Chapter Five

The Playboy Physicist Actualization

Leonard stood behind Sheldon and Yoshi, everyone gathered for the wedding processional. The assembly small, Leonard stood on his toes to see over the taller men in front of him, seeking out Penny, seated beside Amy, in the second row. She turned to look back, smiling and winking at him before turning her gaze to Sheldon. The two women grinned broadly, then leaned in to whisper. Leonard began to guess at the conversation, when his sleeve was pulled, and he looked to see Rosemary's sister Lillian, looking brightly stunning in a blue gown, standing with him.

"The bride is ready," she told the three men around her, linking arms with Leonard.

Yoshi turned around and smiled broadly at his wife.

"You look beautiful," he said, leaning in to kiss her, but Sheldon pulled him back.

"You need to focus, Yoshi," Sheldon whispered.

"Nervous much, brother," Lillian laughed, and received a glare from Sheldon.

"Yo, Mable," Yoshi said to the elderly woman seated at a piano near the gathered group. "We're ready."

The woman turned and beamed at the younger people. "Sheldon sweetie, you look so handsome." Still smiling, she turned and began to play, a beautiful classical number Leonard did not recognize, certainly not the wedding march that played at his own nuptials.

Sheldon and Yoshi marched down the short aisle, Yoshi taking his spot at center, Sheldon off to the side.

"You clean up nice," Lillian said, looking over at Leonard, then turned to see Rosemary and her father come up behind them.

Leonard turned and felt his jaw drop. Rosemary looked enchanting, her dress the style of some medieval lady, her jewelry reflective of her Native American heritage. Her black hair flowed down her back, a small veil pinned into a turquoise head piece the only adornment. Beautiful, an elegant match for Sheldon, Leonard wondered, not for the first time, how he and his former roommate ended up with such amazing women.

Just before turning around, Leonard saw Rosemary step forward slightly, and he noticed her wearing bright red heeled boots. Puzzled by her choice, he shrugged and turned his attention to the aisle.

"Our turn," whispered Lillian. "Remember short steps, but that shouldn't be a problem for you."

Leonard turned to her and rolled his eyes in exaggerated fashion, knowing Lillian enjoyed teasing others, including yesterday at the rather rowdy pre-wedding basketball game, and previously, at Raj and Laura's wedding.

May 2017

Rosemary sat in the back seat of her Prius, enjoying a break from their long drive to San Diego as well as the argument, now going on 45 minutes, between Lillian and Sheldon as to who played Sherlock Holmes the best. Lillian, a confirmed Cumber-bitch, argued in favor of the new BBC series. Sheldon seemed to flip flop between other actors in the more traditional representation of the detective, and Rosemary laughed at their passion for the subject.

Sheldon spent hours prior to the trip creating some sort of GPS game with fun facts and trivia, but he turned it off hours ago, as they crossed the Oregon/California border, to argue points in various topics with his fiancé and future sister-in-law. But Rosemary, who drove through the early hours of the morning, felt herself drift off to the arguing and laughter of her two favorite people.

Waking later to a closing door, she blinked at the Holiday Inn sign, and smiled. They'd arrived in San Diego, the site of Raj and Laura's wedding in two days time. The couple would marry in a large, elaborate ceremony at the Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island, near the naval base Laura's father, a retired Navy officer, spent most of his career and Laura grew up. Most of Sheldon's friends, along with the wedding party, stayed at the hotel, but in order to save money for their honeymoon to Iceland, Sheldon and Rosemary decided to stay in Old Town. Lillian, a guest of Raj's as the illustrator of the recently published black hole book, reserved an adjoining room.

"I'll call mom," Rosemary yawned, emerging from the car and allowing Sheldon to handle the luggage. Both sisters were going to cancel their attendance to the wedding, but their mother insisted, assuring them both their father made remarkable progress since his stroke. Still, Rosemary called on a daily basis.

After settling in, Sheldon looked down at a text.

"Penny says they are all meeting at a restaurant downtown," he said. "We're invited. In an hour."

"You two go. I'm the third wheel," said Lillian, grabbing her purse. "One of my friends told me about this cute little market near here. Catch you later."

A while later, Sheldon and Rosemary walked into the restaurant, a family-style Mexican place with large circular tables for big parties. They immediately found the group, Raj, Laura, Howard, Bernadette, Penny, Leonard, Amy, and Erik, just two seats remaining for them. Sliding in and grabbing a menu, she looked over to see Sheldon eagerly leaning in to see what everyone talked about.

"I'm so glad you made it in time to have dinner with us," said Laura, leaning over and grabbing Rosemary's hand. "We're meeting with my side later for cocktails, but I wanted to make sure Raj had time with his group before the madness of tomorrow, the rehearsal, everything."

"I wasn't aware of the rehearsal," said Sheldon.

"Just the wedding party, that's all," Raj said, waving his hand.

Rosemary knew Howard to be Raj's best man, and of course Erik the photographer, so she turned to Leonard and Penny. "So, would you two like to join us for something fun tomorrow afternoon?"

"Oh…well, we're running the guest book and gift area with Laura's cousins, and we've got another engagement with them, making plans. It's going to be a large wedding," Leonard said, giving a worried look in Sheldon's direction.

"So everyone has a job except me?" asked Sheldon, Rosemary having difficulty reading his tone.

Amy leaned forward. "Well, I don't. But I'll be at the zoo until right before the rehearsal dinner. You can come by there if you want."

Rosemary smiled and nodded, looking again at Sheldon, who turned to study his menu. Conversation became louder as appetizers arrived and drinks flowed, the only couples abstaining Sheldon and Rosemary and Amy and Erik.

"Do you remember at lunch last week when Kripke brought up Professor Havorford's flawed paper and…and…" but Raj choked on his words, laughing hard.

The rest of the table erupted in laughter, everyone seeming to know this story already. Everyone except Sheldon and Rosemary. And while Rosemary, often the quiet one at parties, enjoyed watching others have fun, she looked over to see Sheldon scowling.

"You eat with Kripke now?" he asked loudly.

"Sometimes," shrugged Howard.

"Oh…I see," said Sheldon quietly, studying his food.

The evening continued like this, Sheldon uncharacteristically quiet, both he and Rosemary listening to stories about Penny and Leonard as an old married couple, pregnant Amy's weird cravings, Raj and Laura attempting to get their abundance of dogs under control, Erik's upcoming film release in August, Bernadette and Howard pondering kids, and Stuart's success with the comic book store. Rosemary saw Sheldon clinch his napkin tightly when he discovered Stuart had a job as an usher.

Uh oh, she thought. Trouble ahead. And she knew what he was thinking too, being left out. She would probably feel the same.

Sheldon emoted when they entered the car.

"I was the leader of the social group, Rosemary," he shouted as they drove back to Old Town. "And I don't have a job!"

"I remember you complained about all the work you had to do being Leonard's best man and none of them have jobs at our wedding except Leonard and Erik and…"

"And Kripke! At the table! In my spot!"

"Sheldon, you said lunch is much better at SpaceX, especially on days when the food carts…"

"I don't know what they're laughing about. Or why or…or…"

"Sheldon," Rosemary said firmly, looking over at him after stopping at a light. "You're the one who moved away. Do you want to move back?"

"No. I prefer Tacoma to Pasadena. And my new job. And you."

"Then why would you think you're the leader of the social group still?" she asked. "And you have a lot of new friends, a lot more diverse than you had here. The guys in your train club…"

"Yes, but…"

"And the comic shop. You now host Dungeon and Dragons once a month at our house."

"Yeah, I know, but…"

"And Carson. You two are together all the time. And your basketball team. And our friends at the retirement home."

"Yes, but…"

"And Lil and Yoshi visit a lot," she continued. "And you have me."

"Rosemary!" he shouted. "Quit being…right."

Rosemary burst out laughing, Sheldon skulking next to her. She pulled into a parking spot near their hotel, unbuckled, and awkwardly crawled over to straddle Sheldon on the lap. He still scowled at her but didn't block her movement.

"I can't believe Kripke took my spot," he mumbled.

"How about we go into the room, and I'll touch your spot," she cooed before kissing him. Sheldon gave in, warmly kissing her back, his hands moving up her shirt in the back.

A loud bang on the car window startled both of them, and they turned to see Lillian grinning in at them

"You two are so gross," she shouted. "Come inside. I'm gonna Skype with Yoshi. He wants to practice his opening speech for his defense on us." She dashed toward the room.

Rosemary looked at Sheldon. "We'll listen to Yoshi, get rid of Lil, and then I'll remind you why you left this state to begin with."

Sheldon nodded eagerly, and the two headed inside.

The next morning, Sheldon walked hand in hand with Rosemary along the Coronado beach, enjoying the fresh air and the spectacular views, seeing jets and helicopters take off frequently from the nearby base. They'd gone beyond the area of the Hotel Del Coronado, both marveling at the beautiful and elegant wedding venue.

"I was just thinking about that film Carson recommended and we watched, From Here to Eternity," Sheldon said.

"Oh yeah, with that couple making out on the beach?" Rosemary laughed. "I always thought that would be so gross. Sand would get everywhere."

Sheldon grinned down at her. "I love how you think like me, Rosemary. Oh, and Carson wanted me to remind you they filmed Some Like It Hot at the hotel, and Marilyn…"

"Excuse me," came a stern voice, and the couple turned around to see two men in military uniforms walking toward them. "This beach belongs to the U.S. military. Do you have proper clearance?"

Sheldon glanced behind them, realizing he and Rosemary walked quite a distance from the hotel area and were on a beach lined with unmarked buildings.

"Um…no," said Rosemary. "We didn't notice any signs and…"

"Come this way please," he said, and Rosemary gave Sheldon a frightened look.

The men led the couple into one of the small buildings, where they grabbed Sheldon by the arm and put him in a nearby room with only a small wooden table and one old folding chair. He heard the door lock and felt deep panic overtake him. What happened to Rosemary?

Sheldon thought it best to sit in the chair and wait. So he did, patiently, noticing every now and then movement outside the door, the peephole darkening as someone apparently peeked through. After thirty minutes, dark thoughts flooded his mind. If he got arrested by military police, it would cause a scandal for SpaceX. After all, Sheldon had become one of their leading scientists.

Then at the thought of scandal, a more frightening possibility occurred to him. Rosemary mentioned running for higher office, some of her colleagues he'd met mentioned her already being vetted for possible positions in Congress. Sheldon himself began planning Rosemary's White House campaign months ago. This would destroy her career, an incident with the Navy. How had this happened? They were just walking on the beach. Was there some sort of testing going on? Had they been exposed to dangerous radioactive waves?

Just as his heart rate began to rise, the door swung open, and an angry looking naval officer entered, slamming his hands down onto the table and leaning into Sheldon's face.

"What the hell were you doing on that beach?" he shouted.

"I…I was just walking with my fiancé," Sheldon stammered.

"What do you know about this facility, Dr. Cooper? Are you a spy sent by the North Korean government?"

"What? No…I'm just here for my friend's wedding and…"

The officer burst out laughing. "No, sorry guys, I can't do this. He looks totally petrified. And I don't want to get in trouble."

Suddenly, Raj and Howard entered the room, laughing hysterically. Sheldon sat frozen, confused. Was this some sort of prank?

"You should see your face, Sheldon," said Howard, tears in his eyes.

"Thanks Reggie," said Raj to the exiting man. He turned back to Sheldon. "He's a friend of Laura's father."

"Rosemary said you would be walking on the beach this morning," Howard said. "Just thought we'd have some fun with you, Sheldon. Like old times."

"Like old times!" cried Sheldon, on his feet and in Howard's face before he knew what he was doing. "Do you know how terrified I was?"

"Yeah, we were watching through the peephole," snickered Howard, Raj joining in.

"I thought about losing my job and…and…a scandal for Rosemary!" he screamed, wanting to hit Howard's smug face.

"Jeez, cool it Sheldon," said Howard, backing away. "That beach is actually off limits to anyone except military families. We just persuaded the guards to bring you to this storage shed rather than redirect you. But locking you in is all me. And Raj had the idea to call Reggie, who was just up the street. Nobody else is here. Pretty funny. It's just a joke."

"I'm always the joke. You always played pranks on me," Sheldon snapped. "I'm sick of it. Rosemary was right. I'm better off without you."

"What? She said that?" said Howard, looking serious. "Listen, Rosemary is fine. We told her we were taking you to lunch. She left a bit ago." He stepped aside. "Just go Sheldon. You're too good for us now anyway."

"I always was," Sheldon hissed. "And you were always a bully. I realize that now."

"Hey, I know some shit about you no one else does," Howard said back, getting angry. "How would you like everyone to know about your original trip up to Washington?"

"What?" asked Raj.

"The most important person already knows…Rosemary. So I don't care. This is no longer my social group," Sheldon said smugly.

"Fine, then I'll bring it up at the rehearsal dinner tonight," sneered Howard.

"Go right ahead. I won't be there anyway. Nor at the wedding tomorrow."

"Sheldon, no!" cried Raj, who turned to Howard. "I told you locking him in that room was taking it too far."

"C'mon, Raj," snorted Howard. "Sheldon can't take a joke. Never could."

"Please excuse me while I call my boss," Sheldon continued as he exited the room. "I think he needs to know I retract my recommendation on your recent application. I don't think he would want such uneducated trash working at SpaceX."

Howard's face fell in shock. "No…no…Sheldon, please…I…"

But Sheldon kept walking. And when he heard footsteps running up the pavement behind him, Howard calling his name, pleading, he kept walking, ignoring him. When Howard gave up, Sheldon pulled out his phone, texting Rosemary, discovering she met up with Lillian at a restaurant in town. He stomped off in that direction, feeling both angry and hurt.

Walking along the main drag in Coronado, lined with shops and entertainment venues, he spotted Rosemary and Lillian sitting outside a 1950s themed diner, both indulging in rather large sundaes. Sheldon crossed the street and sat in the empty seat next to them.

"Hey baby boy," said Rosemary, shoving her sundae over to Sheldon and handing him her spoon. "The guys told me they were meeting up with Leonard and going to lunch. Didn't really appreciate the way they got a hold of us, but…"

Sheldon shoveled a spoonful of sundae into his mouth, Rosemary's usual cookies and cream, this time topped with peanut M&Ms. Grimacing slightly at her odd tastes, he took another spoonful before telling the sisters about being locked in the room and his fight with Howard.

"They put you in there for over a half hour?" Rosemary gasped, a look of anger forming. "Assholes. I'd be terrified."

"And they watched you, laughing?" added Lillian. "What dicks! Howard's the really short one that looks like a rat, right?"

"And I'm not going to the rehearsal dinner, nor the wedding," he said with finality, pushing the sundae back to Rosemary.

"Did you call SpaceX?" asked Rosemary.

"Not yet," said Sheldon, pulling out his phone, but Lillian reached over and put her hand on the screen.

"I'd wait on that. This is his career," she said, Rosemary nodding in agreement. "Cool down, Sheldon."

"Yeah, maybe we could get him back," Rosemary said, then her face brightened. "I've been doing work on budgets and have a contact in the IRS. We can get them audited!"

Lillian rolled her eyes at her sister. "Your pranks are so lame."

"I'm just tired of being the butt of their jokes," Sheldon lamented. "I don't fit in here anymore. I'm…I'm…" He grabbed the sundae again, taking another large bit, appreciating the big glob of chocolate fudge accompanying it.

Rosemary jumped up. "Let's go to the zoo. Text Amy or Erik. They both said they're there today."

Lillian grabbed their trash, smiling broadly. "Do you think we can pet some of the animals? Like the pandas? She has access to those things, right?"

Sheldon followed the women back to the car, silently plotting. No, he would not go to the wedding. And Howard and Raj were officially uninvited from his.

Walking through the gates of the San Diego Zoo, Sheldon felt himself calm a bit. He always enjoyed going to the zoo, and Rosemary held his hand, turning to kiss him every now and then, making him feel at ease.

Amy and Erik both met them near the front gate, and Sheldon saw just how pregnant Amy was, since she'd been sitting the entire time the previous evening. Entering her third trimester, Amy still seemed very active, and led them at a fast pace to the primate exhibits where she worked, at least until leaving for Gabon the next year.

Lillian fell back to walk beside Sheldon alone.

"So that's Amy?" she asked. "The one who just broke up with you when we first met? I remember you being so devastated."

Sheldon shrugged, remembering his struggle. "Yes, but it was for the best. Amy did the right thing. Amy and I…we never made each other better…not like Rosemary and me."

Lillian beamed at him, then laughed. "And that's Erik, the man who stole her, and you were going to seek revenge upon."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "I suppose…"

"I remember a story about a karaoke performance and…"

"Shush," hissed Sheldon.

Lillian shrugged. "Well, I think trying to get her back from him was a lost cause. They look adorable together. Plus…and don't get me wrong in saying this, Shel, cause you are a good looking man, far better looking than the rest of your friends. But that Erik guy looks like Chris Pratt in The Magnificent Seven. Hot."

Sheldon sighed heavily, thinking that Erik probably had a firmer hold in his former social group than he did. He looked at Erik, camera around his neck like usual, holding Amy's hand, bright smile on his face as he talked to Rosemary about the zoo. Even Erik had been a better friend to him than stupid Howard. Erik helped Sheldon buy a car, figure out things when Rosemary had been so far away, took him to get Andy Serkis' autograph. Howard just played tricks and made fun of Sheldon. He paused and pulled out his phone, scrolling to the SpaceX number when Lillian grabbed his arm.

"Pandas!" she cried. "Let's go!"

Later on that afternoon, Sheldon sat beside Amy in the primate offices, Amy holding a sleeping baby bonobo. Erik sat across the room showing Rosemary and Lillian photos he recently took on his laptop.

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Sheldon," said Amy after he finished his story. "Howard can be such a jerk sometimes, taking things too far. And Raj just follows along."

Sheldon nodded, using his fingers to delicately brush the hairs on the baby primate's face. He appreciated Amy's understanding. She always understood him. Had he ever truly understood her? He studied her for a moment realizing he hadn't. He never put in the effort; Amy had become just another comfortable routine. He looked over to Erik again, he and Rosemary apparently laughing at something Lillian said, and he felt grateful the man appeared and saved both him and Amy from a romance based on routine. Sheldon preferred the electric shock he received when he met Rosemary.

"I suppose Erik has replaced me in the social group," he murmured.

Amy laughed. "No. Honestly, since coming back from Gabon, we don't hang out all together that often. This weekend is kind of rare. Erik hangs out mostly with Raj one on one, and he has other friends, like Louis and he got close working on the film. I only see Penny now about once a week, if even. My world just got a bit…well, bigger. And I like it. And I don't really miss the unnecessary drama."

Amy's phone pinged, and she glanced over at it on the desk.

"Howard texting, for the tenth time I might add. You going to call him?"

"He only wants to apologize because I have something he needs," Sheldon scoffed.

Amy nodded. "Probably true. Well, you've got the power, Sheldon. Remember that Superman quote, with great power comes great responsibility."

Sheldon sighed. "Spiderman, Amy." Maybe she didn't fully understand him after all. Rosemary would have gotten it right.

Amy suddenly thrust the monkey into his arms. "Bathroom. Now. I swear this child is going to be a soccer player the way it keeps kicking my bladder."

She left, Sheldon now holding the stirring bonobo. Rosemary slid into Amy's vacant seat.

"Look at you, holding that baby monkey," she said, snapping a picture with her phone. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, a bit. But I still don't want to go tonight."

"We don't have to go to the rehearsal dinner," Rosemary shrugged. "But I do still want to go to the wedding. Laura is my friend too, after all."

Sheldon looked down at the baby, still feeling hurt as well as confused on what his next move should be.

The next morning Sheldon stayed in bed as long as possible, still indecisive. He'd ignored calls and texts from the group all the previous evening and felt grateful both Fox sisters, as well as Amy and Erik, supported whatever he decided. Still, the girls bustled around Sheldon, as he sat up in bed, both getting ready in a flurry of brightly colored summer dresses, rotating pairs of heeled sandals, and hair product. Finally, Rosemary and Lillian stood, both looking quite stunning, at the end of the bed, Sheldon still in pajamas and mussed up hair.

"Are you sure?" Rosemary said, frowning a bit. "Just the ceremony. I just think you might regret missing Raj's big day. You said yourself, he's usually the follower. He's not the one who…"

"No," Sheldon shook his head, but felt a twinge of longing. Rosemary looked lovely, and he always liked showing her off.

"I've got an idea!" shouted Lillian, who leaped up on the little coffee table in the room's sitting area as if making a grand announcement. "Sheldon, you've got two hot women here as your dates. You brought that smokin' grey Armani suit. And do you have sunglasses?"

"Yes."

"Well, then Rose and I will shorten our skirts a bit, you get all dressed up with your shades, I'll do your hair like Yoshi's, we'll all wear shades, and walk into the wedding like we don't give a fuck. Like you're some playboy physicist, with two hotties hanging off you. You are just honoring them with your presence," Lillian said excitedly, grabbing out Sheldon's things. "We'll fawn all over you. Get people to turn and stare, like who is that guy?"

Rosemary was giggling. "Oh, I love when we do the pretend thing. Remember that time we went to the Spokane mall and pretended we only spoke our tribal language and…" the girls burst out laughing.

But Sheldon nodded, liking the idea. Like he didn't care. Yes, yes, the playboy physicist. He was just gracing the assembly with his attendance and then leaving, never coming back to this stupid state again.

He allowed the girls to gussy him up, and soon they walked to the entrance of the Hotel Del Coronado, turning to the ballroom where the ceremony would begin shortly. Penny and Leonard, as well as several of Laura's relations, stood near the guest book, which the Foxes and Sheldon began to walk past.

"Sheldon," said Penny in an angry voice. "What the hell? Why didn't you return my calls? Howard is going out of his mind and…"

"Excuse me," interrupted Lillian in an audacious tone, stepping toward Penny. "You will not address Dr. Sheldon Cooper directly. Dr. Cooper is merely here as a formality and does not need to associate with the general riffraff." She walked back toward Sheldon and her sister. "I apologize on behalf of this rude woman, Dr. Cooper."

"That's quite all right," he said, giving Lillian his empty arm, Rosemary on the other, enjoying Penny's shocked look as they walked into the room, taking a seat in the very back row.

Leonard suddenly appeared in front of Sheldon, but again Lillian took over.

"Dr. Cooper, this man wishes to converse with you," Lillian said. "Do you accept his presence?"

Sheldon merely nodded and turned to face Leonard, who looked at him exasperated.

"Sheldon, come on. Howard is…"

But Howard appeared beside Leonard. "Sheldon, for God's sake, I left fifteen messages. I'm sorry, so, so sorry."

Sheldon felt angry again, but Lillian once more took control. "Dr. Cooper is under the belief that you are only apologizing because you need something from him. The prank you played caused him much distress, particularly over a possible scandal for his politician future wife, my sister. He does not find you amusing. I do not find you amusing. Dr. Cooper has heard your apology, and whether he chooses to accept it or not remains his decision." She sat down and took Sheldon's arm, leaning into him, the three of them staring up at the two men through their sunglasses, blank expressions on their faces.

Leonard tried to stifle a smile, then walked away, leaving a miserable looking Howard in front of them.

"I am sorry. And not just because of SpaceX," he whispered, his voice thick. "You said I was a bully. And…and Stuart mentioned the same thing a couple of weeks ago. And Raj the other night at the bachelor party, and…I…" he turned and walked away.

About ten minutes passed, and the wedding began. Sheldon enjoyed the ceremony, glad to see Raj, who'd struggled for years, finally happy. And when they went through the receiving line, Sheldon embraced his friend in a real hug. Still, he bypassed Howard and Bernadette, and when the latter began a high-pitched rant, Lillian stopped the shorter woman instantly with a mere glance over her sunglasses. Between Missy and Lillian, Sheldon now felt he won the jackpot in sisters who would take care of him, and he again felt the warmth of family.

Still uncertain about his future with Howard, Sheldon declined attending the reception, choosing instead to sit on one of the lawn chairs along the beach and think. The girls attended for a bit, but soon met him, Rosemary handing him a piece of cake.

"Talked with Erik about photos, but we'll also talk before the wedding. He's coming up two days early to scout the scene. And Leonard and Penny are still coming next month to help with final plans," said Rosemary, kissing his forehead.

"Hey buddy," came Leonard's voice, and Sheldon looked to see him and Penny coming over. Leonard stopped. "Is it okay to approach?"

Lillian laughed and looked at Sheldon. He nodded.

"Listen, I'm not going to apologize for Howard or tell you to forgive him because after I heard what he did, well he can suffer for a bit," Leonard said. "But I wanted to see if you were okay and…"

"Am I still a part of this social group, Leonard?" Sheldon asked.

"I think so," Leonard answered hesitantly. "Sheldon, you are still my best friend. Too hell with the others. Who else can I have a full day text conversation with about the Darmok episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation?"

"Darmok?" asked Penny, looking confused.

"Ohhh…it's a really good episode where Captain Picard tries to communicate with this alien species who speaks in metaphor," chimed in Rosemary.

Sheldon shook his head. "Educate your woman, Leonard."

Penny playfully slapped Sheldon on the shoulder, and the five of them talked for a while before Sheldon and the Fox sisters headed back to their hotel.

That night, after Rosemary fell asleep, Sheldon lie awake thinking about his years in Pasadena and the adventures he had with his friends. He thought of the individual relationships he had, the one with Howard being the rockiest. While he thought they'd found a good place, with Howard helping him after his break-up with Amy and Sheldon helping with Howard's troubles with Bernadette, he knew they would never be as close as he was to Leonard, or even Carson. Still, he wondered at Howard's distress over being called a bully. What had happened with Stuart and Raj? Sheldon just shook his head. He needed to focus on his friendship with Howard.

The next afternoon, as Lillian took over the drive and Sheldon settled into the back seat, he asked for silence as he called Grant at SpaceX. Afterwards, he phoned Howard.

Howard answered on the second ring. "Sheldon, Sheldon, thank you for calling. Again, I am so…"

"My boss Grant will be calling to set up an interview with you next week," Sheldon said. "If you need somewhere to stay while up in Tacoma, the sofa at our place is available."

"Oh God, thank you, thank you, Sheldon. I can't…"

"I'm still angry, but we are friends and we will work it out. And it would be wrong of me to deny SpaceX of a fine engineer," Sheldon said. "Good afternoon." He hung up before engaging in further conversation.

The car remained silent, but Rosemary reached her hand back and squeezed his knee, and Lillian grinned at him in the rearview mirror.

Now, as Leonard led Lillian up the aisle at Sheldon and Rosemary's wedding, he finally took his place beside his friend, able to see the entire assembly. Howard and Bernadette, seated beside Raj and Laura, smiled at them from the third row. Leonard knew the couple would be heading up to the Seattle/Tacoma area following the wedding to look for a new home, as Howard would be starting at SpaceX in September. Sheldon's exit shifted their group significantly, and he wondered how this move of Howard's would further change them.

"You have the ring?" Sheldon leaned over and whispered to Leonard over the sound of the piano music.

"Yes!" hissed Leonard.

"Because it could have fallen out of…oh my," Sheldon trailed off and Leonard's face broke into a wide grin as he watched Sheldon see his bride for the first time.

Author's Note: Next time, Penny and Leonard visit to help with final wedding preparations, and Penny plans a fun wedding eve activity for the entire group.

Only one chapter left of the "reflection" before we get to the "wedding day." Hope you are enjoying the story. Please send a review my way. I always like hearing what my readers think. Take care, everyone!