A/N: I feel bad for posting such a short chapter. Here, have another.


Penny was still asleep when Sheldon woke with the sun and, try as he might, he could not wake her. At one point she barely missed his throat with a fist, which was more a testament to his agility than her aim, so he let her sleep and changed with his back to her.

A few hours later she emerged from his cabin fully dressed, hair only slightly messy from combing her fingers through it.

"What do you guys do to wake up around here?" was her first groggy question. "In my world we have a drink called coffee, you got anything like that?"

Sheldon looked her up and down. "Koothrappali is our cook. He may be able to fix you a cup of tea, but I know not what coffee is."

"Oh boy," she said. "Coffee is like tea, but like a hundred times stronger and made from a bean instead of a leaf. It's basically the only thing close to magic my world has."

She'd filled him in on her versions of their friends the previous day. Sheldon couldn't believe how long it took them to figure out that alcohol allowed Rajesh to speak in the presence of women. Mr. Koothrappali always had a flask on his person for just that purpose.

Penny felt a little better after her tea, but it wasn't nearly as good as coffee. She wished she could have a shower and cleaned her teeth with her finger. Rajesh gave her a mint leaf to chew on and she accepted it with a smile.

She once more joined the captain at the helm, simply watching him work. He was still a genius, he just didn't have the formal teachings of physics and complicated mathematics from her techologically advanced world. As a result of that, he was as well educated as he could be in everything he did. Sailing, knots, navigation, even repairs. If there was any problem that needed solving, Captain Sheldon Cooper was the man to ask. If there was a task that no one else could do, the Captain could teach you how to do it on your own.

"Lady Penny," Sheldon called to her. She had been leaning on her elbows against the rail, staring into the horizon, and she turned to him. "If I may request your presence at the helm?"

Penny smiled. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to Sheldon talking like that. She hoped she didn't have to. As interesting as this realm was, he wasn't her Sheldon and she wanted to go home as soon as possible.

"Yes, Captain?" she grinned, feeling cheeky despite her homesickness.

He smiled briefly at her use of his title, hands clasped behind his straight back, and Penny realized it was the first real smile she'd seen from him. She liked it.

"Lady Penny, would you like to learn how to sail?"

Penny bit her lip and relived flashbacks to a warm summer evening in ancient Greece. "That depends. Do I have to take notes and raise my hand if I have a question?"

Sheldon tried to purse his lips to hide his smile, but it didn't quite work this time and his eyes sparkled in amusement. "No, Penny, you don't have to take notes, nor do you need to raise your hand if you have a question."

She sighed in relief and nodded. "Sure, Sheldon. I'd love to learn how to sail."

He took her elbow and guided her to the wheel and placed her hands at ten and two, standing behind her.

"From this direction, forward is the bow, back is the stern, left is port, and right is starboard, aye?"

"Bow, stern, port, starboard," she confirmed with a nod and a giggle. "Aye, Captain."

"Turn the wheel two notches to starboard. You can guide it by the railing if you need to; I use the mast, which is why I stand in the center, rather than to the side as other sailors, but it's a personal choice."

Penny used the rail in front of her as a guide and turned the wheel two notches to the right. "Good?"

His eyes crinkled and a corner of his mouth lifted. "Aye."

Penny had never seen Sheldon's face so carefree and relaxed and it took her breath away.

Maybe this place isn't so bad after all?

They were so close she could smell the mint leaf on his breath. He took very good care of himself, for all that he was able. He smelled a little sweaty, but it was the kind of sweat a man earned, and fresh water on the high seas was a scarce commodity; it was that knowledge that kept her from asking for a bath. If Sheldon Cooper could go without one, she could too.

And Penny liked a man who earned his sweat.

The heady combination of pheromones and proximity coaxed her to lean toward him, eyes hooded. This Sheldon caught on quick and he licked his lips in anticipation.

Then the breakfast bell clanged and the moment was broken.

Sheldon released her hands and stepped back, posture perfect once more, and cleared his throat.

"That will be Mr. Koothrappali signaling the first meal of the day."

Penny, to her credit, just shook her head and took his proffered elbow even as she contemplated her near-actions and their possible consequences. "Yeah, breakfast. Good."