I've just realised how long it's been since I've uploaded something new, and it's been a while. Thank you for all your favourites, follows and reviews, and for inflating my already over-sized ego, it means a lot.

And now for some Leonard/Penny sweetness. Enjoy.

The Dawn Deliberation

As Leonard swigged the last of his coffee cup, he groped around in his pocket for his apartment key and quietly opened the door. He noticed that it was unusually quiet without Sheldon, an unusual individual himself, who had begrudgingly accompanied Amy on an out of town science convention. Leonard dropped his keys in the bowl, and kicking his shoes off, padded in his socks to his bedroom.

Through the half open door he could see Penny, fast asleep with her arm outstretched to Leonard's side of the bed. He smiled as he pushed open the door, pleased that she missed him. Her words 'we're together all the time' echoed in his head, and as he shrugged off his jacket he thought about how comfortable, how natural, how right they were together.

She stirred as he shut the closet door and looked sleepily over her shoulder at him.

"Leonard?"

"Sorry," he said apologetically, walking over to the bed, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay, I'm just glad you're back." She extended her hand to him and pulled him towards her as he got into bed, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently held her waist as they kissed, falling back against the pillows. She could taste the coffee on his lips as they moved softly against hers and she smiled as he moved to tenderly kiss her neck.

"I missed you, Penny." He said quietly, and she smiled back sweetly at him.

Sitting up so he could place a pillow in the middle of the bed for them both to cuddle on, they both sank against it, and Penny scooted closer to him as he wrapped his arms lovingly around her. She rested her head against his chest and curled her hands loosely around his t-shirt, as he stroked his arm with her thumb. She sighed contentedly and Leonard tightened his arms around her, pressing her warm body into his.

It was these moments that had led to Penny realising how much she loved Leonard. She loved the intimacy that they shared, that didn't necessarily have to come from sex, but the sweet moments between each day when they could simply lay in each other's arms and feel happy.

She yawned, and Leonard reached around her to pull the covers over them both, lightly kissing her cheek.

"'Night, Penny."

"Goodnight, Leonard." She laced her fingers through his, "I love you."

He squeezed her hand, "I love you, too."

As she drifted off to sleep, Leonard held her and found himself lost in thought of how beautiful she was, and how she was the love of his life. Her blonde hair was loosely curled and fanned out across the pillow and he carefully tucked a strand behind her ear as he settled under the cover and closed his eyes.

When Leonard awoke he found himself lying on his side with Penny's back pressed tightly against his front. Tilting his head towards his batman alarm clock, he suddenly realised that firstly, Sheldon wasn't here and he didn't need to rush to use the bathroom before his allotted time ran out, and secondly, that it was Sunday and he didn't have to get up for work. Slumping back into the pillows, he draped his hand over Penny and felt the steady rise and fall of her stomach as she slept. Not wanting to wake her as he had last night, knowing how she liked a long lie in, he tucked his knees behind hers and fell asleep, smelling the sweet coconut shampoo she had switched to after he had told her it reminded him of their first day at the beach together.

It was finally Penny's loving voice in his ear and hand gently shaking his arm that woke him.

"Leonard?"

He groaned and pulled the covers further over his head, which made her laugh and quickly kiss his cheek.

"Morning. sleepy." She said, grinning as he playfully rolled his eyes at her, "What do you want to do on our rare Sheldon free day?"

Leonard shrugged, "Anything you want, as long as it get to spend it you."

She rested her forehead against his, "You're so sweet."

He cupped her face in his face, "I'd be happy to do nothing more than waste the day in bed with you."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a waste..." She bit her lip and straddled his hips, leaning into him as his arms encircled her waist.

Leonard nodded, "Neither did we waste the day at the beach, in my lab, in the Tardis – twice, or the shower yesterday morning."

"Exactly, it wa-"

Leonard slide his hands under Penny's top, tracing his fingers across her stomach, making her grip his arms tightly and completely forget what she was going to say. Her only thought as he rolled her onto her back and began to plant kisses on her abdomen was that she couldn't imagine waking up to anyone else, and that she truly loved him.