Penny's POV
We had been to New York on tour once, but we didn't "experience" it. It was incredible, the energy was invigorating. We hit all the hot spots, ate at the best little deli's and the fanciest restaurants. Had cocktails at some of the nicest clubs and danced until dawn. It was a dream come true.
Our tickets for Wicked were on our second wedding anniversary.
Brian walked into the bathroom, I was still getting ready and Brian was finished. He looked so handsome, he had a black suit jacket with a gray dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar and black dress pants. I looked at him in awe.
"How do you look perfect no matter what? It doesn't matter what you are wearing, you are the most handsome man in the world. Whether it a baseball cap on backwards with shorts or dressed up and everything in between."
"I think you're biased."
"I'm pretty sure I can prove that I am not the only one who thinks that. Would you like to search #synystergates?"
He walked up and wrapped his arms around my waist. "I would rather search you" He started kissing my neck and nibbling on my ear. My knees started to go weak. I had to get us back on track.
"Bri, I have to get ready..." He didn't stop. I had to force myself to step back. "Okay, you wicked man. We have dinner reservations and a show to get to. Let me get dressed!"
"Okay Penelope, I'll be waiting in the other room." He left trying to do his best sad puppy imitation.

Brian's POV
I tried to wait patiently for Penny to get ready, I knew tonight was a special wish come true for her and she had put very careful thought into what she bought to wear. She had kept it a closely guarded secret. Even though she always looked beautiful, she wasn't a woman that took forever to get ready. You always knew when it was special and/or she was nervous, because she took a lot longer.
"Hey Penz? Are you going to be ready soon?" I yelled to her.
"Just a second." She called out. "Okay, are you ready?"
"I've been ready for an hour!" I joked.
She walked from the bedroom like a model on the runway. She looked very sophisticated in a black knee length dress with a green sash belt. All her accessories were green, earrings, purse, necklace. She looked beautiful. I whistled at her as she spun around.
"Hi Elphaba!"
"Does it look stupid?"
"No, it's perfect. We are going to be the best looking couple there." I said.
"You are so modest" she laughed.
"Hey, I'm just a humble guitar player in love with a beautiful artist."
"Haner, you are so full of shit! Let's go!" She looked like a kid going to her first amusement park.

At dinner we talked about her roles in plays in High School, College and later in Community Theatre.
"I was always stage crew for musicals, because I can't sing."
"You're telling me! It's like a cat being tortured while in heat."
"Thanks jerk face." She laughed.
"How many times have you seen Wicked before?"
"Twice, but it was the touring company, this is my dream seeing it on Broadway"
After we finished our entrees I said. "It's time for dessert!"
"I don't think I have room for dessert." She protested.
"Sorry, that wasn't a question. Dessert is on its way." Right on queue the waiter brought a small cake with a candle sitting it and placed it in front of Penny.
"Happy Birthday Penelope!"
She didn't look happy. "I thought we agreed not to do anything for my birthday."
"I didn't agree to anything. I wish you would let go of the age thing. Next year you'll be fifty and I'll be forty, so what? We're still the same people and we will still love each other."
"I'll try to do better, I promise." She said.
"Good, because next year is going to be a blow out! I'm talking a day no one will forget."
"Please don't do that. Let's focus on tonight, shall we? If we don't get going, we will be late."

Penny's POV
The performance was better than I had imagined. The actors, the orchestra it was all flawless.
I could tell Bri thought it was funny as I mouthed a lot of the lines, I would nod for him to look at the stage. The only time my thoughts strayed from the performance was during the love scene when Elphaba and Fiyero sing "As Long as Your Mine." My mind went back to that unexpected night in July when I made love with a man that I never thought I would ever meet. I remember that song playing in my mind, thinking that was the only night he would be mine. He looked over at me and it must have been clear that my thoughts were elsewhere. He squeezed my hand and when I looked at him he mouthed "Are you okay?" It was then I realized I had tears running down my cheeks. I smiled at him and mouthed "I'm great." Luckily I always cry during Wicked anyway during "For Good", so I had a tissue ready.
I applauded so much during the curtain call my hands hurt.
Brian and I went out for drinks afterward.
"Thank you for making this and all my dreams come true."
"Thank you for sharing your dreams with me. I wish I could have seen you on stage." He said.
"I really wasn't very good. You would have been disappointed."
"I highly doubt that, you never disappoint me." He said.
"Now that is a flat out lie!"
"Well, we are both human. Why don't we go back to the Hotel and share some human contact?" He suggested with a sexy smirk.
"Let's go."

Brian's POV
It was a great evening. I was fascinated by how intently Penny watched the performance. I know she knows this musical by heart, but it didn't matter. She was focused on every nuance, every emotion. It was so cute when she cried.
Back at the hotel, she jumped up on the bed sitting on her knees looking at me standing next to the bed taking my jacket off.
"Well? What did you think?" She asked with exuberant anticipation.
"I really liked it." I got on the bed sitting on my knees facing her. I held her hands. "But you know what I loved?"
"The musical score?"
"No, seeing your face as you watched it." I said.
"You were supposed to be looking at the stage."
"I did, but I couldn't help glancing over at you every so often. I could see your enjoyment and passion."
"Passion, eh? You know, I have lots of passions." She said as she scooted up to me and kissed me. She started unbuttoning my shirt and I unzipped the back of her dress. She kissed and nibbled on my earlobes and whispered in my ear. "I am most passionate about you." She peeled my shirt off my shoulders and I took it off the rest of the way. She kissed across my shoulders and collarbone. "I love every inch of you Bri, your arms, your hands, your chest. Then she kissed back up to my neck to my lips. "Your gorgeous smile, that ranges from an innocent child to a sexy devil. I get lost in your brown eyes, so full of your passion and caring."
"You are so beautiful Penny." I lifted her dress off her and unfastened her bra, taking it off and throwing it to the side. I kissed her gently on the lips and moved to her ears. "You will always be beautiful to me." I kissed down to her tattoo. "I love that you had this tattoo when we met." I kissed down to her right nipple and then to her left. "I love your breasts." I kissed my way back up to her lips. "I'll never forget the first time I saw your smile, when your anger turned to happiness. The first time I saw your dimples." I kissed her cheek. "I have loved that smile ever since. "Then I kissed the tip of her nose and looked into her eyes. "Your blue eyes have captivated me, from the very first morning you were in my arms sleeping and they opened to look at me." Then I kissed the top of her head. "I love your passion for purple, from your purple hair right down to your purple tattoos. It is part of what makes you so special." Then I kissed her gently at first, it quickly turned to animal lust as she unbuttoned my pants and pushed my them and my underwear down to my knees. She bent down and kissed the tip of my now fully erect penis. Looking up at me, she said "I love this too." She began to take me in her mouth and her efforts were more amazing than ever before.
"Penz, you make me crazy. I don't know how you do it, but don't stop." Soon I could not hold back any longer. "Oh shit, Oh shit, OH SHIT!"
When I finished she looked up at me and smiled, raising her eyebrows and saying. "I own you Haner!"
"Oh really? Well, I own you too Penelope!!" I pushed back on the bed and quickly relieved her of her panties. I began nibbling and sucking on her most sensitive spot. She started to squirm. "Bri, Oh God, that's it! Don't stop!" I plunged two fingers into her, while continuing my original actions. Her hips started to rise as she about to reach orgasm, I did not let go. "Stop, I can't!"
I let go just enough to say. "Yes you can, I want you to." Then she let go and shared one of her most personal pleasures.
I looked up at her. "Who owns Whom?"
She said defeated, but smiling. "You own me."
We took a shower, making love afterward. The whole time "As Long as You're Mine" from Wicked played in my head. When we were snuggling afterward, Penny started humming the song.
"You heard it too?" I said
"What?"
"That song, 'As Long as You're Mine' I could hear it while we made love. I remember you humming it the night we met too."
"You did? I did? You remember?."
"Yes I did, yes you did and yes I remember. You hummed it in the bathroom. I didn't know the song then. Tonight, when I heard it I recognized it. I think you were remembering that night too, when you were so deep in thought and in tears during the scene."
"You know what, sometimes you always knowing what I'm thinking is annoying!" She looked embarrassed.
"Why are you upset? I love that you thought of that. I think in a way we are like them. What others would consider an unlikely pair." I said.
"So I'm the green one in this scenario?"
"I didn't mean that, but you would be a beautiful green woman."
"And you would be a very sexy Scarecrow."

The next day we went back to Ohio, it was 8 days until Bianca's wedding. It was on Valentine's Day, which was a Thursday. Penny and Gwyn had a bridal shower for Bianca on Saturday and then a Bachelorette party that night. Wane's Brother, Roger was the best man and I was the only groomsman. We gave Wane a bachelor party. It wasn't as crazy as mine was, but it was memorable.
Wednesday was the rehearsal and dinner. You could really see how much in love the two of them were. Funny thing was, if there had never been a Penny and I there never would have been a Bianca and Wane.

The ceremony went off without a hitch. Even though it was Valentine's Day the theme was green. Penny looked so beautiful, I loved escorting her down the aisle.
At the reception, I danced with the bride and Penny danced with groom. Later, we were sitting at the table with Gwyn.
"Bri, why don't you ask Gwyn to dance?" Penny suggested.
I really didn't know Gwyn too well. She and I just looked at Penny.
"It will give you two a chance to get to know each other."
"Gwyn, may I have this dance? Princess Penelope has deemed it so." We all laughed and Gwyn and I headed to the dance floor. We talked as we danced, she talked about writing and I talked about the band. I looked over at Penny and she was watching us, I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. Gwyn must have noticed it too.
"She loves you so much, Brian. She worries about you having regrets someday."
"I know, I wish she would let it go. Right now, I'm not sure if she's trying to see if there is something between us or trying to fix us up or both."
"I'm not sure either, I don't think she really knows for sure." Gwyn said.

I had drunk quite a bit and by the time we left around 2:00 AM, I was in no shape to drive. Penny hadn't drunk that much, so she drove us home in her newest Mustang, black this time.

Penny's POV
We left Bianca's wedding and headed home. I was driving because Brian had drunk quite a bit at the reception.
"That was a great wedding and reception. It's hard to believe so much has happened since we met". Brian was happy.
"They are a great couple, I predict that within 2 years they will have a baby. Bianca is still in her mid-thirties and Wane is your age." I said.
"They probably will, if they want kids." Brian said.
"What about you Brian, do you want kids?" I needed to know.
"Damn it Penny! You aren't starting this again! You're never going to let it go, are you?" Brian was pissed at me. "That's why you had me dance with Gwyn, isn't it?"
The red light we were at turned green, I started through the intersection. BAM! The car was spinning and then "BAM!" again. Then everything went black.

I opened my eyes and heard sirens, it took a few seconds to figure out where I was. I was in the front seat of the Mustang, the windshield was broken and there was glass everywhere. I turned my head "Brian? BRIAN!"
He was unconscious, there was blood all over his face and you could see the pole we had spun into crushing the door into him.
All I could do was Scream
"BRIAN, WAKE UP BRIAN!" I tried to put my arms around him, I was in shock, I thought I if I could pull him over to my side, he would be okay. Soon, the driver side door opened.
"Ma'am, please don't try to move him." He leaned in and checked Brian for a pulse.
I yelled "He's alive! He has to be alive!"
The paramedic moved back. "He's alive Ma'am, but we need to get you out and looked at so we can work on getting him out."
"No, I'm not leaving him!" I was frantic and obviously in shock.
"It's ok Ma'am, we need to take care of both of you. Let us help you get out so that you are ok."
"I don't fucking care if I'm okay, I can't lose him!"
"Please ma'am."
The paramedics got me out of the car, checked my vitals and strapped me to a board and put a brace around my neck. Then they left me to take care of Brian, I couldn't even turn my head to see anything. I heard a helicopter and loud equipment. I was screaming "Brian!".
I heard a voice next to me.
"Ma'am, I'm Officer Morgan. I know you are very upset. But I need to ask you some questions. The paramedics are taking very good care of your passenger. "
"He's not my passenger, he's my husband." I didn't even know how to finish it.
"Are you Penny Haner?"
"Yes."
"What is your husband’s name?"
"Junior" I couldn't think straight.
"What's his full name?"
"Synyster Gates"
"What's his real name?"
"I'm telling you who he is, he's Brian Elwin Haner Jr.!!"
"Officer, you have to make sure they take me to the same hospital as they do him." I was pleading with this man. "Please!!!"
"I'll see what I can do, Mrs. Haner."
The officer left and I was there all alone, all I could do was cry and scream for Brian.

I felt someone hold my hand. "Please calm down Penny." I looked up at the tall man standing over me, "Jimmy? Oh my God! Are you here to take Brian?" He looked at me and smiled "I'm here to help both of you. I am going to help Brian fight his way back to you, so that he can take care of you. Right now you need to rest, I'll be with him." I felt a calm rush over me and then I must have passed out.

Notes