My dear readers, this is going to be the last chapter of this AU Shamy story! Thank you all so much for reading and following as those two lovable nerds grew from innocent children to the quirky couple we all know. This is just what I think would have happened if there ever was a 'Young Shamy'. ;)
Now to bring the story full circle back to the beginning, here is again a chapter from Missy's point of view and the thought she started with... because in this universe there would be no Shamy without Missy! ;)
Happy reading...
-Chapter 20-
And look where they are now…
Missy Cooper sighed happily as this thought crossed her mind. She leaned at the kitchen counter, standing on her tiptoes to peer out the window. Outside on the front porch Amy and Sheldon had escaped the birthday festivities for a while.
They weren't aware that Missy was spying on them since she stayed carefully hidden behind the curtain.
Amy was leaning against the pillar, talking animatedly while Sheldon stood next to her, his arms crossed, trying his best to look annoyed about the mass of relatives that came to Meemaw's party. But apparently, he failed since he couldn't help but smile back at her.
Shelly sure as hell changed a lot because of her, Missy realized and giggled softly when Amy obviously tried to relax Sheldon. The number of guests exceeded his tolerance of gatherings. Even more so, because the small backyard wasn't laid-out for a birthday party of at least fifty people.
Amy stood straighter, lovingly rubbed up and down Sheldon's arms while telling him something that had the immediate effect of easing him up. Fascinated, Missy kept watching as a somewhat charming smile grew on her brother's face as he answered his girlfriend. Then he proceeded to bend his head down to kiss her tenderly.
"Seen enough?"
Missy couldn't quite hide the fact that she jumped as Meemaw sneaked up behind her. "Meemaw…" she grinned as nonchalantly as possible. "Shouldn't you be out back, handing out cake?"
"I should..." she drawled. "But we ran out of napkins." Meemaw held up the stack of paper napkins, which was the reason for her stealthy visit to the kitchen.
Never one to pass an opportunity of a little curious spying herself, Meemaw stepped closer to her tall granddaughter and craned her neck to get a glimpse of her special grandchild and his girlfriend. She just caught them walking back around the house, hand in hand, to join the rest of the family.
Missy grinned about how similar she was to her Meemaw and nudged her shoulder. "And… what do you think about them?"
"I think her mother is a nasty, old dragon worse than those of the silly fantasy board games Sheldon used to play as a kid." Meemaw said.
Missy laughed openly. "I know. I have no idea why Sheldon had to invite her. It's probably just his attempt at being polite."
Meemaw smiled conspiratorially. "Yeah, probably… although… I could imagine that there's something else he's planning." she murmured under her breath.
"What do you mean?" Missy inquired, sensing a tantalizing piece of gossip behind her words.
"Never mind. What do you think of them?" Meemaw shot back quickly.
"Me?" Missy shrugged and then crossed her arms proudly. "Just that they wouldn't be together without me. And that Shelly would be a much bigger pain in the ass if it wasn't for Amy. She's really good for him."
"That she is." Meemaw chuckled. "Have you seen how quickly she could calm him? My Moonpie from ten years ago would have already thrown more than one tantrum, because this 'unruly' crowd of people that is his family violates against all kinds of safety protocols he made up."
Missy smiled and nodded in agreement, but she didn't let herself be distracted so easily once she picked up on a yet unspoken secret. "Meemaw, what did you mean? What else could Sheldon have in mind?"
Her grandmother looked at her for moment before a sigh and a smile indicated that she obviously knew that Missy wouldn't just drop the subject. Putting the napkins onto the counter, she took Missy's arm and steered her to the small kitchen table where they sat down. Suspiciously, Meemaw looked at every doorway as if she expected someone to eavesdrop. It made Missy all the more impatient.
"Meemaw, just tell me. What is it?"
The old lady leaned in until their heads almost bumped together. "Okay… so, when Sheldon returned from Boston with Amy, I took him aside when you, your mother and Amy were busy washing the dishes after we ate. I made him a gift back then… I really hope you're not going to be mad at me for this…" she paused again, checking the entryways.
Missy rolled her eyes. "Meemaw, this is getting ridiculous." she chuckled.
"Hey, excuse me for not wanting any rumors to spread while I'm not even sure that this is actually what's happening here." Meemaw defended herself.
"Okay." Missy stressed in amusement. "Get on with it."
Again, Meemaw looked at her granddaughter as if she was silently apologizing for something. Then she covered Missy's hand with her older one and confessed, "I gave Sheldon my engagement ring. The one your Pop-Pop gave to me."
Missy blinked a few times, processing what her grandmother was implying.
"I know, you might have been expecting to receive it since you're the oldest girl of all of my grandchildren…" Meemaw continued with a slight hint of guilt in her voice. "But I think we can agree that no one ever expected Sheldon to find a girl, being the quirky child that he always was. And now that he has Amy… I just know that she'll be the one for him. Like I was for Pop-Pop." She laughed. "You know, until that moment that Sheldon started talking, I was convinced that there can't be a more stubborn person on earth than my husband."
Missy smiled, trying to bring back some vague, early memories of her grandfather before he died when she was only five years old. She remembered that he had been a difficult person, but in his presence she always felt secure and loved despite the fact that he hardly ever told her so. She and Sheldon, both loved Pop-Pop very much.
The only one who loved him even more was Meemaw.
Suddenly, Missy fully understood what her grandmother was saying: There can't be anyone else who loves Sheldon in the wholehearted way that Amy does.
"I'm not mad at you because Sheldon gets the ring." Missy interrupted her Meemaw before she could continue her rueful explanation. "Honestly, I haven't even thought about it until now and all of my boyfriends have been jerks so far anyway." She dismissively waved a hand, which made Meemaw chuckle. "It makes sense that he gets it. I love Amy and she deserves it."
"Good." said Meemaw in relief and stroked a brunette strand of hair behind Missy's ear. "I'm glad that you think so. I love her, too. I've never seen Sheldon so carefree and happy with another person. She's a mighty little woman… that Amy."
Missy vigorously nodded her head and grinned. "Ohh, this is exciting!" she whispered. "When do you think Sheldon will get up the courage to pop the question?"
Meemaw was about to reply when Mary stuck her head into the kitchen. "There you are, you two gossip girls. I've been looking all over for you." Mary stood there with her hands on her hips as if she was scolding two naughty children. "Shelly wants to give a speech and you know how nervous he gets in front of large crowds." She motioned with her hand at Meemaw. "Come on, he won't start without you."
Missy grinned. Obviously, her mom was sure that Sheldon would give a birthday speech to Meemaw. Her heart fluttered excitedly. But what if this speech turns out to be directed at someone else entirely…
Meemaw proved to think alike and leaned in again before they followed Mary out to the backyard. "It might happen sooner than you think." she answered Missy's earlier question in a hushed tone.
Sheldon was wringing his hands as he shuffled back and forth on the small deck at the back side of the house, which effectively elevated him from the rest of his extended family. Missy couldn't help but excitedly slap him on the back as she hurried past him to reach a lawn chair close to where her mother and Meemaw were already sitting.
"Uhm… okay, now that everyone's here…" Sheldon began nervously and everyone turned his attention towards him. "I'd like to say a few words."
Missy waited… as did everyone else, but Sheldon struggled to find his voice again. She really felt bad for him as she recognized how the panic was rising in his widened, twitching eyes. He scanned the clusters of chairs and tables that were arranged in the garden; a sea of expecting, questioning eyes was looking back at him and getting more impatient the longer his break stretched.
Finally, Sheldon settled his gaze on a chair to the far left where Amy was sitting with her family. Missy saw how lovingly Amy smiled at her brother and in turn he smiled back and was able to carry on with his speech.
"This is a very special day for you, Meemaw. Normally, it would be customary for me to say some things about your life and what you mean to me. But…" Sheldon paused for a moment. "I'm confident that you already know everything I could say to you now. I also know… that you wouldn't be mad at me, if I use this opportunity… this special occasion… to dedicate this speech to someone else who is as close to my heart as you are…"
He moved down from the deck and slowly went over to stand before a surprised and shocked looking Amy.
"Amy…" Sheldon started, the tenderness of this one word melting Missy's heart. "When I met you over ten years ago… I didn't really like you. You were strikingly blunt with everyone and you were so smart that I immediately viewed you as competition I needed to defeat. Now… we're a couple." Sheldon couldn't help but smile. "And you morphed from an equal opponent, to a like-minded friend and finally to one of the most important persons in my life. I can trust you with everything. I can share my ideas that no one else can grasp. I can tell you my innermost feelings without being afraid that you would mock me. I can fully be myself with you. And for that I'd like to thank you."
Missy swallowed a lump in her throat and chuckled at the baffled face of her mother, because obviously she had in fact expected a different kind of speech.
"No matter what obstacle stood in our way, we never gave up on our friendship and you were always there for me, Amy." Sheldon continued. "I hope I was just as much a trusting, supportive companion to you as you were to me."
"You are, Sheldon." Amy was heard to emphasize quietly among the astounded murmurs of the Cooper family.
Sheldon suddenly turned around, easily spotting Missy in the crowd and addressing her sincerely. "And I also thank my twin sister, Missy, and my mother, respectively, for introducing Amy into my world and for supporting our friendship before we even considered ourselves as friends."
Missy put a hand to her chest, shocked by Sheldon's words. After all those years of sibling rivalry, her brother was now openly thanking her for something he used to resent her for. Missy flashed back to that Saturday afternoon when she and Sheldon had to clean their room. He was complaining about her tendency to make fast friends, which led their mother to invite Amy over for the very first time.
Her brother's voice carried on. "Amy, now that we're both officially grown-ups in the eyes of the law, I feel like a new chapter begins for us." he explained. "And since I don't want to let any national or international borders come between us anymore, I have not only finally taken that promising job offer at CalTech in Pasadena, but I also convinced the head of the institute to employ you for their neuroscience department."
Excited murmurs surged through the Cooper's backyard. Amy's hands flew to her mouth; her eyes sparkled with unshed happy tears. "There you can do more research for your addiction study and you'll be close to me." Sheldon admitted quietly.
Missy momentarily held her breath when she saw how Amy's mother gasped in shock. Mrs. Fowler already moved to stand for an undoubtedly loud objection, but, just in time, the silent Larry Fowler laid a firm hand upon his wife's arm and definitely shook his head. Flabbergasted, Amy's mother remained sitting and continued to watch everything unfold.
The pregnant pause Sheldon made apparently led Amy to believe that he was finished, so she stood up, intending to embrace him. "Oh, Sheldon, I can't believe you managed to do all this. I'm so happy, I—"
"Wait." Sheldon held up his hands before she could throw her arms around him. "I… I still have to tell you more." he stuttered sheepishly.
Amy slowly dropped her arms and curiously tilted her head. "What else, Sheldon?"
"Uhm… well, I… I-I realize that to the majority of our families this may be the kind of life-changing moment that will seem too early or too hasty for us to do..." Sheldon nervously clasped his hands at his sides, breathing deeply. "But I already took my Meemaw and your father into my confidence and they seem to be okay with it."
Missy's heart beat out of her chest and again she was holding her breath. At her side, her mother excitedly crushed the bones of her right hand to the point where it was hurtful.
"Also…" Sheldon continued and he suddenly seemed almost casual. "I can't think of any reason why I should wait any longer for this." Abruptly, he shoved his hand into his right pant pocket and with a long breath out… he moved down to one knee.
"Oh, dear lord." Mary exclaimed quietly and Missy could only agree.
Amy's eyes quickly filled with disbelief, shock and untamable joy as the little black velvet box came into view between Sheldon's upheld hands.
"Amy Farrah Fowler… I love you and I know that I want you by my side for the rest of my life… for more obstacles to overcome and for more brilliant ideas to share." There was not the slightest sign of trembling in Sheldon's voice as he finally asked her. "Amy… will you marry me?"
The family gasped collectively. Karen Fowler's face was quickly losing all its color. Meemaw leaned back and grinned like the proudest grandma in the whole wide world. Mary and Missy were clutching each other's hands. And Amy… Amy couldn't decide if she should be crying or laughing. Ultimately deciding for both at the same time, she took Sheldon's hands and nodded fiercely at him.
"Yes!" she exclaimed and the party cheered.
A wide smile spread on Sheldon's face as Amy took the golden ring from its box and put it on her finger. Standing up from the ground, Sheldon opened his arms for her and she threw herself at him. They hugged each other tightly for what seemed like a lifetime and finally Amy dared to lift her head and kiss Sheldon in front of the entire extended family.
Movement ignited in the crowd. Everyone at once closed in on the newly engaged couple to congratulate them. Missy and Mary started moving, too. Missy rolled her eyes when she saw how her sentimental mother kept wiping tears from her cheeks. Then she had to laugh as she realized that she was crying, too.
Finally pushing through the circle that had formed around Sheldon and Amy, Missy watched as the extraordinary couple rather reluctantly and shy shook hands, received hugs and expressed their gratitude to everyone around them. She saw how Larry Fowler patted his still baffled wife's shoulder and took her hand to lead her over to their daughter and their new son-in-law.
Upon seeing the overwhelming happiness in Amy's face, Karen Fowler apparently got over her shock and she proceeded to embrace her precious child tightly while a single tear escaped her eye.
Meanwhile, Mary completely lost her composure as she grabbed hold of Sheldon, steadily mumbling something about 'her baby' and about the mighty wonders god can work.
At last, it was Missy's turn to congratulate her twin and her bestie.
"Aww, Shelly, I can't believe it! You're engaged!" she squealed into his ear as she hugged him.
Sheldon cringed. "Ow! Missy, you know I have sensible hearing."
"Stop whinin' you big baby." she dismissively drawled and pulled Amy into a crushing hug next. "Oh, Amy, I'm so happy for you. You realize that we're practically sisters now, right?"
"Yes, I know." Amy grinned happily. "Things simply can't get any better than that."
The girls laughed upon Sheldon's puzzled expression. "Wow, brother…" Missy continued after their laughter died down. "You planned this all along, haven't you? Ever since you moved back home. The proposal, your and Amy's job in Pasadena… all of this?"
Sheldon puffed out his chest. "Of course, I have. You know I excel at planning ahead."
"Oh, is that so, Mr. 'I-always-think-of-everything'?" Missy mocked and playfully crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Have you already planned where you would live in California?"
"As a matter of fact, I have." Sheldon boasted, encircling Amy's waist with his arm to pull her closer.
"Really?" Amy asked in surprise and dreamily looked up to her fiancé.
"Yes. I've had my eye on an apartment on the fourth floor that is fairly close to the CalTech University." Sheldon told her. "I got into a heated fight about the residence with another physicist who will also start working at CalTech."
"Oh." Amy voiced. "How did you come to an agreement?"
"Pff…" Sheldon waved his hand. "He turned out to be one of those sentimental, lovesick fools. As soon as I mentioned to him that I was planning to propose to my girlfriend and move into the apartment with her, he backed down and settled for moving into the apartment above. It was an easy defeat."
Missy noticed how Sheldon smiled down at Amy, looking very much like a sentimental, lovesick fool himself. "It's a good thing that you stand above such things." She grinned at the couple; the sarcasm dripping from her tongue.
Only Amy noticed it and she winked secretively at Missy.
"It is indeed." Sheldon replied obliviously. Kissing the top of Amy's head, he added, "As long as this other physicist isn't one of those Californian weirdos who likes cross-dressing and putting on loud, clacking women shoes… I think you and I will feel quite at home at apartment 4A of 2311 Los Robles Avenue."
Amy smiled contently at Sheldon. "I can't wait for our new life to begin."
The end.
Very fluffy, I know, but I won't apologize, haha. ;D
Again, I hope you enjoyed this adventure and I thank you for your awesome reviews and the ongoing support. Special thanks again, to my writer-buddy cosette141, for proofreading the first few chapters and for giving me the courage I needed to post my stories on my own! Thank you bestie! :)
Until the next time, dear readers. I'm already working on more Shamy stories, but you'll have to be patient with me... ;)