A/N I've had this one for a couple of years. When I started, Leonard and Penny were just engaged. Now, it's set at Halloween of season 9 It will be two chapters, the second I'll probably publish it late Sunday, Early Monday.

Chapter One

Penny was hurrying back to her car. She had finally managed to secure a visit to, and just finished a successful sales call with, an extremely busy medical office. She had been trying for a couple of months to talk to them, because the volume from this office was so high, it could even bring her a bonus. As successful as the call was, it had made her late.

She needed to get home, as Bernadette and Howard were picking her and Leonard and taking them to dinner. The dinner was going to be a planning discussion for their costumes for Zangen's Halloween costume party next Saturday. She was looking into her purse, trying to find her ticket for the parking garage, when she heard someone yell, "Penny?" She look up, then looked around. She couldn't see anyone she knew.

"Penny," came the call again. This time she thought the voice was familiar, and looked around again. She gasped as she noticed the large muscular guy walking up to her, someone she hadn't seen in years, Kurt.

"It is you," said Kurt happily. " I almost didn't recognize you with your short hair"

"Hi Kurt," Penny said casually, "how have you been?"

"Same as always," said Kurt as he flexed his bicep.

Penny tried not to look disgusted as she said, "You working?"

"Yeah," said Kurt, "I'm a towel b…er…I mean I'm a trainer at a gym in downtown LA. You still trying to be an actress."

You didn't work when we were together, thought Penny, So you're not living off anyone now, good. What she said was, "Actually, no, I'm pharmaceutical salesman. I have everything north of the ten, from Pasadena-Alahambra to Charter Oak, as my territory."

"You're still not using that old Rabbit, are you?" asked Kurt.

"No, I have a company car," said Penny, "I got it new last year. I'm coming up on a new one in a few months. They are also talking about moving me to another territory, a larger territory, more money."

"How'd you get into that?"

"A friend of mine recommended me for the job," said Penny.

"So, you're making big money now, huh?" asked Kurt.

Penny became guarded. "I'm doing better than I was."

"Where you living now?"

"Still in Pasadena," Penny said.

"Where?"

Penny hesitated, she didn't want him to know, as he knew where she had been living, so she said, "Listen Kurt, I have to get going. I have a company party I have to plan for, and I have to get home to get ready for that meeting."

Kurt moved up next to her, smiled and said, "Say, I could go with you to that party." His smile got bigger, "I could be your date."

Penny was annoyed. Didn't he see the ring… Shit, thought Penny, I still have it on my right hand. He doesn't know I'm married, and to Leonard. He won't like that, not that I care.

Before she could say anything, Kurt, thinking she was hesitating said, "Wait, are you seeing someone now?"

"Well, I'm ma…"

"You didn't start dating that little wimp, that lived across the hall, did you?" asked Kurt.

Penny was starting to get angry, but was hiding it.

"Yeah, what a wuss," chuckled Kurt. "I remember the last time I saw him. He tried to get me to pay you back some money I owed you, I wrote on his forehead that I owed you money."

"Wait, what?" said Penny, puzzled.

"Yeah, that last time I saw you," Kurt said. "He had come over, to tell me all about how much I owed you. How much you needed it back, cause you had car trouble, and were behind in your bills. He was being pushy about it, so finally, I just grabbed him and wrote how much I owed you on his forehead. Then, I thought, I have the money, what if I paid you back, I could get you to go out with me and we might be able to get back together…although, you never answered after the date."

Penny was now seething with anger. Of course not you shit head, not after you almost assaulted me until I kneed you in the balls. Now you're telling me you assaulted Leonard while he was trying to help me? I've got to get him back, but how?

Kurt must have thought she was undecided, as he tried to put his arm around her and said, "Come on Penny. What can bringing me along hurt? We were always good in bed, let's at least try again."

Penny leaned away from his arm, feeling disgusted. She was going to tell him off, when a thought occurred to her. Hiding her true feelings, she smiled and said sweetly, "Yeah, you could come to the party." She pulled a piece paper out of her purse, and wrote the location of the party down. "It's at seven, next Saturday, I may be a bit late, but you need to be there waiting for me. It's casual, so shorts, t-shirt and flip flops will be good," she thought for a second, "it'll let you show off your muscles. If you want to come, be there by then. I have another couple to pick up, along with another person, so there'll be no room in my car. But, meet me there."

Kurt looked at name of the place, then the address. "OK, I'll see you then. Maybe after the party, you can show me your apartment," he chuckled, "and then the bedroom," He said with a leering smile.

Penny shuddered. "Bye Kurt," said Penny. But she was thinking, no fucking way you ass. you 'll never see the inside of any apartment of mine and Leonard's. She turned and hurriedly headed for the garage. Just as she turned into the entryway, she noticed Kurt was still watching her. She shuddered, again, but waved. How could I ever have felt anything for him.

She dug in her purse, found her ticket. While pulling it out, she noticed her left hand. She carefully removed her wedding ring from her right hand, and put it on her left. Then she took her engagement ring out of the small pocket in her purse and put that on her ring finger. Never again, she thought, they're staying on my finger, I'm not taking them off again. I don't care if it costs me sales. Looking at them, she felt a rush of love for Leonard. She continued toward her car, and on arriving, she unlocked it, got in, and started on her way home. As she drove, she was wondering how she was going to tell Leonard.

She was still thinking about it as she climbed the stairs to 4A, finally making a decision. I'm just not going to say anything. I don't want Leonard to be blamed for any of this. I want to get back at Kurt. She felt a bit petty thinking like this. But, Dammit, he was a jerk and cheater and…and…and…. Boy, I'm getting angry. What costume can I come up with?

She entered the apartment, closing the door. She was happy to see Sheldon was not there. At least she didn't keep going to 4B anymore. Most of her needed personal stuff was here, in Leonard's closet, and bedroom, They had bought an additional piece of furniture, acting as an extra closet. We have got to get out of here at some point, thought Penny.

She called out, "Leonard, I'm home." She didn't hear anything and tried again, "Leonard, you here?" She started back toward their bedroom and heard the shower. She walked into the bathroom and said, "Leonard?"

"Hi Penny," he said. "I'll be out in a minute, just getting my shower."

"Ok Sweetie," said Penny, "I'll be out in the kitchen."

"OK."

Penny walked out to the kitchen and grabbed a water from the refrigerator. She stood by the island, trying to think of a costume for both of them for the party. After a few minutes, Leonard came walking out from the hallway, his robe on, and towel drying his hair. He looked at Penny and said, "Your turn, we only have a half hour or so, why so late?"

"I have to get my shower and get ready," said Penny. "I'll tell you at the restaurant."

"OK, go get your shower," said Leonard.

Thirty minutes later, Penny was ready and, to Leonard, looked fabulous. How the hell does she do that, thought Leonard. She was dressed casually, with her hair in a short ponytail, grey skinny jeans, and a read and blue plaid shirt. Penny noticed Leonard looking at her and smiled, "You like?"

Leonard smiled back, "Yes, I do."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, Leonard walked over and opened it, there stood Howard and Bernadette, Leonard invited them in.

"So," said Howard, "where are we going?"

"There's a cute new Italian place on Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia," said Penny. "I saw it last week."

"Sound's good to me," said Leonard. "How about your guys?" said Leonard looking Howard a Bernadette.

"It's OK with me," said Bernadette. Howard just pointed at Bernadette and nodded.

"Fine," said Penny, "let's go."

They all walked down the stairs, and out to Penny's car.

They had been there for about a half an hour. The waitress had taken their order and right now, they were all drinking their wine, waiting for their food. Penny and Bernadette talking about work, Howard and Leonard doing the same. Suddenly Leonard said, "By the way, why were you late?"

Penny thought quickly, "A couple of reasons. I ran late with the sales call, there was a lot to go over and discuss." She turned to Bernadette, "I finally got into that big office in Azusa"

"Really?" said Bernadette. "Dan is going to be really happy about that."

"Yeah, I know," said Penny. "So will I, with that big of an office, I should get a bonus out of it. She paused for a second, and looked over at Leonard. Finally, she said, "I also ran into Kurt."

Leonard frowned, "Kurt? Big Kurt? What did he say?"

"Nothing really," said Penny. "He was asking how things were. I asked him the same. He's still a loser. Then he hit on me, I shut him down, then I came home."

"He hit on you?"

"Yes, but I shut him down," said Penny. "You don't have to worry."

"Who's Kurt?" asked Bernadette, looking at Howard.

"You know Glenn?" said Howard.

"Yeah, what about him," said Bernadette.

"Kurt is Penny's Glenn," said Howard, "they are about the same size."

"But, Glenn is much smarter and probably a lot nicer. Kurt is an ex of mine," said Penny. "He's an ass, but it took me catching him cheating, to get me to move out. I was living with him before I moved into my apartment, across from Leonard and Sheldon."

Penny, not wanting to continue down this path said, "OK, what are we doing for costumes".

Leonard spoke up, "I was thinking of us going as Luke and Leia."

Howard looked puzzled, "Wouldn't that be a little weird? You know, they're brother and sister."

"Yes, I know, they're brother and sister" said Leonard. "It's a costume party, so they're costumes."

"What are you guys thinking of going as?" asked Penny.

Bernadette, sneaking a glance at Howard said, "Howard suggested we go as Batman and Batgirl."

"That's a great idea," said Penny excitedly. "You guys will look great together."

"Well…" began Howard

"Yeah, I can see that," said Leonard "Are you going to use that Batman outfit you wore to Penny's party eight years ago?"

"Yes, Leonard, I still have that costume, and yes, I'd be using it," said Howard. Turning to Bernadette, he said, "Told ya."

"Yeah, yeah," said Bernadette in resignation, "we'll do it."

"What's going on?" said Penny in puzzlement.

"Well," said Howard, "after I suggested it, Bernie wasn't happy with it. 'Too superheroey' she said. We were at kind of a standoff, so I suggested we let you guys decide. If you liked it, we'd go as Batman and Batgirl, if you didn't, we go as our second choice."

"Which was?" asked Leonard.

"We didn't really decide," said Howard. "It was either go as two different R2D2s, or maybe the Smurfs again."

"It would have had to have been the R2D2s," said Bernadette, "I'm not painting that much of myself again."

Penny and Leonard both chuckled, looked at each other and nodded. Penny said, "Batman and Batgirl".

"OK. How about you guys," said Bernadette.

"I'm not sure," said Leonard. "We could always go as Einstein and the sexy cop again."

"No," said Penny.

Leonard turned to her, "What?"

"I'm thinking of something else," said Penny.

"What are you thinking of?" asked Leonard.

"Ummmm," Penny paused. She hadn't thought this through and really didn't have an idea.

"Ummmm?" said Leonard. "You mean you're thinking of something else? What is it?"

Suddenly, the perfect costumes, for the situation popped into her mind, "How about we use the costumes we wore at my first Halloween party? You go as a hobbit, I'll go as a cat. After all, Howard will be wearing the same thing."

Leonard looked at Penny in puzzlement. Howard's mouth dropped open, "You mean the fuzzy little black skirt, and that fuzzy crop top, with ears and tail? Wow, that was really hot, I mean…"

"Down boy," growled Bernadette.

"Jeez, Howard," said Leonard.

Penny was looking at him mock horror.

"Sorry," mumbled Howard, looking down.

Penny couldn't keep it in any longer and laughed, "Yeah, that outfit."

Leonard still looked uncertain, "Why would you want us to wear those?"

"I don't know," said Penny. "I just thought you were kinda cute in your outfit. I really liked my costume, but I never got a chance to wear it again, so I just thought we should wear them."

Leonard shook his head, "OK, if that's what you want."

"Yeah," said Penny, "it's what I want."

Leonard nodded, then turned back to Howard.

Penny was thinking, Kurt probably won't even remember, but I'll know. It's another way to stick it to him that I'm with Leonard. She turned back to Bernadette, trying to catch up on the gossip at the main office.