The trip to Disneyland was full of ups and downs. Sheldon enjoyed the rides, and hated the intrusion of Zack. However, the night ended on a high note when Penny gave him a kiss.
Sheldon stepped into the hallway and stared at his watch. Leonard looked out the door with a frown. "Sheldon? What are you doing?"
He glanced at his roommate over his shoulder. "It's 10:58 am."
Leonard nodded knowingly and went back inside. They all knew Penny's 11 o'clock rule. Cat took a nap at 10 am every day. Anyone who knocked between 10 and 11 risked getting punched in the throat. Sheldon watched the time intently. The moment the hour changed he raised his hand.
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"
Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny?"
The door opened after a second. "Penny, it is 11."
She grinned widely. "Yes, I know. You're safe, sweetie. Come on in."
Sheldon followed Penny through the apartment to the kitchen island. She poured him a cup of tea. Then she moved the honey and a plate of cookies close. "So, what can I do for you today?"
Sheldon added 2 teaspoons of honey to his cup and stirred it slowly. "Tomorrow Leonard, Howard, Raj and I will be going to a medieval fair. I have been informed that there will be games and rides of a sort that children may find entertaining." Sheldon fiddled nervously with the spoon before looking at Penny.
Penny hid a grin behind her tea cup. "That sounds interesting."
Sheldon cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, it should be very entertaining. I was wondering if you and Cat would be interested in attending with me." He blushed slightly and darted a glance at her. "With us, I mean. The group."
Penny set her cup down and smiled softly. "Sheldon, are you asking me on a date?"
"No! I mean, no. Not a date. A group activity. With a group." Sheldon's blush deepened.
The bedroom door opened and Cat walked out, rubbing her eyes. "I's woked up, Mommy."
Penny stood and walked over to pick up her daughter. "Hey, sweetheart. Look, we have company."
Cat peered over Penny's shoulder to Sheldon and waved. "Is my Oki!" she said happily before wiggling to be put down. She hurried over and held up her hands. "Sit on your wap!"
Sheldon gently picked her up and settled her on one knee. "Are you ever going to call me by my name? It's not Loki, it's Sheldon."
Cat giggled and snagged a cookie from the plate. "Selldon!"
Penny laughed and went to the fridge for a sippy cup of milk. "Only one cookie, little miss. You haven't eaten lunch yet."
Cat took the cup and smiled widely. "Nuggies! And roccli!"
Penny ruffled Cat's hair and nodded. "Chicken nuggets and broccoli it is, sweetheart. Sheldon, would you like anything?"
He shook his head and stood up. He set Cat down on the couch and patted her head. "No, thank you, Penny. I must return to my apartment. I have been informed by President Seibert that I am to cover two lectures for a colleague next week. I must finish my notes for the lectures." He placed his hands behind his back and looked at her. "Will you both be joining us tomorrow?"
Penny nodded. "We would love to," Penny grinned.
Sheldon nodded happily and headed to the door. He placed a hand on the handle and paused. "If I …were to ask you out. On a date, that is," he looked shyly at her, "would you say yes?"
Penny walked over and stopped a few inches away. She leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips very lightly. 'I suggest you ask me sometime, and find out."
Sheldon blushed again and opened the door. He stepped out into the hall and took a deep breath. "Bye, Penny." He shut the door and hurried across to his own apartment. He nodded vaguely to Leonard and continued on to his room. Once inside he shut the door and leaned against it.
He touched the tingling skin of his bottom lip and smiled again. A second kiss, even nicer than the first! What on earth was happening to him?!
Leonard grabbed Howard and Raj's arms as the group walked along the grounds. He smirked and pulled them back a few feet. The guys watched Sheldon and Cat with a mix of amusement and awe. Penny noticed and dropped back to walk alongside Raj.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
Howard shook his head. "You know, we always joked that Sheldon was a robot. He was always so detached, kind of unemotional. But seeing him with Cat, and you? It's like he's an entirely different guy."
Leonard nodded. "It's nice. He's still Sheldon, you know. All kinds of neurotic and crazy, but now he's …I don't know, happier, I guess."
Penny blushed and smiled softly. "You think so?" She watched Sheldon point out a booth to Cat. She thought Sheldon was a tiny bit interested in her, but she hadn't been sure if it was just because she had been so obvious in her attraction, or if he really did like her.
Leonard nodded. "What about you? How do you feel about him?"
Penny sighed softly. "He's like no one I've ever met before. It's not just how smart he is, or how sweet. It's everything. He's got this way of looking at me that makes me feel like I'm the only person in the room. He's so kind to Cat, and she adores him. I don't know what's going to happen here, but I really want to see where it goes."
Raj whispered into Howard's ear and he nodded before looking at Penny. "Just don't hurt him, okay? He's one of the smartest guys on the planet. But he's still a baby emotionally."
Penny wrapped her arms around her waist absent-mindedly. "I think there's a greater possibility that he'll break my heart," she mumbled.
The guys watched Penny walk forward and join Sheldon and Cat at the lemonade cart. Leonard looked at his two friends worriedly. "I think Penny's already in love with Sheldon. I hope he doesn't mess this up."
Howard shook his head. "It's Sheldon. We better think up a plan to fix things when he does something Sheldon-y."
Sheldon buttoned up his flannel pajama top and looked at the stuffed dragon that sat at the foot of his bed. Penny had won it in the softball toss game. When the barker had handed it over, he had thought she would give it to Cat. She had surprised him by handing it to him with a wide smile.
"Thank you for inviting us, Sheldon. I hope that every time you look at the dragon, you remember how much fun today was for me and Cat."
He sat down and picked up the dragon. She had kissed him again. In front of their friends. She hadn't been embarrassed, or nervous, or anything. She just kissed him as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
"Hey, buddy. You okay?"
Sheldon looked at Leonard with confusion. "Leonard, I have a question. As you know, I am a novice when it comes to social convention. I rarely understand the reasons people do the things they do."
Leonard stepped into the bedroom and leaned against the dresser. "Penny kissed you to show that she likes you."
"Why?" he asked nervously. "I do not understand. Penny is beautiful, sociable, and popular. It is my understanding that women like her do not tend to be interested in guys like us."
Leonard grinned and shrugged. "Says who? Why can't she be interested in a guy like us? We're smart, have good steady jobs, and we're not exactly hideous to look at."
"Leonard, I don't know what to do about this. She makes me confused. I find myself making excuses to speak to her." Sheldon sighed and set the dragon on his bedside table. "I have always thought I was above such things. I have dedicated my life to science. I have goals I want to achieve. I truly believe I am destined to win a Nobel Prize."
Leonard knew how determined Sheldon was to fulfill that goal. He sighed softly and looked at his friend. "Sheldon, let me ask you a question. Which would you rather do? Be with Penny, or be alone? Because I'm fairly certain you'll win your Nobel either way."
Sheldon looked so conflicted. "I don't know," he admitted.
Leonard pushed off the wall and gave Sheldon a serious look. "Then you need to figure that out before either of you get any deeper. Because I really do think Penny cares about you, buddy."
Leonard left and Sheldon turned off his light. He laid back in his bed and stared at the ceiling. What was the right thing to do? He was fond of Cat. He liked being around Penny. His days seemed brighter when Penny was around. He very much feared he was already in too deep. Could he commit to two separate goals? Could he divide his time between the pursuit of a Nobel and the pursuit of Penny without neglecting either? He finally fell asleep, no closer to an answer than when he began.
