(OK, buckle up, this is the Big One - beware, much swearing)
Back from work she's full of energy, She has a quick shower and slips on one of her flowery sun dresses, knowing Sheldon will be back soon.
She's just buckling on her collar when he knocks. She kneels in her place and calls "Come in"
But Sheldon walks in looking pale and serious. He's wearing one of his messenger bags and holding the strap in a death grip. She can feel the tension coming off him in waves, something has really stressed him out. She feels a surge of worry and compassion, the need to serve him and sooth his worries is always strongest when he's upset.
"Oh Honey, what's wrong?"
She strokes her collar, a reminder for them both that she's his, a gesture she knows he likes.
"What can I do for you, Sir?" She starts to undress , so she can go and kneel at his feet " I showered when I got back, as you prefer."
He sits on the couch, clutching his bag to his chest "No, keep your clothes on. Come and sit. We need to talk about something serious."
"Serious?" that makes her nervous. She sits next to him on the couch
"Penny, I've been giving things a lot of thought recently." He looks so nervous he almost looks ill. "head down"
She obediently bows her head forward and he reaches over and unbuckles her collar. Taking it off her he gathers it in his hands, rolling it then puts it in his bag.
She touches her throat. she feels naked without it.
"Here". He rummages in his bag and hands her a sheaf of papers, all signed and notarised.
She reads them in growing horror . In a small shocked voice she asks "The Official dissolution of our relationship agreement? You're breaking up with me.?"
"Yes and I hereby formally release you from all oaths, obligations and promises between us."
Small voice Penny vanishes, Angry Penny returns with a roar
"Sheldon! What the Fuck! You're breaking up with me? WHY!? You can't! I'm yours, dammit! Yours alone! Why are you doing this!?"
Sheldon rocks back, hands up to defend himself "Penny, look. You're a strong, capable, self sufficient young woman, you've a career that you love, a promising role, your credit cards are paid off, even you car engine check light is off. You know yourself better than you ever did before. You are everything I hoped you'd be and more. I'm so proud of you."
She throws the papers in his face "What, So you're just going to fix me and then run away? Fucking coward. After all we've done? You've shown me so much about who I am, what I want and who I can be, Don't you know that this is just going to break me into a thousand more fucking pieces, you fucking asshole?!"
Sheldon looks hurt then gathers his resolve "No, I'm doing this to show I have no control over you anymore. No power, no promises or agreements. No influence except what you choose to give."He looks her sternly in the eye. "We are on a Level playing field. We are equals here."
"Why is that so important that you would wreck everything we had?"
"Because you can walk away now if you want, free and clear. Run if you want. I won't stop you. I can't stop you. I need you to know you have total freedom. I have no influence over you"
"Why, Sheldon?"
"Because you mean so much to me."
"Fucking stupid way of showing it! What if I don't WANT that freedom?"
"Look, Penny;
You are the emotional to my intellectual.
the Impulsive to my rational
You feel fiercely . Love passionately. You care when I do not.
You are my doorway to the emotional, just as I am yours to the rational
I find your companionship vastly stimulating... look.
You are the trinity to my Neo,
the Leia to my Han
You are the charm to my strangeness,
The beauty to my truth,
The bottom to my top.
The sub to my Dom
I love you, with all my heart.
This is the only way I can ask this and feel that its fair."
From his bag he takes a flat jewellery case. He opens it and offers it to her. Inside is a steel ring collar, a seamless loop of mirror bright polished metal.
"Will you submit to me and be mine forever? In the more common social conventional sense, Penny, will you marry me?"
She's speechless. Her heart is suddenly in her throat, she can feel it pounding, choking her. her eyes are as wide as saucers and her hands come up covering her mouth.
"I tore it all up so we can rebuild it bigger and better. I promise to love you and cherish you, to use you and abuse you in every possible way and always, ALWAYS, Keep you safe ."
"Oh Sheldon you total ass. Yes! Yes! Of course I will." Happy tears in her eyes
He heaves a great sigh of relief and throws his arms around her, hugging her sobbing face to his chest.
"I asked the internet how to do this right and I found a quote that made so much sense. If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were."
Her eyes are red with happy tears "that's stupid and you know it"
He laughs.
"Down on your knees. Collar position."
Tears running down her face she slips her sun dress over her head and drops naked to her knees at his feet.
She spreads her knees, sitting up proud and straight. With her shoulders back and her chest thrust towards him she lifts her head high and pulls her hair to one side, so her neck is clear and bare.
He hinges the steel ring collar open - it has two hair fine seams, one each side.
He puts the collar around her neck and closes it . She lowers her head, baring the nape of her neck. With a key he tightens the recessed screw, fastening it tight.
She shudders as she feels the weight of it rest on her neck "Thank you, Sir".
"We will need to go ring shopping. You will need a more socially acceptable token of our relationship"
She looks up and corrects him. "Of ownership. I want you to own me. Now. And forever. "
She crosses her wrists and offers them to him, head bowed.
"I herewith submit myself, completely and totally to you, Sheldon Lee Cooper, your girl, your slave, your property, to do with as you please." She looks up, eyes bright.
"I am yours, Master"
Sheldon is momentarily taken aback by the passion in her voice. Never has he heard such sureness, such pureness of purpose, such a universal truth spoken so eloquently. He's always been uncomfortable with the term Master, it seemed so much harsher than the polite respect of Sir. But now, it feels right. It Fits.
"I am your Master. You are my girl"
She sucks in her breathe, she hadn't realised she was holding it.
Then she lunges forward from her kneeling pose, arms flailing. She punches him hard in the chest, knocking him back. Two more lower blows wind him as she throws herself at him, raging and sobbing in huge ragged gasps that shake her whole body. Her eyes are wild with tears, her blows loose strength and she ends up sobbing in his arms.
"And if you ever Ever EVER do anything like this to me again I am going to Kill You, Master. I'll fucking kill you . do you understand?"
She slumps to the floor, sobbing and clutching his legs.
"I'm yours. I love you. I'm yours."
He reaches down, slips his fingers inside the steel loop of the collar. It's loose enough for him to grip as he makes a fist and roughly pulls her up to her knees, pulls her to him. It scares her, makes her pull back, struggle... but the grip is as unyeilding as the steel.
he pulls her face to his and growls, voice heavy with emotion "You. are. Mine" and he smothers her happy cry with a kiss.
