Hello all,
I have had such a busy week! Now I get to study for finals before I jet set off to Mexico late next week. I really hope that you enjoy the last chapter of this story. I want to just quickly thank everyone fore reading, reviewing, and favouriting. You are all wonderful, and i appreciate each and every one of you.
I promise that I will be back in the new year, I have another story brewing in the back of my mind. Anyways, happy holidays to you all and I hope you get to spend it with those near and dear to you.
Enjoy!
The dishes were done, the tea had been poured and the two stood in the kitchen talking. Penny knew that any day she would have to return back to her small one bedroom apartment across the hall. Penny leaned against the counter sipping on her hot minty beverage watching Sheldon talk to her. She wasn't interested in listening to what he was saying, but it was quite amusing watching him say it.
He would occasionally raise his eyebrows after a remark filled with unintended condescension, he would offer her a small smirk when he had crafted a witty comment, and his eyes sparkled when he uttered her name. Sheldon narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow at her. Penny quickly realized that he must have asked her a question. Shit. Penny quickly nodded her head, hoping that her false agreement would pass off as her paying attention.
"Penny, are you even listening to me?" He insisted. Penny felt the heat flood into her face. She quickly looked into her mug and then back to his expectant face. She let out a small sigh and shook her head.
"I'm sorry Sheldon, I'm distracted." She confessed. Sheldon gripped his mug and cocked his head to the side. His eyes darted across her face and he offered her a quick smile.
"It's forgivable, not totally excusable, but forgivable. Might I ask why you're distracted?" he asked with slight concern. Penny shook her head, she really didn't want to admit it, but she knew better than to hold back.
"I'm just going to miss you." Penny sadly offered. Sheldon gripped at her hands from across the kitchen island. His hands were warm from him grasping his mug just before he reached out and touched her. Penny mirrored his expression and cocked her head to the side with a small smile adorning her lips.
"Why? Are you going somewhere?" Sheldon daftly inquired. Penny let out a small laugh and shook her head. Sheldon's smile grew wider.
"I'm not going anywhere far, I just- I have to go home soon and it sucks. I like being here with you." Penny softly admitted. She took another sip and let the warmth of the tea fill her. It was exactly how she felt when she was with him. Warm and fuzzy all over.
"So don't go." Sheldon plainly interjected. Penny eyed him with disbelief. Did he know what he was saying? She needed to make sure they were on the same page.
"What do you mean, 'don't go'." She quickly stammered, realizing how impatient her question must have seemed. Sheldon rolled his eyes at her. He motioned for her to come closer to him and Penny quickly followed his direction. He sat on the bar stool and she stood in front of him in between his legs. Sheldon scooped up her hands into his and he placed a small kiss on her cheek.
"Penny, as you know, I'm a big fan of homeostasis. I have become quite comfortable sharing my living quarters with you and if you decide to go back to your apartment, I will have to adjust again to a new state of equilibrium. And besides, I'll miss you too." He explained. Penny felt her eyes sting with tears. She held them back and quickly wrapped her arms around his shoulders embracing him in a tight hug. His hands settled on her lower back, just under the hem of her shirt and his fingertips moved in small circles on her soft skin. Penny pulled away and smiled.
"So I can stay?" She quickly asked. Sheldon grinned.
"I'm not going to protest." He told her. Penny bent down enough to quickly kiss him on the lips. It was quite possibly the weirdest way she had been asked to move in, but she wasn't going to let that stop her.
"You know what I like best about you?" Penny quickly asked as she coaxed him to his feet. Sheldon followed her silent directions as he stood in front of her. He raised his eyebrow and held back his smile.
"What's that?" He implored. Penny placed her hand on his chest and slowly ran her finger tips down his long torso. Sheldon watched her hand as it moved across his body.
"Well, for starters, you're slim." She teased. Sheldon seemed confused by her comment, which made her grin.
"And a little bit foxy." She finished with a slight raise of her eyebrows and a smirk splayed across her lips. Sheldon grinned and his eyes lit up.
"Look at you, trying to seduce me with a semi-quote from Doctor Who. You're a vixen, Penelope Miller." Sheldon teased. Penny gently grasped at the hem of his shirt and tugged at him to follower her in the general direction of the bedroom.
"I'll try anything to get you into bed, Doctor." Penny breathed. Sheldon was quick to pull her in for a heated kiss while he guided her down the hallway. Penny sighed and his tongue pushed past her parted lips to explore her mouth. The pair advanced into the bedroom, Sheldon placed Penny on the bed and pulled away from their kiss. Penny watched him as he removed his shirts and tossed them into his laundry hamper. She was quick to follow suit. He knelt on the bed as Penny laid on her back. He slowly inched up her body, his breath was hot against her abdomen. Her head was swimming and she let her arousal rush over her.
"Sheldon." Penny whispered as he cupped her breast in one of his hands. She closed her eyes and breathed softly as he continued. His other hand tugged at her bra, exposing her hardened nipple. Sheldon was quick to take it into his mouth, he gently teased her with his teeth and tongue. Penny gasped as he pressed his hardness against her. She maneuvered herself from underneath him, so that she ended up straddling him. His arousal pulsed underneath her and she softly bit her lower lip at him.
"Sheldon." She softly beckoned. Sheldon looked her over and placed his hands firmly on her hips. Penny smiled as she brushed her hand through his baby soft hair.
"I love you so much. It's not just this, it's everything. You're smart and funny and you're never afraid to just be you. I love that about you." She told him. He smiled up at her as he ran his fingertips across her abdomen.
"Penny, you don't need to butter me up, you've already got me into bed." He joked. Penny smiled. She leaned into him and softly kissed him. His hands traveled across her skin toward her lower back. Penny pulled away and looked into his blue eyes.
"I'm serious." She argued. Sheldon quickly pressed his lips against hers and worked his way back on top of her. He brushed her bangs out of her face and pressed the tip of his nose against hers.
"I know." He said with a quick kiss.
"I love you too." He finished. Penny smiled and the two continued exploring each other. They took their time with each other and made love like they should have so many years ago. It was unbelievable that she was now living with the man she loved, the man who once never dared to share his spot, his space, his heart. They both fell asleep in each other's arms, their limbs still semi tangled together. This was a great new adventure that she was embarking on and she couldn't think of a better person to share it with.
o.o.o.o.o.o
Two months passed and Penny was fully immersed in her new life. She lived in apartment 4A with Sheldon and their cat and she was asked to be part of the production on the set of Big Bang. It certainly paid more than the royalty checks and it gave her a creative outlet. Sheldon was still Sheldon and he was still plugging away at his science. He was trying to disprove the people who had strong evidence that they had disproved super symmetry.
It was spring and the weather was getting warmer, but instead of going out they stayed in. They had plans with a very cute and very curious three year old. Penny found herself agreeing to babysitting for Howard and Bernadette for their first night away from their daughter, Noella and their twins, Jackson and Rory since the boys had been born. Penny managed to convince Sheldon to come along with her and luckily when they arrived the twins were already asleep.
The three sat on the couch in Howard and Bernadette's living room together watching an episode of Sponge Bob Square Pants. Noella held onto Penny's hand and stared up at Sheldon who was watching her 'non-sensical' show. Penny watched the three year old's hand reach out to touch his t-shirt.
"What does that mean?" She quietly asked while she poked at the symbol on his shirt. Penny held back a laugh as she continued watching the bizarre encounter. This three year old was about to learn about the real world, Sheldon Cooper style. Sheldon smiled at the little blond girl.
"It's the symbol for Green Lantern." He told her very matter of factly. She looked up into his face and giggled.
She let go of Penny's hand and snuggled up next to Sheldon who then proceeded to tell her about the Green Lanterns and their powers. He spoke to her as if she were a capable adult, answering her questions without condescension when they were asked. It was astonishing. Penny was stunned with how good he was with kids. They continued their conversation for another ten minutes before Noella decided that she was tired.
"Uncle Sheldon, will you tuck me in?" She sleepily asked. He smiled, picked her up and carted her off to bed. Penny silently followed them and watched as he tucked her in, told her that there were no such thing as monsters, however she should be afraid of the failing education system in America, and gently smoothed down her wild curls. Sheldon looked up and caught Penny watching him with a smirk on her face. He said good night to his three year old "niece" and left the door open just a crack for her. Penny grasped his hand as they made their way back to the couch.
"Did you ever think that this might be something that you could want?" Penny quietly asked. Sheldon rubbed at the back of her hand and flipped the channel to something more suitable to his tastes.
"No." He replied. Penny felt her heart sink a little bit. She should have known though. It was probably just enough that her managed to accommodate her into his life, never mind kids and a mortgage. Penny nodded and concentrated on the tv. God damned black holes.
"I never thought that this would be something I wanted, but then you showed me how much more life can be when you have people that you care about to share it with." He explained further. Penny felt a grin invade her face. She turned to him and kissed him quickly on the lips. He reached into his pocket and held a ring in his hand.
"Penny, since we are on the subject, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want these kinds of things with you." He said as he pressed the ring onto her finger. Penny felt tears well up in her eyes. She couldn't hold them back.
"Marry me?" He quietly asked as his eyes darted across her face. Penny felt her warm tears splash onto her cheeks as she quickly nodded her head. Sheldon was quick to slip the ring past her knuckle, securing it firmly in place on her fourth finger on her left hand. Penny examined the ring for a moment before pulling him into a tight embrace. She couldn't be happier. Was it fate, was it something better? It didn't matter what it was, it was amazing. Penny quickly kissed him, his lips were soft and inviting.
"I love you." She firmly said as she pulled away. He wiped at her cheeks with his thumbs.
"I love you too, Penny." He replied. This was it, she was about to start a whole new chapter of her life with her Nobel prize winning physicist fiancé. Life had a funny way of working itself out, luckily Penny had a wicked sense of humor.