A/N:

Yes, I'm still alive, in case you were asking. Yes, I promised I would finish this back in August but I've been super busy and I suffered the worst writers block. Yes, I'm still continuing with this story. Yes, I will shut up now.

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."

-Ann Landers

Sheldon was in the middle of fixing his tie when Leonard called his name from the living room. He told him to wait a moment as he picked up his dark blue blazer and slipped it on.

One more look at his reflection on the mirror, he was satisfied with his appearance and exited his bedroom. Emerging from the hallway, the first thing his eyes focused on was Penny sitting down beside his spot, patiently waiting for him as he finished up getting ready. She didn't seem to notice him standing in the back and all that Sheldon could do was stare for a few seconds before alerting her of his presence.

"Hey, sweetie. Looking good in a tux, huh?" Penny said sweetly as she stood up and approached him. Sheldon blushed and admired what she wore for the fundraiser.

She chose a black sleeveless dress with a rounded neckline and princess seams. Her blonde straightened hair was neatly combed to the side and she went subtle with her makeup. She felt his eyes inspecting her and she cheekily grinned up to him. Sheldon realized that he had been looking at her for too long and immediately diverted his eyes to somewhere else.

"Thank you, and I must say that you look particularly radiant this evening," he remarked, clasping his hands in front of him while doing so. Sheldon's head shot up when Leonard entered the room and headed over to the bowl to pick up his keys.

His roommate then walked towards the two. "So, I'm guessing that Penny's driving you to the university?"

"Yes, and I will also be driving him home afterwards," she answered and before reaching down the couch to grab her purse.

"Okay that's great since we're not going to have room in the car. Howard is bringing Bernadette and Raj invited Emily along. I'm picking them all up on my way there so I'm gonna head on out. See you guys later!" Leonard stated and then moved to the front door.

Sheldon stepped forward and said the experimental physicist's name, causing him to stop and turn around. "Are you bringing a date?"

"No, and don't worry I'm not bringing a woman home tonight. Why do you ask?"

Sheldon shrugged his shoulders. "No reason. I was just curious."

The three descended the stairs together before going their separate ways. The car was parked about a hundred feet from the building and as they walked, Sheldon and Penny passed by the very place where they first met. They exchanged looks with each other before Sheldon felt her small hand slip into his, giving a little squeeze for reassurance.

A little while after, they climbed inside the vehicle and Penny drove to the university which was about ten minutes away. When the car stopped in front of a red light, Penny turned her head to Sheldon and caught him glancing at her direction.

She smiled as his cheeks reddened and he stared down to his lap. She placed her hand on top of his, causing him to look into her eyes. He grinned from ear to ear and Penny pulled her hand back and stepped on the accelerator.

Sheldon dreaded fundraisers like these since there were always too many people, but being accompanied by Penny tonight helped put his mind at ease.

Once they entered the hall, Sheldon and Penny navigated through the sea of people as they tried to find a vacant table. When they finally found one, he pulled out a chair for her and she nodded her thanks as she took a seat.

It wasn't long until the group showed up with their dates, excluding Leonard who came in all by himself. As they were in the middle of a conversation, an older woman approached the table and began to speak. She introduced herself as Anne Kingsley, whom the four smart men recognized as one of the most active donors in the university. Anne requested to talk about their researches over at her table after displaying some interest in funding the physics and engineering department.

After receiving an "ok" from their dates, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj excused themselves for a moment and followed Anne to the other side of the room. Left sitting around the table were Penny, Emily, and Bernadette, all whom had never gotten the chance to talk with each other. Penny knew a bit about Emily since she was a regular at the restaurant and she had heard of Bernadette from the other waitresses because the tiny blonde used to work there.

"So... how are you guys?" Penny said, trying to replace the awkward silence with some interaction.

"Good," Bernadette answered and Emily nodded in agreement. "We never really had the opportunity to spend time together. You know, only us girls."

Emily moved to the empty seat beside Penny so the three women were sitting closer. "It's weird since we're with guys that are friends with each other. No offense but I don't know anything else but your names."

"Well, I guess we could say a few things about ourselves," Penny suggested. "Of course, you guys know my name. It's Penny, but I was born Penelope and I'm a Sagittarius. Let's see... I work at the Cheesecake Factory when I'm not busy showing up to auditions or standing in front of the camera. Acting was always a big dream of mine and so far, I'm making the best out of everything. I love performing and shopping for shoes. What else... Oh! I'm a huge fan of Sex in the City and Charmed! Watching a lot of television growing up inspired me to do what I'm trying to be now."

Bernadette smiled and went next.

"I met Howie when I was still a waitress at the restaurant and we've been married for almost two years now. He's very odd but I love him. Hmm... I currently work at a pharmaceutical company as a microbiologist. When I was a kid, science class was my favorite part of the day because of all the things about the universe that you could learn. Knowing how the universe was made and how it works is truly amazing and if I hadn't gone into microbiology, I would have studied physics. Emily?"

"Oh, where do I begin? I grew up in a dysfunctional home and every summer my grandfather would fly to where we used to live from San Francisco. He was a successful psychologist and he would tell me all these facts about the brain. It was so fascinating and that's why I'm working my way into receiving my PhD in that field. Um, I'm also a single mother to two-year old Damien. His father passed away and it was very hard on us, especially since he never got the chance to meet his son. Being with Raj made things seem a little more... complete. He's a sweetheart and I'm trying to get him to overcome his anxiety that causes him to not speak with women. We're making progress and he could say a few words before clamping up," Emily said, sipping her glass of white wine afterwards.

"I think we're going to get along with each other just fine," Penny added and the three women clinked their glasses together. "The next time all of us are free, we should hang out and watch a movie or something. If the men in our lives are good buddies, why shouldn't we be, too?"

Minutes later, the four scientists went back to their seats with big grins on their faces. Leonard revealed to the bewildered blondes that Anne was very much interested in funding their research and the equipment needed, as well as giving money to their departments and if they're lucky, they might score another grant from another donor since the night has just begun.

Because it was a gala, the dance floor was open to anyone willing to sway to the music, and although the rest of his friends were out there, Sheldon preferred to stay and watch. He knew how to dance thanks to the cotillion classes he had to take back in Texas, but never did he want to use those skills in public. Penny sat next to him since she didn't want to leave Sheldon all by himself and they talked about attending Comic Con in less than two months. They discussed about what costumes to wear and whether or not to choose a couple's costume since they were officially together.

After choosing between two different ideas, Penny mustered enough courage to stand up and ask Sheldon to dance. He was hesitant and afraid of possibly embarrassing himself. Yes, he was a self-called "expert" in dancing, but he hadn't used those skills for years now.

She waited for him with her hand held out for him as Sheldon debated inside his mind. It would be wrong to turn down a dance request from his date, especially when he was expected to dance because of the type of event they were in.

Sheldon eventually slipped his hand into hers and strode confidently to the center of the hall where the other guests were. Straightening himself, he tentatively rested his left hand on Penny's hip and with his right, he held her hand.

To both of their surprises, Sheldon pulled Penny closer to his body until their faces were almost touching. His head slowly tilted up until he met Penny's green eyes as he began to move his feet. His moves were shaky and unsure at first, but as the music continued on playing in the background, he grew more certain with every step.

Dancing with Penny was remarkable and fascinating. They were in sync and as they moved to the beat, their eyes locked and never left each other's gaze.

Being this close to Penny made him want to never let her go. Both of her hands slipped around his neck and she rested her head against his chest. Sheldon held her tight and leaned down to place a kiss on the top of her head before closing his eyes.

He had never been so happy and so serene in his life. Sheldon thought back to that fateful night and horrific scenes flooded his mind. He felt fear as he recalled the attack, remembering the many times he lost consciousness while covered in his own blood and exposed to the chilly air outside his apartment. The assailant got away with about $30 and his honorary Justice League of America membership card and he was left with a broken bone and a some bruises and cuts, as well as the trauma he suffered afterwards.

Looking down at Penny who was still in his embrace reminded him of what good came from that night. Sheldon knew that without the accident happening, he would have never met her.

Sure there was the chance of bumping into her at the Cheesecake Factory, but the possibility of him interacting with her that way was very slim. He had his usual waitress and he wouldn't have the desire to ask for someone else. Because of that night, his life changed and he thought about his future in a new light.

Although he endured a beating that surpassed the other ones he got when he was younger, Sheldon wouldn't change a thing.

He still couldn't believe that this was happening right now. He was finally with Penny and not letting his fears and worries overwhelm him. The accident did more than letting him stumble upon Penny. It also made him realize how easy life could be cut short and that he had to make sure he takes the chance before it's all too late.

Even without the Nobel Prize, Sheldon considered himself the happiest man in the world. He was able to conquer the demons inside of him and now lived the life that he dreamed of having. Sure his life was a slightly different version from what he envisioned it to be at first, but it didn't matter anymore.

Sheldon was more than pleased with what he had now.

A/N:

Only one more chapter left and it's currently in the works. Also, the Emily in this story is not the Emily on the show.

Also, if you're interested to know, I have written a one shot called "The Jumbotron Unexpectation" and started a three/four shot called "Stay" which is M rated. Both are Shennys of course and I mentioned it here if you'd like to read more!