The Misinterpretation Agitation II

by poopaw

(Disclaimer: no.)

Penny was already tucked in bed when Leonard came in her bedroom. She gave him a sweet smile. She wasn't expecting him to drop by, having said their good nights already since she had an early start the next morning. Gladly, her first appointment wasn't with Doctor Lorvis. She didn't think she could face her biggest client after this eventful night.

"Hey you," she scooted a little to give her pajama-clad fiancé space. "I wasn't expecting you."

"You really should lock your front door, Pen," Leonard said with furrowed eyebrows. "And you wonder how Sheldon keeps barging in in the middle of the night whenever he has an issue with you."

She scrunched up her nose in defense. "I just knew you'd come tonight, baby."

He rolled his eyes in response and held out his arms, motioning for her to come into his arms. Penny found herself smiling again as she took solace in his warm embrace. These were the moments she absolutely loved – the few minutes before drifting off to sleep, when she would feel absolutely loved and safe in Leonard's arms and she'd sleep with him as her last thought. She wouldn't trade it for the world.

Penny placed a soft kiss on his collarbone before closing her eyes. She was beyond tired from the night that had happened. Sleep would come easy tonight.

"Penny?"

Or not.

Without opening her eyes or moving any part of her body, she replied with a grunt. Leonard nudged her a little with the arm that was draped across her shoulders.

"Penny," he nudged harder again. Personally, Penny could've lived without the extra nudge because she heard the change in his voice the second time around. It carried a more serious tone and while all her instincts told her to sleep, she opened one eye and lifted her head a little to look at him.

There was no trace of the teasing expression he had earlier when he went into the room. She decided she didn't like this look. She much preferred the adorable smile he would give her. This frown on his face meant trouble for her – although, she can't seem to connect the dots. She hadn't done anything to warrant that look again.

"Yes, sweetie?"

Leonard pursed his lips in contemplation. She didn't like it when he would think about what he'd say before saying it. It meant he was filtering his thoughts. That meant he had a lot more to say than she originally thought.

After what seemed like forever for her sleep-deprived brain, he finally spoke. "Tonight with Doctor Lorvis . . . can we not have a repeat of that again?"

Penny laughed a little, recalling the creepy doctor who paid for most of her salary. "Sweetie, with the way you handled tonight, I thought you would've been happy about it. Didn't you beat your high score on that video game?"

She saw a ghost of a smile appear on his face. "Yeah, that was the best part of tonight," he murmured before shaking his head. "But that's not what I meant."

She knew where he was going and frankly, she didn't want to go there. Leonard knew where she stood on the issue. She was simply being smart at her job. "Leonard," she warned him.

He sighed and threaded his fingers through hers. "Look, I understand that you were just doing your job – that you meant no harm in flirting with him. And I don't want our engagement ring to function as some sort of possessive claim I have over you. You're not an object that I get to own just because you want to spend the rest of your life with me."

Penny buried her head on his chest, feeling warm at his words. She was glad he understood. She's lucky to have met someone who thought of her as an equal. But she knew he had more to say and the pause he's taken in his speech was making her nervous.

"But?"

Leonard cleared his throat and she felt his head shake a little. "You know what? Never mind. This is silly. It's just me. I'm just having troubles. I don't want to worry you also."

The speed in which she sat up completely took both of them by surprise – her because she really thought she was more sleepy and less alert than that. "You know I hate when you do this," she detangled her limbs from him and faced him completely. "When you worry, I worry. That's how relationships work, remember? Most especially, that's how marriage is going to be like."

He sighed and looked at the spot next to her head, clearly refusing to meet her gaze when he answered. "I'm just a bit insecure . . . you not wearing your engagement ring. Are you not proud to tell it to everyone? Because I am. If it was socially acceptable to tell everyone I see that I'm going to marry you, I would. It's just that – you didn't even tell me you were removing it during work. Do you . . . also remove it outside of work?"

As much as Penny wanted to be angry, because here they were rehashing the constant issue in their relationship, she felt her heart melt more. She could see it in his eyes that he was frustrated at himself for feeling this way again.

She grabbed both of his hands in hers and forced him to look at her. "Sweetie," she emphasized her speech. She needed to get this message through his incredibly packed but thick skull. "I love you. And if you want me to pay for a giant blimp that says 'I'm engaged to Leonard Hofstader' then I will."

Then she realized something else. "Or rather, you will probably have to pay for that but I'd do it anyway. I am happy with you and I am proud to be engaged to you. I promise you, Leonard, that I wear the ring you gave me with pride each and every day. I just hide it during work because I can make more without it. But there isn't a moment when I find myself wishing that the ring in my pocket wasn't there and that you weren't on my mind."

Leonard bit his lip at her in contemplation. She sighed and scooted closer to him. She was straddling his lap by then. She didn't want to be any farther from him.

"I love you, Leonard. You are the only doctor that I don't want money from, okay?"

She managed to make him laugh at her last point. Penny smiled and leaned in hesitantly, wondering she succeeded in placating his worries. The lips that quickly enveloped hers answered her question. After awhile, they finally pulled away. Penny had her hands on either side of her fiancé face, still willing him to see how sincere she is.

"Thank you, baby," he whispered, dropping a peck on her lips again. "I'm sorry if I keep bringing this issue back from the grave."

Penny smiled a little and gave his lips a peck in return. "It's okay. I'm sorry too. I should've told you about my work tactic. Just to save you from being blindsided."

"I love you," Leonard told her sincerely. She felt her limbs weaken a little because it still felt surreal. To love someone and to have him love her in return. To promise to spend the rest of their lives together. She never really thought she'd find someone to have that with.

When both of them are finally settled in bed again, with her back against him and his arm fastened securely around her torso, she remembered one more concern she failed to raise earlier.

"Hey Leonard," she said. The only thing she received in return was a grunt, much like her own earlier.

"Leonard," she tried again, this time pushing her elbow back a little – just enough to hit him on the chest.

He sighed and dropped a kiss on the back of her neck. "Yes, Penny?"

"Please don't spend so much time with the creepy doctor, okay?"

"But he has James Cameron's –"

"No."

Leonard chuckled a little, his breath tickling her exposed skin. "Okay, okay."

"Good," she mumbled, turning around to face him again. Penny dropped another kiss on his lips. "Night, babe."

"Good night, Pen," he murmured back, the sleep evident in his voice.

And with that, Penny drifted off to sleep with the man she loved as her last thought again. She can't wait for the sweet dreams to come alive.

Then all of a sudden, a deep voice whispered in her ear:

"One Mississippi . . . Two Mississippi's . . ."

She jumped a little and felt her fiancé's chuckle against the back of her neck again. Penny rolled her eyes and smiled warily, despite the mini heart attack Leonard had just given her. She'd take a dozen mini heart attacks for him.

"Keep that up, buddy," she threatened with a light voice. "And you'll find yourself just like Doctor Lorvis – alone and creepy."

That shut him up quick.

AN: Been bit by the BBT muse these past few days. Can't seem to find any other world to write about. Tell me what you think?

I have so much thoughts regarding this week's episode. At one point, I'm glad Penny's a strong independent woman. Who wouldn't be happy for her? She finally found her footing after eight seasons. But at the same time, I'm also very aware (too aware, sometimes) of how many times she's already stepped on Leonard this season. Thoughts? I still adore them though. Forever.