I'm not going to even say I fail at updating because real life just completely took control and I can never find time to write stuff out. So all I'll say is here's the next chapter. We're officially into the last part of the fic. It's not almost over, but things will change after this.
"Mommy," Savannah said. "Can you help me ride a horse?"
"Ah, sneaky thing," Wyatt said from where he was fixing the lock on the back door.
Penny was on the couch nursing Ada. "Why are you a sneaky thing, Sav-tastic?"
"Because she…"
"Grampa! Shhh!" Savannah said.
"Well, now I have to know," Penny said. "And if you don't tell me, Savannah, Grampa will."
"I asked Daddy to take me on a horse and he said no," she folded her arms and pouted.
"Did he now?" Penny asked. Ada pulled back and craned her head around. Penny set the girl on her lap and buttoned her shirt.
"Is it possible he said 'Savannah, I don't know anything about your grandparents' horses?" Penny's mom asked as she entered the room.
"I'll put you up in front of me on one of them a little later today, okay?" Penny asked.
Savannah squealed and jumped up on the couch. "Can we go fast?"
Penny ruffled her daughter's hair. "It's icy out there. You'll find walking plenty fast enough."
"Wear a helmet," said the older woman, smiling as she picked up Ada and turned to leave the room.
Penny dramatically rolled her eyes, as she had done as a teen. "Yes, mother."
Penny had to do a lot of encouraging to get Husker to step out into the bright sunlight, intensified by the snow. "Come on, boy," Penny said. "We're not going to do anything crazy. I'm out of practice, anyway."
Husker let out what would have been a dramatic sigh had he been human, and followed her outside. "Alright, Savvy," she said, and the girl, grinning, came over, tugging at Wyatt's hand. Penny, though she hadn't done it in years, took a handful of his mane in her hand and jumped, hooking her right leg over his back and wiggling into place.
Wyatt raised his eyebrows. "You can still do that."
"Apparently," she said, not completely unsurprised herself. She shifted her weight on Husker's bare back and held her arms out to Wyatt. He picked Savannah up and handed her to her mother, and Penny positioned the girl in front of her.
Savannah stiffened. "He's really big."
"I got you, baby girl," Penny said, curling her left arm around the girl's stomach and holding the reins in her right. She clicked to Husker, and he turned his head, gave her a reproachful stare, and then began walking forward. "You okay?" She asked her daughter, leaning over her shoulder.
Savannah looked up at Penny. "Yes."
"Good." She smiled when she saw her mother and Leonard come out of the house, the latter with Ada all bundled up. "Hey guys!" she said.
Leonard's eyebrows were raised. "Hey."
"Uh oh," Savannah said at the sight of her father. Penny almost burst out laughing.
"You want to do something cool?" she asked. The girl nodded. "Okay. Sit tight." She sat back, shifted her hand and leg position slightly, and Savannah gasped when Husker pivoted to face the other direction. "That's called a half turn on the haunches. I know you have no idea what that means."
"It means he turned around," Savannah said.
"Good enough for me," Penny said.
They walked around a few more minutes, and then the wind picked up slightly. Penny shivered. "I think we're done for now," she told Savannah. "It's getting chilly and this big guy wants his hay."
Savannah looked to Wyatt as he came over to them, but he didn't reach to take her from Penny; he simply stood at Husker's head. Penny swung down off the horse and took Savannah with her, setting the girl on the ground a few feet from the animal.
"I'll take him in and feed him," Wyatt said. "Gotta check on one of the cows anyway, and I think your youngest daughter is going to want you soon. Savannah, you come along and make yourself useful."
"Okay, Grampa," Savannah said.
"Well, look at you, Savannah," Penny's mom said as she walked over with Leonard and Ada. "Such a big girl on a big horse."
Savannah grinned.
"So you got someone to let you come out here," Leonard said teasingly, smiling at his daughter.
"Are you mad at me?" Savannah asked, walking up to her dad and tilting her head back to look up at him.
"No, Love," Leonard said. "But when it comes to matters of money, never ask me and then go to your mother. We'll compare notes."
Savannah giggled. "Mommy doesn't take notes."
"That's because Mommy's got it all right here," Penny said, tapping her head.
"Because you wear a helmet."
"Exactly." She nodded. "Now go with Grandpa and he'll show you how to feed Ed, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy," Savannah said.
"Gimme kiss," Penny said, hunkering down. Savannah kissed her and then ran off after Wyatt.
Penny reached for Leonard's hand. Just because. "It's so cute that she was worried you'd be mad at her for riding the horse."
"I might be mad at you for letting her ride the horse," Leonard said teasingly, gently poking her in the side.
She swatted his hand. "Why would you be mad at me?"
"Well, I can't be mad at Savannah," Leonard said. "She's little and adorable and too young to have any bad qualities. She's the part of you, and the part of me, that no one can dislike."
"Are you saying there's a part of me that people can dislike?" Penny asked. Her face fell slightly. She'd been kidding, but now Amy Farrah Fowler was back at the forefront of her mind, her blank eyes, her flat tone, her defensive posture. Not the Amy that any of them knew, but the only Amy that Penny held in recent memory.
"Hey now," Leonard said, adjusting the hat on Ada's head. "Come on. We have another full day here before we fly home. Don't let this weigh you down any more. Penny?"
She was staring off into the distance, an odd look on her face. The pressure she was putting on his hand was greater than it had been when she'd initially taken it into her own. After a moment, she turned to face Leonard. "Leonard, I'm an evil genius."
My other fics will hopefully be updated fairly soon. At least by the end of the month. Thanks for reading! I thank y'all for your patience.