Chapter Sixteen: Ad Finem

"Penny," Sheldon said in the middle of Friday Movie Night. It had become a tradition now for Penny to come over to Sheldon's apartment on friday night and watch a movie. She would always spend the night on his couch and make her boys breakfast on Saturday morning. "This might sound slightly intrusive but when was the last time you had sexual intercourse?"

"Oh, God, here he goes again," she mumbled into her spoon of Cherry Garcia. "Sheldon, if this has something to do with some a chart or pie graph, I will kick you out of your own apartment." She had learned that Sheldon's questions were never much more than a scientific curiosity so she now just threw him off with a Missy-like threat of castration.

"No, it's only that you have not been on a quote-unquote date in nearly eight Friday nights. The last time you went so long without sexual intercourse and social interaction outside of our social circle, I found you weeping hysterically in the hallway. Given the data, I assume that a similar breakdown is not to far away and am attempting to protect myself from the onslaught," he replied, trying to keep a look of fear on his face but it slipped.

"That's not it," Penny said slowly, "is it, Sheldon? That's not the real reason you asked." Sheldon rolled his eyes dramatically and gave her a pointed stare.

"Penny, I cannot lie. Do you think I could give you a false explanation without giving myself away physiologically?"

"No, that's why I caught you. Your fleas are hopping, Sheldon."

"They're tics, Penny."

"Whatever, I can see it in your eyes. There's something else." Sheldon stood quickly and she watched as his lanky body twitched all the way to the kitchen. He started to scrub at the counter top, avoiding her completely. "Sheldon," she cajoled gently. "Sheldon." He looked up at her quickly and she caught the fearful look in his eye."Tell me what it is." Sheldon picked up the sponge and then let it drop to counter. Penny suddenly felt a fear like she had never known before, or perhaps, she had. It was a fear that almost seemed reminiscent of when she was fifteen and got her first kiss.

"Penny, I'm not comfortable with this."

"Sometimes life isn't comfortable, Sheldon. I can only help you if you let me." She felt lame and stupid and cliched like one of the dumb movies she had forced Sheldon to watch but it seemed like the only thing she could say to him.

"What is this?" Sheldon blurted out, not indicating anything with his hands or eyes.

"What, Sheldon?"

"This. Friday Movie Night. Breakfast. Halo."

"It just our things, Sheldon."

"I know, I know. But I understand why I have things with Leonard. I understand the friendship dynamic there. I understand, albeit questioningly, the dynamic I have with Wolowitz and Koothrapali. But I don't understand our dynamic. What is the endgame?"

"Endgame?"

"Yes, what are the predisposed outcome of the events? Where is this heading?" He was obviously getting no where with her so he tried again. "What does this say about us? Does this make us acquaintances? Friends? Lovers?" the last he said with a sort of timidity that told Penny it was either his greatest hope or his greatest fear.

"Are you trying to define us now, Sheldon?"

"I cannot function in ambiguity, Penny." And she knew he couldn't. She looked at him, staring down at his long fingers like they were going to answer his felt her stomach lurch in a way no man has ever made it before. She could remember all those awkward relationship questions she had faced over the years: Do you love me? Do you want to move in together? Can I kiss you goodnight? Can I stay the night? But none of those questions had made her heart stop beating for as long as this one. Her stomach felt like lead, her feet like iron, her hands like smoke, her head like mist. It was as if, subconsciously, Penny knew all that was at stake here. She knew this could be more than a weekend boyfriend or a another Kurt. She knew he was offering her more than Kurt every could. Sheldon Cooper wasn't a man who did things half way. If he was going to love her, he would throw himself into it completely; just like he did with his work, just like he did with Halo, and his friendship with Leonard. He would put his whole heart into this. He wouldn't give up. He wouldn't leave her. He would do everything in his power to make this work because Sheldon Cooper didn't do things half-assed like her boyfriends of the week did. And, for a moment, Penny was fifteen years old again and getting her first kiss. She was scared of the newest of it all, of the idea that she didn't know what to do, and that this event would change her life. She wasn't a "big ol' five" any longer; she was a scared little girl feeling love for the first time. She stepped forward just once, bumping her stomach against the edge of the counter top, not letting her eyes drop away. She had to see this through. If she wanted this, she couldn't do it half-assed either. She stood up on her tip-toes and pecked him once on the lips.

"Was that supposed to be an answer?" he mumbled, not moving, barely breathing.

"Yes."

"It...suffices." Penny smiled before offering him a hand. He looked at it for a moment, licking his lips. He tentatively linked his long fingers with her shorter, graceful ones.

They watched the rest of the movie and Penny slept on the couch again. Only, this time, Sheldon stayed with her and let her lean her head on his shoulder. When Leonard came home to pair on the couch, the fuzz on the television illuminating the small smile on each of their faces, and their fingers still locked together, Leonard let his smug little smile set into place before he went into his room and pulled out his notebook. He flipped to the last page of his experiment log and wrote:

Hypothesis confirmed. Sheldon Cooper really is human.

He took a picture on his phone and promised himself that he would give it to them framed on their wedding day.

The End

AN: OMG, it's been amazing, guys. I quite enjoyed writing this. I'm so sad to see it come to an end and yet, I think this was the way to end it. I want to thank everyone who's ever even clicked on the link, even if they were Leonard/Penny fans who ran away in disgust. You guys have been great and I don't think I've ever finished a story so in love with the characters before. This has been a great ride, guys. Thanks for riding with me!