Penny has gone back to Pasadena for her treatments. Sheldon is still in Finland, at her request. He's not happy about it.

Sheldon refilled Whack's water dish and gave the dog a pat on the back. He opened his laptop and saw there was a new message from Penny. His heart thudded hard as he opened it. He tried to be patient. He tried to be understanding and supportive, but they had been apart for two months now. Phone calls, skyping and emails were poor substitutes for having her with him.

Sheldon,

I suspect you are sitting at the table, glaring at the screen. I know you are annoyed by my insistence that you stay there while I work through my treatments. To be honest, they are not easy on me. I am moody, tired and not the best company (as Stuart and Bernadette can attest to). But I need this time alone. I need to learn to (metaphorically) stand on my own two feet again. I know you love me, and want to help, but the truth is, I didn't like myself very much anymore. I don't like the way I gave up and let myself get so depressed. If we are to have a real relationship, I needed to find a way to be happy with me. Now, I want you to do something for me. I want you to go over to Karissa's apartment and ask her to give you what she picked up yesterday. It's something I had sent to Hyvinkaa for you. I hope you like it.

Penny

Sheldon sighed and finished his breakfast. Two weeks after she had left, she had sent him some photos she had taken of their four days together here. Three weeks after that, she had sent him a copy of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on DVD. He had seen the show before, but until he watched it with Penny, he had only a passing interest in the anime. The note that accompanied it had cleared up the mystery of her fondness for the show. She had felt an affinity for Riza Hawkeye. Barely acknowledged by the man she had vowed to support and protect. The man she loved.

He stood and washed his oatmeal bowl and headed out of the apartment. It only took a couple of minutes to reach Karissa's place upstairs. He knocked and waited on her to answer, wondering what Penny could have sent this time. The door opened and Karissa smiled at him.

"Good morning. How are you today, Sheldon? Go away. I decided to keep her surprise for myself."

Sheldon blinked twice at her rapid talking before rolling his eyes. "Good lord. What did she send? Is it another dog? She's been talking about getting Whack a friend. If it is, you are welcome to it. Just don't tell her I said so."

Karissa stepped back and opened the door wider to let him in. "Well, it's not exactly a stray, but it's close."

Sheldon stepped inside and froze.

Penny grinned at the shock on his face. "Miss me?" she asked softly.

Sheldon moved faster than she was expecting and she gasped as he pulled her up into his arms. His mouth was demanding against hers, and she opened for him willingly.

He was sure it was a dream. A highly detailed figment of his imagination. But damn it felt so real! He could smell her vanilla lotion. Her lips were warm and inviting. An arm was wrapped around his neck in a familiar way. He clung to the illusion as tightly as he could.

Penny suddenly dropped away from him, and he gripped her tighter. She bit her bottom lip hard and looked apologetically up at him. "Sorry. I still can't stand, sweetie."

Sheldon looked her over carefully. Not a dream? Slowly he set Penny back down onto the couch behind her. She shifted slightly and pulled on his hands until he was sitting beside her. He opened his mouth several times but couldn't find his voice.

She took a moment to smile at Karissa as she left the room to give them privacy. "Okay, here goes," she said gently. "I'm never going to get full mobility back. I can stand a bit and walk a step or two with crutches, but my right leg gets weak quickly. I'm working hard to rebuild the strength in it. The left one, well, there's a lot of damage to the nerves, and it's never going to work right. The crutches are pretty much a permanent part of my life now. The Hep C treatments are working, and I should be free of it in a couple of months. The chances of it coming back are about 30%, but I think I can live with that."

Penny drew in a deep breath and smiled slightly at him. "So, do you think you're willing to take a chance on a woman with a severe limp, no job, too much stubbornness and an obsession with shoes if she promises to play Halo, steal your milk, sit in your spot, sing Soft Kitty when you're sick and love you for the rest of her life?"

Penny's eyes widened at the soft growl that erupted from Sheldon's throat. "I'm warning you right now," he said firmly. "I am incapable of letting you go again. If you stay, it's for good, Penny. You will marry me, and be legally bound to me for the rest of our lives. Do you understand that?"

Penny smiled confidently and pulled him closer. "I do."

XXXXX

Penny relaxed on the seat and rubbed her left thigh absently. When it was cold she tended to lose what little feeling she had in it. Karissa climbed up into the carriage and sat beside her. Penny took the cup of hot chocolate with a grateful smile.

"So, how are you feeling?" Karissa asked.

Penny grinned. "Tired, but good. The flight was longer than normal it seemed. Sheldon and Wyatt were excited to be coming back and to be honest, I'm just glad to be sitting."

"Leg hurting?" Karissa asked worriedly.

Penny nodded as she sipped the warming drink. "A bit. Cold weather always makes it worse, but I wouldn't miss this for anything. Besides, I have an ulterior motive for this trip."

"Something besides your husband and son sitting on Santa's lap and asking for the latest gadgets?" Karissa laughed.

Penny nodded and shifted to face the woman who was as close to her as Bernadette was. "I was hoping you might agree to come visit in July for a few weeks. You were telling us a few weeks ago that you were thinking of relocating. I was wondering how you would feel about giving sunny Pasadena a chance."

Karissa shrugged and sipped her own drink. "Sheldon said much the same last week when he called. I don't know, Penny. I've got family here, and even though I've become a bit bored with my job, it pays well." She grinned widely. "Well enough for me to afford those new gladiator heels by Manolo Blahnik."

"Bitch!" Penny exclaimed. She narrowed her eyes. "Okay, I've changed my mind. I don't want you in California. Any one who would tease me like that doesn't deserve to be godmother to my second child!"

Karissa almost dropped her hot chocolate. She looked Penny over carefully. "A new baby?!" she squealed. "Penny, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed as she pulled Penny into a tight hug.

"Penny? Are you okay?" Sheldon asked as he hurried over a couple of minutes later. He picked up his two year old son and placed him in the carriage before turning back to Penny and Karissa who were both crying, arms wrapped around each other.

Valto looked up from feeding one of the ponies a carrot with a huge grin. "They're okay, my friend. Just happy about the new baby."

Sheldon relaxed and smiled warmly at the two women. Five years ago, he had been a wreck. He had not known if he could recover from the way he had been betrayed. It hadn't been easy. He and Penny both had suffered a great deal. But they had emerged better people for it. He sat down and pulled Wyatt Anthony into his lap. He settled back and listen to his son tell Penny all about Santa, the elves and the reindeer.

Things weren't always perfect with him and Penny. He was still overbearing at times and she was still stubborn. When they had returned to Pasadena after his contract with the lab was up, she had found a job as manager of Stuart's shop after he decided to devote more time to his art. Stuart was fast becoming a big name in the art community, much to the delight of his wife. Stuart and Bernadette had been astounded and pleased to be named Wyatt's godparents.

He had been offered the position of head of the physics department after Gabelhauser left to take the position of President of Texas A&M. With Leonard, Howard and Raj gone, he had accepted. The last he heard, Leonard was back at his mom's house working as a researcher for a science magazine, Raj had returned to India where his parents had helped him fund a small observatory and Howard was teaching computer classes at a high school in Burbank.

Penny still felt self-conscious about her disability on occasion, but she was always quick to point out that it had been the turning point for her. She said that if she hadn't been shot, she might never have reconnected with him.

Life was uncertain and sometimes difficult, but he wouldn't change a thing. Everything they had gone through had led them to where they are now. The happiness he felt, and that he knew Penny felt, had all been worth it.

Okay, my dears. That's it, the last chapter. Thank you so much for sticking with this through all the anger, tears and worries. I know a few have suspected I wrote a lot of this from personal experience, or at the very least a slightly similar background, but to be honest, I've never been in Penny's extremely stylish shoes, or in Sheldon's.

I have never been to Finland (but I'd love to go). I have never tasted a cloudberry (even though I REALLY want to). A few of you asked "Why Finland?" and well, it's because that's where Santa's Park is. I first heard of the park from Bam Margera Presents: Where The #$&% Is Santa. Everything I know about Finland came from googling my little heart out.

Some wanted to know why Stuart and Bernadette. Well, the simple answer is, it's my story. The long answer is, it's my story and I wanted it that way. :)

And finally, no, Penny never does regain the ability to walk fully in this 'verse. Things aren't perfect in their world, but they have learned to accept the imperfections and make a life together despite them.