Welcome to the official Chapter 10 Disclaimer, should this condom break it is no fault of Trojan or any subsidiaries or some little kid in Indonesia. Oops sorry wrong disclaimer, I'm sure condoms must have one and a lawyer somewhere is very proud of it. Okay what belongs to me is mine. I'm just borrowing yours with no commercial interest. Sup.

Centrifugal Resurgence

The town car dropped Leonard and Penny at her home. They came in through the garage to barking at the door. Einstein and Leaky rushed toward Penny. She made both dog's sit by holding up her index finger. "Stay", she said, patted both on the head and walked into the kitchen.

They stayed rooted in place until they saw Leonard and jumped to greet him. Leonard rubbed and petted both dogs. He hadn't had a dog since he went off to college. He was falling in love with these two mutts since he'd seen them. They finally calmed down and let him pass into the kitchen. He turned around and faced them and raised his index finger as Penny had done. Both dogs instantly sat. "Cool", said Leonard. He turned around to see Penny and a taller brunette in the TV area sitting on the couch. On the table was Penny's cell phone. The phone was on speaker and Leonard could hear it ringing as he approached.

"Hey Pen, what's up?"

Penny started talking. Leonard had never heard her voice be so in command. He was impressed.

"Josh we've got a tabloid press issue that will probably end up on the entertainment networks. We should get out in front of the pictures."

Josh asked back, "What's in the pictures?"

Penny replied staring at the phone. "Just kissing, walking arm in arm, holding hands, Oh and we had sex on the park bench while we were both painted orange. The pictures of us kissing and holding hands will be hot items. Maybe looking a little shocked", She smirked at Leonard , who shrugged.

Leonard started to zone out of the call. He looked over at who he assumed was Patty. She was glaring at him. She was attractive, in her late twenties. She had long brown hair, and brown eyes. She was taller than Leonard probably by 8 or 9 centimeters he thought. Patty wore a fairly short skirt and had very shapely long legs. She was pretty, not in Penny's league. In fact Leonard thought he'd ask Penny if Patty had some work done. Her face was too perfect. Something didn't fit in her face.

He tuned back in to the call. Now Penny and Patty were talking to whoever Josh was. Leonard assumed it was her publicist or a press liaison.

Patty said "What should we do? What is the story we want out there when the press calls?"

Leonard just watched the two women and the cell phone. They'd been talking about it for 15 minutes. Leonard had enough.

"Wait a minute, can we just tell the truth. I'm Penny's, or Penelope Jensen's fiancé were going to be married soon. We've known each other for years."

Penny and Patty both looked at Leonard. Penny had a mischievous smile on her face. Patty was just shocked.

"Leonard, I don't recall a proposal." Penny now had a wolfish grin on her face.

Leonard just smiled at her. "Let me recap for Patty's sake. We've decided in the last oh say three days that:

One, We still love each other after all these years, in fact never stopped.

Two, If we happen to get pregnant it would be a good thing, and have been trying at it.

Three, That we both want to spend every night together, that could go back to the pregnant thing.

Four, You're wearing an engagement ring, though I bought it long ago, on your left ring finger.

I think that pretty conclusively point to the fact we are engaged"

Penny got up and walked over to where Leonard was standing and took his hand. Before he could protest she got down on one knee. "Leonard Hoftstader, will you make me the happiest woman alive and marry me?"

She took his left hand and slid his wedding ring back on it. The gold chain was still in her hand.

Leonard blushed deeply, and then stuttered, "Of course, I mean yes."

He pulled her up and hugged her, his lips whispered into her ear, "I was going to ask you in Geneva, thought we might get married in." He never got a chance to finish.

She kissed his cheek, "I knew you'd have something planned, but don't tell me, surprise me"

Penny looked over at Patty. "Patty, Josh I'm now officially engaged to be married to Dr. Leonard Hoftstader PhD Department Chair of the Physics Department at Caltech. Figure out the best way to spin it. No wedding plans will be announced it will be very private. Dr. Hoftstader is a very old friend who is a widower with a beautiful daughter. He is a renowned experimental physicist. You can get anything else you need off the Caltech site."

Josh sounded shocked but had his orders, "Okay I'll put it out, got a picture for the release?"

"No they'll have photos soon enough. Anybody wants more information have them look at the interview I'll forward to you from a few days ago."

"Okay Pen, got it"

Penny hung up the phone. Leonard looked over at Patty who still looked shocked but was no longer glaring at Leonard. "Leonard this is Patty, Patty this is Leonard. Patty, get over it as you can tell were playing for keeps here."

She put her hand out to Leonard. "Come on honey let's go let the dogs get in the pool. Einstein, Leaky swimming". Her voice was right back to real Penny.

The dogs rushed by to the patio doors. Penny opened the doors and the dogs rushed into the pool. Penny shouted over her shoulder. "Patty would you get us another town car to take us back to Pasadena in about hour. If you're over the shock why don't you join us for a drink by the pool? Leonard likes scotch, I'll have a beer."

Penny pulled Leonard back into a hug, kissed him. She whispered in his ear. "Mrs Penny Hoftstader"

Leonard spoke out loud, "Mr. Leonard Jenson more likely"

Penny cracked up. Patty walked out with drinks.

Predictable Outcomes.

Penny sat at the table and started watching the dogs play in the pool. Patty set two beers on the table and a tumbler of scotch. She took a chair opposite Penny. Leonard took a seat at a right angle to both of them. Reached over and grabbed his scotch. Leonard felt like draining the glass but restrained himself to a large sip. Penny took a long drag on the beer, a microbrew of some kind, Pale Ale.

See looked at Leonard and smiled. "Honey you need to know what to expect. These people probably already know who you are. Though we will beat them to the punch on our announcement they know. They probably figured out who I was from your interview sweetie. You were vague but not that many actresses were in a New York sitcom, and then got another in LA. It wouldn't have taken much to narrow that down. You said that the apartment was off Colorado Boulevard they've been watching for you honey."

Leonard was a little bit shocked, but he'd never seen any of this coming. That Penny would come to the apartment. He then put it into perspective. "Screw em, if they get to close I'll let you go Nebraska on their ass and I'll let Howard hack them and ruin their credit."

Penny laughed, "Oh that's my gangsta nerd boyfriend, oops fiancé. But you're right though we will be going Nebraska on anybody's ass that even gets near Lisel."

Leonard looked at Penny very seriously, "Honey if it gets really bad, we can move back to Europe. We don't have to be here."

Penny got the same serious look, "Yes we will, without a doubt if it were to get bad"

Then Penny brightened back up, "Chances are it won't, we are just the flavor of the week. We may be flavor of the month after we're married. Unless I decide to change my career track I don't think a comedic actress pushing 40 is going to get too much attention."

Patty still hadn't said a word. She looked between the two of them. "Okay so you two are freaking me out some. I agree with you it should blow over within a week or two. Flair up again when you get married. But living in Europe and who's Lisel.

Leonard started to speak but Penny held him up. "Patty, Lisel is Leonard's four year old daughter, soon to be my daughter. If we aren't happy here we'll move to Europe because this mild mannered professor here is quite wealthy. That and Lisel's grandparents are there."

Leonard just nodded, "Anything I should be doing, besides smiling?"

Penny looked sideways at him. You might consider giving this Ms. Larson another interview, I'm sure she'll be calling soon.

Penny finally looked like she was relaxed. The dogs were done swimming and lying next to Leonard's and Penny's feet. Penny looked at Patty. "You want to bring that new boyfriend over for the night in the guest room. Take care of the dogs?" Patty was suddenly happy, "sounds great."

Penny stood up and offered Leonard her hand. "Come on honey I need to hit the shoe room and get a couple more pair to bring back to the apartment."

Leonard took her hand and followed along softly shaking his head.

Terrior Rules

They didn't see anyone at the door to the apartment building. They took the stairs to the fourth floor. Leonard opened the door and showed Penny in. She walked in. Turned back and waited for Leonard to drop his keys into the bowl. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked in his eyes. "Mrs Penny Hoftstader, I started saying that to myself sometimes before you ever went to the North Pole."

Leonard rubbed his nose against hers "I was saying it before I knew your name, the future Mrs Hoftstader."

They kissed and moved into the living room. "Tish jazz, light upbeat", Leonard said. Suddenly a Ray Charles song was on, "You don't know me". Leonard grabbed Penny and pulled her into a slow dance. They kissed when the song ended.

"Let's get to cooking" Penny said. They headed for the kitchen and the leg of lamb wrapped but warmed to room temperature on the counter.

The lamb was in the oven to finish. Leonard had opened four bottles of wine. They tasted each one together. They decided the 2000 Lynch-Bages would best match the lamb. Leonard had pumped out the air of the others for later. They settled on the couch with the bottle and glasses to wait for the lamb.

Penny sipped the wine it was rich and austere at the same time. She had never had a wine quite this good. Leonard was staring at the wall deep in thought. Penny didn't disturb him. She was so content to be here. She had the person she loved next to her.

Leonard stirred, looking down at her. She cuddled in closer she really wished she was pregnant at his point. Whatever the future brought she was ready. To be a mother would be a pinnacle of her life. She thought about Lisel and Liisa. Making a silent promise to a woman she'd never met. "I will love Lisel as you would have."

Leonard kissed the top of her head. She turned upward and met his lips. "What are you thinking?" Leonard asked.

"I wish Lisel was here to see her parents. Does she remember Liisa?"

Leonard looked toward the urn. "Not really, she knows her mother is gone and she won't be back. When she's a little older I'll let her read her poetry. The pieces from the last year are all about Lisel. When she's ready they'll be there. Liisa also wrote letters for us. Horst has them, there is one for you as well"

Penny turned toward Leonard. "Liisa told me I would find my way back to you. She told me the heart finds a way. I'm not sure I really believed her until now. She had a way of knowing what people felt."

Penny tried to snuggle even closer. She couldn't wait to see the letter Liisa had wrote her

The end to a long and interesting day I suppose. Nuf said

Hope you enjoyed the piece so far, reviews of course are always welcome.

Big Fans, keep those cards and letters coming.