A/N: I must once again ask for forgiveness for taking so long to update! I've been writing whenever I have a spare moment, but those have not been very plentiful! However, I'm on Spring Break this week so I have made a point of working a little more than usual on my extracurricular writing!
Once again, we have a little OOC Sheldon, which hopefully hasn't turned anyone away. There's not a whole lot of action in this chapter because I wanted to try and portray how comfortable these two can be with each other! I hope it works out! Next chapter will find our favorite duo finally in Texas. There will be MeeMaw!
Reviews/comments are always more than welcome. Please don't be shy.
Lesson Four: Beauty and the Beast
The next week and a half passed in a blur of preparation and anticipation. It took nearly that long for Sheldon to sort, categorize, and pack all of the clothing he was bringing. They would be staying in Texas for a couple of weeks, after all. The suit and shoes Penny had purchased for him he packed with the utmost care.
He also packed Penny's clothes for her. He had been horrified when he saw how she had simply thrown everything into a jumbled pile in her suitcase. Of course, she had put the dress he had bought in it proper garment bag, but the rest of her clothes…
Every time he thought about it he had to suppress a shudder.
He felt lucky to have her in his life, but he was also sure that it was a good thing Penny had him to keep her on a clean, organized track.
. . .
Penny was more than sure that she loved Sheldon, but for the last week or so he had been driving her up the wall.
She had never met anyone who had to plan a trip down to the smallest detail. Smallest? More like microscopic. He had even worked out a bowel movement schedule for the train ride. Hell, he had contingency plans for his contingency plans.
Rather than duct tape his mouth or tie him to a chair Junior Rodeo style, she decided to just roll with the punches. Well, within reason anyway. He was really excited about this trip, and she wasn't about to bring him down.
She even let him pack her clothes when he nearly had a conniption at the sight of her suitcase.
She couldn't help but chuckle every time she thought about it.
Even with all of his hang-ups, he was still just Sheldon. He drove her crazy, but he was more than adorable when he wanted to be. She was grateful that she was with him. She'd never been with anyone who treated her like she was someone worth cherishing.
Although, he was also lucky that he had her. She got him to open up more and indulge his emotional side. She figured it was good to have a healthy balance of Whackadoodle and sweetness.
. . .
The day finally came for them to leave. Sheldon was so excited that he hadn't really slept the night before. He was seeing his MeeMaw! He was riding the train! Best of all, he was going to have Penny by his side. He couldn't remember the last time he had looked forward to an event with such excitement, which was saying something for him.
Leonard volunteered to drive them to the train station and Howard and Raj insisted on coming along. Rather than subject Penny to the incessant come-ons and double entendres that a thirty minute car-ride with Wolowitz guaranteed, he willingly gave up his spot in the front to sit with her and Raj in the back.
She was quiet for most of the ride there, but Sheldon had gotten much better at reading social cues of late and she appeared to be just as excited as he was. At least, he hoped so.
. . .
Penny was more than excited, but she couldn't help feeling a little nervous too. She hadn't really slept much the night before because of it. In less than thirty-six hours, she would be meeting Sheldon's MeeMaw. Sure, she already knew his mother and sister and they both seemed to like her. She wasn't overly worried about meeting Sheldon's brother either (in fact she was really curious as to what he would be like). But MeeMaw? MeeMaw was the big leagues. Penny knew that his grandmother was the most important person in Sheldon's life. What if they didn't get along?
She looked over and up at Sheldon, who was practically bouncing in his seat and looking out of the window with a wide, excited grin on his face.
She felt some of her nerves disappear. Sheldon was relaxed and happy, so why shouldn't she be? They were going to Texas to have fun. It wasn't like he was taking her as his bride-to-be or anything.
Penny blushed at the thought, partly in pleasure. She couldn't help thinking how wonderful that would be.
Shaking her silly thoughts out of her head, she relaxed against Sheldon's side and dozed until they got to the train station.
. . .
The guys stayed with them until it was time to board. When the call came, Penny and Sheldon stood from the bench they had been sitting on and said their goodbyes. When they got to Raj, he burst into joyful tears and seized them both in a big hug. Penny kissed his cheek and Sheldon awkwardly patted his back, muttering his typical "There there." Penny hugged Leonard and shook Howard's hand while Sheldon murmured his quiet goodbyes.
They gave the conductor their tickets and he showed them to their compartment. On the way they passed through two dining cars—one casual, one formal—and what Penny could only call a parlor car. It was like a living room on wheels.
Their compartment wasn't quite as big as she had pictured, but it still seemed pretty comfortable. There were two long seats facing each other. One had a luggage rack over it where Sheldon put their suitcases, Penny's purse, and his messenger bag. The other seat had a pull-down bunk over it. It was the only bed. Penny decided to worry about that later.
There was a tiny attached bathroom with a sink, toilet, and showerhead. After the conductor showed them how to use it and Sheldon vowed that he would only freshen up in the sink—the idea of showering over the toilet was horrifying—they settled in and the train began to move.
At the first lurch, Sheldon let out an excited "Whee!" and Penny giggled enthusiastically. He was looking out of the large window at the passing scenery like a kid in a candy store. Penny loved it when his eyes lit up like that.
He seemed to feel her stare because after a moment he turned to look at her.
"Penny, I have often found it most beneficial to watch the landscape as it approaches. Otherwise, you may become susceptible to motion sickness."
It only took her a second to translate that.
"Sweetie, would you like me to sit next to you?"
He blushed a little but smiled.
"Yes Penny. Very much so."
She got up and settled herself in next to him, curling into his side. He put an arm around her, drawing her closer, and relaxed against her.
They watched the landscape pass them by in quiet comfort. After a while, the clacking of the wheels lulled them to sleep.
. . .
Sheldon came to a couple of hours later. He slowly opened his eyes, wondering why he felt so warm and how he had gotten a slight crick in his neck.
Then he remembered: Penny.
He looked down at her. She was still fast asleep. There was a gentle little smile on her face and she was snoring softly. Apparently, she hadn't taken his advice and seen a doctor about it. Perhaps when they got back to Pasadena he could convince her to go.
He yawned widely and stretched his legs a bit, never taking his eyes off of the woman next to him. She really was remarkable. There he was, one of the leading scientific minds in his field, if not the globe, with a woman whose eyes glazed over every time he attempted to explain his work to her. What was remarkable was that he found that this mattered not at all. He had an intelligence quotient that could not be measured by any test, but this woman baffled him and managed to push his buttons on an almost daily basis. It was utterly fascinating.
He felt an immense sense of respect for her as well. She never apologized for who she was. She was just Penny. Take it or leave it. She also accepted him for exactly who he was, no questions asked. She may have mocked his neuroses now and again, but she had never done so maliciously. She let him just be Sheldon. He found immeasurable comfort in that.
Taking pains not to disturb her, he stretched his arm, reaching back and up onto the luggage rack. He pulled down his bag and extracted the book he had brought along for the journey: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
He began reading with relish. It was one of his favorite stories and would certainly keep him occupied until Penny woke up.
. . .
When Penny opened her eyes soon after, Sheldon was deeply immersed in whatever it was that he was reading.
"Watcha got there, sweetie?" she asked, voice heavy with sleep.
Sheldon jumped a bit.
"I hadn't realized you were awake," he said, closing his book. "It's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."
"Tolkien's or Borroff's translation?" she asked, feeling very smug.
"Borroff. It's by far the best," he said, quirking an eyebrow. "I know you like Arthurian legend, but I must say I'm impressed with your knowledge Penny!"
She winked up at him.
"Well, if it's something you love, then I make a point to learn more about it, even though I know I'll never totally understand some of it. Especially the string theory stuff. Besides, I've noticed you doing the same for me," she said.
"I hope you are enjoying your studies more than I am 'Project Runway.'" He quipped.
Penny laughed out loud at that.
"Yes, very much," she planted a quick kiss on his lips before standing and stretching.
Her stomach rumbled loudly.
"Lunch time, I think," Sheldon said, standing and taking her hand. "What do you say to getting something from the casual dining car and bringing it back here? I packed my DVD player after I caught you sneaking movies into my bag."
Penny fell into step beside him as they navigated their way through the car.
"So glad you took that hint, sweetie!"
. . .
They grabbed a couple of sandwiches, some chips, and a few bottles of iced tea before returning to their compartment with their stash.
Sheldon took out his portable DVD player and then looked through his bag to see what movies Penny had smuggled in.
" 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Finding Nemo,' and 'Lilo and Stitch,'" he read off. The only one he had seen before was 'Finding Nemo.' He didn't much feel like seeing it again. It was entirely illogical, but seeing the father-son reunion at the end of the film always left him a blubbering mess.
"Penny, my only stipulation is that we do not watch 'Finding Nemo,'" he said quietly.
Her eyes widened and she froze, mid-bite into her sandwich.
"Honey, I swear I thought I had grabbed 'Aladdin!' I'm sorry. Of course we don't have to watch 'Finding Nemo.'"
"Thank you Penny."
She patted his knee.
"Which is your favorite? I haven't seen either of the other two so I have no preference."
"Definitely 'Beauty and the Beast!'"
Sheldon filed that tidbit away for future reference, then set everything up and pushed play.
They tucked into their meal and ate in companionable silence, occasionally commenting on the film. It was moments like these that Sheldon really enjoyed. Just being quiet with Penny was enough to make him content.
Just as the Beast and Belle were beginning their dance, Penny put down her tea and asked "So have you decided which song you want to dance with MeeMaw to?"
"Yes. It's going to be 'As Time Goes By' from 'Casablanca.'"
Penny sighed.
"That's such a lovely choice," she said, taking his hand and interlacing her fingers with his.
It never ceased to amaze him, how tiny her hands appeared when she did that.
"Any particular reason you chose that one?"
"Yes," he answered, voice soft. "MeeMaw and Papa went to see that film on their first date, and they danced to that song at their wedding. It just seemed so…right," he finished, shrugging. He wasn't sure as to how those parameters made it the perfect song choice, but he knew it would make his grandmother very happy.
"Sweetie, that's lovely. I'm sure MeeMaw's going to be thrilled."
He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze.
"I can't wait for you to meet her Penny."
Her smile faltered a bit. He felt a stab of uncertainty. Was Penny not looking forward to it?
"What's wrong Penny? Are you worried about something?"
She bit her lip, and then said "Well, yeah, a little."
"What is it?"
"Do you think MeeMaw is going to like me?" she asked, her voice very small.
Sheldon felt all of his unease evaporate. He put his free hand under her chin and raised it until her face was nearly level with his. Lord, but her eyes were so green just then.
"Penny," he said in the tone he reserved for when she was being nonsensical, "you mean everything to me. There is no way that MeeMaw will fail to notice that. She is going to love you, trust me," he said, running his thumb across her lower lip.
Her response came in the form of pink cheeks and a bright, relieved smile.
"I…I really mean that much to you?"
His face was perfectly serious.
"Yes."
The rest of the movie passed by him unnoticed. He was sure that the ending must have been a happy one, but he didn't much care. He was too busy kissing Penny to pay attention to anything else.
. . .
Penny slipped into her favorite dress—the red one with the flowers on it—and ran a hand through her loose waves, smoothing her hair a bit.
She stepped out of their compartment and into the passage, where Sheldon was already waiting. In his plaid suit. Their eyes crinkled in silent laughter as they drank in each other's appearance.
"We certainly are a colorful sight!" Penny said, laughing.
"We could probably land a plane or two," Sheldon returned.
"Oh? Is that a joke, Dr. Cooper?" Penny said, pretending to be surprised.
Sheldon glared good naturedly and she laughed harder.
They made their way to the parlor car, where there were already several couples dancing. The car doubled as a little dance hall, and tonight was "Big Band Night." Sheldon really did plan for everything.
Penny stopped them just before they went in, placing her hands on Sheldon's shoulders.
"Are you sure you're ready for this, sweetie pie?"
Sheldon nodded firmly.
"Absolutely. Better to practice dancing in public before the big day. I don't want to embarrass MeeMaw."
"Honey, you're a crackerjack dancer! Trust me, you won't be embarrassing anyone," Penny said, taking his hand and leading the way to the makeshift dance floor.
. . .
They danced for hours. Penny felt so proud of Sheldon. He didn't miss a step! He even got a few admiring looks from some of the other couples. One lady had come up to them, telling them that they both "really knew how to cut a rug."
Sheldon was ready. Penny had taught him everything he needed to know. She had every confidence that he was going to make MeeMaw very proud.
. . .
By the time they got back to their little sleeper, they were both so tired that they just changed into their pajamas in front of each other. Penny noted with a touch of amusement that Sheldon still preferred briefs and Sheldon tried not to stare too avidly at Penny. He knew she wouldn't really mind, but it just felt impolite to be ogling her when she was just trying to get ready for bed.
They both seemed to remember at the same moment: there was only one bed.
Sheldon turned around and pulled the bunk down, fluffing the pillows and turning down the sheets. Penny reached up and pulled one of the pillows down, putting it at one end of the opposite seat.
"Penny?"
She turned to look back at Sheldon. He was pink in the cheeks and looked confused.
"I know how crazy you are about lumbar support, so I just assumed you'd want the bed," she explained.
"I do," he said.
She nodded and reached past him to take one of the blankets down from the bunk. Sheldon placed a hand on her wrist.
"I would also not be averse to sharing it with you," he whispered.
At her look of surprise, he hastened to explain.
"I don't express that wish with any idea of seducing you Penny. I respect you more than to actually suggest that our first time be in a strange bed on a train."
She reached up and patted his cheek tenderly.
"I know. So you just wanna cuddle tonight?"
He nodded.
"You're sure you won't mind my cold feet?"
Sheldon smiled sweetly and pulled a pair of thermal socks from one of the pockets on his pajama top.
"I've already prepared for that."
She took the socks and swatted him gently on the chest before climbing up into the bunk and putting them on.
Sheldon followed and they both slipped beneath the covers. He pulled her close and she rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, one hand on his chest.
"You know your arms are gonna go numb this way," she warned, yawning hugely.
"I know."
He leaned down and kissed her softly. Her eyes were already closing.
"Goodnight Penny," he murmured, his own eyelids feeling very heavy.
"Night, Moon Pie."
He was too far gone to scold her. They both slipped into a deep sleep within a couple of minutes. The last conscious thought Sheldon had was that he liked the feel of her heart beating against his.