A/N Thanks so much for your reviews. I have to admit, I struggled a little with this chapter trying to say what I wanted to say. If that make any sense. I still own nothing.

When the door shut, Penny looked up, her reddened eyes widening, "Shari, what are you doing here?"

Shari moved over and sat next to her on the bed, "Marie called Leonard, she was worried about you."

Penny wiped at her eyes. "Well, now you have seen me. I will be all right. You can all go about your lives."

"You don't look all right."

Penny started to cry again, "She hates me, Shari, my own daughter hates me."

Shari reached out and put her hand on her shoulder, "That's crazy, she loves you."

"She said she blames me for what happened, she told me she will never forgive me."

Shari sat back, "You have known that for a long time. It must have been tough hearing it from her, but it doesn't change how she feels about you. It sounded like she was upset because you seemed to be blaming Sheldon for what happened."

She went on, "Remember that night of graduation, when you told me you didn't know why we wanted anything to do with you. Do you remember how Marie came to get you? I told you how you needed to put the past behind you, that you needed to put away your guilt?"

When Penny looked up at her she continued, "Well, it appears that you recently have taken that to heart. You seem to have decided everything is forgiven. You seem to believe you can make Sheldon the villain. You seemed to think that because Marie didn't want Sheldon in her life, she blamed everything on him."

Penny sat up, "But isn't that what you wanted, what you told me I needed to do, to move forward with my life?"

"Yes. And I still do. But you also must face the fact of what you did. That you hurt Marie and Leonard deeply."

She touched her shoulder again, "We all need to be honest. Leonard told Marie tonight that he was wrong in thinking we could just move forward as if nothing had happened. He and Marie need to have a chance to let you know how you hurt them, not to hurt you, but to make it possible for us all to try to put this behind us."

She smiled, "I know this will all be difficult, for all of us, but I know we'll be all right because I know and I know you know, that Marie loves you, that I love you."

Penny looked up, "And Leonard?"

"He loves Marie so much and is so loving that I believe he will want you in their lives."

She went on, "Look how they are even working to find a way for Marie to be with Sheldon. Leonard knows you are Marie's parents and that it is good for her to find a way to have you both be a part of her life."

Penny looked at her, "Do you really believe Marie loves me? She doesn't hate me for what I did?"

"Didn't she tell you so? She feels terrible for what she said to you, but at the same time, I think she knows it had to be done. At some time, it was going to come out. Now that it has, we can deal with it and get on with our lives."

Shari stood up, "Why don't you fix up yourself a little and let's go let Marie know you are all right. She really is worried about you."

Marie sat next to Leonard, looking anxiously at the bedroom door, "They have been in there a long time. Shouldn't we check on them?"

"Leonard smiled sadly, "I am sure everything is all right. They have been friends for a long time. We just need to give them time."

Marie sighs, "I know. It is just I need to tell her how sorry I am for what I said. To make sure she knows I love her."

Leonard pulled her to him, "She knows, Honey. You have got to stop feeling guilty. She needed to hear that. I know you want to forget about what she did, but it did happen and we have to come to terms with it."

Just then, Penny and Shari emerged from the bedroom. Marie rushed over to her and gave her a hug which Penny returned. "Mom, I am so sorry I hurt you. I love you. Please forgive me."

Penny, tearing up, "There is nothing for you to forgive. It is me who needs to apologize. To try to somehow let you know how badly I hurt you. How it is something I must never be allowed to forget."

Pulling back, she looked into Marie's eyes, "I love you, too, but that does not mean you can ever forgive me, I understand that now."

Marie paused, "There is something I need to tell you. When I went and talked to Sheldon, I told him I forgave him." Seeing the look on Penny's face, she hurried on, "I told him that it was for me not him; that Dad had told me how hate destroys you."

"I know it seems unfair that I forgave him and not you, but it is because we do love each other and that Dad loved you that what you did is worse than what he did." She looks imploringly at her mother, "Do you understand?"

Penny was stunned. She continued to look into Marie's eyes, seeing her tearing up as well. Finally, she said, "I think I do. Sheldon just did it for revenge but I betrayed the love that you and your Dad gave me. I hurt you in a way he never could."

She took her eyes away and turned to Leonard, "How about you, Leonard. All you ever did is love me. I took that love and used it to hurt you. I know now you can never forgive me, but is there a way we can move forward? I know I don't deserve it, but I do want to be in your life."

Leonard, obviously also struggling, "Did you ever love me, Penny?"

Penny began to cry, "I don't know. I know that's horrible to say, but how can I say I did after what I did to you." She paused, "I loved you as much as I have ever loved anyone. But then I thought I loved Sheldon." She paused, "Maybe I am not capable of loving someone. But I did know you loved me."

She wiped her eyes, "I do know I wish now with all my heart I could have been the person you loved. I will never forgive myself for that. The only good thing that came out of it was that you got to be Marie's father."

Leonard moved forward and hugged her. She was surprised but clung to him. "If it were only me, I could have forgiven you, but I can never forget or forgive what you did to Marie and me."

He pulled back and wiped at her eyes, "But it is also true you are Marie's mother. I know that she loves you. I do believe you know how much you hurt us and that you can never undo that."

He looked sadly at her, "Knowing you now know that is enough punishment. What I said the first time we talked is still true, we need to and will find a way to do what is best for Marie. I want you to be part of our lives."

He stepped back, "I know this is none of my business, but I think you should also try to find some kind of closure with Sheldon. He is after all Marie's father."

Penny, struggling to regain her composure, "You're right, I hurt him as well. In a way, I wish I could be like him. I am sure he will never really understand the terrible way we acted; how unforgiveable our actions were."

There was a long period of quiet. Then Marie tentatively said, "I know this seems strange now, but I did come over her to ask if Mom wanted to attend Sheldon's lecture."

Penny stared at her, "You still would want me to come?"

When Marie nodded, she smiled, "No, you should go as a family. Besides, I have a lot of thinking to do."

With that everyone prepared to leave. As Leonard and Marie said goodbye, Penny asked Shari if she could stay for a moment. Leonard told her he would wait in the car.

"I just wanted to thank you for talking some sense into my head and being there for me. I also know it bothers you how I treated them. In that way, I have hurt you too." She paused, "I know I have maybe said this before or only implied it, but I am so happy that you and Leonard have found each other." She hesitated, "I meant what I just said, you are a family. I just hope you and Leonard can find the long-time happiness we never could."

"Thank you, Penny. I do too." She smiled, "If It is up to me, I will never let him go."

Penny smiled back, "I think he feels the same way."

Exchanging a hug, Shari left.

Penny sat in the back of the auditorium, watching as Sheldon was wrapping up his talk. She had spent most of her time looking at the four people sitting in the front row. She smiled to herself, they did look like a family. She looked forward to the future and saw herself always on the outside. She hoped she would share in the big events of Marie's life, her wedding, her graduation, maybe even babysit her grandchildren. She would spend time with them all, but would never be a part of them.

She smiled sadly to herself, she could live with that.