Part three
Knock, knock, knock, "Penny,"
Knock, knock, knock, "Penny,"
Knock, knock, knock, "Penny,"
Penny opened the door hardly needing to look to know who it was, "Sheldon, do you have any idea what time it is?" Even as the words left her mouth she knew it was a stupid question. Penny had expected at the very least a sarcastic remark about her stating the obvious, "May I come in?" Penny moved aside to allow him to enter. Penny was more than a little worried this was not like him at all.
Sheldon sat on the couch waiting for Penny to join him. Waiting till she had settled herself. He took a deep breath, "Penny we need to discuss what transpired earlier today." The two friends stared at one another each waiting for the other to speak. Finely Penny sighed, "Ok Sheldon, what part would you like to talk about? The fact that you've finally figured out that you like me. Or would you like to talk about what happened between me and Leonard." Penny could see he was struggling, "It's Leonard and I… but that's not important. Penny I may have feelings for you," Sheldon saw the astonished look that crossed her face, "Yes as incredible as it seems." Sheldon slowly shook his head, "I've done an extensive study into this and facts are facts. So in light of this I've compiled an outline of," Penny simply stared at Sheldon. The words, 'I may have feelings for you' ringing in her ears.
The rest of what he was saying simply washed over Penny. She loved the sound of his voice be it some new physics thing or talking about his comic books. She felt herself floating she could hear Sheldon softly saying her name, "Penny," and now not so softly someone was shaking her arm, "Penny, Penny." She opened her eyes to find Sheldon glaring at her, "Do you have any idea how rude it is to fall asleep during a conversion? We have important matters to discuss."
Penny glared back at Sheldon just as fearlessly, "Look! Sheldon first of all you get me out of bed in the middle of the night. Then! You bitch about me falling asleep. Plus we were not having a conversion you were just talking and that's twice tonight you've dragged me out of a wonderful dream." Penny of course didn't mention that both dreams had involved Sheldon in some way.
"Ok, let's talk, but please don't start with all your written agreements and what not," Sheldon give her a wide eyed scandalized look. With his eye-brows almost moving into his hair line, "What not! Penny you believe order and the entire structure of the universe is simply. What not?"
"Oh for the love of God Sheldon, it's the middle of the night I'm tired. Just say something normal," for the second time in 24 hours Penny knew she had just said something stupid. Sheldon made as if to stand but Penny placed a hand on his arm to stop him, "Look, just say how you're feeling and we'll take it from there. Ok?" Sheldon however was staring at her hand which was still resting on his arm, realizing what he was looking at she quickly removed it.
"Sheldon, start talking, just take it slow, but remembering I have work in," Penny glanced at the clock, "God! In 5 hours." She looked for him to say something; he just sat with his head slightly to one side looking at her.
"Penny, I can see you're tired and overwrote; we'll perhaps continue this when you're rested." Sheldon stood and started for the door. Penny tried so very hard to be angry with him. He clearly thought it to be perfectly alright to be in his room-mates, ex-girlfriends room at this hour. She also knew he had no idea of what they could be embarking on. Truth be told nether did she.
Penny stood by the door ready to close it and crawl back to bed. Sheldon stopped and turned. Penny could see as he looked at her something clearly was troubling him, "Penny, the social niceties have always been unfathomable to me. I now find myself unsure quiet what to do. I feel I should perhaps kiss you?" They were now merely inches apart. Penny looked up to these blue eyes and smiled, "Yeah, Sheldon I think maybe you should."
Penny spent the next day at work on auto-pilot. She was in a semi-permanent state of… She wasn't sure what it was but it felt good and kind of scary. Even after crawling back to bed last night sleep had still eluded her. She could not get the look on Sheldon's face after they had kissed out of her head. The look that had moved from shock, surprise, to puzzlement and finely pleasure; she had almost had to push him out of the door. Even then he had walked across to his own apartment smiling. Boy was she in trouble.
Penny left work after her shift wondering how she'd never been fired. The number of orders she'd screwed up. Her phone buzzed for an incoming text she hoped it was Sheldon. It was Leonard. The thought crossed her mind just to delete it. She felt a little ashamed even thinking it, he didn't deserve that: 'hi we need 2 talk c u later leonard'. Penny laughed he'd spent too much time around her; his texting was almost as bad as hers. She knew Leonard was one area she had to deal with alone.
Penny didn't know why but just lately her timing sucked. Like the realization that her feelings for Sheldon were mutual. Coming just as she was breaking up with Leonard. Ok so the timing hadn't been too bad on that one. Sadly now it was coming back to bite her. As Penny walked into the lobby, Leonard was standing by the mail-boxes. She felt herself die a little inside as he turned and smiled at her, "Hi, Penny do you have a minute, we really need to talk." Penny tried her best to mention the smile on her face, "Tell you what Leonard, I'll have a quick shower and I'll come over later ok?" Without waiting for an answer, Penny all but ran up the stairs. On reaching the apparent safety of her apartment, she turned after closing her door to find Sheldon quiet happily cleaning her apartment.
She looked toward the heavens, "Come on! Give me a break here,"
"Ah Penny, I noticed last night your house-keeping had slipped somewhat," he stopped what he was doing, "Is there something wrong?" Sheldon took a step backward, "you seem quiet pale you're not ill?" Sheldon was looking around for the door.
"God, this day is turning into a nightmare. No Sheldon, I'm fine just a little stressed out." As he finished piling up her clothes. He turned to her, "Penny, if I may…" Sheldon was cut off mid-sentence by Penny holding up her hand close to his face. Something he clearly did not appreciate by the wide-eyed look he gave her, "Sheldon sweetie you need to go. Leonard's downstairs he'll be here any minute."
Sheldon barely made it into his own apartment before Leonard walked up the stairs. Penny watched through her peep-hole as Leonard glanced over to her door before entering his apartment. Penny flinched as she saw him turn. It almost seemed as if he knew she was watching him.
After showering and changing her clothes. Penny was almost ready to face whatever lay ahead over in 4A. However someone knocked on the door before she could leave. By the knock she knew who it was, "Come in Leonard its open."
"Hi, can we talk?" Leonard said smiling. Penny rolled her eyes why did he have to be so nice about this. Plus why did everyone want to talk today?
"Sure let's sit," She nodded toward the couch.
They sat facing each other, she tried to smile but her heart just wasn't in it. Leonard seemed to sense this as he took both her hands in his, "Look, Penny we both said thing's yesterday that we didn't mean. Let's just put that behind us ok. I was dead wrong to accuse you of seeing someone else. I know that was just crazy." Leonard looked at Penny with his big; 'everything's ok now smile'. It started to slip slightly when she didn't respond right away.
Penny took a deep breath before she answered him, "Leonard, you have to know I have feelings for you…It's just not love I feel that's the problem. I hope you can understand," Penny moved her hands back on to her lap.
Leonard just sat and stared at her. Suddenly the smile totally slipped from his face. He rubbed his forehead with this hand. In a voice only slightly higher than a whisper, "All this time you've just lead me on… You never really cared." Leonard stood up and walked to the door. Penny made to stop him but he shrugged off her hand, "Leonard wait, don't go, not like this," Penny now stood next to him at the door. Leonard sighed, "I need to go; I have some thinking to do. Tell Sheldon I'll be at Raj's. I don't think I could face one of his talk's right now," walking toward the stairs Leonard stopped and look back at Penny, "Just tell me one thing and I'll never ask again. Is there someone else?" She walked to within a few inches of him, "No, Leonard I don't…I don't love anyone else," It wasn't a lie. Not yet anyway.
Penny walked across to A4. Knowing he would be waiting for her.
"Sheldon we need to talk."
