AN: This is AU, Penny is going to be as in character as I can manage while Sheldon is very, very OOC but adorable! At least I think so :)

This plot wouldn't get out of my head so I'm starting what feels like it could be an epic journey it's been a while since I've done anything other than a one shot and this is my first ever BBT fic. I'm excited about it, I hope you enjoy!

Unbeta'd all mistakes are mine.

Nothing is mine, everything belongs to the BBT powers that be. Except some original characters used for supporting roles.

Penny Connor was nearly vibrating with excitement as she rummaged in her backseat making sure she had everything she needed for her first day back with ART (Arcadia Regional Theatre). She had been performing for the quaint theatre company for nearly 10 years; since the summer after she turned 11. It was a second home, nestled in a small coastal town in Massachusetts situated between a lush green park with a creek running between the theatre parking lot and the greenspace, a lovely wooden bridge connecting the two. On the other side, a small but effective water park that wasn't open just yet but in about three weeks would be bustling with kids and sunbathers.

Penny had first been cast as Gracie Shinn, a small but important role in The Music Man. She and her mom had traveled from their home in Nebraska to this sweet little town to follow her 11 year old dreams of becoming a star. They met Sean and Mark, the incredible couple who owned North Shore and the rest, as they say, was history. Being a young child and her mother from out of town Sean and Mark gave them the option to stay in their guest house instead of company housing with the rowdy dancers. Penny's mom Tammy happily accepted and she and Mark became fast friends that first summer. Soon they were sharing nearly every dinner together, the adults sitting on the back patio as Penny played on the swing set or ran around with their dog Spike in the yard.

Penny had done exceptional in her role, when they announced the show line up for the following season and it included The Secret Garden they had offered Penny the lead in that show before she left town.

Their friendship and working relationship grew over the years and even when Penny became a teenager Sean and Mark continued to offer their guest house to her and Tammy before putting them up in company housing and they always accepted. Sean and Mark became like family and Penny truly loved them as such. They cast her in at least one show every summer but as she got older there were fewer and fewer leading roles that she could play, she was too old to play a child and too young to play an adult so some years she would only come in for the children's show. She had gotten to play some fun roles there though, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Marie in the Aristocats and Lucky in 101 Dalmations.

Still, she always accepted when they called even if they only had a tiny part in their 45 minute long childrens show. This was her fourth year coming without her mother, she'd just turned 20 and was finally going to live in the actor housing. Her mom agreed to let her start making the trip alone when she was 16 as long as she stayed with Sean and Mark. Penny adored them so it was an easy compromise to make.

There was a bittersweet tinge to her emotions as she'd driven into town three days ago. She was excited to be an adult, she was playing the lead in Thoroughly Modern Millie this season, living in actor housing and driving her own car into town so she would have her own transportation. But a small part of her would miss living with Sean and Mark, spending evenings on their back deck, sipping lemonade and having Mark's homemade pancakes before rehearsal. She likened the feeling to leaving for college.

Now, she'd moved in to her apartment for the summer with her roommate Taylor whom she'd worked with a few times before and they were at the theatre for the first day of rehearsal. Penny always thought of the first day as an opportunity to make friends. They would do a meet and greet with the theatre backers, have a breakfast of bagels, fruit and donuts and do the table read of the show. Penny loved it, some other actors found it tedious but Penny was something of a theatre nerd and she loved every aspect of putting together a show; from the table read to the 14 hour days spent in the theatre doing tech.

She'd been texting with Bernadette, her favorite stage manager, earlier in the year and knew that the tiny was going to be back for her third year with the company. Bernadette was about two years older than Penny and started out with ART as an intern, this was her second season as a stage manager and the two bonded over their closeness in age and their nerdy love of theatre. Even amongst the other musical theatre actors, actresses and technicians the two were more obsessed than most.

Satisfied that she had all her extra clothes, shoes and water bottles Penny straightened and hoisted her bag over shoulder, stretching her back a little and taking a deep breath of the faintly salty air, "Taylor, are you ready to go in yet?" she asked after a moment watching her friend gather things.

Taylor stood up from her hunched position and gave Penny a glare over the top of the car, "Maybe if someone could drive and my bag hadn't been thrown all over the backseat it would have still had something in it when we parked and I wouldn't have to pack everything up again," she shot at her blonde friend.

"I told you not to leave it unzipped," Penny remarked as she stooped again and grabbed a tap shoe that was on the floor board behind her seat, handing it to Taylor with a sheepish grin. So maybe she wasn't the best driver in the world and maybe she'd driven half way across the country with her check engine light on. Taylor knew the risks when they agreed to carpool.

After another moment of Taylor doing a double check on her gear the two were headed in to the building. The rehearsal space was located on the third floor of the Arcadia Community Center. Technically it was large classrooms for community classes but every summer ART rented the whole third floor to rehearse in. They had a kitchen, two large rooms for rehearsal and a men's and women's bathroom on their floor. The lower level housed an ice rink and a gymnasium. There was a cut through to the theatre on the far end of the gym, it was nice if you needed to go between the two buildings and didn't want to go outside to do so. Some of the actors over the years had complained about the accommodations but Penny loved the building more than any other place in the world.

They trudged up the last flight of stairs and opened the door to the third floor, there were a few people milling around and the smell of rubber marley hit Penny's nose, the smell of summer. A broad grin stretched her mouth as she saw Stephanie, their production stage manager. She'd been with the company for the past six years and Penny loved her.

"Steph!" Penny called to grab the older woman's attention before she could duck into the kitchen.

Stephanie stopped and turned around with a smile regarding the girls, she opened her arms wide and Penny and Taylor both hurried to either side for a one armed hug.

"My children!" Stephanie exclaimed as she squeezed them tight to her sides.

Stephanie was an interesting lady, she referred to anyone working in the theatre under the age of 18 as a child. Some of the other teens had found it offensive but Penny always loved being one of her 'children'. She was a tall woman with a lot of extra 'fluff' to go around. Despite only being in her early 30's she was a very motherly figure and another piece of Penny's home away from home family.

"It's so good to be home," Penny said as she pulled out of the hug and shifted her bag to her other shoulder.

"Wouldn't be ART without you," Stephanie said with a wink. "You too, toots," she said to Taylor, giving her a whack on the backside. "Now, you girls go put your stuff down and find your scripts on the table, I have to put on another pot of coffee for all this company we have coming in!"

With that Stephanie disappeared into the small industrial (and a bit run down, if the truth be told) kitchen while Penny and Taylor walked in to the larger of the two rehearsal spaces where the meet and greet and table read would be taking place shortly. Penny found her spot at the table quickly and deposited her bag on her chair before making a beeline for Bernadette at the stage management table where she was seated talking animatedly to another of the stage managers.

As Penny neared the table Bernadette stood up and scurried around the table to meet her friend in a tight hug. "Bernie!" Penny all but squealed squeezing the petite blonde to her.

"Penny, I've missed you so much! This summer is going to be so great!" Bernadette squeaked in her high pitched voice.

"Ok, spill, what's the guy situation this season?" Penny asked in a hushed voice, lest Sean should pop out from somewhere and start lecturing her about how all men are evil and she should become a nun. One of his favorite topics since Penny had become old enough to be interested in the opposite sex.

Bernadette's eye got a little larger behind her wire rimmed glasses and she shot Penny a wicked smile while darting back to her seat to pull out a cast list. Penny followed close behind and Bernadette scooted to one side of the chair so Penny could perch on the other.

The girls excitedly went through the cast list, Bernadette pointing out newcomers who Penny might not know and trying to give her the lowdown on everything she'd been able to get out of Stephanie the week prior when they sat down to go through head shots and talk about the incoming talent.

Penny's eyes scanned the cast list and she noted five guys on the list that she hadn't worked with before. All the girls were pretty much local talent who she'd worked with at least a couple of times in the past. "Ok," Bernadette said pointing with her pen, "We know this guy," she indicated a man named Chris, "Is gorgeous as can be but gay." She continued on in this fashion bouncing around the sheet and telling Penny what was what.

They were giggling like school girls as the rest of the cast started to trickle in and Penny realized she needed to go mingle with them as well, she gave Bernadette a quick wink and a 'Thanks girl' before going over to a group who had clearly just arrived from housing in one of the company vans that were provided for those who came in without transportation to use to get to and from work each day.

Penny was sat in her chair at the table chatting with one of her best friends Tony when he walked in the room. He stopped in the doorway for a moment greeting another cast member on his way into the room and Penny took him in. Tall, over six foot at least, long legs and muscular arms, wavy dark hair not quite black but almost, sparkling blue eyes that were alight with humor and kindness, a full mouth with a wide, friendly smile and perfect white teeth. He was holding a pair of black framed glasses in one hand, his rehearsal bag slung over one broad shoulder. He was wearing a button down blue shirt with a black tee shirt under it on top of perfectly fitted dark wash jeans and a pair of well worn square toed black dress shoes completed the outfit.

She took all this in a matter of seconds and then he was heading towards her with a confident stride, eyes scanning the scripts for his name as he went. 'This is him,' Penny thought with a flutter in her stomach, 'This has to be Sheldon,' the man starring opposite her in this show. When he stopped and dropped his bag to the floor next to her, scooting it under the table with his foot and dropping lightly into the chair next to her her suspicions were confirmed.

He leaned over and looked at her script, "Hello, Ms. Dilmount," he drawled with a thick Texas twang using Penny's character name in the show to greet her; Millie Dilmount.

Her green eyes met his which were sparkling with mirth, "Mr. Cooper," she stated, extending her hand for him to shake in a mock cordial move, "It's a pleasure," she batted her eyes at him in an exaggerate fashion, enjoying the easy flirtation.

He surprised her by taking her hand and turning it, planting a chaste kiss on the back while looking up at her, "The pleasure is all mine," he said with a wink.

Penny could feel butterflies dancing in her stomach. He'd only been in the room less than five minutes and he was already having such a strong effect on her, how was she going to handle their kissing scene later in the week? She wondered to herself as he continued on.

"I must say, they've done a very good job casting their lead," he was saying looking pointedly at her.

Penny was a little flummoxed and searched for something to say as Sheldon rearranged the set up of his 'station' at the table. Putting the provided pen and pencil to the side of the script just so and lining up the bottom of his script with the bottom of his welcome packet folder. She was just about to open her mouth to reply when he spoke again.

"I'm going to grab a coffee before we get started, the kitchen is just down the hall, correct?" he asked her as he stood to go.

Penny finally found her voice and stood as well, "I'm just heading over to get some fruit so I'll come with you."

"Perfect, ladies first," he said gesturing that she should walk ahead of him and bowing his head slightly. She couldn't help but notice his large hands and long fingers as he gestured to the doorway. Nor could she help but notice how he towered over her and smelled like heaven.

Oh boy, she thought to herself, I could be in trouble.

The kitchen was crowded and they parted ways once inside, he headed to the coffee station and her to the breakfast buffet that had been laid out earlier by Stephanie.

Once she had her fruit and an ice cold bottle of water from the cooler on the floor she turned to find Sheldon but quickly saw that he was no longer in the room. She felt a tinge of disappointment as she walked back to the hallway.

"So, Penny, where are you from?" Sheldon's voice drawled very close to her ear. He'd been leaning against the wall in the hall and she'd nearly walked right past him without noticing so when he fell into step beside her and asked the question she nearly jumped a mile.

Penny acting on instinct slapped his arm playfully and said "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

He smiled at her with a wicked grin, "I was just waiting out here for you to finish in the kitchen, a gentleman doesn't leave a lady when she has escorted him somewhere," he said with a playful tone wrapped in that velvety Texas drawl.

"Yeah, well, a gentleman wouldn't try to give a woman a coronary before 10am either but here we are," she said with a grin of her own.

They reached their seats and were sitting back down when Penny said, "Kansas, I'm from Kansas."

"A midwest girl, just like Millie," Sheldon stated.

"Someone's been reading their source material," Penny joked as she stabbed a piece of cantaloupe and popped it into her mouth.

"Of course, I alway read the script as soon as I'm cast, usually before I go to an audition if it's for an important role," Sheldon said, stirring his coffee and watching her carefully.

"That's very responsible of you," Penny said with a nod, "I figure I'll hear the story during the table read."

Sheldon tutted quietly as he shook his head and smiled.

"What?" Penny asked with a smile, "Mr. Cooper doesn't approve of my technique?"

"Indeed, Mr. Cooper does not," Sheldon said facing her once more with a smile on his lips, "But I suppose I have to get over it, I'm stuck with you for the next 8 weeks."

"Try all summer, Cooper," Penny said spearing a strawberry and bringing it to her lips.

"Ah, so you're in all summer as well?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"All summer, every year for the last four years," Penny said with a fond smile.

"So, you've worked here before, eh? Tell me something, is Sean as nice as he seems or is he putting on?" Sheldon asked, leaning in and half whispering.

Penny smiled, she got this question a lot when people found out she'd worked with the company before. Sean was an incredibly nice, good person and sometimes, for the new folks, it could be a little hard to believe.

"He's just that nice," Penny said honestly, "He's one of the best people I've ever met, him and Mark both, they're amazing."

Sheldon nodded and before the conversation could go any farther Sean bustled into the room with a wide smile, waving to people here and there as he made his way to the front of the room.

Stephanie stood up. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen!" she said loudly, commanding the attention of the room which had by this time filled to nearly over capacity. All the department heads were in attendance as well as the designers, choreographer, the donors and the whole cast was seated around the table.

"I'm Stephanie, your production stage manager and I am here to help you with any questions, concerns or emotional disturbances but don't get it wrong, I am not your baby sitter, that's what my team is for," she said indicating the three other stage managers at the front of the room with a playful smile and a wink.

Stephanie opened every single meet and greet with the same jokes. They were silly but Penny always laughed anyway. Stephanie turned the room over to the producer, Greg who went around the room doing all the staff and cast introductions and things went on from there. Every meet and greet was pretty much the same, the donors got to come in and feel like a part of something as the designers showed sketches and talked about their inspiration. Sean would take over and tell everyone what the show was about and his vision for what they were going to do. It went on for about 90 minutes before they took a break and then went in to the table read.

The donors ate it up and were nearly on the edge of their seats the entire time. Stage management took this time to set up binders and finish last minute pieces of paperwork, sometimes the cast would pay attention, other times they would be eating their breakfast and staring glassy eyed toward the front of the room.

One of Penny's favorite parts was watching the crew members who had been conned into coming up to be introduced try to escape the room unnoticed. As soon as Greg was finished naming everyone in the room (sometimes donors included as he knew pretty much everyone very well) the shop guys would start trying to figure out the nearest exit so they could get back downstairs to work on the set, they were always the first ones out and the rest of the crew would follow suit.

The whole morning was mostly a song and dance for the donors to make them feel special and included. This particular morning though Penny was amazed as she sat next to Sheldon who paid rapt attention to everything that was said through the entire meeting. Penny loved this stuff and even she wasn't as focused as he seemed.

After the meet and greet portion of the morning was over they took a 10 minute break before launching into the table read, another one of Penny's favorite parts of the first day. It was the only time they'd hear the whole show together before the put togethers toward the end of their two week rehearsal process. Penny liked to hear the story this way; everyone reading their own parts, Sean half singing, half speaking the songs to them from his spot behind the piano. She marveled at the way Sheldon's thick drawl vanished completely as he read his lines. Accents were something Penny was still working on mastering, she had friends who could do everything from southern to cockney and back again.

When the table read was finally finished and the 'visitors' left, it was time for music rehearsal. After another break they all filed into the smaller rehearsal space which was set up with a piano and a couple dozen chairs for everyone to sit in. Penny took her spot on the 'girls' side of the room and she watched as Sheldon took a seat between one of her old friends Tony and another newcomer. He caught her eyes on him from across the room and winked. Penny could feel herself blushing and flashed him a quick smile before dropping her eyes to the sheet music in her script.

The rest of day one went by in a flurry of activity, mostly singing, a two hour break for lunch which Penny spent with Taylor and the stage management team and then as the rehearsal day was coming to a close Penny found herself alone in the kitchen, looking over lines as the ensemble actors rehearsed a song in the music rehearsal room and Sheldon was behind closed doors in the big room with Sean and Becca, their choreographer.

About forty five minutes before the end of the day Bernadette popped her head into the kitchen, "Penny, Sean wants to know if you'll come in and start some blocking for the scene he wants to rehearse first thing tomorrow."

"Ok, Bernie," Penny smiled as she gathered her script and a pencil, walking across the hall to the rehearsal room. When she entered she spotted Sheldon sitting off to one side of the marley covered dance floor/rehearsal space.

"Hey Sean," Penny said walking over to her friend and director who was standing at the front of the room.

"My love," he said, favoring her with a fond smile and opening his arms wide for her to step in for an all encompassing bear hug. "I know it isn't on our schedule for today but would you mind running the opening scene with Jimmy?" he asked before releasing her from the hug.

"Of course," she said pulling those pages from her script so they'd be easier to work with. Sheldon stood and walked over to where Penny was situated in the center of the room that signified center stage. She had changed her shoes after the donors had left that morning from her cute sandal wedges that looked perfect with her green summery dress into a pair of flat character shoes. Without the added three inches the wedges gave her Sheldon towered over her even moreso.

She looked up at him and fought a smile as she said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Cooper, you ready to rock?"

"Born ready, Kitten," he drawled back at her, a wide friendly smile stretching his lips.

Then Sean was in front of them, animatedly setting the scene; Millie had just been mugged on the street by some random man in the middle of the opening production number and Jimmy stumbles upon her as she's lamenting her bad fortune. Their first meeting does not go very well and at the end of it Millie is left holding her shoe in one hand shaking it at Jimmy's retreating back as he runs off the stage.

Sean let them read through the dialogue and move as they naturally would before making subtle changes here and there, directing Sheldon where to enter and exit the scene. It was a heated argument between the two about how Millie should give up this silly dream of making it in New York City and should go back home and her telling Jimmy to, basically, stuff it.

Penny could feel their chemistry in the fight, they weren't even touching one another at any point in the scene and she could feel the electricity rolling off of them. She was excited, the show was going to be great if they kept this kind of intensity going forward. She was a little scared by how his sparkling blue eyes made her tummy flutter and his smile made her a little weak in the knees.

They ran the scene twice before Stephanie subtly cleared her throat signaling to Sean that his time was up, he looked at his watch and dismissed them for the day.

Sheldon flashed a grin at Penny, "Not bad, Dilmount," he said, referring to her as her character once again.

"Not bad yourself, Cooper," Penny said with a smile of her own.

Sheldon seemed to run his eyes up and down her body once and she felt tingly all over from it. Then he suddenly turned on his heel and headed back to his bag to put his things away.

Sean was in front of Penny in a second, "You are exquisite, my darling," he said taking her gently by the shoulders and holding her at arms length as if to inspect her.

Penny brought one hand up to touch Seans wrist, "Thank you Sean, that means a lot," she said sincerely. Penny had put a lot of time and money into her acting career over the years and getting validation from the man who gave her her first big break was very affirming for her. She vowed right then that she would make this man proud every time she set foot on his stage as Millie. She just wanted him to keep beaming at her with that proud papa smile forever.

Sean squeezed her hand, "It's going to be a good one, love," he said as he released her.

Penny nodded, barely able to keep her grin from splitting her face open as she turned to leave the room. She was almost out the door when Sheldon caught her, "He's right you know, it's going to be a good show, I can feel it."

"I know," Penny said softly, the butterflies returning to her stomach at his closeness and how he leaned into her. "You were the perfect choice for Jimmy," she said meeting his blue eyes steadily.

"I know," Sheldon said with a soft chuckle. Penny rolled her eyes and brushed past him with a swat to his shoulder, "Real modest, Cooper," she said with a laugh.

The two walked into the kitchen across the hall which was now bustling and noisy as can be. Some of the local actors had gathered their things and were on their way out but mostly everyone was in the kitchen milling around, trying to decide who was going to ride in which car and where they were going when they left; grocery store, gym or home.

There were about 10 people trying to decide where to go as Penny slowly put her things in her bag. Taylor was packed and ready but sitting off to the side of the room talking to her friend Chris with whom she was almost always paired with for any partner work in the dances due to their ridiculous height. Penny purposefully stayed behind, taking her time while the rest of the 'out of towners' made their car decisions. She offered to take anyone back to the apartments who may not want or need to go anywhere else. Secretly hoping Sheldon would take her up on the offer of a ride.

He ended up heading to the grocery store, however while Chris and Tony rode back with Penny and Taylor. On the way home the girls invited the guys to come over for dinner, which Taylor was going to cook, a quick pasta dish and a simple salad. Then they decided they'd do face masks and maybe pop open a bottle of wine to celebrate a great first day.

"So…." Taylor said shooting a glance Penny's way, "What's going on with you and Sheldon?"

Tony let out a squeak of excitement and popped his head up between the front seats, "Is something going on? Are we going to have a real life romance? Come on Penny! Spill!" he insisted with an excited smile lighting up his handsome features.

"There isn't anything going on," Penny said trying to hide a smile as she thought of the way the handsome blue eyed man looked at her.

"I don't believe that for a second!" Chris exclaimed looking excited as well, "He's handsome, am I right? It's ok to have a crush on him."

"I have a crush on him!" Tony said with a large smile.

"Ok, stop it you two horn dogs, I'm pretty sure he's not playing for your team…not if the way he was looking at Penny all day is any indication," Taylor said, shushing the exclamations from the boys in the backseat.

"I don't know what you're all talking about!" Penny exclaimed, "All we did was run a scene together this evening. That is what we've been hired to do, act in a show together," Penny said chastising them all but the smile tugging at the corners of her lips told a different story.

"I see that smile!" Tony said, dramatically collapsing backwards in his seat, "We're going to have a real love story this summer!" he declared with an overly dramatic sigh.

"Ok," Taylor said, "That's enough out of you and your one man show you're performing back there, when Penny is ready to tell us about her crush, she will. Until then, it's just acting," Taylor finished her sentence with air quotes on the word acting and Penny rolled her eyes.

Later as they were making dinner and wondering if they should turn on a movie and if so, what movie Penny's mind wandered back to the rehearsal room earlier that evening. That chemistry certainly didn't feel like just acting, she thought to herself as she served salad into bowls for everyone and they sat down to eat.

All night she was distracted by thoughts of Texas accents and blue eyes. Oh boy, she thought to herself as she laid down for bed a few hours later, I'm gonna be in trouble this summer.