Epilogue

Before having a chance to see the Facebook status of the Drs. Cooper and Winkle, Penny opened the door one morning without knocking. Leonard was in the kitchen, the TV was on and Dr. Who was playing.

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

Penny froze upon looking at the couch. Sheldon was in his spot, wearing a bathrobe and eating a bowl of cereal. He was not doing anything particularly strange. What was weird was that Leslie—also wearing pajamas—was curled up next to him with her head on his shoulder, and he didn't seem to mind. Sure, it was his "girlfriend" but Penny had seen nothing beyond handholding.

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

Both of their eyes had been on the TV, but when she came in, they looked at her and nodded in greeting, but never broke in their rhythm. They were smiling as they argued. Ripping her eyes from the unusual scene, Penny went into the kitchen. Leonard smiled when he turned to find her taking their milk.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Leonard sighed, dropping his head back, "They started arguing over something trivial and it dwindled down to this."

"What is this?" Penny asked looking into the living room briefly—the image was too new and strange too take in for too long.

"A battle of perseverance;" Leonard said, putting two spoons of sugar in her coffee, the way she liked it. "The winner will be the one with the last word."

Sheldon's eyebrows were pointing, but he was smiling. He shoveled some cereal into his mouth and actually spoke past it—something Penny had never seen him do before either.

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

Penny turned away again, holding her temples; it was too early for this. "How long has this been going on?"

Leonard looked at his watch, "About half an hour."

"Make them stop!"

Leonard shrugged, "This is what happens when two prideful, stubborn people collide. The only way they are going to stop is if Leslie decides she would rather be kissing him than arguing with him." Over on the couch, the pair was still going.

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

"OKAY, God, you win!" Leslie cried, lifting her head from his shoulder to look up at him.

"Darn tootin' I win." He said putting an arm around her and squeezing her. She laughed and kissed him. He kissed back; there was a clang of his spoon on the bowl in his lap as he dropped it to brush her cheek lightly before the kiss ended. Sheldon took his arm back and went back to his cereal. Leslie returned to resting with her head on his shoulder.

Penny turned wide eyes on Leonard, "Oh. My. Gawd!"

Leonard was smiling, and toasted his mug, "To true love."