AN: Second chapter! Please read and review!

Standard "I don't own TBBT" disclaimers still apply.

Two years later

Penny glanced at the various acting awards she had gotten over the course of two years and sighed. Two years of marriage to Leonard and the only thing that she felt most happy about was her acting career.

Just six months after the wedding, she finally landed a role in a big movie, which opened more and more doors for her. Three movies, four endorsements, three acting awards, and almost thirty TV guestings later, she was finally realizing her dream.

And she's married to a great guy. That's the dream, right?

She looked at Leonard's sleeping form then tiptoed out to the kitchen. Since becoming a celebrity, she learned to wake up earlier than 11 without punching any throats. Some days she even woke up at the crack of dawn.

She started to make herself coffee. She smiled, remembering how she did the same in Leonard and Sheldon's old kitchen. Sheldon would always say something along the lines of "buy your own coffee, you freeloader" but that didn't stop her. Sheldon would do it anyway.

Sheldon. God, how she missed her Dr. Whackadoodle.

She looked at her kitchen as she sat on the breakfast counter with her coffee. When Leonard had asked her how she wanted their house to look like, she told him that she didn't mind how the rest of it would look like, as long as the kitchen looked like the old kitchen in apartment 4A.

"Not that I'm... against it, but why would you want the kitchen to look like that?" Leonard had asked.

"Nothing," Penny had lied. "It's just... I like that kitchen."

Leonard just shrugged and smiled at his wife. "All right, then."

Penny wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you."

Sheldon entered Amy's apartment with a huge smile on her face. "Pack your bags, Amy," he announced. "We're going to Sweden."

Amy looked up at him, confused. "Sweden? Why?"

Sheldon's face broke into an even bigger smile. "Because I'm going to receive my Nobel prize!" He almost fist-pumped. "Sheldon and his brain, yeah! Sheldon and his brain, yeah!"

Amy ran over and gave him a hug, which made him a bit uncomfortable, but he didn't reject it. In fact, he hugged her back. "Congratulations, Sheldon. I've always known that you'd do it," she spoke against his chest.

"Thank you," Sheldon broke free from their embrace. "Now, will you pack?" Amy nodded, and he smiled.

"Did you hear? Sheldon's going to Sweden to get his Nobel prize next week," Howard said as Leonard sat on their table in the university's cafeteria. "He actually did it!"

Leonard nodded, proud of his old roommate. "Yeah, I heard. He ran out of CalTech as soon as he heard, probably went to Amy's place."

Raj tsked. "Poor guy. Ever since you and Penny moved, he's been taking the bus everyday. I told him to try and learn how to drive again, but he told me that he has enough bus pants to last him a lifetime, so he'll be okay. He also doesn't talk to anyone anymore. I always thought that when he finally gets the Nobel, we'll be the one he'll announce it to first."

Leonard shrugged. "We talked about it before I got married," He sighed. "Penny and I told him that things are going to change. But I think... he's taking it too hard."

Howard nodded. "Exactly. Something's wrong with him, I think. He doesn't talk to anyone anymore but Amy, he takes the bus... he's basically doing everything alone."

"Yeah," Raj agreed. "And now that he's won the Nobel prize which is-was-his ultimate dream, who knows what he will do next?"

The three of them sat in silence, proud yet sad for their old friend.

"Hey, you." Penny smiled as Leonard entered their house. "Anything good happen today?"

Leonard put down his bag on the couch and smiled. "I have great news. Not about me, but great news nevertheless."

"What is it?" She asked. She stood from the couch to face him. "Okay, here goes." Leonard fiddled with his hands. "Sheldon's going to Sweden tomorrow to receive his Nobel prize."

Penny's eyes widened. "Oh my God!" She hugged Leonard, wishing he were Sheldon. "Oh my God he actually did it! I have to go, Leonard. Let's go to Sweden."

"But, Penny... Sheldon hasn't talked to any of us in two years! You think he'll want us there?" Leonard asked.

Penny broke the embrace to glare at him. "Sweetie. I will talk to him whether he likes it or not."

Leonard laughed. "Alright, alright. But I have to work that day, so I'm afraid I can't go. We need to be there for... I actually have no idea. Science stuff."

Penny laughed as she shook her head. "Science stuff. Okay. I guess I'm going alone, then."

Leonard sighed. "I'm sorry. I'd go if I can, but... Gablehauser won't let me."

"It's fine. I'll be fine." She smiled. "I can hogtie and castrate, remember?"

He nodded. "Of course. You go pack a bag and I'll book you a ticket."

"Thanks, sweetie," she replied. "I love you." She looked down, wondering if she meant it with all her heart.

"Love you, too."