of the siblings' exchange, Mary spoke up, releasing Amy from her hug. "All about your adventures at Harvard, of course. And about the two of you." She grinned happily at Sheldon and Amy who now stood so close together that their arms brushed against each other. "I've always known you two will be perfect together, haven't I, Missy?"

"Yeah, you have, Mom." Missy agreed, rolling her eyes at her mother's obvious glee. "But I played a part in this, too. In fact, if it wasn't for me, none of this would've happened." she stated proudly.

Mary apparently began noticing that all this gushing about them was starting to make Amy and Sheldon uncomfortable. "Well… now, come inside you two. You must be starvin'." she said, changing the topic. "Meemaw is inside, reigning over the kitchen; she is making her famous brisket for the occasion."

"Is Georgie here, too?" Sheldon asked, taking Amy's hand and leading her over the yard.

"No, unfortunately." Mary sighed. "He still seems mad at you for leaving so shortly after your Daddy… passed away." She swallowed; the old grief was still evident in her voice. Then she put on a brave smile. "Your brother moved to Dallas and opened a tire shop some years ago. He's very happy there."

"Oh…" Sheldon voiced and then shrugged. "Well, then there's more brisket for us, I guess. Georgie always ate a plethora anyway."

"A what?" Missy giggled.

"Oh, some things never change, do they, sister?" Sheldon sighed and shook his head.

Amy spoke up before the sibling banter could take up the whole conversation. "But we can't stay too long." she reminded everyone.

"Yes." Sheldon agreed. "Amy and I still have to visit her parents."

Missy wrinkled her nose. "You really wanna do that?" she asked her twin. "Amy's mom mostly blames you for Amy moving as far away from her as possible."

"That's preposterous." Sheldon exclaimed. "What did I do?"

"Anyway…" Mary cut in. "I insist that you stay at least until I serve my pecan pie."

Sheldon's eyes sparkled, his irritation forgotten. "You made pecan pie? Oh, goodie!"

And with that he dropped the perplexed looking Amy's hand and dashed inside. "Great." Amy said dryly. "One day, he'll leave me for pie."

Missy and Mary laughed.

As Sheldon and Amy stood in front of the Fowler home, a different kind of excitement spread within them. There wasn't that warm, fuzzy feeling of anticipation, the joy of finally returning to a place where you collected your best childhood memories.

This was fearful excitement.

They didn't know what to expect, but they definitely decided that whatever awaits them, they'll face it together.

Amy and Sheldon looked at each other and squeezed their intertwined hands as Amy knocked on the door.

It wasn't all the way open yet when Karen Fowler's voice was audible. "Amy, I've been waiting for—" She stopped abruptly when her daughter came into view… and she realized that she wasn't alone.

The thin smile that had found its way onto her lips vanished immediately and Karen kept staring at her daughter's companion with a look of surprise and horror. It was clear on her face that she knew he seemed familiar, but she didn't recognize him right away.

"Who the hell are you?" Karen uttered bluntly.

"Mom, I thought you would recognize your only daughter." Amy dared to joke.

Karen was too perplex to even notice the irony. "No, I mean… him." Her eyes jumped back and forth between their faces and occasionally down to their clasped hands. "Has some no-good Yankee college boy turned my nice girl's head around?" she questioned with menace, not with delight.

"Sort of." Amy shrugged with a small smile and glanced up at Sheldon who nervously averted his eyes under Karen Fowler's condemnatory glare. "He was at Harvard with me, but he isn't from up there." she added. "Actually… you already know him."

At that Sheldon finally found the courage to look directly at Karen. For a second she narrowed her eyes… then Amy knew that her mother suddenly recognized him.

"Mom… this is my boyfriend. Sheldon Lee Cooper."

With eyes as wide as saucers, Karen looked up and down on him, obviously trying to comprehend the fact that the slender, young boy she chased off her property once was now a grown man… and holding hands with her daughter.

"You…" she breathed out.

"Nice to meet you again, Mrs. Fowler." Sheldon said cordially and even stretched out his hand for her to shake. But she just kept staring.

"How can you…" Once more Karen's eyes flickered down to their joined hands. "You… you left." She gave Sheldon a hard look. "You broke her heart. How can you be here with my Amy again?"

Before Sheldon could answer, Amy held up a hand. "Mom, why don't you invite us in and we'll explain everything." she suggested.

Her mother seemed to have to consider this first, but then she stepped aside. "Fine. Come in."

Nothing had changed inside of the house, Amy noticed. Everything was just the same. Old-fashioned and prim; just like her mother. Moving over to the plush couch to settle down, Amy hopefully asked, "Is Dad home?"

"No, he's still at work." Karen answered. "He planned on leaving early today, though, since you're returning home." She made a point of only addressing Amy and completely neglecting Sheldon. He seemed to get the hint and stayed quiet for the sake of peace.

An uncomfortable silence spread. Karen was obviously curious to hear about the story behind Sheldon's reappearance, but too stubborn to ask for an explanation. Amy sighed, knowing that it was best to be blunt and honest with her mother and deal with the scolding afterwards.

"So, Mom… since you asked previously… Sheldon and I had been corresponding ever since he left town. I think you're aware of that—"

"I am." Karen cut in. "And I didn't understand why you insisted on writing letters in the first place when that boy caused you nothing but tears."

Amy swallowed her anger and tried to stay calm and reasonable. "That's not true, Mom, and you know it. I was always happy to be around Sheldon, that's why it was so hard for me when he left. But later I understood why he had to do it."

Sheldon seemed to sense her tension and gave her hand, which rested with his on her knee, a reassuring squeeze. Amy breathed deeply through her nose and calmed down immediately.

"When I went to Harvard…" Amy continued. "Sheldon arranged for a transfer so that… he was able to teach as a professor at my university."

Karen's mouth involuntarily dropped open. She hid her shock quickly and nonchalantly asked, "And when did that happen?"

Amy chewed nervously on her bottom lip, looking into her lap. Realizing what she was doing and hating that she allowed herself to feel guilty about this, she held her mother's gaze again. "Two years after my matriculation."

"Amy!" Karen Fowler exclaimed. "That was three years ago. How often have we spoken since then? And you never told me? Oh, Amy… I'm disappointed that you would lie to me like that."

"I understand that, Mom." Amy pleaded, stubbornly refusing to feel bad about keeping secrets. Without noticing she held Sheldon's hand tighter. "But I knew how you would react. You were never very fond of Sheldon, which is completely beyond me since he was always polite towards you and never did anything to deserve this kind of harsh treatment."

"Because you never saw how it would look." Karen argued. "You two were so young—"

"Yes, but we were only friends!" Amy couldn't help but raise her voice to silence her mother. "And when we met again… we weren't children anymore and there was this connection." Amy looked at Sheldon, struggling to explain, but he could only smile encouragingly at her. "I've never felt anything like this. So… just last year, we decided to start a romantic relationship." Amy smiled back at Sheldon, intertwining their fingers. "And since then I've never been happier."

Karen couldn't be convinced by their love-filled grins. "You say that now, Amy, but the fact remains that you are still young." she stressed. "Opening up your inexperienced, lovesick heart to someone can be dangerous. Anything can happen. Can't you see, child, that I'm only trying to protect you from getting hurt again?"

Amy opened her mouth to protest, but this time Sheldon surprised her by beating her to a response.

"If I may say something, Mrs. Fowler…" he spoke up clear and unwavering.

Karen blinked at Sheldon as if she just now became aware that he was still in the room; his tone of voice didn't allow her to object.

Sitting up straighter, Sheldon cleared his throat and bravely looked into Karen Fowler's cold eyes. "I want you to know… that I'm in love with your daughter." he confessed firmly. "If I caused her to shed tears in the past then rest assured that it was not my intention. I understand that you want to protect her, but you don't have to protect her from me. You never needed to. The last thing I want is causing pain for Amy. I love her and I'm not planning on leaving her ever again."

The weight of Sheldon's speech hung in the air like sweet perfume. It caused Amy to breathe in deeply to suck in more of that heavenly fragrance that was his statement of love. It caused her to tear up and put a hand upon her chest to calm her racing heart.

For once, her mother seemed to be at a loss for words, too. Open mouthed she stared at Sheldon, somehow trying to find a flaw in his confession, but at the same time, she didn't seem to dare doubting him. "I-Is that so, yes?" she finally uttered.

"Yes, ma'am." Sheldon nodded certainly.

Amy put her other hand upon Sheldon's as she found her own voice again. "Mom… it would mean very much to me if you'd approve of Sheldon as my boyfriend. But if you still can't…" she paused with a sigh. "Know that we will continue our relationship anyway." Amy and Sheldon locked gazes again and smiled at each other. "Because I love him, too." she said.

Karen averted her eyes, apparently ashamed of their open display of affection. "Well…" she murmured, clenching her jaw. "It seems that you two made yourself clear. If this is what you want… I won't stop you, Amy."

"Thanks, Mom." Amy breathed out in relief. But she noticed, however, that it was much harder for her mother to simply shake off her unease.

"If it would help to diffuse your worries," Sheldon added suddenly. "You could come to my Meemaw's 60th birthday party in two months. We're celebrating in my mom's backyard. Your husband is invited, too, of course." he offered. "There I can assure you of my sincerity concerning your daughter."

Amy furrowed her brows and looked at him. Previously, at the Cooper's house, after Sheldon's Meemaw enthusiastically greeted her grandson and his girlfriend, she had proceeded to make plans to invite Amy to her oncoming birthday party. Amy didn't want to barge in to a family festivity, but Meemaw insisted. But never was it spoken of that Amy could bring her parents, hence her confusion now.

"Sheldon… how would a birthday celebration prove to my mother that—" Amy paused when she heard keys jingling at the door. Dismissing all of her questions at once, she jumped up in excitement. "Daddy." she breathed out happily when Larry Fowler appeared in the doorway with a kind smile.

Amy didn't wait for him to greet her, but instantly hurried over to hug him tightly.

"Welcome back, sweetheart." Larry said quietly. "Tell me about Harvard."

Sheldon and Karen watched as Amy joyfully started narrating. The tension from before visibly melted away from her as she could finally tell all the tales she'd been wanting to tell since she stepped through the door.

Karen caught Sheldon's fond gaze over the coffee table. She pressed her lips together to form that strained, thin smile that was customary for her and nodded at Sheldon.

He nodded back. An affirmative answer to his invitation and a first sign of truce between them.

Only one more chapter to go! Please stay with me 'til the end, because there is another change of perspective ahead... ;)

Please review, you lovely readers!