Amy stood up. Sheldon started to get off the sofa to join her, but Amy motioned him to sit back down.

"Sheldon: MeeMaw's cookies." Sheldon looked at Amy, shocked, but he realized what she wanted. She was releasing him from the conversation. This was hers, now.

Amy leaned down and murmured to him, "I understand now. Thank you for helping me see what I couldn't before."

Amy walked over to her mother's chair, and motioned for her to stand as well. They were face to face for the first time in ages. Amy was a little taken aback to find they were the same height; somehow, her mother always seemed taller before. She grasped her mother's hands in her own.

"Mom, I love you and Dad. I always have and I always will," Amy began.

"I know you always tried to do what you thought was best. You brought me up to respect myself and work hard. And you did a fantastic job. I have a doctorate in neuroscience and a wonderful career in research that I love. I am successful and independent. You both gave me strength, and strength of character. I will be forever grateful.

And it's time for you to let me go. I can choose for myself. I will make mistakes and I will fail, and when I do, I'll pick myself up again."

"Amy." Tears started to run down Mrs. Fowler's cheeks. "I don't want you to leave us."

Amy held her mother close in her arms as the sobs wracked her mother's body. "Mom, I'm not going anywhere," Amy said. When the sobs subsided after a few minutes, Amy released the embrace but continued to hold her mother's hands.

"See, I know you tried to keep me safe all those years. All the discussions of what to wear and how to act were just to keep me safe. Safe from the relationships you saw destroying people every day at your office. Especially the children. I know that was the hardest for you.

But Mom, you over protected me. I fought to get away from you after high school because I needed to grow, too. I went as far away as I could to undergraduate and later graduate schools because I needed to find my own way. Now, I'm nearby and I know it's difficult for you because you want to help. I just don't need help as much as I did when I was younger."

Amy looked behind her to Sheldon, imploring him with her eyes to come toward them. Sheldon understood her silent request, and joined Amy by her side.

"Mom, I want to introduce to you someone very special to me. He makes me happy, and he challenges me to greater heights of knowledge. We have built a relationship together that has recently withstood great difficulty, and we plan on spending our futures together. How that happens remains to be seen, but I know without a doubt that our love is unending. He and I are meant to be together. Just as you and Dad are."

Amy looked at Sheldon with tears in her eyes. Sheldon smiled softly, encouraging her to continue.

"Mom, this is Sheldon Lee Cooper. Sheldon, I'd like to introduce you to my mother, Carole Fowler."

Carole looked uncertainly at Sheldon while Amy was presenting him to her. Her tears had slowed, but her eyes still registered her fear of the loss of her daughter. Sheldon knew it was time to let her know that wouldn't happen.

"Mrs. Fowler, I want you to know that I love Amy. It took me too long to realize it, and she has been more patient with me than I had any right to expect. We recently had a long talk about our expectations for each other and the future. Amy and I are finally on the same path.

I want you to know that family is important to me, as it is to you and Rob. My mother and my MeeMaw continue to be large parts of my life. MeeMaw in particular has a soft spot in her heart for Amy. I am hopeful that I will be able to introduce you to them sometime soon.

My relationship with Amy does not change hers with you. As much as my mother and my MeeMaw are still in my life, I expect Amy will be in yours.

I am only hopeful at some time you will allow me to be a part of your family as well."

Carole could hear the conviction in Sheldon's voice, and see the kindness in his eyes. This must be what Amy fell in love with. I can certainly see why… she thought.

Carole let go of Amy's hands, and stepped slightly forward to Sheldon. He held out a hand to shake hers. Carole was having nothing of that… she reached up and hugged him tightly. Sheldon was startled, initially put-off by another person's body so close to his own. But this body was not entirely unfamiliar, after all. This person was the reason Amy was here… the reason ultimately Amy was with him. Sheldon knew he owed this person - for his very happiness.

Sheldon returned the hug, after only the briefest pause. Exhausted but elated, Amy leaned back on her father, who had stepped up behind her.

Rob whispered in her ear, "You did good, kid."

…

Carole and Amy excused themselves to freshen up, and Sheldon sat in comfortable silence with Rob. When the women returned, they all left together for dinner at Bistro 45, where Rob had made reservations earlier in the day. The four enjoyed each other's company, for the first time seemingly perfectly at ease with one another.

Amy reflected on the benefits of full honesty in her life… just a month ago with Sheldon, and now with her parents. It felt good to feel this free to finally be herself with them. Sheldon caught her happy sigh, and initially was concerned as he didn't know where it had come from. Then she smiled at him, and he knew there was nothing to fear.

…

Rob drove the four back to the house, and refreshments were offered around. Sheldon took the presented glass of iced tea, and turned to find Amy and her mother settled on the couch, laughing together. Joy filled his heart, as he saw the beginning of a stronger bond between the two forming.

Rob leaned into Sheldon's shoulder. "Come on, let's leave these two to talk. Why don't you and I go outside in the backyard?"

Sheldon agreed, and he and Amy's father stepped out the back door. A delightfully cool breeze flowed across the patio. There were comfortable chairs around a fire pit in the midst of a table; Rob flipped a switch to start the gas fire. Sheldon set his iced tea glass down on the outer rim of the table, and settled contentedly into a chair. Rob relaxed in the one next to Sheldon.

"Where are you from originally, Sheldon? I noticed you called your grandmother MeeMaw. That strikes me as something I've heard somewhere else…" Rob started.

"East Texas." Sheldon responded easily. "I guess I do speak a little differently than what you're used to here." He chuckled a little to himself, and Rob joined him.

"That sounds right. I'm originally from Georgia, a small suburb outside of Atlanta." Rob replied.

Rob held up his iced tea glass to the waning sunlight, inspecting its contents. "You know, these California people seem to think tea should bite you as you're drinking it. Where I come from…"

Sheldon laughed out loud. "I understand what you mean. My MeeMaw seems to think you should get diabetes any time you drink her tea. I've actually gotten used to unsweetened tea; hers is a little strong for me now."

Rob joined him in his laughter. Soon, though, Rob's face took a serious cast.

"Sheldon, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I need to ask you something," Rob started.

Sheldon looked at him, a little surprised. Honesty, however, was newly easy for Sheldon. He nodded for Rob to continue.

"Sheldon, what are your intentions with Amy? I know as a man raised in the South, you understand what I mean."

Sheldon pondered the question for a moment. He knew Rob loved his daughter, and only wanted her to be happy. If Sheldon was a part of that, Rob would be thrilled. So, Sheldon set everything out for him.

"Honestly, Rob, up until last Christmas I didn't know the answer to that question myself. I'm not a religious man – science has always been my focus – and Amy and I had agreed not to exchange gifts. I didn't know it at the time, but Amy called my MeeMaw about a week before Christmas and asked for her cookie recipe. She made a box of those cookies as a Christmas present for me. Those cookies are one of my happiest memories of the holidays growing up. MeeMaw and I always made them together.

The fact that MeeMaw gave her that recipe… that Amy even thought to ask her for them… made me think that something is pulling Amy and I together. That force, whatever you want to call it, is bigger than she or I. We were apart for a month this May, when she thought she wasn't 'first' in my life. That force brought me to my knees, and made me realize I had to tell her how I felt. That force brought Amy to my apartment that same night, as I was ready to leave for hers. We were completely honest with each other for the first time. It was a turning point for us. We are now on the same road together. It's in my soul that Amy is the one who I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with."

Sheldon took a sip of tea. Rob waited for him to finish gathering his thoughts.

Sheldon looked at the glass in his hands. He could no longer keep Rob's gaze. "MeeMaw promised me her engagement ring many years ago, when she told me that someday there would be someone so special that I would want to spend every day and night with her. After Christmas, I called MeeMaw to talk to her about the ring. She knew why I had called before I even spoke. 'It's Amy, isn't it? It's time I sent you that ring,' MeeMaw told me."

Sheldon chanced a look at Amy's father. He remained calm and thoughtful.

"I thought I had found the right night to ask Amy to marry me. That May night was our fifth anniversary of our first meeting, and I had it all planned. The ring was in my desk drawer. But Amy couldn't even stand to be in the same room with me that night. My opportunity was lost.

Now it's two months later, and I feel like I'm ready to try again. I'm just simply not certain how. I think when the time to move forward presents itself, I'll know."

Rob was staring off into the sunset. He spoke after Sheldon had been quiet for a few moments. "I'm not certain the 'how' or 'when' you ask her matters that much, Sheldon. But I think you have the important part down already, you just haven't seen it."

"What's that?"

He turned and looked directly at Sheldon. "Love her. Just love her, and be honest with her. That's all Amy will ever ask from you."

Sheldon nodded. He knew he had a lot to consider.

Sheldon drank off the end of his iced tea, and checked his watch. The hour was getting late, and he needed to get Amy home. He indicated the time to Rob, who agreed and stood up to walk back inside with Sheldon. Before he opened the door for Sheldon, Rob stopped him.

"One more thing, Sheldon, and I don't know if it will matter to you, but it does to me. If you were asking for my permission to ask Amy to marry you, you have it. Amy is precious to us both… Carole was absolutely right in that. But her happiness means more to us than anything. And I could tell from the moment you walked up the path tonight. You make Amy happy."

Rob reached out a hand to Sheldon, but this time the gesture wasn't enough for Sheldon. He reached up and wrapped his arms around Rob's shoulders in a hug of his own. It seemed as though he was hugging his Pop-Pop one more time.

"Rob, your approval means more to me than you will ever know."

Rob opened the door, and the two walked inside the house. Carole and Amy were on their way out of the kitchen, having packed away the pitcher of tea. Sheldon indicated to Amy they should be going, based on the time.

Amy turned and hugged her father tightly. "Bye, Daddy. I love you."

Rob held her tighter still. "I know, Pumpkin. I love you, too."

Amy turned to her mother. "Mom…" was all she was able to form as Carole pulled her in for a hug. This time, just a couple more tears fell, and they did for them both.

Rob shook Sheldon's hand, and wished him a safe drive home. Sheldon knew he had Rob's good wishes for other future plans as well.

Sheldon turned to take Amy's hand, and Mrs. Fowler was in front of him. She gave him a hug goodbye, and let him go, patting him on the chest.

"Take good care of my baby, Sheldon."

He smiled at her. "I will, Mrs. Fowler."

Amy and Sheldon left out the front door, hand in hand, and started up the path to the car. Amy's mother cried out from the front door, "Sheldon!"

He turned around, surprised to hear her call. She genuinely smiled as she continued:

"It's Carole, if you don't mind."

A/N: It seems to me Amy would have chosen the path of understanding over escalating the argument. In the end, she chose her way. I think she will be stronger for it.

As for Sheldon, I would like to think having a positive older male role model in Rob would benefit him as well.

I hope you enjoyed this story. I would love to hear your thoughts in a review, if you choose.

The next four-part sequel will be entitled The Thanksgiving Visitation Commitment; I plan on starting to post next Friday. I hope to see you then!