One Week Later

Penny taped up the box she had just filled and reached for another. She brushed her hair from her face and thought about taking a break for lunch. She still had a few days to finish up, and not much left to do. With Chase, Cara and Raj in California, she was feeling a bit lonely. She stood and headed to the kitchen. There was still a sense of surrealism associated with her dad's death. She looked out the window at the field of corn growing about hip high.

Her mom had decided to sell. With just her here now, it was too much for her. Over 100 years this farm had been in the family. Penny's heart sank as she looked at the barn. Memories flashed through her like a slow moving movie. The first time she rode a pony, Papa Davis holding onto her waist. The day her dad taught her how to take apart a carburetor and change the oil in the tractor. The nights that she and her sister had snuck up into the loft and stared at the stars, sharing their dreams of being big time movie stars. The first time her heart was 'broken' and her mom had brought her to the barn and they spent the evening silently brushing down the horses until she felt better. Tears slipped from her eyes as she put a kettle on for tea. She dried out the sink and turned around.

"I hope you have honey. Tea never tastes quite as good without it."

The towel fluttered to the floor as Penny stared at him. She couldn't speak, she couldn't move. All she could do was stare at him. Her emotions were too churned up to begin with. Seeing Sheldon standing there was almost too much for her mind to process.

Sheldon approached her quickly, reaching out to cup her face. Immediately he captured her lips with his own. He smiled against her mouth as her arms wound around his neck. He pressed her back against the counter and groaned as passion burned between them. His hands slipped down to lift her up onto the counter. Penny's legs wrapped around his waist and he ground against her core. Penny released his neck and reached for his shirt hems. He lifted his arms and released her lips long enough for her to pull his shirts off. He immediately pulled her tee over her head and dipped his head to her breasts. Penny arched into him, her hands threading through his hair tightly.

"Bedroom," Sheldon whispered against her skin.

"Upstairs," she gasped. "Second door on the left."

Sheldon wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and spun her off the counter. Penny clung to his shoulder, nuzzling his ear as he walked as fast as he could through the house.

Penny laid her head on his chest and listened to his racing heartbeat even out slowly. His hand rubbed up and down her back soothingly and he placed a light kiss on her head. "How did you know I was here?" she asked softly.

"Raj," Sheldon said with a slight smile. "He told me you were here to get the house ready for sale."

Penny nodded. "Mom can't bear to be here anymore. She still misses Dad too much. She wants to sell it." Penny raised her head to look at him. "So Raj sent you to check up on me?"

Sheldon scooted up in the bed and placed his back against the head board. "No. I went to him and asked to speak to you. I told him why I wanted to talk to you, and asked if he thought you would mind me coming here."

Penny sat up and turned to face him. "What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked hesitantly.

Sheldon looked at her carefully. "Why did you never tell me I was Chase's father?"

Penny paled and her eyes widened. "Sheldon…"

He reached out and cupped her chin, refusing to allow her to look away from him. "Please answer me. I think I deserve to know the truth."

Penny's eyes grew teary. "Because you wouldn't have been able to commit to Amy. I know you, Sheldon. You would have been torn between both of us. That wouldn't have been fair to you, Amy or the kids. I couldn't force two children to vie for your time and attention."

Sheldon sighed heavily. "Penny, do you really think I would have neglected my son?"

Penny shook her head. "Not neglected, Sheldon. But can you honestly tell me you wouldn't have found it difficult to devote time to them both. That it wouldn't have caused conflict between you and Amy? Besides…" Penny trailed off and pulled away to turn her head. She clamped her mouth shut and grew silent.

Sheldon pulled her up onto his lap, and looked at her firmly. "Besides what?"

"You chose her," Penny whispered. "From the very beginning, you chose Amy. I couldn't interfere in that."

Sheldon closed his eyes and took a moment to calm himself. "I chose Amy because I never had a chance with you," he admitted. "I was scared of you, Penny. Scared of how you make me feel. How much I wanted and needed you. Amy was safer. She didn't make my heart race, or my mind seize up in panic. She didn't challenge me or confuse me, or drive me wild. I was a coward, and I took the coward's path."

Sheldon brushed her cheek with his fingertips lightly. "I'm tired of being a coward, Penny. I'm tired of denying what I want. I love you. I've always loved you. I want you in my life. I have asked Amy for a divorce. She has agreed, because she is in love with Leonard. We have agreed to joint custody of our daughter. I have already told them that I plan to pursue you. They have wished me well."

Penny stared at him in shock. "You …you and Amy are divorcing?"

Sheldon nodded. "Just as you and Raj are. Maybe not quite as amicably as you and Raj, but we are parting on comfortable terms. Will you give me a chance? Give us a chance? Is there room in your life for me, Penny?"

Penny stared at him for a long time, unspeaking. Sheldon was just beginning to have doubts when she leaned forward and kissed him softly. "I've waited for you for a very long time, Sheldon. I was already starting to realize I had fallen in love with you when Leonard and I broke up. That night, on the roof, I had finally admitted to myself that you were The Guy."

Penny caressed his jaw softly. "Sheldon, don't get me wrong. I do not regret really the last few years. Raj and I have a friendship that means so much to me. I love Cara like a sister. I love Chase with all my heart. My life for these last three years has been fairly good. I've grown into a much more happy, confident, and stable person. I know who I am now. Leaving California saved me. But it hasn't been great, either. Because I missed you each and every day. I cried myself to sleep more times than I care to admit. You ask me if there is room in my life for you. Sheldon, my life is only half full. I need you to make it complete."

"Penny, how do we handle the situation with Chase?" He didn't want to push her, but this was his son. He wanted that known. "What do we tell our friends and families?"

Penny licked her lips. "Sheldon, yes, he's your son. But you have to understand, Chase has another dad, too. He loves Raj. He is a very bright boy, but he's very young, and the changes around him are upsetting. Moving from the only home he has ever known, losing his grandfather, leaving his friends behind.. He doesn't understand the things that are happening. I can't take away Raj from him. He needs that stability. And Raj loves Chase. He may not be his biological father, but he is his dad."

Sheldon leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. "I have a compromise," he said calmly. "We introduce me to Chase as his step-father."

Penny's jaw dropped. "Sheldon ….did you just ask me to marry you?"

He nodded. "It's why I came here, Penny. It's why I asked for a divorce. I have Sabrina. Now I need you. I need Chase. I want my whole family. Marry me, Penny. Because I love you. I can't bear to be without you any longer."

Penny smiled softly and kissed him. She pulled back, looked him in the eyes and went in for another kiss. Three or four kisses later she grinned widely. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, of course I'll marry you."

Sheldon groaned as they kissed some more. Slowly they eased down in the bed, kissing and caressing each other lovingly.

One Week Later

Sheldon felt his heart thump hard in his chest. He watched from a few feet away as Penny spun the little boy in her arms, laughing joyfully. Chase began peppering her cheeks with kisses. He felt Sabrina's hand tighten in his nervously. She was still a bit shy around new people. Penny had done her best to put her at ease when they met this morning.

He glanced at Raj and Cara who were watching Penny and Chase with love. Seeing the hope in their eyes helped him calmly take that first step toward his son. Penny looked over at him and smiled warmly. She put Chase down and took his hand in hers.

"Chase, sweetie, I want you to meet someone very special to me. This is Sheldon Cooper and his daughter Sabrina."

Sheldon knelt down, keeping his hand in his daughter's. He took a second to pray fervently that this went well. He searched Chase's face, seeking any resemblance whatsoever. Chase was the spitting image of Penny, though. His hair, his eyes, his mouth, even his eyelashes, were just like hers. "Hello, Chase. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Chase looked at him carefully. Sheldon was surprised by the scrutiny of the three year old. "I know you."

Sheldon looked at him with surprise before looking up at Penny. She looked confused. "Oh?" Sheldon asked. "How do you know me?"

Chase grinned. "Momma has a video on her phone of you. You were funny. You kept trying to blow up a short man's head."

Sheldon grimaced with embarrassment. "That was a very long time ago."

"Did you blow him up?" he asked.

Sheldon shook his head. "No. I failed."

Chase looked at Sabrina, clearly done talking to Sheldon. "Wanna watch Power Rangers with me?"

Sabrina looked at Sheldon briefly before nodding. Chase held out his hand and Sabrina took it. They hurried into the house leaving the adults behind. Sheldon stood and watched them go, his heart torn between joy at finally meeting his son, and disappointment that Chase didn't seem to connect with him.

"Don't," Penny said walking over to slip her arms around his waist. "Don't expect things to change overnight, Sheldon. I know you want him to love you, but he's just a little boy. You have to give him time to get to know you."

Sheldon sighed and hugged her tight. "Is it wrong of me to want him to know who I am?"

"No," she said softly. "It's not wrong, but it's not the time for that either. For now, just let him get used to you."

Sheldon nodded finally. "Okay. But someday..."

Penny nodded. "Someday."

One Year Later

Sabrina sat beside Chase and watched her daddy twirl her step-mommy around the floor. She was loving all the attention she got as flower girl. Mommy waltz by with Uncle Leonard and they were smiling at each other like Daddy and Penny were. She looked at her new brother and frowned. She thought Chase was pretty okay. They had been friends for a year now. But sometimes he was smart-alecky. "What are you doing?"

Chase smiled without looking up. "Writing," he said. "I got a diary," he said absently. "I always write in it."

Sabrina frowned more. "Why not just remember it?"

Chase looked up and grinned at her. "I do. But Momma hasn't got my memory. When she's older she can read the diary and remember all the good things I write about."

Sabrina looked at his journal and snorted as only a four year old could. "That's not even real words. It's all drawings and numbers."

Chase giggled. "To you, maybe. It's our secret language. Momma helped me make it up long, long ago. Before I could even walk real good."

Sabrina looked intrigued. "Can I learn it?"

Chase stared at her for a long moment. Finally he shrugged. "We have the same dad. That means you're my sister, right? S'pose I could teach you. That way if we're ever captured by rebels forces, I can get you secret messages to plan our escape."

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "We wouldn't be captured by rebels. Rebels is the good guys."

"Says you," Chase said serenely.

Penny looked at the kids sitting shoulder to shoulder, bent over her son's journal. Amy walked over and followed her gaze. "They have adjusted fairly well," she said softly.

Penny looked at the woman who once had called her bestie. "We all have," she reminded her with a gentle smile.

Amy looked at the woman she had admired and hated equally for so long. Now she felt respect and gratitude toward her. "We both did a lot of things the wrong way, and for a long time I tried to lay all the blame on you. I'm sorry for that."

Penny smiled and reached out to take Amy's hand in hers. "Don't be sorry, Ames. Everything we went through, everything we have done and experienced, it made us all stronger. We're better people for it. I am sorry for the pain we all went through, but I am glad that we are all together again. I am grateful to you. I owe you a great debt"

The brunette looked at her with shock. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.

Penny looked over at Sheldon, Leonard, Raj and Howard. "You were the catalyst that forced us all to grow up. Everything that has happened these last four years started with you. I love you for that."

Tears welled up in Amy's eyes. "I thought you hated me," she whispered.

Penny turned and pulled Amy into a fierce hug. "We're besties, Amy. I could never hate you."

Sheldon watched his wife and ex-wife hug tightly across the room. Leonard smiled beside him, as Cara and Bernadette walked over to Amy and Penny and joined in the hug. Raj held up his champagne flute. "To the women in our lives. We are four damned lucky men."

All four nodded and drank to the toast. It had been a tough journey to get where they were. They hadn't emerged unscathed, but they had come out of it together. And that was all that mattered.