Chapter 1

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"Six oh two," mumbled Leonard, "I gotta call Sheldon."

"He up yet?"

"Yeah, and right now he's gonna be looking at that chart on the fridge - " Penny 'ewwwd' as Leonard reached for his cell.

"Hi Sheldon, look, I can't take you into work today ... yeah, it's that stomach thing ... well, I'm sorry that's imprecise - I'm not a doctor-doctor ... yeah, I know I didn't wear the mask you gave me ... 'cos I look like an extra from 'Planet of the Apes' that's why, and it makes it hard to talk to the students ... why would I want to? Sheldon, that's the reason the university employs us! Okay, and tell Amy thanks for me. Bye."

Leonard leant back against her. "Amy's gonna take Sheldon to work today - "

"Stupid stomach bug," groused Penny, cradling a plastic bucket. "Stuck here two days - we spend any more time in the bathroom I'm gonna send out change-of-address cards."

"It says one or two on the healthcare website hon - and since when've you minded being in bed?"

"Leonard, there's spending the day in bed, and there's spending the day in bed - guess which I prefer?"

"We could sit on the couch, watch TV."

"Better not sweetie, not while your stomach's soundin' like somethin' from Age of Conan."

Right then a round of squeaks and gurgles came from Penny's midriff. "Old Forest after dark," grinned Leonard.

###

"So, instead of driving to work with my buddy and playing with my new thousand watt laser I'm forced to stay home all day and I'm gonna miss a hot date with a college girl - "

"Wow, bummer - same here, I'm missing my class and I was gonna meet up with some guy from the university later - "

"Yeah? What's he do?"

Penny frowned in thought. "He says he's an exp-eri-mental phy-si-cist - that right? But I hear him'n his buddies talk 'bout quantum mechanics. I think he just fixes stuff, you know, like an auto shop."

Leonard looked serious. "If he's lying you should dump him." Penny tapped his chin before snuggling into him.

"Oh, I dunno ... he's kinda cute."

"So that's both our days messed up hon."

"Struggle is real sweetie."

"True dat."

###

"Uggh, that was a shared experience I coulda done without," groaned Penny. "Thanks for rubbin' my back - "

"Your welcome, thanks for catching my glasses." Leonard looked at her, concerned. The shadows under her eyes were darker now. "You should try and get some sleep."

Penny plucked at his robe, the new black one she'd bought him last Saturday. "I've tried, I just can't - "

"You cold? Need another pillow?"

She looked at him, and then unusually awkward said, "Umm ... Leonard, I know this sounds dumb but could you go put your old robe on? Please?"

"My old robe? Let me get this straight, the robe you always said the fifties wanted back? That one?" he said as he went across to the closet and took it off the hook.

"Sweetie, the black one's more Leonard After Dark - right now I just feel like bein' all snoodled up with you,"

No sooner had he got back on the bed than she nuzzled up against him; her breathing grew regular and pretty soon the sound of logs being sawn filled the room. He gently stroked her hair before dozing off himself.

###

Leonard's eyes flickered open and he found himself looking at a smiling Penny. Sleep had faded the shadows under her eyes and even better some of the sparkle had returned to those green pools.

"We sleep long?"

"Bout four hours - it's just after two in the afternoon."

"You been awake long?"

"Five minutes or so - you were smilin' so I was gonna see - " she moved her fingers and intoned, " - our minds, one and together - and you'd better not've been dreamin' about the Princess!"

"Penny, I never even think about Princess Leia," he said, making innocent big eyes.

"Yeah, well I do, and if she shows up wantin' to get her hands on my Han she's gettin' her ass han-ded her," Penny fake growled, pulling him in for noses. "okay, serious sci-fi question - what's it about Captain Kirk and green women? 'Most every time he's about to get it on it's with a greenie - I mean, do you find green attractive?"

"Umm ... Obviously green eyes I like - "

"Okay then, suppose I was green? All over - "

"Hon, if you're looking for cosplay ideas, four hours ago your face certainly was, and it didn't do anything for me. You look adorable now, sort of feisty yet vulnerable. "

Penny laughed, "Sweetie, any other day I'd say keep goin' but right now that's justa waste of flattery!"

###

"I think we could be over the worst - you feel like moving to the couch? Or do you want to stay here?" said Leonard after a while.

"Umm, how 'bout we stay here ... it's kinda nice ... I gotta say I could use some food though."

"I Googled this, it's water and plain bread or saltine crackers." Penny considered this.

"Fine dining huh? Umm ... coffee yet?" she asked, hopefully.

"Nope, sorry hon - not even black."

She sighed. "Sweetie, if you weren't here today would totally suck."

###

"For the record, that's not our worst meal," said Penny as she beat Leonard to the last slice.

"Yeah, how about our Valentines Day dinner; what exactly was that anyway?"

Penny creased her brow. "I dunno, it started off as chicken ... "

"I think what I poured over it didn't help - "

"Hey, marinade, Gatorade - maybe in future we should keep it on top of the 'fridgerator, not on the worktop."

"You know, I was thinking - "

Penny snickered, "That what the burning smell is? Or is your stomach actin' up again?"

Leonard made to swat her with a pillow but she grabbed it off him, giggling. "As I was saying, Little Miss Sarcasm, if we ever get back to being able to eat solid food I was thinking - "

" - of taking a cooking class. Oh wow, that's spooky!"

"Nah, just great minds thinking alike - or we're becoming assimilated, I'm not sure."

"The Lenny Collective? Even spookier! Okay Doctor H, how'd you get the idea - "

"Overheard a guy in the cafeteria - you?"

"There's a poster on the noticeboard at college, they gonna run 'em there on Thursday nights."

"Thursday huh? Well, we only have HALO nights once a month - and I guess we could change those ... okay, you wanna sign us up?"

"Yeah ... You know what, I love we do such much together," said Penny, hugging him close.

"Apart from the throwing up," he moved to face her, "Penny ... thank you for a wonderful day."

"Thank you too Leonard," she murmured contentedly.